Chapter 216: Midnight Drinks, Morning Congee
“Sonny, little girl, you guys still in touch?”
Suddenly hearing his uncle mention her name, Hu Yu Ying, who had been feeling a bit squirmy on the side, immediately tensed up and stared nervously at Dragon Brother.
Dragon Brother looked at Hu Yu Ying, who was all jittery, and couldn’t help but chuckle. He gently brushed her stray hair behind her ear before saying, “We keep in touch. Regularly.”
Feeling the tender movements of the big bro’s hand, Hu Yu Ying’s nervousness eased just a bit.
“Good, good. Keep in touch. You’re a young girl out there alone; do what you can to help, but don’t go making any foolish moves.”
Old Man had overheard Dragon Brother talking about Hu Yu Ying earlier.
That little girl’s situation was indeed tough. His own son managing to get into college was already a huge blessing for her.
“Here, take a look—see who this is,” Dragon Brother hurriedly turned the video to Hu Yu Ying. He was freaking out, worried Old Man might say something earth-shattering again.
“Uncle.” Hu Yu Ying clenched her little hands and nervously greeted the screen.
Old Man’s expression was ridiculously exaggerated. When he saw Hu Yu Ying, he was momentarily stunned.
Then, upon hearing her call him “uncle,” he burst out laughing, showing his big teeth.
“Little Teacher.” Just from that nickname, you could tell how happy Old Man was. Truly happy.
Seeing her progress and now being able to attend college, Old Man sincerely appreciated this “little teacher” that Dragon Brother kept mentioning. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have gone on like he did just now.
When he heard the term “little teacher” from Hu Yu Ying with a smile, she blushed so hard her face turned vivid red, blooming with shy brightness.
She’d been called that before—though back then, she felt shy too.
She sneakily took a glance at Dragon Brother, who was looking at her with a loving expression, but it was clear this moment was different now.
“Did you and Aotian go shopping together during the holiday?” Old Man’s satisfaction grew with each glance at Hu Yu Ying.
He remembered everything about his son’s recent behavior—the distracted, exhausted look, drained of energy—all because of this little girl. Though Dragon Brother tried to hide it, as his father, he saw it all clearly.
Hu Yu Ying nodded softly and muttered “Mm.”
Though she knew it might be rude, she honestly didn’t know what else to say at this point.
“Good, good, good…”
With every “good” Old Man uttered, Hu Yu Ying’s face flushed even redder.
Did that mean Uncle was also pleased with her?
She couldn’t help thinking that, and the more she did, the less brave she felt to look at the screen directly.
“Cough cough, Uncle, we’re still eating right now,” Dragon Brother noticed Hu Yu Ying’s awkwardness and shifted the phone in front of himself.
Seeing him turn the phone to face himself, Hu Yu Ying let out a sigh of relief—very obvious.
This little lady’s posture had captured Dragon Brother’s attention completely; he simply couldn’t look away.
Old Man kept nagging, talking about how he needed to treat the “little teacher” well.
Dragon Brother nodded in agreement, then ended the video call.
“Old Man is like that—doesn’t talk much, but genuinely has a good heart,” Dragon Brother explained.
“I know.” Hu Yu Ying knew all too well. When her uncle suddenly asked about her, it made Dragon Brother pay more attention to her. She could feel it.
After saying this, she didn’t hear anything more from him.
She quietly looked up and only saw Dragon Brother smiling softly, eyes fixed on her.
Suddenly shy, she lowered her gaze and whispered, “Dragon Brother, why are you looking at me like that all the time?”
“Heh, you look really good blushing,” Dragon Brother had wanted to say that for a while. Seeing her face flushed with embarrassment—so cute, so adorable.
Gently biting her lip, she lowered her eyes again. Nobody dislikes being complimented, especially by someone they like.
Hu Yu Ying was no exception. Gathering her courage, she lifted her chin so he could see her better.
He just stared at her, and in that moment, Hu Yu Ying seemed to glimpse a flicker of desire in his eyes. It was fleeting, but she was sure—that was a man’s longing for a woman.
The spark of desire was the beginning of liking. Though it sounded rough, it was an undeniable truth.
Liking came in many forms—liking a toy, a delicate doll, loving one’s child…
This kind of liking was joy and care.
But if that liking blended with desire, it was no longer just happiness or concern; everything shifted…
“I really struck gold,” Dragon Brother took her hand spontaneously.
He felt something he couldn’t quite name—how beautiful she was. This silly girl, so shy, yet stubbornly showing her best side, completely exposing herself to him. Was it foolish or adorable? Hell, it was both.
…
“Let me tell you, drinking at midnight damages your stomach, but congee in the morning warms your heart all day long,” he said with a confident little smile curling his lips.
Sometimes, a simple gesture or phrase could unconsciously boost your vibe.
That was what Ye Liang Chen summarized during this period.
Xue Shao Hua flicked his hair, caught a quick glance, then froze in place.
Ye Liang Chen even wanted to boost his vibe further, but suddenly realized Xue Shao Hua hadn’t followed.
He stopped, looked back, and called out, “Xue Shao Hua, are you even listening? These are my spontaneous thoughts—my inner feelings. If you could just get even a tiny bit of it, it’d be a huge gain for you. Focus, alright?”
But Xue Shao Hua looked as if frozen—staring blankly at the left side.
Ye Liang Chen frowned, annoyed. No one gets excited about pretending to be profound—no, no one supports such random thoughts, does it?
He stepped forward, followed Xue Shao Hua’s gaze, and saw her face flush with shyness and happiness.
Ye Liang Chen’s lips twitched into a subtle smile. He remembered the dream from his past life, running under the setting sun—his youth long gone.
The next second, that sunset-rushing scene shattered abruptly. Even the smile on his face froze, stiffening until it faded away.
In his line of sight, a hand reached up to gently pinch that girl’s face.
“Uh~” Ye Liang Chen suddenly cried out, startling Xue Shao Hua.
He clutched his chest, staggered back two steps, and his face puckered into a chrysanthemum—like wearing a mask called Pain.
Slowly closing his eyes, a tear called Regret slipped from his eye corner.
“Is this the path you chose?” he seemed to ask, tears dripping—”Even if I get strangled, cursed at, or even if I know they have no good intentions…”
“Hahaha, hahaha…” He wiped away his tears, then walked toward the breakfast café.
