Chapter 108: Bian Yang, Hold Me

“…Don’t think that sweet talk will make me forgive you for drinking.”

Bian Yang’s eyelashes fluttered slightly. He pressed down her waving hand, draped his arm over the young girl’s shoulders, lifting most of her weight, and walked out of the restaurant.

She had never drunk before and was quite drunk now. Seeing a utility pole by the roadside, she thought it was incredibly tall. She pushed him away and staggered toward the pole.

Then she turned around proudly to boast, “Bian Yang is taller than you, right?”

She reached up for the streetlight, her neck bent back almost unnaturally. “So tall, so tall!”

Bian Yang’s mouth twitched slightly.

She hugged the pole with both arms, looking up at the streetlight, the brightness stinging her eyes.

Bian Yang was too dazzling.

The young girl sniffled, her eyes stinging with tears.

Then she let go of the pole, dropped her head in disappointment, hugged her knees, and crouched on the ground silently like a little mushroom.

“Tang Xiaoyu.” He placed his hands on his knees and bent down to look at her.

Her eyes were red and watery, tears swirling inside.

His heart skipped a beat. His voice softened instinctively as he reached out and patted her head, no trace of anger left. “What’s wrong? Are you unhappy?”

“You can’t pat my head.” She pushed his hand away angrily.

His hand missed, and his heart felt empty. The young girl sniffled and whispered softly, “Only Bian Yang can.”

His heart was kicked from heaven to hell, then soared back from hell to heaven... He felt utterly tormented.

“Tang Xiaoyu, look clearly at who I am.”

He pinched her cheek to bring her back to reality.

She looked up at him confused for a moment. His face was stern and handsome. She seemed to recognize him and timidly reached out to touch his hand, wanting to confirm. “You are… Bian Yang?”

“Not an idiot.”

She tilted her head, her expression puzzled. “Are you really?” She asked again for reassurance.

“If I’m not, then who am I?”

Just as he finished speaking, the young girl suddenly staggered to her feet. He stepped back, caught her waist to steady her. She wrapped both arms around his waist, pressed close to his chest, and held on tightly—yet it wasn’t enough; she rubbed against him like a gentle cat in his embrace.

“Bian Yang, hold me.”

She seemed to be coaxing him.

It was already ten o’clock at night. The streetlights silently bathed the entire street in a soft glow.

The night air carried faint floral scents; the branches of camphor trees shimmered under the moonlight, making the night as bright as daytime.

The young man lowered his gaze to her; his hand resting lightly on her waist paused. His eyes shone with intense light.

The feelings growing wildly in his chest seemed ready to collapse in the height of summer.

It had been a long time since anyone had held her. She lifted her small head, her eyes reddened, looking so lost. “...Is it not okay?”

The next moment, she was tightly embraced by the young man.

Her breath was filled with the scent of cedar from his body. She nestled safely in his arms.

The wild wind swept along their spines; the gazes of passersby and the hustle of traffic faded into a dazzling, blurred backdrop.

Long after, she seemed recharged.

“Bian Yang.” Her voice came hoarse from his embrace.

He replied with a heavy nasal sound, “Hmm?”

“I can earn a lot of money.”

She took out six thousand yuan from her pocket and offered it to him like a precious treasure.

He lowered his head and chuckled softly, his heart soothed and obedient under this embrace. “Mm.”

She raised her hand to touch his face, her chest swelling with bittersweet emotion.

Her fingertips were cool, tracing like painting a beautiful oil portrait—along his brows and eyes, down his high nose bridge, sliding along his cheek, finally resting on his lips.

Her gaze also fixed there.

“I will earn a lot of money in the future too,” she said seriously, staring intently at him. “One day, I’ll be really amazing.”

Bian Yang let her touch him, responding with a low “Mm.”

“If you really have to go abroad...” Mentioning this made mist gather in her eyes, which she fought hard to suppress.

The watery sheen reflected his image as she earnestly said, “If it’s something good for you, then you must do it.”

Bian Yang’s voice was hoarse. “Couldn’t you say something nicer?”

He bent down and brushed away the tears on her cheek. He hadn’t expected this to be what troubled her so deeply, causing her to cry.

“Is this why you’ve been unhappy lately?”

She lowered her head, biting her lip, silent.

His heart softened. He tucked the strands of hair blowing in the wind behind her ear. “Is this why you drank?”

She buried her cheek in his palm and sniffled softly.

Bian Yang lifted her face. Her eyes were red and still glistening with tears. He gently wiped them away. “If I really do go abroad, what then?”

She lowered her eyelids, biting her lips until pale.

“Tang Xiaoyu, is it so hard to say you don’t want me to leave?”

His voice was soft.

She slowly raised her eyes, a little dazed.

Remembering she was drunk, he realized what he was doing and let out a quiet chuckle.

Why argue with a drunk girl?

But the next moment, she said—

“Stay, okay?”

Staring at his stunned face, she found courage from somewhere, touched his hand, and voiced her deepest desire. “I don’t want you to go abroad at all, Bian Yang. There are many good schools here in the country…” Her voice trembled slightly at the end.

She lowered her eyes. “I can’t leave Grandpa and Grandma behind to go abroad, but I also want to be selfish and cowardly.”

Hearing her hoarse voice, Bian Yang’s once-dim eyes brightened little by little. He couldn’t help but curl his lips into a smile. “Then don’t go.”

Hearing this, Tang Yu looked up.

“There are many good schools here, many delicious foods…” And Tang Yu herself was here. “So, I really can’t leave.”

Seeing her dazed expression, he suddenly pressed his chin and laughed softly. “If you had said this earlier, I don’t know how happy I’d be.”

Tang Yu blinked slowly.

He rubbed her cheek with his fingertip, clearly in a good mood. “Besides, how do you know this isn’t the best choice right now?”

“Tang Xiaoyu, you’re not that selfish coward. This is my own choice. I’m an adult; I know how to take responsibility for myself.”

“But you…” He pinched the young girl’s cheek. “Your parents caused a fuss, and you didn’t tell me—that’s what really made me angry.”

“Sorry.” She grasped a small corner of his shirt and shook it gently.

Meeting the young girl’s bright eyes, he held no grudge.

Bian Yang scoffed, “That apology was quick.”

The tiny rift between them vanished instantly.

“Since you’re behaving so well, I’ll let it go.”

He tapped her forehead with a knuckle. “Next time, if something’s wrong, just tell me. Don’t hide it and make me suffer.”

After a moment, she covered her head, belatedly nodded with tearful eyes.

Not sure if she was awake or still drunk.

Bian Yang found it amusing and coaxed her.

“Well then, our amazing, money-earning little girl, can we go home now?”

Tang Yu spread her arms. “Carry me.”

His Adam’s apple moved lightly; his eyes held a smile as he bent down indulgently. “Alright.”

She didn’t want to carry her bag but feared dropping its contents, so she hung it around his neck.

“You’re really not polite at all.”

Though she said so, he let her hang it there.

Then he bent his waist lower so she could climb up more easily.