The ride-or-die brothers had already taken a whole bunch of photos, but when they turned around, they realized everyone else was standing around over there!
Their curiosity was piqued, so they wandered over too. The brothers looked as carefree and unserious as ever.
Su Xiaoye had clearly noticed the commotion as well. She wondered whether she should go over and take a look, so she glanced at Qin Shuchun, who was taking her photos, asking for her opinion.
Qin Shuchun didn’t even spare a glance at the commotion. She was too busy adjusting the filter on her phone. “Don’t worry about it. It’s obviously Xie Tangning going crazy with her brother again!”
“Let’s keep taking pictures. I just found a filter that suits you perfectly~”
She knew Xie Tangning, her partner in crime, far too well. Whenever Tangning was with either of her two brothers, she would completely forget about her best friend and abandon all her other friends!
At any given moment, she was bound to start a little squabble every three minutes and a full-blown argument every five—especially with her second brother!
Su Xiaoye really did want to go over and see what was happening. After all, she was a veteran hardcore fan of Xie Tangning, and her fangirl mode could be triggered at any moment.
But at the same time, she was thoroughly enjoying taking photos and checking in with her good friend~
Looking at the sunny smile on her face, Qin Shuchun was full of admiration. “You’re gorgeous. The scenery is beautiful, but our Classmate Su is even more beautiful!”
“My photography skills are the most beautiful part! I’m seriously amazing—the pictures turned out so good!”
As Su Xiaoye listened to the endless stream of praise coming from her friend, the tips of her ears quietly flushed red, hidden in the golden glow of the setting sun where no one noticed.
Praise from a friend was delightful every single time!
“Chun-Chun and Tangtang are alike. You’re both really good at noticing other people’s strengths, and you never hesitate to say so!”
“You two are absolutely the ceiling of friendship. No one else can compare!”
Qin Shuchun was so pleased by the compliment that she hummed happily twice. “Of course! I’m always amazed that my friends managed to find such a perfect friend as me!”
“It’s practically a blessing they earned in a past life. Of course, that doesn’t include you, Xiaoye Baby~”
“Because I’m the one who earned the blessing of meeting you!”
After saying that, the young girl immediately made a tiny heart with her fingers toward Su Xiaoye.
Su Xiaoye froze for a moment, then copied her and made a tiny heart in return. “It’s fate. The fate that brought us together as friends!”
Two strangers had met, gotten to know each other, and come to understand one another because of fate. Perhaps they would become lifelong best friends. Perhaps they would continue on as strangers.
“Our Xiaoye Baby is absolutely right—it’s fate!”
The phone in Qin Shuchun’s hand began to focus, and she pressed the shutter. The smiling girl across from her was captured beneath the endless rosy clouds and the setting sun.
“This is such a good shot. I’ll have my Ergou take one of me later, too. Then I’ll turn it into a comic and have it printed on custom clothes. Matching best-friend outfits would be so cool!”
Su Xiaoye jogged over and looked at the pictures with her, admiring her own radiant smile on the screen.
Qin Shuchun flipped through the photos she had just taken, showing them to her one by one. “Aren’t you stunning? You’re a natural-born beauty!”
As she went through the photos, Qin Shuchun kept turning to look at Su Xiaoye. Every time she flipped to the next picture, she had to compliment her again.
And Su Xiaoye no longer felt the unease and shyness she had experienced the first time she received praise from the outside world.
Like a rose that had grown from barren soil, determinedly drawing in every bit of nourishment it could find, she had blossomed into something vivid and dazzling beneath the sunlight. She was finally beginning to enjoy the world without restraint.
“Our group photo is even better! The poses we’re doing are so bold and cool! I love this one. Chun-Chun, remember to send it to me later.”
“Of course. Ningning and I specially designed these poses when we went hiking before. They’re unbelievably cool!”
At that moment, the photographer following the two girls also turned the camera toward the photos the two youngsters had taken. Their friendship was preserved forever beneath the witness of the world.
【Well… I have to say, every single one of their poses is painfully chuuni! But every photo makes me insanely envious!】
【These kids’ friendship reminds me of the time before I became a bitter old woman! My heart is all soft and warm now~ Xiaoye, may you always be happy~ May everyone stay happy!】
【I suddenly understand the appeal of watching someone grow up! In just a month and a half, I’ve actually gotten to witness them changing and growing!】
【Let’s wish their friendship a lifetime of happiness!】
Their youthful friendship would eventually continue on without end, carried forward by everyone’s blessings.
“What are you two doing? Whispering to each other without us? Are you isolating us all by yourselves?”
Xie Tangning had somehow come over with Xie Wanwan in tow. Without bothering to investigate, she immediately threw the blame at them.
The two ride-or-die brothers were beside her, naturally. Wu Dacheng was there too, having had his fill of family time with his mom and dad.
Qin Shuchun gently nudged the little head that had poked its way over. “You have some nerve saying that. Weren’t you the one who abandoned your first bestie after choosing your brothers over your friends?”
Xie Tangning took the opportunity to snuggle even closer, rubbing her fluffy little head against her best friend’s arms. “I would never~ You’re only saying that because you want to shirk responsibility, Big Sis~”
“Looks like you found someone new and forgot all about your old flame~”
The girl’s voice was unbearably syrupy, dripping with affected sweetness.
Qin Shuchun immediately grimaced. “Xie Tangning! Please, I’m begging you—can you not turn on this act wherever you go?”
Su Xiaoye followed along in the same saccharine tone. “Well, it can’t be helped. My new love is just that irresistible~ What a sweet burden~”
She wasn’t nearly as skilled at putting on that cloying act as Xie Tangning, but it was still shocking enough.
To Monkey Bro and Shen Yunqiong, it was as bizarre as hearing a stingy boss announce that they were giving everyone a raise.
Liang Zhou stared at Su Xiaoye for a couple of seconds before giving her a thumbs-up. “Classmate Su, not bad! You’ve been assimilated by Classmate Xie already!”
“Xie Tangning, you really are something! Is there anyone who hangs out with you without eventually becoming a complete weirdo too?!”
Although Shen Yunqiong still wasn’t very familiar with Su Xiaoye, that didn’t stop him from being an edgy, smart-mouthed teenager. “Congratulations, Classmate Su, on becoming a member of the abstract humor squad from The Ta Trip!”
“What a joyous occasion! Let’s give her a round of applause!”
Su Xiaoye’s mouth twitched. She had finally understood what it meant for one brief moment of extroversion to condemn you to a lifetime of introversion!
Wu Dacheng immediately turned on the two chuuni idiots beside him. “Are you two sick? If you scare Big Sis Xiaoye, selling you both wouldn’t be enough to make up for it!”
“And last, but most importantly, how dare you even try to slander my Boss! My Boss isn’t crazy—she simply sees through life!”
“She’s only a teenager, yet she already understands life so thoroughly. We should all be learning from her, got it? I really don’t know how you two have the nerve to keep yapping here!”
The ride-or-die brothers: “…”
Our native language is speechlessness!
How come there are Xie Tangning solo stans everywhere we go?!
Xie Tangning smugly ruffled the little fatty’s head. “Awwww~ That’s our Little Fatty, with such excellent taste!”
“You’re thoughtful, considerate, and incredibly gentlemanly. You respect and protect your friends so well—nothing like those two lunatics!”
“Just look at our little Su Xiaoye—you’ve practically coaxed her back into the embryonic stage. She’s grinning like an idiot; she’s nothing like the person I first met!”
At that, Xie Wanwan raised her paw. “I know, I know. Before we became friends, everything was just an act!”
