Three

Qiao Nuo did not get on the bus immediately, but instead continued to talk with Guan Yue outside.

Seeing me remain silent, the gentle smile at the corner of Qiao Nuo's mouth deepened. He reached out his hand and affectionately ruffled my hair.

I can speak a little. My voice has become very soft

However, what I did not expect was that Qiao Nuo asked the waiter for a pot of fish soup without chili, and then dipped the fish meat in the clear soup before placing it piece by piece onto my plate. At that moment, Guan Yue was struggling with the lobster, and upon seeing this scene, she almost let the lobster fly away.

I had not noticed until Jono mentioned it that he had, at some point, put the painting away. In fact, to be honest, this painting was merely a casual remark he made at the time. He had previously accompanied his father abroad for business, and before he left, I boldly asked him if he could meet me after he returned.

In fact, by the end of this meal, I had almost single-handedly taken care of all the fish and meat.

Guan Yue cast him a glance, giving me a look that suggested I was reaping what I had sown. I then looked up at Qiao Nuo, who was gazing at me with an expression I could not comprehend. Unable to decipher his thoughts, I could only lower my head and smile foolishly at the fish and meat on my plate

My heart skipped a beat, and I smiled a bit awkwardly: "I just can't eat spicy food"

When Guan Yue saw the fish, her expression turned somewhat unpleasant. She wanted to say something to Qiao Nuo, who was standing nearby, but I stopped her with a glance.

If there resides a universe within my heart, then his recent actions are enough to cause thunder and lightning throughout the entire universe. After all, I have always thought that the journey to approach him is long and even difficult to take a single step.

Having said that, the corners of his mouth curled into a gentle arc, and his slender eyes sparkled with a cunning yet charming light. Later, Guan Yue remarked that he did not expect me to seriously take up the brush and paint for him. What I did not anticipate was that he would keep his promise so faithfully

She was beaten by those two girls and is now crying at home. How can you, as her older sister, not care or inquire about it!

I held my phone, awkwardly looking at him, the heat rising to the nape of my neck. He merely smiled lightly and said, "You look quite cute when you're angry."

Reading her text message, I could only manage a wry smile

Qiao Nuo handed the menu to the waiter and looked at me with a hint of concern: "The fish at this restaurant is famous far and wide, so I wanted to bring you here to try it. Doesn't Jing An like fish?"

If it were not for the large pot of boiled fish before me, I might still think I was dreaming

Thus, Guan Yue and I began to eat this meal, each with our own thoughts in mind

She also said, you truly like Qiao Nuo, ah, I, a humble girl, bow down in admiration

When we left the restaurant, it was already late

When I kicked her for the fourth time, Guan Yue finally reacted

How could you treat Ai Qing this way? Although she is not your biological sister, she is still a member of our family

I do not know how much he has heard or what he thinks of me. I have always been unable to fathom his thoughts, just as after pursuing him for so long, I still do not know what kind of girl he likes. Therefore, I proceed with caution, taking one step at a time, thinking that even if a deal cannot be struck, maintaining a sense of righteousness is important; it would be fine to become friends with him. In this way, my position in that household remains unshakable.

After having had her fill of food and drink, Guan Yue insisted on going home to sleep, firmly rejecting Qiao Nuo's offer to see her off. Thus, I was ambiguously pushed into Qiao Nuo's car by her.

You are currently living with your father, without any worries about food and clothing. We do not ask you to take care of us, but at least, considering that Ai Qing is still young, could you lend her a hand

"I apologize, it seems I have touched upon many of your taboos." He sighed, a hint of guilt in his voice, "If you don't want to eat fish next time, just tell me straightforwardly. There's no point in suffering in silence, little girl."

I rubbed my aching temples, somewhat realizing that my words had been too harsh. Nevertheless, I still have to say it: I want her to know that Ai Qing is not at all like she imagines.

Jonah reprimanded her without any reservations

I truly want to ask him whether he can see through all the facades I put on in front of him

At that moment, my mother's call came in

This performance has just begun, and I cannot easily mess it up

When I was silently applauding my own heroism, I turned around to find that Giorno had somehow already taken the driver's seat, looking at me with a smile that was neither fully a smile nor fully not a smile

I wish never to return to those dark, damp, and unsettling days from three years ago. Compared to such days, drinking some unpalatable fish soup is nothing significant

She turned around, staring at the several large pieces of fish on my plate, and raised her hand to grab them. I thought to myself, take them away, take them away, quickly take them away. But Qiao Nuo was like a martial arts master who had opened the meridians, swiftly knocking Guanyue's chopsticks back.

Mother, let me say one last thing: Ai Qing and I have no blood relation. Her mistakes are her own business and will forever have nothing to do with me. Furthermore, I warn her one last time, if she thinks she can use me to climb up, she should not even think about it

But how can I tell him about this torment

"I heard you can draw?" He lifted his gaze from the book to look at me

After all, the suffering I have endured is all to draw closer to him, even though—truth be told—I have not truly fallen for him.

How she climbed up, I will let her fall down in the same way

It is not as you think

Guan Yue could not tolerate my pretentiousness and pinched me hard under the table. Yet, I maintained an unyielding demeanor; it was not easy for Qiao Nuo to take me out for a meal, so how could I casually pick and choose.

My two hands are also awkwardly unsure of where to place themselves

From picking up the brush to paint, to enduring nausea while eating fish, there has not been a single second without torment

If you can send me a painting, I will see you at the first opportunity upon my return

She hardly ever calls me

Oh, oh, oh, it hasn't even happened yet, and you are already siding with them!

I really like your painting, does this count as the second gift you have given me

Having expressed the words that had been pent up in my heart for a long time, the frustration I had felt over the past few days eased considerably. Without waiting for her to retort, I abruptly hung up the phone.

I always remember the scene at that time, he held a book, focused on reading, while I leaned over his desk, like a child begging for candy, looking at him with anticipation.

I instinctively wanted to explain, but halfway through my words, I found myself at a loss for what to say. He is right; I am indeed compromising myself.

Because I never expected that after Jono publicly defended me, he would also take me out to dinner

I realized what had happened after just a second of thought. The reason is none other than Ai Qing. Without hesitation, I hung up, but she persistently called back. By the fifth time, I finally yielded. Pressing the answer button, her earnest and nagging voice on the other end made it hard for me to suppress my inner irritation

Yet I do not dare to ask, for I fear that with a single question, all the carefully crafted disguises will be ruthlessly pierced.

You have so much on your own plate, yet you still take from others

Upon hearing this statement, I could no longer contain myself and nearly shouted, "Mom, Ai Qing was beaten because she was someone else's mistress. Have you forgotten how my dad found his mistress? Have you been living in hardship for too long and lost your mind?"

I forced a smile and said thank you while kicking Guan Yue under the table, hoping she could help me divert some of Jono's attention. However, Guan Yue couldn't hold back her laughter, and her ambiguous gaze wandered between Jono and me. Meanwhile, Jono remained silent, calmly eating his fish

Qiao Nuo thought I liked to eat, so he served me more dishes, while Guan Yue stood by in amazement, clapping her hands. Feeling honored, I seized the opportunity during a bathroom break to rush into the restroom and vomit profusely. While throwing up, I felt as if I had consumed all the fish in my lifetime. While washing my hands, I received a text from Guan Yue, saying, "You really know how to put on a show; I bet you're throwing up like there's no tomorrow."

That side suddenly fell silent

He gazed at me gently, without saying a word, until my furrowed brow unconsciously relaxed.