The white rose I picked up cried and said she liked me.

(PS: The previous chapters were too tough, so let's give this one some sweet moments OvO)

"Brother Xu Nian!"

Xu Nian opened the door and was greeted by Xu Xi, who was sitting obediently at the door.

The house was cleaned and spotless.

The bed sheets were washed again, and the dirty clothes that had accumulated over the past few days were washed clean one by one and hung under the roof.

Even the moldy parts on the walls were scraped off layer by layer.

If it weren't for the dilapidated furniture, you would never guess that this is a small house in a shantytown.

"Didn't I tell you to stop working and just rest and recover?"

Xu Nian complained, then helplessly ruffled Xu Xi's hair.

Xu Xi seemed to enjoy the feeling of being patted on the head by Xu Nian, her eyes slightly narrowed, and she let out a comfortable hum.

"Brother, I'm not in pain anymore. It's okay for me to do some housework."

"I really can't help you."

Xu Nian placed the boxed lunch she had bought on the table and began to examine the gauze on Xu Xi's body.

Fortunately, apart from some of the gauze used to fix my hands getting wet, everything else was fine.

"Come and eat, you've been starving all day."

He beckoned Xu Xi to sit down at the table and opened two lunch boxes.

Xu Xi looked at the box in front of Xu Nian; there was less food and more rice.

The box in front of him contained an even more abundant meal, including two chicken drumsticks.

She recognized the smell of that chicken leg; it was from that oily, grilled chicken leg stall she passed on the way home with Xu Nian that day.

"Brother, I can't eat that much..."

"Even if you can't eat it all, eat it. You're still growing, how can you not get enough nutrition?"

Xu Nian pinched Xu Xi's slender arm and felt a pang of heartache.

Seeing that Xu Nian persisted, Xu Xi finally gave up.

While Xu Nian wasn't paying attention, Xu Xi quickly picked up a chicken leg and stuffed it into Xu Nian's rice.

Just as Xu Nian was about to put the food back, she saw Xu Xi protect her lunchbox with her hand, like a little tiger guarding its food.

He smiled helplessly, took a bite of the chicken leg, and then let go of his hand to continue eating.

"I'll be back at the same time tomorrow. Here's the money; go out and buy something to eat for breakfast and lunch tomorrow."

Xu Nian put the extra 30 yuan she earned today on the table.

Xu Xi nodded obediently, noticing a wound on Xu Nian's hand.

"Brother, what happened to your hand?"

Xu Nian then noticed the injury on her hand that she didn't know when she had sustained.

He remembers wearing gloves while working.

The only time I took off my gloves was when I was lifting a small excavator, because the gloves slipped.

Who's the kind person who buys an excavator online?!

"It's alright, it'll be fine tomorrow."

Xu Nian waved her hand, not taking it to heart.

After finishing her meal, it was already late at night. Xu Nian took out the trash and prepared to take a shower.

"You go to sleep first, I'm going to take a shower."

Xu Nian walked into the small area inside the house, which was simply surrounded by a cloth, and turned on the tap.

Even in the sweltering summer, the water flowing here is extremely cold.

He took off his sweaty clothes, filled basins with cool water, and poured them over himself.

After a busy day, this is the only time he can truly relax.

Why does it feel like there's a pair of eyes in the back?

Xu Nian turned around abruptly, but apart from the clothes hanging under the roof swaying gently in the wind, there was nothing there.

That's strange, my sixth sense is usually very accurate.

He shook his head and continued scrubbing the dirt off his body.

Xu Xi leaned against the wall, her heart pounding.

She touched her burning cheeks, recalling the scene she had just glimpsed.

Dark skin, a well-defined chest, and a clearly defined eight-pack...

Thinking about how she slept with such muscular muscles pressed against her skin, Xu Xi couldn't help but blush.

She felt a little person appear above her head.

"Xu Xi, Xu Xi, what are you doing?"

"Your brother kindly took you in, and you actually lust after him?"

At the same time, another little devil with a fork appeared.

"So what if I looked?"

"Since we've already seen it, let's take another look."

Xu Xi was a little confused and at a loss for what to do.

A moment later, she heard the sound of the tap being turned off.

Xu Xi quickly threw herself onto the bed and wrapped herself tightly in the blanket.

"What's wrong? Are you cold?"

Xu Nian dried her hair, looking at the quilt wriggling on the bed, somewhat puzzled.

It's summer now, and although the temperature drops a bit at night, it's not yet time to hide under the covers.

Xu Xi poked her head out and shook her head guiltily.

Why is your face so red?

"Ugh...it must be from being suffocated under the covers."

Xu Nian was confused. After hanging up the towel, she went to bed to prepare for sleep.

"Behave yourself when you sleep at night, you always crawl over to my side."

Recalling the awkwardness of those two mornings, Xu Nian couldn't help but say.

Xu Xi nodded, then turned around so that Xu Nian wouldn't see her even more blushing cheeks.

The stars twinkled, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

The chirping of insects in the trees was incessant, like a lullaby from nature.

The sound of Xu Nian's even breathing could be heard beside my ear.

After a long day, Xu Nian slept soundly on a night without thunder or rain.

Xu Xi lay in bed, tossing and turning.

In the distance, the sounds of a migrant worker couple arguing could be heard, accompanied by the occasional sound of something being smashed on the ground.

Every time the sound of shattering rang out, Xu Xi's heart skipped a beat.

The little bit of sleepiness I had managed to muster was swallowed up by endless fear.

Gradually, the argument grew louder, with the man's curses and the woman's cries echoing in the air.

Xu Xi's body trembled uncontrollably.

She curled up her small body, hugging her knees tightly with both hands.

Scenes of her father beating her flashed through her mind, those terrifying memories like bamboo whips lashing her body.

She shifted her body, gradually moving closer to Xu Nian, and unconsciously leaned to Xu Nian's side.

Xu Xi turned her head and quietly looked at the sleeping Xu Nian.

That weathered face gave her a great sense of security.

His gaze slid down and landed on Xu Nian's chest.

As Xu Nian breathed evenly, her body rose and fell rhythmically.

Xu Xi pressed her head against that muscular chest.

Thump, thump...

The sound of Xu Nian's heartbeat reached my ears.

In an instant, it seemed as if all other noises disappeared from her world.

The father's beatings faded into the distance, and the sounds of arguing in the distance gradually faded away.

She placed her small hands on her chest, carefully feeling her heartbeat.

Gradually, the rapid, tense beating subsided.

In the end, it seemed to become in sync with Xu Nian's heartbeat.

"Mom, what does it mean for hearts to beat in sync?"

"Their heartbeats are in sync, which means they both have each other in their hearts."