Shocking! The Broke Campus Heartthrob Is My Child’s Father - Chapter 20

Jiang Yan was often teased by Jiang Ruoqiao’s friends as a loyal dog boyfriend.

He listened to Jiang Ruoqiao intently. When she told him not to buy the bag, he agreed and stuck to his word. After posting on social media, he took the initiative to knock on Lin Kexing’s door.

Lin Kexing looked exhausted, but her eyes instantly lit up when she saw him.

Unfortunately, Jiang Yan didn’t notice any of her subtle changes in expression. He got straight to the point, “Kexing, please tell your friend that I don’t want the bag anymore. I’m truly sorry. If she needs compensation, I can provide it.”

Lin Kexing looked up at him in a daze. “Why don’t you want it? Does your girlfriend not like the color?”

Jiang Yan shook his head, his eyes filled with affection. “No, she scolded me for wasting money. If I actually gave it to her, she’d probably get upset with me.”

“But why?” Lin Kexing asked in confusion, with a mix of envy and jealousy in her tone. “You work hard to earn money and buy her gifts, yet she still gets angry?”

Jiang Yan smiled, correcting her, “You don’t understand. She’s just worried about me.”

Lin Kexing was stunned.

“She said we’re both students relying on our parents for living expenses. Even if I use my own earnings to buy her things, she doesn’t like it.” Jiang Yan’s eyes were full of Jiang Ruoqiao. “She’s such a good person. She says she doesn’t care about material things. Kexing, I thought about it, and I really don’t have the means right now. It’s unnecessary to scrimp and save just to buy her a bag.”

Why put on a false front and pretend to be rich?

He still had a future ahead of him, and so did he and Ruoqiao.

There was no need to rush.

Lin Kexing felt a sense of helplessness wash over her. Her legs were a bit weak, so she could only pretend to be fine and lean against the door frame as she forced a smile. “Alright, I’ll let my friend know.”

“Thanks,” Jiang Yan said, noticing her pale complexion. “Kexing, are you feeling unwell? You don’t look too good.”

Lin Kexing smiled faintly, “No, I might have played outside for too long today and got too hot. I’ll be fine after a nap.”

Jiang Yan nodded. “Okay, take care then.”

He glanced at his watch. “It’s getting late, and I still have some work to do, so I’ll head back now.”

“Alright, Brother Jiang Yan, good night.”

Jiang Yan turned and went downstairs.

Once his figure disappeared from view, Lin Kexing closed the door. She helplessly leaned against it as she slowly slid down, hugging her knees and crying softly.

It hurt so much.

When she first fell for Jiang Yan, she was too young, and no one had told her how painful it would be to love someone who didn’t love her back.

Late at night, Lin Kexing tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. She had no choice but to get up and go downstairs.

While pouring herself some water, she unexpectedly ran into Jiang Yan’s mother.

Mrs. Jiang was wearing her pajamas.

Seeing Lin Kexing still awake, she walked over and gently patted her hair, asking softly, “Kexing, why are you still up? Something on your mind?”

Lin Kexing’s eyes were red-rimmed. She lowered her head and shook it.

“If you don’t mind, you can talk to Auntie about it,” Mrs. Jiang said, taking Lin Kexing’s hand and leading her outside the villa.

The island had a pleasant climate. Though hot during the day, in the evening a cool breeze made it very comfortable.

At this late hour, everyone else was asleep.

Lin Kexing leaned against Mrs. Jiang shoulder. She had always been gentle and kind, very patient. After sitting silently for a while, Lin Kexing couldn’t hold it in any longer and said quietly, “Auntie, I have a friend. She’s liked someone for many years, but that person already has a girlfriend. She doesn’t know what to do. She really wants to let go, but it’s so hard.”

Mrs. Jiang patted her hand comfortingly, her voice soft and understanding. “Your friend must be about your age, only eighteen. Being young means there are infinite possibilities ahead. If you ask me, from the perspective of someone who’s been through it, I’d say listen to your heart. When you no longer have feelings for him, letting go will happen naturally. If you still like him, there’s no need to force yourself to get over it. Years from now, when you look back on this painful experience, it will have become a very precious memory.”

Lin Kexing was stunned. “Just a precious memory?”

“Things change with time,” Mrs. Jiang smiled gently. “The person your friend likes is probably also very young. How many people actually end up with their first love? Life is like a train journey. Some people will only accompany you for part of the way before getting off at the next stop. Maybe your friend will be the one to stay with that person until the end. Who knows? You’re both so young. And youth means endless possibilities.”

Perhaps it was Mrs. Jiang’s gentle nature, or perhaps her words held a kind of magic, but Lin Kexing’s earlier gloom dissipated.

Yes, she and Jiang Yan were still so young.

She could remain in this position and not interfere with him and his girlfriend. Perhaps one day she would be able to let go on her own.

And a quiet voice in her heart whispered: maybe, one day, his girlfriend would get off the train too.

Seeing Lin Kexing smile again, Mrs. Jiang looked at her with a gratified expression.

*

Early the next morning, Lu Yicheng took Lu Siyan out for breakfast for the very first time.

With the moving process starting soon, he planned to buy some luggage bags. Lu Yicheng was quite frugal. For breakfast, he only ordered a bowl of noodle soup that cost a few yuan. Lu Siyan, on the other hand, had high standards for his morning meal. He went to the convenience store and bought the most expensive fresh milk, along with a deluxe rice noodle roll with extra meat, egg, sausage and shrimp. While eating his roll, he noticed a child at the next table enjoying some fried dough sticks. Envious, he looked at Lu Yicheng, eyes sparkling as he clearly hinted at wanting some too.

Lu Yicheng: “…”

Fine then.

Come to think of it, how could any breakfast cost more than Lego sets?

Buy it!

Lu Siyan had a big appetite but still couldn’t finish everything. In the end, all the leftovers ended up in Lu Yicheng’s stomach. It was the most filling meal he’d had in a long time.

When buying household items, Lu Yicheng preferred going to the market, as things there were generally cheaper than at the supermarket.

After selecting everything he needed, he was about to leave when he noticed a stall selling women’s slippers.

Some tenants were coming to view the house in the next few days. He had already discussed it with Jiang Ruoqiao, and she agreed to help host them when she had time.

So for both courtesy and practical reasons, he figured he should prepare a pair of slippers for her.

Lu Yicheng held Lu Siyan’s hand as they made their way through the crowd to the slipper stall.

Out of habit, he first checked the price tags, wanting to choose the pair with the best value for the cost. Price was always his top priority.

Lu Siyan was a clever boy. Seeing his dad comparing two pairs of slippers with such a serious expression, he asked the female vendor, “Sister, how much are these two pairs of slippers?”

The vendor, a woman in her thirties, was flattered to have this cute little boy call her “sister.” Smiling brightly, she replied, “For anyone else, I’d charge twenty-five yuan. But for you, little brother, I’ll give you a special deal and let them go for twenty!”

Lu Siyan: “No, that’s too cheap!”

Vendor: “?”

Lu Siyan declared earnestly, “Sister, we want to buy the most expensive pair!”

Just give us the best ones!

Lu Yicheng: “?”

No way.

He stopped Lu Siyan. “Who’s paying for these, you or me?”

Lu Siyan frowned. “But the two pairs you picked are too ugly.”

Vendor: “?”

Lu Siyan smiled at the vendor. “I’m not saying they’re ugly, just that they really don’t suit my mom.”

The vendor understood his implication. “Little brother, you’re so filial and thoughtful!”

Lu Yicheng: “Lu Siyan, I’m the one paying.”

“I know,” Lu Siyan replied seriously. “But we should buy the nicest ones for Mom. I can drink less milk this week to save up money and get her the prettiest pair.”

Lu Yicheng: “…”

In the end, Lu Yicheng wouldn’t budge. Ignoring Lu Siyan’s protests, he purchased a pair of watermelon red women’s slippers—the kind Lu Siyan didn’t even want to glance at a second time after first seeing them.

Lu Yicheng still prioritized cost-effectiveness.

The slippers were ultimately bought for twenty-five yuan.

The price was right, and Lu Yicheng had even checked their softness. As for whether the style looked good, that wasn’t a factor in his consideration at all.

They were just slippers to be worn around the house. What was the point of getting some fashionable, fancy-looking pair?

Lu Siyan was at a loss for words.

Buying the best for Mom, the most expensive—wasn’t that what Dad always used to do?

Lu Siyan sighed. “Dad, it’s no good for men to be stingy.”

Lu Yicheng ignored him.

Lu Siyan continued to grumble under his breath, “Besides, Mom doesn’t like watermelon red at all.”

These slippers were truly hideous. Even he thought so.

Lu Yicheng really couldn’t stand it anymore. How could a mere five-year-old be this bothersome? There was truth to the saying that economic foundations determine everything else. He was the one paying, so he should have the final say in what to buy.

He squatted down and asked Lu Siyan, “Do you have any good friends?”

Lu Siyan: “Of course, so many!”

“Give me an example.”

“Gao Ziqiu is my good friend, and so is Xie Yuze. The three of us are the best at playing ball games.”

Lu Yicheng nodded. “That’s great. I also have good friends.”

Lu Siyan looked at him.

“Your mom’s current boyfriend is my good friend,” Lu Yicheng stated.

Therefore, he couldn’t accept Lu Siyan’s suggestion, even for something as minor as buying a pair of slippers.

No matter what his future relationship with Jiang Ruoqiao might be, for now at least, they needed to maintain an appropriate distance.

Because of Lu Siyan, they had no choice but to have some degree of interaction. But that was the extent of it, Lu Yicheng told himself.

After Lu Yicheng finished speaking, he stood up. He was holding the shopping bags, which might have been a bit heavy, causing his hands to tighten slightly and the veins on the back of his hands to show.

Lu Siyan looked at him in confusion.

He didn’t understand what his dad meant at all.