Xu Youyou froze by the entrance before he turned to glare at Xu Youyou.

Xu Youyou smiled and stuck her tongue out at him.

As expected, Cheng Ying asked worriedly, “Where are you going? It’s so late.”

“I’m going to meet my friends,” Xu Jialu replied, “I’ll be back later.”

“Mom, I want to go out with Brother,” Xu Youyou said sweetly.

“Who knows where’s he going? Moreover, it’s so cold outside,” Cheng Yin said worriedly. She did not feel rest assured with her son bringing her daughter out.

“But I want to go out with Brother,” Xu Youyou said with a pout.

Cheng Yin wanted to say something again, but Xu Jianshu said first, “Go if you want. Just come back early.” After that, he turned to Xu Jialu and said, “Take care of your sister. Otherwise, I’ll skin you alive when you return.”

“Thanks, Mom. Thanks, Dad,” Xu Youyou said before she quickly got up and went to her room to change. When she reached the stairs, she turned to Xu Jialu and said, “Give me ten minutes! Don’t leave without me!”

Xu Jialu said angrily, “You’re lucky I’m not going out on a date. Otherwise, I won’t wait for you!”

…

Five minutes later, Xu Youyou came downstairs, dressed in a bright red down jacket, a hat, and a scarf.

Xu Jialu’s lips twitched before he asked, “Why are you dressed so brightly like a road sign?”

Xu Youyou retorted, “It’s cold outside. Moreover, Mom bought this for me! How dare you say I look like a road sign!”

Xu Youyou turned around, intending to complain to her mother, when Xu Jialu quickly grabbed the hood of the down jacket and pulled her out. He did not forget to say, “Mom, we’re leaving!”

Xu Jialu did not want Cheng Ying to nag him.

Cheng Yin was worried. She walked to the entrance and said, “Look after Youyou. Don’t drink and drive. Remember to come home early…”

“Got it,” Xu Jialu said perfunctorily as he stuffed the red and round Xu Youyou into the passenger seat.

Cheng Ying shook her head and said reproachfully, “Why is he so impatient? Can he really look after Youyou?”

Xu Jianshu walked over and comforted her. “Jialu has grown up. He’ll take good care of his sister. Don’t worry.”

“He has to take good care of her. He can’t be like before…” Cheng Ying trailed off when she met Xu Jianshu’s gaze.

“Don’t think about the past. The children are grown up now. Let bygones be bygones,” Xu Jianshu said.

Cheng Ying nodded. Even then, it was easier said than done. She was worried that Xu Youyou might fall sick again one day.

…

Xu Jialu looked at the tightly-wrapped Xu Youyou and asked, “Did you think I was going out with Old Mo so you insisted on following me?”

“No. Don’t talk nonsense,” Xu Youyou denied with a guilty expression on her face.

“Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I’m only meeting Bo Qi tonight. Old Mo has to deal with his relatives every new year’s eve so he doesn’t have time to come out,” Xu Jialu said.

“Oh.” Disappointment flooded Xu Youyou’s heart immediately.

Xu Jialu frowned. “If you miss him, then invite him out. How dare he not come out?”

“Who said I miss him?” Xu Youyou shook her head and said, “I just feel bored at home and wanted to spend time with my brother.”

Xu Jialu scoffed. ‘Who would believe you?’

…

Since it was the eve of the new year and everyone was spending time with their families, there were pitifully few people in the bar. Perhaps, only those who were unwilling to go home or had nowhere to go were in the bar.

Xu Youyou followed Xu Jialu into the bar and saw Bo Qi sitting on a couch, drinking alone.

Bo Qi looked up and set his wine glass down before he asked, “Lulu, why did you bring a round road sign with you?”

Xu Jialu rolled his eyes. “Get lost! Don’t call me that. It’s disgusting!”

Xu Youyou removed her hat, scarf, and down jacket as she said, “I’m not round.”

Realization dawned on Bo Qi. “Oh, I didn’t see clearly earlier. As it turns out, it’s Mo Shenbai’s little wife.”

Xu Youyou’s face heated up. She bit her lip and did not say anything.

Xu Jialu kicked Bo Qi and said, “Will you f*cking die if you don’t tease girls?”

Bo Qi shrugged. “How can it be the same? She’s Old Mo’s wife…”

“Are you asking for a beating?” Xu Jialu glared at him.

Bo Qi ignored Xu Jialu and smiled at Xu Youyou. “Order whatever you want to drink. There’s no need to be polite.”

With that, Xu Youyou walked to the bar. When she asked for a glass of juice, the bartender said there was none and made a cocktail instead. He had told her the alcohol content was low so she did not have to worry about getting drunk.

Xu Jialu and Bo Qi were already chatting happily when Xu Youyou returned to the seat with her glass of cocktail.

“Look at your unhappy face,” Xu Jialu mocked mercilessly, “I guess Qin Siyu hasn’t come back and begged you, right?”

Upon hearing this name, Bo Qi said angrily, “You heartless little bast*rd! Even if she cries and begs me, I won’t forgive her!”

Xu Jialu scoffed, obviously not believing Bo Qi’s words.

Bo Qi looked at him and said, “You’re so concerned about me. Lulu, could it be that you have unrequited love for me?”

Xu Jialu glared at Bo Qi. “Scram! Don’t f*cking disgust me during the new year. What bad luck!”

Bo Qi chuckled. “Then, if that’s not the case, you must be secretly in love with Old Mo. I’ve long noticed there’s something strange between the both of you.”

“Eh?” Xu Youyou’s eyes widened as she looked at Xu Jialu strangely.

“No! Why are you looking at me like that?” Xu Jialu said unhappily, “Don’t tell me you don’t know if Old Mo and I are straight or not!”

“I know Mo Shenbai is straight. It has nothing to do with you secretly loving him…” Bo Qi said teasingly.

“F*ck!” Xu Jialu cursed, “Even if I were not straight, I wouldn’t like Old Mo! Do you understand?”

“Hey, don’t talk about my boyfriend like that,” Xu Youyou said seriously with a frown on her face.

Bo Qi looked as though he had heard some incredible gossip. He turned to ask, “Huh? Girlfriend? Little friend, aren’t you married to Old Mo?”

“Uh…” Xu Youyou smiled and did not say anything. She sipped on her cocktail, feigning ignorance.

Xu Jialu pursed his lips. “It’s none of your business. Qin Siyu doesn’t want you so you have nothing better to do than to ask about the affairs between a married couple! You have a really strange interest.”

“That’s right. I have a really strange interest. I’ve fallen in love with you.”

“Scram, scram, scram!”

Although the duo bickered and glared at each other, their actions were very honest, showcasing their friendship. They clinked their glasses and drank one glass after another.

Xu Youyou, who had just finished her cocktail at this moment, could not help but burp.

Bo Qi raised an eyebrow. “Hey, how’s your sister’s alcohol tolerance?”

Xu Jialu thought about it before he replied, “I’m not too sure. Previously, she had two glasses of red wine, and she fell asleep in the bathroom.”

“…”

Bo Qi was silent for a long time before he said, “The cocktail she drank is called the Fruit Sweetheart. Despite its name, its alcohol content is really high…”

“F*ck!”

At the moment Xu Jialu cursed, Xu Youyou brought her phone out and dialed a string of numbers. When the call connected, she pouted and said in an aggrieved tone, “Hello, are you my boyfriend?”

The person on the other end of the line: “…”