14. Despicable Me 3

"Ah, because yesterday Sister Shiyu seemed to care a lot, I went back this morning and searched again. Sister Shiyu, it seems you left it at the Oceanarium, I found it there. As for the other two, it's just that auntie said you like jellyfish a lot, so I bought some based on my own preferences, please don't mind if you don't like them."

Originally, he got up so early in the morning to help find my keychain at the Oceanarium?

And this morning, instead, she had harbored malicious thoughts in her heart after peeking at him changing his clothes...

"Why... didn't you give it to me earlier?"

If he had given it to me earlier, maybe I wouldn't have been so moody, nor would I have been so irritable towards him.

"I originally planned to give it to Sister Shiyu at school..."

Yan Huan smiled wryly, speaking to Ye Shiyu,

"Because if I gave it to you today, I was afraid auntie would see and not let me leave..."

"..."

Ye Shiyu watched Yan Huan, puzzled, as he handed over the gift bag from a bright spot.

While she, from the shadows, reached out slowly to take the gift bag.

Amidst the slowness, incomprehension and emotions recklessly spread in her heart, almost destroying her.

At this moment, she remembered, it seemed that these past days, he had been taking care of her all along.

He politely greeted her the day before yesterday.

Yesterday, when she was fighting for the keychain with someone outside, he came out to help her and got the keychain; when she lost her keychain, he also followed her and searched for hours without any complaints.

This morning he got up early to find the keychain for her, bought gifts; made her desserts at noon, helped her secure classes, realized she didn't want to watch the movie, so suggested going to the supermarket...

Even when he was about to leave, he still made double-skin milk for her and her mother.

She realized all of these actions, so why did she never acknowledge them in her heart before, and only remembered them now?

Because hatred and anger are like the tide.

When that tide rises, the "good" shells on the beach get submerged, unable to be seen no matter what.

So whenever you argue angrily with someone close, even though there are so many good memories with them, they all disappear at that moment.

Thus, only slander and insults remain.

"Thump... thump... thump..."

That weird throbbing became more intense, Ye Shiyu slightly lowered her head, feeling as if she couldn't breathe, her chest felt suffocated.

But Yan Huan didn't notice her subtle change at the moment; he seemed, like his mother, to have become accustomed to her silence.

He glanced up at the traffic lights in the distance waiting for the stream of cars and said,

"The car seems to be coming, Sister Shiyu..."

Ye Shiyu's hanging head tightened, and she instinctively lifted her head.

Her gaze coincided with his turning smile.

"Thump... thump... thump..."

"Then I'll see you at school, Sister Shiyu."

Looking at that smile, Ye Shiyu's lips trembled, the expressionless face no longer maintainable.

Her throat moving, she seemed to want to say something.

This was the time to say something, right?

But why...

Why can't you speak, Ye Shiyu?

Is it because of that unprecedented feeling in your heart? Because of that chest tightness? Because of the shortness of breath?

"Thump... thump... thump..."

"Wait..."

Yan Huan, just about to stand up, heard Ye Shiyu's word, even just one, and stopped his movements for her.

"Wait a moment..."

He looked at Ye Shiyu and asked,

"What's wrong?"

"..."

Say something...

He is looking at you, he is asking you...

Say...

What should I say?

"Thump... thump... thump..."

Ye Shiyu opened her mouth, but her throat felt as if it wasn't hers.

Looking at the handsome young man in front of her, she felt like she was in a store seeing an item she desperately wanted to possess.

That one-of-a-kind in the world... seemingly exclusively hers...

Even though she should understand more than anyone that the young man in front of her isn't an object, a doll.

She was supposed to speak, to respond to his kindness and gentleness.

This is how one human responds to another's heart, to another person.

Not like purchasing an item, taking him off the shelf, then getting out the phone to checkout at the front.

But...

But she found herself unable to speak.

So she clumsily resorted to another method attempting to possess him...

Thus, her right hand holding the phone instinctively lifted, aiming the screen at Yan Huan in front.

"!?"

When she lifted the phone, she belatedly realized what she had done.

He had been so good just now, displaying his kind-hearted sincerity to her, yet she...

Chose to hypnotize him?

Ye Shiyu's eyes widened, she gasped for air, but the raised hand refused to withdraw.

Regret, excitement, the strange throbbing in her heart intermingled, making her nearly lose control, leaving only the violent thumping sound by her ear.

"Thump... thump... thump..."

However, when she lifted the phone, Yan Huan just blinked slightly, looking at the phone screen, then confusedly glanced back at her.

Didn't...

Didn't work?

Why... wasn't it successful?

In an instant, an immense fear nearly overwhelmed her heart.

Her pupils constricted, invisibly, some horrifying desire seemed to swell up, causing the surrounding shadows to begin to roil.

Fortunately, at that moment, Yan Huan suddenly asked,

"Is your phone out of battery, Sister Shiyu?"

"Ah?"

The fear inside her crumbled instantly, she looked at her phone screen, where a large "empty battery" icon was all too conspicuous.