novelraw Chapter 89
Chapter 89
Chapter 89: We Are, Pure Love!
It was difficult to explain the difference between ‘pure friendship’ and ‘couple’ to Lucia.
The root of the problem still lay with Xia Li himself.
He had told Lucia from the beginning that pure friendship was more powerful than being a couple.
So now, if he told Lucia that they were a ‘couple,’ it would feel like a downgrade in her eyes, which would make her feel frustrated.
Therefore, Xia Li didn’t rush to explain anything to Lucia.
He simply told her that their relationship was evolving towards something even more powerful than pure friendship.
Lucia was easily coaxed. As soon as she heard that her relationship with Xia Li was developing in a good direction, she was happy to accept it.
Xia Li had said that the final stage of their ‘pure friendship’ was—
Pure love! ◈◈◈
“Thanks, Master.”
“No problem, take care.”
Closing the car door, the grumpy taxi driver smiled at Xia Li and then sped off with a push of the gas pedal.
“Let’s go.”
At the entrance of the apartment complex, the cold autumn rain fell like fine spider silk on their faces.
Both of them were drenched. Xia Li’s hair was dripping, and Lucia’s back was soaked.
The rain continued to drizzle as Lucia, wearing her hat, followed Xia Li upstairs.
In the hallway, the broken motion-sensor light, as it had been when Lucia first arrived, refused to cooperate.
Xia Li stomped his feet, but the light didn’t turn on. He took out his phone and turned on the flashlight.
“Be careful, the floor is slippery,” he said to Lucia behind him.
“Then I’ll hold your hand.”
As soon as she heard there was danger, Lucia’s small hand naturally reached out from her sleeve.
Xia Li: “…”
This was how he was hooked by the dragon!
Without a word, he grabbed that dragon claw. In the pitch-black hallway, the bright flashlight illuminated the floor and then landed on Lucia’s clean face.
The sound of their footsteps echoed in their ears.
Looking at Lucia’s naturally pursed lips, Xia Li’s heart stirred again.
Was that just now the dragon’s first kiss?
Probably not.
After all, she didn’t even know she had been kissed.
Besides, this time it was neither Xia Li who actively kissed her nor the dragon who actively kissed him.
Purely accidental.
It was better to pretend nothing happened…
Otherwise, Lucia would start asking a lot of questions like a curious child.
There was no reason why. He just liked her, and there was no need to question it! That’s what Xia Li thought to himself.
However, it was still difficult for him to say a confession out loud.
Just like most families raised with traditional Chinese education, Xia Li’s family rarely expressed ‘like’ and ‘love’ verbally.
For children who grew up in such an environment, expressing feelings was a very awkward thing to do.
“Hmm?”
Lucia looked up and saw Xia Li not only not looking at the road but also turning his head to look at her, which made her confused.
“Why are you looking at me?” Xia Li countered.
“…”
Lucia frowned and didn’t speak.
Xia Li was acting strange today…
He was very aggressive, but he had no hostility towards her.
It wasn’t impatience, but it felt much gentler than usual…
Unable to understand human behavior, Lucia decided to stop thinking about it.
They went around the second-floor stairs one after another. The door of the neighbor’s house downstairs was half open, and warm light shone from inside.
Xia Li slowed down and glanced inside.
“Oh, Xia Li.”
Upstairs, a human woman was struggling to carry a clay jar down the stairs.
“Sister Zhao, what are you doing?”
Their neighbor, Zhao Qin, walked with difficulty to her door and put the jar on the ground, taking a deep breath.
“Isn’t there a red alert for a storm tonight? I figured the things on the roof would definitely be affected, so I quickly moved them back home.”
Zhao Qin put her hands on her hips and exhaled, unsure if the beads of water on her forehead were sweat or rain, mixing together as they dripped down.
The clay jar at her feet contained doubanjiang, a specialty of the Sichuan region, which older generations basically made at home.
“How many more are there? I’ll help you.”
◈◈◈
Xia Li rolled up his sleeves and picked up the jar from the ground to help move it inside.
It was common for neighbors to help each other out. When Fang Xia was working, she often left Xia Li in Zhao Qin’s care. Xia Li was also willing to lend a hand to this neighbor.
“Thank you for your help. There are still a few more jars. I’ll take you there.”
Zhao Qin didn’t decline, her eyes crinkling with a smile as she spoke while catching her breath.
Then her gaze fell on the young girl beside Xia Li, and the smile in her eyes deepened.
This smile reminded Xia Li of the smile that Fang Xia might have shown towards Lucia. It was exactly the same.
“You go inside and sit down. There’s a hairdryer on my shoe cabinet, feel free to use it,” she said, patting Xia Li’s shoulder. “Let’s go, don’t make your girlfriend wait too long.”
It only took a few minutes to make two trips.
Xia Li followed Zhao Qin upstairs, and Lucia didn’t stay idle either, huffing and puffing as she followed behind.
Zhao Qin thought the girl was going back to her own apartment first, but when they reached the third floor in front of her door, she didn’t even glance at it and directly followed them upstairs.
The wind on the roof was even stronger than downstairs, and the rain was heavier. Speaking at the air vent, their voices sounded muffled as if separated by a layer of film.
“Just these few jars. There are glass lids on top, be careful not to cut your hands…”
Before she finished speaking, Zhao Qin watched as the delicate young girl walked directly into the rain and then squatted down.
The clay jar, filled with 30 kilograms of doubanjiang, weighing over 40 kilograms with the jar, almost the same weight as a large bottle of mineral water, was effortlessly held in Xia Li’s girlfriend’s arms.
Zhao Qin was stunned.
“It’s okay, she’s strong.”
Xia Li also carried a jar downstairs. Not long after, they returned.
Zhao Qin had only pickled five jars in total, and more than half of these five jars were for her neighbors.
Looking at Xia Li and the young girl going back and forth, she felt emotional.
Wow, Chen Tao was right.
Little Lu had a very good personality. Although she was a bit quiet, she was really honest and hardworking.
Such a good girl… and an orphan.
How pitiful.
Hopefully, that Xia boy would treat her well.
“Quickly, go back and take a hot shower, dry your hair, don’t catch a cold.”
Zhao Qin took a clean towel from her house and wiped the girl’s hair.
“Are you hungry? I’m just getting off work and was about to make some noodles. I still have a lot of meat sauce at home. Why don’t you come down and have some after you shower?”
Zhao Qin was very enthusiastic. Although she was inviting them verbally, her attitude was unyielding.
This was exactly the same as Xia Li’s mother, Mrs. Fang.
Xia Li used toilet paper to wipe his hair. He didn’t have the same treatment as Lucia with a towel. The crumpled tissue left bits of paper on his hair, like it was snowing.
“Okay, we’ll come down later.”
Thinking that he would definitely have to take Lucia back to meet Fang Xia in the future, Xia Li agreed to Zhao Qin’s invitation.
It was a way for Lucia to get used to the enthusiastic hospitality of middle-aged women in advance.
“Thank you, Little Lu. You’re such a sensible child… If Xia Li bullies you in the future, just tell us. All the neighbors in this building will stand up for you!” Zhao Qin held Lucia’s hand with some heartache and said earnestly.
Lucia didn’t quite know how to deal with this situation, so she could only nod while hiding behind Xia Li.
“I’ll take her upstairs first.”
Xia Li led Lucia upstairs.
Looking back at the guy secretly giggling with his head down, he asked again.
“So, does helping humans bring you joy?”
“This is my first time helping adult humans…”
A smile appeared on Lucia’s lips.
When she helped human cubs before, Lucia received things like candy and pears.
But helping adult humans was different. What she received was no longer something tangible, but a promise.
“Xia Li, you definitely won’t be able to beat me in the future!”
Lucia put on her ugly fish-mouth slippers at the door, secretly giggling.
“…Why do you say that?” Xia Li asked.
“After I get to know all the neighbors here, they’ll all be on my side.”
Showing her worth in human society was much simpler than Lucia had imagined.
All she had to do was be a good dragon!
Once she fully integrated into society and became friends with all of Xia Li’s neighbors…
Then Xia Li wouldn’t dare to send her back so easily!