Raise Love-113-Beauty in the Eye of a Lover

"Then do I look ugly when I cry?"

Ryder looked at her, tugged at the corner of his lips lazily. "Ugly."

Aria: "?"

Didn't the book say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, that one finds the person they like beautiful in every way? Why does he still think she looks ugly when she cries?

But he clearly likes her so much.

Aria's face tensed.

Ryder looked at the slightly downcast little girl thoughtfully. Staring at the basketball keychain, something suddenly flashed through his mind.

He remembered that during senior high school, once after a long break when he came back from playing basketball, he saw the little girl crying and trying to go upstairs at the stairway. He passed by and asked her what was wrong, but she ignored him.

She kept backing away from him.

He wasn't some kind of virus, was he? Could he infect her or something?

Ryder actually knew that there was no rule in this world that everyone had to be liked by everyone. Even gods were sometimes called quacks. For some inexplicable reason, a wave of irritation rose in his heart.

He wanted to leave, but his legs just wouldn't move.

It was like in the third year of junior high school.

When this girl cried, she looked so pitiful as if the whole world owed her.

The mentality of a teenager was always immature. On one hand, he was annoyed, and on the other hand, he couldn't stand seeing her cry like that. So he rummaged through his school - uniform pocket and threw her half a pack of tissues.

He seemed to have said something like, "You look so ugly when you cry. Stop crying."

Ryder couldn't quite remember.

After figuring out the whole thing, he couldn't help but chuckle. He leaned over and pinched the little girl's face with a half - smile.

"Airy, I didn't realize you were so vengeful."

Aria looked at him. "You remembered?"

"Yeah," Ryder recalled the emotions of his youth and tugged at his lips. "You were avoiding me like I was a virus that day. I was a bit annoyed, so I said that on purpose."

"..."

Aria was stunned.

So her actions were seen as avoiding him in his eyes?

But she... actually wanted to get closer to him more than anyone else.

Aria's eyelashes fluttered. It took her a long time to say in a low voice, "I wasn't avoiding you. I just didn't want to block your way upstairs, so I was making room for you."

This time, Ryder was rather surprised.

So their wavelengths just didn't match?

The little girl sounded quite aggrieved.

"Yeah, it was my fault." Ryder apologized in a low voice, smiling as he stroked her head. "I was immature back then. It was just angry talk. I said that just now because I don't like it when you cry. When you cry, I feel bad."

After a pause, he rubbed her head and coaxed in a low voice, "Our Airy is not ugly at all. You're very beautiful, got it?"

"Oh." Aria nodded obediently.

She got it this time.

She gently curved her brows and smiled. In fact, she really liked Ryder's straightforward personality of speaking clearly when there was something to say.

If it weren't for this, she would never have known that the actions she took out of shyness or panic to avoid him because of her liking for him were seen as coldness in his eyes.

In his eyes, did she seem to dislike him?

But even so, he, who was so proud, still silently followed behind her and accompanied her on that path so many times.

"Ryder." Aria suddenly called him.

"Hmm?"

Ryder leaned against the seat, his hand still on her head. He looked at her lazily, his eyelashes drooping, his expression gentle.

Aria met his eyes and broke into a smile. "I just wanted to tell you that I seem to like you even more today than yesterday."

Ryder was stunned for a moment.

Then he let out a muffled laugh and leaned forward to press his forehead against the little girl's.

"Yeah, then I like you even more than that."

In the afternoon, Ryder had a half - day computer class. After taking a lunch break, Aria went to the library and stayed there until 3 pm. Then she went to the cafeteria by herself.

On the second floor of the cafeteria, there was a western - style pastry shop. Usually, it sold all kinds of bread and desserts, and custom - made birthday cakes were also available. Aria found the pastry chef, wanting to make the cake herself.

The chef initially refused. This wasn't a service provided by the pastry shop. But Aria was very persistent. She wanted to do it herself.

She managed to overcome her resistance to communicating with strangers. Besides, with her gentle and cute appearance, the faint coldness and aloofness disappeared when she smiled.

Coincidentally, the pastry chef also had a daughter. Aria was the first person to ask to make a cake by herself. Melted by her plea, the chef agreed.

Under the guidance of the pastry chef, Aria carefully made the cake. It took her almost an hour just to pipe the frosting. By the time she finished everything, it was almost 5 pm. By the time the cake was baked, it was almost time for Ryder to finish class.

It was 5:30.

In late December, the sky had already turned pitch - black.

This was the first time Aria made a birthday cake. She carefully put the not - so - exquisite - looking cake into the cake box, tied a red ribbon around it, and made a big bow.

As she was going downstairs, she received an Instagram call from Ryder.

She asked him to come to the cafeteria.

Aria placed the cake on an empty table and went to the cafeteria entrance to wait for him. In less than ten minutes, she saw his lazy figure.

Ryder walked straight towards her and stretched out his hand.

"Hold hands."

Aria was actually a bit nervous. She took a light breath, curved her almond - shaped eyes, and took the boy's hand. "Were you tired from class?"

"Not really." Ryder lowered his head and pinched the little girl's soft fingertips, answering lazily.

"A bit boring. Missed you."

Even after all this time, Aria still blushed at his straightforwardness. It took her a few seconds to say softly, "Yeah."

He persisted, "Wrong answer. Say it again."

"I missed you too."

Only then was Ryder satisfied.

As they were about to reach the table where the cake was placed, Aria suddenly said, "Ryder, could you close your eyes for a moment?"

"Hmm?"

Ryder lowered his eyes and saw the nervous and expectant light shining in the little girl's clear and bright almond - shaped eyes. It was hard to refuse.

He tugged at his lips and chuckled. "Sure."

He closed his eyes as she asked.

"Don't open them until I tell you to." Aria held his hand and led him to the table, made him sit down, and told him not to move.

Ryder hadn't celebrated his birthday since he was very young, and he hadn't told Aria when his birthday was either. He didn't think in this direction at all, just assuming that she wanted to play a prank on him.

He'd just go along with it.

An eighteen - or nineteen - year - old girl could do whatever she wanted.

There was a rustling sound in his ears.

Ryder couldn't see anything with his eyes closed. He was afraid that the little girl would be unhappy if he opened them, and his curiosity was piqued.

The corners of his lips curled up.

It was common for dorm - mates or young couples to bring cakes to the cafeteria to celebrate birthdays, so the two of them didn't attract much attention.

Aria gently opened the cake box, placed the cake on the table, inserted the "2" and "0" - shaped candles, and adjusted the size of the birthday hat in advance.

Then... she suddenly realized that she had forgotten to prepare a lighter.

"..."

Aria pursed her lips. Holding the birthday hat, she walked to Ryder's side. She remembered that Ryder's lighter was in the left pocket of his pants, so she carefully reached out her hand.

When he felt the warm and soft touch on his thigh, Ryder's eyelids twitched violently. And that little hand was actually reaching further in.

His temple started throbbing as well. He tried hard to hold back, but couldn't. He gritted his teeth and whispered, "Aria!"