If You Are a Dodder Flower

Part 25

Xia Rou began to feel embarrassed after crying her fill.

Cao Yang's muscular features and his manly scent made her uneasy.

She struggled a little and Cao Yang released her. Looking at her, with her eyes, nose, and ears all red, he found it funny and asked: "Done crying?"

Xia Rou replied, embarrassed, "Mn." Translated by The Novelst

Cao Yang patted her shoulder. "Come over here."

He walked to the coffee table and pulled out two pieces of tissue for her: "Blow your nose first, it's stained my clothes."

Xia Rou was so shy that she turned even more red. She ashamedly took the tissue from his hand, abandoning her image and blowing her nose. She had no other choice because her nose was stuffy and she couldn't breathe.

She even tried to peek at Cao Yang's shirt... but he realized what she was doing and couldn't stop laughing. "Just kidding, there's no stain on my shirt."

He lit a cigarette and sat at the armrest of the sofa. Both his long legs were resting on the floor.

He took a puff and folded his arms to ask, "Why did you cry?"

"Nothing much..." Xia Rou twisted her fingers behind her back.

Her head was hanging down, a portion of her black hair falling loosely on her shoulder.

It looked so smooth like silk, it was impossible for Cao Yang not to notice.

He couldn't help but stretch out his hand to lift a few strands of her hair, brushing them smooth with his fingers. "It grew so long already, huh?"

"Mn," Xia Rou glanced at him. "I haven't cut it since then, and my hair grows fast."

"Don't try to change the topic," Cao Yang said, his face returning to seriousness: "Tell me, why did you cry?"

Xia Rou choked.

He was obviously the one to change the topic!

But Cao Yang wouldn't admit it, continuing: "Who bullied you? Is it Cao An? I'll give him some beatings."

"That's silly," Xia Rou said. "It's not like that."

"Then why did you cry?"

He wouldn't stop asking for an answer. It looked like he wouldn't give up.

Xia Rou had no choice but to tell the truth: "They said you were seriously injured and your life was in danger."

"Just because of that?"

"Mn," Xia Rou remained silent for a moment, before slowly explaining. "My mother isn't here any longer, and I don't have any other relatives. I... I'm scared that something might happen to you too."

She was wearing simple loungewear, short sleeves with shorts, and it looked clean and comfortable.

Hugging herself tightly, she lowered her head slightly, looking like she'd done something wrong.

Cao Yang felt that at first, when he thought she finally had grown into an adult woman, he'd been wrong.

Indeed, she'd grown, but she was still just a kid.

No parents, no other relatives. To someone like him who always took care of her, she was like a nestling*.

His heart softened.

"Silly girl."

He stretched out his hand to pat her head. He didn't want to mess up her hair, so he softly brushed downwards instead.