Chapter 45: Wanting to Be My Brother-in-Law, Huh?

On the bus.

Headteacher Li Gang called to inquire about the specific situation.

……

Lin Shu held her phone and said in a low voice, "…I know, I won't talk nonsense, nor will I spread the video. Teacher, are those people's exam results really going to be voided?"

Gangzi said angrily, "Definitely! I can stake my reputation on it! This is simply outrageous!"

Lin Shu felt relieved.

She wasn't trying to help Ji Xingshen; she just couldn't stand the arrogance of those cheaters.

How many people who studied as hard as Zhou Ya hoped to get high scores and be placed into good classes, yet these people simply took shortcuts.

Lin Shu asked again, "Is Ji Xingshen's score voided too?"

Gangzi froze.

Before Lin Shu could hang up, she let out a soft scoff.

Gangzi said, "…Lin Shu, he was threatened by others, not cheating of his own accord."

Lin Shu replied, "Does being threatened mean you can assist the tyrant in his evil deeds? By that logic, countless sinners in history could be whitewashed."

After all, everyone has their hands tied and their own hidden hardships.

There's no need for Qin Hui to kneel before Lord Yue Fei anymore; he might as well stand right up.

Gangzi said he would handle it.

Lin Shu let out an "oh."

Gangzi chuckled and began to bribe her, "The school magazine printed a few days ago is very popular. People have even been asking me about it. Do you want to print a few more copies?"

Lin Shu was silent for a moment. "Teacher, have you read the contents?"

Gangzi said he hadn't had the time yet.

Lin Shu said, "…Then you don't need to worry about it."

Although she had a clear conscience and felt there was nothing wrong with what she wrote, the mere thought of Gangzi reading *Crossing the Republic: The Domineering Warlord Spoils Me Night After Night, Stop Chasing Me, Ex-Husband*... made Lin Shu's skin crawl all over.

What a Chinese teacher can appreciate, Gangzi might not.

Publish it quietly and without making a fuss.

Otherwise, Physics teacher Gangzi might just come over and lecture her on morality and ethics.

That would be pure torture.

……

Grandpa and Grandma went abroad this Spring Festival to visit the eldest uncle's family. Her father, resentful that his parents favored the eldest son, stubbornly refused to go. By the time his stubbornness passed, it was too late for a visa.

Lin Shu felt a tinge of regret.

The snow in Canada must be heavier than in Tongshi. Her cousin had originally promised to teach her how to ski... Such a useless dad, acting just like a child at his age.

Lin Shiheng was the second child in the family, with a younger sister below him. In a family of three children, the middle child is the most easily overlooked.

Perhaps that was why, after having Lin Shu, Lin Shiheng and Wang Yan never wanted another child. Her father had walked through the rain as a middle child himself, so he made sure to hold an umbrella for her.

Childishness is just childishness.

He was her biological father; what else could she do?

……

A couple of days after Lin Shu finished her winter break homework, Lin Zhou came back.

Her blockhead older brother had gone off-roading, got into a car accident, and broke his leg. Unable to go out and roam around, he acted like a grand master every day, ordering Lin Shu around to take care of him.

Seeing his rosy complexion, looking nothing like a patient at all, Lin Shu couldn't help but suspect that Lin Zhou was faking his limp.

And her suspicion wasn't without reason.

In her past life, Lin Zhou hadn't gotten into any car accident around this time.

"Brother Xuxu, is my brother's leg really broken?"

Lao Xu and Jin Junsheng were playing video games on the sofa in Lin Zhou's room.

Faced with Lin Shu's well-behaved yet resentful questioning, Lao Xu slapped his thigh and declared resolutely, "It's real, truer than real gold."

"Oh."

……

Jin Junsheng just smiled and asked Lin Shu why she didn't invite Xie Buchen to play with them.

Lin Shu asked, "Are you guys friends?"

Jin Junsheng said, "Isn't he your boyfriend?"

……

Lin Zhou, who had been lying down playing on his phone, suddenly sat up as if miraculously reviving from the dead, picked up a pillow, and hurled it at Jin Junsheng.

"Say that again!"

Jin Junsheng and Lao Xu burst into laughter.

Honestly.

Out of the three brothers in the room, not a single one acted like an older brother; all they knew was how to make fun of her.

Lin Shu put down the fruit platter, grabbed Lin Zhou's arm, and shook it. "Brother, you should pay me back the money you owe me. I want to go to the movies and eat at the buffet."

"I'll take you."

Lin Zhou went back to typing on his phone, completely absorbed in chatting with someone so happily.

Lin Shu said, "Who wants you to take me? You literally need crutches right now. Just rest properly and stop causing me trouble."

"Who are you planning to go with?"

Lin Zhou asked again, abandoning his phone this time to glance at her sideways.

Lin Shu said, "Myself."

"Lying to your brother."

"Ah! I'm really not lying to you. Zhou Ya is at cram school and has no time. I want to see that newly released..."

Lin Zhou dialed a number.

Lin Shu blinked.

Lin Zhou spoke up, "Hey, Zhou Ya, I'm Lin Shu's brother, Lin Zhou. She said you don't have time to go out to the movies. Is that true?"

Huh?

Why does her brother have Zhou Ya's phone number?

Does this make any sense?

Lin Zhou nodded, hung up the phone, and sneered.

Lin Shu said, "…I already told you she was at cram school."

Lin Zhou said, "Zhou Ya will be here at the house to pick you up in a bit. Which cinema do you two want to go to? I'll have the driver drop you off, and you can take the family car back too."

……

Lin Shu widened her eyes slightly.

Lin Zhou laboriously propped himself up, hooked his arm around Lin Shu's neck to pull her into his embrace, and then aggressively messed up his younger sister's hair.

"Growing wings, are we? Still trying to lie to your brother."

……

Who was lying to him?

Ahhhhh!

Zhou Ya, you traitor who sells out friends for glory!

……

An hour later, Zhou Ya arrived.

She was wearing a brand-new, form-fitting knit sweater and a fluffy hat, looking extremely cute—clearly dressed up with great care.

Her cheeks were flushed red—not from shyness, but from the freezing cold—a punishment from the heavens for her betrayal of friendship!

Lin Shu glared at her.

Zhou Ya didn't dare meet her eyes.

Lin Zhou, dragging his leg in a cast, beckoned to her.

Zhou Ya walked over quickly.

"Lin Shu's brother... your leg..."

"Xiao Ya, my leg isn't convenient right now. Could I trouble you to take Lin Shu out to the movies and bring her back afterwards? I'll have the driver take you home. Sound good?"

Zhou Ya nodded obediently, looking at Lin Zhou's leg with concern.

Lin Zhou pulled his foot back slightly and pressed down on her hat. "It must be freezing outside, your face is frozen red. Why are you wearing so few clothes? Lin Shu, go get Xiao Ya a thick jacket."

Lin Shu had already decided which one to get.

However...

She was a little angry.

However...

Her heartache ultimately outweighed her anger.

She knew why Zhou Ya had dressed so lightly; when a girl goes to see someone she likes, she always wants to dress up a bit.

Grace and warmth cannot both be had.

Fine, fine.

Lin Shu said, "Zhou Ya is taller than me, so my clothes might be a bit tight on her. Brother, lend her one of yours."

Lin Zhou looked at Zhou Ya, who was half a head taller than his sister, decided it made sense, and ordered his friend to get one. LaoXu was too engrossed in his game, so Lin Zhou told him to hop over himself.

Jin Junsheng picked up his jacket. "Wear mine."

It was a dark green flight jacket.

Because it was a cropped style, it didn't look overly large even on Zhou Ya.

Lin Shu panicked. "Brother Junsheng, what will you wear then? You can't catch a cold, or my brother will be heartbroken."

Jin Junsheng said, "I want to wear your brother's Armani. Ah-Zhou, lend me your Armani~"

"Go die."

Lin Zhou cursed, trying to drag his cast toward the walk-in closet, and almost fell over.

Hearing the noise, Lao Xu turned his head and laughed with the utmost schadenfreude.

They had been playing together since childhood and treated each other like dirt.

Jin Junsheng balled up the flight jacket and tossed it over.

Lin Shu caught it, gritted her teeth, and lunged at Jin Junsheng with the jacket to put him in a chokehold.

The guy muttered something in Cantonese.

Definitely not a compliment.

Zhou Ya hurriedly pulled Lin Shu back, saying she wasn't cold and it wasn't any trouble.

Lin Shu insisted on going into Lin Zhou's walk-in closet to search it herself.

Lin Zhou refused to let her.

Lin Shu said sarcastically, "Hiding an inflatable doll in there? What's so unspeakable about it?"

The siblings looked on the verge of a full-blown quarrel.

Zhou Ya hurriedly put on Jin Junsheng's jacket, nodded first to Lin Zhou, and then turned to long-haired Jin Junsheng. "Thank you, Brother, I'll return it to you."

Jin Junsheng nodded and sat back down.

……

After Lin Shu and Zhou Ya left, the three guys started chatting.

Jin Junsheng said, "Your sister's friend likes you, Ah-Zhou."

Lin Zhou didn't take it seriously. "How is that possible?"

"Don't always treat them like kids. Come on, your buddy just blocked a wave of romantic trouble for you. How are you going to thank me?"

"By letting you wear my Armani, you punk."

Mimicking Jin Junsheng's tone, Lin Zhou threw the other pillow at him.

Lao Xu chimed in, "Our little sister is getting prettier and prettier, just like an angel."

Jin Junsheng laughed so hard he looked ready to die. "Well, well, well, want to be her brother-in-law?"

Lao Xu kicked him, turned his head, rubbed his buzz cut, and said sincerely to Lin Zhou, "Brother, do you think I'm marriage material?"

Fumbling around, Lin Zhou realized there were no pillows left, so he grabbed his phone and hurled it.

"If you dare try to be my brother-in-law, you're dying right here today!"