The Villain Quits - Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Xie Yu’an’s voice was flat, as if he were merely stating an insignificant fact.

“I am over eighteen. Your legal guardianship of me has ended. Whoever I choose to be friends with is my own business.”

Between the two of them, it had always been Xie Yin who needed Xie Yu’an.

It was never the other way around.

A deathly silence spread through the small office.

Xie Yin’s expression shifted from disbelief to fury, finally dissolving into a sense of utter powerlessness.

Xie Yin, who had been fuming since the moment they met, suddenly seemed to wither. She hunched over, tears streaming down the fine lines at the corners of her eyes like water flowing through a winding riverbed.

“Why are you being so disobedient? Everything I do is for your own good. Yu’an, why can’t you understand that?”

Xie Yu’an watched her and said softly, “I was once very grateful to you for taking me out of the orphanage, but now…”

“If you truly want what’s best for me, then let me go.”

The sound of voices began to rise outside the door as students chattered and played while heading into their classrooms.

Xie Yin seemed to be struck by a memory; her expression turned vacant for a moment before she finally turned around and walked away.

Ms. Yu picked up the stack of exam papers in her arms, her tone uncharacteristically gentle. “You kids certainly put on quite a show for me first thing in the morning. All right, you’re all still young. No matter how big the hurdle in front of you seems, you’ll get over it sooner or later. When you look back on this one day, it won’t even seem like a big deal!”

She patted Xie Yu’an on the shoulder and saw herself out.

Only the three of us remained in the office.

I watched as Xie Yu’an tiredly rubbed the bridge of his nose.

I knew he must be feeling incredibly, incredibly low right now.

Suddenly, Xie Yu’an took a step toward me.

“Suisui, could I… lean on you for a moment?”

He rested his head on my shoulder, but his movements were restrained, barely touching my body.

I think he just needed something to hold onto.

So, I raised my arms and gave him a tight hug, hoping it would make him feel a little better.

My brother immediately exploded. Standing behind Xie Yu’an, his face twisted as he glared at his watch, counting the seconds.

“Thirty seconds! It’s been thirty seconds! Hey, that’s enough!”

Xie Yu’an politely pulled back, a faint smile playing on his lips.

“Thank you.”

“Oh, don’t mention it. We’re friends, after all.”

I gave him a wide grin. Then, covering my ears against my brother’s incessant nagging, I let him drag me out of the room.

I had no idea that Xie Yu’an was staring at my retreating back, his dark eyes swirling with an indescribable emotion.

After a long silence, he whispered to himself:

“Friends…”

“Are we just friends?”