Teaching You to Be Thick-Skinned, Not to Be Shameless

After buying groceries, on the way home,

Hu Yuying still chose to obediently walk beside Long Aotian. As the sky darkened, a gentle breeze lifted the strands of hair by her ears, revealing the deep blush that had long since spread to the roots.

Every now and then, she would sneak a glance at Long Aotian, her joyful expression lighting up her delicate face. Though Long Aotian didn’t turn his head, he could still feel her occasional glances.

Unconsciously, he averted his gaze, but his large hand accidentally brushed against Hu Yuying’s small one, hanging by her side.

The moment she felt his touch, Hu Yuying visibly paused, biting her lip to suppress a secret thrill before quickly closing the distance between them.

The space that once separated them slowly vanished.

Their fingertips touched without intention—until she felt one of his fingers gently hook onto hers.

It was like the playful pinky promises of childhood, yet fundamentally different.

So different that her heart raced.

She lightly nibbled her red lips, the unique shyness of a young girl making her pulse quicken, as if a fawn were leaping wildly in her chest.

Her sparkling eyes, filled with laughter, lifted to look at Long Aotian.

Noticing her gaze, Long Aotian—who had always prided himself on his thick skin—stubbornly looked away, refusing to meet her eyes. Yet, his finger remained firmly entwined with hers.

Seeing him like this, Hu Yuying couldn’t help but giggle.

Her light, lively laughter echoed sweetly and clearly through the narrow alley.

She saw a bashful Long Aotian, his ears tinged red.

The same man who had once taught her to be bold was now more innocent than she was.

This version of him, stripped of his usual maturity and grown-up demeanor, was unexpectedly… cute.

Being with him like this made her so happy. No—anyone would be happy with a guy like Long Aotian. But the lucky one here was her.

It’s okay, Yuying had grown thick-skinned now. So she tightened her little finger around his.

“It feels like a dream,” she murmured with a soft laugh.

“Perhaps the night isn’t long enough,” Long Aotian mused. Had his heart stirred? He had asked himself before—did he believe in fate? His heart answered: it was simply irresistible.

From the very beginning, his help had been mutual salvation.

If fate truly existed, then from the start, their threads had already been hopelessly tangled.

Pulling this gloomy girl out of the darkness had brought peace to his own lost heart.

No glory in the world could compare to the radiant smile on her face now.

“Long Aotian.”

“Hmm? What is it?”

“Nothing. I just wanted to say your name.”

“You’re so good, Long Aotian. So handsome. The best in the whole world.”

The first time she tried to say these words, she had flushed crimson, too embarrassed to get them out.

Now, they spilled from her lips effortlessly, as if they were the most natural truths.

Truthfully, Hu Yuying had so, so many things she wanted to say to him.

She wanted to ask—why had he helped her that first time they met, when everyone else turned a blind eye to her being bullied? They had been strangers then...

She wanted to ask—how had he felt the first time he ate her cooking?

Because when she first cooked for him, her heart had been a storm of emotions—excitement, nervousness, fear that it wouldn’t taste good...

She wanted to ask—when he pushed her away that one time, had his heart skipped a beat for her too?

Because she had heard the wild pounding of his heartbeat then...

She had so much to say. But no matter how slowly they walked, they eventually reached their destination.

Just before opening the door, Hu Yuying gently tugged at Long Aotian’s sleeve.

“Long Aotian, tell me—has my skin grown thicker?”

Amused, Long Aotian pinched her soft cheek. “Let me take a good look and see if my little follower’s skin has thickened.”

Under his doting gaze, Hu Yuying’s courage surged. She knew now—he would always indulge her.

Her arms looped around his neck, pulling him forward until she leaned fully against him.

Her lips parted slightly, her hazy eyes glistening like dew. Under the cover of night, she boldly rose onto her tiptoes and pressed a quick kiss to his lips.

Her slender fingers clung tightly to his neck. Even though she was the one kissing him, her body melted into weakness, her legs nearly giving out as she pressed against him.

Long Aotian wrapped an arm around her waist, his breath slightly uneven from her antics. With a mix of amusement and resignation, he sighed softly, his warm exhale brushing her ear.

“I taught you to be bold, not to throw restraint to the wind.”

“But once my skin thickens, I can’t help being unrestrained with you.”

It was trust. Belief. The accumulation of every shared moment.

People at school spoke ill of Long Aotian, called him names.

But they were wrong.

To her, he was wonderful. Others might never understand, but she did—as if those who had walked similar paths could truly empathize...

Thankfully, everyone had the power to heal themselves.

Long Aotian chuckled. “Look at you—greedy for money, a little shameless, clumsy, and playful. What am I supposed to do with you?”

Feeling his large hand gently rest on her head, Hu Yuying tilted her face up earnestly. “I’ll be good. I’ll listen to you.”

“Silly girl. Do you know what you might lose?”

All this time, in helping her, Long Aotian had built everything without disrupting her future.

Reason had once suppressed his feelings. But now, everything seemed shrouded in uncertainty...

“Life has countless paths. But like the hands of a clock, it always comes full circle. I don’t know what you mean by ‘losing,’ but I’m willing to try a different path.”

She wanted him to know—the path she chose was her own.

“A different path...” Long Aotian repeated softly. Wasn’t he, too, trying to walk a new road?

With a smile, he pinched her soft cheek. “My little follower has really grown up.”

“You’re the one who always treats me like a child.” She nuzzled her cheek against his palm. “But I can take care of you too, you know.”

Finally, in her eyes, Long Aotian saw the same look he had once given her.

Because she truly wanted him to be happy.

["???? A gift? The king of gifts?????? Seeing this suddenly, I admit I was utterly stunned and couldn’t help falling into deep self-reflection—do I even deserve this? (eyes wide open, jaw dropped) Before this, I’d even come up with an excuse to take tomorrow off...... I’m the worst, how could I even think about skipping work...... Maybe I should just take the day off tomorrow? Nah...... Someone snap me out of it......"]

["Thank you, boss! You’re too generous, too mighty, too awesome! May you stay healthy, everything go your way, and live forever!!!!"]