Xu Youyou was caught off guard and stopped speaking immediately. She looked at him with her big eyes that seemed capable of voicing the thoughts in her head. His palm was warm against her skin, causing her heart to thump heavily.
Mo Shen smiled slightly as he said in a low voice, “I’m not afraid of you, little one.”
‘Little one? That sounds a little like a term of endearment, right?!’
Mo Shenbai withdrew his hand.
Xu Youyou carefully moved closer to him as she asked, “You’re really not uncomfortable when I’m close to you?”
He nodded.
Xu Youyou felt relieved and moved closer to him again. When she smelled his refreshing woodsy scent, she could not help but feel a hint of sweetness in her heart. She said, “If you ever feel uncomfortable around me, remember to tell me. Don’t worry about me. I…”
Before she could finish her words, he grabbed her small hand as he turned to look at her. His expression seemed to say, ‘Do I look uncomfortable to you?’
Xu Youyou smiled as she pulled her hand back. Then, she turned to look out the window. She felt inexplicably happy when she thought about how he did not feel uncomfortable when he was near her or touched her.
At this moment, Pei Chuan was driving the duo. Although the driver’s injury was light, he was the one driving, he had to go to the police station to deal with the matter.
When Pei Chuan saw the natural interaction between the duo through the rearview mirror, he raised his eyebrows in confusion. ‘What kind of magic does Xu Youyou have that Chairman Mo treats her so differently?’
After a period of silence, Mo Shenbai suddenly said, “Xu Jialu was promoted last month.”
Xu Youyou turned to look at him in confusion. “I know.”
Seeing that she did not understand the meaning of his words, he said bluntly, “Apart from an increased salary, his overtime pay and bonus have also increased.”
Realization dawned on Xu Youyou. She grinned and asked, “Do you think it’s strange that my brother wants money from me?”
“He’s not usually like that…” Mo Shenbai said. Although Xu Jialu seemed thoughtless, he was not the type to take money from women. However, he could not figure out why Xu Jialu would take money from his sister.
“I grew up in the countryside and lived by my grandmother’s side. Hence, I’m not very close to my parents,” Xu Youyou said as she brushed her hair back. She lowered her gaze to cover the darkness in them as she continued to say, “Perhaps, they feel like they owe me a lot over the years, after I returned, they’re very polite and careful with me, afraid that I’d feel uncomfortable.”
In other words, ironically, it was due to this treatment that it was even harder for her to adapt and integrate into the family.
Mo Shenbai was very smart so he understood her immediately. “So he’s doing that to make you feel needed?”
Xu Youyou nodded. “He would always use the excuse that he has no money and ask for money in all sorts of ways. Nonetheless, he always has money to buy things for me.”
Xu Youyou knew the expensive bags and clothes in her closet had long exceeded the money she had given him.
Mo Shenbai remained silent as he looked at her with his dark eyes, waiting for her to continue speaking.
“My brother only looks unreliable. In fact, he’s a very good person. He once said you’re his best friend.”
Mo Shenbai did not believe Xu Jialu never scolded him in front of her. He asked skeptically, “He’s never scolded me in front of you?”
“Uh…” Xu Youyou recalled how Xu Jialu would scold Mo Shenbai and said he wanted to peel Mo Shenbai’s skin off whenever he returned from working overtime. She smiled guiltily and shook her head.
Mo Shenbai did not expose her lie. After a moment of silence, he asked, “You don’t blame them?”
After all, she was sent away not long after she was born and was raised by her grandmother. She had never enjoyed the warmth of a family or her parents’ love.