The next mont, Zhang Xiaoshan’s large hand gently brushed across Xu Xiaong’s snow-white cheek.
"Wipe your tears, going ho like this will worry your family."
"I, I know."
Xu Xiaong was taken aback.
Only then did she realize she had thought too much, Zhang Xiaoshan simply wanted to help her wipe her tears.
Her cheeks, already flushed, turned even redder.
"Huh."
Suddenly, Zhang Xiaoshan pulled her abruptly.
"Ah."
Her body lurched forward, losing balance, and crashed heavily into Zhang Xiaoshan’s arms.
In a panic, she instinctively held onto Zhang Xiaoshan tightly.
"You’re holding so tight, I can’t breathe," Zhang Xiaoshan, with his head lowered and at the level of Xu Xiaong’s shoulder, spoke as if he were whispering into her ear, his breath warm on Xu Xiaong’s ear, causing her whole body to nearly spasm.
"You, you’re bad."
Like an electric shock, she pushed Zhang Xiaoshan away fiercely and ran headlong into the alley, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
"Hehe."
Zhang Xiaoshan smiled knowingly.
Although they were all young girls of similar age, compared to Li Ya’s boldness and Sun Youyou’s initiative, the short-haired girl’s restraint made Zhang Xiaoshan feel more at ease.
Xu Xiaong ran all the way to a small room within a dilapidated residential building.
"Huff, huff, huff..."
Only then did she let out a sigh of relief.
Her reddened cheeks gradually returned to normal.
Such flirtatious banter was an experience she had never had before, and the feelings for Zhang Xiaoshan, whom she had only t twice, was also sothing new to her.
A sweet smile lingered on the corners of her mouth.
"You’re back."
A middle-aged man’s greeting ca from the dark room.
"Ah, yes, I, I’m back."
The short-haired girl ca back to her senses and turned on the light.
That’s when the full view of the room was revealed.
The entire room, only about ten-plus square ters, contained two small beds separated by curtains. On one of the beds lay a man with a dejected look, his face covered with stubble and two bottles of white liquor by his side.
"Dad, didn’t I tell you to drink less?"
Xu Xiaong complained a little as she picked up the scattered bottles from the floor.
"Heh, what else can a cripple like who can’t even walk do other than drink?"
The dejected man replied with a bitter smile, then his expression darkened, and he said weakly,
"It’s just hard on you, always burdened by your crippled father, having to work part-ti washing dishes late into the night to support ."
"If you want to die, just say it."
Xu Xiaong often took up waitress-type part-ti jobs, so she frequently ca ho late.
However, upon hearing her father’s words, Xu Xiaong’s gentle expression grew slightly irritated.
"Dad, how many tis have I told you, no matter how tough things get, as long as I’m with you, I’m content. If you dare to kill yourself, I swear I’ll follow you, you know my temperant."
Seeing his daughter’s determination, Mr. Xu ultimately fell silent.
Xu Xiaong started to skillfully wash Mr. Xu’s feet, clean his body, and tidy up the room. Half an hour later, she sat at a scavenged old desk planning to review her lessons.
"Whoosh."
She had just opened her schoolbag when she suddenly froze.
Inside the bag was a thick stack of renminbi, totaling three to four thousand yuan.
"Where did this money co from..."
Her mind raced back to the mont she and Zhang Xiaoshan had parted, when he suddenly pulled her close to his chest, and they collided.
It must have been then that he secretly slipped the money into her bag.
Zhang Xiaoshan must have noticed her financial struggles and wanted to help, but feared hurting her sensitive pride, so he quietly put the money into her bag.
Perhaps, Zhang Xiaoshan’s offer to walk her ho was also a ploy to find an opportunity to give her the money.
The collision earlier wasn’t Zhang Xiaoshan trying to take advantage of her or flirt, but simply a sincere attempt to help her out.
"Whimper, whimper, whimper..."
Overwheld by emotion, Xu Xiaong, fearful that her father lying in the sickbed behind her would notice, covered her mouth with her hand, biting down hard on her teeth to keep from crying out loud. Yet her body was still trembling slightly, large tears rolling down.
She was just a nineteen-year-old girl, how strong could she be? She had no choice but to wear a prickly facade, carefully guarding herself. Yet when soone offering warmth ca along, she let her guard down.
Gripping that three thousand yuan, the na Zhang Xiaoshan, that person, was deeply etched into her naive heart.
...
anwhile, outside, Zhang Xiaoshan was preparing to leave.
"It’s getting late; I should find a small hotel and get so sleep first."
"Thud, thud, thud..."
"Puff, puff, puff..."
At that mont, a series of hurried and disordered footsteps ca from not far away, growing closer and closer.
Soon, a woman dressed in sports attire appeared in Zhang Xiaoshan’s line of sight.
"Help!"
The mont she saw Zhang Xiaoshan, she desperately called out for help.
"Is that you?"
In the haste of the night, the other party didn’t recognize Zhang Xiaoshan, but Zhang Xiaoshan, with his shrewd eyes, recognized her imdiately.
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