Pretending to Cultivate in Kindergarten

Chapter 71: The Little Fox’s New Year

The noisy school was bustling with students preparing to head home for winter break. Dorms were crowded with people packing up their belongings, tying up their bags, and getting ready to leave.

Many parents had already arrived in their cars, waiting at the school gates to pick up their children.

Although each class had different dismissal times, Lin Zhengran, Han Wenwen, and their friends had agreed to leave together before heading to their dorms.

As they walked, Little He Qing, walking on Lin Zhengran’s right, asked her best friend, “Wenwen, are you still not going back home this winter break? Staying with your uncle up north again?”

Han Wenwen nodded with a bright smile. “Yeah, my uncle has been busy with business these past two years. If I go back, I’d be home alone, so I might as well stay with him.”

Little He Qing let out a soft “oh” and sighed. “That means I have to go back by myself again. Let’s keep in touch, okay? If you do end up coming back, let me know—I’ll meet you at the station.”

“Of course! Thanks, Little Qingqing. If I return to the South, I’ll call you right away.”

Han Wenwen spoke so naturally that it almost sounded like a lie. But Lin Zhengran, already used to her ways, only glanced at her without interrupting the best friends’ farewell.

At that moment, Jiang Xueli nudged Lin Zhengran with her elbow. “Big idiot, my mom said we’re going back to our hometown this afternoon. The studio is on break too, so I probably won’t be back for about ten days.”

Lin Zhengran looked at her curiously. “Going back home? Got it. Have fun, and when you get back, we’ll continue training.”

Jiang Xueli grinned. “I’ll call you when I’m back.”

That afternoon, after packing up, the four of them went to the station to see Little He Qing off. After that, Jiang Xueli also left with her parents.

As the evening set in, only Lin Zhengran and Han Wenwen remained at the station.

Lin Zhengran asked, “When do you plan on telling He Qing that you’re never going back to the South?”

Han Wenwen looked at the high-speed train that had already left.

“When I earn enough money to fully support myself. That way, Little Qingqing won’t worry about me. If I tell her now that I’m living alone, she’ll definitely cry her heart out, insist that I stay at her house, or even try to give me money.”

She turned her fox-like eyes toward Lin Zhengran.

“I don’t want to accept charity, especially not from my best friend. If I take her help, our friendship will change—it won’t be equal anymore.”

Lin Zhengran observed her.

She really did seem more mature than others their age.

The little fox smiled mischievously. “Of course, I could never repay Lin Zhengran’s kindness. As a return favor, I’ll do my best to fulfill any of your requests. If you want me to repay you with my body, I might even consider it.”

Lin Zhengran, used to her teasing, ignored her and started walking out of the station. “Do you have enough money?”

Han Wenwen walked beside him. “A little left. I didn’t upload many gaming videos after school started, so I earned less.” The fox-like girl, always good at reading the mood, suggested, “How about I treat you to dinner tonight? In exchange, you help me carry my luggage? I’ve got too much to carry on my own.”

“Sure.”

“What do you want to eat, Lin Zhengran?”

“Braised chicken.”

“Great minds think alike.”

?You have consumed the Demon Cult’s Red Blood Chicken Soup. Stamina +1?

That night, Lin Zhengran helped Han Wenwen move her things from the school to her rental apartment. After dinner, he said goodbye to the little fox and headed home.

Han Wenwen stood at the doorway, waving as he left.

Before the New Year, families began stocking up on supplies, cleaning their homes, and putting up Spring Festival couplets to welcome the new year with a fresh start.

But Han Wenwen had never done any of that.

Growing up under someone else’s roof, she was always an outsider.

Every New Year, her uncle’s house would have guests over, and she would hide in her room to avoid trouble. She didn’t want to be in the way, nor did she want to hear the inevitable question from strangers:

“Oh? There’s a child in your house?”

With ten days left until the New Year, Han Wenwen got up early, took a hot shower, and dressed nicely before heading downstairs to the supermarket to buy some snacks.

This was her first New Year living independently.

On the way, she saw kids in brand-new clothes running through the streets, people on their phones telling their families that work had just let out, and others discussing what couplets to buy.

The festive atmosphere truly made it feel like the old year was coming to an end.

At the mall, she pushed a small shopping cart through the crowded supermarket, watching people excitedly buying their New Year supplies.

A little child stared at Han Wenwen and blurted out, “This big sister is so pretty.”

Every time this happened, Han Wenwen would bend down with a smile, pat their head, and say, “Such a cute little kid.”

Standing in front of a shelf, she tapped her lips thoughtfully.

“What should I stock up on for the New Year? I don’t need ingredients since my rental doesn’t have a fridge… I guess snacks will do.”

She picked out her favorite snacks, instant noodles, and other dry goods—after all, the town’s supermarkets wouldn’t open during the New Year, and she needed to make sure she wouldn’t starve.

She also bought some ready-made food and fresh fruit before heading to the cashier.

The cashier printed out her receipt. “That’ll be 373 yuan.”

Han Wenwen was stunned by the price.

New Year prices really were outrageous!

Especially the fruit—it had nearly tripled in price.

Her small savings took a hit, and she felt her heart ache.

Back home, she put the snacks into a box, washed the fruit, and sliced up some of the ready-made food for dinner.

When people are busy, they don’t have time to think much.

But after all the errands were done, lying alone in bed, looking out the window at the occasional fireworks in the sky…

She sighed.

“There’s really nothing much to prepare… After all, this year, I’ll probably just be home alone watching fireworks again.”

A knock came at the door.

Han Wenwen immediately knew who it was. She jumped up and ran over.

As expected, it was Lin Zhengran.

He carried some fruit inside and, noticing the ones on her table, asked curiously, “You already bought fruit? If I’d known, I would’ve brought something else.”

Han Wenwen stood there blankly for a moment. “Yeah, I went to the supermarket and picked up some New Year supplies.”

“New Year supplies?” Lin Zhengran sat on the bed and glanced at the snack-filled box. “That’s a lot of snacks. You planning to live on chips and biscuits? What else did you buy?”

“Not much. Just worried about the supermarkets being closed, so I stocked up.” She sat down beside him.

Lin Zhengran casually said, “You have a small frying pan, right? A few days before New Year’s, I’ll go with you to buy some ingredients. It’s cold, so food won’t spoil easily. We can cook here—three dishes and a soup should be enough.”

Han Wenwen was surprised. “You’re not having New Year’s dinner at home?”

“Of course I am. But you’ll probably be filming a New Year video, right? That’s the biggest traffic surge of the year—you can’t miss it. Just in case you mess up, I’ll eat at home first and then come over to help with your editing. Making money is important.”

Han Wenwen stared at him with her fox-like eyes.

For some reason, she felt moved again.

She had lost count of how many times Lin Zhengran had made her heart flutter.

Tilting her head, she smiled mischievously.

With her emotional intelligence, how could she not realize?

He was just afraid she’d be lonely.

“Mm. Then I’ll be waiting here for you. We’ll have dinner together.”

Outside, another firework lit up the night sky.