Aria glanced at him. "You were thinking about it just now."
"Oh—" Ryder, who had managed to calm himself down but was still in a rather sulky mood, leaned closer and rubbed his knuckle against the little girl's damp eye corner.
"What are you feeling wronged about?"
He was the one who should feel wronged.
Ryder withdrew his hand, lazily crossed his arms over his chest, and looked down at her. "Did I scold you? Who was distracted first, huh?"
Aria: "..."
You were almost terrifyingly fierce just now!
The little girl's thoughts were clearly written all over her face.
Ryder was silent for two seconds, then laughed.
He pinched the little girl's face in annoyance and asked in a low, lazy voice, "Whose fault is it? You tell me."
Aria: "..."
After a moment.
Her slightly damp eyelashes fluttered, and she said in a muffled voice, "Mine."
But it wasn't entirely her fault.
Aria added in a small voice, "You're also at fault. You were very fierce just now. You looked like you were either going to hit me or bite me."
"Oh."
Ryder gave her an annoyed glance.
"Your sixth sense is quite accurate. I really wanted to bite you to death."
Aria was stunned: "..."
"Will you be distracted in front of me again?" Ryder asked with a half - smile.
He pinched Aria's chin, making her lift her head and look at him, then chuckled. "Do you really think I have a good temper?"
Aria felt a bit itchy from being pinched, and her eyes blinked involuntarily.
He does have a good temper.
As long as others don't provoke him, Ryder has always been a good - tempered, polite, and helpful big boy.
Her eyes were bright, as if they could talk.
The little bit of annoyance and restlessness in Ryder's heart was somehow smoothed out. He pressed his tongue against his teeth and let out a low laugh. "Haven't you seen me fight before?"
Otherwise, how could she think he had a good temper?
Aria pulled his hand away from her chin and, under Ryder's gaze, placed it back on his knee.
Then, still under Ryder's gaze, she looked at him and curved her eyes. Her almond - shaped eyes curved like the moon at its most beautiful when it was bent to the fullest, like a dot in the night sky. Her voice was also soft and gentle.
"I have seen it."
Aria said honestly, "You would go on stage to give a self - criticism every time after you fought."
Ryder's self - criticisms were really well - delivered.
He didn't even have a script, and what he said was all positive energy, but every time it made the director furious because he would do it again next time.
"Then you still think I have a good temper?"
Aria nodded. The people he fought with weren't good people.
Even though he was really at fault, Aria's slightly biased heart would find excuses for him. Anyway, it wasn't his fault.
"But you're scary when you're fierce."
Ryder looked at her quietly for a while, then suddenly laughed.
The boy's lips curled up, showing a naughty and rather mischievous expression. He said slowly, "I'm just scaring you."
Aria: "..."
Aria: "..."
How could this person be like this!!
The little girl's speechless and helpless look was so amusing that Ryder's playfulness suddenly surged.
Just as he was about to get closer and tease her some more, the car window was suddenly knocked loudly, "duangduang".
"..."
Ryder's expression instantly turned cold.
"Fourth brother! Hurry, give me a hand." Outside, Finn Alvarez was panting like a dog, sweating profusely as he leaned on the car, his face pressed against the window.
It seemed like he was about to stick to it.
Aria heard the sound and looked over. She paused, then couldn't help but laugh.
It was noon, and the sun was shining brightly. The temperature had gone up today, and it was really hot at this time.
Finn Alvarez was in a sorry state, with beads of sweat streaming down. The bangs on his forehead were soaked and stuck messily to his forehead.
Coupled with his tired look, he looked as if he had lost his closest relative. A handsome guy was turned into a dispirited mutt.
The mutt was about to smear his sweat on the car window.
Ryder's face darkened, and his eyelid twitched. He pressed the button, and the car window quickly rolled down. He warned expressionlessly.
"Try sticking to it."
The subtext was: If you stick to it, I'll beat you to death right now.
"!" Finn Alvarez stopped reflexively.
He seemed to have an incredible amount of luggage. There was one extra - large suitcase and two bags, all stuffed to the brim.
It was only when the car window was rolled down that these things came into view.
Aria was stunned.
She blinked in surprise, looking at the luggage.
Then she looked at Ryder, who only had herself with him.
Even she only had a backpack. After all, it hadn't been long since the start of the semester, and she didn't have much luggage to take back.
Until Maya Brooks, who had followed from behind, appeared. She was only pushing a small black suitcase.
The trunk of the SUV was already open. Finn Alvarez stuffed the luggage in one go, and just as he took a breath, seeing Maya Brooks approaching, he went over and took the suitcase from her hand.
Maya Brooks glanced at him, said nothing, and let go of the suitcase.
"..." Finn Alvarez stood there, not moving, waiting for a few seconds.
Perhaps, he was hoping to hear some nice words.
Today, Maya Brooks was wearing a dark red, waist - cinching short skirt. The hem of the skirt reached just above the knees. She was bright and beautiful, and this color suited her very well.
The red dress outlined her delicate figure, showing off her long legs and shapely buttocks.
Because the sun was dazzling, she was wearing large - framed sunglasses that covered half of her face. When she didn't smile, she had a poker - face, looking a bit cold and glamorous. She was a proper beauty with an air of elegance.
As soon as she appeared, she attracted countless eyes.
With such looks, no one would doubt if she was a celebrity.
If Aria was a gentle and quiet beauty, then Maya Brooks was the complete opposite. She was a beauty who flaunted her charm.
This was someone who grew up in the same world as Ryder.
Aria leaned against the car window, smiling and greeting Maya Brooks. While being amazed by her best friend, she also felt a bit envious.
If she had such a bright and beautiful appearance, maybe she wouldn't have been secretly in love but would have gone after him directly.
It was all Ryder's fault for having such a common aesthetic.
Guys all like sunny and bright girls, like little suns, even more passionate than fire.
Ah, forget it.
Aria thought she couldn't be so unreasonable. If it were her, she would also like a beauty like Maya Brooks.
Maya Brooks smiled and pinched Aria's face. "Tsk, so soft. We haven't seen each other for so many days. Did you miss me?"
"Yes, yes, yes. You were so slow." Aria dodged her hand and said with a smile.
Maya Brooks let out a laugh - like snort.
Finn Alvarez leaned against the handle of the suitcase, casually watching the two of them talk.
His eyes fell on Maya Brooks' eye - catching outfit. The feeling he had when he saw Maya Brooks for the first time downstairs in the dormitory reappeared. He frowned.
Fuck, this skirt is really short.
Especially those long legs, straight and incredibly white, making people's hearts flutter uncontrollably.
Especially the way the school boys looked at her along the way.
Finn Alvarez was filled with anger.
But Maya Brooks had always been at odds with him, and she wouldn't listen to him, let alone thank him. He had been carrying her luggage all the way, feeling frustrated, and now he didn't even get a thank - you.
He let out a long sigh.