Chapter 29: Almost in Tears

Wasn’t she talking about him?

Er Dan felt a pang of resonance—he used to have bell-bottoms and a floral shirt too, but that woman sold them off later...

He was a little disappointed. Bell-bottoms and floral shirts looked so good—so in his parents’ eyes, they were ugly? Just a way to stand out?

Da Dan couldn’t stand seeing him so downcast. “As long as you’re not bothering anyone, you can do whatever you want.”

Why care so much about Su Qinghu’s opinion!

Er Dan looked up at Da Dan, didn’t say anything, just sighed and continued writing his reflections.

What his brother said sounded great, but he hadn’t really done much of it himself. Sigh, not very convincing.

Just as he lowered his head to pick up his pen, Su Qinghu’s voice rang out again. What she said made the pen he’d just picked up slip from his hand, clatter onto the desk, roll off, and fall to the floor, motionless.

Da Dan stood up suspiciously and poked his head out to look.

Was there something wrong with his ears? What did Su Qinghu just say?

Chen Lie’s smile froze at its brightest. All he could hear was Su Qinghu’s words—“But Chen Lie, I want to wear a floral shirt.”

“Is that okay?” Su Qinghu blinked at him and smiled. “I want to wear it.”

Chen Lie’s smile faded and he frowned slightly. Just as Su Qinghu thought he was about to righteously refuse, he nodded. “You can wear it, just not today.”

“First impressions matter a lot when meeting someone for the first time. Unless something unexpected happens, that impression will last a lifetime.” Seeing she was listening seriously, Chen Lie explained patiently, “Maybe you can change someone’s first impression later, but it’s a long and difficult process.”

People’s prejudices aren’t something that can be changed or erased overnight.

“What if I promise I can make it look good?” Su Qinghu stepped closer to Chen Lie, looking up at him. “What if I can wear it tastefully?”

Chen Lie was silent for a long moment, then sighed and compromised, taking a step back. “How about this? You try it on for us first, and the three of us will vote. If most of us support you, you can wear it. If not, you’ll have to change, okay?”

As soon as he said this, Da Dan, who was eavesdropping, immediately looked at Er Dan. Er Dan met his gaze, looking completely innocent.

Da Dan saw right through him. “Just make the same choice as Dad. You can do that, right?”

Dad definitely wouldn’t agree, so they’d just follow Dad and vote against it. That way, she couldn’t wear the floral shirt.

Er Dan: “Brother, you always tell me to do what I want.”

Da Dan: “...” So?

“So I want to be honest.” Er Dan put on a serious face, looking very sincere. “If it looks good, it looks good. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t.”

Da Dan: ...So you’re determined to side with Su Qinghu?

“If you make the same choice as me and Dad, I’ll buy you a floral shirt for National Day,” Da Dan started to bribe him.

Er Dan was instantly tempted, his eyes practically sparkling. He blurted out, “Really?”

As soon as he said it, he felt a little guilty, but his desire for a floral shirt quickly won out. “You’re not lying to me?”

Da Dan: “When have I ever lied to you?”

Er Dan thought about it and shook his head. No, his brother had never lied to him.

“All right then.” Er Dan decided to set aside Su Qinghu for now and pursue his own interests. “I’ll make the same choice as you guys.”

But—

“What if Dad agrees and you disagree? What should I do then?” He had to consider every possibility and ask clearly. Otherwise, if something went wrong, he wouldn’t get his floral shirt!

Da Dan: “...Just follow Dad’s choice.”

“Okay, got it, Brother.” Er Dan was happy and pricked up his ears with Da Dan to listen to what was happening outside.

Outside, Su Qinghu smiled even more brightly at Chen Lie, nodding in agreement with his suggestion.

“Sure.”

After she spoke, Chen Lie thought Su Qinghu would go change clothes, but after waiting a bit and meeting her gaze, he smiled slightly and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Su Qinghu’s eyes curved into a smile, her voice sweet and soft. “I don’t have a floral shirt.”

“Then go buy one!”

A sudden voice interrupted Chen Lie and Su Qinghu, making both of them and the two kids look toward the person standing at the living room door.

Zhao Liangyan was holding his forehead, swaying a bit—clearly still hungover. He pounded his chest with his fist, his voice full of post-drinking bravado. “If you’re a man, you should spoil your wife! If your wife likes something, you should support her unconditionally! Don’t drag your feet, or you’ll end up having to buy it anyway, and by then she won’t care about it anymore...”

Zhao Liangyan was so passionate, he almost wanted to climb onto the table and give a grand speech.

Su Qinghu looked at him, curiosity piqued. “Does your wife like you drinking? Especially getting drunk like this?”

She was clearly teasing him, and Zhao Liangyan, still not fully sober, nearly lost his balance. If he hadn’t grabbed the doorframe at the last second, he would’ve fallen right on his butt.

Zhao Liangyan felt wronged, clinging to the doorframe and sobbing.

These people are so mean...

Chen Lie was amused by Su Qinghu’s sudden mischief and shook his head slightly. “Don’t tease him. He’s always honest after he’s drunk.”

Su Qinghu nodded. “Okay.”

Even her voice was laced with laughter.

“We’ll eat lunch out today and buy you some clothes while we’re at it,” Chen Lie arranged the afternoon. “Then we’ll go to the compound to see the elders.”

“Lunch will take about two hours, and shopping for clothes should take another two. If we go over there around two or three in the afternoon, it’ll be too early. Why don’t we do something else first?”

Her eyes sparkled as she looked at him, full of hope, making it impossible to refuse her.

Chen Lie: “...What do you want to do?”

“Let’s go to the movies!” Su Qinghu stepped even closer, barely half a step away from him. “We’ll bring you, and you bring the money, and we’ll all go to the cinema together.”

Chen Lie was amused by the way she put it and played along. “What kind of movie do you want to see?”

“A cop movie.” Su Qinghu thought of Er Dan and couldn’t help but laugh. “I want the kids to see things clearly.”

Inside the house, Da Dan and Er Dan’s eyes lit up instantly. The cinema!

A cop movie!

When Chen Lie heard Su Qinghu say, “I want the kids to see things clearly,” he suddenly had a guess. He shot her a look and nodded toward the two inside.

Su Qinghu nodded, then moved closer and lowered her voice. “The kids are at that age where they imitate everything. They think being a ‘big boss’ is cool. I want them to see what that really means.”

She was so close that Chen Lie almost forgot to breathe. He could even smell the warm scent of her hair.

“Chen Lie? Chen Lie?” Su Qinghu waved her hand in front of his face, and the next second, he grabbed her wrist so tightly that she nearly burst into tears."