Chapter 222 - BACK TO SCHOOL (II) (2/2)

Luo Yan was about to say something when he heard a small laughter from the front. He turned his head and saw Yu Jiao laughing.

”I knew it. Smiling really suits Yu Jiao more,” he said.

Yu Jiao stopped laughing and blushed profusely. She really didn't mean to laugh. It's just that, the interaction between the two was too funny. She wasn't offended by what Luo Jin said because that didn't even cross her mind. She was already very thankful that Luo Yan was willing to befriend someone like her. How could she even think of something like that?

When she was about to apologize, she suddenly remembered what they said last time when she apologized for laughing. That when she found something funny, she could laugh as much as she wanted to. That when she's with them, there's no need to hold back her laughter. So, she stopped herself from apologizing.

Luo Yan smiled. She didn't apologize like last time. It seemed that they're already making progress. ”How was your Mid-Autumn Festival?”

Yu Jiao froze for a moment before answering, ”I-it's okay.”

But based on the sadness that suddenly enveloped her, Luo Yan was pretty sure that it's definitely not okay. Was her family the reason why she lacked self-esteem?

Luo Yan guessed it right. Yu Jiao's Mid-Autumn Festival was certainly not 'okay' as she said it was.

She came back to the Mo household on the 13th because of her mother's request. She couldn't refuse. So, that night, she endured another round of verbal abuse from her stepsister. She truly wanted to fight back. But she already learned her lesson. Because once when she did, her stepsister easily turned things around against her. Because she was not good at talking, she couldn't properly explain herself. Since then, she just endured and just let her words flow from one ear to another.

It seemed like this topic was a landmine for Yu Jiao, so Luo Yan decided to change it. ”Jiao Jiao – can I call you that?”

Yu Jiao was startled when she heard Luo Yan call her that. She was still hesitating whether she should agree when she saw the hopeful look on Luo Yan's face. She bit her lower lip. She truly needed to grow some backbone. She heard that calling each other by nicknames was a sign of a close friendship. She- she also wanted to be a close friend to Luo Yan. But that wouldn't happen if she didn't have the courage to take a step forward.

”O-okay. Then,” she took a deep breath before continuing, ”c-can I also call you Yan Yan?”

”Of course,” Luo Yan answered, smiling brightly. ”You can also call him Xiao Jin,” he said, pointing his thumb at his younger brother.

”Hey, Yan, don't decide for me, will you?” Luo Jin said, clearly disgruntled.

Once again, Yu Jiao couldn't help but laugh.