Although my accosting was mostly self-talking, I knew she was listening to me and that she wasn't rejecting me, which was a good start.

Xuanxuan really likes desserts very much, especially the way she pinched the macaron with both hands and took a small bite, like a marmot, very cute.

If Noshi hadn't told me that she was 13 years old, I would have thought she was the same age as little Annie I knew back then.

After dinner, I escorted them to the door and invited her to come over for dinner the following week.

She didn't answer immediately, but turned to look at Noshi.

Noshi pursed her lips slightly, "If you're willing to accept Dean's invitation, I'll try to find time." ”

"Hmm!" She nodded to Noxi, then turned to look at me again, the corners of her lips slightly raised, "Thank you." ”

"You're welcome." I smiled, raised my hand to soften the top of her hair, then straightened up and waved at them, "See you next week." ”

"See you next week." Noxi said to me, a shallow smile floating in her eyes, and Xuanxuan raised her hand and waved it at me.

After Nuoxi brought Xuanxuan three or four times, her rustiness gradually faded, and not only did she no longer just smile or bow her head when I talked to her, but she would answer me.

One day half a year later, Noshi still took the time to bring her over the weekend, but he had just sat down for a while when Noxi's phone rang.

Listening to her, it should be that there is something urgent at work that she needs to deal with.

"I'm sorry, I have some important things that I have to rush back to the office now." After Nuoxi finished speaking to me, he immediately looked at Xuanxuan with a hint of apology in his eyes.

I was lost, it was rare to see her, and she was leaving, and then I noticed that Xuanxuan's appearance also brought loss.

Xuanxuan pursed her lips and clenched her fingertips slightly, I could see that she didn't want to leave, but she didn't know how to speak, so I said, "You go and get busy, I'll send Xuanxuan back later." ”

Noshi turned back to me, "You...... Any idea where she lives? ”

I smiled and asked Xuanxuan, "Xuanxuan, do you know where you live?" ”

She chuckled, and then uttered a list of addresses that I knew too well to be familiar with, but which I had never had the chance to visit, and it was Noshi's villa......

"You live with your sister?" I was surprised.

Xuanxuan smiled at me and nodded, and Nuoxi's voice sounded, "That'...... Xuanxuan, what about you? Are you going to stay for dinner or will I send you back first? ”

Xuanxuan didn't answer, and lowered her eyes a little embarrassed, but her expression could already confirm her thoughts.

Noshi nodded and stood up, "Okay, then I'll trouble you, Dean." ”

"It's not a hassle at all, it's an honor to send such a lovely lady home." I also stood up, intending to send her out first.

Xuanxuan laughed again, the laughter was soft, Nuoxi and I looked back at her, and then I saw her looking up at us, her big eyes slightly bent, and her little face and ears were a little red.

"Huh." Noshi shook his head suddenly, and said to her, "Obediently, don't trouble Brother Dean, you know?" ”

"Hmm!" She nodded heavily.

I sent Nuo Xi out, and when I walked to the door, Nuo Xi said, "No wonder Xuanxuan likes you so much, you are very good at making her happy." ”

"Coax?" I'm confused?

"It's an honor to send such a lovely lady home." She looked sideways at me.

I suddenly came over and chuckled, "Isn't Xuanxuan cute?" ”

"......" her expression was slightly curtailed, she paused and smiled, nodded her head and said, "Cute." ”

After dinner, I sent Xuanxuan home, on the way is not as good as the dining table, you can talk about food on the table, and on the way, the air becomes a little quiet.

I was thinking about how to find a topic, but she suddenly said, "Dean, can I ask you a question?" ”

She didn't like to call me brother, she just called me by my name, I didn't feel anything wrong, and smiled back to her, "Of course." ”

"I heard from my sister that you used to be the same as me, very introverted."

I thought for a second, then nodded, "Yes, not only is it introverted, but I am also a little withdrawn and have low self-esteem, and I don't know how to get along with people." ”

"Why?"

"......" why? I paused again before turning to her and saying, "Didn't your sister tell you?" ”

She shook her head slightly, "She said, those are your private affairs, she has no right to tell me, if I want to know I can come and ask you." ”

I laughed, "A big reason is because of my father." ”

"Your father?"

"Hmm." I replied softly and told her about my father, "So when I met your sister, I was still an introverted and withdrawn big boy with low self-esteem, and she changed me. ”

There was silence for two seconds, and it was her soft voice, "Sister has changed too...... No, she saved me. ”

"Save?" She smiled at me, "She insisted that my mother be admitted to the hospital and persuaded my father to take me back, but everyone didn't like me, and then she took me to live with her." ”

My lips moved, and I let out a soft sigh in the middle of the voice, "Your sister is actually very gentle, although she seems to be fierce. ”

"Yes." Xuanxuan replied to me, then turned her head to look out the window, "A lot of times, I think if she were my mother. ”

I was a little shocked, "Mom? ”

"Hmm." She replied softly and turned back to look at me as a matter of course.

I didn't know what to say, so I paused before I asked her again, "Don't you miss your mother?" ”

She frowned as if she was thinking, then shook her head, "I hope I'll never see her." ”

"......," I frowned, "I heard your sister say that she used to be very bad to you, but she is your mother after all, and isn't she sick?" When you are sick, many times your behavior is not under your control......"

"Nope." She interrupted me, then glanced sideways at me and then turned to look out the window, "My mom is different from your dad. ”

"......" I looked at her side face, I couldn't say what I felt, a little gloomy.

I always thought she was cute, and even though she was fourteen years old, I always thought she was as old as little Anne in my perception, but at this moment, she made me feel like a mature adult......

I sent her back, hesitated for a long time, and finally didn't call Noshi.

I think Xuanxuan should not have come out yet, so when she mentions her mother, she acts a little gloomy, just like I did at that time, unable to forgive my father.

I have also gone through this mental process of her, so I believe that as long as you treat it with care, time will change her.

As I wished, a year later, she was like a different person, not only could she talk to us, but she would also come to my restaurant and bring her classmates when Noshi was busy and had no time.

"Dean! Dean! Her voice rang out outside the kitchen, and it sounded like it was still some distance from the kitchen.

I smiled helplessly, put down my work, turned around and walked to the kitchen door, and saw that she had just run to the door with her schoolbag on her back.

"Dean!" She smiled and her eyes curled, like a crescent moon, and she stepped forward and grabbed my arms with both hands, and pressed her face sideways to my chest.

I shook my head slightly, "What about the lady who said yes?" Your sister is going to talk about you again when she sees it. ”

She looked up, smiled absently, let go of my hand and slipped into the kitchen, "She's not here anyway, and you won't tell her right." ”

"......" I smiled again and shook my head, there was nothing I could do with her.

"I'm so thirsty, is there anything to drink?" She stood still in front of the sink and washed her hands with water on the water.

"Orange juice, watermelon juice, strawberry juice, all delivered in the afternoon."

"That'...... Strawberry bar, by the way, a sundae. ”

"How many?" I walked over to the cold food cabinet.

"I'm the only one today."

"Where's your classmate?"

"She's going to practice." She wiped off the water stains on her hands, walked over to the oven, picked up the almond cookies I had prepared for noon and opened them.

I pulled out the strawberries and nodded at her, "What about you?" Don't you plan to learn something too? Like playing the piano, drawing, or dancing. ”

As if she hadn't heard me, she looked down at the cookie in her hand, took a bite and said, "Can you be a bear next time?" ”

"But I think you're more like a groundhog." I smiled back.

She raised her little head slightly speechlessly, then lowered it again, and threw the remaining biscuit into her mouth, "By the way, I'm here to tell you big news today." ”

"Big news?"

"My dad deliberately arranged for my sister and Shen Jiannan to have dinner during this time."

"......" I just put the basket of strawberries on the edge of the sink and slowly turned my head to look at her, "Shen Jianan?" ”

"Well, Qifeng Group, Shen Jianan is the eldest son of the Shen family."

I felt my heart pound, I knew there was a day, but ...... Why does my heart still hurt......

"Dean?!" Xuanxuan put down the cookie box in her hand and walked over to me, "Dean, are you okay?" ”

When I came back to my senses, I realized that I was hunched over and my hand was on my heart......

"It's okay......" I squeezed out a smile and tried to straighten up, but my chest hurt, pulling my throat and lower abdomen.

"Don't scare me!" Xuanxuan's little face was wrinkled, and she held my right arm with both hands, "I, I haven't finished talking yet, although my father arranged it, but my sister's mother didn't look down on Shen Jianan, saying that he was too old." ”

"Too big?" My chest was still aching, and I was holding the kitchen counter with the other hand, squeezing out the sound.

"Hmmm! He's seven years older than my sister, and my sister doesn't look down on him. ”

I bowed my head slightly, my eyebrows tightened, seven years old...... Aren't they all thirty-one?

"Eh, don't stand, go to the lounge." Xuanxuan braced up my arms with all her might.

I quickly shook my head, "I'm fine, it's just that my stomach suddenly hurt just now." ”

"It hurts, too!" Her voice was urgent, "Go to the rest meeting first and drink a cup of hot water." ”

"Aren't you thirsty? I'll ...... first."

"I'll do that myself!"

"......" I nodded no longer, because her eyes were red like that, and I was afraid that she would cry.