Chapter 30 Promise

Compared to last time, she was closer to Tang Qingmo this time, so close that she seemed to feel the breath he exhaled on her hair. She didn't know if it was because it was too hot inside the car or what, but Zhou Yihan felt her face getting hot and her heart beating faster.
Tang Qingmo also felt a bit nervous because they were sitting too close to each other, and his body was slightly tense. He had intended to shift his attention to the window, but his gaze couldn't help but turn back to the girl in front of him.
The girl lowered her head, with her black hair cutely draped behind her ears, even the hair coils on top of her head were adorable. Her small face was slightly blushing, and beneath her nimble nose were cherry-red lips that sparkled. Tang Qing silently gazed at those crystal-like lips, losing his focus for a moment.
"What's wrong?" Zhou Yihan finally couldn't help but raise her head, her big, watery eyes looking at him, tilting her head and asking.
The girl's beautiful voice, soft tone, sounded like it was ringing in his ears. Tang Qingmo's heart itched, and when he saw her adorable and lovable appearance, an impulse surged in his heart. However, his rationality pulled him back. This was on the bus, and his sister was also standing in front of him. He couldn't do anything out of line.
“It's nothing, I'm just thinking about how many more stops I have.” Tang Qingmo calmly replied.
“Is it hot? I can see your ears have turned red. I feel hot too, what about you, Xiaoyu?”
"What? I'm not hot." Xiao Qingyu was confused. It was a cool autumn day and the car had plenty of people in it, but the windows were open and a cool breeze was blowing. She looked at Xinyi, whose cheeks were red, and then at her uneasy brother. Suddenly, she seemed to have an epiphany, as if she had understood something.
Before, she only knew that many girls liked her brother, and they often discussed him with exaggerated expressions and language, so she always thought that was what liking someone meant. But now, seeing the two of them together, it seemed like there was some kind of energy flowing between them, as if there was some invisible thread that bound them together. Knowing that she had discovered something, Xiao Qingyu covered her mouth and giggled as she watched the two of them. Her two favorite people, if they liked each other, that would be great.
Soon, they got off the car and walked into the pet hospital, only to find that the door was already closed. There was a notice on the door that only said it was closed for a few days, but did not mention the reason. However, the three guessed that it must have been because Tang Qingmo had reported it to the police before.
At the detention center, Chen Siping lowered his head and remained silent, his eyes filled with resentment. He had been cautious for so many years and had never gotten into trouble, but now he had fallen into the hands of a few students. When he thought of the girl, Chen Siping's eyes showed a hint of regret. That girl was probably the baby he had thrown away more than ten years ago--she looked exactly like her mother. Chen Siping sighed and had to accept the reality. She must have come to seek revenge, even though she might not know it herself. But this is just the law of cause and effect.
Tang Qingmo made a phone call and confirmed that the fake doctor had been arrested and that the professional staff were taking care of the phoenix-headed swallows. He then smiled and bid farewell to the two girls.
Their bicycles are still at the school, they need to go back to get them. Upon returning to the school and seeing their bicycles, Zhou Yihan recalled that she should have included bike repair in her schedule. However, it was already late and everyone had not eaten, so they decided to have a meal first and repair the bikes in the afternoon.
Originally, Zhou Yihan planned to take the bus back home by herself, but Xiao Qingyu insisted on accompanying her. Zhou Yihan had no choice but to agree and got into Tang Qingmo's car. Fortunately, they took slightly longer than usual, and there were no other students on the way back, so they didn't have to worry about being seen.
In the afternoon, Zhou Yihan still decided to take the bus to school, and reluctantly, Tang Qingmo had to accompany her sister to take the bus. When they finished school in the afternoon, Xiao Qingyu had something to do at home and went back first. Since it was also by bus, Tang Qingmo was not worried and went with Zhou Yihan to get the bike repaired.
As she had to walk and push her cart, Zhou Yihan took out her phone, opened the navigation app and tried to find the nearest road. However, her phone showed that the closest road was still an hour's walk away. "Okay, I'll just take this as exercise," Zhou Yihan thought to herself, with a resigned expression on her face.
"Pfft." Tang Qing couldn't help but laugh and patted her shoulder, confidently saying,
"Follow me, bro will take you on a shortcut. You don't need to take so long." With that, he pushed her bicycle and walked ahead.
Zhou Yihan's eyes lit up and she followed, jokingly saying,
"Brother, you better lead the way properly. Whether we'll have to walk extra depends on you."
The term "brother" made Tang Qingmo's heart flutter with a warm feeling. He cleared his throat before replying with a smile,
"Don't worry, I'll lead the way well. I won't take you to the middle of nowhere to sell you."
"Pfft." Zhou Yihan laughed. This is the city area, far from the wilderness outskirts. Tang Qingmo is really funny. Looking at the tall and straight figure of the boy in front, Zhou Yihan thought, maybe he would be easier to sell than her. The wilderness outskirts are lacking in elite talents like him, hehehe.
周忆寒看着唐青默的背影偷笑，刚好被转过头的他捕捉到，他一时手痒痒，竟捏了捏她的脸颊，嘴里假意威胁道，
“在心里怎么腹诽我呢？小丫头，真不怕我把你卖了？”
The first time someone pinched her cheeks, Zhou Yihan surprisingly accepted it naturally. She only reached out and rubbed her reddened cheeks, stuck out her tongue,
"I'm thinking, maybe the wilderness needs someone like you more as labor. Who will be selling who when the time comes is still unknown."
Looking at the cute and lively face of the girl, Tang Qingmo felt sweet in his heart. But when he heard what she said, he couldn't help but think of certain news stories, and his eyes became more serious.
"You should pay more attention to the news. In some poor areas, men can't find wives and buy them from human traffickers. That's why they are more interested in girls like you. Women who are kidnapped and sold have no good ending."
Zhou Yihan turned white with fright and remained silent for a moment.
Tang Qingmo had no regrets scaring her, as she needed to know these things and be prepared. He reached out and rubbed Zhou Yihan's head, comforting her,
"It's okay, I'll protect you. You won't have to face any of these things, don't be afraid."
Zhao Yihan was stunned. Although it was a comforting word, there was no hint of joking in his eyes. They had only known each other for a few days, but he was willing to make such a promise to her. She couldn't help but feel moved, and her heart even felt a bit sour. Her eyes became a little watery, and she quickly looked down and blinked, then lifted her head with a bright and pure smile, as if she could dispel the shadow in people's hearts.
"Mmm! I will also protect you and Xiao Yu!"
Tang Qingmo didn't say anything more, just gazed at her with a pair of tender eyes.