A lively, pretty teenage girl with a ponytail walked into the room, dressed in an ordinary autumn school uniform and carrying a large backpack. Her two bright eyes sparkled, and a sweet smile lit up her face. Her delicate features looked as if they were carved from jade, and she held her hands behind her back. On this girl, both obedience and liveliness seemed to blend together, and it all felt so natural.

She was Emma Clark, the girl next door to Brian Carter's family. The two families had been neighbors for fifteen years, so you could say that Brian Carter and Emma Clark grew up together.

When Grace Bennett saw the smile on the girl's face grow even brighter, she said, "Great! Your brother Dongzi hasn't finished eating yet. Dongzi, hurry up and eat, Xiaoxue is already here."

Emma Clark gave a sweet smile and said, "Auntie, you don't need to rush him. There's still plenty of time."

"Xiaoxue, Auntie has to go on a business trip for a week. You have to help me keep an eye on your brother Dongzi and make sure he studies at home in the evenings."

"Okay! No problem, I'll definitely keep an eye on him and won't let him run around outside."

At this moment, Brian Carter finished the thin porridge in his bowl in one gulp. As he walked out, he said, "Mom, don't give her the imperial sword of authority, or this girl will just show off in front of me again."

Emma Clark wrinkled her small nose, pouted, and said, "Auntie, look at Dongzi, he never listens to me."

Grace Bennett put on a stern face and said, "Dongzi, you're not allowed to bully Xiaoxue. I'm telling you, if I find out you bullied her again or didn't study properly at home when I get back, just wait and see how I'll deal with you."

"Got it, I'll listen to her, okay?" Brian Carter muttered, pulling Emma Clark out the door with him.

Emma Clark also had excellent grades, ranking in the top thirty in the entire second-year group. Because of this, Brian Carter's mother often sighed to herself. Originally, Brian Carter and Emma Clark were both outstanding, but now Brian Carter's grades had plummeted, while Emma Clark's kept steadily improving.

Every time Emma Clark came over, his mother would always nag a bit when she got home, so Brian Carter would quickly take Emma Clark away.

"Goodbye, Auntie!" Emma Clark called out sweetly to Grace Bennett as she turned around, then followed Brian Carter downstairs.

Watching the two of them from behind, Grace Bennett's face was full of smiles. She had always liked Xiaoxue since she was little, and even thought of her as her future daughter-in-law. But now, she was raising Brian Carter alone, while Emma Clark's family was doing better and better—she'd even heard they bought a house in the provincial capital and would probably move soon. Brian Carter wasn't studying hard anymore, so in the future, the two of them might end up on different paths.

With a sigh, Grace Bennett felt a bit ridiculous herself. The kids were still so young, and here she was thinking about all this. If Brian Carter and Emma Clark found out, what kind of mother would she be?

By now, Brian Carter and Emma Clark had already gone downstairs and were walking side by side toward the bike shed. Emma Clark tilted her head playfully and said, "Dongzi, did you hear what Auntie said? Let's see if you dare not listen to me this time!"

"I'll listen to your big-headed nonsense!" Brian Carter glared at her, raised his hand, and knocked on Emma Clark's head, complaining, "If you dare tattle on me again, just wait and see how I'll deal with you."

Emma Clark quickly jumped to the side, covered her head, pouted her pretty lips, and protested, "Ahhh! You hit my head again—what if you make me stupid?"

"It'd be great if you got stupid, then you wouldn't watch me like a detective all the time."

"Hmph, I wouldn't bother watching anyone else even if they asked me."

The two of them bickered as they reached the bike shed. Watching Emma Clark go to get her bike, Brian Carter suddenly remembered that yesterday he had run out of the internet café in a panic and hadn't ridden his bike back from school.

"Dongzi, where's your bike?"

Brian Carter chuckled and said, "Didn't ride it back. I'll ride with you today."

Emma Clark immediately handed her bike to Brian Carter excitedly and said, "Alright, I don't like riding anyway. You take me."

"You lazy girl." Brian Carter got on the bike, and Emma Clark immediately sat on the back, grabbing onto Brian Carter's clothes.

Emma Clark giggled and said, "Who drives themselves when they have a chauffeur? It'd be best if you took me every day—then I'd be really happy."

"Keep dreaming. Even if we share one bike in the future, we'll have to take turns every other day."

"You're a boy—do you really have the nerve to make a girl give you a ride? Besides, I'm a beauty, you know."

"Beauty? The only thing beautiful about you is your runny nose. I don't see how you're a beauty at all."

Brian Carter was not one to admit defeat. At school, lots of people said Emma Clark was a beauty, but since he'd grown up with her, playing and messing around every day, in his mind, Emma Clark was just that tattletale, crybaby, yellow-haired girl—she had nothing to do with being a beauty.

"Hmph, you really have no taste," Emma Clark muttered in protest. She was very confident in her looks. The boys at school had even made a school beauty ranking, and she was at least on the list. But Brian Carter just ignored her looks, always teasing her, which made her indignant, but there was nothing she could do about him.