Xu Wan was immediately unhappy. “Why do you want to see her? Are you trying to rekindle old feelings?”
Chen Can glanced at Xu Wan, chuckled lightly, and reached out to pinch her cheek. “Wanwan, how can you be this adorable, hmm?”
Xu Wan pouted coyly. “Why are you pinching me?”
“What possibility of rekindling old feelings is there between Shen Liya and me? Even without all the things she did, we would have gotten divorced anyway. There was never any real feeling between us from the start.”
“Haven’t I told you? I was tricked by her. She got pregnant with Xiao Bo, and I originally thought I should do a man’s duty and take responsibility. But our personalities are simply incompatible, and I can’t accept her actions.”
“Her arrest just made me reach my decision faster. For Xiao Bo’s sake, and for yours.”
“Wanwan, no matter what, don’t ever doubt my sincerity toward you again.”
Chen Can took Xu Wan’s hand and brought it to his lips for a light kiss.
With just these few words, he made Xu Wan even more devoted to him.
They weren’t married yet, and Xu Wan’s feelings for him were his biggest bargaining chip.
As long as he had Xu Wan wrapped around his finger, it wouldn’t matter how much Xu Changkong and Xu Xun disapproved of him.
For Xu Wan’s happiness, they would have no choice but to help him, no matter what.
“What are you going to see her about tomorrow?” Xu Wan asked, still bothered by this after her moment of sweetness.
“What else? To discuss the divorce, of course.”
“I originally planned to go the next day, but then I got injured.”
“Now that my injury is somewhat better, I need to resolve this matter as soon as possible.”
“If I don’t divorce her, how can I marry you, right?”
Chen Can looked at Xu Wan with deep affection. “Wanwan, it’s all my fault. I’ve let you suffer a lot of grievances lately.”
“All your kindness to me, I remember it. The past, the present, and I’ll remember it always, forever.”
Xu Wan was moved to tears, weeping uncontrollably. “A’Can, I…”
“Don’t cry. If your father and big brother see you like this, they’ll think I bullied you.”
Chen Can wiped away Xu Wan’s tears. “Otherwise, when I go to your house, wouldn’t they beat me up?”
“They would never.”
Xu Wan looked up shyly at Chen Can. “As long as I’m there, my dad and big brother won’t give you a hard time.”
“I know.”
Chen Can tapped Xu Wan’s cheek gently. “Silly girl, didn’t you realize I was teasing you to make you smile?”
“No more crying, okay? We’re going out to have fun. Let’s be happy.”
Chen Can ruffled Xu Wan’s hair. “Wanwan, I like it when you smile. You should smile more.”
Xu Wan nodded obediently and vigorously. “Mm.”
At the compound gate.
He Bin and Ye Zhiqiu were both staring at Lu Shuangshuang in shock. Lu Shuangshuang herself only just realized what she had done and felt very awkward.
“Ahem.”
Lu Shuangshuang tossed her hair back, trying to cover up her embarrassment. She turned and pointed in the direction Chen Can had left. “I just can’t stand the sight of Chen Can, that’s all.”
Ye Zhiqiu smiled, not exposing her. She stepped forward and took Lu Shuangshuang’s hand. “Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine.”
Lu Shuangshuang withdrew her hand and looked at He Bin. “You brat, are you okay? What else did he do before we got here?”
“Just kicked me once.” He Bin didn’t dare meet Lu Shuangshuang’s gaze.
From the moment she appeared, his eyes had lit up.
Today, she looked even more beautiful.
“Are you stupid? When he hits you, you know how to dodge, and you fight back!”
Lu Shuangshuang jabbed her finger hard against He Bin’s forehead. “Weren’t you good at fighting before? How come you’re so timid now? You even went to martial arts school—what a waste of time.”
He Bin glanced at Ye Zhiqiu. “Big Sis said fighting isn’t the way to solve problems. I promised her I wouldn’t get into fights recklessly.”
“She told you not to get into reckless fights, not to just stand there and take a beating. When you run into people like Chen Can, you should still hit back. It’s better for you to hit him than for you to get hit.”
Ye Zhiqiu asked He Bin, “How did you get into a conflict with Chen Can?”
“He stopped the car and asked if I was there to see him. I said no. Then as we were talking, I told him he shouldn’t just fool around with other people; he should go see Shen Liya.”
Ye Zhiqiu, knowing Chen Can well, felt her eyes turn colder. “He was angry and ashamed, so he took it out on you.”
“Sis, is your hand okay?” He Bin looked at Ye Zhiqiu’s hand, full of worry.
His sister’s wrist was so slender. He was really afraid her arm might have snapped.
“I’m not made of paper.” Ye Zhiqiu could guess what He Bin was thinking and felt rather helpless.
“Sis, I’m really happy.” He Bin’s eyes sparkled. His sister did care about him, after all.
Ye Zhiqiu patted He Bin’s shoulder. “Can you still ride the bike?”
“Yeah, I’m really fine.”
He Bin saw Lu Shuangshuang step out. “Where’s your bike?”
“You said you’d take me. I was too lazy to ride mine. You can just give me a lift.”
Lu Shuangshuang took ten yuan from her bag and handed it to He Bin. “I’m even giving you ten yuan! If I have to ride my own bike, that’s not a good deal at all.”
“It’s not appropriate for me to give you a lift.” He Bin wore an uncharacteristically serious expression. “There’s a difference between men and women. If people saw, they’d gossip.”
“What are you thinking?”
Lu Shuangshuang burst out laughing and slapped He Bin on the back. “You’re just a little brat who hasn’t even grown all your hair yet. Who would gossip?”
He Bin flushed red. “You’re the little brat!”
Lu Shuangshuang waved dismissively. “Yeah, yeah, yeah, you’re not a little brat.”
He Bin turned his bike around, fuming. “Go by yourself.”
“Hey, how can you go back on your word?”
Lu Shuangshuang grabbed hold of He Bin. “No way, you have to take me there. You promised! You can’t back out!”
“If you back out…” Lu Shuangshuang pointed at He Bin, thinking for a moment. “…then you’ll be a bachelor forever and never get a wife!”
“You!”
He Bin was so angry he blurted out without thinking, “If I can’t get a wife, then you be my wife!”
Both Lu Shuangshuang and He Bin froze. He Bin’s ears turned red enough to drip blood. He hurried to explain. “That’s not what I meant, I…”
Unexpectedly, Lu Shuangshuang’s eyes curved into smiling crescents, and she nodded in agreement. “Alright then. If you can’t find a wife in the future, I’ll be your wife. As long as you don’t mind me being old.”
Looking at Lu Shuangshuang’s smiling face, He Bin’s heartbeat involuntarily sped up.
Afraid she might notice, he quickly lowered his head and muttered insincerely, “I’d never marry a woman like you for a wife.”
“Hah, and I’d never marry you anyway. I might get married next year.”
Lu Shuangshuang hopped onto the bike’s rear rack, smiling as she looked at He Bin. “Xiao Xiang, when I get married, how about you carry me on your back?”
“I won’t go. You have brothers. Why should I carry you?”
He Bin suddenly felt a strange, inexplicable bitterness in his mouth.
“Even if I never get married, I’d walk out on my own two feet before I’d let that little beast Lu Xu carry me.”
Lu Shuangshuang leaned her head in from the side. “I just want you to carry me. Will you agree or not?”
“No!”
“Honestly, I ask you for one little favor and you won’t help. So stingy.”
Lu Shuangshuang’s tone was dejected. She heaved a heavy sigh. “Sigh—forced fruit isn’t sweet. What can I do? I’m not your sister, after all. I think of you as a little brother, but you don’t think of me as a sister. It’s pointless.”
