If it weren’t for the huge pot of boiled fish in front of me, I might still feel like I was dreaming.
Because I never thought that after Qiao Nuo defended me in public, he would take me out for dinner.
When Guan Yue saw the fish, her face looked a little ugly. She wanted to say something to Qiao Nuo beside her , but I stopped her with a wink.
Qiao Nuo handed the menu to the waiter and looked at me with a little concern: "This restaurant is famous for its fish, so I wanted to bring you here to try it. Jing'an doesn't like fish?"
My heart skipped a beat and I smiled awkwardly: "I just can't eat spicy food."
Guan Yue couldn't stand my pretentiousness and pinched me hard under the table. But I remained unmoved. Qiao Nuo took me to dinner after all the hard work, so how could I be picky?
Just like that, Guan Yue and I started to eat our meal, each with our own thoughts.
However, what I didn't expect was that Qiao Nuo asked the waiter for a pot of fish soup without any spiciness, and then put the fish meat in the clear soup and put it piece by piece on my plate. Guan Yue was trying hard on the lobster at that time, and when she saw this scene, she almost let the lobster fly away.
I forced a smile and said thank you while kicking Guan Yue under the table, hoping that she could help me share some of Qiao Nuo's attention. But Guan Yue couldn't hold back her smile, and her ambiguous eyes wandered between me and Qiao Nuo. Qiao Nuo just kept silent and ate the fish calmly.
When I kicked her for the fourth time, Guan Yue finally reacted.
She turned around and stared at the several large pieces of fish on my plate, raising her hand to pick them up. I thought to myself, take them away, take them away quickly. But Qiao Nuo was like a martial arts master who had opened up his Ren and Du meridians, and he stretched out his hand to hit Guan Yue's chopsticks back.
"You have so much on your plate, and you're still stealing from others."
Qiao Nuo was very rude when he taught her a lesson.
"Oh my, this hasn't even started yet, and you're still leaning towards them!"
Guan Yue glanced at him and gave me a look that said, "I've done this to myself." I looked up at Qiao Nuo, and he looked at me with eyes that I couldn't understand. I couldn't figure him out, so I just lowered my head and smiled at the fish on the plate.
The play has just begun, I can't mess it up easily.
In fact, by the end of the meal, I was almost the only one who cooked all the fish.
Qiao Nuo thought I liked it, so he gave me more food. Guan Yue almost clapped her hands in amazement. I was very honored to run into the toilet during the break and vomited a lot. When I was vomiting, I felt that I might have eaten all the fish in my life. When I was washing my hands, I received a text message from Guan Yue. She said, "You are really good at pretending. You must be vomiting so hard that you are dizzy now."
She also said, you really like Qiao Nuo, well, I have to admit defeat.
Reading her text message, I smiled helplessly.
I thought, I never want to go back to those dark, damp, and uneasy days three years ago. Compared to those days, drinking some unpalatable fish soup was nothing.
When we came out of the restaurant, it was already late.
Guan Yue, who was full of wine and food, insisted on going home to sleep, and even refused Qiao Nuo's offer to see her off. Just like that, she pushed me into Qiao Nuo's car with an ambiguous look on her face.
Qiao Nuo did not get in the car immediately, but kept talking to Guan Yue outside.
Just at this moment, my mother called.
She hardly ever calls me.
I thought about it for a second and knew what happened. The reason was nothing but Ai Qing. I hung up without hesitation, but she kept calling me. After the fifth time, I finally gave in. I pressed the answer button, and her earnest words made me feel irritated.
"How could you do this to Ai Qing? Even though she's not your biological sister, she's still a family member!"
"She was beaten by those two girls and is now crying at home. How can you, as her sister, just ignore it?"
"You are living with your father now. You have no worries about food and clothing. We don't ask you to take care of us, but at least help Ai Qing because she is still young!"
When I heard this, I couldn't stand it anymore and almost shouted, "Mom, Ai Qing was beaten because she was someone else's mistress. Have you forgotten how my dad found a mistress? Have you become stupid because of too many hard times?"
There was a sudden silence on the other end.
I rubbed my aching temple, realizing that my words were a little harsh. But no matter what, I still wanted to say it. I just wanted to let her know that Ai Qing was not what she imagined.
"Mom, let me say one last thing. Ai Qing and I are not related by blood. If she does something wrong, it is her business and will never have anything to do with me. Also, I'm warning her one last time. If she wants to use me to climb up the ladder, forget it!"
" I'll make her fall down the same way she climbed up!"
After saying what I had been holding in my heart for a long time, I felt relieved a lot. Without waiting for her to refute, I hung up the phone.
When I was applauding my own heroism in my heart, I turned around and found that Qiao Nuo had sat in the driver's seat at some point, looking at me with a smile.
I held up my phone and looked at him awkwardly, the heat burning all the way to my neck. But he just smiled calmly and said, "You're pretty cute when you're angry."
I was so embarrassed that I didn't know where to put my hands.
I don't know how much he heard and what he thought of me. I can never figure out his mind, just like I have been chasing him for so long, but I still don't know what kind of girl he likes. So I was very careful and cautious, thinking that even if the deal didn't work out, we could still be friends. In this way, my position in that family would still be unshakable.
"I like your paintings very much. Is this your second gift to me?"
If Qiao Nuo hadn't said it, I wouldn't have noticed that he had put the painting away at some point. Actually, to be honest, this painting was just a casual remark he made at the time. He had accompanied his father abroad to discuss business, and before he left, I boldly asked him if he could see me when he came back.
I always remember the scene at that time. He was holding a book and reading it attentively, while I was lying in front of his desk, looking at him hesitantly like a child asking for candy.
"I heard you can draw?" He raised his eyes from the book and looked at me.
"A little." My voice became small.
"If you can give me a painting, I will see you the first thing I do when I get back."
After that, the corners of his mouth curved up, and his slender eyes glowed with cunning and charming light. Later, Guan Yue said that he didn't expect that I would really pick up the brush and paint for him. What I didn't expect was that he would keep his promise so well.
Seeing that I remained silent, Qiao Nuo's gentle smile deepened. He reached out and rubbed my head lovingly.
If there is a universe in my heart, then his action just now is enough to make the whole universe thunder and lightning. After all, I always think that the road to get close to him is long and even difficult.
"I'm sorry, I seem to have touched many of your taboos." He sighed, with a hint of guilt, "Next time if you don't want to eat fish, just tell me frankly. There's no point in putting yourself in a difficult position, little girl."
"It's not what you think--"
I instinctively wanted to explain, but halfway through, I didn't know what to explain. He was right, I was just wronging myself.
From picking up the paintbrush to painting, to enduring the nausea of ​​eating fish, there was not a single second that was not tormenting.
But how could I tell him about all this suffering?
After all, all the suffering I endured was just to get closer to him, even though - I didn't really like him.
He just looked at me tenderly, without saying a word, until my frown unconsciously relaxed.
I really want to ask him if he can see through all my disguises in front of him.
But I didn't dare to ask, for I was afraid that once I asked, all my careful disguises would be cruelly exposed.
We were silent all the way, and Qiao Nuo sent me home as promised.
At this time, Su Yuan was drinking tea in the study on the second floor. When he saw Qiao Nuo, he asked the nanny to come down to greet him without saying a word. My stepmother, Chen Pei, also came out to greet him.
I was extremely embarrassed. After all, the worldly air that I despised about Chen Pei was too strong, and I didn't want to give Qiao Nuo the impression that my family was a nouveau riche.
But in fact, I underestimated Qiao Nuo's self-cultivation. He was not frightened by the gaudy perfume on Chen Pei. Instead, when he heard the invitation to visit her home, he readily agreed.
Su Yuan rushed downstairs and saw Qiao Nuo smiling happily. He immediately said the words "Peng Biao Shenghui". I stood behind them and rolled my eyes very restrainedly. Qiao Nuo saw me like this and couldn't help laughing.
"Ah, seeing is believing. I've wanted to talk to your father a long time ago and invite you to our home. Look, it's taken so long to get this opportunity!" Su Yuan looked as if he had met his leader, and he forced Qiao Nuo to sit on his expensive leather sofa.
Chen Pei, looking like a commoner, also came over happily. Qiao Nuo greeted Su Yuan politely.
While eating a banana, I sighed in my heart that children from wealthy families are just different. If it were me, I would probably find an excuse and leave .
Speaking of which, it has always been my father, Su Yuan's wish for me to get close to Qiao Nuo.
It is his lifelong wish that his daughter can fall in love with Qiao Nuo.
He had always wanted to get close to Qiao's company and cooperate with it, so when he found out that I was admitted to the same university as Qiao Nuo, he immediately contacted my mother and said that he wanted to bring me home. I still remember that when I heard the news, I was still worried about the tuition fees.
After three years of absence, my "father" who had ignored me suddenly appeared and solved my urgent problem. I did not disappoint him and tried my best to get close to Qiao Nuo. Now Qiao Nuo "visited" me.
Thinking of this, I suddenly felt that I had made great contributions.
I don't know where I got the courage from, but I crossed my legs and said, "Chen Pei, can you stay away from my friend? Your perfume smells really cheap today. Didn't my dad give you enough money to buy expensive ones?" As soon as I said this, the air suddenly became quiet.
Chen Pei's face, which was covered with several layers of powder, turned red and white, and she moved to the side with a dry laugh.
Su Yuan suppressed his anger, laughed it off, and said to Qiao Nuo, "The two of them are like real sisters. They don't respect each other at home. Don't laugh at me."
"No, no."
Qiao Nuo responded and couldn't help but look at me with a smile.
Did I see it wrong? I felt like he was quite happy to see me acting like a spoiled brat.
"Yes, Chen Pei and I have a very good relationship!" I went over and hugged Chen Pei, "She is only ten years older than me. A few years ago, she was working as a shopping guide in a department store!"
"Jing'an!" Su Yuan coughed heavily a few times, "You have been painting all night and you are tired. It's time to go back to your room and rest."
I sneered at him and stood up: "Okay, I should take a break."
"In that case, uncle, I'll go back first. I have some things to take care of here." Qiao Nuo stood up to leave, and Su Yuan's disappointment was written on his face.
He kept trying to persuade me to stay, but Qiao Nuo didn't listen at all. He just whispered to me, "Have a good rest, Jing'an."
I was stunned because he called me again, Jing'an.
At the beginning, he always called me Su Jingan.
He has a very pleasant voice, and if he speaks softly, it often makes people feel that he is reciting a poem.
I don't know if it's because my name is too quiet and peaceful, or if it's because he uttered these two words with other feelings. I always feel that the way he calls me is completely different from how others call me.
But I can't tell what's the difference.
I stood there, staring blankly at him being escorted out the door by the nanny.
I didn't come to my senses until the door slammed shut. But the one who came to his senses before me was Chen Pei.
Her acting skills are remarkable. As soon as I turned around, I saw her crying scene without any affectation.
Su Yuan suddenly became anxious. Not only did he go up to me to coax and persuade me, he also yelled at me as I turned around to go upstairs.
"Su Jing'an, you are so bold that you dare not give face to Chen Pei in front of Qiao Nuo! What did Lin Fang teach you? Do you understand the order of seniority?" He was so angry that his face turned red.
If it were in the past, I would have endured and apologized, but now, everything is different.
Because Jono has come into my world.
I have always been a person who can judge the situation carefully. I will never endure when there is no need to endure. After all, I have endured long enough in this family.
"Su Yuan, I think you should understand one fact now."
"Since Qiao Nuo came to my house the first time because of me, he can come the second time. But whether he comes or not depends on me, not you."
Su Yuan never thought that I would say such a thing. He was so angry that he stood up, picked up the ashtray on the table and threw it at me.
Of course I wouldn't just stand there and take the beating like I did before. Instead I nimbly dodged it and watched his expensive ashtray shattered to the ground.
"Su Jing'an, have you grown too independent? I'm your father and you're still so arrogant!" He yelled, and Chen Pei cried even harder.
I still stood there calmly, unmoved. It's not that he had never hit me before, on the contrary, he was the only person who had hit me in my life.
From that year on, he resolutely smashed my drawing board, destroyed my paints, and kicked my mother and me out of the house in the dark night of winter.
From that moment on, he was no longer worthy of being a father figure in my life.
"Go ahead and hit me. You'd better kill me. Then I'll see who will help you realize your dream!"
Just as he rushed over to hit me, I glared at him fiercely and almost yelled this sentence with all my strength.
His movements froze, and Chen Pei was so frightened that she stopped crying.
The way Su Yuan looked at me was very strange, so strange that it seemed as if I was not his biological child.
He never really understood me. In his eyes, the daughter who looked indifferent and indifferent to everything had actually been destroyed by life and changed into a different person.
He couldn't imagine what kind of life I lived after my mother spent all the money he gave me. I was no longer a little princess. Every day I worried about what to eat next. I didn't dare to go to class because the teacher would urge me to pay the tuition.
All the edges and corners of the past have been smoothed out. In order to survive, I have learned to follow others and beg for mercy, learned to lie, and learned to endure everything that I could not endure before.
Self-esteem was razed to the ground, there was no pure mind, no weak character.
I hide all the thorns on my body, just to deliver the most fatal blow at the right time and unexpectedly.
Su Yuan will never understand these, nor will Guan Yue, and even less so Qiao Nuo.
There has never been a hero in this world who can save me.
The only one who can save me is myself.