The little crybaby in the group, the young master is a softie

The morning sunlight seemed to be carefully filtered, flowing into Jian Yi's bedroom without being too harsh or too intense. As soon as she sat up, rubbing her sleepy eyes, the phone on the bedside table rang happily, and the words "Su Yang" jumped on the screen.

"Hey?"

"Jian Yi! Are you up? I'm downstairs at your house!"

She was startled and suddenly threw back the quilt: "Ah? Why are you here? I'll be down right away!"

After hanging up the phone, she hurriedly put on her washed-out cotton skirt and quickly combed her long hair in front of a small mirror. In just three minutes, she had already rushed to the corridor with her canvas bag in hand. The morning light hit her face, causing her to squint subconsciously.

Under the old locust tree, Su Yang was kicking stones with his back to her. When he heard Jian Yi running over, he turned around and immediately waved at her: "Here, here!"

Jian Yi ran up to him, panting slightly. She lowered her head and asked in a low voice, "Why did you come here suddenly?"

"I came to have breakfast with you," Su Yang said, and took out two things from his trouser pocket and handed them to her, "Here, they are for you."

Jian Yi looked up and saw a bank card and a palm-sized velvet box. She was stunned, and before she could ask, Su Yang had already opened the box.

Inside lay a round night pearl, as big as a fist, glowing with warm light in the morning light, as if a handful of moonlight had been kneaded into it.

"This is……"

"Take the money in the card," Su Yang scratched his head, but his tone was very serious, "It's enough for you to pay for four years of university tuition and living expenses. Don't work part-time in the future, just study hard. This bead... just consider it a souvenir to celebrate our admission to university."

Jian Yi took a half step back and pushed the thing into his arms: "No, no, it's too expensive, I can't take it."

Her voice was as thin as a mosquito, but her eyes were quietly red. She knew what this meant, it was kindness that she couldn't reach even if she stood on tiptoe, like a thin needle, gently pricking her sensitive self-esteem.

"Hey, take it!" Su Yang stuffed it back. Seeing that she pursed her lips and refused to take it, he was so anxious that he almost blurted out: "This is..." He swallowed back the words "Gui Ju asked me to give it to you" and changed his words with a bit of a naughty smile, "Didn't you say that we are good friends? Good friends should help each other! If you refuse to accept it, it proves that you lied to me before?"

After saying that, he blinked his innocent peach blossom eyes and looked at her, which made her feel soft-hearted.

"I didn't lie to you, it's just that this is different..."

"What's the difference?" Su Yang didn't wait for her to finish her words and stuffed the things into her canvas bag. His movements were so fast that she couldn't react in time. "It's settled! If you push me again, I'll be angry!"

His fingers accidentally touched her arm, and the warm touch made Jian Yi shrink as if she had been electrocuted. The box in her arms was heavy, as if it contained her unspeakable thoughts. She looked into Su Yang's bright eyes, which were full of sincerity, without any alms, but pure concern.

"Let's go, let's go have breakfast!"

Su Yang pulled her wrist without saying anything and walked forward. Jian Yi was pulled forward by him, her steps were a little unsteady, but her heart was beating like a fluttering deer.

She secretly looked up at him. His white short-sleeved shirt made him look energetic. There was some mud on his sneakers, probably from kicking stones downstairs just now. The legs of his jeans were rolled up, revealing his ankles that were tanned a healthy tan. There was not a trace of the pampered rich kid in his every move.

"Do you know which one is good?" Su Yang turned around and looked at her. "I just walked around here and saw that all the restaurants are similar. I think it's more reliable for you to lead the way."

Jian Yi lowered her head when he looked at her and whispered, "Two blocks ahead, there's a 'Zhang's Breakfast Shop'. It's been open for more than ten years. The tofu pudding and vegetable buns are all very authentic." As she spoke, she broke away from his hand, quickened her pace and walked in front to lead the way.

The alley is narrow and early vendors have already set up their stalls. A few old men in vests are gathered around a tricycle selling breakfast. The oil pan for frying dough sticks is sizzling and golden oil splashes up and down.

Su Yang followed behind Jian Yi, and from time to time he shrank his neck because of the hot steam coming out of the steamers on the roadside, but he didn't show any impatience. When he saw a stall selling sugar paintings, he stopped to take a closer look.

"Wow! This sugar painting is so beautiful. It's a pity that my brother doesn't like sweet food, otherwise I would pack some for him to try," and then turned to Jian Yi and asked, "Do you want to eat it?" He asked while his phone was unlocked and the screen was lit. His finger was hovering above the payment code, and he was about to scan it.

Jian Yi quickly grabbed his arm and walked forward, "Don't buy it, I don't like sweet things. Zhang's is almost here, if we don't go now the vegetable buns will be sold out."

"Okay, I'll listen to you." Su Yang put away his phone and waved to the sugar painting master, "Boss, come and patronize us again next time!"

As he was pulling her forward, Jian Yi belatedly let go of her hand. The warm touch of his arm lingered on her fingertips, making her feel as if she had a freshly roasted chestnut in her heart, hot and soft.

She quickened her pace and rushed forward, her ponytail swung behind her, and a muffled voice floated over from the front: "Hurry up, there will be no room later."

They walked along the street and when they turned the second corner, the sign of "Zhang's Breakfast Shop" came into view. The three storefronts were connected and filled with people at dawn. The steaming hot air mixed with the burnt aroma of fried dough sticks and the beany smell of soy milk condensed into a layer of white mist in the slightly dim room, sticking to the greasy glass windows.

Jian Yi quickened his pace and lifted the curtain to go in. Su Yang followed closely behind. As soon as he stood firm, he was enveloped by the hot air in the room, and the salty aroma of tofu pudding and the sauce aroma of vegetable dumplings lingered at his nose.

"Boss, two bowls of tofu pudding, four vegetable buns, and two fried dough sticks!" Jian Yi found a small table against the wall as if he was familiar with the place. When he turned around, he saw Su Yang was startled by the sound of the enamel pot in the hand of the uncle at the next table hitting the table. He couldn't help but curled the corners of his mouth.

Su Yang noticed her gaze, but he was not embarrassed. Instead, he winked at her and said in a low voice, "This place is much more lively than the western restaurant downstairs from my house. It smells delicious."

Not long after they sat down, two men in dark blue overalls pushed the door open, their trouser legs still stained with mud. They were workers from a nearby brick kiln factory, their sleeves rolled up to their elbows, revealing their skin yellowed by smoke and fire, with black ash embedded between their fingers.

The two men spoke in loud voices. They sat down at the next table and shouted, "Boss, give me ten fried dough sticks and four bowls of salty soy milk! Add more spicy sauce!" As they spoke, they took out crumpled change from their pockets. When they counted the money, their knuckles looked particularly thick due to years of exertion.

Su Yang looked at the table across from him, where an old farmer was drinking porridge. He was wearing a washed-out blue cloth jacket, with his trouser legs rolled up to his knees, revealing his tanned calves, with fresh dirt on his ankles.

Next to him was a polished bamboo basket, half filled with freshly picked vegetables. It was obvious that he was going to the morning market to sell vegetables and came here to eat something hot on the way.

The old man ate slowly, eating each mouthful of porridge with a clove of raw garlic. There was still some dust stuck in the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, and he would raise his hand from time to time to wipe the sweat with his sleeves.

Near the window, the street sweeper was leaning her broom against the table leg. Her orange vest was stained with fallen leaves, and her hair was tied up loosely with an old rubber band, with a few strands of hair stuck to her sweaty forehead.

She held a bowl of tofu pudding in her hand and ate it with a cabbage bun. She looked up at the wall clock from time to time, probably because she was afraid of delaying the cleaning time. Halfway through her meal, she tore off a plastic bag from the side, put the remaining buns in it, and then took her tools and walked away quickly.

The busiest place was the table at the door, where four construction workers who had just finished their night shift sat together. They took off their safety helmets stained with cement, revealing their sweat-soaked hair. One of them was wiping his face with his rough hands, leaving a few white marks on his dusty skin as his fingertips rubbed across his cheek.

There were more than a dozen meat buns and several bowls of spicy soup on the table. Some people were wolfing down the buns, not even bothering to wipe the oil as it flowed down the corners of their mouths. Some people were holding up large coarse porcelain bowls and drinking guzzle, the sound of their Adam's apples rolling could be heard in the noisy shop.

"I heard that the construction site in the south is hiring again, paying 300 yuan a day."

"That job is exhausting. Last time, Lao Li worked there for half a month and his back was sprained."

"I have to work even if I'm tired. My child's tuition is still to be paid..."