But Lu Ping overlooked one fact: they were the same age. If he was still growing, so was Shen Yuze—and he’d just get taller.
…
After lunch, Lu Ping cracked his knuckles, eager to tutor Shen Yuze in other subjects. He’d been smacked on the hand and flicked on the forehead all morning—now it was his turn to shine and get revenge!
But Shen Yuze told him he had to represent the family that afternoon to visit a local elder, so he couldn’t take lessons.
Lu Ping, who had been psyching himself up to smack Shen Yuze’s palm: “…I suspect you’re just dodging class on purpose.”
“How could that be?” The smile on Shen Yuze’s face didn’t budge. “I’ll have the driver take you home soon.”
And so, the little mouse—stuffed with two finished English test papers and a belly full of good food—was escorted by Shen Yuze to the underground garage.
As they took the elevator down, they saw the driver opening the trunk and loading things in.
Lu Ping glanced over and spotted a kids’ backpack printed with Princess Elsa’s face.
Lu Ping: “…”
Besides that, there were several elegantly wrapped boxes of supplements and a brand-new shoebox.
If Lu Ping wasn’t mistaken, the shoes inside matched the ones on his feet exactly—the only difference was that Lu Ping’s were knockoffs bought by Lu Dad at a night market, while the ones in the box were definitely genuine.
Lu Ping went silent for a few seconds, then turned to Shen Yuze and asked, “This isn’t me being presumptuous, right? These gifts are for my family?”
The backpack his sister liked, the sneakers he needed, nutritional supplements for his parents… Shen Yuze’s gifts were always prepared so thoughtfully, touching the very bottom of people’s hearts.
Shen Yuze nodded. “Yeah. I had the housekeeper prepare them—all things your family could use.”
“Shen Yuze, thank you.” Lu Ping gently bit his lower lip and spoke after a brief pause. “But I can’t accept them.”
The last time, Shen Yuze had sent many gifts to his family, but that was when Shen Yuze had visited the North Shore as a guest—perfectly normal for a host. But this time, Lu Ping was the one imposing on the Shen family, yet he was taking both food and gifts. What kind of behavior was that?
Shen Yuze was stunned. He hadn’t expected Lu Ping to refuse. “Don’t feel burdened. These things aren’t worth much to me.”
“It’s not about the value.” Lu Ping gazed at him stubbornly. “You said before that you make friends without regard to their family background. I feel the same way. I want to be friends with you—not because you’re rich, not because you’re generous, and certainly not to get any gifts from you… I just simply want to be friends with you—with the person ‘Shen Yuze.'”
At that point, the boy paused, a hint of embarrassment and shyness on his face. “Of course, you could say I’m just a poor guy who’s too proud. My shoes are fakes, my family lacks all sorts of things, and your gifts really could help us. But Shen Yuze, if you truly see me as a friend, please let me keep this bit of dignity.”
Please let him keep this last shred of dignity.
This boy was sometimes frank, sometimes timid; sometimes insecure, sometimes proud.
He was a bundle of the world’s most complex emotions. Shen Yuze had once thought he could see right through him at a glance, but the closer he got, the less he could grasp Lu Ping’s thoughts.
Faced with such a Lu Ping, Shen Yuze simply couldn’t refuse.
“I was inconsiderate,” Shen Yuze said in a low voice. “I won’t prepare gifts for you on my own anymore.”
“Heh heh, it’s not that all gifts are off-limits.” Lu Ping scratched his head. “You can still treat me to meals.”
Shen Yuze: “…”
Lu Ping was a real pro at killing the mood. All the emotions surging in Shen Yuze’s heart were completely disrupted by him.
…
The residential area where Shen Yuze lived bordered the Jiao River’s South Shore, not far from the Cross-River Bridge. The Cayenne drove fast and steady on the road, arriving at the alley outside Lu Ping’s home in less than half an hour.
“Thanks, Driver Uncle—right here is fine!” Lu Ping said hurriedly. “No need to go in!”
The last time Shen Yuze had visited, as soon as this luxury sedan entered the alley, it had drawn a crowd from all the neighbors. The gossip had lasted for days, and Lu Ping had no desire to make a scene again.
The car pulled over by the roadside, and Lu Ping slung his backpack over his shoulder before strolling home.
As he entered the gate, he happened to see Lu Dad filming a little dance video of An An in the courtyard—the little girl was wearing a blue princess dress and twirling in circles to the melodious music.
Ever since An An received the princess dress as a gift, she changed into it the moment she got home each day, eager to show off her dances to her parents.
When she saw her brother return, An An immediately ditched her dad and happily leaped toward Lu Ping.
Lu Ping scooped up the little princess and let her perch on his arm.
An An asked, “Brother, why didn’t you come home yesterday?”
Lu Ping replied, “I went to Shen Yuze’s house as a guest yesterday… Do you remember Shen Yuze?”
“I do, I do!” An An pointed to the princess dress she was wearing. “He’s the handsome big brother who gave me this!”
“Handsome? He’s pretty average-looking.” Lu Ping deliberately contradicted her. “Is he handsomer than your own brother?”
“Um…” An An guiltily averted her gaze.
Amused and exasperated, Lu Ping set the little princess back down in the courtyard and patted her head. “Go do your homework, you little traitor who forgets her real brother for some handsome guy!”
After shooing An An away, Lu Ping dropped his backpack and walked over to Lu Dad.
Lu Dad was a man of few words, always fully trusting in his son. He asked just a few brief questions, like whether Lu Ping had caused any trouble at the Shen home, if he’d been helpful, and if he’d greeted their parents properly.
Lu Ping kept the complicated situation at Shen Yuze’s house under wraps, not even telling his own father the truth. “Shen Yuze’s parents were busy with work and out on business trips. I didn’t see them.”
Afterward, Lu Ping told Lu Dad that Shen Yuze had prepared many gifts before he left.
Lu Dad’s expression changed. His local dialect was already fast-paced to begin with, but now it was even more so. “Pingping, you didn’t accept them, right?”
“No, don’t worry.”
“Good, good.” Lu Dad let out a sigh of relief. “Last time they came to visit us, they brought quite a few gifts. I looked them up online later—your sister’s dresses alone cost over a thousand yuan each. You’re classmates, friends. We absolutely can’t take their kindness for granted just because their family has money.”
Lu Ping murmured his agreement.
He and his father chatted on and on. He described the massive floor-to-ceiling glass wall in Shen Yuze’s home that overlooked the entire Jiaojiang City, the “servants’ quarters” and “owners-only elevator,” and even the bowl of creamy winter melon and duck soup they’d had at lunch.
He couldn’t wait to pour out everything he’d seen over the past day and night. He wanted to exclaim about how “the joys of the rich are truly unimaginable,” and express how he’d “briefly entered that world”… There was so much he wanted to say that his mouth ended up dry.
Lu Dad never interrupted, listening quietly the whole time.
Once his son’s excited voice gradually died down, Lu Dad spoke. “Pingping, Dad can’t make as much money as other fathers, can’t give you a big house—don’t blame Dad for it.”
Lu Ping replied, “Dad, your son can’t be like other sons, acing his tests and getting perfect English scores—don’t blame Pingping for it.”
Father and son looked at each other and burst out laughing at the same time.
There was still work to do in the kitchen, so after lingering in the courtyard with his son for a bit, Lu Dad went back inside.
Lu Ping picked up his backpack, about to head to his room, but then he remembered something and stopped in his tracks.
He turned around, looked up toward the distant horizon—today’s weather was clear and cloudless, allowing a clear view of the high-rise buildings standing on the Jiao River’s South Shore.
Once upon a time, the little boy from the North Shore had stood on tiptoe to gaze at those tall buildings. To him, they were like the towers in fairy tales that imprisoned princesses, while he was just an extra villager with no lines at all. They were all in the same storybook, yet his mud-caked feet could never step into that realm.
But one day, the princess let down her long hair and invited him in for a visit.
From then on, that tower was no longer just a distant symbol—it held a special meaning.
Standing in the courtyard, Lu Ping gazed at those high-rise buildings, then—he raised his arm and waved vigorously toward them.
He knew it was too far for Shen Yuze to possibly see him.
But Lu Ping still waved with all his might.
“Hello, Princess in the high tower,” Lu Ping said in his heart. “I’m happy to be your friend. I’m happy to have met you.”
