No Sense of Direction, the Cabbage Was Dug Up by a Pig

After answering the phone, Maomao immediately asked for their location.

Lin Yu briefly described where they were—which shop on the third floor.

After giving the store name, he still couldn’t help but add a reminder:

"If you can’t find the place, just ask any mall or store staff for directions."

People are usually happy to help with something as simple as pointing the way.

Maomao repeatedly said "Okay," and only then did Lin Yu hang up the phone, reassured.

A few minutes later.

Aunt Ruxue and Aunt Qimeng walked out of the store hand in hand.

They were carrying a few more shopping bags.

Seeing how much Lin Yu was holding, Chen Qimeng said sympathetically:

"Let me take these two. Little Yu has too much in his hands… he can’t possibly carry any more."

Du Ruxue glanced at Lin Yu and remarked:

"Dreamy (Qimeng), don’t treat Little Yu like a child. Shouldn’t you ask him first before assuming he can’t handle it?"

Lin Yu, listening nearby: "……"

Alright, alright.

So there’s no chance to say no, huh?

He could only hope Aunt Ruxue would keep this same energy when Maomao arrived.

Lin Yu stepped forward, eager to prove himself:

"Aunt Qimeng, Aunt Ruxue is right."

"Young people should work harder—leave these to me."

"None of this is heavy anyway. Feel free to browse some more!"

As soon as Lin Yu said this, Du Ruxue immediately caught on to his train of thought.

She glanced around and asked:

"Little Yu, Maomao must have contacted you by now, right? Has she arrived?"

Lin Yu silently marveled.

Aunt Ruxue was quick!

He’d barely set the trap, and she was already preparing to spring it.

There was truly no fooling her.

Lin Yu had no choice but to answer honestly:

"Yeah, Maomao just called me."

"I told her we’re on the third floor."

"Come to think of it… that was a few minutes ago?"

"She should be here soon!"

"Should we wait for her before heading to the next store?"

Internally, Lin Yu had already sorted the shopping bags in his hands.

He had a clear plan for which ones to hand over to Maomao when she arrived.

However.

Du Ruxue calmly pulled out her phone and said:

"Don’t bother waiting. She won’t make it here even if we wait till dark."

Chen Qimeng: "Is Maomao… bad with directions? I get lost outside too, but in a mall…"

Du Ruxue: "It’s not just being bad with directions. She has zero spatial awareness."

Lin Yu: "……"

Not being able to find a store in the mall was understandable.

But even after asking staff for directions—how could she still get lost?

Maomao didn’t seem… that hopeless, right?

Du Ruxue’s call connected, and she immediately put it on speaker:

"Aunt Ruxue…"

Maomao’s voice came through the phone, carrying a faint trace of panic.

Du Ruxue, however, didn’t seem the least bit surprised. She coolly asked:

"Yes, it’s me. Maomao, what’s in front of you? What’s behind you?"

"Answer the question directly."

Maomao replied pensively:

"In front is a path… and people ahead. Behind is also a path… and people behind."

Lin Yu: "……"

Maomao!

Now’s not the time for philosophy!

This was why having a guardian was essential.

One knew exactly how to ask, and the other knew exactly how to answer.

Anyone unfamiliar with Maomao would never think to ask so specifically—

And even with such precise questioning, who’d expect such an abstract answer?

Yet Du Ruxue seemed completely unfazed.

"Stay where you are. What’s on your left? What’s on your right?"

"Look for written signs and describe them exactly."

Maomao responded quickly.

Once given clear instructions, she could follow them precisely:

"On the left is a store called , selling toys for kids and young people."

"On the right is a railing and glass panels."

Du Ruxue looked at Lin Yu and Chen Qimeng.

As locals, they’d surely know where Maomao was describing.

Lin Yu’s eyebrows shot up in disbelief:

"How did Maomao end up on the fourth floor?!"

He was certain he’d given clear directions—store name, floor, even a backup plan if she got lost.

Looking for them on the fourth floor? No wonder she couldn’t find them!

Seeing Lin Yu’s reaction, Du Ruxue knew they had their answer.

"Alright, stay right there. Don’t move."

"We’ll be there soon."

After hanging up, the three quickly made their way to the fourth floor.

They found Maomao standing by the railing.

Looking slightly flustered but dead serious, Maomao explained to Lin Yu:

"Yu, I did what you said."

"I asked a staff member how to find your store."

"They said to take the elevator down, so I…"

"Was looking for the elevator down!"

Lin Yu: "……"

Listen to this.

Does that even make sense?

Looking for the elevator?

Then how did you get up here in the first place?

Could it be that the elevator down is right next to—or across from—the one you took up?

The way she said it made it sound like Lin Yu’s directions were the problem.

Chen Qimeng patted Maomao’s shoulder and said warmly:

"If you can’t find us next time, don’t wander around."

"How about we go eat first?"

If they kept shopping, she’d only end up costing Aunt Ruxue even more.

Now that Maomao was here, the group was complete.

It was finally Chen Qimeng’s turn to take charge.

As Du Ruxue watched Maomao standing beside them, an indescribable feeling rose in her chest.

It was like…

Watching a naive little lamb and a certain someone hovering around each other.

Nothing major had happened, yet she felt inexplicably irritated.

Maomao had arrived at the mall but didn’t call Du Ruxue first.

And after being found, the first person she tried to explain herself to wasn’t her either?

Was this what it felt like when a girl started growing up?

She’d never experienced it herself, so she couldn’t begin to guess what was going through Maomao’s mind.

"Aunt Ruxue, is it… just the four of us for dinner?"

Recalling what Xia Yiwei had said in the car earlier, Maomao couldn’t help but ask.

Du Ruxue nodded.

"That’s right, just us four."

"Since we’re already on the fourth floor, no need to go back down."

"Most of the mall’s restaurants are concentrated here."

"Dreamy (Qimeng), don’t worry about mine or Maomao’s preferences. Just pick a place you think is good."

Originally, Du Ruxue had done some research on which restaurants in the mall were worth trying.

But after Maomao’s little adventure, she’d completely lost her appetite.

Lin Yu, who knew about her preparations, guiltily averted his gaze: "……"

Suddenly they were going with "whatever"?

Was Aunt Ruxue about to transform again?

...

(First update for today! There’ll be an extra chapter tonight. Hope you’ll support with free "power stones"—appreciate it!)