Damn it, I'm surrounded by childhood sweethearts

Xu Qingfan and Xia Xiaoxiao stood still, watching the two children hold hands as they crossed the street.

Once they reached the other side, the little girl suddenly turned around and waved enthusiastically, shouting, "Bye, sister! Bye, brother!"

"Bye... bye," the little boy, as if threatened, quickly began to wave his little hand weakly too.

"Bye, kids," Xia Xiaoxiao cheerfully waved her arms, gently resting her head on Xu Qingfan's shoulder as they watched the two walk away.

"See, that way we won't get scolded by Auntie," she said triumphantly, arching her eyebrows at Xu Qingfan.

"They're going to get scolded when they get back either way, how could they just eat something from strangers!" Xu Qingfan imitated the tone Yao Jiping used to scold him when they were children.

"Pfft... do you think everyone is as silly as you!" Xia Xiaoxiao laughed, "The little sister is so smart, she'll definitely finish it before going home, hmph~"

The girl lifted her pointed chin proudly.

"You do have some good looks," Xu Qingfan imitated a scene from a movie, lifting her chin with his index finger.

"Get lost," Xia Xiaoxiao smacked away his hand with disgust, linking arms with the stinky mutt as they walked on the road home.

From Donghui City to the old marketplace, it felt like they'd been pulled from the twenty-first century back to the eighties and nineties.

The radio in the nearly historical dust-ridden handmade shoe store was playing Chen Huixian's "The Language that Passed Away."

The slogans for garbage sorting were painted on the fading walls, the brightly colored sorted trash bins arranged neatly but yet seemed out of place with their surroundings.

Xia Xiaoxiao held a hot milk tea in her hand, taking a sip occasionally, pulling him as they idled around the old market.

At the entrance of the two-yuan store, the loudspeakers looped the catchy "Everything two yuan, all for two yuan."

Back when they were tight on money as children but wanted to give a good friend a birthday gift, they often ran into this shop.

But that was already a memory from Xu Qingfan's past life. After all, since his rebirth, he and the five girls never lacked pocket money from when they were young.

"Wanna go in and take a look?" he suddenly said, pulling Xia Xiaoxiao.

"Up to you," Xia Xiaoxiao glanced at the goods piled up at the entrance, from small items like nail clippers and ear scoops to brooms, kitchen knives, and pots and pans, they had everything.

"Buy whatever you like, no need to save money for me," Xu Qingfan said as he pulled out a ten-yuan note from his pocket, boldly wrapping his arm around Xia Xiaoxiao and entering the store.

The onlookers gazed at them with curiosity, making Xia Xiaoxiao really want to pretend she didn't know him at that moment.

Xu Qingfan didn't care at all, ten yuan could buy five items in a two-yuan shop, how could it not be considered a large sum!

Sometimes, you could still find quite a few good items in the two-yuan store, like the book section, where textbooks sold for a few cents a pound at the waste station, would be simply disinfected and then sold here.

Sometimes if a textbook was misplaced, you could try your luck here, and finding one with notes from a top student was an absolute bargain.

"Golden piggy bank, want it? I'll buy it for you to save money." Xu Qingfan enthusiastically pitched.

"How about this, a big Fortune Butterfly hairpin." Xu Qingfan picked up the hairpin, clamping it towards her.

"This stone glows at night, want it?" Xu Qingfan continued his enthusiastic introductions as he walked around.

"And what about this, do you like this big golden goblet... hey, hey, why are you pulling me?"

The golden goblet was snatched away by Xia Xiaoxiao and put back on the rack; embarrassed by him, she quickly covered her face and slid away.

The two left the two-yuan shop empty-handed, and once they were far away, Xia Xiaoxiao gave him an annoyed glance.

"How old are you, not ashamed!"

Xu Qingfan really wanted to answer 18, but on the street, he decided not to drive.

"Why save money for me, here, this is for you." He stuffed the ten-yuan note that wasn't spent into Xia Xiaoxiao's pocket, interlocking his fingers with hers as he took her hand.

Xia Xiaoxiao's anger vanished in an instant. She sneakily glanced at their hands and remained quiet without speaking.

Walking on the familiar streets, she felt nervous and worried about running into acquaintances, but at the same time, she looked forward to it.

It was a conflicting feeling but not hard to understand.

"Hello, Auntie," she greeted.

However, when they actually bumped into an acquaintance, Xia Xiaoxiao quickly withdrew her hand with a whoosh.

"Ah~ is it you two kids, still in high school together?"

"Hello, Auntie, yes, still studying together," Xu Qingfan greeted the neighbor from their childhood with a smile.

"That's good, that's good."

"Yes."

After exchanging a few simple greetings, they were back on their way.

But Xu Qingfan seemed to either be doing it on purpose or had forgotten, for he walked quite a distance without taking Xia Xiaoxiao's hand again.

Xia Xiaoxiao nudged him with the back of her hand as a hint, but Xu Qingfan acted as if he couldn't see or just didn't notice and did not respond.

Xia Xiaoxiao pursed her lips in disappointment: [If you're not going to hold it, then don't. I couldn't care less!]

She threw her finished milk tea into the trash can, her hands tucked into her pockets, caring for no one.

Xu Qingfan watched from behind and chuckled to himself. He was doing it on purpose; he didn't expect this proud Xiaoxiao to give in so quickly.

"Oh my, oh my, it's so cold this winter, my hands are truly cold," he said intentionally as he threw away his trash cup and moved closer to Xia Xiaoxiao.

"Freeze to death, it would serve you right!" Xia Xiaoxiao turned her head with a flick, trying to slap her high ponytail in his face, but unfortunately, it didn't reach.

"I warmed your hands just now; now it's your turn to warm mine," Xu Qingfan said and without waiting for Xia Xiaoxiao's consent, he stuffed his right hand into the girl's pocket.

When Xu Qingfan wanted to hold hands, Xia Xiaoxiao deliberately clenched hers into a fist, not letting him.

Undeterred, Xu Qingfan covered her small hand with his big one, turning to smile and said, "Warm, isn't it."

"Hmph~" Xia Xiaoxiao bit her lower lip, her cheeks slightly warm, pretending to turn her head to look at the passing buses.