The Ice King's Little Trouble Maker-Chapter 509 - 473: Like You
Lin Huai Shu’s hand froze when opened, as he looked at Qiao Lechu.
Qiao Lechu covered her ears with both hands, her eyes tightly shut. In an instant, her face turned pale, and her whole body was trembling subtly.
She stood for a moment but then, because her legs went weak, she squatted down on the ground.
Lin Huai Shu was taken aback for a moment, seeing her squat down, and after a moment, he walked over to her side, squatted down as well, and softly called out, "Lechu."
Qiao Lechu, covering her ears, bowed her head as if trying to hide herself again.
Lin Huai Shu didn’t dare to speak any further, just squatted in front of her, accompanying her.
After almost ten minutes, seeing her hands relaxing a bit over her ears, he spoke again, "Lechu."
"I’m sorry," Qiao Lechu whispered with her head lowered, softly apologizing.
Lin Huai Shu smiled gently and said in a warm voice, "Why apologize? Did you hurt yourself just now? Does your ankle hurt? Did you bump into anything else?"
Qiao Lechu shook her head. After shaking her head, a couple of seconds later, her hands covering her ears moved to cover her face.
Lin Huai Shu heard a faint sob from her.
As if she didn’t want to be noticed, and quickly swallowed it back.
A look of panic appeared in Lin Huai Shu’s eyes, and his voice trembled a little, "Lechu."
Qiao Lechu buried her face in her knees.
Her previous overreacted response was unconscious at first.
After slightly realizing it, she couldn’t control her emotions.
The experiences, her current situation, the person in front of her, her previous reaction — she didn’t know how to face it, or what to do next.
She didn’t want to cry, tried hard to hold it back.
But she couldn’t restrain it no matter what.
"Lechu," Lin Huai Shu called her again, wanting to pat her back, but remembering her previous reaction, he raised his hand but dared not let it fall.
The two of them had met several times, all at the shooting range.
He taught her how to shoot.
Occasionally there were physical contacts.
Although Qiao Lechu was nervous and uneasy, she did not have such a strong reaction of rejection.
Suddenly, a panicked feeling rose in Lin Huai Shu’s heart, so flustered that he wanted to go to the wall and bang his head.
"I’m sorry," Qiao Lechu quietly apologized again.
Lin Huai Shu said, "Lechu. No need to apologize. You didn’t do anything wrong."
Qiao Lechu didn’t speak anymore.
Lin Huai Shu said, "We know each other so well, it’s been almost twenty years. Even if you think of me as a brother, you shouldn’t be so formal with me, right?"
Qiao Lechu still said nothing.
Lin Huai Shu said, "After so many years, still no change. Just like when we were kids."
Qiao Lechu’s fingers moved a little.
"In fact, after the encounter when we were kids, I went to that place to wait for you again," Lin Huai Shu’s tone was gentle, his voice low, as if he were facing a priceless treasure, fearing to scare her, "I always thought, since we met in that place, you would return, but I never waited to see you again."
"Lechu, you don’t need to say sorry to me," Lin Huai Shu said, "You don’t have to be too cautious when you’re with me, be more at ease."
Qiao Lechu kept her hands over her face and didn’t speak, and Lin Huai Shu patiently stayed with her.
After a while, Qiao Lechu’s fingers moved, and her feet shifted a little.
Lin Huai Shu handed her the handkerchief from his pocket, saying, "Wipe your face. You take it, I won’t look."
A few seconds later, Qiao Lechu took the handkerchief from him and wiped her face.
Then Lin Huai Shu asked, "Finished wiping?"
"Mmm," Qiao Lechu softly replied.
Only then did Lin Huai Shu open his eyes to look at her, seeing her teary eyes and her red nose, he said, "Do you know what I’m thinking?"
Qiao Lechu shook her head.
Lin Huai Shu said, "I’m thinking, if my little sister-in-law knows you’re crying here, would she twist my head off?"
Qiao Lechu lowered her gaze, her eyelashes trembled as she said, "My sister wouldn’t be so violent."
Lin Huai Shu chuckled and wanted to tell her: Little sister, you have no idea how violent your sister can be.
But to maintain Qiao Yuxian’s image in her heart, he didn’t say it: "Right, little sister-in-law is the gentle type."
Qiao Lechu said nothing more.
Lin Huai Shu also remained silent for a moment before saying, "Should we go to the shooting range or..."
Qiao Lechu glanced at him and then quickly lowered her gaze, "I..."
She started a word but didn’t finish. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮
Lin Huai Shu said, "Want to go home?"
Qiao Lechu didn’t reply but tacitly agreed.
In her current state, she definitely couldn’t stay here, but Mrs. Lin was still waiting for her, inviting her for dinner.
"I’ll take you back," Lin Huai Shu said.
"But Mrs. Lin..." Qiao Lechu said, clenching her hands.
She felt like she couldn’t do anything right.
The more she tried to leave a good impression, the worse things got.
In her state, the Lin Family would notice something was wrong with her at a glance.
Not staying would be very rude.
"It’s okay, I’ll explain to her," Lin Huai Shu said with a smile, "What? You want to eat my mom’s cooking?"
Qiao Lechu gradually clenched her hands, her nails digging into her palms and breaking the skin.
"There will be plenty of chances in the future," Lin Huai Shu said, "Besides, my mom’s cooking... you can give her some time to improve."
Qiao Lechu looked at Lin Huai Shu.
Lin Huai Shu stood up: "Can you stand up?"
"Mmm." Qiao Lechu stood up, and after standing straight, she didn’t move. Both her legs were numb.
Lin Huai Shu noticed her somewhat reddened face but didn’t comment, instead saying, "In a moment, we’ll exit from here directly to the parking lot. We’ll leave directly, and no one will see us. I’ll inform my mom later."
Qiao Lechu lowered her gaze and said nothing.
Lin Huai Shu said, "Yes! Just like that! My plan is simply perfect."
Once Qiao Lechu’s legs were no longer numb, Lin Huai Shu took her to the parking lot. Along the way, Lin Huai Shu kept talking.
But once they got in the car, he spoke less.
Seeing Qiao Lechu slightly relax, and noticing she seemed a bit tired, he spoke less to let Qiao Lechu settle her emotions and rest.
Upon reaching near the Qiao house.
Qiao Lechu still had Lin Huai Shu stop the car at the corner.
As usual, Lin Huai Shu got out to see her off.
"Thank you, Young Master Lin. Sorry for the trouble today," Qiao Lechu said.
"No problem. Head back," Lin Huai Shu said.
"Mmm." Qiao Lechu nodded, her footsteps pausing before she turned and walked towards the Qiao Family.
Lin Huai Shu watched her leave, and after she walked a few steps, he suddenly called out to her, "Lechu."
Qiao Lechu stopped her steps and turned to look at him.
Lin Huai Shu quickly walked up to her, "Lechu, there’s something I want to tell you."
Qiao Lechu’s eyes were still a bit red, her expression more dazed than usual, as she looked at Lin Huai Shu.
Lin Huai Shu looked at her too, and in the few seconds that followed, it felt as if time had stretched endlessly.
In those few seconds, he repeatedly thought about the matter he had been wrestling with for a long time.
In the end, he didn’t change his decision just made.
He said, "Lechu, I like you."
...
