Chapter 408 - Hug

On their ride back home, Shui Xian kept sneaking glances at Raelle and then at Hyson who sat listlessly in the backseat. He was trying to read Raelle's thoughts but that was impossible since there was no change about her. However, Hyson was a different story.

Hyson would usually spend his time playing on his phone but now, he was listlessly gazing out the window at the dark night. That serious expression on his face actually worried Shui Xian a little. 

For someone who always wore the brightest smile on his face, it was strange to see such a solemn expression. Hyson looked like the weight of the whole world was weighing down on him and it was about to crush him. This really bothered Shui Xian.

"Fai, you okay?" asked Shui Xian.

"I'm good," replied Hyson absentmindedly.

"You don't look good to me though," Shui Xian pointed it out.

Hyson gave him a tired smile he said, "I'm just tired. Xian Ge, don't worry about me."

Raelle's fingers tapping on her knee paused when she heard Hyson's words. She didn't even have to look at his face to know what was the situation. But she didn't voice out her thoughts either. She knew Hyson wouldn't want to talk right now. 

When they arrived home, Shui Xian was about to drive into the Xiang Manor's driveway when Hyson stopped him, "Just drop me off here." He alighted from the car and waved at them as he forced another smile on his face. "Bye, my beautiful Jiejie!"

Raelle unbuckled her seat belt and got down. Hyson raised his brows at her while she stepped over and opened her arms to hug him. Hyson felt his heart shaking when she did it. It wasn't the first time they hugged. It was also not the first time that Raelle had offered to hug him on her own initiative. But it always managed to provide a sense of security to him that even he didn't know he was looking for.

"How do you know what I needed?" he asked.

"You only call me Jie when you want a hug," replied Raelle.

"Huh? We had a secret code?" He feigned surprise. "I didn't even know." Saying that he wrapped his arms around her tightly and buried his face on her shoulder as he spoke, "When you can hear what I want before I even say it, I realize that I hadn't wasted my years on trying to read you like a book." They put the same amount of effort into this relationship as the other person. If Hyson could always know what she meant, she could do it too. And perhaps, he was the only one whose every single emotion was familiar to her.

"I don't have to read you like a book," retorted Raelle. "You aren't even as interesting as a book."

"Tsk," Hyson responded. "You're so mean."

"Did you just realize that?"

Hyson inhaled deeply as he replied, "No, I always knew you're mean. But what to do, I still only want you as my best friend." He pulled away from her and held her hands in his own as he looked into her eyes, "Do you know that I love you very much?" 

"I know," she replied.

"Then do you know how thankful I am to have you in my life?"

"You've said that way too many times so even if I didn't know, I might be tired of hearing that."

"But I won't ever be tired of telling you that," he said. "Thank you for being here! And thanks for the hug, I really needed it. But..."

"I know you don't want to talk right now," Raelle said what he wanted to say and it didn't even come as a surprise to him that she read his thoughts all over again. "I didn't come down to talk to you. It's late. Go and sleep it off for now. We'll talk in the morning."

Hyson nodded his head and smiled genuinely at her, "Then I'm going inside now."

Raelle nodded and waved him goodbye saying, "Stop thinking about it."

Hyson scratched the back of his head as he chuckled, "I won't." He ran inside the house as he continued to smile to himself. As always, she really won't ask him what bothered him. She just knew it! It was so frustrating sometimes that she could just tell. But it was also one of the things he felt most blessed about. How many people had such a friendship in this world?

He didn't think there was another pair like them. And he wasn't even being narcissistic about it. 

As he stepped inside the house, he saw Mu Chenyan stepping out of the kitchen with a glass of water as she said, "Oh, you're back. I just came to get some water."

Hyson laughed out at her stupid excuse. "Mum, you can come out from behind that plant."

Yue Yue stepped out from behind the potted plant and avoided looking at Hyson who was having way too much looking at these two ladies. He really didn't know why they were like this. He told them to go to sleep but they were still waiting here for him.

But at this moment, he couldn't bring himself to say anything to them. He just stepped over and hugged them both saying, "You both are really something. I can't with you two." He kissed them on their cheeks as he said, "Why are you both so pretty? And why are you both so bad at lying?"

Mu Chenyan knocked on his head, "We just couldn't sleep."

Yue Yue nodded along with her, 'Who waited for you? Do you think you're that important?'

"As I just said, you both are bad at lying," retorted Hyson. "Now, please go back to your rooms and sleep. Stop wasting your resting time by waiting for me."

Both of them turned to leave but at the staircase, they both looked at him as Mu Chenyan asked, "Did you eat?"

Hyson chuckled, "Of course, I did."

"Oh-Okay."

Hyson looked at their receding back with amusement dancing in his eyes.