Damn it, I'm surrounded by childhood sweethearts-Chapter 373 - 271. Wanning has told me everything~

The process of claiming the prize went very smoothly, and after paying the taxes, the money was quickly transferred into the bank account.

Xu Qingfan had originally wanted to buy a ticket for the Spain versus Switzerland match on the 16th, but after inquiring, he discovered that the odds had not yet been determined by the official, so he had to give up.

When he returned to the hotel with some afternoon tea, the four girls were playing games in the living room. Lin Wanning was not among them, probably having fallen asleep again after taking her medicine.

"Brother!" The surprise in Zhang Yiyi’s eyes flashed by, and recalling the explosive news she had just heard, her gaze uncontrollably drifted toward Xu Qingfan’s lower body.

"Brother Fan, you’re back." Xiao Ruawen, who was playing Fireboy and Watergirl on 4399 with Xia Xiaoxiao, merely glanced at him from the side.

Updat𝓮d from freewēbnoveℓ.com.

"Brother Fan."

"I’ve brought you guys some snacks," Xu Qingfan said as he handed over the stuff he was carrying to Zhang Yiyi and Wu Lingyu.

"Is there any bubble tea?" Xia Xiaoxiao paused the game, and together with Xiao Ruawen, ran over to check.

"Take a look for yourselves. Is Wanning asleep?" He asked as he walked toward the bedroom door.

"Yes." Zhang Yiyi reminded softly.

Xia Xiaoxiao glanced at the retreating figure she dubbed as an annoying dog. Suddenly, the bubble tea in her hand lost its appeal, and a bizarre thought crossed her mind, wishing the sick person was herself.

Indeed, in the room, Lin Wanning was fast asleep, her sleeping position quite comical, like a contorted reflection of a dog, but the blanket was properly placed, likely thanks to regular checks by Zhang Yiyi and Wu Lingyu.

Xu Qingfan reached out to feel the girl’s forehead. There was still a slight fever. Despite it being a minor illness like a fever or cold, expecting her to recover in less than three to five days was unrealistic.

The girl seemed to sense Brother Qingfan’s presence in her sleep, and a sweet, silly smile appeared on her face, her cute dimples tempting one to poke them.

"Let’s see if you dare to be naughty again," Xu Qingfan murmured softly as he poked her dimples with his finger.

When he returned to the living room, the four girls had resumed their positions around the coffee table, engrossed in their computer game.

Xu Qingfan playfully tapped Xia Xiaoxiao’s head with his finger and asked, "Does anyone want to go out for a stroll with me?"

"No, it’s boring," Xia Xiaoxiao, fully engrossed in her game character, responded without even looking up.

"We just went out a while ago; there’s nothing interesting, and it’s too sunny by the beach."

"Brother, I…" Zhang Yiyi did want to go, but thinking she should stay to take care of Lin Wanning, she choked on the rest of her sentence.

Wu Lingyu silently pinched the palm of her hand, then reluctantly said, "Brother Fan, you and Yiyi go ahead, I’ll stay and take care of Wanning."

Zhang Yiyi’s eyes barely perceptibly lit up, and she leaned forward to peck Wu Lingyu’s cheek, "Thanks, Yu!"

"It’s nothing." Wu Lingyu merely smiled and waved her hand, skillfully hiding her momentary disappointment.

Unaware of anything, Xu Qingfan naturally patted Wu Lingyu’s head and took Zhang Yiyi’s wrist, "Let’s go then, if you see anything fun, I’ll buy it for you."

"Yes!" Wu Lingyu stood still, watching the two open the door, close it, and disappear from sight.

The girl merely pursed her lips slightly, then went into the bedroom to check if Lin Wanning was kicking off her covers.

She seemed to always be like this, never competing, never fighting; even if it meant being slightly aggrieved herself, she would prefer to make her friends happier.

...

Zhang Yiyi seemed to be in a good mood, humming a cheerful melody, and although her hand was held by Xu Qingfan, she still hopped and skipped along the path.

Though she only tiptoed slightly, it was a stark contrast to her usual ladylike demeanor.

Usually, when Brother was around, Lin Wanning would typically be there too, and then Wanning would be bouncing around holding Brother’s hand just like she was doing now. Zhang Yiyi imitated this for a while and found it indeed quite joyful.

Because Xu Qingfan usually held Lin Wanning’s hand like this, having Zhang Yiyi as the partner instead didn’t feel awkward to him, and the two leisurely strolled through the hotel’s public areas.

After all, it was an 8000-per-night hotel, so there were plenty of amenities available, including a swimming pool, billiards, and various Disney-related activities and exhibitions.

Xu Qingfan asked Zhang Yiyi for her preference, and the girl simply shook her head, so they didn’t stop.

It was rare to have some alone time with Brother, and she didn’t want these boring activities to get in the way. They just kept walking hand in hand, and even if they reached the end of the world, she would be content.

A gust of wind blew, and clouds covered the sun, like flipping a light switch, dimming the sky.

The two walked out from the lobby, hand in hand. Suddenly, Zhang Yiyi grasped his hand tighter and pulled him to run across the grassy and stony ground.

"Brother, let’s go see the sea!" she turned her head and flashed the most beautiful smile, as if embodying the most agreeable April weather, when the spring winds are trustworthy, and flowers blossom on time.

Xu Qingfan, seeing the girl’s uninhibited side, felt like it resembled the poetic descriptions of being still as a maiden yet moving swiftly like a startled rabbit.

"Okay!"

Her Qinghua-colored long dress fluttered in the wind, and occasionally her long hair whipped across the young man’s face, creating a beautiful scene, only marred slightly by the flip-flops she wore, which clashed with the setting.

Many couples strolled by the seaside, and they joined in like any other pair.

They seemed like lovers eloping for love, running along the coastline, attracting curious glances from passersby. With the girl pure and graceful and the boy radiant and handsome, similar smiles appeared on people’s faces.

It wasn’t the scene’s beauty that amused them but rather the frequent "slap slap" sound of the flip-flops hitting the ground, which somehow added a humorous touch.

Zhang Yiyi, seemingly tireless, kept pulling Xu Qingfan until they had run over a thousand meters, only slowing down when they had distanced themselves from the crowd. She then stopped, hands on hips, and gasped for breath.

Xu Qingfan helped her tidy her messy bangs, smiling, "So Yiyi can be lively too, huh?"

Zhang Yiyi looked up at him, "Brother, there’s still a lot you don’t know."

Xu Qingfan patted her head softly and then draped an arm around her shoulders, slowly walking along the seashore.

At one moment, the sun broke free from the clouds, and the fierce sunlight spilled back onto the earth, Fortunately, they found a small patch of clean ground under a bluestone wall.

The two leaned against the wall to rest, a small square shadow becoming their foothold.

Zhang Yiyi suddenly pointed to the sun overhead and said, "Brother is like the sun."

Xu Qingfan looked at her curiously and asked, "Why? Are you trying to say I warm everyone’s heart?"

The girl grinned mischievously, shook her head, and covered her mouth, "What I mean is, the sun will explode one day, and then it will kill everyone!"

"Pfft—Yiyi, you’ve learned to be naughty, daring to make up such stories about Brother!" He lightly tapped her forehead.

The next second, she said something that left him stunned.

"Wanning has already told me so~"