"Fine." Ryder wasn't the type to meddle more than necessary. He was too lazy to ask further. As long as she stopped crying, that was all that mattered. He reached out and pinched the little girl's face, "Do you want to go back?"
Aria looked over there. The program was going on in an orderly manner.
A skit was being performed, and there was laughter all around.
She felt a bit embarrassed. She wanted to go back but then stared at his wrinkled and soaked sleeve, "But what about your clothes..."
Ryder glanced down at it, with a half - smile, "Leave it as it is."
"..." Aria lowered her head in embarrassment.
"Now you're concerned about my sleeve?" he sneered, casually taunting, "Weren't you full of thoughts about your secret crush just now?"
He drew out the end of the sentence, and somehow, it sounded sarcastic.
Aria looked at him silently.
"Alright, the clothes are mine." Ryder patted the back of her head and led her to the other side, "Let's buy something to eat before going back."
"..." Oh. Aria stopped the movement of turning back and obediently walked in front of him, carefully listening to the movements behind her.
Ryder's steps were very light, almost inaudible.
The two of them walked out through the back door.
Suddenly seeing the sun, Aria's eyes, which had just finished crying, felt a bit sore and she couldn't open them. She stood still and raised her arm to block the light.
"What's wrong?" Ryder leisurely walked up from behind.
"Nothing, it's just a bit too bright." she said.
Ryder lifted his eyelids, also stopped, and his body subtly shifted to the side.
Aria glanced at him, took a moment to adjust, and felt that it wasn't as uncomfortable. However, her head really hurt a bit.
She pressed her temple and said softly, "Let's go."
Neither of them walked fast. Aria had small steps, and Ryder was just strolling leisurely. They went to the supermarket to buy snacks. On the way back, they passed a cake shop and bought some small desserts.
Aria was about to return to her seat.
Ryder had nothing in his hands except a can of cold Coke.
Aria paused.
Ryder looked at her sideways, raising his eyebrows.
She pointed at the can of Coke, "That, can I exchange it with you?" Aria had bought red - bean pudding milk tea.
Ryder casually handed it to her.
"Then I'll give you mine." She handed him her milk tea without ice.
He took it.
"Did you not have breakfast this morning?"
Although she was late, she heard from Sydney that Lila Torres had gone to him with breakfast, but he didn't accept it.
Based on his personality, getting up so early, he probably didn't have the mood to buy breakfast.
Even in high school, he rarely had breakfast. Most of the time, Finn Alvarez brought it for him. He would go play basketball and then come back for the first class. The breakfast he ate was always cold.
Over time, he got a stomach problem.
He really didn't take good care of himself. He had so many bad habits.
Aria wanted to scold him but didn't have the right to.
"Hmm?" Ryder lazily drooped his eyelids, leisurely raising his eyebrows in a casual manner, "I didn't have time."
"..."
Aria furrowed her brows, took out an empty bag, separated a small strawberry cake, a pork floss bun, potato chips, shrimp sticks from the bag, and put the remaining candies from her small bag into the bag. Then, she stuffed it into his hands without hesitation.
"Eat when you go back. Drink the milk tea while it's hot." she urged, "Otherwise, your stomach will hurt."
Ryder took it nonchalantly, his mood indifferent. It was hard to tell if he had listened. Most likely, he hadn't.
Aria's brows furrowed even deeper. After a pause, she couldn't help but say, "Don't be so careless with yourself."
"Oh, okay." he followed her words, lazily teasing, "Then you remember to keep an eye on me. If someone gives me food, I'll eat it."
"..."
Aria was simply speechless.
Even her three - year - younger brother wasn't this disobedient.
"Go on." Ryder pulled the corner of his lips into a smile and lifted his chin.
Aria pursed her lips and went back.
Ryder stood there for a while, then lazily returned to the backstage with the food and hot milk tea in the plastic bag.
Before he could even look up and rest, he heard a sarcastic voice, "Yo, where have you been fooling around, master?"
Finn Alvarez was slouching on the sofa, with a half - smile.
Ryder walked over and kicked his leg. Finn Alvarez moved to the side, and he sat down, casually asking, "Done?"
"Almost. I didn't sleep for half the night. I filled the loopholes you found yesterday. The rest are minor issues." Finn Alvarez glanced at the bag beside him and reached out his hand.
Ryder gave him a look, "Scram."
Finn Alvarez was incredulous, laughing and cursing in anger, "Damn it, Ryder, do you have any conscience?"
Ryder remained expressionless, "Mine."
"If you want to eat, buy your own." He took out the box of pork floss buns from the bag. There were three in a box, freshly made and still warm.
Aria guessed that he didn't have breakfast and had a big appetite, so she took quite a few things. Ryder leisurely opened the packaging box, and the aroma of the pork floss spread instantly. gōΠb.ōγg
He picked one up and took a bite.
Finn Alvarez squinted at him. While he was eating, his hand started to itch again.
As soon as he reached out towards the box.
Beside him, a gloomy voice sounded, low and dangerous, "Do you want to die?"
Finn Alvarez withdrew his hand: "..."
"I'm really speechless. Are you a dog?"
"I just want to eat one. I'm not going to steal them all. You stingy dog."
Ryder ignored him.
He even drank the milk tea and deliberately used his other hand to fan the air, making the aroma spread faster towards Finn Alvarez.
"..."
Finn Alvarez almost couldn't resist killing him on the spot.
He's so annoying.
Just keep being annoying.
He really didn't know how Ryder had managed to grow up safely being such a jerk. And he had actually endured him for so many years.
Was he, Finn Alvarez, some kind of reincarnation of a ninja?
Suddenly, the image of a crawling turtle uncontrollably popped into his mind, dancing in his thoughts.
Fuck.
Fuck, fuck, fuck. This is so annoying!
"You son of a bitch!" Finn Alvarez couldn't hold back his anger and cursed him.
Ryder sneered, "Keep cursing."
He ate the dessert unhurriedly, saying in a leisurely tone, "Cursing means you still can't have any. Flying into a rage out of humiliation is the most incompetent thing to do."
Ryder: "Heh, impotent rage."
"..." Finn Alvarez was completely defeated.
He was going to be pissed off one day.
If it weren't for important matters, he would never come to this old guy.
Finn Alvarez kicked his leg irritably and asked curiously, "Hey, did the little fairy buy these for you?"
Ryder glanced at him but didn't say anything.
Finn Alvarez clicked his tongue, stroking his chin, "Well, this is quite strange. But you, looking so decent, were her bodyguard for several years. It's normal for her to buy you some food."
"Don't let your narcissism act up and think too much."
Aria was beautiful in high school.
However, her personality was too gentle, and she didn't hang out with those who were more outgoing. She was like a good - girl type. Although she wasn't at the top of the school's campus belle ranking, she still had her own fan base.
The boys who liked her type privately liked to call her the little fairy.
At that time, everyone thought that whoever managed to chase this girl would have to coax her with great care.
But in the end, no one succeeded.