PNB Chapter 303 Obedient and Clingy Younger Brother (14)
Chapter 303 Obedient and Clingy Younger Brother (14)
Lu Liruan never expected that her remark would lead Jin Shuhe to such thoughts.
If she knew, Lu Liruan would definitely reflect on herself: she still doesn't understand the sensitive psychology of teenagers very well...
Lu Liruan is someone who rarely looks at things from a negative perspective. Even when she feels uncomfortable or in a bad mood, she tries her best to adjust herself as quickly as possible.
Because at that time, her mood would affect the people around her, and she would already be causing trouble for them. If she were to make the surroundings even more gloomy because of her own reasons, she would feel even more guilty.
This can be considered as thoughtfulness towards others, but at that time, Lu Liruan felt that what she had done was only a drop in the ocean, and she still felt guilty.
She didn't quite understand Jin Shuhe's inferiority complex and insecurity, but she did understand Jin Shuhe's feeling of not wanting to trouble others and blaming herself in her heart.
Lu Liruan also went through this.
As Jin Shuhe looked over nervously again, Lu Liruan unpacked the beverage and inserted a straw.
She casually spoke first, as if it were an accident: "I never thought I'd be doing a good deed. It's a little scary, but I feel really accomplished right now..."
Jin Shuhe pursed her lips, tightened her grip on the chopsticks, and swallowed back the dry thank you she wanted to say.
"Come on, hurry up and eat, the noodles will get soggy!" Lu Liruan pushed the drink in front of him and urged him.
Only when he smelled the food did Jin Shuhe realize how hungry his stomach was, as he hadn't eaten since noon.
Lu Liruan was also hungry. She had been working on renovations all day and then had this fright at night. Now that she had some free time, she felt hungry.
The two of them silently and quickly finished off the instant noodles.
After finishing her meal, Lu Liruan lazily nestled into the comfy sofa, looking as if she could barely keep her eyes open.
She was completely exhausted today; her legs felt like noodles. She regretted not helping to move things at the store.
Jin Shuhe took on the responsibility of washing the dishes. The neighbor's kitchen was very cozy, and even the dishcloths were floral.
Jin Shuhe finished tidying up quietly. When he dried his hands, Lu Liruan had already turned around and was curled up in a more difficult position, which was both sprawling and tested her flexibility.
Jin Shuhe couldn't help but wonder if folding herself up like that would make her feel nauseous.
"Thank you so much for today, thank you..." Jin Shuhe felt that his thanks were very inadequate, but he didn't know what he could do to repay the favor.
Lu Liruan wiggled on the beanbag chair. She wanted to say "you're welcome," but she knew it would be pointless to say anything to someone like Jin Shuhe.
"Then I'll go back first."
"Huh?" Lu Liruan vaguely heard him speak and sat up, propping herself up. "Why are you going back? Isn't the lock broken?"
"I..." To be honest, Jin Shuhe didn't want to go back at all, but he couldn't find a reason to stay.
Lu Liruan yawned, feeling a bit of a headache...
She raised her hand and scratched her hair. She actually had a lot to say, but today wasn't the right time.
Lu Liruan was so sleepy she could barely keep her eyes open, her mind was foggy, and now the words were stuck in her throat. She couldn't make sense of it and didn't know how to start a conversation with the child.
Lu Liruan sighed, beckoned, and Jin Shuhe walked over without thinking, following her gaze to sit on another beanbag chair in front of her.
The neighbor's gaze came from above; her eyes were truly warm and sincere. A child who is good at reading people's expressions is the best at discerning other people's emotions. Even the slightest impatience or displeasure can be keenly detected, and then he will quickly shrink himself away.
But when the neighbors were watching, Jin Shuhe only felt kindness and gentleness. Being treated like this would make one want to confide everything.
He is really still very young. Even if a teenager is closed off or very sensible, he still longs for someone to understand him.
If you're in this age group, you can only desperately suppress yourself, not communicate, not talk, and fight against your instinctive nature.
Once this phase passes and their personality gradually stabilizes, they will continue to be like this.
From suppressing oneself, it becomes a genuine cessation of the desire for communication and contact, leading to complete isolation.
At this time, Lu Liruan did not understand these things; they were probably issues related to psychology and education.
Lu Liruan had also tried it, and her magic touch definitely wasn't in those directions.
But she could still read the boy's eyes.
Just as she has always been good at observing and empathizing.
The boy was clearly trying hard to stay focused, but he still looked a little pitiful...
In the warm room, under the soft light, and with a feeling of fullness and satisfaction, Lu Liruan felt a little sour and tender.
"What do you want to say to me?" Lu Liruan asked softly, her hands folded on her knees as she looked up at him.
Jin Shuhe lowered his eyes, remained silent for a moment, pursed his lips, and asked in a low voice, "Is it okay?"
Lu Liruan rested her elbows on her knees, surprised that the young boy would ask such a question. She felt that if he could bring it up himself, it would be clearer and more effective than if she asked him herself.
“If you really want to talk, I’m willing to listen.” Lu Liruan sat up straighter. From the first time they met, she had noticed the sadness and helplessness hidden beneath the boy’s shy silence.
She had to admit, this young man was captivating her attention. Lu Liruan wanted to know what he was thinking beneath the straightforward, concise plot...
However, Lu Liruan always believed that it was polite not to pry into other people's psychology, and that excessive attention would make people feel that their personal space was being violated, so she was not overly curious.
But the boy looked at himself and seemed to think that if he didn't listen, he would continue to suffer in silence and try to process his grief alone.
Jin Shuhe remained silent for a short while...
Then, he began to tell his story, haltingly and haltingly.
Once Jin Shuhe opened his mouth, he couldn't stop himself from speaking. It was like a flood that had been released. He didn't even know that he had so much to say.
From a childhood filled with fear and insecurity, being forgotten, neglected, deceived, blamed, and gossiped about by those around me...
He slowly recounted how he didn't know when he would be able to endure until the future, until he could finally become an adult.
He kept glancing at Lu Liruan as he spoke.
But I didn't see any "You're so pitiful" or "I feel so sorry for you" emotions on my neighbor's face.
Lu Liruan's heart was in turmoil. As she listened to Jin Shuhe's story, she couldn't help but want to shed tears. The immense sorrow and suppressed emotions were too cruel.
But she didn't think it was a good thing to express her sympathy and pity at this moment, as it might cause the sensitive boy to swallow back what he wanted to say and the emotions he wanted to express.
So Lu Liruan forced herself to stay calm...
She watched and listened with a calm expression, nodding occasionally, as if having a normal conversation, and said to him: Oh, is that so? And then, what else happened?
The stubborn boy never wanted anyone's pity, but Lu Liruan's attitude gradually made him relax.
After the last syllable faded, Jin Shuhe let out a long sigh of relief.
What would the neighbors say? As the house fell silent, he suddenly wondered.
Will she... comfort me? Why did I tell her all this?
Just as his thoughts were returning and Jin Shuhe was hanging his head, questioning himself, he heard a rustling sound next to him.
The neighbor got up from the sofa, squatted down next to him, and their eyes met.
Then, she hugged herself!
It wasn't a light, fleeting hug, like that gentle head pat; it was a real, heartfelt embrace.
His arms were wrapped tightly around his shoulders and back, his hair intertwined, and his neighbor's open palms sent warmth through his thin clothes to his body.
Jin Shuhe closed his eyes and let himself hug her back. His neighbor's body, like the room itself, was so warm that he didn't know how to describe it. At that moment, he didn't want to think about anything.
He simply held the other person quietly, and being held in that embrace gave him the courage to withstand anything.
The soul on the verge of collapse was saved at this moment.
Lu Liruan held the boy in her arms and heard him sob.
Lu Liruan sniffed. She could feel the boy's thin, prominent spine beneath her, slender yet strong, which allowed him to stand very straight.
Lu Liruan was very sad. Although he restrained himself and showed almost no emotion from the original story when he recounted it, it was a completely different feeling.
How could he endure so much? Lu Liruan didn't understand, nor could she imagine, how unbearable every day and night must have been for him...
"Have you told anyone else?" Lu Liruan asked softly.
The boy leaning on his shoulder shook his head.
"Ah."
Lu Liruan hugged him even tighter.
This child is actually... very trusting, so why is it that over the years, no one wants to be trusted by him?
Why are you unwilling to get to know him?
His pure and unique dependence made Lu Liruan feel as if she was carrying a heavy burden, pressing down on her but not making her want to get rid of it.
Lu Liruan was completely unaware of what the person holding her was thinking. He was completely immersed in his own world, and this unprecedented moment left him unsure how to let go of her arms.
In the end, all Jin Shuhe knew was that he was staying at his neighbor's house.
Lu Liruan slipped on her slippers and went into the guest room to change the sheets and pillowcases.
Then he took out the calming essential oil and placed it on the bedside table. After Jin Shuhe went in, he found that there was a double bed in the guest room.
Lu Liruan had originally thought that her parents might come to stay for a few days sometime.
"Thank you..." Jin Shuhe stood awkwardly at the door. He never expected that he would actually... stay here.
"You've been through so much today, you need to rest well. You can sleep as late as you want tomorrow, or you don't have to get up if you don't want to. The most important thing right now is that you feel comfortable," Lu Liruan said earnestly.
She's not sleepy now; her chest feels tight and uncomfortable.
Lu Liruan walked over and turned the bedside lamp to its dimmest setting.
In the dim, warm light, Lu Liruan blinked at him and nudged him on the back: "What are you doing standing here?"
"Aren't you going to sleep yet? Are you waiting for me to tell you a bedtime story?"
Jin Shuhe felt his face getting hot. He walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, turning around to look at Lu Liruan.
"Goodnight." Lu Liruan wanted to leave, so she closed the door behind her.
"I..." Jin Shuhe began, "I... what should I call you..." He blinked rapidly in a panic, still not knowing how to address Lu Liruan.
"Oh!" Lu Liruan suddenly thought of this as well. She hadn't told Jin Shuhe her name yet because from her initial perspective, she knew Jin Shuhe's name and for a moment forgot that the other party knew nothing about her.
“My name is Lu Liruan, Li as in pear and Ruan as in ruanqin.” Lu Liruan thought for a moment and said, “Given our ages, it would be perfect if you called me sister, Sister Lu, or Sister Liruan, you can call me whatever you like.”
Jin Shuhe glanced at her quickly, then lowered his head again. Even in the dim light, the blush on his face was clearly visible.
“Okay…” he hesitated.
"Sister, sister."
He didn't add Lu Liruan's name before it; at that moment, he himself didn't realize that it was an unconscious, intimate way of addressing her.
They seem to be very close.
"Hmm." Lu Liruan didn't notice anything amiss.
I left the room and gently closed the bedroom door.
Jin Shuhe opened her eyes again, reached out, and turned off the last bit of light from the bedside lamp.
In the darkness, he turned over and buried his head in the blanket.
Even in his most inexplicable anticipation, he never expected what would happen today...
Taking advantage of the neighbor's kindness, generosity, and helpfulness, one can briefly enter the other's world.
A few days later, Aunt Chun and that man reappeared at home just as suddenly as they had disappeared.
The two acted as if nothing had happened, not mentioning the events of the past few days at all, and showing no concern for how Jin Shuhe had been spending those days.
But Jin Shuhe could sense Aunt Chun's underlying guilt.
Jin Shuhe noticed her gaze on him, hesitated several times before speaking, and finally just threw down a few hundred yuan before leaving.
Jin Shuhe didn't know what she wanted to say, nor did he want to know.
This isn't the first time he's been abandoned over the years.
It's not really abandoning him; Aunt Chun taking him in is already more than enough.
Jin Shuhe used to hope for care and attention... but later he realized that he was never the one he should have hoped for.
But now, he has received something better, something better than anything he's ever received... He doesn't need anything else. Even if it's just for a short time, it's enough.
Jin Shuhe had felt countless times that his living environment was precarious, although it had never been stable before, but this time was different.
But he felt that even this last place where he could find refuge was about to be lost.
For a moment, Jin Shuhe was completely bewildered. He lay on his bed, staring at the dark ceiling with his eyes open. There was no more arguing in the living room, only endless silence.
Apart from him, no one else has come back these past few days.
He used the money Aunt Chun left behind to fix the lock on the house door.
The police's visit last time was very effective; those debt collectors haven't come back.
The fact that his neighbor's home life was undisturbed relieved Jin Shuhe, as his biggest worry was that his neighbor would be harassed or implicated because of his affairs.