50.00%
Chapter 2
Derrick showed an unprecedented enthusiasm in defeating me.
He would bring me a rose with dewdrops, a beautiful bracelet, a shiny little mirror, and a pocket watch with his photo attached.
At a specific moment, he skillfully flirted, “Sylvia, you looked even more beautiful when you
smiled.”
Derrick’s emotions were as dazzling and illusory as these beautifully adorned things.
He came to me with a dictionary to verify his interim achievements and asked for quick memorization techniques, and I generously shared my knowledge.
He focused on watching my sketch, but at the end, he smiled and asked, “Sylvia, do you have free time on Sunday afternoon?”
I closed the dictionary, pushed it to the corner of the table and said, “I’m busy.”
The text is short and to the point, without any negotiation.
So when I walked up to the dilapidated residential building and saw the people who had been waiting there, it was somewhat unexpected.
In order to block me, he was still wearing the school uniform that he hadn’t had time to change out
- of.
He was tall, thin, and wearing a loose school uniform.
Although it was rigid and plain, under his temperament, it had a touch of elegance.
When he saw me, he smiled incredulously and said, “You said you were busy, but you went home?”
In his understanding, being busy only happens when someone makes an appointment.
“Did you come here with the intention of having a meal at my house?”
“Ah, it wasn’t…”
Without waiting for him to finish, I brushed past him and went up the stairs without looking back.
In the old residential building, there was no elevator, so in order to save on rent, we lived on the 6th
floor.
After having eaten, when I carried my mom downstairs, I once again saw Derrick leaning against
the wall.
Chapter 2
50.85%
He slightly lowered his head, kicking the small stones under his feet absentmindedly.
When those eyes looked over in the sunlight, there was an inexplicable sense of shock.
I was panting, and my gaze was withdrawn upon contact.
Grandmother followed slowly, shuffling her feet.
I helped my mom sit on the steps, leaning against my grandmother, and then I turned around to get
the wheelchair.
When I walked out of the house, Derrick was standing on the steps.
He hesitated for a moment, then took a few steps forward and snatched the wheelchair from my hands. “Are you tired? Let me help you move it.”
His smile was as warm as it used to be in school, to the point that I couldn’t tell for a moment whether it was genuine or just a pretense to win someone’s affection.
Thoughts come and go in an instant, and I rarely allow myself to dwell on them.
After all, at that moment, I only had the condition of external appearance, without the qualification of inner thoughts.
My name is Derrick, who was about to go downstairs, and I asked, “Have you
Just as he spoke, Derrick’s stomach rumbled.
eaten?”
He was frustrated and hung his head, saying, “I was afraid you would leave before I had the
chance.”
“Do we eat the bread at home?”
Derrick blinked his eyes. “Bread?”
“Um, do you want to
eat?”
A few years ago, there was an accident, and my dad passed away. My mom became a vegetable.
There was no culprit, there was no compensator.
Overnight, I became the “adult” of the family.
The treatment emptied the family’s savings, so they couldn’t afford to stay in the hospital.
My grandmother was old, and I needed to go to school, so a professional caregiver became
necessary.
Chapter 2
50.85%
We relied on loans from our aunts and uncles every month to make a living, living in constant tension and anxiety, constantly wearing away the goodwill of our loved ones.
All it takes is a little accident, and we would immediately be left with nothing.
I used to write something every month and submit it to certain magazines.
But I had to focus most of my energy on studying, which was far from enough.
Times were tough, and I was in a desperate need for money.
Derrick didn’t ask anything, he quickly finished stuffing the bread in just two or three bites, and
snatched the wheelchair armrest.
I remained silent, unwilling to reveal my embarrassment to him.
After all, playing tricks on a poor student living in a shabby house would make one feel guilty.
It was Derrick who naturally broke the ice and cheerfully talked about the school matters, making my grandmother laugh non–stop.
Another side slowed down to match my pace.
The greening of this residential building was mostly done by the residents themselves. Over here, they planted red maples, and over there, they planted ginkgo trees. At first glance, it seemed a bit
mismatched.
But the red, orange, and yellow intertwined leaves dyed the sunlight into a rosy hue, enveloping the
people.
Covering the insurmountable chasm of fate, it became a harmonious warmth with unified hues.
We walked side by side, in this moment it felt like we were very close.
I turned my head and glanced at Derrick.
He was clearly joking with my grandmother, but quickly caught my movement and grabbed hold of my gaze before I could retract it.
He leaned slightly towards me, with his eyes lowered and a deliberate tone.
“Sylvia, did you hear? Grandma said that I was welcome to come every weekend.”
“Sylvia, did you welcome me or not?”
I chuckled lightly, turned my head, and broke the eye contact.
Derrick, indeed, had the ability to be sought after.
Chapter 2
