Ashley thought his reaction was a little scary.
‘What's wrong with this old man?
Did she react too much just now?
But would she be human if she stood by and watched him be bullied and did nothing like a bystander?’
Ashley felt that she did nothing wrong with her.
"Brother, you don't have to worry about what happened just now."
Ashley thought about it and said, "When I was blackmailed in the second year of junior high school, you helped me, too."
Jacob nodded.
Ashley added, "Now that you are old, it is my turn to help you."
"…"
Just passing a trash can, Ashley threw all the paper towels in her hand.
When she looked back, she noticed that Jacob's expression froze and the smile on his face disappeared a little.
He looked a lot more normal.
It was as if he had come to his senses and reflected what the thought that had just popped up was.
Then Ashley saw.
Jacob drooped his eyes and straightened his lips.
His tone was so close to the absurdity that he said vaguely, "I'm really insane."
"…"
‘Yes, you are.
However, being splashed in public does hurt self-esteem.’
Ashley didn't know how to comfort him.
She walked into the men's clothing store and changed the topic, "Brother, please change it. It's uncomfortable to wear wet clothes."
Jacob didn't move.
Ashley picked up a hoodie and stuffed it into his hand, "This one."
Then he reacted, and his eyelashes moved slowly, "Okay."
When he entered the fitting room, Ashley wandered around the store again.
She took a fancy to a coat and was about to pick it up when her cell phone rang.
Ashley withdrew her hand, looked at the caller ID, and immediately picked it up, "Brother."
Liam's voice came along the current, sounding a little lazy, "Kid. When is your holiday? I'll book the flight for you. "
Ashley frowned, "What's the hurry? There's still more than half a month left."
"Then you order it yourself?"
"You transfer money to me and I'll order it myself."
"Why shall I? Am I your father?"
"Oh, Dad."
"…"
"it's the end of the month. It's time to give me living expenses."
Ashley reached out and touched the man's coat in front of her. "Brother, you've put it off to the last day."
"..."
"If you don't transfer the money to me, don't transfer it. Just take the money and buy me a coffin. "
Ashley sneered, "You get double living expenses every month, okay?"
"It’s not double."
Without blinking her eyelids, Ashley said confidently, "Dad said, he gives half, you give half."
Ashley asked, "Do you need 1500 a month?"
Ashley looked at the size of the coat and turned it inside, "I am still frugal. I am not willing to buy one more piece of sugar, otherwise, I will overspend."
"Will the candies cost you 100 bucks"
"No."
Ashley said, "100 bucks each."
"..."
Ashley said, "OK, I don't have a sister like you."
Ashley was silent for a few seconds, then uttered one word, "Coffin."
Liam hung up the phone directly.
Listening to the cold beep in her ear, Ashley looked at the mobile phone screen and shrugged indifferently.
She put the phone back in her pocket, continued to flip through the size, found the XXL size, and took it off.
Ashley turned around and found that Jacob had changed his clothes and came out.
She just brought him a black hoodie without looking at the size.
It fit quite well.
Ashley walked up to him with the clothes in her arms and asked, "Is this it?"
Jacob glanced and said casually, "Did your brother just call you?"
"Yes, he asked me if I had booked my flight."
Ashley answered honestly and handed him the clothes in her hand. "Brother, please try this on for me."
Hearing the word "help", Jacob slowly took it over, raised his eyelids slightly, and said faintly, "Who are you going to give it to?"
"My brother."
Ashley glanced around again, "It's a New year's present."
"…"
"I'll buy one for my father by the way, so I don't have to go shopping when I get back."
Speaking of this, Ashley looked up and pointed to the one on him. "By the way, do you like this one?"
Jacob looked loose, "Am I looking good?"
"Yes."
"Then I’ll take this one."
Ashley nodded, took out her mobile phone and took a look, and happened to see Alipay's transfer reminder.
She clicked on to see.
Liam transferred 1500 bucks to you.
Note: don't call me brother next time we meet.
"…"
‘That's the end of the relationship.
He is so heartless.’
Ashley blinked her eyes and replied quickly: [OK. ]
She picked out another coat and went to the cashier to check out.
Jacob took off his coat.
He took his cell phone out of his pocket and came forward as if he wanted to buy three directly.
"Oh, I'll pay for them."
Ashley didn't want to spend his money, so she pushed his cell phone back, immediately opened the payment code, and said to the cashier, "All three are paid together."
With that, she turned her head and said solemnly, "Brother, this coat is my New year's gift to you in advance."
"All right."
Jacob laughed. "I'll make it up for you some other time."
Listening to their conversation, the little sister at the cashier looked at them and asked curiously, "Are you two brother and sister?"
Ashley was stupefied for a moment, was silent for a few seconds, and nodded, "Okay."
Cashier, "Biological?"
Jacob stood by and took a look at Whatsapp with his mobile phone, looking careless.
He did not hear ASHLEY reply immediately, and it took a few seconds for her to respond slowly.
But it WAS not a negative answer.
She gave A hum, and then whispered, "Pretty much."
May have been affected by that woman's mood, and then Jacob did not speak much, as if he had been thinking about things.
Ashley had planned to talk to him as little as possible during this period of time.
But seeing him like this, she could only bravely talk with him, trying to make him forget it.
But seeing her in such a hurry, Jacob immediately smiled and seemed not to be affected by this matter, and would play a few jokes with her.
Ashley also had no way to start.
The two went to a nearby noodle shop to settle their dinner.
Seeing that it was getting late, Jacob sent Ashley back to school.
After that, he drove back to his community.
Jacob took the key card into the building and took the elevator to the fifteenth floor.
As soon as he got out of the elevator, he saw the woman standing in front of his house. He stopped in the same place and immediately remembered Ashley's words.
Then he took out his cell phone and called the property manager.
The woman's expression was extremely bad as if she had been waiting for a long time, "Do you still know to come back? I thought you will sleep with that college student today. "
The phone was put through.
As if he did not hear what the woman said, Jacob's tone was cold, "I am a resident of Block B on the 15th floor of the 12th building. There is a stranger in front of my house. Please come and deal with it. Thank you. "
She shouted suddenly, "Jacob!"
Jacob hung up the phone, took a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, and lit one.
He leaned against the wall without saying a word.
The woman's eyes were a little red, "Who is that woman today?"
"…"
"Answer me!"
Jacob looked a little sleepy and his eyelids drooped down.
The bright light in the elevator made his skin extremely white, which made his outstanding face a little more morbid.
He didn't move.
Not the slightest response was given to her.
The woman suddenly came up to him and raised her hand, as if to slap him in the face.
Jacob noticed her movement. He looked up and stared at her coolly, and the corners of her lips rose without any temperature.
Her hand was about to fall.
Jacob skimmed his head slightly and lifted the cigarette.
The burning cigarette touched her bare palm.
The woman withdrew her hand in a reflex, and tears came out of her eyes in pain.
She stared wide-eyed and said hysterically, "You son of a b*tch!"
Looking at her tears, Jacob smiled, "It seems hurt."
"…"
"Well, look at you in so much pain."
Jacob chuckled, "Why am I so happy?"
"…"
"How dare you do this to me?"
The woman suddenly began to cry and stared at him, "Your whole family owes me."
Jacob ignored her, bypassed her, and took the key out of his pocket.
"Is that woman your girlfriend today?"
The woman's words seemed to pop out of her teeth, word by word, "Don't even think about it, people like you--"
"..."
"have no right to live a good life."
Jacob just pretended not to hear it and opened the door with the key.
The woman seemed to want to squeeze in with brute force, but noticed that he did not seem to be afraid of her being caught by the door, so she stopped.
"Jacob, your whole family are monsters."
She patted the security door hard and cried, "That's why your mother is dead, you--"
He shut the inner door, too, isolating all her voices.
Jacob pressed out the cigarette butt, went to the toilet, and flushed it down the toilet.
He turned on the faucet and washed his hands carefully, including the arm which was accidentally touched by Kathy.
Soon, Jacob went out of the living room and glanced at the picture on the TV cabinet.
Jacob walked over and crouched in front.
He smiled, "Mom, did you just hear those words? Don't take it seriously."
The woman's smile was gentle and was forever fixed in the years.
Jacob rubbed her face with her finger, showing a smile similar to that of the woman in the photo, "Do you think she's awesome, right? She hasn’t been tired of saying those words for years."
Jacob went to the bathroom to take a bath.
When he came out, it was nearly midnight.
He sat down on the sofa, turned on the TV casually, and heard the dialogue of the characters in the TV series.
The quiet living room was suddenly lively because of the sound.
Jacob turned on the computer in front of him and suddenly remembered the idea that floated inexplicably today.
He glanced at Ashley, who stood side by side with him in the picture.
At that time, the girl was only 15.
When he graduated from college, she was just a kid who was just getting ready for high school.
He even treated him like his own brother.
Jacob closed his eyes and lit another cigarette.
There was some hustle and bustle outside. Someone set off fireworks, crackling.
He looked over calmly. His eyes were stained with light.
The clock just stopped at zero.
Jacob's cell phone rang, interrupting his thoughts.
He looked up lazily and saw that Ashley had sent him a message.
Jacob stretched out his hand and opened it.
Little Ashley: [I wish Brother Jacob a happy New year and happy every day.]
Jacob: [Well, happy New year.]
Little Ashley: [I'm going to bed. Don’t stay up late.]
Jacob: [Sure.]
He clicked on Ashley's information and changed the remarks given to her to "Ashley". After thinking about it, he changed it to "Ash".
After a while, Jacob changed it back to "Little Ashley".
Jacob remembered the day he spent the night at Ashley's house.
She heard that he had many creditors, and the little girl stood next to him and said to him seriously, "Don't worry, brother. When I grow up, I will make money to help you pay it back."
Jacob remembered Kathy's words.
"People like you have no right to live a good life."
"Well, I don't."
He locked the screen.. His eyebrows were gentle and he murmured, "But Little Ashley should lead a good life."