"Want to take a walk over there?"
Xia Yan finished the fresh dumplings in three bites, wiped his hands clean with the wet wipes he carried, put his helmet on the motorcycle, and turned back to ask.
His tone had unconsciously taken on a hint of gentleness.
(I'll just see what tricks you still have up your sleeve...)
Hua Xin raised her long sleeves and waved them forward, like some cute little ghost.
(-...--.-.---...-.---...--...--...--.-.---...)
"Goodness, you've gotten a lot braver lately."
Xia Yan happily patted the girl on the shoulder. Because of what Hua Xin had just done, he finally let go of the wariness he had always carried in his heart.
(That hurts??...)
(I feel like my whole body's about to fall apart...)
(Damn it... Has he already started making his move??...)
(Where's my hammer?? My hammer's in my backpack??)
At the instant Hua Xin handed him the dumplings, he truly seemed to see his former self reflected in the girl.
He was genuinely happy to see Hua Xin as she was now.
Not only could she attend school with him normally, but she had also learned how to interact with "friends" and how to express her feelings.
These were all things she had been lacking.
Xia Yan felt as though he were Dororo helping Hyakkimaru recover his missing organs. That feeling... gave him an indescribable sense of accomplishment.
"What's wrong?"
Xia Yan turned back to look at Hua Xin, who had turned around while standing where she was, and asked in confusion.
Uh...
I've been noticed.
(Where's my hammer??)
(Where is he taking me? He wouldn't find somewhere to make me fly, would he? No one would know if he dumped my body here, would they??)
Hua Xin silently shook her head, then stiffly started walking.
(It's fine. He just wants to laugh at me. He only wants to bully me... Killing people is illegal... He isn't Great King Xi, so what right does he have to kill me... There are passersby here, too.)
Xia Yan deliberately waited a while so Hua Xin could walk beside him.
If someone had accompanied him like this back then, walking forward with him, would it have been easier for him to become the person he was now?
The thought flashed through his mind, and the corners of Xia Yan's lips lifted slightly.
"The welcome party after the National Day holiday—do you want to come watch my performance?"
"I have a solo. As my good friend, could you come and cheer me on? It's lonely when nobody applauds or cheers..."
(Why are you, a grown man, acting cute...)
(And... so you called me out today to play the friend game??...)
(Does he think it's too early to spring the trap?)
Hua Xin kicked a pebble on the ground in confusion, but nearly sent her oversized shoe flying off.
Then... should I turn the tables on him?
The black helmet on the girl's head bobbed up and down.
What if I could freeload a meal from this hypocritical man...? If I can get something for free, why not??
At the thought of getting food, Hua Xin took an unusually large step forward with her right foot, in a fairly good mood.
All Xia Yan saw was an unidentified pitch-black object suddenly fly through his field of vision.
Hua Xin: ????
Xia Yan: ????
(Don't panic.)
(Bump bump bump bump bump...)
She put on a calm front, but inside, she was already panicking terribly.
(I need to hurry up and get some coins from Online Relationship with Lao Shui to buy rice??... Buy shoes!)
(This is so embarrassing, so embarrassing... This hypocritical man must be delighted, right??...)
Aaaaaah!
Because she was too anxious, a sharp pain suddenly shot through her ankle. Hua Xin instantly learned the consequences of trying to hop on one foot in shoes that didn't fit.
(My life...)
(I suppose this is how it ends, huh??...)
The girl watched her body pitch forward. Though her helmet would protect her, her arms would still get hurt, right? What if there was a needle on the ground? Uh... it wasn't impossible for there to be a landmine, either?
??
(Am I about to see my life flash before my eyes?)
(Not this, please!)
"Careful!"
Xia Yan instantly swept an arm around Hua Xin's abdomen and caught her. Because the girl had been hopping forward anxiously, he hadn't reacted in time. After steadying her, he hurriedly asked:
"Are you all right, Little Hua?"
"How's your ankle?"
Strange... why was she so soft...? Xia Yan had just been about to support Hua Xin's arm with one hand when his arm accidentally brushed against the front of her chest.
The puzzlement flashed through his mind.
"Smack!!"
Her arm was suddenly slapped down by Hua Xin. Looking at the girl sitting on the ground, Xia Yan seemed somewhat bewildered.
(I've been groped! I've been groped! I've been groped... A man touched my slime...)
(It's over. Could I be pregnant?! How terrifying!!)
(Huh??? Wait.)
(Am I a man or a woman right now?)
(Sigh... How could I get pregnant before Tsunako flowed into Huhu?)
For a moment, Hua Xin's clever little mind began racing again. Her small face, hidden beneath the helmet, flushed bright red, steaming as though it could boil water.
She had thought they were only going out for a walk, so she hadn't tied on the bandages!
Xia Yan's movements had been too hurried and forceful, and he had directly rubbed off her Band-Aid.
(I'm a man. What's the big deal? It's fine, bro.)
(I'm going to kill you, I'm going to kill you, I'm going to kill you. I'm not pure anymore??...)
!
Suddenly, she felt a broad, warm palm grasp her right ankle.
Xia Yan was gently putting the shoe that had flown off back onto her foot.
"Can you walk?"
"Want me to carry you?"
Hua Xin raised her watery eyes slightly. Xia Yan had no other emotion on his face; he was still looking at her with a gentle smile.
"I... I can walk by myself."
The girl hurriedly pushed herself backward with both hands, then tried moving her left ankle. There was no stabbing pain.
Thank goodness...
Xia Yan stood up. He wanted to reach out and help the girl, but ultimately gave up and said softly:
"Go home?"
"Take it slow..."
Only after seeing that Hua Xin could walk normally did he finally let out a slow breath.
"Xia Yan?"
A pleasant female voice suddenly came from behind, filled with surprise.
Xia Yan paused, then chuckled. "Senior Lin, what a coincidence."
"Out for a run this late?"
He looked at Lin Qingyu, who was wearing yoga pants and a sports bra that perfectly outlined her curves, and a trace of something unusual flashed through his eyes.
"Yeah..."
"I'm covered in sweat. You won't mind, will you?" Lin Qingyu asked half-jokingly.
Her hair was slightly damp, and the exercise and weather had left a thin sheen of sweat on her body. She placed a hand on her exposed waist and smiled.
"Want to grab some late-night indulgent food together? You still owe me a meal."
(Cheating dogs, both of them! Cheating dogs, both of them! Cheating dogs, both of them! Cheating dogs, both of them!)
Hua Xin hid beside the motorcycle and watched the two of them "chatting merrily," then gave a cold snort.
So it really was like this??...
They had arranged this together to make fun of me??...
I'll get my phone, I'll get my phone...
I'll record a video of them mocking and beating me, then expose them... Tears streamed down Hua Xin's face as she took out her phone and tremblingly opened the camera.
"Sorry, Senior. It's already late today. I'll definitely accept your invitation next time."
"I'm leaving first. Good luck with your run."
Unexpectedly, Xia Yan rejected Lin Qingyu's invitation and turned toward the girl.
Lin Qingyu wasn't annoyed at being rejected. Instead, she calmly watched the two of them in silence.
I'll remember you.
That was what she thought.
"We're going home."
In the recording on Hua Xin's phone, there was only Xia Yan's gradually approaching body and that casually spoken sentence.
What was going on??
The girl climbed onto the motorcycle in a daze and watched Xia Yan turn the key.
A somewhat worn gray wolf-head acrylic keychain hanging from the key caught her attention, but Xia Yan's body soon blocked it from view.
(That looks familiar...)
Xia Yan put on his helmet and started the motorcycle.
He hoped Hua Xin had learned how to refuse other people. He had demonstrated it properly just now. She had seen it, right?
He clearly understood that the girl had trouble refusing others.
But...
Xia Yan thought again of that softness, and of her petite little foot when he put her shoe back on. A trace of puzzlement rose in his heart.
Brother Hua...? Why are your hands and feet all so small?
Before you continue