Sincere People Should Not Be Let Down

Looking at the time, it was already 6:15 PM.

Long Aotian stretched lazily and said, "Let's call it a day."

Hu Yuying, who was still buried in her homework, looked up and glanced at the sky outside.

She nodded and began packing her things.

If Long Aotian was leaving, she would leave too.

At this hour, apart from a few diligent students still lingering in the school, the campus was almost empty.

As they left the teaching building, the wide-open school gate came into view effortlessly.

"Bye, Long Aotian," Hu Yuying said.

"See you," Long Aotian replied.

After exchanging goodbyes, Long Aotian headed in the direction of his home.

Hu Yuying watched his retreating figure, feeling a pang of melancholy, but she quickly composed herself and walked off in the opposite direction.

As she walked, Hu Yuying overheard a group of students in school uniforms talking about a fight that had just happened at the school gate.

It had even drawn the attention of the school security staff.

She glanced back at the school gate, a strange feeling welling up inside her.

But she couldn't quite put her finger on what felt off.

Soon, she passed the group of chatting students, and their voices faded into the distance as she walked further away.

Before long, Hu Yuying arrived at a narrow alley.

She walked to the very end, took out her keys from her backpack, and unlocked the door.

Pushing the door open, she locked it behind her.

Entering the inner room, she set down her backpack and pulled out her homework to start solving problems.

Hu Yuying's life was monotonous, as if studying was the only thing she had to do.

For her, the tedium of studying was oddly enjoyable.

But today, as she looked at her homework, she found herself unable to focus as usual.

She stood up and walked to the mirror, staring at her reflection.

She poked her cheek with her finger.

The tip of her finger pressed gently into her soft cheek, and as she pulled it away, the flesh sprang back instantly.

"Has my face gotten thicker?" she wondered.

Her finger couldn't tell.

So, facing the mirror, she pursed her lips, took a deep breath, and said, "Long Aotian is the most handsome!"

"Big bro is the best."

"Long Aotian, you're so gentle..."

After saying these things out loud, she couldn't help but recall the times Long Aotian had smiled, pinched her cheek, or gently tapped her head.

Her ears began to burn uncontrollably.

A faint blush crept up from her neck to her cheeks.

Looking at her reflection, Hu Yuying quickly covered her face with her hands. "Looks like my face isn't thick enough yet," she muttered.

"I need more practice."

She stepped out of the inner room and stood in the courtyard, taking a deep breath. The warmth in her face gradually subsided.

As the sky grew darker, Hu Yuying finished cooking and climbed up a ladder to sit on the edge of the roof.

While eating, she looked up at the stars in the sky. "I wasn't bullied today," she said softly.

"Because I met a big bro who looks out for me. From now on, no one will bully me at school."

"Mom, Dad, did you hear my prayers?"

They say that when people die, they become stars in the sky.

Though she knew it wasn't true and had no scientific basis, Hu Yuying wished it were real.

The stars didn't answer her, but that didn't stop her from talking to them.

This was her most peaceful time of the day—no one to bully her, no one to disturb her. It was her time alone.

"Long Aotian is amazing. Everyone says he's really good at fighting, so no one dares to mess with him."

"It seems like everyone in class is scared of him, but I'm not. Because he's really nice to me."

"He knows so much, and I love listening to him talk. It makes me feel like I'm a good person too."

When she finished eating and talking, Hu Yuying reached out toward the sky, instinctively stroking the two brightest stars.

Climbing down the ladder, her time for relaxation and venting was over.

Now it was time to study. Only by constantly improving herself could she avoid being bullied.

Only by becoming better could she help Long Aotian with his studies.

...

On the other side, Long Aotian returned home to find the table still clean.

But his father wasn't in the house.

After changing out of his school uniform and washing it, he left the house again.

He headed toward the large market not far from their neighborhood.

The market was always bustling, no matter the time.

Vendors' stalls were lined up one after another, separated by white chalk lines.

Further in was the meat section, where several meat stalls were set up.

Long Aotian walked through, looking for his father.

In the original novel, this place was only briefly mentioned, with no detailed description.

So Long Aotian didn't know exactly where his father's stall was.

Soon, he spotted his father in the second row.

His father, wearing an apron, was chopping meat on a cutting board. Despite the late hour, the market was crowded and stuffy.

His father's clothes were soaked with sweat, but he kept working diligently.

After finishing the chopping, he wiped the sweat from his forehead and prepared to pack the meat for a customer.

Before he could grab a bag, an open one was held out in front of him.

Thinking it was a customer, his father smiled and said thank you. But when he looked up, his smile froze for a moment.

He seemed surprised, momentarily forgetting to pack the meat.

"If you keep staring, the customer will get impatient," Long Aotian reminded him.

Hearing his son's voice, his father snapped back to reality and mechanically packed the meat into the bag.

"Here you go, ma'am," Long Aotian said, handing the bag to the customer.

Long Aotian, now out of his school uniform, looked even more handsome. His polite words and efficient movements made the customer smile. "Is this your son?" she asked.

His father glanced at Long Aotian before nodding with a smile. "Yes, he is."

Watching his father's smile shift from stiff to natural, Long Aotian sighed inwardly.

In the original novel, Long Aotian had blamed his father for his parents' divorce.

This had created a rift between them, leading to a strained relationship.

His father, a rough man, didn't know how to talk to his son.

Long Aotian, filled with resentment, had grown increasingly stubborn.

Deep down, though, they both cared about each other.

"Why are you here? Did you run out of the money I gave you?" his father asked, wiping his hands on his apron and reaching for the cash box.

Usually, his son was cold toward him, so the only reason he could think of for Long Aotian coming here was to ask for money.

Still, he was happy that his son had come to see him.

"Can't I come see you without asking for money?" Long Aotian said.

His father paused, and Long Aotian stepped forward to close the cash box. "Dad, let's leave the past behind."

Hearing the word "Dad," his father stared at Long Aotian, unable to speak for a long moment.

"Dad, there's a customer," Long Aotian said.

His father looked at him, a smile spreading across his rough face. "Right, right."

In his previous life, Long Aotian had grown up in an orphanage, never experiencing familial love. In this world, he wanted to give it a try.

Even though he knew this rough man wasn't his real father, it didn't matter.

No one who offered genuine care should be let down...