The date when the puppy was discovered four years ago was this coming Sunday.

On Saturday, Lin Shilan and Tan Jin had agreed to go to the petrochemical plant.

So starting from Friday, she had been racking her brain trying to think of an excuse to tell her mother about going out tomorrow.

By Friday evening, Lin Shilan discovered she had other worries.

Lü Xiaorong came home carrying a bunch of groceries. As soon as she entered, she busied herself washing rice and cooking, and even asked Lin Shilan to help by going out to buy a case of beer and some marinated snacks to go with the alcohol.

“In a bit, your Uncle Tang, his friends, and a few relatives are coming to our house for dinner. Hurry up with the shopping.”

Lin Shilan had guessed as much.

“Our place is so tiny, why do they always have to come here to eat and drink?”

“These are all debts of favor we owe, understand?” Lü Xiaorong gave her money and urged her out: “Don’t worry about adult matters. Just go and come back quickly.”

By the time she returned with the beer and marinated snacks, Uncle Tang had already arrived with the group he brought and was drinking at their home.

The man held alcohol in one hand and a cigarette in the other. Seeing Lin Shilan enter, his beady eyes darted around: “Sister-in-law, you didn’t believe what I told you when I came in. Now that Rui Rui is here, ask her.”

“What is it?” Lin Shilan kept a cold expression, not even bothering to look at him properly.

He raised his glass, shaking his head while exchanging glances with his drinking buddies: “Look at this girl, talking to her uncle like that. Really something.”

A drinking buddy who had just sat down not long ago joined in the commotion: “What did this girl do?”

Uncle Tang, in front of everyone, repeated the complaint he had made before: “Not long ago, I ran into her after school and greeted her, and she just went crazy out of nowhere and pushed me to the ground. My old arms and legs took such a fall… I’ve been recovering for so long, and my body still hasn’t fully healed.”

Lü Xiaorong’s face hardened as she asked her: “Rui Rui, did this really happen?”

Lin Shilan dared to own up to what she did: “Yes.”

Uncle Tang beside her sighed dramatically, taking the opportunity to fan the flames: “Sister-in-law, you’re a teacher. You can’t just educate the students at school—you need to properly educate the child at home too.”

“That’s right.” Her mother forced a smile, then turned to scold her child: “Lin Shilan, I usually teach you to be polite and respect your elders. Does it go in one ear and out the other? Quick, apologize to your uncle.”

“I didn’t do anything wrong!”

With everyone watching, Lin Shilan deliberately raised her volume so everyone could hear: “He came over and touched me, that’s why I pushed him.”

Lü Xiaorong pointed her finger at her forehead, annoyed that she was making such a loud scene: “What’s wrong with your own uncle touching you once? Was it necessary to push him?”

Lin Shilan stood her ground. Even when her mother pushed her head, she didn’t move an inch, her expression stubborn.

“Fine, you’re not eating dinner. Go out again and buy your uncle some good cigarettes, and apologize to him.” Lü Xiaorong opened her wallet, stuffed several bills into her hand, and sent her away.

Actually, Lin Shilan wasn’t afraid of her Uncle Tang at all. She didn’t care what the relatives and elders present thought of her. But she knew her mother needed a way to save face.

Clenching the money in her fist, she glared hatefully at those enjoying the spectacle.

“Still not going?” Lü Xiaorong slapped her back hard twice more.

Shoving her hands into her pockets, facing her mother’s glare, Lin Shilan stormed out of the house.

Down the stairs in three or five steps, she kicked at a large rock in the grass pile downstairs to vent her anger.

Her chest felt blocked with black, foul-smelling mud. She felt wronged, she felt cowardly, and truly couldn’t swallow this humiliation.

At this moment, a perfect target for her anger who wasn’t afraid to die came along, delivering himself right into the line of fire.

Tan Jin appeared holding milk tea in both hands, with a leisurely manner as if he’d just finished dinner and was taking a stroll.

“Did you step in dog poop in the grass?”

“Step on your big ghost head!” Lin Shilan was fuming, her voice harsh and mean as she tried to chase away this annoying pest: “Why are you always hanging around me? Are you a stalker!”

“…Who’s following you? I’m just going to my own home.” He took a sip of milk tea, neither angry nor annoyed: “If you didn’t step in dog poop, why does your face look so foul?”

She couldn’t be bothered with him and walked off with a wave of her hand.

Tan Jin persistently chased after her: “I can see you’ve encountered something unpleasant. Quick, tell me about it so I can be happy.”

“If you want to be happy, go be happy at your own home.” The puffed-up Lin Shilan walked faster than running: “I need to go buy cigarettes.”

“Buy cigarettes? You have guests at home?” He jogged along to keep up with her, needing to maintain this speed for them to talk.

Bickering all the way to the grocery store that sold cigarettes, Tan Jin had also managed to ferret out the reason for her unhappiness.

Lin Shilan was about to enter the store when he stopped her.

“For such a bastard uncle, you’re really going to buy him cigarettes?”

She asked irritably: “What else then?”

“Where’s the money your mom gave you?”

She felt in her pocket and pulled out several crumpled bills.

Tan Jin snatched the money and stuffed it into his own pocket.

“What are you doing?” Lin Shilan immediately tried to grab it back.

He firmly covered his pants pocket: “I’m stealing your money. Can’t you tell?”

She wasn’t in the mood to fool around with him: “Stop playing. Give me back the money.”

“No. Lin Shilan, have you ever been to a movie theater? Let’s use this money to go see a movie.”

His eyes sparkled with scattered light, making it hard to tell if he was teasing or serious: “Or, let’s go to Lakeside Park to ride the spinning flyer, go to the night market…”

“I don’t know what crazy fit you’re having. If I don’t buy the cigarettes, how am I supposed to explain to my mom?” She didn’t respond, just lowered her head to pry at his fingers.

“If you can’t explain, then you can’t explain. You promised to rebel against her earlier—did you forget as soon as you said it?”

Tan Jin reached his hand into his pocket, gripped the money, and held it high above his head.

Now Lin Shilan couldn’t reach it at all.

“The plan is to rebel against her. But if I don’t buy cigarettes, my uncle will demand an explanation from my mom, and then she’ll…”

Because of their struggle, they were standing very close.

As she spoke, he hid his hand behind his back and suddenly lowered his head.

His nose was almost touching hers.

His breath was right there.

His distinct black and white eyes gazed at her.

Lin Shilan quickly retreated, pulling distance between them.

But Tan Jin still stared at her eyes.

With laughter in his tone, he said: “Let me see what Lin Shilan truly wants to do.”

Something suddenly made her feel embarrassed.

She quietly looked away.

The slender, beautiful hand of the young man reached toward her face.

His bent knuckle gently lifted the frame of her glasses.

“I know now.” He dropped this line.

Before Lin Shilan could react, Tan Jin had already successfully absconded with the funds.

Roles reversed—now she was chasing him.

His running speed was no joke.

Lin Shilan reasonably suspected Tan Jin had a vengeful streak, because by the time she caught up with him, she was gasping for breath and had broken into a sweat.

And he had brought her to…

“An eyeglass store?”

The panting Lin Shilan looked completely puzzled: “You’re not even nearsighted. Why come here?”

“To help you get new glasses.” His steps didn’t stop as he walked toward the store.

She could only follow him inside, lowering her voice to tell him: “Don’t waste your effort. I don’t need them.”

“Really?”

Tan Jin glanced at her lightly, exposing her with incredible precision.

“Your glasses are heavy and the prescription isn’t strong enough. Are you sure you don’t need to change them?”

Lin Shilan’s heart jumped, and her expression as she looked at him became complicated: “How did you know?”

“How did I know?” He tilted his head, smiling mysteriously: “Exactly as you’re imagining.”

Mimicking a girl’s tone, he voiced her inner thoughts: “Oh my god, I’m the one wearing the glasses, even my mom doesn’t know my prescription isn’t strong enough, how does he know? Wow, isn’t this person a creep? He understands me too well, even better than my mom does. He must be suspicious.”

“…” Although her inner thoughts wouldn’t actually have so many exaggerated interjections, she had to admit his speculation was quite accurate.

Lin Shilan deliberately provoked him: “Oh? You’re admitting you are indeed suspicious?”

“Suspicious is suspicious then. Whether I admit it or not, you’ll think so anyway.”

Tan Jin picked out a round-frame pair of glasses, took them from the display case, and handed them to her: “Want to try?”

“So we’re not buying cigarettes anymore?” Both spending money on herself and not completing what her mother asked made Lin Shilan feel guilty.

“Let me ask you—what’s more important: your bastard uncle smoking cigarettes, or you being able to see clearly?”

His tone was heavy, with a rare oppressive feeling that made people uncomfortable.

The atmosphere was tense. She said nothing.

Tan Jin became even more excessive. Without asking for permission, he bent down and directly removed the glasses she was wearing, placing them on the counter beside them.

“Poor eyesight makes life inconvenient everywhere. In class, you can’t see the blackboard clearly. Crossing the street, you can’t see distant cars. Taking the bus, you can’t see the route numbers clearly. Tomorrow when we go to save the puppy, if your vision isn’t good enough, how will you stake out the place… All of this, you’re going to endure?”

Lin Shilan was very displeased with his aggressive manner. Her mind was thinking of how to retort, but she wasn’t as fast as Tan Jin’s actions.

Smoothly picking up the frame he had his eye on, he helped her put them on with his own hands.

As he put them on, he said: “If you’re so good at enduring, then from now on, I’ll disregard your wishes and force everything I want to give you on you.”

This series of provocations completely ignited Lin Shilan’s anger.

Just as she was about to remove the glasses and throw them at him, the store owner appeared in time.

“Young lady, you have good taste. This style looks really good on you.”

The owner came over smiling, holding a mirror so Lin Shilan could see her own appearance.

“You look so fresh and youthful, with such a small face. Thin frames make you look so delicate. Those black frames you had were too overpowering for your features.”

The girl in the mirror was frowning. The glasses she was trying had no prescription, so the mirror wasn’t very clear.

The owner moved the mirror forward a bit more: “Want me to get you some other thin-frame glasses to try?”

Lin Shilan finally saw clearly her own unhappy face, and also, that pair of glasses that really was very suitable for her.

“No need.” She took a deep breath and ultimately had to admit her satisfaction: “I’ll buy this one.”

Even without looking, she could feel the person beside her smiling.

The owner, skilled at business, pulled Lin Shilan along for the subsequent eye exam and lens selection.

Three hours later, she received her newly fitted glasses.

On the way home.

Tan Jin walked ahead with his hands behind his back, humming an off-key song.

That night, there was no wind and no rain.

Walking on the open road, they could see the round moon at the edge of the sky.

Tonight’s moonlight was so gentle and bright.

Lin Shilan couldn’t help but look at it a few more times, with her new glasses.

Knowing tomorrow would be another rainy day, but somehow, she didn’t feel too annoyed about it.

They both slowed their pace together, looking at the moon.

“I’m going to pay you back.”

Lin Shilan was first to break the peaceful, beautiful silence.

“The money my mom gave wasn’t enough for glasses. You settled the bill—tell me how much the difference was, and I’ll give it to you. They’re my own glasses. I can’t let you pay for them.”

“Not telling. You won’t let me spend money, so I’ll spend it anyway.”

He turned around and made an ugly face at her: “So annoying, right?”

Tan Jin was deliberately trying to provoke another argument.

Lin Shilan could tell.

She urgently mobilized the vocabulary for arguments in her brain.

However, after deep thought, she only quietly retorted one line.

“What’s wrong with you.”