75 THE GIRL YOU DATED BEFORE MUSTVE BEEN VERY PRETTY (1/2)
It was still all strange to Hua Zhendan. Living in a small house, a cramped neighborhood and having a whole family. Yet, that is the way it was.
”Did you hand in your resignation today?” Hua Zhendan asked Hua Bochang.
”I did,” came Hua Bochang's reply. ”My boss wasn't pleaded about it. He even offered to increase my pay to make me stay.”
”And?”
”It was tempting, but I turned him down. I mean, he hadn't paid me for all the work I did before. How can I believe him when he said he would increase my pay?”
”You should've quit a long time ago.” Hua Zhendan said. ”And maybe sued him to court or something.”
”That's how the society works. The rich always find a way to walk over the boy.”
The words stung Hua Zhendan's pride. It made him wonder if he walked over other people when he was rich. No particular incident came to mind, still, he felt guilty.
Hua Bochang sighed. ”It's not easy to start a whole company.”
Hua Zhendan smiled. Hua Bochang had voiced his apprehension many a times since he had mentioned the idea to him. He knew his father was doing this out of blind trust for his judgement. Perhaps to make up for all his years of absence. ”I'll do this with you. You don't have to worry about anything.” Hua Zhendan assured his father.
Hua Bochang nodded.
After talking a while longer, Hua Bochang decided to retire to the bedroom while his son opted to go out for fresh air. Stepping outside, he saw Hua Juan sitting on the veranda. Deep in thought.
He sat beside her and said, ”Hey.”
She glanced at him, gave him a small smile and returned his greeting. ”Hey.”
”What are you thinking about?”
”Loads of stuff—Boys, money, soccer.”
”You play soccer?” Hua Zhendan asked.
Hua Juan shook her head. ”I used to. I'm actually really good at it. But mother says it's a sport for boys.”
”So you stopped?”
”Yes. But you said a girl can do anything. So, I'm thinking of playing again.”
Hua Zhendan smiled. ”If you're passionate about it, then you should continue to play.”
Hua Juan nodded. ”Mother won't be so happy when I resume playing.” She stared at her fingers wistfully. ”But I don't care.”
”That's settled then. Tell me, did you ask out that boy you like?”
She shook her head. ”There's this girl in class. Really pretty. And she has big boobs too. All the boys in class like her. She's always around him. I figure he must like her too, so I chickened out of asking him out.”
Hua Zhendan stared at her. Her insecurities reminded him of the person he missed the most. Shaking off thoughts of that person, he said, ”You know something about self-image? People will always look at you the way you see yourself.”
Hua Juan stared at her brother attentively.
”If you think you aren't beautiful, you'll carry yourself that way and everyone else will see you that way.”
Hua Juan dropped her head.
”You know what?”
”What?”
”The first time I saw you, I thought you were beautiful, kind, smart and confident. I think I saw you that way because when we met, you weren't thinking about anything in particular and showed your true self to me.”
In spite of herself, Hua Juan smiled. ”Was that really your first impression of me.”
Hua Zhendan nodded. ”And that's how you should carry yourself too.”
Hua Juan nodded.
”Don't try too hard to impress anyone. If this boy doesn't love you for who you are, then he doesn't deserve you.” Hua Zhendan's mind wandered off to Xuan Tianyi again. He had loved him for who he was. Then, how did he manage to lose him?
”Are you saying I should ask him out?”
Hua Zhendan furrowed his brows. ”No. No, I'm not asking you to ask him out. You're too young to have a boyfriend.”
”I'm not too young to have a boyfriend. I'm sixteen.” The girl said with a frown.
Hua Zhendan gave her a surprised look. ”There's no way you're sixteen. Your so tiny.”
”I'm actually fifteen,” she confessed. ”But I'll be sixteen in a couple of months. So, what does it matter?”
”You're still a child,” Hua Zhendan said while patting her head affectionately. ”Don't try to grow up so fast. Leave the things you should worry about in your adult years for your adult years.”