A street urchin turned academic genius, starting by saving the blind school beauty.

Chapter 105 A Sweet Trip

Lu Zhaoye bought a train ticket for a journey that departs at nine in the morning and arrives in Nanjing at noon, so he can sleep for a while along the way.

As a migrant worker who had also worked in Beijing and the south, taking the high-speed rail was as familiar to him as going home, and he didn't feel much emotional distress.

But Xu Ziqing is different. She has lived in Gangcheng since she was a child and has never been out. Even when she travels, she only wanders around her hometown.

Xu Ziqing was very nervous about this trip to Nanjing. The familiar streets had become congested blind paths, and the fragrance of flowers in the air had turned into the smell of sweat mixed in with the crowd.

Since Xu Ziqing lost her sight, she walks the road from school to home every day, regardless of the cold winter, spring, or summer, whether it is sunny or not. She has always been on that familiar life path, never deviating from it.

But when she left that small village, Xu Ziqing realized how insignificant she was, and that a world without light could truly make someone with such a strong sense of direction completely lose their way.

She could only grip the white cane in her hand with all her might, and... that warm arm.

Fortunately, Lu Zhaoye noticed something was wrong when he saw Xu Ziqing's hand gripping him more and more tightly. After thinking for a moment, he directly grabbed Xu Ziqing's soft, boneless hand in return.

Cool and small.

Xu Ziqing's nervousness was replaced by a sweet feeling, and she followed closely behind Lu Zhaoye.

It's so well-behaved, it makes me feel very safe.

However, after the two entered the carriage, Xu Ziqing noticed that there seemed to be a barrier between her and her older brother, which she could not remove no matter how she tried.

Xu Ziqing pouted and reached out to touch the person next to her, but she couldn't touch them.

"Xu Ziqing, wait a moment, I'll put my luggage down."

This time, Lu Zhaoye bought a two-seater bench by the window. Xu Ziqing sat by the window, and Lu Zhaoye sat on the outside. The space was quite large.

"Okay, hurry up," Xu Ziqing said quietly as she sat down obediently.

After putting away his luggage, Lu Zhaoye immediately sat down. Seeing Xu Ziqing sitting upright with her back straight, he leaned over the barrier between them and said,

"Xu Ziqing, let me adjust your seat, otherwise you're getting too tired like this."

Xu Ziqing felt her older brother's breath on her face, and a blush slowly crept up her neck. She pursed her lips and nodded blankly.

"Okay, lie back as far as you can, and stop when you feel comfortable."

After adjusting the positions, Lu Zhaoye, like a concerned father, gave special instructions.

"You can just go to sleep now. You don't need to worry about anything else. Just let me know if you need water or to go to the bathroom, okay?"

Xu Ziqing smiled, her dimples curving into a beautiful arc once again. "Mmm."

Immediately, Lu Zhaoye turned around, took out his phone, and took a picture of Aunt Xu to let her know he was safe.

Then Lu Zhaoye opened his phone and sent a message to Luo Xiao, saying that he was going to go online with Chen Ziniu and the others to relax.

Just then, Xu Ziqing suddenly leaned closer and whispered,

"Big brother, could we move the one in the middle...?"

Lu Zhaoye turned his head to look and saw Xu Ziqing holding the handle between the two of them, speaking very seriously.

"What are you doing? Do you want to lean on me?" Lu Zhaoye joked.

But Xu Ziqing wasn't shy at all; instead, she nodded seriously.

"Uh-huh."

Lu Zhaoye was at a loss for words, so he explained to Xu Ziqing that it couldn't be moved and was fixed in place.

Xu Ziqing's dimples disappeared instantly, and she pouted, turning her face away, looking unhappy.

Lu Zhaoye smiled. He knew in his heart that Xu Ziqing was actually very scared, but since Xu Ziqing had actually come out with him because of his words, Lu Zhaoye would naturally take responsibility for her.

He placed his hand on Xu Ziqing's slender right leg and said with a grin,

"Or, you can hold my hand."

Xu Ziqing's ears instantly turned red, but she still grabbed her older brother's hand tightly, and couldn't help but smile.

Actually, Xu Ziqing agreed to come to Nanjing with her mother not for medical treatment, but to see her father and, incidentally... spend some time alone with her older brother.

While at school, Xu Ziqing rarely had time to spend alone with her older brother. They used to be able to eat lunch alone, but ever since Hanhan met her older brother, they had less and less time together.

"Okay, hold on tight now, go to sleep peacefully." Lu Zhaoye gently squeezed Xu Ziqing's small hand and said tenderly.

"Okay."

"..."

When Lu Zhaoye slowly opened his eyes again, he suddenly felt that his shoulders were very heavy and his jaw was itchy and uncomfortable.

He looked down and saw that Xu Ziqing's body had somehow crossed the "barrier" between the two of them, one hand tightly holding his own, and the other arm around his arm.

Xu Ziqing nestled her head in the crook of his neck and slept soundly, her warm breath gently brushing against his shoulder, tickling him.

Lu Zhaoye's lips curled slightly as he turned his gaze to the window, his eyes shining even brighter.

Before setting off, Lu Zhaoye saw that there was no sun outside and thought it was a cloudy day.

However, just as we were about to get off the bus, the sun slowly rose.

In the days following his promise to accompany Xu Ziqing to Nanjing to meet with her mother, Lu Zhaoye pondered a lot: was it really over once he had helped Xu Ziqing cure her eyes?

To be honest, Lu Zhaoye didn't think that way. He wasn't that aloof; deep down, he actually had feelings for Xu Ziqing.

Lu Zhaoye couldn't tell whether his feelings stemmed from long-term bullying or from genuine affection.

Lu Zhaoye didn't want to overthink it, because if he delved deeper, he was surprised to find that his affection seemed somewhat excessive.

Whether it's the always well-behaved Xu Ziqing, the Xu Qingwan who embodies his own image, or Luo Xiao who grew up with him, he seems... unable to let go of any of them.

A glint of light flashed in his eyes as he looked at the sun breaking through the clouds and becoming increasingly dazzling. The confusion in Lu Zhaoye's heart gradually disappeared.

"Hmm~ Big brother, don't move," Xu Ziqing's soft voice reached his ears.

Lu Zhaoye snapped out of his daze and looked down at Xu Ziqing, who was standing right in front of him.

Xu Ziqing's skin was in great condition, with a classic cool-toned, fair complexion and a mature, elegant look. Her face was full of collagen, making it look incredibly smooth and delicate. However, at this moment, a blush had crept onto Xu Ziqing's face.

Lu Zhaoye's heart skipped a beat as he watched this scene. A slight smile played on his lips. Recalling the question from earlier, his answer became more resolute. He slowly spoke,

"Xu Ziqing, are you awake already? You're not trying to take advantage of me, are you?"