Chapter 234 - A DATE UNDER THE TREE (I) (2/2)

”About 12 years now.”

Luo Yan was extremely surprised by that answer. 12 years? Wasn't that a bit too long? That meant that he had been living with his uncle since he was eight years old. Shen Ji Yun still had one living parent. If his father died when he was eight, then did his mother abandon him?

It was only for a moment, but Shen Ji Yun saw the variety of emotions that flashed on Luo Yan's face – surprise, confusion, and finally, doubt. Because unlike him, Luo Yan's face had no problem showing all kinds of emotions. In that short moment, Shen Ji Yun already had a guess on what he was thinking.

”If you have any questions, you can ask me,” he said.

Luo Yan hesitated because it was something private and he really didn't want to pry into it. But at the end, his curiosity still won and asked, ”Why have you been living with your uncle for that long?” Shen Ji Yun seemed to be taken aback by his question. And he immediately regretted why he asked such a private question. ”Sorry, Brother Ji Yun. It's alright if you don't answer.”

”No, it's okay.” Shen Ji Yun didn't mind answering that question. Because it was Luo Yan who asked. And if he wanted for them to get closer, then it's important for Luo Yan to get to know him better. Although he probably couldn't say all the details to him now. Because it's still very hard for him to talk about that incident. He took a deep breath before speaking, ”My father was a victim of a violent crime. His death broke my mother – psychologically and emotionally. She could no longer take care of me. And so, I was left under the care of my uncle.”

When his father died, he and his mother was taken back by his mother's family to country Y. His mother's family – the Cromwells – was just like the Shen family. They opposed his mother's marriage to his father. Because they believed that his father didn't deserve their family's princess. And then his father died and his mother went crazy.

Even if they also took Shen Ji Yun back, they never considered him as family. As he watched his mother slowly losing her mind, those people only gave him their cold backs. Day by day, he felt like he was slowly descending towards the darkness with not a single shred of light in sight.

The only one who reached out to him was his Uncle Yi Mu. He pulled him out of the darkness. Truly, he had no idea what kind of life he would be leading now without him.

He looked at the distance. ”I'm very grateful that he was the one who took me in.”

Luo Yan could feel the sadness emanating from Shen Ji Yun. He could even see a bit of pain hidden in the depths of his amethyst eyes. He suddenly had the urge to punch himself. Why the heck did he even ask that question?

[Mashter, Captain looks so sad. You should cheer him up!] – Eclipse's voice suddenly called inside his mind.

Even if Eclipse didn't say that, Luo Yan was already planning to divert the topic elsewhere. He didn't want to see a sad Shen Ji Yun. But the moment when he most needed his humor, it failed him and he couldn't think of anything. So, out of desperation, he picked up one of the burgers and raised it towards Shen Ji Yun.

”Brother Ji Yun, let's eat?”

Shen Ji Yun was a bit surprised at first. Because the sudden change in topic was so abrupt, it was too obvious. He looked down and saw Luo Yan's eager appearance. As if silently telling him that there's no need for them to talk about those things now. The worry in his eyes was apparent. Probably because Shen Ji Yun couldn't help but leak a bit of the sadness he was feeling. This was probably Luo Yan's way of stopping him from thinking about those events. It was a bit crude but adorable at the same time.

He laughed a little. Then he bent down his head and bit on the burger Luo Yan was holding.