Yandere Substitute Brother (22)

Xie An was worried about the wound on Lin Xingyan's mouth, so she first went to the pharmacy with him. If it really affected the filming progress, she would indeed feel a bit guilty.

After buying the ointment and applying it simply for him, Xie An sat on the electric scooter that Lin Xingyan had just scanned, and the two of them rode to a nearby shopping mall.

Xie An was in no hurry to go straight into the mall, instead asking Lin Xingyan to ride her around several bustling commercial streets.

Stopping and starting along the way, she bought snacks, eating half and leaving the rest for Lin Xingyan to finish.

Lin Xingyan was initially a bit embarrassed, as this behavior could be considered indirect kissing to some extent.

But with more and more food in his hands, he had no time to think of random things, only able to care for the excited Xie An while eating a variety of mixed foods.

Having lived in An City for twenty years, today was the first time he realized the snacks on the commercial street were actually so abundant.

With great difficulty, he finished the last half of a grilled sausage. Lin Xingyan breathed a sigh of relief, but seeing Xie An stop in front of another small stall, he immediately felt he couldn't continue to indulge her.

He grabbed Xie An's hand, looked down at her, his voice carrying a hint of helplessness: "No more eating."

"Just one last time."

Xie An blinked at him: "After buying this fried yogurt, we'll go stroll in the mall and won't eat anything else."

Lin Xingyan had absolutely no resistance to this cute side of Xie An. By the time his rationality returned, he found he had naturally helped Xie An pay the bill.

Holding the fried yogurt, Xie An took a bite and pulled Lin Xingyan toward the electric scooter. Lin Xingyan was constantly worried about her ankle, carefully supporting her.

"I'm fine, it's much better now."

Xie An felt he was making a mountain out of a molehill. She stopped letting him support her, scooped a bite of fried yogurt, and brought it to Lin Xingyan's lips: "You try it."

In reality, the amount of snacks Lin Xingyan ate this afternoon was more than the past twenty years combined.

Strolling the streets with Xie An, he realized his past life had been both tedious and stressful.

He still had no interest in going out, but because Xie An was by his side, everything suddenly became incredibly joyful.

Opening his mouth to bite the yogurt, the cool sensation dispelled the heat on his body. The corners of Lin Xingyan's lips unconsciously curved into a faint smile: "It's delicious."

By the time they entered the mall, it was already three in the afternoon. Xie An's train was at five o'clock. She had to return to the hotel at four to get her luggage and check out, and be at the station by four-thirty.

"We played outside for too long, we're running out of time. We need to quickly choose gifts and local specialties," Xie An said to Lin Xingyan, looking at the time on her phone with a bit of a headache. "Any suggestions?"

Although Lin Xingyan still felt uncomfortable in his heart, he didn't show it. After thinking for a moment, he led Xie An to the fruit section.

"An City's lychees and strawberries are very good this season, considered famous local brands. Buying them in other provinces is much more expensive. They are individually packaged, convenient to carry, and not heavy. Take a few boxes back, wash them tonight, and you can eat them right away."

Local specialties were indeed different. The branded fruits looked very plump and beautiful, and their flavor was rich.

"Okay, then we'll take these two types of specialties."

Recalling the way Xia You ate strawberries that night, Xie An thought about it and bought an extra box separately.

With the specialties sorted, she still had to consider gifts.

Xie An didn't know Xia You very well and didn't know what he liked. She strolled through several stationery stores, planning to choose the safe option of buying a notebook and a pen for Xia You.

But after buying them, she regretted it, feeling this action could easily put academic pressure on the kid, let alone pens and notebooks could be found anywhere.

After considering for a moment, Xie An went back to return the items with a thick skin.

Passing by a men's clothing store, she took a fancy to a white T-shirt with a very nice cut.

In her memory of that rainy afternoon, the rain splashing into the corridor had soaked the youth's clothes, the cheap fabric sticking to his body, looking somewhat transparent.

Perhaps he should also change into a new set of clothes.

Consider this a housewarming gift from her.

His heart felt as if pierced by countless needles, spreading sourness and irritable jealousy. Lin Xingyan pursed his lips tightly, his brows furrowing slightly in an almost imperceptible way.

Xie An didn't notice his small reaction. After paying, she carried the paper bag back to Lin Xingyan's side, her eyes curving into a bright smile.

"In just twenty minutes, the mission is accomplished ahead of schedule. Let's head back to the hotel."

Taking the clothing bag from Xie An's hand, Lin Xingyan forced a smile. His tone was normal, but his eyes swirled with chaotic emotions.

"Okay, I'll accompany you back to get your luggage and go to the station early so we don't have to rush. Once you're on the train, I'll head back to school."

Near the east exit of the mall, there was an accessory counter that looked very luxurious. Xie An's gaze lingered there for a moment, and for some reason, she couldn't tear her feet away.

Lin Xingyan's hands were very beautiful, with distinct knuckles and slightly protruding wrist bones. Under his porcelain-white skin, faint blue veins were visible, but his wrist seemed a bit bare.

Changing direction, Xie An stepped forward to look at the display counter. Amidst a row of gold and silver jewelry, she took a fancy to the most simple item.

A simple red string adorned with a round, white jade bead. It was unclear what kind of jade it was, but it was round and translucent, very pleasing to the eye.

The highly professional sales assistant immediately brought out the box, introducing it in detail while displaying it from every angle.

"Miss, you have great taste!"

After a long, tedious introduction, Xie An filtered out several key pieces of information: good jade, only one left, on a massive discount, and once expired, it wouldn't be available.

"Three hundred and sixty yuan, it's really not expensive. Look at the quality of this jade."

Xie An bargained with the assistant for ten minutes, finally settling on a price of three hundred and twenty yuan.

Just as she was about to pay, Lin Xingyan grabbed Xie An's hand, his lowered lashes hiding the gloom in his eyes, his voice trembling slightly.

"I feel this gift is too precious. Won't it put pressure on Xia You?"

He really couldn't bear it anymore. The jealousy burning his heart made his breathing ragged.

Xie An looked at him in surprise, remaining silent for a long time. Lin Xingyan thought she had guessed his petty thoughts, and his face turned slightly pale.

"Miss... do you still want this item?"

Concerned about her commission, the sales assistant forced a smile and stiffly reminded Xie An.

Lin Xingyan's hand holding hers tightened slightly, his eyes filled with anxiety and expectation. Xie An, as if blind to his complex emotions, slowly turned and nodded to the assistant.

"I'll take it."

She still paid. The light of expectation in Lin Xingyan's eyes shattered, buried in darkness.

The large hand holding Xie An's hand suddenly loosened, his hair falling over his forehead to cast a shadow. The mix of loss and jealousy made him feel as if he had just swallowed bitter medicine, the bitterness numbing his tongue.

Xie An held the gift box, about to hand it to Lin Xingyan and explain that this bracelet was bought for him, when a piercing ringtone suddenly cut everything short.