Chapter 3: The Most Humble When I Like You (Part 2)

  Finally made it to the afternoon dismissal, Tang sugar's mood hadn't fallen as she packed up her own school bag.

  Today it's Gu Xian Nian's turn to be on duty. In the past, she always stayed behind to help him do it together. Today... She really didn't have the courage.

  She was afraid that as soon as she picked up the broom, Gu Xian would snatch it away from her, toss it aside, and then walk away without even giving her a glance.

  She also has self-esteem, she can't muster up the courage, and repeatedly hits a wall, she is also afraid of pain.

  Tang sugar deliberately dragged her feet, she wanted to wait for Gu Xian to finish his shift and follow him home together, so that she would have the opportunity to make up with him when no one was around. Otherwise, what could she do? She couldn't stand being ignored by him!

  Just as Tang Sugar was feeling uneasy, she suddenly heard Gu Xiannian calling her from behind. She froze, was this real?

  She couldn't believe it at all, her heart was like a fish that had just been scooped up, jumping wildly with a thud, she wanted to turn around and confirm, but she was also afraid, afraid that there would be no Gu Xianye behind her, and everything earlier was just her own illusion.

  Just as Tangtang was hesitating, Gu Xiannian appeared in front of her with a backpack on his back, smiling brightly, as if the two had never been unhappy before. He said to her, "Can you help me with cleaning duty today?"

  "Ah! Good!" Tang sugar replied eagerly, her heart filled with joy: Thank goodness, finally talking to me!

  The huge stone that had been weighing on her heart for the whole day was finally lifted, and she felt a great sense of relief as her breathing became smooth again. It really felt wonderful!

  "Thank you, I'll go first then."

  "Thanks!" he shouted back at her from afar.

  Tang sugar's heart stopped for a few seconds before continuing to beat. She had always thought that Gu Xian was asking her to help with the two of them sweeping together, not just her doing it alone on duty day.

  Great joy was followed by great loss, leaving her at a loss and unsure of how to respond, she could only stare blankly as they laughed and chatted away, with a sour feeling in her heart.

  She stood still for a moment, encouraging herself: no matter what, he spoke to me and I helped him with his chores today, will he still have the nerve to ignore me in the future?

  As long as I'm reasonable, that's all that matters. Tang sugar thought bleakly in her heart. She picked up the broom and started cleaning.

  It was summer night and I waited for half a day in the corridor without seeing her come out, found her in the classroom doing cleaning work, quite unexpectedly: "Aren't you on duty tomorrow?"

  "I'm helping others." Sugar replied in a low voice.

  She didn't want to answer at first, but then she thought about it and the attendance sheet was just behind the classroom. Xia Ye could see it at any time on a summer night. It's better to say it herself than let him see it. As for what's good about it, she couldn't come up with an answer.

  She felt that Xia Ye didn't like Gu Xian very much, but why was that?

  Xia Ye immediately understood, with a look of "anger that doesn't contend, sorrow that doesn't meet with misfortune", staring at Tangtang who was seriously sweeping the floor for a while, her expression very calm.

  Xia Ye didn't say another word, put down her school bag and helped her with the household chores.

  After finishing the household chores, it was already sunset, and the two of them walked side by side towards home.

  Since Tang sugar fell off his bike last time, he hasn't ridden a bicycle again. It's good this way, we can go to and get out of school together, and the two of us have more time together.

  Although Xia Ye and Tang Tang live under the same roof, after returning home they each go to their own rooms to do homework, so they don't have many opportunities to interact with each other. At school it's even less likely, as they're in different grades and classes. Even when class is dismissed, Tang Tang rarely leaves the classroom, usually staying behind alone to write or draw, making interaction impossible. Therefore, the only time they really spend together is on the way to and from school.

  But Tiantian was a quiet girl who didn't talk much, she liked to walk with her head down, lost in thought, and even when Xia Ye talked to her on summer nights, she would always seem out of it, so eventually Xia Ye stopped bothering her.

  At this moment, the two people are walking side by side, but each is going their own way, ignoring each other. Only when they just left school did Xia Ye see that Tang Tang's backpack was very heavy and pressed her back down, so she said one sentence: "Give me your backpack!" And took action to take the backpack off her body, but was refused by Tang Tang. The two people were like a pair of silent, mouthless calabazas, as if they had just returned from a funeral.

  When she walked to McDonald's, something strange happened. Tang sugar glanced inside and continued walking forward, but only took one step before suddenly stopping and quickly retreating back. She stared with wide eyes, disbelieving what she saw, her face turning ugly. She remained silent, quickening her pace, lowering her head and heading home. It seemed like she was escaping something.

  Xia Ye looked in the direction of her gaze and saw that Gu Xian and Du Juan, along with some other classmates, were having a birthday party inside. He immediately became furious, his anger bursting forth like a raging bull: "You scoundrel! You got Tang Su to do your chores for you, and yet here you are, living it up!"

  He was about to rush in, but worried that Tangtang would be unhappy. Just as he was about to get her consent, he turned his head and saw that she had already walked far away.

  Xia Ye immediately quickened her pace and caught up with Tang Sugar, seeing that her eyes were red as if she had just cried. She swallowed back the words she wanted to say.

  After dinner, Tang sugar went upstairs to her room to do her homework, but she couldn't focus on it. Her mind was filled with the scene of Du Juan wearing a birthday hat and being fed cake by Gu Xian at McDonald's, replaying over and over again.

  Her heart felt sour and painful. Tears of grievance fell involuntarily, but she didn't want to wipe them away, letting the sadness overflow.

  She took out a treasured box, the box was full of her priceless treasures. She opened the box and pulled out several small pieces of paper that Gu Xian had passed to her with answers during exams. Her cold, breathless heart finally grasped a thread of warmth, although this warmth was just her own imagination. However, the papers in her hand were real. She always treated them as love letters written by Gu Xian to her, even though she knew deep down that Gu Xian would never write her love letters, but she still wanted to think so.

  It's late at night, and the homework is finally done. Tang sugar closes her eyes and lies down on the bed to sleep. Maybe tonight she'll dream of Gu Xiannian smiling at her in her dreams, that smile will be as radiant as the dawn, warming up her entire dream world...