Chapter 168
Long Ao Tian chuckled softly as he slowly crouched down.
Seeing Long Ge squatting beside her, Hu Yu Ying shifted her position, tentatively extending her foot towards him.
She had changed into new socks today and taken a shower, so she should be odor-free...
Lost in her thoughts, she suddenly felt a large hand gently grasp her ankle. Even though Hu Yu Ying had mentally prepared herself, her body still trembled slightly.
As her socks were removed, her little foot was exposed to the air. Hu Yu Ying couldn't help but gasp, her nerves causing the delicate lines of her ankle to reveal a graceful curve, reminiscent of the perfect strokes in ancient paintings of noblewomen, each inch exuding a unique Eastern subtlety and gentleness that captivated the heart.
She stole a glance at Long Ge, who was looking at her foot.
Hu Yu Ying pressed her lips together tightly, her small hand clutching the hem of her clothes, and gently lifted her foot, placing it in Long Ao Tian's palm.
Throughout the entire process, Hu Yu Ying's body was tense, so much so that she forgot to breathe.
Long Ao Tian felt the softness and warmth that had willingly entered his hand, and he could also sense her slight tremors from nervousness.
Her slender ankle, rosy toes, and the gently arched curve formed a perfect line.
Feeling Long Ge tighten his grip and the pressure from her foot, Hu Yu Ying leaned forward, unable to suppress a soft moan.
Since she had become aware of her feelings, Long Ge was the only male who had ever touched her, making her overly sensitive, and her body instinctively reacted.
In the next moment, Hu Yu Ying felt the warmth enveloping her foot disappear.
She couldn't help but look up at Long Ge.
Long Ao Tian took a deep breath, somewhat at a loss: "Your foot is fine. I'll take you to buy a new pair of shoes later..."
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Chapter 203: I Want Long Ge to Make a Choice
Watching Long Ge stand up, Hu Yu Ying, in a moment of urgency, stood up as well.
Barefoot, she approached Long Ao Tian.
Rising on her toes, she gently hugged him, closing her eyes to feel his heartbeat, as if the entire world had come to a standstill.
When she wrapped her arms around him, he felt her heartbeat, and in that moment, it seemed as if the whole world revolved around him.
Gently patting her back, his voice unconsciously turned tender: "What’s wrong, silly girl?"
Hu Yu Ying looked up at Long Ao Tian, her eyes slightly red, evoking a sense of pity.
"Long Ge, I know what I'm doing."
"I... I want Long Ge to make a choice."
Her gaze was extremely serious, as if she wanted to encompass everything within those compassionate eyes.
"Sometimes I miss you, and it makes me anxious. This feeling is really uncomfortable."
"I can hear your heartbeat, and it quickens because of me."
As she spoke, her hand gently covered Long Ao Tian's heart.
"I don't know what exists between us, but I can see the concern in your eyes. I'm also afraid that you'll push me away again..."
"So, can Long Ge let his little follower be a bit more assertive? I've really grown up, changed, and I'm not a child anymore..."
"My dependence on you is a kind of reliance a woman has on a man, so if you push me away..."
"If you push me away, I'll think that you really don't have any feelings for me at all."
"Hug me tightly, hug me tightly, hug me tightly, and then Long Ge will admit that he has at least a little bit of affection for his little follower, because I want to take care of you too..."
Her voice was soft, tinged with a hint of choking, her gaze firm yet filled with fear.
Long Ao Tian felt Hu Yu Ying's arms tightening around him, as if she wanted to merge into his body.
Hu Yu Ying didn't know what was happening to her. From the moment she saw Long Ge that afternoon, his image had filled her mind.
It was inescapable, no matter how hard she tried.
The fog that lingered before her had been gradually lifted during their time together at the stall, and she had long since come to understand her own heart.
Out of fear, even though she felt Long Ge's kindness towards her was beyond anything else, she lacked the courage...
She was afraid, afraid that Long Ge would hide from her again like last time, for a long, long time.
But more than fear, she was now more afraid of truly losing Long Ge.
Her previously unassertive nature had quietly changed when she realized that Qing Xue also liked Long Ge.
So she mustered her courage, gathered her courage, at this moment...
At this moment, Hu Yu Ying slowly closed her eyes, not waiting for Long Ge's response. A hint of self-mockery crept onto her lips. Yes, how could Long Ge possibly like someone like her?
Reluctantly, she released her embrace around Long Ao Tian's arms: "I understand now, Long Ge, I..."
Just as she loosened her grip, her arm was tightly held, and she was pulled into a warm embrace.
Long Ao Tian's chin rested against Hu Yu Ying's forehead. He knew he should suppress any emotions that shouldn't be there with absolute rationality at this moment.
But, but his body felt as if it were under a spell, completely out of control.
He felt Hu Yu Ying's emotions—such a beautiful gift, a heart-wrenching concern, a heart full of anticipation, and an uncontrollable surge of feelings, all culminating in a brilliant explosion of fireworks at this moment.
Hu Yu Ying smiled, rising on her toes, and actively climbed onto Long Ao Tian's shoulder.
Her gentle gaze seemed to sweep across his heart, causing Long Ao Tian's heart to tremble violently. In the dim light of the alley, he looked at the alluring girl before him, so close yet so far.
Slowly, slowly, he leaned down, their lips barely brushing.
Hu Yu Ying blinked, her long lashes brushing against Long Ao Tian's eyelids.
As if recalling something, her tongue began to explore.
Savoring the sweetness, Long Ao Tian gazed at the girl who was staring at him without blinking.
He reached out a hand to cover her eyes, deepening the kiss until he felt her already soft body completely pressed against him.
Allowing Long Ge to cover her eyes, she obediently closed them, as if everything was natural. She forgot to think, didn't want to think, and instinctively held him tighter, a little more, a little more...
"Does your foot still hurt?" Looking at the obedient girl following him, her face flushed, Long Ao Tian couldn't help but tease.
Hu Yu Ying bit her lip and chuckled, the smile on her face seemingly impossible to fade, shaking her head vigorously: "It doesn't hurt anymore."
In the next moment, Long Ao Tian pinched her delicate face: "Now you dare to deceive Long Ge?"
"I'm sorry, Long Ge," Hu Yu Ying said softly, "I thought Long Ge liked to touch little feet."
Long Ao Tian looked at her, silent, as he tucked her messy hair behind her ear: "Hu Yu Ying, I gave you a chance. I'm a rough person, not good enough, not perfect..."
Before he could finish, Hu Yu Ying took hold of Long Ao Tian's hand: "It's already too late to turn back."
The sudden rush of feelings had already spilled over from the very beginning.
She held onto Long Ge's hand tightly.
From his words, Hu Yu Ying seemed to understand.
The impressive Long Ge, the mature Long Ge, the all-capable Long Ge, also had moments of insecurity. He feared he wasn't good enough, not perfect enough...
It turned out that the invisible wall between her and Long Ge was simply because he thought he was too good.
Pushing her away, yet feeling a series of heartbeats, was the rational suppression of emotions.
He gave himself time to see a bigger, broader world, handing all the choices to himself while he merely stood behind her...
But why did Long Ge think this way?
Why did this man, who claimed to be rough, have such a gentle and delicate heart?
Clearly, he was the most outstanding, the best. Why did he think someone like her was exceptional?
She didn't know.
Hu Yu Ying truly didn't know. Clearly, she wasn't that exceptional, and all her changes were because of the man before her.
Why did the bullied her, the unappreciated her, the looked-down-upon her, seem so exceptional in this man's eyes?
She didn't know, really didn't know. This man always called her silly, but it was he who was truly silly, so kind and foolish...
What Hu Yu Ying wanted to say was that it wasn't just the perfect and outstanding people who deserved to be loved.
Her feelings for Long Ge weren't a choice made after weighing pros and cons; they were a firm decision made after a heart-stopping moment.
Looking at the little girl with her head held high, staring at him without blinking, Long Ao Tian smiled, ruffling her long hair affectionately.
He understood Hu Yu Ying, understood that when she was happy, she would look at him like this, head held high, eyes wide open...
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