Upside Down Grocery Shop - Chapter 30

Li Xiaotong held her phone, still staring at the text message that had tricked her earlier.
“Su Ran, come with me for a bit.”

“It’s already so late. Where to? I don’t go out after dark.”

“Aren’t you supposed to protect me? Can you really let me go out alone?”

“Spit it out. What do you want to do?”

“I have a senior brother who’s a computer science whiz. No one else knows, but I do—he’s a hacker. I want to ask him to help trace the origin of this message.”

“Let’s go. With talent like that, I definitely want to meet him too.”

“You’re not thinking of poaching him, are you?”

It was nearly eleven o’clock, a time when most people were already asleep.

Li Xiaotong hesitated for a moment before calling her senior brother. “Hello, Li Chuan, it’s me, Xiaotong.”

On the other end, a groggy voice, half-awake, answered, “Xiaotong? What’s up?”

“I need a favor from our big-time hacker.”

“Can it wait until tomorrow?”

“Uh, it’s kind of urgent.”

“Fine, same old spot.”

Su Ran chuckled. “Your senior brother seems pretty dependable.”

“Of course! We’re best buddies. Plus, I’m the only one who knows his hacker secret, so it’s like he’s got dirt on me.”

“Don’t tell me he likes you.”

“What nonsense are you spouting? Li Chuan wouldn’t do that!” Li Xiaotong’s face turned a bit pink.

“I’m a guy. I know guys best.”

“You don’t understand anything,” she muttered, her tone tinged with a hint of sadness.

“Li Chuan is actually pretty pitiful. He had a girlfriend once, but she left him for a rich second-generation kid because she thought he was poor. Later, when she was pregnant, the rich guy dumped her. She sent Li Chuan a text before she… you know, ended things. She said she was sorry, that she regretted her choice, and that she shouldn’t have been so foolish back then. Afterward, Li Chuan found her body by the river.”

Su Ran listened quietly.

“Li Chuan was devastated. Ever since then, I’ve never seen him smile. No matter how many people try to pursue him, he rejects them all.”

To her, Li Chuan was a deeply emotional and tragic figure.

But Su Ran’s only response was a simple four words: “What a melodramatic plot.”

“You—you don’t understand love!”

Li Xiaotong was convinced Su Ran wasn’t just heartless but also a clueless single dog who didn’t get romance.

Su Ran just laughed.

Their “old spot” was a 24-hour convenience store. By the time they arrived, Li Chuan was already there waiting. Seeing Su Ran by Li Xiaotong’s side, his expression shifted slightly.

Su Ran stepped forward, extending his hand. “You must be Li Chuan. Nice to meet you. I’m Xiaotong’s maternal uncle.”

“Uncle?” Li Chuan was startled for a moment but shook his hand politely. “You look really young.”

“You know how rural family hierarchies are. Especially now, with the two-child policy, uncles and nephews might end up nursing side-by-side.”

Su Ran’s humor quickly eased the tension and erased any awkwardness.

Li Xiaotong, who had been worrying about how to explain Su Ran’s presence, was impressed by his skills. A few words, and everything was fine—truly, the older the ginger, the spicier.

“Li Chuan, you and Xiaotong go to the same school?”

“Yes.”

“See each other often?”

“Quite a bit.”

“Do you have a girlfriend right now?”

Li Chuan fell silent, hesitant to answer.

If Li Chuan weren’t present and Su Ran hadn’t claimed to be her uncle, Li Xiaotong would have screamed that Su Ran was a pighead. After everything she’d shared about Li Chuan’s heartbreak, he still had the nerve to bring it up? Wasn’t this just rubbing salt into the wound?

“So, no girlfriend. Do you think Xiaotong is pretty?”

Li Chuan glanced at Li Xiaotong. “Xiaotong is quite pretty.” His direct gaze made her a bit bashful.

“Do you like her?”

“Huh, uh…” Li Chuan seemed caught off guard. Then he chuckled awkwardly, “Uncle, this feels a bit like a matchmaking session.”

“Su Ran!” Li Xiaotong couldn’t hold it in anymore and shouted.

Su Ran laughed. “Alright, alright, I won’t interfere. You young folks handle your own business. I’m just speaking as someone with experience—cherish the people in front of you.”

Li Xiaotong really wanted to punch Su Ran.

Li Chuan smiled faintly. “Uncle seems like someone with stories of his own.”

“I’ve got stories; you’ve got wine. Let’s chat till dawn.”

“Su Ran, can we get to the point now?” Li Xiaotong sighed, turning to Li Chuan. “Sorry, senior, my uncle is always like this—never serious.”

“No problem. I actually think Uncle is pretty humorous. Conversations with him are refreshing.”

“Glad you don’t mind. Thank you so much.”

Su Ran leaned back in his chair, looking lost in thought.

Li Xiaotong pulled out her phone. “Senior, can you trace the name and location of the sender from this phone number?”

Li Chuan hesitated. “Xiaotong, it’s a bit tricky, but it’s doable. The thing is, this—”

Both Su Ran and Li Xiaotong knew what he meant and understood the complexity of the situation. “Senior, I know this is asking a lot, but it’s a matter of life and death.”

Life and death?

Li Chuan’s expression shifted. He looked at her closely, knowing she wasn’t one to joke around. The seriousness of it hit him.

“Alright, if that’s the case, I’ll help.”

“Thanks! I knew you were the best, Li Chuan.”

She wasn’t wrong—Li Chuan rarely smiled. The few faint ones tonight were exceptions.

“Got it.” Li Chuan’s fingers danced over his laptop. “Although they masked themselves well, I still traced their identity. Wang Xiaoqin, female, from Sichuan. The message was sent from your campus.”

“Our campus?” Li Xiaotong froze. Could it have come from the girls’ dorm?

But even with this clue, it didn’t feel like they’d gotten much closer to the truth.

“Thanks, Senior. I’ll treat you to a barbecue another day.” She stood up to leave, but Su Ran didn’t budge.

“Su Ran?”

Li Chuan packed up his laptop, noticing Su Ran’s gaze on him. “Uncle, is something wrong?”

Su Ran smiled faintly. “Li Chuan, do you believe I can read faces?”

“Read faces?”

Li Chuan touched his own. “I think my features are alright.”

Li Xiaotong sensed Su Ran had something to say and sat back down. “Li Chuan, my uncle, is really good at this. Why not let him take a look?”

Li Chuan politely declined. “I don’t believe in these things.” He stood up and gave a courteous smile. “If there’s anything, just let me know.”

“Your neck’s been feeling sore and cold lately, hasn’t it?” Su Ran leaned back lazily.

Li Chuan froze, turning back to look at him with a strange expression. “How did you know?”

“I told you, I can read faces. And I rarely get involved unless it’s someone close to Xiaotong. Do you really not want to sit down and talk?”