"It's okay, I won't make any noise." Xiao Ran turned and continued to sneakily watch the stars.
The butler dared not displease Xingxing, and seeing that he was just watching without making noise, he stopped trying to persuade him to leave.
Every punch Xingxing threw carried a gust of wind, each move as smooth as flowing water.
Xiao Ran covered his mouth from the side, trying to avoid making a sound, and looked at Xingxing with admiration.
He wished he could do that too!
Lost in the spectacle, Xiao Ran couldn't help but wave his arms.
"Who!" Xingxing turned his head, swiftly producing a sharp staff and pointing it towards the bushes.
engrossed in learning, Xiao Ran hadn't noticed Xingxing approaching him.
The staff pierced the bushes, narrowly missing Xiao Ran.
Slipping and falling to the ground, Xiao Ran looked at Xingxing, who had appeared before him, in a panic.
"You, I, I was just..." Xiao Ran stammered, unable to utter a complete sentence.
Xingxing retracted his staff and kindly extended his hand.
Looking at the outstretched palm, Xiao Ran hesitated before reaching out.
*Slap!*
With a clap of hands, Xingxing pulled him up from the ground.
"If you want to watch, watch openly. There's no need to sneak around and peek here," Xingxing said to Xiao Ran.
Seeing that he knew, Xiao Ran became even more embarrassed. Blushing, he stared at Xingxing's toes, "Um, can you teach me?"
As he finished speaking, Xiao Ran timidly looked up at Xingxing.
Practice martial arts with him?
But did he even know why he practiced martial arts?
Xingxing looked at Xiao Ran, who was as delicate as a flower in the warm shed, and coldly refused, "I cannot teach you."
"Why?" Xiao Ran asked, not understanding.
He had refused so decisively, without even a hint of hesitation.
Xiao Ran said to Xingxing again, "You don't have to worry about me disturbing you. I'll just follow behind you and watch from afar; it won't get in your way."
Xingxing ignored Xiao Ran and turned back to continue practicing.
This time, the staff he swung carried hatred, cutting through the cold wind with a whistling sound.
Each sound felt like a blow against him. Xiao Ran raised his hand and rubbed his arm, shivering involuntarily.
Having been rejected, Xiao Ran had his pride. He looked at Xingxing's distant posture as he turned his back, and wisely turned to leave.
Listening to the sound of footsteps, Xingxing turned to look behind him.
He wearily dropped the staff and squatted on the ground in helplessness. Faced with Xiao Ran's admiration, he felt no joy. Instead, he envied him, for having the love of his parents, for having someone to comfort him when he was unhappy, and for being able to coax for what he wanted.
Things that were within others' reach were what he yearned for but could not attain, and he even had to live with hatred.
Moist droplets fell onto his cheeks. Xingxing reached up and touched them. He looked up at the sky.
He thought it was tears!
The raindrops falling from the sky grew more rapid, and in a few seconds, they were pattering down onto the ground.
Xingxing heard the servants in the front yard anxiously dealing with the potted plants left outside. Instead, he sat on the ground, feeling the coldness of the rain on his skin.
The discomfort on his skin could wash away the pain in his heart, preventing him from overthinking.
In the front yard.
"Miss, Young Master, why are you both soaking wet?" the servants asked as they watched the two run in.
Originally intending to wait for Shen Lin to bring dry clothes, Ye Ziyu and Di Mingjue ran frantically through the rain due to the downpour. The two exchanged awkward smiles and quickly entered the living room.
"Mommy, Daddy," Xiao Ran called out excitedly.
Ye Shaoting appeared at the railing on the second floor at the sound, looking down at the two figures clinging tightly to each other below.
"Don't touch us yet," Ye Ziyu stopped Xiao Ran from approaching.
Listening to the rain outside, Xiao Ran, unable to understand, asked, "It just started raining, why are your clothes so wet?"