Chapter 28: Little Instructor
Ye Liang Chen sat quietly beside her, not bothering to pressure Hu Yu Ying into drinking her bubble tea, nor disturbing her further. He just kept smiling innocently, like a mischievous cat eyeballing her.
Honestly, everything about Hu Yu Ying seemed to shine brighter in his eyes—like she was some kind of celestial treasure.
Noticing Ye Liang Chen’s laser focus, Hu Yu Ying tried to look nonchalant, but nope—total unconvincing. Anyone would be creeped out by a stranger dude obsessively staring at them like that.
Fortunately, after a couple of milk teas gulped down and a tummy ache kicking in, Ye Liang Chen had to dash off to the bathroom. Hu Yu Ying seized the moment—she finished her part-time shift half an hour early and slipped out of the mall.
She wasn’t quite sure why, despite having outright said no to Ye Liang Chen, he kept grinning at her like some kind of friendly stalker. Whatever, from now on, she’d make a beeline around him—no detours, no exceptions.
So she quickened her steps, heart pounding. What if that Ye Liang Chen guy realized she’d already left and came chasing after her? Nope, nope, just keep moving!
On her way home, passing by the vegetable market, Hu Yu Ying looked at her wallet, then strode in determinedly.
Her part-time pay was paid in cash at the end of each day, so she decided to grab some veggies for dinner.
Usually, Hu Yu Ying came to the market in the afternoon because veggies were cheapest then. Today, however, she had no intention of coming back out after she got home—she needed to cram for her studies, making sure she could teach her big bro some good questions so they wouldn’t get stuck when they discussed test problems.
Inside the market, Hu Yu Ying started picking her veggies at various stalls.
The weather was getting hotter, so she chose cheap, durable vegetables that wouldn’t spoil easily.
“Boss, I’ll take these. How much?” she whispered, handing over the potatoes and sweet potatoes she’d selected.
She paid and was about to leave when—“Hu Yu Ying?”
Suddenly hearing her name, she froze and looked back doubtfully. The market was crowded—stalls all around, people bustling everywhere. She couldn’t tell who was calling her.
“Over here!”
The voice rang out once more. Turning her head slightly, Hu Yu Ying saw a meat stall—there, a teenage boy waving his arm high, his black hair damp and sticking to his gentle, scholarly face.
He wandered closer, and in that moment—just that very moment—that ancient chaos of the bustling market seemed to vanish.
“What are you staring at? Don’t you recognize me?” The boy smiled softly, like a mountain spring in midsummer, clear and soothing, sending tiny ripples into her anxious heart.
“Big bro, what are you doing here?” Hu Yu Ying’s eyes flickered with tiny sparks, radiating newfound vitality—her worries suddenly evaporated into the air.
“My dad’s over at the pork stall. I came to help,” he said, glancing at the bag she was holding—two bags of potatoes and sweet potatoes, frowning slightly. “Come with me.”
“Okay,” Hu Yu Ying nodded heavily, a faint dimple appearing on her cheek.
He led her to an old man’s stall.
The old man was stunned—a son returning from a trip, bringing a girl along? Well, that was new.
“This is my old man,” Long Ao Tian introduced proudly.
“This is my classmate and my little teacher,” he added.
This was the first time his own son had introduced her to friends—and honestly, the old man’s mind was swirling. He looked at his son’s grimy apron, automatically stripping it off, which was a surprise in itself.
Hu Yu Ying hadn’t expected her big bro to introduce her as his little teacher in front of his dad. Her normally shy nature left her a bit lost for words.
Polite as ever, she softly said, “Hello, Uncle.”
Then, unsure how to handle the awkwardness, she looked at Long Ao Tian.
The old man heard her timid greeting and felt a tiny flicker of warmth—this little girl was adorable. He tried to look friendly and asked with a smile, “Long Ao Tian, did I trouble you?”
Hu Yu Ying hurriedly shook her head. Her big bro hadn’t caused her trouble—in fact, she’d been the one giving him trouble, all the time.
“Trouble? Of course it’s trouble. During senior year, with all the stress, you still took your time to help teach my son extra lessons—how can that not be trouble?” Long Ao Tian said, slicing a piece of fatty lean meat, which he then packed into her bag.
Hu Yu Ying was about to protest—she had just finished her shift, and her money was almost gone. She simply couldn’t afford the meat.
“This is a gift—you’re so skinny, like a bamboo pole. Take it home and nourish yourself,” Long Ao Tian said sincerely. Based on the original novel’s description, Hu Yu Ying’s figure and height were perfect—curves in all the right places, a stunning figure. But now she looked so thin she was almost a stick—no sign of those alluring curves anymore.
Her eyes wide with anxiety, she looked up at him. “Big bro, I—I…” Her face blushed further, feeling embarrassed. “I—I don’t have money…”
Long Ao Tian thought something was up and chuckled, “I’m giving it to you, little teacher.”
“I can’t take it, truly,” she hurriedly replied. She’d finished her part-time shift and had little money left. She couldn’t afford the meat.
“I insist. I see how skinny you are—take it and get some good food,” long Aotian said, pushing the meat into her hand.
She hesitated, waving her hand anxiously. “I really can’t—”
“I’m warning you, I can’t stand your babbling anymore. Take it, or don’t blame me for scolding you!” he grinned.
“But I don’t eat much meat,” she whispered shyly.
Long Ao Tian gently tapped her head with his knuckles. “Still not telling me?”
Hu Yu Ying rubbed her head, her bright eyes moist, gazing at him with a look that almost seemed like she was about to cry.
Seeing her like that, Long Ao Tian quickly reached out and rubbed the spot where he’d just hit her.
As his big hand touched her, Hu Yu Ying stiffened for a moment—like being stopped by some invisible force.
Her body didn’t react, but she just looked up at him blankly.
“Does it hurt?”
Not too much, but Hu Yu Ying wasn’t sure why, she just nodded lightly.
“Next time, listen and behave, alright?”
“Got it,” she whispered.
“Do you live nearby?” Long Ao Tian was still a bit surprised to see Hu Yu Ying here.
“Just over in the village,” she replied, pointing to the east.
The old man watched the two standing at odd angles in the sunlight, smiling softly without saying a word. He saw his son’s change—he saw everything.
Their family’s livelihood was the meat business; to them, meat wasn’t a rare commodity.
If this little teacher truly could help his son improve, help him get into university, then—no matter how much meat she ate—he wouldn’t mind at all.
