Our Entire Family Has Secrets [Transmigrated] - Chapter 18

Qin Rui dashed back to the classroom as if his feet were coated in oil, without even looking back. He was probably waiting for a classmate who worked for him to bring him lunch.

This kind of avoidance was anything but tactful.

The current situation was awkward because the person being avoided happened to be Lin Shuanghuai, the most popular student in the whole school.

Anyone else might have been curious, but Yuan Bozhu was not just anyone. He didn’t want to probe into Qin Rui’s attitude or the deeper meaning behind his words.

Yuan Bozhu just glanced at the time, mentally calculating how long it would take to queue up at the cafeteria.

He had missed the first batch, and going now would be during peak hours.

When Yuan Bozhu looked up again, he found Lin Shuanghuai still standing there, looking bewildered.

Strange.

This person always pretended to be calm when it wasn’t necessary and panicked when he could afford to be calm.

Like now.

Qin Rui had insulted him to his face, but Yuan Bozhu didn’t get angry or ask questions, nor did he blame Qin Rui for his rude behavior.

Instead, he just held onto his clothes and leaned silently against the railing,

As if waiting for someone to interrogate him.

Yuan Bozhu descended the stairs, passing by Lin Shuanghui, and said flatly, “I’m leaving,”

Then continued downstairs.

The person behind seemed to be stunned for a while, perhaps surprised by Yuan Bozhu’s composure or relieved that he was indifferent enough not to inquire further.

“Hmmm!”

Just before Yuan Bozhu reached the next floor, Lin Shuanghuai hurriedly caught up.

He had been walking close to Yuan Bozhu, but seemed to remember how Yuan Bozhu had avoided him earlier, so he discreetly moved away, maintaining a distance.

“Is there anything you’d like to eat? How’s your usual taste? Do you eat spicy and sweet foods?” Lin Shuanghui cocked his head and looked at Yuan Bozhu,

“I know a place that serves very delicious homemade dishes, the chef is highly skilled and can make dishes from any region. Their desserts are also incredibly tasty. It’s three kilometers from the school, a quick taxi ride away.”

“Something simple,” Yuan Bozhu said.

Lin Shuanghui tried to persuade him, “The restaurants near the school gate are all small, with limited dishes and crowded spaces. I want to take you to have a formal lunch to properly express my gratitude.”

“No need.”

Lin Shuanghuai seemed to already know how to get along with Yuan Bozhu.

Although he appeared cold, as long as you talked to him, he would listen seriously.

And then politely refuse you.

He never played any false politeness.

Lin Shuanghuai smiled as if he had regained his energy, “Okay, okay, I guessed you would refuse, so I have an alternative plan. There’s a new music restaurant on the back street of the school. It’s small, but they have unique dishes, a good atmosphere with fewer people, and their coffee is good too. Let’s go there.”

Yuan Bozhu glanced at him.

“Do you think I’m smart and considerate?” Lin Shuanghuai squinted and smiled.

The stiff and awkward demeanor he had on the steps just now seemed like an illusion.

Now Lin Shuanghuai was relaxed and composed from head to toe, including any subtle expressions on his face.

He always smiled easily.

“Uh-huh,”

Yuan Bozhu said truthfully.

Lin Shuanghuai didn’t take him to a place that would bother him, which was a smart move.

But Yuan Bozhu didn’t expect much from this lunch.

Just like accepting that cup of coffee, it was just to let Lin Shuanghuai exhaust the excuse of “thanking” him.

“Yuan Bozhu.” Lin Shuanghuai suddenly called his name.

But before Yuan Bozhu could look at him, Lin Shuanghuai covered his mouth with a worried expression and whispered, “Calling you like this feels so fierce!”

Yuan Bozhu remained silent. He didn’t understand what Lin Shuanghuai was up to.

“Xiao Zhu?” Lin Shuanghuai tentatively called.

Receiving a cold and speechless look from Yuan Bozhu, Lin Shuanghuai continued,

“I heard that guy in the café calling you like this. I thought it was cute.”

Lin Shuanghuai shrank his neck, pretending to be afraid of Yuan Bozhu’s anger, and said, “Is it not okay to call you like this?”

“Just call me by my name.”

“But it sounds so unfamiliar.”

“It’s okay.”

“Or, how about ‘A Zhu’?”

Yuan Bozhu frowned. He was about to refuse when he heard Lin Shuanghui hastily say, “Can’t call you that? Your expression changed instantly. Is this a special term… is it something only family members call you?”

Not bad, quite clever.

“Darn it, then what should I call you? Calling you ‘Classmate Yuan’ all the time doesn’t feel right. Can you give me a suggestion? You can start by eliminating the terms I can’t use, okay, Classmate Yuan?”

Yuan Bozhu naturally didn’t want to bother with him.

Ignored, Lin Shuanghuai became entangled, as if encountering some great trouble. After walking up the last step, his whole person wilted.

Yuan Bozhu caught a glimpse of Lin Shuanghuai’s dejected look, remained silent for a while, and said, “Whatever.”

“Great!”

Lin Shuanghuai perked up in less than 0.5 seconds, “A Zhu, Xiao Zhu, they’re both cute. Let’s go with A Zhu today, and Xiao Zhu tomorrow, yay!”

“…”

Yuan Bozhu felt like he had been tricked.

How could Lin Shuanghuai be disheartened over a name?

The restaurant was indeed as Lin Shuanghuai described, small and exquisite. Because the prices were higher than those of other small shops near the school gate, there were fewer customers.

They sat in a corner by the window, with a row of bookshelves conveniently blocking the view from the entrance, making it secluded and quiet.

Lin Shuanghuai didn’t ask him what he wanted to eat, but instead asked if Yuan Bozhu had any dietary restrictions.

Yuan Bozhu said no, so Lin Shuanghuai recommended several dishes based on the guides he found online, explaining each dish’s name, flavor, and preparation method to Yuan Bozhu, one by one.

“Are those dishes, okay?” he asked.

“Yeah.”

There was no reason to say no, as Lin Shuanghuai had chosen dishes that were unlikely to go wrong.

Once he got Yuan Bozhu’s approval, Lin Shuanghuai happily placed the order.

During the waiting time for their meal, Lin Shuanghuai began attempting to chat with Yuan Bozhu. It wasn’t idle chatter; every sentence was an inquiry about Yuan Bozhu.

“Bozhu, how tall are you?”

“Bozhu, what’s your eyesight?”

Do you like using a watch to tell time?”

“Do you usually play games?”

Yuan Bozhu occasionally spoke, sometimes just nodded or shook his head.

Only when asked a question he didn’t want to answer did he fall silent and glance at Lin Shuanghuai.

Lin Shuanghuai would immediately shut up, change the subject, and then kindly pour him a glass of water.

Yuan Bozhu still couldn’t understand where Lin Shuanghuai’s excessive enthusiasm came from.

The wind chimes at the door suddenly rang.

A group of Qiancheng High School students walked in.

The students who could afford to eat here were probably those who enjoyed life, not afraid to spend time or money.

Yuan Bozhu didn’t pay attention, but Lin Shuanghuai’s expression seemed to change.

In a few limited seconds, Yuan Bozhu guessed that Lin Shuanghuai was in a dilemma: to hide or not to hide.

Then it was too late.

The group approached, and upon seeing Lin Shuanghuai’s uniform, they recognized him.

“Ah! Look who I found!”

“Lin Shuanghuai, you’re too much! You knew there was a new restaurant here and didn’t tell us, but came to eat behind our backs—”

“Shuanghuai! Wuu wuu wuu, you abandoned us, and actually came to the new restaurant with your new sweetheart! You really love novelty and tire of the old!”

The lively group surrounded them.

Lin Shuanghuai could only stand up with a smile, joke with them, and gently usher them aside.

“Why can’t we sit together?” Yu Yangen scratched his head, then was pushed into another seat by Lin Shuanghuai.

Han Banlan looked like she had seen through the world, and took the initiative to sit down: “Your Majesty has a new love, so we will be relegated to the cold palace.”

Then she called the waiter to take their orders.

Another classmate, Xu Zhilong, who occasionally ate with them, also criticized Lin Shuanghuai: “You rush off right after school, I thought you were going on a date with a girl, turns out you’re making new friends, it’s really disappointing!”

Lin Shuanghuai looked at them, not comforting or explaining, just saying, “I’m busy with something important, you guys behave and sit here to eat, leave after you’re done.”

With that, he smiled and squinted, saying, “Whoever dares to disturb me, don’t expect to copy my homework for the next week.”

“Oh my god! That’s harsh!”

“Sob…”

“We get it, we get it, you go ahead and deal with your big thing.”

Yuan Bozhu leaned back on the sofa, his gaze turning to the window.

His hand rested on the glass dining table, next to his phone just locked.

There was a prominent headline in the notification bar:

【Supernatural Phenomenon at South City Tangguo Bar?! The fire unexpectedly formed into a ball shape and burned intensely, tightly chasing after a man in a crowded area, his body instantly turned to ashes! Is it a rumor or an unknown truth, Qiancheng Actualities tracks for you…】

Yuan Bozhu’s fingertips lifted lightly, seemingly unconsciously tapping twice.

Two minutes later, Lin Shuanghuai returned with the meal.

After Lin Shuanghuai sat down, he glanced at Yuan Bozhu and suddenly said, “You seem a little unhappy?”

As soon as he asked, he found it strange himself.

How could he tell that Yuan Bozhu was unhappy from his expressionless face?

He didn’t know, he just had that feeling.

Yuan Bozhu’s gaze returned from outside the window, quietly glanced at Lin Shuanghuai, and finally said, “No.”

“Maybe I’m just too sensitive, haha. Let’s eat.”

“Yeah.”

Lin Shuanghuai had a good habit; he didn’t keep talking during meals, allowing Yuan Bozhu to finish the meal in silence.

In just over ten minutes, the glances from the table next to them hardly ceased.

Yuan Bozhu didn’t delay his lunchtime because of the restaurant’s pleasant environment, elegant music, or delicious food.

He maintained the same eating speed as usual. After finishing, he put down his utensils. In the brief moment he used to wipe the corners of his lips with a tissue, he made a decision.

Yuan Bozhu stood up and said, “I’ll leave first.”

In that instant, Lin Shuanghuai suddenly bit his tongue.

After swallowing the food in his mouth with difficulty, he opened his mouth and asked, “What’s wrong? Do you need to wash your hands?”

Yuan Bozhu was already tall, and standing or sitting next to Lin Shuanghuaai made him seem even more superior. His tone still couldn’t be discerned for any emotion as he explained, “I’ve already accepted your thanks.”

“Huh?” Lin Shuanghuai didn’t want to admit it, but he understood Yuan Bozhu’s meaning immediately.

You want to thank me, I accept.

Now that we’ve finished eating, this matter is considered closed.

A feeling of resolution washed over them.

Lin Shuanghuai put down what he was holding and stood up as well, blinking rapidly as he quickly tried to continue the conversation, “…Then, you could wait for me to finish eating, and we can go back together.”

Yuan Bozhu said, “Your friend is waiting for you.”

With that said, Lin Shuanghuai instinctively looked over at the table where Han Banlan was seated. Sure enough, all three of them were craning their necks to look in their direction. When Lin Shuanghuai noticed them, he waved back vigorously.

Yuan Bozhu furrowed his brows, preparing to leave.

But a hand reached out and grabbed his sleeve— it was a habitual gesture of Lin Shuanghuai’s, whether subconscious or just for convenience in trying to keep him there.

Yuan Bozhu paused.

“We’re friends too, you can wait for me,” Lin Shuanghuai said, not giving Yuan Bozhu a chance to speak, and then quickly added,

“Oh, right, I forgot, you don’t like being watched, do you? I’ll go tell them not to stare.”

Lin Shuanghuai planned to make amends by going over, but Yuan Bozhu stopped him by grabbing his wrist.

“Lin Shuanghuai.”

“Um, what is it?”

Unlike Lin Shuanghuai, politeness and manners weren’t things Yuan Bozhu pursued.

Most of the time, Yuan Bozhu treated people politely, as long as that politeness wouldn’t lead to further trouble.

Right now, he didn’t need to maintain that politeness.

Nor did he need to keep up too good an image in front of Lin Shuanghuai.

Yuan Bozhu spoke, his voice lower and softer than usual:

“I don’t need friends.”