"Is this your brother next to you? Or...?"
The candy vendor asked tentatively, wanting to know if it was her fiancé or her husband.
He thought the two were a perfect match, looking like a married couple. The man in front of him was completely smitten with the young girl, but since the girl wasn't wearing her hair in a married style, he swallowed the rest of his words.
It would be bad if it ruined the girl's reputation.
"Ah, yes, brother."
He's just not my biological brother.
Hearing what the candy shop owner said, Chen Nian looked up at Ertai and met his eyes, which were filled with his own reflection and tenderness.
In that instant, Chen Nian's heart raced, and her mind went blank for a moment, though she herself didn't know why.
She could never stand Ertai's gaze, which was always fixed on her; it gave her a kind of illusion, an illusion she never dared to imagine.
That doesn't belong to her. Someone like her has long been mired in a filthy, chaotic, and corrupt quagmire, and shouldn't drag others down with her.
She avoided Ertai's unsettling gaze and answered the candy shop owner's question.
However, after she uttered the word "brother," she instantly felt the cold atmosphere around her.
Hearing Chen Nian's answer, the candy shop owner felt the chill in the air and subconsciously looked at Ertai standing to the side, not missing the fleeting hurt in Ertai's eyes.
A realization dawned on my eyes; it seemed the flowing water was willing, but the falling flowers were heartless.
However, the little girl didn't seem to be completely oblivious; he noticed a fleeting look of panic in her eyes.
"It's getting late, we should head back. Didn't you want some candy? Could you please weigh some for us, boss?"
Undeniably, Chen Nian's words did hurt Ertai a bit, and he really needs some time to adjust.
Her words were as gentle as ever, but how could Chen Nian, who spent every day with Ertai, not notice the change in him? A pang of pain shot through her heart.
It doesn't hurt much, but it's very uncomfortable.
"Alright, alright, it's getting late. I'll pack it up for you now. Just a moment, I'll pack it up and head home."
My wife is still waiting for me at home. If I get back late, she might misunderstand and think I'm deliberately delaying my return. I'll have to explain myself when I get back. She'd be so happy for me if she knew I ran into the girl from my childhood.
The candy vendor agreed and started serving the two candies.
"Nowadays, many people break up because of misunderstandings. I don't want my wife to misunderstand me. Some things can't be delayed. If something needs to be explained, it should be explained on the day it happens. Otherwise, it will cause both of us to get hurt and drift apart."
The candy shop owner spoke with a pointed remark in the last paragraph.
"Here you go, your candy is packed. Come back next time if you want some. I'll be in this town for the next few days, but I'll be moving to a different location soon. We'll have to say goodbye then."
The candy vendor handed over the packaged candy.
"Boss, how much?"
Ertai took it and asked a question.
"It's free, it's a gift for the little girl. She used to support my business when she was little and helped me a lot. This little bit of candy is not enough to repay her."
The candy vendor waved his hand, stopping Ertai from handing over the silver.
"No, boss, one thing at a time, this is what you should get."
Their conversation pulled them back from their reverie, causing them to ignore the pain in their hearts, and together with Ertai, they pushed away the sugar candy vendor who refused to sell them the candy.
"Alright—"
...
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