LUO YAN walked towards the table and sat opposite Yu Jiao."Here, souvenir for you," he said, putting a small blue paper bag in front of her.


    Yu Jiao was slightly startled when Luo Yan put the paper bag in front of her.She hadn’t had yet the time to react to their arrival and he already did something like this.She suddenly remembered the scene early this morning in their ssroom.Almost all the girls in ss gave something to Luo Yan that were from their hometowns.Even some of the boys did that as well.


    Luo Yan was very apologetic since he didn’t bring anything for them.Saying that it had been very hectic and he didn’t have time to buy any souvenirs for everyone.The others didn’t mind.Probably because Luo Yan looked very troubled and they didn’t want him to continue to have that kind of expression.In that sense, one could say that he already truly captured the hearts of almost everyone in their ss.


    Not really surprising.He was beautiful, smart, very sociable, and had a good family background.He’s so outstanding, everyone would easily be drawn to him.And yet, this same person asked to be his friend.Her who had no redeeming qualities.Even now, when he told others that he didn’t buy any souvenirs for them, and yet he had bought one for her.


    Luo Yan was confused why Yu Jiao suddenly went silent.Then, he remembered what happened earlier in ss, about him not buying any souvenirs.Was it because of that?


    "Don’t worry, what I bought was not something very expensive.I actually just bought it on the souvenir shop at the airport, so Yu Jiao shouldn’t feel troubled," he assured her.


    Yu Jiao finally moved and opened the paper bag.Inside was a memo pad and a mechanical pencil.It certainly didn’t look expensive.But it still made her heart extremely warm.This was the first time that she received a gift from someone other than her mother.She wanted to treasure it.She picked up the paper bag and hugged it to her chest.


    "T-thank you."


    "Your wee," Luo Yan said, smiling brightly."I only bought one for you because you’re special."


    Yu Jiao raised her head."S-special?"


    "He meant that as a friend," Luo Jin suddenly interjected."Don’t you go on having any weird expectations."


    Luo Yan elbowed Luo Jin."Ah Jin!"


    "What, I’m only helping her out!What if she suddenly developed a crush on you when you clearly don’t n to reciprocate it back?Your gentleness and kindness towards her would only backfire and she would only get hurt at the end.Do you want that to happen?"


    Luo Yan stared at his brother.He certainly didn’t expect that answer.It’s like they’re in point A and he certainly made a turn towards point B.Although he must admit that he certainly had a point."Just where did you learn that?"


    Luo Jin suddenly couldn’t answer.How could he say that it’s from those romantic novels he read onlinest night?Why was he reading those?He got curious and just wanted to know more about romance.It definitely had nothing to do with Su Yuqi.That’s right.Su Yuqi was definitely not the reason.


    "I just know it," he harrumphed and crossed his arms over his chest.


    Luo Yan was about to say something when he heard a smallughter from the front.He turned his head and saw Yu Jiaoughing.


    "I knew it.Smiling really suits Yu Jiao more," he said.


    Yu Jiao stoppedughing and blushed profusely.She really didn’t mean tough.It’s just that, the interaction between the two was too funny.She wasn’t offended by what Luo Jin said because that didn’t even cross her mind.She was already very thankful that Luo Yan was willing to befriend someone like her.How could she even think of something like that?


    When she was about to apologize, she suddenly remembered what they saidst time when she apologized forughing.That when she found something funny, she couldugh as much as she wanted to.That when she’s with them, there’s no need to hold back herughter.So, she stopped herself from apologizing.


    Luo Yan smiled.She didn’t apologize likest time.It seemed that they’re already making progress."How was your Mid-Autumn Festival?"


    Yu Jiao froze for a moment before answering, "I-it’s okay."


    But based on the sadness that suddenly enveloped her, Luo Yan was pretty sure that it’s definitely not okay.Was her family the reason why shecked self-esteem?


    Luo Yan guessed it right.Yu Jiao’s Mid-Autumn Festival was certainly not ’okay’ as she said it was.


    She came back to the Mo household on the 13th because of her mother’s request.She couldn’t refuse.So, that night, she endured another round of verbal abuse from her stepsister.She truly wanted to fight back.But she already learned her lesson.Because once when she did, her stepsister easily turned things around against her.Because she was not good at talking, she couldn’t properly exin herself.Since then, she just endured and just let her words flow from one ear to another.


    It seemed like this topic was andmine for Yu Jiao, so Luo Yan decided to change it."Jiao Jiao – can I call you that?"


    Yu Jiao was startled when she heard Luo Yan call her that.She was still hesitating whether she should agree when she saw the hopeful look on Luo Yan’s face.She bit her lower lip.She truly needed to grow some backbone.She heard that calling each other by nicknames was a sign of a close friendship.She- she also wanted to be a close friend to Luo Yan.But that wouldn’t happen if she didn’t have the courage to take a step forward.


    "O-okay.Then," she took a deep breath before continuing, "c-can I also call you Yan Yan?"


    "Of course," Luo Yan answered, smiling brightly."You can also call him Xiao Jin," he said, pointing his thumb at his younger brother.


    "Hey, Yan, don’t decide for me, will you?" Luo Jin said, clearly disgruntled.


    Once again, Yu Jiao couldn’t help butugh.