At first, Yan Jin wanted to muddle through, “There’s no place to sit outside anyway. It’s not good to eat while walking. I’ll eat them later.”

“Did you forget? On the way here, we came across a small pavilion.” Vu Shu grinned, “Anyway, we have nothing to do today. I can sit there with you and slowly eat these ten candied hawthorns.”

“Let’s make a deal. I promise to only compliment you in the future and not tease you anymore.” Yan Jin looked down at the candied hawthorns in her hands and sighed, “Can I not eat the candied hawthorns?”

“No.” Vu Shu glared at Yan Jin, “I understand now. Yan Jin, you actively admit your mistakes but never change your ways. I won’t believe your words.”

“Anyway, your ultimate goal is for me to become chubby like you guys. But eating too many candied hawthorns is bad for the teeth. Can we change to another method?” Yan Jin’s tone was extremely sincere, “How about braised pork trotters? They’re high in calories and easier to gain weight than candied hawthorns.”

“No loopholes allowed.” Vu Shu warned, “Don’t think I don’t know that braised pork trotters are your favorite. This is a punishment, not a reward. No bargaining.”

Originally, Yan Jin thought Vu Shu telling her to sit in the pavilion and eat candied hawthorns was just a joke.

She didn’t expect Vu Shu to really sit in the pavilion, propping his chin and watching Yan Jin finish a candied hawthorn. And from the looks of it, he intended to watch Yan Jin finish the remaining nine candied hawthorns.

After Yan Jin painfully finished one candied hawthorn, Vu Shu lightly poked her cheek, “Will you dare call me fat next time?”

“Brother Vu Yuan Yuan, I don’t dare anymore.” Yan Jin sighed faintly, “Because ten candied hawthorns are really too many.”

Vu Shu snorted, “Do you really not dare? Or are you just saying it?”

“I really don’t dare.” Because she wanted Vu Shu to help her deal with the candied hawthorns later, Yan Jin’s attitude was very sincere, “Next time if I call you fat again, you can pinch my face. I promise not to pinch back.”

Although Vu Shu was still a bit angry at first, seeing Yan Jin’s bitter face, his anger had mostly subsided.

“Seeing your good performance, I’ll forgive you this time.” After saying that, Vu Shu took the untouched candied hawthorns from Yan Jin’s hand and distributed them to a few shabbily dressed children who were playing together not far away.

“Just give it to them like that?” Yan Jin lightly tugged on Vu Shu’s sleeve, “Aren’t you afraid the children will get sick from eating them and come to you for answers later?”

“Xiao Xiao.” Vu Shu sighed and motioned for Yan Jin to look at the thin, tall old man with the children. “Their family’s adult is watching from the side. If they were really afraid of something happening from eating the candied hawthorns, they would have stopped me just now.”

Although the old man was also wearing patched clothes, his face was very kind. He was even embarrassed to thank Vu Shu, “Thank you, young man. My home is nearby. If you don’t mind, come with this old man to my humble abode for a cup of tea and rest your feet.”

Vu Shu handed the last candied hawthorn to a chubby black girl with messy hair who had been drawing circles with her head lowered. Hearing the old man’s words, he was about to nod in agreement when Yan Jin held his hand and smiled apologetically at the old man, “He and I still have important matters to attend to. Let’s make an appointment another day.”

“Having a cup of tea won’t take much time.” The old man looked sorrowful. “I know the young lady has a noble status and can’t tolerate crude tea, but the young man just gave the children so many candied hawthorns. Although my family is poor, we know how to be grateful.”

Yan Jin continued to smile, “Another day. He and I really have urgent matters.”

[How can Yan Jin be like this? The other party is sincerely thanking them, yet she insists on pulling Vu Shu away.] [The old man is so old and can’t even afford candied hawthorns. He’s inviting them for a cup of tea, but Yan Jin doesn’t appreciate it.] [Can’t those in front not let their thoughts run wild so quickly? We don’t know anything yet, but you’re already maliciously speculating about Yan Jin?]

After saying that, Yan Jin pulled Vu Shu and walked down the mountain.

Vu Shu thought Yan Jin had a habit of social anxiety, so he coaxed her in a low voice, “It’s okay. We’ll just go have a cup of tea and leave quickly.”

Seeing Yan Jin’s eyes looking at him a bit strangely, Vu Shu’s tone became even gentler, “Be good. The old man means well. It’s better for us not to refuse his kindness.”

“Didn’t you notice?” Yan Jin said to Vu Shu in Cantonese, “The old man’s clothes are patched upon patched. Although those few children are also wearing patched clothes, and their exposed skin looks black and grimy, their wrists and necks are very fair and tender, with some even rubbed red.”

Yan Jin pointed at a person, “Especially that chubby black girl you last gave the candied hawthorn to. The red marks on her wrists and neck are the most obvious.”