Chapter 18: A Heart-to-Heart Talk

What was even more bizarre was that the moment the man turned around, he began rummaging through the cabinets, taking all the fruit and food out of Zhao Xiangjun's refrigerator and putting them into bags, even telling the two children, "Look, Daddy got you lots of snacks!"

Chen Xiao couldn't help but feel a sense of sympathy for Zhao Xiangjun; having a brother like that was truly a misfortune.

Checking the time, it was nearly 10 PM. For a girl, especially one as beautiful as Zhao Xiangjun, it was still somewhat unsafe to be out.

Thinking about how she had mistaken him for a poor man who was too proud to ask for help—how she had covered his property management fees, paid his phone bill, provided him with clothes, and even paid for his breakfast—Chen Xiao felt a sudden surge of tenderness for this cold-faced but warm-hearted, kind girl.

He didn't go back into his room; instead, he went downstairs to look for her.

She hadn't gone far, walking slowly and alone through the residential complex. Chen Xiao followed her from a distance, making no move to approach and offer comfort.

Chen Xiao accidentally stepped on a branch, causing Zhao Xiangjun to turn around in surprise. When she saw it was him, her tense, hunched shoulders slowly relaxed. She walked over to a nearby flowerbed, took out a tissue to wipe off a leisure chair, and sat down.

Seeing that she had spotted him, Chen Xiao walked over.

"Why do you like following people so much?" After saying it, he thought back to their first meeting; he hadn't exactly been following her then, he had just misunderstood the situation.

"Why do you like misunderstanding me so much!" Chen Xiao approached with a smile and sat down beside her.

Unaccustomed to having a man near her, she shifted to the side, angling her body away from him to keep her distance.

"Am I that scary?" Chen Xiao felt a bit slighted.

"I'm just not used to having someone next to me!"

Chen Xiao realized once again that she suffered from an extreme lack of security.

"What are you following me for?" Zhao Xiangjun asked gloomily.

"It's late at night, and you're a beautiful girl. It makes people uneasy!"

"You really are overflowing with sympathy! I'm not an idiot; do you think I'd go somewhere unsafe?"

Chen Xiao looked at her, complaining inwardly: *She's the one calling others overflowing with sympathy, yet she doesn't even look in a mirror!*

"No one would go somewhere unsafe, but safety isn't something you can control!"

Zhao Xiangjun gave a self-deprecating laugh. "I've lived like this for all these years, and nothing has happened!"

Not wanting to argue about this, Chen Xiao changed the subject. "Those two children in your house, who are they?"

"My brother's children. They live in Xingfu Garden, a resettlement community. Usually, when I'm off work, I bring them over and look after them for the day!"

Chen Xiao was surprised. "Then what do you mean by 'off work'? Being a nanny at home seems more exhausting than having a job!"

"If I look after them for a day, my parents can rest," Zhao Xiangjun said as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Chen Xiao gazed at her exquisite profile, which looked even more breathtaking under the dim streetlights. He felt a warmth rising in his heart. For a guy as carefree and casual as him, this was the first time he felt a girl was so heart-wrenching.

"Your uncle and aunt must love you very much."

Zhao Xiangjun smiled. "No matter how much they love me, it can't compare to how they love their son!"

"What era are we living in? People still have that mindset!"

Zhao Xiangjun said, "We don't understand the older generation. But it's fine; I don't need anyone to love me. I can love myself!"

"I saw earlier that you also send living expenses to your family every month?"

Zhao Xiangjun rolled her eyes at him. "I send them 5,000 yuan every month, just to save my parents from being mistreated at his house!"

"Mistreated at their own son's house?" Chen Xiao found this unacceptable.

"Yes. My dad works away from home, and my mom stays at his house alone to help raise the kids. She doesn't work, so she has no income!"

"Helping him raise two kids, yet being looked down upon for not earning money?" Thinking about the man's behavior, Chen Xiao realized the description fit perfectly.

"So, living in a family like that, I often wonder what the meaning of 'home' is. If this is home, I think it's better to be alone!"

"That's your brother's family. Not all families are like that. Think about when you were a child; your uncle and aunt surely weren't like that!"

Zhao Xiangjun chuckled softly. "When I was little, my parents would fight three times a day. Blood would often flow from the upstairs to the downstairs, down the stairs. Later, when my dad went away to work, my mom spent every day at the mahjong parlor. She used to leave me crouching in the cubby under the mahjong table."

Chen Xiao frowned deeply, finding it hard to imagine how terrible life must have been in such a household.

"When I was ten, I got sick and almost died. My mom was still playing mahjong. If my grandmother hadn't run a long distance to find a doctor, I wouldn't be here today."

"Do you hate them?"

"What's the point of hating them? They are my parents, after all. Without them, there would be no me. They are much better now; they don't fight as much, and they go to the mahjong parlor less often!"

"Alright, let's not talk about this. Chen Xiao, actually, you're a pretty good person, and your values are very upright. You have to work hard and make money! I'm still waiting for you to pay me back that 2,000 yuan once you get your commission. I'm dead broke!"

"If you're dead broke, you deserve it. Who told you to be so 'generously poor' and always paying for things!"

Zhao Xiangjun pouted playfully. "Who wants to be generously poor? Aren't you even poorer? You don't even earn as much as my mom does, teehee..."

Chen Xiao knew the joke she was making; she thought he earned 4,000 a month, while her mother received 5,000 in living expenses! It was rare to see her smile, and she looked beautiful when she did.

"Actually, I really am rich!"

Zhao Xiangjun looked at him with a face full of disdain. "Can you stop mentioning that? I know you're rich—you have 12.8 yuan. Hurry up and put away that masculine pride of yours!"

Fine, Chen Xiao didn't bother explaining. Since he couldn't make her understand, he simply said, "Alright, when I'm rich, I'll take care of you to repay you!"

Zhao Xiangjun took it as a joke. "You just want me to take care of you first, don't you? Stop feeding me empty promises!"

Then she said gloomily, "Chen Xiao, what if I find someone to support me, and then I'll have enough money to take care of you? How about that?"

Chen Xiao replied, "Should I check if there's water sloshing around in your brain?"

Zhao Xiangjun looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"It's waterlogged!"

*Hmph.* Zhao Xiangjun puffed out her cheeks and said softly, "For so many years, many people have tried to persuade me. I know that if I just nod, I'll never have to suffer like this again. But I just can't. I can't accept it!"

Chen Xiao said with pity, "How about me? Could you manage to accept me?"

Zhao Xiangjun laughed. "Take care of yourself first. Let me tell you, don't you dare count on me. Right now, I earn money for one person and many people spend it, except for me. If I have to add you to the list of people spending my money, I might as well just slit my throat!"

Only then did Chen Xiao notice her clothing. Perhaps because she was so stunning, she looked good in anything, but looking closely, he realized her clothes were very ordinary, with no recognizable brands. She also didn't wear gold or silver like other girls, and even her phone was a model from two years ago.

(End of Chapter)