Doesn’t matter, just this once!

She sniffled and lifted her feet.

Unexpectedly, as she lowered her head like she’d done something wrong and stepped forward, her forehead suddenly bumped into something.

“Ouch?”

The girl covered her forehead, looked up, and her face instantly lit up with joy.

“Cousin.”

“Huh? Lily... what are you doing here?”

The person coming out from inside was William Thompson.

He turned and greeted the internet café manager who was sneakily peeking from behind the bar, then turned back to the girl in front of him and said, “School’s over?”

“Yeah.” Lily Harris lowered her head and replied softly.

“Let’s talk as we walk.”

William Thompson turned and headed outside.

Lily Harris opened her mouth, looking at the seemingly nonchalant William Thompson, and suddenly felt a bit annoyed in her heart. She couldn’t help but puff out her cheeks and say:

“Cousin, I... I just sent you a message.”

“Oh, did you?” William Thompson glanced at his phone, which was on Do Not Disturb mode, and shrugged with a smile.

The reason for this, of course, was that his phone number had been doxxed by a certain anti-fan leader.

William Thompson had considered changing his number, but there were too many things bound to his current phone, and unbinding them one by one was too much trouble, so he simply set his phone to Do Not Disturb to lay low.

Lily Harris was stunned for a moment, then quickly caught up, her steps becoming a bit lighter.

She was gentle by nature, actually a bit sensitive and introverted.

At school, she always tried hard to fit in. Whenever the girls around her discussed something, she would secretly look it up later so she’d have something to talk about with them the next day.

Now that she knew William Thompson hadn’t ignored her messages on purpose, two shallow dimples gradually appeared on her face.

But then she remembered the package she’d forgotten in the living room last night, which had vanished without a trace when she came home at noon today.

Lily Harris didn’t dare ask Liu Jiahui first, so she could only pin her last hope on the person who had been staying at her house for the past two months.

Could it be him?

Walking ahead, William Thompson checked his phone and indeed saw Lily Harris’s text.

A delivery package?

He turned to look at Lily Harris, who was following behind with her backpack, looking a bit absent-minded, and couldn’t help but ask, “What package? Is it important?”

Unexpectedly, as soon as she heard those four words, Lily Harris suddenly stopped in her tracks like a startled deer.

Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes a bit panicked. She glanced around, then lowered her head to stare at her shoes.

Meow meow meow?

Seeing Lily Harris’s reaction, William Thompson was a bit confused and could only scratch his head. “I didn’t see any package. Maybe Auntie put it away for you.”

But as soon as she heard this, Lily Harris’s face became even more flustered. She suddenly lowered her head and quickened her pace, soon overtaking William Thompson.

William Thompson: ......

.......

The internet café wasn’t far from home. After passing a shopping mall, they arrived. Lily Harris had seen William Thompson coming out of the internet café on her way home from school before, which was why she went there to look for him this evening.

When they got downstairs, the two of them took the elevator. After the doors closed, William Thompson pressed the button for the 11th floor.

Glancing at Lily Harris, who had been silent the whole time, he hesitated, then couldn’t help but ask, “The stuff in that package... is it really important?”

Lily Harris, backpack slung over her shoulder and head hanging low, looked up at William Thompson, then lowered her head again without a word, only softly replying, “Mm.”

But William Thompson’s next words made her face instantly pale.

“You can’t... let Auntie see it?”

In the elevator, seeing the girl’s expression, William Thompson knew he’d guessed right.

He looked in surprise at his only cousin from his uncle’s family. She’d always seemed like a soft-spoken, well-behaved girl, but apparently she had a side no one knew about.

Maybe sensing the odd look in William Thompson’s eyes, Lily Harris’s face turned red and she quickly waved her hands, stammering in a panic, “No... it’s not what you think...”

Halfway through, she let out a little whimper and lowered her head again.

William Thompson: ......

This cousin is way too soft.

Forget it, forget it.

William Thompson sighed and said to Lily Harris, “I really didn’t see the package. If it’s not in the living room, maybe Auntie put it away for you.”

He paused, then added, “Since it’s something you don’t want Auntie to know about, how about... we just say it’s mine?”

Hearing this, Lily Harris suddenly trembled slightly.

She lifted her head, her face full of hesitation and worry, and said anxiously, “Is that really okay? But it’s clearly mine...”

“It’s fine, it’s a small thing. I’ll handle it.”

William Thompson uncharacteristically put on a big brother act, waving his hand dismissively.

Taking the blame—Old Li is a pro at that.

Ding—!

The elevator stopped at the 11th floor, and the doors slowly opened to both sides.

William Thompson walked out first, then turned to the downcast Lily Harris and said, “When we get home, just pretend you don’t know anything. If Auntie asks, I’ll handle it.”

Lily Harris looked a little conflicted, as if she felt this wasn’t quite right.