When they reached the table, Tian Xi was about to sit down, but Mo Yehan softly stopped her. He took a clean tissue and repeatedly wiped the chair before letting her sit.
She obediently gathered the hem of her skirt with her hands and sat down quietly, so close to Mo Yehan that she was almost squeezing into his embrace.
Mo Yehan’s fingers trembled as he continued wiping the table in front of her, scrubbing it so hard it seemed like the surface might wear thin.
The group of friends had never seen their leader so nervous before, and none of them dared to make a sound.
“Sister-in-law, you’re usually so strict with our leader,” Wei Er couldn’t resist teasing.
Tilting her head, Tian Xi asked softly, “They say I’m too strict with you. Is that true?”
Mo Yehan’s hand shook, and the tissue fell onto her skirt. He immediately reached to grab it but accidentally brushed against her leg. Instantly, both of them grew slightly flushed with tension.
“Your skirt is dirty. I’ll buy you a new one,” Mo Yehan said as he finally took the tissue that had wiped the table. But instead of throwing it away, he casually tucked it into his pants pocket.
“Okay, next time we go shopping, you can come with me to buy it,” Tian Xi replied without hesitation. This way, she could go shopping with Mo Yehan—just thinking about it made her happy.
Tian Xi was delicate and tender. Before eating anything, she would ask Mo Yehan, “Is this tasty? I’ve never tried it before.”
Mo Yehan said, “It’s alright.”
“Then get me a skewer, please.”
No one else’s serving seemed as appealing as his—only the ones he handed her tasted the best.
Mo Yehan picked up a beef tendon skewer and handed it to her, but she didn’t take it. Instead, she sweetly and softly said, “How about you feed me? I don’t want to use my hands.”
This drew laughter from all the friends around.
Everyone was curious to see how their usually aloof leader would handle this.
Mo Yehan’s face was already slightly red—whether from drinking or something else—as he asked hoarsely, “You really want me to feed you?”
“You don’t want to?” Tian Xi countered. Was it possible he didn’t like her yet? Would her actions scare him away?
“Never mind, I won’t make you feed me. I can eat by myself,” she said, reaching for the skewer.
But then she saw the corner of the young man’s lips curl up as he whispered gently, “Be good, let me feed you.”
After that, throughout the entire barbecue meal, Mo Yehan personally fed Tian Xi over ten skewers. While feeding her, he also quietly wiped her lips, his movements smooth and practiced, as if he were naturally meant to attend to her.
When it was time to say goodbye, Tian Xi pointed to a bus not far away. “That bus goes to my place. Will you see me off?”
Mo Yehan checked the time—it was too late. “Take a taxi home.”
“No, I want to ride the bus,” she insisted. She wanted to spend more time with him, but seeing Mo Yehan frown, it seemed he didn’t want to stay with her.
Feeling a bit disheartened, she inexplicably felt like crying, tears welling up in her eyes.
She looked up, crying like a little tearful mess, which startled Mo Yehan. Anxiously and helplessly, he reached out to comfort her, but as his hand was about to touch her, he withdrew it.
What right did he have to touch her?
Tian Xi threw herself into his arms, lifting her fists to lightly pound his chest. “I just wanted you to stay with me a little longer. Is that such an unreasonable request?”
Mo Yehan’s heart broke at her tears. He picked her up and sat on a nearby bench, sighing softly. “Tian Xi, what exactly do you want?”
Wrapping her arms around his neck, Tian Xi blinked her teary eyes and said, “Mo Yehan, I want you to be my boyfriend.”Mo Yehan shuddered violently, his eyes narrowing dangerously as an intimidating aura radiated from his entire being. “Tian Xi, do you realize what you’re saying?”
She was the Little Princess.
While he had nothing.
He wasn’t worthy of her at all.
“Have you been reading too many romance novels? In real life, there’s no happy ending for an obedient rich girl and a rebellious poor boy.” With those words, Mo Yehan picked her up and stubbornly continued trying to hail a taxi.
She struggled to get down from his arms, but he only held her tighter.
When they reached the roadside, Tian Xi suddenly declared loudly, “Mo Yehan, I like you. If you don’t like me, just tell me.”
Mo Yehan froze.
She liked him?
This must be a dream.
He still hadn’t sobered up from the alcohol.
He stood there, dazed and trembling, a tingling sensation spreading throughout his body. The Little Princess liked him—this was his greatest honor.
“Mo Yehan, look me in the eyes and tell me you don’t like me?”
“If you say it, I’ll leave.”
“I’ll disappear from your sight immediately.” After speaking, Tian Xi bit her lip tightly, feeling how risky this was. But she truly wanted to be by Mo Yehan’s side right away, to accompany him and not let him feel so lonely and cold.
Mo Yehan gently set her down, then turned and strode quickly toward the nearby park. He walked so fast, as if trying to clear his mind, while Tian Xi chased after him until she stumbled and fell to the ground.
“It hurts.” Her knee was scraped, blood seeping through.
Mo Yehan immediately turned back, running over in large strides before crouching down to examine the wound on her leg. His eyes were filled with unconcealed heartache. He took out a bottle of mineral water, unscrewed the cap, and said, “I’ll rinse it for you. It’ll hurt—you’ll need to bear with it.”
Just as the water touched her wound.
Tian Xi cried out in pain, “It hurts, it really hurts.”
Her skin was too delicate; even the slightest touch could leave a mark, let alone this.
Tears streamed down her face from the pain, causing Mo Yehan’s grip on the water bottle to tighten. His voice was hoarse as he said, “I’ll carry you to the hospital on my back.”
“Okay,” Tian Xi whispered softly.
The young man crouched down, revealing his lean, well-built back.
The moment Tian Xi’s hands touched him, she felt his body tremble. When she fully leaned against him, he nearly staggered, using all his strength to stand up.
His hands held her calves, feeling the soft texture of her skin.
His hands stiffened, not daring to move. He breathed a little heavier, remaining silent as he hurried toward the hospital not far away.
The sweet scent of the girl filled his nostrils.
He felt like he could barely breathe, quickening his pace and stepping more heavily. Otherwise, he feared he might collapse before reaching the hospital.
“Mo Yehan, let me be your girlfriend, okay?” Her lips brushed against his earlobe as she asked softly, her warm breath enveloping his ear.
Soon, Mo Yehan’s ears turned red, followed by his face and neck.
Trying hard to restrain himself, he asked coldly, “I don’t want this to be just a game.”
“Who’s playing games? I want to marry you someday.” The girl pressed her cheek against his. “You’ll marry me someday, right? You’ll treat me well for the rest of your life, won’t you?”
Silence.
A long stretch of silence.
Just as Tian Xi grew anxious, on the verge of tears, the young man finally spoke in a low, hoarse voice, “I’m afraid you’ll suffer if you’re with me.”
He had nothing to offer her, no future to give.
“Being with you is so happy—how could it be suffering?” Tian Xi said with a smile. “Just like now, I feel so happy.”
The moonlight flowed like water.The streets were sparsely populated.
The park was quiet.
The secluded path held only the two of them.
And they were standing so close.
How wonderful.
When she said, “I’m so happy,” those three words instantly seized Mo Yehan’s heart.
His eyes reddened, his lips trembling: “Being with me, I will spoil you endlessly. I’ll take care of everything. I’ll feed you, carry you on my back, hold your bags. If you tell me to go east, I won’t go west. I have no demands of you, except for one!”
Tian Xi was taken aback, then asked: “What is it?”