Gathering strength for tomorrow’s wandering, Yu Yelan desperately ate everything in the refrigerator, filling her stomach before slowly making her way to the room Yue Xiyi had shown her.
Calling it a room was a stretch – it was more of a small storage room without even a ventilation window, smaller than her previous bathroom. But Yue Xiyi had carefully laid out clean cotton bedding, and Yu Yelan wrapped herself tightly in the blanket.
The thunderous sounds outside were muffled but still terrifying to her ears. Yu Yelan hugged herself tightly, layers of fear and loneliness enveloping her. “Dad… Dad, I miss you. I promised not to cry. Little Blue is strong, but… Dad, I’m so scared… Why did you leave me!”
Low, suppressed sobs gradually grew into wailing.
From her father’s death two months ago, to being kicked out of the Yu family, to encountering the terrifying vagrant, Yu Yelan had remained strong, because her father loved to see her smile. If she cried, he would be unhappy. But on this thunderous night, in this sheltered room, Yu Yelan could no longer hold back.
Her father didn’t know she wasn’t strong at all.
Tears swirled in her eyes without falling. She didn’t know when she fell asleep or if the room’s owner had returned.
Yue Xiyi returned from his night job, stopping midway up the stairs.
After hesitating, he dragged his tired body downstairs, mocking his own nervousness. She had left, probably gone home. How could she be here again?
Sure enough – the familiar clothes, curled up like a shrimp – it was the girl who had left that morning!
“What are you doing here?” Yue Xiyi’s voice was cold, but he was less hostile than before. This was human nature – too easy to get used to things. He had grown accustomed to this little rabbit in just a few absences.
“Let’s go, go up first, but I warn you, don’t start crying at every turn!” Yue Xiye warned, noticing that the little cat could barely keep up with his steps. After squatting for a long time, his legs were uncooperative, so he helplessly grabbed Yu Yelan’s arm, “Be careful, the stairs here are very steep!”
“Hmm…” Yu Yelan’s vision was blurry, but surprisingly, her heart felt strangely calm.
“Tell me, where is your home? Do you want me to take you back?” Yue Xiye settled Yu Yelan on the sofa and handed her a cup of hot water. He hadn’t clearly heard what she was mumbling about earlier, but an underage girl wandering the streets was indeed very dangerous, especially one so naive and unprepared.
“I don’t have a home.” The hot water warmed Yu Yelan, and she finally stopped crying, clutching the cup tightly, not daring to look at Yue Xiye’s colorful eyes.
“How can you not have a home! Little girl, tell me the truth, I’ll take you back.”
“It’s dangerous for you to be alone on the streets!” Yue Xiye couldn’t stand these little girls, clearly pampered and unable to understand how cruel and cold life could be.
“I don’t have a home… Dad died… No one wants me. Can I stay here?” Yu Yelan suddenly grabbed Yue Xiye’s clothes. “Can I stay?”
“Why would I keep you? I can barely support myself, how could I support you? Be good, go home. Surely there’s some relative who can take you in.” Yue Xiye tried to pull away, but was defeated when he saw the tears welling in her eyes.
“I really have nowhere to go. Please let me stay. I know you’re a good person. I’ll find work and support myself. You have a room here, just let me stay, okay? I’m so scared. There are scary uncles in the park who chase me. I’m afraid to sleep, I have nothing to eat. Please! I’ll be good. Dad said little Lan is the most obedient child. Please!” Yu Yelan bit her lower lip to stop her tears, but more kept flowing. She didn’t know why, but she trusted this boy. He looked fierce, but she could sense he had a good heart.
“You…” Yue Xiye tried to pull away her arm. Yu Yelan held onto his clothes with even more strength, as if this was her last hope.
“Please, I’ll be good! Please, I have nowhere to go!” Yu Yelan’s face was dirty with tears, her bright eyes blinking, tears dropping like a string of crystal beads.
“I can’t think of a reason to keep you!” Yue Xiye closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He had never encountered such a tricky situation. Yu Yelan’s tears made him helpless, and her pitiful, dependent gaze was impossible to resist.
Yu Yelan bit her lip, looking at Yue Xiye, no longer begging, but her tears falling faster.
“I surrender!” Yue Xiye hugged his head and growled in defeat, “Okay, I’ll keep you temporarily. But there’s no free lunch. You’ll help with housework to offset rent and work to support yourself.”
“Thank you, thank you! I knew you were a good person!” Yu Yelan’s tears turned to laughter, joy spreading from her eyes.
“Don’t flatter me. I never knew I was a good person, I’m just unable to refuse you. For now, we’re just roommates. I’ll help if I can.” Yue Xiye suddenly remembered something important, “What’s your name? How old are you? Why were you wandering the streets? I hope no one suddenly appears accusing me of luring a minor.”
“No, no, no one manages me anymore. Please don’t send me away! I’ll be the most obedient child! No crying, no fussing, I’ll be good!” Yu Yelan raised her hand to her head, making the most serious expression, “Okay?”
“I just asked your name, no need to be so serious!” Yue Xiye helplessly pulled out a tissue.
“You’re such a good person!” Yu Yelan tried to wipe the “ugly” traces from her face, “My name is Yu Yelan. Dad always called me little Lan.”
I’ll be seventeen in October. I have no home, no relatives, but now I know you, and you’re a good person who will help me, right?”
Looking at the girl’s innocent smile, Yue Xiye was speechless. “I’m Yue Xiye, nineteen, studying at Liufeng High School. I’ll be a senior this year. I don’t have much time to take care of you. You’ll need to learn to take care of yourself!”
“Thank you, big brother Yue!” Yu Yelan finally felt relieved, her smile blooming, tears still hanging on her cheeks. “Thank you. Little Lan will be the most obedient child!”
“Okay, I’ll go organize the room. You can stay. There’s food in the refrigerator you can eat.” Yue Xiye looked at the hand gripping his clothes, signaling her to let go, and stood up resignedly to become the little girl’s caretaker. Seventeen years old, looking not even sixteen, thin and seemingly abused, always hanging her head and constantly apologizing!
Ugh—” Yue Xiye groaned, patting his forehead as he sat down after tidying half the room. What madness had gotten into him? He was exhausted from working all day, yet here he was helping a little girl clean up her room. And despite looking skinny, she was a big eater who devoured two people’s worth of food, completely emptying his refrigerator!
Good heavens! He had picked up such a big trouble. If Qin Poxiao found out about this, who knows what kind of storm he would stir up!
Could he send her away now before it was too late?
Yu Yelan was curled up on the sofa, biting into bread from the refrigerator. She didn’t notice that the bread was nearly expired and was eating happily. Meeting Brother Yue, such a kind person, was truly a lucky thing.
Yue Xiye looked at the guilty Yu Yelan, knowing there must be more to the story.
“I saw the necklace was very beautiful and wanted to take a look…” Yu Yelan stole a glance at Yue Xiye, immediately averting her eyes, “Accidentally, the pendant cracked! But… it wasn’t me who broke it. It should have been a mechanism that already existed, because inside there was a very beautiful rose crystal ring.”
“And then?” Talking to such a timid little girl would definitely test one’s patience.
“I just tried it on, and now I can’t take it off!” Yu Yelan’s eyes reddened, finally looking directly into Yue Xiye’s eyes, waiting pitifully for his scolding.
