Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Sad

He didn't give her any answer to this question, but just hid in the room with his damaged model airplane, and even his excuses were as poor as before.

"The alarm went off, I need to take my medicine."

He took a step back, and the hair on his forehead trembled with his movements, blocking his eyes. Tang Ningyue could only see in the light that his arm with bulging veins was tightly holding the model machine that was scratched by the impact.

Whenever she saw him running away in a hurry, a playful smile would instantly appear on her delicate face, just like when she was a child. If he got angry, she would kiss the soft skin on the side of his face, muttering, "Baby, how can you be so cute?"

Li Jinglang would not recall his childhood unless he was dreaming. The memory that suddenly appeared in his mind made his whole body hot, and even his cheeks turned red, as if she had just held his face and kissed him when he was a child.

He took a step back, and she continued her assault. Her footsteps echoed in the extremely quiet room, and his fingers trembled slightly.

She is here.

Li Jinglang's door was not locked. Tang Ningyue did not go in, but just knocked twice on the door.

"Jinglang."

Her voice was still as moist and sweet as ever, like an unsealed jar of caramel.

"I'll have someone repair your model machine for you tomorrow."

"I've never played with this before, and I accidentally broke it."

"Can you please not blame your sister?"

These few words were insincere and even had a hint of provocation, but when they came out of her mouth they were so gentle and touching, as if being touched by her warm and delicate touch.

"I can fix it myself." Li Jinglang clenched the pills in his hand and responded muffledly.

"Okay," she said, pausing for a second before adding a slightly threatening remark, "Then next time you must not hide and remain silent."

"Sister will be worried if she can't find you."

"Plop." The pills in his hand rolled to the ground.

The swaying moon was drunk, and its shadow was rarely seen in winter. It was hidden among several clouds, and only a very faint light fell down, gradually moving from his hand to the bed.

When Zhou Su returned, Tang Ningyue was still awake, seemingly talking to Tang Zhaoming outside again. Li Jinglang could already recognize Tang Zhaoming's voice, even though she rarely communicated with him. Even on the two occasions when she did, Li Jinglang was able to make a quick judgment.

His eyelids drooped slightly, staring blankly at something, his attention completely focused on the whispered conversation outside.

"Is Jinglang asleep?"

When Zhou Su entered the room, he didn't see anyone. He put down the package in his hand and turned to talk to Tang Ningyue.

"Asleep." She smiled gently, saying something without any evidence.

"Going to bed so early again." Zhou Su shook his head. "I don't know if the medicine prescribed by Doctor Hailin is effective. I have to go and see him next time. I've been too busy lately to care about his affairs."

"I'm here." Tang Ningyue walked to Zhou Su's side and held her arm. "Aunt Zhou, don't worry. I will take good care of Jinglang."

"Of course I'm at ease with you around." Zhou Su smiled, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes gathered together, forming a curved line. "But don't delay your work too much, especially you and Shi Yang."

"No." Tang Ningyue shook her head. "Shi Yang likes children very much, especially good boys like Jing Lang. He even told me today that he wants to treat you and Jing Lang to dinner."

"Oh..." Zhou Su pursed his lips embarrassedly, "I'd better not get involved in the affairs of you young people. Shi Yang is a good boy, you should get along well with him."

"I will, don't worry." Tang Ningyue brought a cup of warm water to Zhou Su's hand, "Don't worry about Jinglang and leave him to me. Shi Yang and I will accompany him when he goes for a follow-up check next time. You can focus on your own things."

"This is such a bother for you."

"Aunt Zhou." Tang Ningyue put her arms around her and rested her head on her shoulder. "I regard you as my own mother."

"Good boy..." Zhou Su's eyes were a little moist.

The two of them were exchanging mother-daughter affection in the living room. Li Jinglang was lying alone in the dark room. He pushed the half-open door shut, and the last ray of light in the room completely disappeared.

He sat back on the bed weakly, collapsed backwards, and stretched his arms on the edge of the bed.

He and Zhou Su rarely had such tender moments. Ever since he could remember, Zhou Su had been busy going home to recognize his relatives and start a business. His perception of home was a dark and empty shell of a house where only he and Tang Ningyue would always be.

But Tang Ningyue has many friends, and all the children in the yard like her. There are so many people around her every day that Li Jinglang can't even squeeze into the inner circle.

Only...only when he returned home, back to their home, could he have a complete her. At this time, he didn't need to compete with anyone, nor did he need to be pushed around. He could talk to her all the time, receive her kisses. He didn't need to be angry with her anymore.

When he was with other people, Tang Ningyue was always too busy to take care of him. Li Jinglang was not a playful or cheerful person, so he would avoid other children if they touched him. Gradually, he could only sit alone and watch them play various games.

Whenever he recalled it, he and Tang Ningyue had two different versions of their childhood. Her teenage years were happy and joyful, just like in a storybook, but his childhood was just standing in the sun waiting for her.

Those were extremely difficult days for him. He had never forgotten the word "sad" after learning it for the first time in a storybook. All the adults in the family had heard him say the word "sad", but in the end, they all burst into laughter. After that, he never said these two words again, and he didn't even want to say anything else.

Tang Ningyue said he was stupid, had been stupid since he was a child, didn't know how to hide from the sun, and was always angry. When he was angry, he wouldn't let her hug him or kiss his face, and would scream if she got close to him.

For a while, she particularly disliked him and the fact that Li Jinglang always followed her around. At that time, her adolescence was budding, and she secretly had a crush on a senior at school who could dance ballroom. Like many adolescent girls, Tang Ningyue also started making origami stars, hoping to dance with him at her high school graduation ceremony. However, she never succeeded in making them.

The first time he mustered up the courage to go to school with a bottle of Star, Li Jinglang was injured in physical education class that day. Boys are usually more naughty than girls during puberty, and bloodshed and fighting seem to be common, but Zhou Su couldn't believe it happened to Li Jinglang.

He was even more silent during adolescence than in childhood, less talkative and less sociable. That day, he said he had injured his leg while playing football with a friend. Zhou Su was half-believing and half-doubting. Before that, she had never met any of his friends.

Tang Ningyue took care of him for nearly half a month, taking care of him in every possible way. She even forgot where she threw the can of origami stars. Later, she folded another can, but before she gave it away, she was taken to Vancouver by her grandfather.

The memories of the past had not completely disappeared. Li Jinglang sat up from the bed and turned on the small lamp above his head again. With the faint light, he used a pen with not much ink to write the two distorted words on the empty medicine bottle again - sad.

It’s a pity that no one knows how sad he is.

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