Chapter 103: Spring Isn’t Always Perfect
Yet, Dragon Brother simply dragged over a stool, plopped down next to Hu Yu Ying, and continued munching on his food.
Watching his antics, Hu Yu Ying suddenly recalled how Dragon Brother had scared Ye Liang Chen into bumping his nose after he’d taken a sip of fruit beer. She couldn’t help but chuckle, “Dragon Bro, you’re so bad, you did that on purpose!”
“Ah, look who’s smiling now! Whose mouth was so pouty just a moment ago, it could hang a wine bottle?”
“Come on, give me another smile.”
Hearing Dragon Brother tease her, Hu Yu Ying immediately turned her back to him, not wanting him to see her upturned lips. Bad Dragon Brother, lecherous Dragon Brother, just wait until I grow up a bit more – I’ll be even prettier than all those other girls…
She whispered to herself secretly.
All this time, Hu Yu Ying had known how she looked. She had been tangled up by boys and targeted by girls, mostly because of her appearance.
No girl doesn’t love beauty; Hu Yu Ying was no exception. Back then, she would’ve preferred to look a little plainer than have people call her a seductress and bully her.
But now she was grateful, thankful that she didn’t look too shabby.
Every girl has a tiny hint of vanity. She thought, once I grow a bit older and wear those cute spaghetti straps and shorts, Dragon Brother will definitely have a good long look at me.
This was a shift in her mindset.
This was Hu Yu Ying’s own confidence blossoming.
At this moment, both inside and out, Hu Yu Ying was subtly changing under Dragon Brother’s influence.
It was hard to find any sign of her past insecurities and gloominess in her now.
Even gloomy girls can have their spring.
Spring may not be perfect, but it will definitely bloom quietly.
Hu Yu Ying secretly glanced at Dragon Brother and noticed how amazing he was, finishing off a chicken leg in just a few bites.
Biting her lip, she looked at the chicken leg in her lunch box, lowered her head, and used her chopsticks to offer it to Dragon Brother. “I, I can’t finish this, I haven’t touched the chicken leg.”
Without waiting to see Dragon Brother’s reaction, she quickly turned away, a rosy blush spreading across her innocent and beautiful little face.
Dragon Brother looked at the chicken leg in her lunch box, then at Hu Yu Ying, who had barely eaten anything. He wondered if it was the heat making her lose her appetite?
Finishing his meal in a few bites, he stood up and walked outside.
Watching Dragon Brother’s retreating figure, Hu Yu Ying obediently sat waiting for him at the stall.
It seemed waiting for Dragon Brother had become a habit for Hu Yu Ying.
She didn’t find it tedious; in fact, she enjoyed it.
“Why’s a little girl all alone? Where’s your boyfriend?” A big sister with a son about fourteen or fifteen asked with a smile.
This big sister had sold a T-shirt earlier in the morning, and Hu Yu Ying remembered her because she had taken her money.
At those words, Hu Yu Ying’s face flushed, and she spoke very softly, “He, he went out for something.”
“Why’s the little girl blushing?” The big sister teased, noticing Hu Yu Ying’s shy expression.
“I’m not blushing!” Hu Yu Ying embarrassedly turned her face away.
Her actions made the big sister exclaim how adorable Hu Yu Ying was.
The big sister had bought a T-shirt for her son for nineteen dollars, and it looked pretty good on him. The key was that it was cheap, so she brought her son over hoping to buy a couple more outfits.
After all, boys love to play, and clothes wear out fast.
The boy picked two shirts, and after Hu Yu Ying found the right sizes, she packaged them up.
Not long after the big sister paid and left, Dragon Brother returned carrying something.
“Here you go.”
Lobster porridge and Snowflake Dew.
Hu Yu Ying looked at what he placed in front of her, her heart doing a little flip. Did Dragon Brother go out just to buy this for her?
Dragon Brother poked her forehead playfully. “What are you staring at?”
“Hurry up and eat! Dragon Brother has to make money now; if you starve, I can’t take care of you.”
Hearing Dragon Brother’s words, Hu Yu Ying lowered her gaze slightly. “You’re lying.”
He said he couldn’t take care of her, yet here he was, buying her these snacks.
He was obviously being so nice, clearly caring about her. She should be happy, but for some reason, her eyes suddenly felt moisture gathering.
Hu Yu Ying wasn’t unaccustomed to kindness; actually, during the time when her parents first left, quite a few people came to help her and her grandparents.
Once, twice, three times, four times… they eventually chose to retract their sympathy…
The two elders and a child—life seemed to have an end visible from the very start…
So Hu Yu Ying didn’t want to accept help from others because she feared those who helped her would ultimately see her as a burden and choose to leave.
But in the little half year since transferring schools, she had accepted Dragon Brother’s help more than once.
Once, twice, three times… countless times…
Dragon Brother watched as Hu Yu Ying lowered her head and fell silent, puzzling over her increasingly difficult-to-read thoughts.
“What’s wrong? Alright, alright, next time I won’t tease you.” Dragon Brother chuckled, initially wanting to tease Hu Yu Ying, but then caught sight of a teardrop, like a wingless angel, falling to the ground.
Just as Dragon Brother said, he could handle a lot of things, but he absolutely couldn’t accept a girl crying in front of him.
Suddenly, he found himself at a loss for what to do.
“Wh-what’s going on here?”
“Don’t cry.”
Hu Yu Ying tried to calm herself down, and seeing Dragon Brother looking all flustered, she felt a mix of laughter and warmth inside.
“Dragon Brother, I’m fine; I’m just a bit touched.”
Dragon Brother breathed a sigh of relief. “No getting all sentimental on me; if you keep crying, I’ll really give you a punch!”
Looking at Dragon Brother, Hu Yu Ying tightly clenched the fabric of her clothes with her fingers.
The words Ye Liang Chen had once said kept replaying in her mind: ”Do you think he’s nice to you because he wants to play with your body?”
She didn’t believe Ye Liang Chen’s words, so she finally mustered the courage to ask, “Dragon Brother, why are you so good to me?”
“Have you gone blind? Who’s good to you?”
“Come on, just tell me.” After spending so much time with Dragon Brother, she knew this was him brushing her off.
Dragon Brother replied with a hint of annoyance, “Because you’re worth it!”
Hu Yu Ying’s heart inexplicably skipped a beat, her heart racing wildly at that moment. She slightly turned her head, unable to look at him, yet her fingertips unconsciously tightened around the hem of her clothes.
She had thought about many things Dragon Brother might say.
Actually, she would’ve accepted anything Dragon Brother said.
But she never expected it to be simply because she was worth it.
That one line silenced Hu Yu Ying as her mind repeatedly echoed those words.
It was like her heart had been wrapped in layers of candy coating, always craving to hear it once more.
In an instant, the hazy confusion of the girl faded away, and Hu Yu Ying felt as if she had finally seen her true self…
