(Special chapter, presented from Xia Lian's perspective)

Xia Lian doesn't know how to express her emotions.

It's always been like this since I was a child. When I was in junior high school, I always used a forced smile to cover up my embarrassment and sadness, but it didn't work.

After her mother passed away, she realized that smiles were useless. Perhaps because she had cried so much, after one night, her face was like a rag doll, devoid of any other emotion.

After the death of her only relative, she suddenly felt that there was nothing left to cherish in the world, and countless nights she thought about whether she should just die.

But when I think of my mother's last words, "Live well," and the uncle who helped me at the funeral, I have the motivation to live on again.

We should at least repay his kindness, since even the funeral expenses were paid by that uncle.

Suddenly I felt like I couldn't do anything and could only lie at home like a walking corpse. This was the case for the first half of the summer vacation.

After crying until she was exhausted and used to it, Xia Lian finally realized that her mother's death was an unchangeable reality. After staying at home for almost a month and being so hungry that she had nothing left to eat, Xia Lian slowly opened the door with faltering steps.

The sunlight was a bit too bright, but she didn't even want to turn on the lights in the dimly lit rented room. She didn't need to turn them on during the day, and she was sleeping at night anyway, so it was a waste of money.

Having not seen sunlight for a long time, Xia Lian felt a little dazed.

In a daze, she had only taken a few steps out of her house when a familiar figure appeared at the corner of the alley.

"Phew, finally found it."

An uncle looked like he had been searching for a long time, sweat pouring down his cheeks.

Xia Lian felt a little scared; it would be a lie to say she wasn't. But when she saw the man's face clearly, she realized that this uncle was the one who had helped at the funeral.

"uncle……"

I wasn't entirely sure if this uncle was a good person, but at least I had a good impression of him at the funeral; he was at least the most honest of the relatives.

Perhaps realizing he had frightened the little girl, the uncle awkwardly squatted down, looked at the petite girl, and said softly, "Don't be afraid, little girl, I'm a good person."

As he spoke, he smiled, his eyes narrowing gently.

Later I found out that this uncle was my mother's cousin, and I had to call him uncle. Although I had lived for almost ten years and didn't know I had an uncle, at least he was a really good person.

He arranged a hotel for Xia Lian so she wouldn't be hungry and would have a place to stay. She rested there for several days.

On the last day, her uncle gave her an address and told her to find him at the company.

"You'll have a place to stay from now on. I'll arrange the room."

On the day he arrived at the office, his uncle said this.

Xia Lian was a little bewildered, but she couldn't express the gratitude in her heart, so she could only get up and bow to her uncle.

But it wasn't until I heard there were additional conditions that I realized finding a place to stay wasn't so simple.

I have a cousin.

My cousin, whom I've never met before, is my uncle's son.

I'll be living with him from now on.

Xia Lian doesn't like strangers. After being bullied like that at school, she always had the feeling that the people around her weren't very safe.

I feel insecure, especially after my mother passed away.

The thought that her mother died because of her caused her nightmares every night. She would often wake up in the middle of the night, wanting to cry but unable to, and even if she did cry, no one would listen.

But in order to have a place to stay, she agreed.

When they arrived at the place, they knocked on the door and waited for several minutes, but they couldn't hear any sign of anyone inside.

Summers were very hot back then. Although the stairwell was a little cooler than outside, it was still sweltering.

She dragged her suitcase, leaned against the wall, and sat in the stairwell, hugging her legs to rest for a while. Little did she know that she would fall asleep.

My dream was blurry, and I couldn't see anything clearly. I only remember that it was very hot. When I opened my eyes again, it sounded like someone was calling my name softly.

"Wake up, girl, wake up."

Xia Lian opened her eyes slightly, staring at the handsome boy with red lips and white teeth in front of her, unable to say anything else for a moment.

I found my cousin.

It looks even better than in the photos.

Although she wasn't particularly interested in appearance, at least the other person didn't seem like a scary person.

Looking at the water that the other person had forced into my hand, it was icy cold and slowly cooled down my body temperature in this furnace-like weather.

Xia Lian listened to his words and slowly stepped through the gate, dragging her suitcase.

At first, she didn't have high hopes for this new cousin. She was just happy if he wouldn't bully her.

After all, we were living under someone else's roof, so there was nothing we could do.

But after some time, Xia Lian suddenly realized that life was different.

Perhaps it was because I hadn't embraced love in so long, everything my cousin brought was so warm.

The hamburger I wanted to eat, the slippers on my feet, and the brand new clothes.

I'll start looking forward to tomorrow.

No matter how sad things get, my cousin will always embrace me like the sun.

She hated mirrors because she always saw herself alone in them, but now she felt that she was beautiful in the mirror, just like her cousin said, "You've always been beautiful."

When did you start to fall for her?

Perhaps even she herself had forgotten, only knowing that from some point onwards, her gaze could no longer leave this newly acquainted cousin.

Xia Lian understood the principle that there should be no excessive contact between people of the opposite sex.

But when the other person is her cousin, she can't help but move closer to him, wanting to embrace his warmth.

Xia Lian had never been cared for like this before. Since her mother passed away, apart from her uncle, her cousin was the one who cared for her the most.

She could feel that she was being genuinely cared for.

From that moment on, Xia Lian also felt that she had changed.

She has become more proactive in speaking, more reliant on others, and has made good friends. Whenever she speaks, her cousin will appear like Superman and hug her.

My heart was pounding.

At first, I didn't understand what kind of feeling this was. I only knew that I wanted to hold him and never leave his side. I would feel very lost if my cousin left my sight for even a second.

He wouldn't mind if I stuttered, or if I had a blank expression; he would just hold me gently and comfort me with a smile...

Xia Lian didn't understand why, but she wanted to give her cousin everything she had.

Occasionally, just occasionally, could you look at me a little more?

Please do not leave me……

Because apart from my cousin, I really have nothing left.

I want to marry you. I'll give you anything I own or anything you need.

I will be obedient.

Because my cousin is the best; he loves me the most and cares for me the most.

I also like my cousin the most...