Chapter 257: Why? On What Grounds?
“Yo-yo-yo, great job~”
Li Qing Xue and Lin Wan Ning on the side were mimicking Long Ao Tian’s voice with some weird intonation.
Hu Yu Ying raised her hand to grab at their waists. “Annoying, don’t copy Brother Long’s voice.”
“Annoying~~ Don’t copy Brother Long’s voice…” The excitement of successfully selling items in her first online shop in such a short time made her playful and carefree.
Long Ao Tian watched his three little troublemakers joking around and couldn’t help but laugh.
He closed his computer and took the three of them out of the internet cafe.
“Still feels better outside,” Li Qing Xue said as soon as she stepped out, taking a deep breath she clearly enjoyed.
Hu Yu Ying and Lin Wan Ning didn’t speak, but their expressions had lightened noticeably.
However, their attention more often than not was glued to their phones, chatting and discussing something from time to time.
Long Ao Tian understood. This was their first taste of the sweet fruit of success, and he wisely chose not to disturb. Just quietly accompany these small allies.
“There’s a bench ahead. Want to sit for a bit?”
The three sat down.
Hu Yu Ying’s gaze instinctively searched for Long Ao Tian. Seeing him walking away alone, she quickly stood up and looked at Li Qing Xue and Lin Wan Ning. “I’ll come over later.”
And then she headed towards Long Ao Tian.
Li Qing Xue and Lin Wan Ning exchanged a knowing smile and continued to look at their backstage info.
“Brother Long.” Hu Yu Ying went up and gently took Long Ao Tian’s hand. “Sorry, Brother Long.”
Long Ao Tian looked at her jokingly, lightly pinching her nose. “Why are you suddenly apologizing to me?”
Seeing the doting smile on his face, Hu Yu Ying’s heart sank even more with guilt. She knew everything now was thanks to Brother Long leading her through it.
But she had just now overlooked him.
Especially when she saw his back just now, a strange discomfort arose in her.
But she didn’t know how to express this feeling.
Seeming to sense what was in her heart, Long Ao Tian sighed helplessly. He reached out and stroked her long hair. “Do you know what the secret to happiness is?”
Hu Yu Ying answered almost without hesitation, “My happiness is being with Brother Long.” To her, this answer was like an easy question.
This response took Long Ao Tian by surprise, but her unwavering resolve warmed his heart. “Then stop overthinking.”
Feeling the gentle touch of his palm on her hair, Hu Yu Ying took a small step forward, leaning against Long Ao Tian’s straight waist, her head pressed tight against his chest.
“Thanks, Brother Long.”
She felt like from the moment they met, the most times she had said to him was ‘Thank you.’
“Thank you, Brother Long, for a little bit changing me, for slowly walking with me on this slow and clumsy road, helping me grow.”
Thank you, Brother Long, for coming into my life…
“You’re getting better at speaking now,” he said.
“Then, Brother Long, come quick and try. Did Yu Ying eat sweets today? Why is her mouth so sweet?”
Hu Yu Ying tiptoed, raised her little face, closed her eyes, feeling the warmth and softness of his lips.
In her heart, she quietly thought: It’s because of Brother Long, that Ah Ying was changed.
……
Nightfall.
“Brother, keep an eye on me, will you?”
Lin Wan Ning looked at her phone, calmly entrusting her safety to Long Ao Tian.
“Should I hit you?” Long Ao Tian refused to encourage her habit of careless recklessness.
“Brother, it’s my first time running an online shop. I need to maintain my customers,” Lin Wan Ning pouted.
“Even when being cute, you shouldn’t distract yourself. Watch the road properly.”
“You’re so biased, Brother. Ah Ying can do it, and you’re holding her hand too…”
Long Ao Tian rolled his eyes. Can that really be the same?
He grabbed Lin Wan Ning’s soft nape. “Are you ignoring my words now?”
Gently tugging at the soft flesh of her neck, Lin Wan Ning became obedient almost instantly.
Seeing her grievance, he couldn’t help but chuckle. Who would have thought that the school’s cold and aloof top flower could look so pitiable now?
“Alright, don’t be upset. I’m doing this for your own good.”
Lin Wan Ning nodded softly. Deep inside, she was actually a little happy—only pretending to be upset just to get her brother to squeeze her neck a little more.
Putting away her phone, she stepped closer to Long Ao Tian, leaning in just a little more…
“Be careful on the way back.”
At the entrance of the conservatory, Long Ao Tian softly reminded her, “Don’t look at your phone on the way.”
“Got it, Brother,” Lin Wan Ning patted her pocket, indicating her phone was already put away.
Watching her figure gradually disappear into the distance, Long Ao Tian finally turned around and left.
Walking along the inner road, the weather turned cooler; fallen leaves ruffled underfoot, making a rustling sound that inexplicably relaxed him.
He couldn’t help but imagine how beautiful it’d be when the leaves fell even more, covering the entire ground in a sea of gold and crimson.
“Hey, Long Ao Tian, you’re back?” Sitting on a bench, a girl wearing a hat obscuring her face spoke. Her voice was a bit hoarse but still had a girl’s softness.
She paused, as if remembering something, and lifted her hat, revealing Shen Meng Jie’s captivating sexy face. “I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”
“Waiting for me?” Long Ao Tian frowned, asking sternly, “Waiting for what?”
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He could sense that Shen Meng Jie wasn’t in a good state right now, and there was an almost imperceptible smell of beer on her.
“Drink some alcohol with me,” she said.
“No interest,” Long Ao Tian simply bypassed Shen Meng Jie.
Even after ignoring her, he still felt her gaze burning into his back, as if trying to peer right through him.
“Why? On what grounds?” she shouted, her tone tinged with a crackling crack of breakdown. Her usual image of sexy sophistication was falling apart right now.
But none of this seemed to matter to him.
Walking back toward the dormitory, he overheard murmurs from around—discussions about some incident.
It seemed like something had happened. Almost everyone was murmuring.
“Tsk, I didn’t expect such a beautiful girl to be into playing the third wheel like that…”
“Who’s she anyway? Especially able to flirt with six guys at once—that’s some talent, huh? Hahaha…”
“What’s her name again? Shen something… Such a sl*t. Maybe I can get her too, for a one-night stand…”
“Shen something or other…”
Hearing these voices, Long Ao Tian gradually slowed his steps.
The combination of Shen Meng Jie’s alcohol scent, her breakdown in her shouts, and now these rumors—they all clicked together.
Turning around, he rushed back the way he came.
He didn’t know what had happened—probably something really hurtful for a woman.
She was waiting for him. Was it because he’d spoken about it?
He didn’t know.
But instinct told him he needed to go see her, to explain, and check her condition, because her emotions obviously weren’t right.
