Ashley's volume was not loud, and her tone was calm. But maybe it was because the content was too shocking. At this moment, it was like using a loudspeaker to amplify the sound and spread it into the ears of two other people.
The silence was broken, and the atmosphere relaxed for a moment. Then, it entered a more embarrassing situation.
Jacob narrowed the corners of his lips but still did not speak.
The woman couldn't see what he was thinking. ‘Was it pricked, or was it just a trivial joke?’ The smile on her face couldn't hold back, and the hand holding the phone was gradually lowered.
Ashley quietly glanced in the direction of Jacob.
She happened to meet his eyes. She immediately lowered her eyes, carried her schoolbag to her chest like a guilty girl, fumbled for the phone inside, as if she was just a background cloth.
A few more seconds passed.
Jacob retracted his gaze and followed Ashley's words and said, "Well, I'm a jerk."
"..."
"And I can't handle it recently." He chuckled lightly, shook the phone in his hand, and said casually, "If you want to call me, you might have to queue up."
His tone was taken for granted. It didn't seem that there was anything wrong with these words, and there was no shame on his face. It would make people feel that he was much more handsome than others, so he was more privileged.
Jacob raised his eyebrows frivolously, “Do you want to think about it again?"
The woman took a deep breath and barely maintained her politeness, “No."
"That's a shame." Jacob sighed and said regretfully, "Why don't you leave a phone number? Maybe you change your idea someday..."
Before he could finish speaking, the woman turned her head and left.
The remaining Ashley and Jacob stood in place.
After being unable to see the woman's back, Jacob tilted his head to look at Ashley, and asked leisurely, “Kiddo, there were just 29 girlfriends, what should I do?"
"..."
The words were warm and calm as if he was really asking.
‘It's like hiding a knife in his smile.’
Ashley even felt that he might as well lose his temper at herself.
"One missed." Jacob smiled, "How can I spend this month?"
"..." Ashley did not dare to speak. She just coughed twice and her back became numb. The timid mood suddenly filled her heart.
Jacob, who was standing on the side, didn't speak anymore and was too quiet.
It seemed that he was brewing some big move.
Ashley was really scared. She didn't even dare to take a peek this time, but just stood there obediently. The unpredictable future made her uneasy. She swallowed and took a step back quietly.
She mustered up her courage and quickly yelled, "Goodbye, brother". Then suddenly she ran forward as if fleeing.
Jacob raised his eyebrows, grabbed her arm easily, and pulled her back.
"Why do you escape?" Ashley was caught just after running two steps.
Ashley suddenly realized that the possibility of escape was basically zero.
She was discouraged.
"It's too late... It's getting dark." Ashley lowered her head with a guilty expression. She yelled with a small voice like a mosquito, "My mother will go home later, and she will be worried if she sees that I haven't gone back."
Jacob looked at the sky symbolically, “It's so late, how can brother let you go back alone?"
Ashley said immediately, “It's okay, the station is nearby, and I'm almost home when I get off the bus. Brother, you have to go back to school, or it will be too late to go back."
"Huh?" Jacob said, "Why didn't I see that you care about me so much before?"
"..." Since she couldn't run away anyway, Ashley decided to face the truth, "Brother, it's just such a small thing, why do you remember it for so long? And you have nothing to lose."
Jacob lazily said, “Why is there no loss?"
Ashley said righteously, “You thought about it for so long, but you didn't want to give that sister your number, and you were embarrassed to refuse. Then I was just helping you. Speaking of this, you have to say thank you."
The little girl's skills of talking nonsense were quite good. Jacob stared at her for several seconds, seeming to smile angrily, he twitched the corner of his mouth lightly and said, "Okay."
"But brother, you also helped me just now." He just responded, Ashley still had no confidence in her heart, so she could only bite the bullet and said, "Then we are even."
"This can't work." Jacob said, "Let's go, brother will visit your parents to show my gratitude."
"..."
The two most feared words for children of this age were probably-"tell the teacher" and "call the parents".
The man in front of her always used these two points to intimidate her, making her lose her temper in an instant. Ashley didn't dare to provoke him again and said aggrievedly, “Your action is so naive."
Jacob raised his eyebrows slightly and said indifferently, “I'm in a bad mood because of the lack of the last girlfriend."
Ashley retorted, “Then you are here to help me meet the teacher, not to have a blind date."
"Okay, you tell me. Who taught you this?" Jacob said with a laugh, "Saying that I change a girlfriend one day like I am a male prostitute."
Ashley blinked without understanding, “Why?"
"..."
Suddenly realizing that standing in front of him was just a kid who had just entered junior high school, Jacob stopped speaking, scratched his face, and then picked up the schoolbag she was carrying and said, “It’s nothing."
Ashley took her arms out.
"Oh."
The pink-blue schoolbag just fell into Jacob’s hands.
Jacob weighed the weight of the schoolbag in his hand, and opened the topic, “Why is it light?"
The two walked in the direction of the station.
Ashley, “I have nothing to take."
Jacob, “How about homework?"
Only then did Ashley's expression changed, and she said slowly, “...I don't want to do."
Jacob said, "Then what do you spend your time for?"
"..."
"Kiddo, you have to behave yourself. Listen carefully in class, don't disrupt classroom discipline, don’t deliberately fight the teacher, and finish your homework well." Thinking of the boy in the office just now, Jacob exhorted again, "Also, don't fall in love with anyone. Besides, your age is good for innocent friendship."
Ashley glanced at him and gave a perfunctory reply.
Seeing that she didn't listen at all, Jacob seemed to inadvertently add, “If your teacher invites your parents again, the incident that I came over by impersonating your brother will be exposed, then I will really be done. You can't just do it. You can't just bite the hand that feeds you, right?"
Ashley, “It will be great if you come back next time..."
Jacob didn't respond and hid his smile.
Ashley didn't know why she was a little afraid of him being angry, so she suddenly lost her position, “Got it."
Jacob smiled, “Good girl."
The tone was like a reward.
Jacob leaned down and rubbed her head affectionately.
"Let's go, brother will take you home."
Getting to Ashley’s home downstairs, Jacob didn't mean to go up. He put the schoolbag in front of her, “Go back."
Ashley nodded and said obediently, "Thank you, brother."
Walking to the door, Ashley took out the key from her pocket and opened the door slowly. She didn’t know if they would meet again in the future, and she couldn't hear the footsteps of him leaving. She stopped and turned her head cautiously.
Jacob was still standing there, just looking at her.
As if she was caught on the spot, Ashley's face flushed, and she immediately shouted, "Goodbye, brother!"
Then she hurriedly ran into the building.
No one has returned yet, and the house was empty.
Ashley put her hand on her hot face, quickly kicked her shoes away, ran to the balcony, and looked down while holding the anti-theft fence. Jacob was almost out of the community. At this time, he held one hand to his ear, as if he was making a call.
After a few seconds, he seemed to notice something. He suddenly raised his head and looked in the direction of Ashley.
Ashley was caught off guard, then she turned over and squatted down.
Her heart was pounding heavily as if it was about to jump out of her body in the next moment. She swallowed, her unprovoked guilty conscience and helplessness made her afraid to move, and it took a while before she looked out again.
But Jacob was no longer visible.
Ashley sighed, inexplicably feeling a little empty in her heart.
The matter was resolved exceptionally smoothly.
The teacher didn't notice anything wrong, and her parents didn't know about it. Therefore, Ashley didn't receive too many lessons. But it seemed to have brought her endless sequelae.
She began to think of the same person over and over again.
Something with sourness and a hint of sweetness was budding.
Ashley felt this feeling was very inexplicable and at a loss. She didn't dare to tell anyone about it, she felt a little ashamed, and she seemed to have grown up overnight, with her own secrets that she couldn't tell anyone.
Ashley began to wander away constantly.
The draft and the diary were filled with the name of a man.
This feeling only lasted for a while.
Maybe it was because she didn't see him again, and was gradually diluted by time. Or maybe it was that the secret was pressed hard in the bottom of her heart, wanting to treat it as if it didn't exist.
In a blink of an eye, the mid-term exam was over and the Dragon Boat Festival was ushered in.
Ashley returned home early, took a bowl of strawberries from the refrigerator, and gnawed slowly on the sofa. Before her parents came back, she was the only one at home, and the cartoons on TV gave out joyous background music.
Suddenly, the door of the hallway was opened.
Ashley looked over subconsciously and saw Liam's face in an instant.
She didn’t expect that he would come back this holiday, Ashley was stunned for a moment, then as if she didn’t notice him, she withdrew her gaze and continued to watch TV.
Liam laughed angrily, “Your brother is home. Any response, sis?"
"Why don't you tell me in advance?" Ashley said while holding a palm-sized strawberry in her hand, "Mom just called you to make two bowls of rice. Hurry up."
Liam said coldly, “I didn't even tell her that I was going home, why did she tell me to cook?"
Ashley never looked away from the TV, fumbled for the phone from the side, dialed Grace, and then pressed the PA, “If you don't believe me, I'll call her."
Liam didn't bother to care about her and took a bottle of ice water in the refrigerator to drink.
Her mother quickly picked up the phone and shouted, “Ash, what's the matter?"
"Mom." Ashley said, "Brother is back, did you just ask me to tell him to make rice?"
Liam closed the refrigerator and looked in Ashley's direction.
Then, he heard their dear mother on the phone being silent for a few seconds, and then said, “Yes, has he done yet?"
Liam, “..."
Ashley swallowed the strawberry in her mouth, raised the volume, and said to Liam, "Brother, mom asks if you have done!"
Liam stared at Ashley for a long time, without saying a word, and went straight into the kitchen. Upon seeing this, Ashley got up, walked to the kitchen, leaned against the door, and looked at him, “He is cooking now."
After speaking a few more words to Grace, Ashley hung up the phone. Looking at Liam's back, she suddenly remembered that she recognized Jacob as him. After a long silence, she said inexplicably, “Liam, did you have a girlfriend in college?"
Liam ignored her.
"No? Not one?" As if interested in this matter, Ashley didn't even watch the cartoon. "I'm serious, brother."
Liam turned his head, his tone was not very good, “What?"
Ashley seriously said, "I think you should have plastic surgery.
"..."
Liam was speechless. He didn't want to see her again, so he turned his back and sneered, “Do you remember the brother who came back with me last time?"
Ashley lowered her eyes, and said slowly, "Yeah."
"He said you look like me."
"..." Ashley was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly said, "Did I piss him off?"
"What?"
Ashley pursed her lips, and said unhappily, "If not, why did he think I’m ugly?"
"..."
Ash met Liam, wow, the world won't be peaceful...
Liam suddenly turned off the tap, turned, and put the remaining water on Ashley's face, “I'll give you two options. Go back and watch your stupid cartoons, or stay here and let me beat you up. " "Why are you angry?" Ashley wiped the water off her face and frowned. "I'm the one being scolded, not you." Liam put the inner tank into the rice cooker without looking up. "There's the door." Ashley didn't move and said solemnly, "Anyway, don't tell anyone. I look like you." He turned his head and laughed, "Don’t bother!" With that, Liam pinched her face, grabbed the bowl of strawberries in her hand, and walked out of the kitchen. Ashley rubbed her face subconsciously, noticing that her hands were empty, her eyes suddenly widened, and asked in disbelief, "You robbed my strawberry?" "Why is it yours?" Liam picked up one and bit. "Did you buy it?" Ashley reached for it and said, "I took it out of the fridge." Liam raised
There was an evanescent wind in the ear, blowing a faint taste of lime, mixed with a smell of tobacco. The sun fell on him, fainting with a golden silhouette, adding a bit of softness. Haven't seen him for two months, Jacob's hair has been cut short. She didn't know if it was her illusion, but he seemed to have grown taller. He was still so arbitrary and dazzling. Ashley's heart beat hard. Because of his words, there was a sense of guilt of being poked into her mind. As if she had really done something wrong, she was so panicked that she didn't even know where to put her hands and feet, and her spine straightened involuntarily. After a while, she stuffed the puppet into his hand and whispered, “I didn't know it was yours." Ashley lowered her head and moved a step outside in a somewhat awkward manner. Without hearing his response, she pointed to the books in the trunk and solemnly explained, “I'm here to help my brother.
Didn’t know if she really felt flustered, or she was frightened by his indifferent and inhuman tone. After saying this sentence with insufficient confidence, Ashley stopped speaking and only made intermittent whimpers. In the dormitory, Mike, who was sitting in front of the computer, suddenly knocked on the keyboard, crackling, and then yelled, “F*ck, dumbass!" The next moment, Liam threw a pillow over, “If you don't be quiet, I will beat you into a dumbass." "Liam! It’s urgent!" Mike's voice sounded like a trumpet, "Don't f*cking sleep, get up—" Bombing at both ends. Jacob pursed his lips and turned his head to close the balcony door. He leaned against the railing with his arms on it. Seeing the bright street lamp downstairs, he restrained his emotions and slowed down his tone, “Kiddo, when do you usually get to school?" Ashley choked and answered honestly, “Seven forty." "Get up at seven?" "Yes." "Can you get
His tone was plain, with a hint of laughter. Ashley couldn't tell whether he was joking or stating the facts. She rubbed the milk bottle with her fingertips, posing a clear look, and asked him, “Brother, have you never watched those two movies?" The corners of Jacob's lips curled slightly, “I have watched "Transformers"." ‘Sure enough. It was because of ignorance that he could say that.’ Knowing something he didn't know, Ashley was a little proud. She stood up and explained to him gently, “ Madame Medusa is not the name of the movie, but a supporting role in a Disney movie called..." Speaking of this, she stopped, and she couldn't remember the name of the movie for a while, “called, called—" Unable to wait for her next words for a long time, Jacob stared at her and couldn't help but laugh out, “The name Madame Medusa sounds pretty good." Ashley was still thinking about the name and ignored him. Didn't mind her i
Liam closed his eyes and took off his shoes for the second time. He walked quickly to Ashley's side, took away her cell phone, and cast down his eyes blankly, trying to hang up the phone. He turned on the screen, but it didn't show the phone interface he intended. It was the main interface of the mobile phone instead. There was no call log at all. He reacted instantly, his stomach ached with anger, but he smiled, "Little devil, are you kidding me?" Ashley blinked and said innocently, "I didn't say I called him." Liam said in a cool tone, "Then who did you just talk to?" Ashley moved to the other side of the sofa, "I just practiced." "..." "You just told me to die, I'm not talking nonsense. I have…" Ashley suddenly remembered that he had taken her phone and wanted to grab it back, "I have finished the practice, and I will call dad now." Liam stared at her for a long while, without stopping her, he handed
There was loud heavy metal music playing in the car, which shook Ashley's heart numb, reducing a bit of uncomfortable feeling. Jacob didn't wear a seat belt because he was sitting in the back seat. He didn't get too close either, just leaned forward slightly. The distance between the two was still separated by an empty seat. Not far or near. Ashley's breathing stopped, and she couldn't react, trying to follow his words to touch her face. But it was obvious that she could hear the teasing smile in his words. In an instant, there was an unpleasant feeling of being played by an old man again. She stopped and said with a sullen face, "You're so narcissistic." Mike was still looking back. Hearing this, he subconsciously looked at Ashley and said with a disgusting expression, "Absolutely. And Jacob, what’s wrong with you? I didn’t see that Ashley blushed." The music was a little loud, and Liam didn't pay much attention to their conve
After the last three words fell neatly, there was unexpectedly no sound of hanging up from the earpiece. Jacob didn't say anything again, scanning the shelves everywhere. After a while, Liam suddenly said, "Bro." Jacob was too lazy to talk to him. There was a dragging sound of the chair on the other end, and then Liam sighed and said, "Should I accompany you to buy it?" "..." "Okay." Liam's tone was a little depressed, "You accompany me, okay?" He has never been to that area when he went to the supermarket. Moreover, Jacob came to this supermarket for the first time. After searching for a long time, he finally found the target on the shelf next to the laundry detergent. When he was about to walk over, he suddenly noticed that several women were standing there, and a salesperson was recommending products to them. He stopped. Thinking that Ashley was still waiting, Jacob's eyelids moved, and he couldn't worry abou
Ashley stared at the dish in front of her, with only a few shredded carrots and vegetable leaves, so pitiful. She shifted her gaze, fixedly looking at the beef in Jacob's bowl. A breath was stuck in her heart and couldn't come out. "..." She didn't want to say anything. ‘You really like eating beef! Ha?’ Ashley pursed her lips and picked up her chopsticks unhappily. Knowing that no one present would help her, she did not waste her energy to complain about anything, but put up with a bowl of noodles that she had picked out. At this table, the person who talked the most was Mike, especially after drinking wine. He spent most of the night talking and having almost everything on the table. Ashley listened to their conversation with boredom. Except for the games, there was no mention of girls, nor a word of learning. Ashley ate the noodles with her head down, her cheeks bulging. After a while, Mike, w