Chapter 173
Time had slipped away, and after a meal to aid digestion, Long Aotian escorted the three little ones to the subway entrance.
As they walked, Long Aotian took the lead, leaving ample space for the trio behind him.
Hu Yuying kept her head down, a smile playing on her lips. The shy, demure aura she exuded made her appear enchanting, and both Li Qingxue and Lin Wanning couldn’t help but want to tease and playfully bully her.
If only they weren’t in the middle of the street, and if only Long Aotian weren’t right there with them.
They would have surely made Hu Yuying blush even more.
Hu Yuying seemed to sense Li Qingxue and Lin Wanning’s intentions and quickly shielded her cuteness, not wanting to give them any more chances to tease her.
After all, Long Ge hadn’t had the chance to tease her yet. Just thinking of Long Ge’s warm, big hand made her cheeks flush even deeper, a rosy hue spreading to her fair neck.
“What are you thinking about? Just look at you! We haven’t even teased you yet, and you’re already this shy,” Lin Wanning joked, laughter dancing in her voice.
Hu Yuying wanted to say that it was all their fault for leading her astray.
But the words caught in her throat, and she found herself feeling flustered.
She wasn’t always like this.
Li Qingxue smirked mischievously, “Could it be that...?” she whispered.
“No, no, no! It’s not like that at all...” Hu Yuying hurriedly shook her head, her face burning. “I wasn’t thinking about being with Long Ge...”
---
**Chapter 209: I Have a Brother, a Wonderful Brother**
On the way back to school, Lin Wanning obediently walked beside Long Aotian.
“Ge.”
Long Aotian stopped and turned to Lin Wanning, who was calling him. “What’s up?”
“Nothing much. I just feel like you’re super happy today, smiling as you walk. Last time you said I should pay attention to where I’m going while looking at my phone. You should focus too; we’re about to cross the street.”
“It’s my fault for making you worry,” Long Aotian chuckled. He really was feeling a bit happier today, and it showed in his demeanor.
“So you and Yuying are really together, right?” Lin Wanning asked softly.
Long Aotian noticed the way Lin Wanning’s eyes were downcast, and the smile on his face gradually faded.
As time passed, the earlier confession from Lin Wanning seemed to have been buried deep in their memories, overshadowed by their growing friendship.
Seeing her like this now, Long Aotian nodded and said, “Yeah, she’s very important to me.”
“So...”
Lin Wanning heard what she wanted to hear, and a smile graced her beautiful, cool face. “Ge, I respect your choice.”
“You once said that as long as I still call you ‘brother,’ you’d protect me. I’ve really kept that in my heart, so you’re still my brother.”
Long Aotian looked at the sincerity in Lin Wanning’s smile and bright eyes, gently tapping her forehead with his finger. “That promise stands. The best thing about me is that I keep my word.”
“Thank you, Ge.” Lin Wanning turned to face Long Aotian. “Having a brother is wonderful.”
The ice melted, and the snow lotus bloomed; in that moment, Lin Wanning shared her joy with Long Aotian.
“Careful, silly girl. Watch where you’re going,” Long Aotian teased.
“Ge, would you like to hear my story?”
“Go ahead, I’m all ears.” In the original novel, Lin Wanning’s past was only briefly mentioned, and Long Aotian was curious about the story behind those few lines.
With her hands clasped behind her back, Lin Wanning playfully walked beside Long Aotian. “Where should I start? Let’s begin with my childhood.”
Her tone was light, as if she were recounting a tale.
“When I was very little, my parents separated. My dad didn’t want me, and my mom left me with my grandparents, not returning for a long time.”
“Actually, I used to laugh a lot. My teachers and grandparents praised my singing voice, saying I could be a singer one day.”
“Without my dad and with my mom absent, I didn’t feel sad because my grandparents showered me with love. So, I was happy back then.”
At this point, the happiness in Lin Wanning’s eyes was pure...
“But when I was seven, my mom came back. She had found a new job in the city and took me away from my grandparents.”
“I was still so young, arriving in a strange city, calling a strange man ‘dad’...”
Though Lin Wanning was still smiling, the quality of her smile had changed, and Long Aotian could sense it.
He gently stroked Lin Wanning’s long hair, saying nothing but trying to convey strength to her.
“Ge, do you think that man treated me poorly?”
“No, he was actually quite nice to me at first.”
“Until I got a little brother.”
“I liked my brother, but that man didn’t believe me, and neither did my own mother.”
At this point, Lin Wanning looked at Long Aotian. “Ge, why do people change so suddenly, as if they’ve become someone else?”
“But I’m still grateful to them because they let me attend the music academy I’ve loved since childhood.”
“Sometimes, I would feel quietly sad, thinking how nice it would be to have a brother to protect me...”
Lin Wanning chuckled softly, “But thankfully, I have a brother now.”
The story was short, just a few sentences, yet it changed a life.
In the beginning, even without her parents, Wanning was happy and carefree.
In the end, with a stranger for a father and her mother back in her life, she lost that happiness.
The girl who once laughed so easily gradually became distant.
Long Aotian understood that her words couldn’t fully capture her life after seven; perhaps it wasn’t as easy to accept as she made it sound, or maybe she didn’t want him to worry...
Because this wasn’t something that could be summed up in just a few sentences...
“You’re very strong.”
Upon hearing those four words, Lin Wanning smiled, but her eyes glistened with unshed tears, the beauty mark at the corner of her eye glowing softly beneath the blush. “Don’t you think I’m just clinging to you?”
Long Aotian chuckled, gently wiping away the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes.
If he wiped them away, they wouldn’t exist. As long as they hadn’t fallen, she wasn’t truly sad...
“Everyone has their moments of unhappiness. If you can’t get through it, I’ll pull you out.”
He smoothed down Lin Wanning’s hair, which he had tousled earlier.
“Don’t dwell on the past, don’t hesitate about the future, and don’t be hard on yourself. This isn’t your fault. You’re already amazing. If it were me, I might not be better than you. You’re truly doing great.”
“I can’t be the umbrella that shields you from the rain, nor can I fully empathize with you, but I can be your loyal listener and help you digest some of that pressure and unhappiness.”
---
Long Aotian’s words made Lin Wanning’s heart ache, followed by a wave of warmth, a flood of emotions swelling within her.
The girl slightly lifted her delicate, cold face, looking at him with a hint of grievance, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears, stubbornly refusing to let them fall. “Brother, can I hug you?”
Long Aotian looked at the girl before him, wanting to smile, and stepped closer to Lin Wanning, gently pulling her into his embrace, his hand softly patting her back.
Feeling the warmth of her brother’s embrace, breathing in his familiar scent, Lin Wanning closed her eyes with a smile. In that moment, tears fell down her cheeks, ultimately soaking into Long Aotian’s clothing, as if they had never existed.
“As long as you still call me ‘brother,’ I’ll always protect you.”
After saying that, he gently released Lin Wanning. “Your dreams will definitely come true. You’ll become an amazing singer, shining on stage with your youth.”
“Ge, why do you sound more confident than I do?” Lin Wanning’s nose was slightly red, but she smiled brightly.
“Because you’ve worked hard, not just once, and you’ve never given up. Life is fair; your efforts for your childhood passion will surely be rewarded with a beautiful future.”
“Thank you, Ge, for listening to my negative feelings while still choosing to stand by my side.”
“You called me ‘brother,’ so do you think I care about that?” Long Aotian playfully tapped Lin Wanning’s forehead. “Some things need to be said out loud to lighten the heart.”
“So if you’re feeling down, please tell me. I’ll be your most loyal listener.”
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