Chapter 183: An Adult Woman’s Dependence on a Man
Xue Shao Hua immediately hurried to follow.
Honestly, when he saw Hu Yu Ying walking into the courtyard with that guy, his heart ached like a bad karaoke singer after too many renditions.
It was that kind of feeling, like his most precious, treasured toy being played with by others—so not cool.
He was obviously pretty outstanding himself, so he just couldn’t understand why Hu Yu Ying seemed totally oblivious to his existence.
The more he couldn’t have her, the moodier he became.
All of his feelings boiled down to one thing: frustration.
If only this treasure girl hadn’t appeared, maybe he’d forget about her someday. But now? Impossible.
Every moment, he wanted her. That beautiful smile of hers was etched into his mind like a stubborn tattoo. If one day that smile only blossomed for him, Xue Shao Hua felt his life would be complete.
And then there was Li Qing Xue. If possible, he’d love to have an in-depth chat with her too. He knew he was being greedy—deep down, humans are just naturally greedy creatures.
He was so excellent, popular even in class, so shouldn’t he be more accepting? Right?
But too bad he didn’t even know the name of that elegant, cold, stunning girl’s name—still a bit of a regret.
Once they approached the courtyard, Ye Liang Chen and Xue Shao Hua quietly overheard bits of their conversation.
Ye Liang Chen suddenly raised his arm, signaling Xue Shao Hua and the others to hold on and not move forward.
“Brother Long, I really did try my best.”
“Hmm, I can definitely see that.” Yeah, he’d watched Hu Yu Ying change little by little since they arrived in Haian City. How could he not notice?
“No, you don’t see it. Your eyes are always filled with affection—like I’m this little kid you need to protect, someone who will never quite grow up.”
“It’s Brother Long’s fault, from now on, in Brother Long’s eyes, I’ll just be a slightly bigger kid. Is that okay?”
“Brother Long~~” Hu Yu Ying stomped her little foot, her face showing reluctance, like she was no longer obeying Brother Long.
Seeing her little pout, Dragon Brother chuckled softly, dotingly pinched Hu Yu Ying’s puffed-up cheeks, and then just couldn’t hold back—a quick tickle at her nose. “Go on in. They’re waiting for you. Later, we’re all going to eat together.”
The two eavesdroppers outside smirked knowingly. They could already picture Hu Yu Ying’s adorable, sulky face.
The genuine happiness on their faces was palpable—like they weren’t watching Dragon Brother and Hu Yu Ying but… themselves.
“Brother Long,” Hu Yu Ying called softly after him, and as he turned around, she gently embraced him.
Just like the day Brother Long carried her on his back, arms tightly around her, her head pressed against his chest: “Brother Long, I’m already an adult. I know exactly what I’m thinking in my heart.”
“It’s not gratitude, not thanks, not thankfulness. It’s dependence. But not a little girl’s clingy dependence. It’s a kind of reliance that an adult woman has on a man…”
With those words finished, Hu Yu Ying’s message completed its journey.
Dragon Brother looked at her in his arms, wanting to raise his hand to brush her long hair…
Silence. Very quiet.
Hu Yu Ying bit her lip and closed her eyes, knowing full well she might still be rejected by Brother Long, but still…
Thud!
Hu Yu Ying’s eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes, unable to resist drawing closer to Brother Long’s chest.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
She smiled. Her smile was so alluring that it almost crystallized at the corners of her eyes, soft and deeply tender.
Her face heated up uncontrollably, like it was trying to melt off her bones.
Even her ears tinge with a reddish glow from the warmth surging through her.
Sometimes, no words are needed—she just “heard” what her heart was saying.
Maybe she already understood Brother Long’s true feelings…
Suddenly, a loud voice interrupted, shattering the mood like a dropped phone screen.
The door was kicked open.
Dragon Brother instinctively pulled Hu Yu Ying behind him, glaring at the door.
Inside, Li Qing Xue and Lin Wan Ning also heard the knocking and hurriedly came out.
As they emerged, they saw someone standing outside the door.
He faced sideways, tilted his head at a forty-five-degree angle, with a sorrowful, dim expression.
Seeing this person, Li Qing Xue furrowed her brow, Lin Wan Ning’s eyebrows knitted in concern, and even gentle Hu Yu Ying furrowed her delicate brows in annoyance.
Dragon Brother stared at Ye Liang Chen outside the door. He didn’t frown, just a flicker of doubt flashed across his eyes.
Hiding nearby, Xue Shao Hua nodded confidently at Ye Liang Chen’s imposing presence.
Feeling everyone’s gaze fixed on him, Ye Liang Chen’s lips curved into a confident smile.
He flicked his hair, eyes blazing fiercely as he looked at Dragon Brother and the three people he yearned for.
Seeing Hu Yu Ying and her companions, his smile widened, but he quickly frowned and said, “I told you to let them go!”
“Ye Liang Chen, are you crazy?” Li Qing Xue snapped, having known Ye Liang Chen the longest. Now, seeing him here, her disappointment deepened.
She wasn’t stupid—Haian City was huge. How did Ye Liang Chen find this alley? Found this courtyard? With his toes, even she could figure it out.
Her disappointment turned sharply into disdain.
In response to Li Qing Xue’s words, Ye Liang Chen forced a bitter smile, slowly shook his head. “Others call me crazy, but I say they just can’t see through things.”
“The knight has arrived. Qing Xue, don’t be afraid,” he said, then turned his gaze to Hu Yu Ying and Lin Wan Ning. “You guys don’t need to be afraid either, because—I’ve come!”
He nodded to the three girls.
Finally, his eyes settled on Dragon Brother. This was the first time he looked directly at him. Whatever. He had already gone dark.
Hands in his pockets, he flicked his hair, stepped toward Dragon Brother, and looked him straight in the eyes. Without hesitation, Ye Liang Chen swallowed hard and murmured, “Dragon Brother, I know you sense a threat in me.”
“I didn’t want to fight before, but now, I just can’t watch anymore. I…”
Crack!
Ye Liang Chen tilted his head to the side, stunned—his lips trembling slightly. Clearly, he hadn’t expected that.
Li Qing Xue and Lin Wan Ning also froze. This was the first time they’d seen Dragon Brother like this.
Only Hu Yu Ying looked up at Dragon Brother. Maybe others didn’t know, but she knew exactly why her brother wanted to hit Ye Liang Chen.
Because she understood, her heart ached even more for her brother…
