WE'RE BASICALLY LEAVING WITH NOTHING. But after walking for only a few steps away from the annoying vet clinic, my phone rings.

It's Xixi. #Yay

"Hello." I answer the call.

"Yiyi!" Something inside just jumped. "Another episode for the Flash has been released! You should go watch—" He suddenly pauses.

"Wait, you're outside?" He asks.

"Yep, but we're heading home now."

"We?"

"I'm with Baobao."

"Huh? But it's late already. Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"Why did I have to do that?" I mumble.

"What??"

"Anyway, I have to find some taxi, bye—"

"Wait! Tell me where you are."

"Geez, bye." I roll my eyes.

---

So the bus stop nearby actually has a pretty comfortable bench and we're currently sitting on it. I'm slightly worried because Baobao is tired but there's still no taxi in sight.

My phone rings again, for a text.

Xixi: I'm near.

Me: Lol creepy.

Xixi: *photo*

He actually sent me a selfie of him inside a car.

Xixi: You guys find a safe spot first. I'll pick you up.

Me: Whose car did you steal, huh?

Xixi: It's mine.. 😎

Seriously.

Xixi: Now tell me where you are, quick, or I'll keep driving around here forever.

I sigh, but I send my location to him anyway.

---

A common red hatchback car, but looking new, suddenly stops in front of us.

The window rolls down.

"Guys!" Xixi calls us.

But Baobao is already sleeping on my lap. He really can't stay up late anywhere. And he also shouldn't. What kind of sister am I.

I start patting his shoulder lightly, "Baobao, wake up." He doesn't budge. "Come on.. Xixi gege is here. You should—"

Xixi shush me as he gets out of the car. He immediately runs to us and lifts Baobao in his arms.

He puts Baobao on his passenger's seat, gently.

---

"How did you get this car?" I ask while I get into the seat beside him. "Did you actually buy this?" I gasp.

He doesn't answer.

No wonder, the money from our work can never buy this, even in installments. "Or you got this from one of your uncles?" I add.

"Um..." He wets his lips. "You're right. It's from an uncle." He giggles awkwardly.

I punch his shoulder playfully. "Dude, I'll never mock you even if you lied that it's yours."

He starts scratching the back of his head while grinning sheepishly.

---

"Why did you two travel around here at this hour?"

"Well, we initially wanted to buy basic necessities for his new dog."

"You guys adopted a dog?"

"Not really. He found it dying in the morning. So I plan to keep it until it's quite healthy."

"But where are the things that you bought? Were they shipped to your place?"

I purse my lips.

"No. We bought nothing."

"What, why?"

"We were tricked by an unimportant someone so we ended up wasting our time." My nose crinkles to the thought. "You remember the annoying cashier guy this afternoon?"

"Yes?" He blinks a few times then turns to me. "Wait, you said he didn't do anything wrong to you.." He sighs while squinting.

I bite my tongue. "Yeah, sorry. He was a bit annoying today. But frankly speaking, I was the stupid one because I allowed him to be that way."

"What did he do actually?"

"He mocked me about coming to the cafeteria because he thought I wanted to see him, again."

"Again?"

"Uh... so we kind of met in the morning when I brought the thing—I mean dog—to a clinic."

I suddenly press my eyes.

"Now that I've said it to you, I think it's normal for him to assume that I came to see him."

"But you didn't, right?"

"Dude, you knew why I came there." I glare at him, then quickly fix my eyes back to the road.

"It's funny that I actually bragged about coming with you to him, so that he'd start losing his cool."

Xixi smiles.

"—but I failed, though."

He starts crinkling his forehead.

---

"How did you usually go to campus, then?" I asked Xixi.

So I and he were sitting on a bus from our campus. He insisted on going with me because he wanted to learn how to ride it.

He said he's considering to use it every day starting from that day.

"By cars." He blurted.

"You mean car? You're only one person."

He started widening his cute eyes, so they looked even more sparkling—if that's actually possible.

"Right. I was just a bit mixed up because some people used to drive me before."

"Some people?" I chuckled. "How did they fit on the driver's seat?"

"No, n-not all at once. It's different every day." He pressed his eyes for a second then opened them again.

"I see... but how did you convince them to drive you? Wait, are you filthy rich or something?"

"No, not at all. I just have a lot of kind-hearted uncles." He grinned uneasily.

"So your family must be a really big one."

"You can put it that way."

I patted his shoulder. "Chill, I'm not the type who loves judging big families. Having a lot of family members is cute."

---

"Where is your stop?" He asked.

"Umm, are you hungry by the way?"

"No..."

"I know you were in the class for a long time today like me, which means that you also haven't had lunch."

"Uh.. yes." He's pressing his lips.

"My stop is in front of a restaurant where I work part-time. They sell great food." I smiled at him.

"Wait, you work?" He furrowed his eyebrows.

"Is it something I shouldn't?"

"No, I just wonder why?"

"Because... I have to pay for my living expenses and my brother's?"

"You live with your brother?"

"Yes, only him. So I have no choice other than working for both of us, somehow." I chuckle uneasily.

"You're really cool."

"You don't have to make me feel good by saying that, you know. But, thanks."

"Will they accept me, too?"

"Huh?" My eyes flashed. "You want to work there?"

He nodded.

Well, they can't refuse you, because you'll surely attract many customers.