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nTN: Might be a bit late, but Merry Christmas! Because of the lock down I can’t even remember which day it is anymore lol.

n“I can’t believe you guys even lost to Thailand and it was even 1:5! Screw all of you!”

nXiao Qin and I could both hear these angry shouts coming from the shoemaker’s shop as we arrived at the market.

n“Ye Lin classmate, the shoemaker uncle would only sell listening devices to those who I introduce.” Xiao Qin said carefully, “But he’s always in a bad mood every time the national team loses, so today…”

nFor someone supposedly living in seclusion, the shoemaker uncle’s rage towards the Chinese men’s soccer team is a bit too public.

n“And they even said they would conquer Asia and then the world. It looks like I’ll never be able to see them in the second round of the world cup in my lifetime. And you say you would achieve the Chinese dream, screw that, it looks like my dad died under your feet in vain.”

n“Huh?” I couldn’t help but ask Xiao Qin, “Did the shoemaker’s dad get into fight with the Chinese men’s team and got kicked to death?”

n“No, but I heard after he barely survived a heart attack, he went to watch a world cup qualification match and…. died from anger.”

nSo you really need to be more cautious when watching soccer. Cherish your life and stay away from national soccer. I remember before my grandfather passed away he grabbed onto my dad’s hands and said he had two final wishes. One was for him to get remarried, and the other was to burn a copy of the recording of the game if China ever makes it to the top 16 in the world cup.

nNot a single one of his wishes has come true yet. There might be some hope about my dad getting remarried; I’m doing my best to get him together with Auntie Ren, but I can’t do anything about the Chinese soccer team. Please don’t blame me. In the worst case, I could burn a recording of the female soccer team.

n“Um, Ye Lin classmate, who do you want to eavesdrop on with the listening device, eavesdropping on others is illegal…”

nYou’re the only one who has no right to tell me that! Weren’t you the one who was happily eavesdropping on my conversations with my dad? You even found out that Ai Mi was my sister.

nXiao Qin clenched a fist and held it in front of her chest, then said full of conviction:

n“It’s not illegal for me to eavesdrop on Ye Lin classmate, because I’ve been given permission.”

n“What? When did I give you permission?”

n“…. in my dreams.”

n“Then please get married with me in your dreams and stop bothering me.”

nXiao Qin suddenly lowered her head and I thought I accidentally hurt her, but on a closer look, it seems she was embarrassed.

n“Actually I’ve already married Ye Lin classmate in my dreams 100 times. Sometimes, I would have a dream inside of my dream where I realized I wasn’t actually married to Ye Lin classmate and I would wake up crying…”

nA dream inside a dream? Can you not like me to such an exaggerated extent?

n“I also once dreamed Ye Lin classmate was turned into a dachshund by aliens, but at least that dream has a happy ending…”

nHow is it a happy ending if I turn into a dog? And why is it a dachshund? I would rather turn into a Husky, the same breed as Obama, then a dachshund! Or are even the aliens laughing at my short legs?

n“In dreams, there’s also a chance I would be a boy and Ye Lin classmate would be a girl… then the details gets a bit embarrassing, I… can’t really say it out loud.”

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nI mean the premise itself is already embarrassing.

n“The female Ye Lin classmate in my dreams always has a delicate face, but the worst is that the female Ye Lin classmate still has larger breasts than me…”

nDidn’t you just say it was embarrassing to tell me the details? Besides, these are chest muscles, understand?

n“Last night when I saw the female Ye Lin classmate with breasts almost as large as Gong CaiCai, I couldn’t control myself and grabbed and rubbed them in a fit of anger. Ye Lin classmate’s bashful face was too cute…”

nIf I’m not mistaken, I believe I heard Xiao Qin swallow her saliva.

nSo she’s getting revenge on me in her mind! Are you harboring negative feelings because I rubbed your chest, so now you’re rubbing my chest in your dreams? I won’t allow you to turn my gender into a female into your dreams anymore! Even I had breasts as large as Gong CaiCai, I still can’t get married with this face.

nThe shoemaker uncle was still throwing stuff around in his store.

n“What’s the point of spending a lot of money to raise these guys, even North Korea plays better than them. If I was the chairman, I would send all of them to the coal mines… I don’t believe I can’t find eleven good soccer players out of 1.3 billion people.”

nThe door to the shoemaker shop was closed. There was a business woman in heels who wanted to get her shoes fixed, but staggered away after hearing all the cursing going on inside.

nXiao Qin advised me: “The shoemaker uncle will ignore us if we try to buy a listening device now. How about let’s go upstairs to eat before my mom comes home, and then you could eat me too…”

nThere’s no way I would play such a dangerous game when Auntie Ren could come home at any time, or I would be the one to get a heart attack like the shoemaker uncle’s dad! I also want to realize my grandfather’s last wishes. China may not be able to make it into the top 16, but currently there’s still chance my dad could get remarried, so I don’t want Auntie Ren to get ruin her body from anger.

nThus I didn’t go along with Xiao Qin’s request, but brought her to a supermarket. I bought hawthorn, canned mandarin, folic acid supplements, and iron and zinc supplements (although it says it’s beneficial for pregnant women, it doesn’t state it’s only for pregnant women).

nXiao Qin didn’t know what was going on and looked at me suspiciously from behind.

nAs I was at the checkout counter, it seems the cashier auntie wasn’t too familiar with Xiao Qin. Even though Xiao Qin lives nearby, she probably doesn’t come here often to shop.

nI’m not sure if there items were overprices, but there weren’t many people in the store. The cashier didn’t say anything when scanning the canned fruit, but when she got to the supplements, she looked at me. Then she looked at Xiao Qin, who didn’t look that bright, who was currently mesmerized by a bag of snacks.

n“Is that your girlfriend?” The cashier asked in an interrogative tone.

n“I guess.”

nThe cashier then lowered her voice and asked: “Are you not going to abort it?”

n“What?”

n“Sigh, you youngsters. The pharmacy is right across the street, it’s not much more effort to buy some condoms.”

nWow, this cashier is way too meddlesome, no wonder no one shops here. Do you think the supplements are for my girlfriend? do you think she’s pregnant with my child at such a young age and I’m planning on letting her give birth?

n“No.” I waved my hands, I thought if the cashier doesn’t recognize Xiao Qin, then she might not know Auntie Ren either, “It’s not my girlfriend who’s pregnant, but her mom. But her mom doesn’t know yet…”

nThe cashier was shocked, “How would you know if her mother doesn’t know? Don’t tell me you…”

nI quickly denied it: “No way, it was my old….”

nI wanted to say my ‘old man’, but it would be too shocking, so I changed my sentence to ‘my old father-in-law was still vigorous’…

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nThe cashier had eyes of doubt and wondered why my father-in-law wasn’t the one to buy the supplements. She had a lot of questions but no answers.

nXiao Qin came towards me at this time holding the ¥3 bag of snacks and asked me carefully:

n“Ye Lin classmate, can you buy this for me?”

nShe had eyes as pitiful as Bambi’s.

nI handed the bag to the cashier, but I don’t know what she was thinking and said:

n“Young lady, the world is dangerous, you have to be careful.”

nXiao Qin didn’t understand and grabbed onto my arm with a smile:

n“Ye Lin classmate treats me well, we will definitely get married in the future.”

n“Is that so?” the cashier had a look of disbelief, “It would be good if your mother doesn’t get in the way.”

nIt seems that line hit Xiao Qin’s sore spot and she said:

n“While my mom doesn’t agree right now… she will definitely agree in the future. Ye Lin classmate is buying the stuff my mom likes to eat to get along with my mom!”

nThe cashier snorted, “I think they already get along too well.”

nDamn, this cashier is way too gossipy, no wonder there’s no one here. If Xiao Qin wasn’t here, there’s no way I would let this go this easily.

nAfter taking the change, I viciously glared at the cashier before leaving with Xiao Qin.

nThe cashier soliloquized: “The world is treacherous… people have the guts to do anything…”

nI carried the stuff and ate dinner with Xiao Qin at a nearby restaurant. Then I handed the bags to Xiao Qin and told her to bring it home for Auntie Ren. But I told her to say she bought it and not mention my name.

n“Why not? My mom won’t be unhappy simply because you were the one who bought it. And are you sure you don’t want to come up with me?”

n“Yeah, I’m not going up.” I said, “Will the shoemaker uncle sell me the listening device as long as I mention your name?”

n“That’s right, although he may ask you a few questions about me to test you, but it should be easy for you. Are you sure you don’t want to come to sleep… no, sit for a while?”

nNo need. If I only care about momentary pleasures how would I make the Chinese team…. no, how would I realize the wish of my dad getting remarried. Right now Auntie Ren’s health should be prioritized and we can’t let anything happen to the child inside her.

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