After leaving the teacher's office, Long Aotian turned to Hu Yuying, his tone softening involuntarily. "It's no big deal. With me here, you have nothing to fear."
Hu Yuying lowered her gaze, her entire demeanor exuding a sense of listlessness.
"No, I'm not afraid," she said, forcing a smile to reassure Long Aotian.
Though she claimed not to care or feel scared, deep down, she was still troubled.
The fact that Long Aotian had spent money on clothes and shoes for her, treated her to meals—it was undeniable.
No matter how she tried to explain, others might see her as shameless...
At this thought, Hu Yuying averted her eyes, unwilling to meet anyone's gaze, retreating into her own world.
"You say you're fine, but let me see whose eyes are red," Long Aotian said, leaning down to look at her intently. "Look up."
Hu Yuying obediently raised her head. Her moist eyes, glistening with unshed tears, evoked both pity and an inexplicable urge to tease her.
"Look at these beautiful eyes. They'd be even prettier if they curved into little crescents," Long Aotian remarked.
Hu Yuying knew he was trying to cheer her up.
She wanted to say, *Thank you, Long Aotian. Thank you for standing up for me, for supporting me, for making me brave...*
But the words stuck in her throat, replaced by choked sobs.
"Look how upset my little follower is. Don’t cry, though. I can’t stand seeing girls cry in front of me," Long Aotian said gently.
Hu Yuying sniffled. "What if I do cry? Will you hit me?"
"Of course I will," he replied, lightly tapping her head.
This only made Hu Yuying pout even more.
Seeing her growing sulkiness, Long Aotian chuckled helplessly, ruffling her hair. "Let’s go."
Noticing that Long Aotian wasn’t heading back to the classroom, Hu Yuying hurried after him. "Long Aotian, you’re going the wrong way. This isn’t the path to the classroom."
......
"Wait... Long Aotian, are we really doing this?"
"Won’t someone notice?"
"Who’s going to notice? It’s pitch dark, and everyone’s in the classroom studying. No one will see us. Relax, don’t be so stiff."
Hu Yuying slowly lay down on the grassy field, her bright eyes filled with a mix of nervousness, curiosity, unease, and a hint of anticipation.
This was her first time doing something like this, and she was incredibly tense, her body stiff as she let Long Aotian guide her.
"How does it feel? Comfortable?" Hearing his soft voice beside her, Hu Yuying instinctively nodded obediently. "Yes, it’s comfortable."
Her innocent yet flustered expression, paired with her obedient nod, made her look adorably naive.
Feeling the gentle breeze and gazing at the night sky, Long Aotian stayed quietly by her side, knowing that some things required Hu Yuying to come to terms with on her own.
Tonight was a difficult night.
"Long Aotian, do you see those two stars? Aren’t they the brightest?"
"Yeah," Long Aotian replied, resting his head on his arm as he looked up at the sky.
To Long Aotian, all the stars seemed bright, but since Hu Yuying had asked, he answered accordingly.
Perhaps it wasn’t the stars in the sky that shone so brightly, but the stars she longed for in her heart.
"Long Aotian, I’m actually quite outstanding, right?"
"Of course. You’re more outstanding than anyone else."
Hu Yuying’s lips curved into a faint smile, her eyes glimmering with a fleeting joy that soon faded into dimness. "But sometimes, I suddenly feel so tired."
"I know," Long Aotian said, turning his head to look at her.
Feeling his gaze, Hu Yuying also turned her head, their eyes meeting without either looking away.
The evening breeze brushed past, lifting her hair, which gently fell onto Long Aotian’s fingertips.
"I know you’re tired—physically exhausted in ways that aren’t visible, mentally drained to the point of numbness."
At this, Long Aotian’s lips curled into a soft smile, his gaze gentle yet resolute. "But I beg you to keep going. Don’t let your worries and anxieties destroy the little passion you have left."
"Always remember, the way others see you is never truly you. The way you see others is a reflection of yourself."
"No matter what harsh words someone says to you, it only proves that they are the ones with the problem, not you."
"Everything hurtful they say to you doesn’t define even a fraction of who you are, but it reveals everything about them. Because their hearts are muddy, they see everyone else as muddy too."
Hu Yuying blinked, understanding Long Aotian’s words.
A smile unconsciously reached her eyes as she looked at him, her voice soft but firm. "Long Aotian, I’m not a shameless person."
"I know. My little follower has always been kind. Others might not see it, but I do."
"Don’t become the person others think you are, because they might not truly know you."
"Those two stars are so bright. My mood instantly feels better."
Hu Yuying also looked up at the night sky, tucking a strand of wind-tousled hair behind her ear. "Yes, my mood feels better too."
The bell for the first self-study period rang.
Long Aotian lazily got up. "Let’s go. It’s time to head back."
He extended his hand to Hu Yuying.
She stared blankly at his outstretched hand, hesitating for a moment before tentatively reaching out her own.
"What are you spacing out for? You’re so scatterbrained," Long Aotian teased.
Hu Yuying laughed, placing her hand in his. In the next moment, a strong force pulled her up.
At that moment, nothing else seemed to matter.
What mattered was... the beating of her heart.
It was so warm. Long Aotian’s hand always felt so warm.
She couldn’t tell if it was her imagination, but she thought she felt his body stiffen slightly.
Hu Yuying’s body was light.
With just a gentle tug, she was on her feet.
Her hand was soft.
So he held it carefully, afraid of hurting her.
"Eat more from now on. You’re so light—a strong wind might just blow you away."
"It won’t," Hu Yuying replied confidently.
[Goodnight, night owls.]