Chapter 32 - Supporting The Old Man

Ashley began to regret mentioning this matter to them.

She felt that she had drunk too much today, that she was out of her mind, or that she had not yet woken up and was in a half-awake state.

"You're all talking nonsense." She waved her hand, showing that she didn't want to talk anymore. "Forget it, stop talking, I'm going to go back to sleep."

"Do I make no sense?" Lily said with a smile. "Right, does your brother have a girlfriend?"

Ashley opened her eyes and hesitated. "I don't think so. He hasn't told me. "

Vivian, "Has your brother ever dated anyone?"

"…”

Noticing Ashley's reaction, Lily felt that her guess had added reasonable evidence in an instant, "Oh, sh*t, he hasn’t?"

"I don't know. He doesn't tell me these things."

Ashley recalled, "But he was reprimanded by his teacher because of puppy love in high school. I couldn’t remember it clearly."

Lily became excited. "In high school. It all happened many years ago. Two big men in their twenties don't have girlfriends. And they even hang out every day. Is there any other reason?"

"I didn't say they must have never had girlfriends."

Ashley glanced at her gloomily and said, "Stop guessing and read fewer novels."

Vivian, "What is your brother's friend doing now?"

"He seems to work in a game company."

Ashley thought about it, "as a programmer. I heard my brother say that his project team seems to be doing online games. "

"Programmer," Vivian was silent for a few seconds. "He is really handsome."

"Indeed." Ashley said, "Maybe I haven't seen anything in the world, but since I've grown up, I've never seen a man who looks better than him."

Vivian, "But as a programmer, he has to stay up late for a long time and face the computers all the time or something."

Ashley, "Then he may still care about his appearance, so he may go to the beauty salon for maintenance."

Lily said, "That's quite gay. "

Vivian, "If you say he talks like a bad boy, does he talk like that to everyone?"

Ashley thought about the way he got along with Liam and said, "Pretty much, like his peers, or those younger than him."

Vivian said, "Well, isn't that casting a net everywhere? I don't think it's appropriate. If you are with this kind of man in the future, he may have an affair."

Ashley frowned. "No, he won’t."

Vivian, "It’s just a guess. After all, I've never seen this man before."

"He is not like that."

Ashley whispered, "He is very kind to everyone. And in fact, it is also obvious that he is joking and teasing you when he talks like that. "

Just at this time, Sophie finished taking a bath and came out of the toilet.

Looking at the subtle atmosphere in the dormitory, she wiped her hair and subconsciously asked, "What are you talking about?"

Vivian quickly repeated what had just happened.

Sophie suddenly realized, "Hey, Ashley. You are so hot, you don't have to hang from this tree. Maybe if you don't miss this person, you will find that there are too many better people than him. "

Ashley was silent for a few seconds. "Maybe."

"If you still think you can't let him go, then give it a try. Anyway, you are both single. He only treats you as a sister, and you two are not really related by blood. "

Sophie said, "As for whether he has ever dated, don't think about it. There's nothing to mind about this."

Ashley, "You mean I should pursue him?"

Sophie, "Yes."

"No way."

Ashley had no idea how Jacob would react if she did such a thing, and she dared not fall twice in the same place. "Forget it, I'd better live my comfortable life normally."

Lily, "In fact, there is no need to pursue him, you can just show that sign."

Ashley, “What?”

"Didn't you say that he always teased you?" Lily gave her advice. "Then you retaliate in the same tone."

"…”

‘It seems to make sense.’

Ashley nodded dully and imagined it.

She bent the corners of her lips, stared at Jacob, then dragged the tail voice and said to him, "Brother, what's the matter with you? You always blush when you see me."

‘…

It's horrible.’

It hasn't been put into action yet. She just thought of this picture and she began to feel suffocated.

Lily thought her method was very good. "What do you think?"

"Stop."

Ashley put the quilt over her head and said slowly, "Forget it. I'll just take it as a drunken madness and make up a bad-ending romance novel for you."

"…”

Although Ashley thought so, it was hard for her to put this encounter behind as if nothing had happened.

‘’After all, the city is so big that the chance of meeting again is not so high.

She wanted to treat it in the same distant way as before, until she completely lost the idea.

But because of the sentence " brother is here alone", when Ashley fell asleep again, she had a dream.

She dreamed of his life from a third perspective.

Because of this sentence, which led to the association of his life.

Go to work every day, eat alone and go home alone every day.

He was still alone when I got home.

Everything he did was one person's life.

Then, Ashley dreamed of going home with several girls in her class when the new school year began in the second year of junior high school.

Because it was still early, they made a detour to a snack bar next to South Star University and bought a fried chicken steak.

She happened to see that Jacob worked part-time there.

His life seemed to be completely occupied by two things: learning and making money.

Apart from that, there seemed to be nothing else that interested him at all.

But she never heard him complain.

Not once.

At that time, he no longer got her money as he did in the dessert shop.

Instead, he filled her share with a lot of stuff.

Jacob folded the seal, and the bag was opaque and could not be seen from the outside.

Several other girls have taken their own share, eating while waiting for Ashley, not paying attention to the situation here.

Jacob put the paper bag into the plastic bag and handed it to her. "Take it, kiddo."

"Thank you, brother."

"Brother sees you as the cutest," he said in a snack bar apron, smiling again with a very good-looking face, then bent down a little and said to her in a low voice.

"So I secretly packed more for you."

The next day, Ashley woke up early.

Perhaps because of her conscience, or because of other emotions, she tossed over and over on the bed for a long time and soon picked up the cell phone that was put aside and replied "got it" to Jacob.

Ashley thought that he should still be sleeping at this time.

After all, he shouldn't have gone to bed early last night, and it was only over six o'clock now.

She hugged the quilt and hesitated to offer to invite him to dinner.

However, Jacob unexpectedly replied.

The moment the phone vibrated, Ashley was startled.

Before dawn, the dormitory was dark, and only her cell phone glowed faintly.

It was quiet around as if the sound of airflow could still be heard.

Ashley was in a bit of a hurry, didn't know what to reply, and was embarrassed to keep him waiting. She immediately found a nod meme and sent it.

Jacob was uncomfortable after drinking wine.

Ashley wasn’t.

Ashley pursed her lips and typed a few words.

No more talking on the other end.

Ashley stared at the screen and hesitated to consider her words: Dear Brother Jacob. When are you available? I'd like to invite you to dinner for sending me back yesterday. It doesn't matter if you are not free in the near future, just set the time. If you can't think of when you're free, I'd like to take advantage of next month's Thanksgiving to express my gratitude to you.

After typing, Ashley looked at it word for word for a long time and then hesitated to add the word “dear”.

She usually didn't care much about this when she spoke, but it seemed more polite to start with a letter form.

It took her half an hour to check the words.

After making sure that there was nothing wrong with it, Ashley pressed the send button.

Perhaps surprised by her sudden string of words, it took Jacob a long time to reply.

Jacob: Thanksgiving day?

Ashley: Yes. Or you can decide the time.

This time Jacob sent a voice message directly.

Ashley's headphones were not on the bed.

She lifted the quilt, crept out of bed, and ran to the balcony to listen.

He seemed to find it funny and said in a low voice: Thanksgiving is fine, but this is at the end of next month, and brother is not sure if I’m free then."

Ashley hesitantly asked: You get something else to do?

Jacob: I may have to work overtime.

Without waiting for her reply, Jacob sent another voice: Let's do this first, it's still early, you go to sleep for a while. Then brother will take you to repair your mobile phone.

Ashley was a little confused: My phone is not broken.

Jacob: Hmm, is it not broken?"

Ashley: Yeah.

Jacob: So, what the “dear” for?

Ashley looked at the chat transcript above and felt that she seemed a little silly just now.

She thought about how to fix the situation, and her fingers froze on the screen.

The next second, Jacob sent another message, saying: Does this mean, brother is your dear?

His tone was lazy, his tail rose slightly, and he spoke with obvious laughter.

Ashley has been so teased by him since she was a child.

She felt annoyed even if she had experienced it too many times.

She tightened her cheek, kept a straight face, and instantly sent a voice message: That's what my dad told me recently. You have to use a respectful title to talk to people over the age of 25. "

"…”

"Good morning, Dear Brother Jacob. Your voice sounds very young."

Ashley said, "I hope your appearance is as young as your voice."

"…”

The unexpected meeting slightly eased the relationship between the two.

Ashley no longer did not answer his phone as before, and the two would chat on Whatsapp when they were free. Basically, he told her to do something, just like an elder.

She also deliberately replaced herself as a "sister", as if her residual mindset did not exist.

Thanksgiving Day was on Thursday.

Jacob told her the day before that he didn’t know if he would work overtime and let her wait at school. He would give her a call when he came over.

Ashley had no classes and spent the afternoon drawing in front of the computer in the dormitory.

Towards six o'clock, she got up and changed into a skirt, put on makeup carefully, and even put on rare eye makeup, false eyelashes, and high-gloss blush.

Soon, she suddenly felt that something was wrong and removed it all.

Ashley stared at her plain face in the mirror.

She struggled in my heart for a long time.

‘That's it.

Otherwise, with his character, he would say later, "Little Ashley came to see brother and specially dressed up so well."

Nope!

She would rather not be so beautiful than give him a chance for narcissism.’

Ashley returned to her position to look at the computer.

As time went by, it was eight o'clock in the evening before she knew it.

Ashely, hungry after waiting, sent a message asking him if he was busy.

But he didn't reply for a long time.

Ashley hesitated to give him a call.

Still not answering.

Ashley thought that he might have to work overtime and didn't see it, but she also felt that if he really wanted to work overtime, he would definitely tell her in advance.

Without hesitation, she called again.

After ringing seven or eight times this time, the other end picked up.

Ashley breathed a sigh of relief. "Brother Jacob, are you going to work overtime?"

"I'm sorry, Ashley, but brother just saw the phone call you made."

Unexpectedly, his voice was a little hoarse, and his speech was slow as if it was a little difficult. "Would you mind not going today? Go and get something to eat by yourself."

Recognizing that there was something wrong with him, Ashley whispered, "Brother, are you not feeling well?"

Jacob said, "It's all right."

This was no different from acquiescence.

And listening to his tone, it seemed to be very serious.

Ashley immediately picked up her bag and went out, asking, "What's wrong with you?"

He paused, as if thinking, "I think I had a stomachache. Maybe I ate the wrong food yesterday. It's all right. Brother will just take some medicine. "

Ashley frowned. "You're not going to the hospital?"

Jacob chuckled, "No, thank Little Ashley for caring about brother."

Walking quickly out of the dormitory building, Ashleyhappened to meet a school bus. She sat on it and asked, "Brother Jacob, where is your company?"

"You're coming over?"

"Yes."

Jacob said nothing more and reported an address slowly.

Ashley wrote it down and asked carefully, "Brother, are you okay?"

He said softly, "Not bad."

Ashley thought for a moment and then said, "Then sit on your seat for a while. I'll come and find you and take you to the hospital. If you can’t make it, we can call an ambulance. "

Jacob laughed, "Do bother."

"If you don't feel well, you have to go to the hospital."

Ashley was inexplicably angry, and her tone became fierce. "You cannot get better if you put up with it. Otherwise, see if you still have any colleagues and ask them to take you to the hospital. "

"Why did you lose your temper?" Jacob seemed amused, with some connivance in his words. "Little Ashley, don't be angry. Brother will be good, okay?"

"…”

"Brother is here," Jacob said, "waiting for you to pick up."

Jacob's company was in Light Building, a large office building.

Ashley could get there directly by subway.

She found the location according to the mobile phone map and walked into the building.

There were no restrictions on the entry and exit of people in this office building. She was about to ask which floor Jacob was on when she found him sitting in the hall on the first floor.

There was a sofa opposite the front desk, on which he sat.

His face was particularly pale, and his normally red lips became colorless.

He leaned against the sofa with his eyes half-closed and his hands on his right lower abdomen.

There was no expression on his face.

Ashley walked over and shouted, "Brother Jacob."

Hearing the sound, Jacob opened her eyes.

When he saw her, his eyes bent into a beautiful crescent moon, then he stretched out his hand and said loosely, "Pull brother up."

"You'd better go to the hospital."

Ashley grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him up. "Brother Jacob, do you have a fever?"

He stood up straight and said slowly, "A little bit."

Ashley moved her hand up and held his arm. "Is there a hospital near here?"

Jacob recalled, "There is a community hospital."

Jacob, "Then let's get a cab."

"OK."

Fearing that he would feel uncomfortable, Ashley didn't dare to walk too fast and moved in two steps.

After walking several meters, Jacob turned his head and asked, "Little Ashley, are you supporting an old man?"

Ashley looked at him.

"I don't think you're a child," Jacob said, noticing her eyes. He remembered what she had said before and said, "Brother can't change it. Can I just call you like this first?"

‘I don't think you're a kid.

Lier!’

Ashley didn’t want to argue with him. "Whatever."

Walking out of the building, there was not only a subway station but also a bus stop nearby.

There were so many people that Ashley dared not get too close, for fear that Jacob would be squeezed.

She looked ahead and said, "Brother Jacob, wait for me here. I'll go to the front to stop a cab, and I'll call you over when I get one. "

She was like treating a little princess.

Jacob followed her and said carelessly, "I'll come with you."

There were a lot of people in this area, and the neighborhood was full of office buildings, and several groups of people who have just finished working overtime came out.

Some of them went in the direction of the subway station, while the rest waited for the bus here.

Hearing this, Ashley looked back and planned to help him go over there.

Just at this time, a bus arrived at the station.

People who were still a long way away immediately ran over, trying to catch the bus.

One of them was in such a hurry that he accidentally pushed Ashley.

She was off guard, and her body subconsciously leaned forward, trying to find something to stabilize, and the palm of her hand instantly reached the abdomen of Jacob in front of her.

The next moment, Ashley heard him take a breath, which was inaudible.

He also bowed down conditionally.

Ashley's breath stagnated and immediately withdrew her hand, feeling that she had touched the place where he felt pain.

She raised her head and moved her lips, anxious to ask him.

Before she could speak, she felt a part of her forehead was warm.

With a soft and warm touch.

From this point of view, she could only see Jacob's sliding Adam's apple, pulled into a good-looking line.

The smell of a man boiling hot swept up to her.