Seven years

Candy

Accidentally looking into his eyes, which seemed to be pained for her, Amy frantically looked away. She was suspicious of why his actions were as gentle as if he were touching something precious.

Now she understood. This person was pitying her unfortunate situation. But it seemed like no one had ever applied medicine to her so gently.

"Don't turn your face away. I'm almost done applying the medicine." She turned her face away, making him have to get closer to her.

The faint masculine woody scent wafted into Amy's nose, making her a little flustered, not knowing where to put her hands and feet. To hide her tension, she unconsciously clasped her hands tightly on her lap like a good student.

Therefore, she didn't know that the man applying medicine to her face was equally tense. His actions seemed relaxed, but in reality, his heart was pounding because he was able to admire the beautiful, doll-like face of the young girl at such a close distance.

He clearly saw that her snow-white skin had no blemishes except for a large red swelling. Gently dabbing the cotton swab on her skin, he could also feel its soft elasticity.

He really wanted to touch it with his hand. He thought to himself.

"Are you in a lot of pain?" How could such smooth, white skin endure the strength of that rude man?

Seeing him finish applying the medicine, Amy softly thanked him. When he asked that, she smiled, "It doesn't hurt, I'm used to it." There was a hint of self-mockery in that smile.

"Do they often hit you?"

"Hmm, anytime, when they're sad, when they're happy, when they're angry." She didn't know why she, who was usually quiet, wanted to tell him all her grievances when talking to him.

Hearing her unusually calm voice as if she were an outsider, Jasper suddenly felt a pang of pain. He gently said, "How could they bear to lay a hand on such a lovely and obedient daughter? Even though they are her parents, it doesn't mean they have the right to hit her like that. There are many ways to educate children. Don't endure it, avoid it, and protect yourself."

Amy stared at him blankly. It was the first time someone told her to protect herself, even though people in the food street had seen her being beaten by her parents many times. But they said it was because she wasn't good, and being beaten was what she deserved, so she had to accept it.

A long silence fell between them, so much so that Jasper Scott thought he had said something wrong.

Amy looked at him, "I want to sit here a little longer first. You can go ahead."

Jasper feigned stubbornness, leaning back lazily, "I want to sit with you." His mouth still held that harmless smile that made her unable to chase him away.

"They are not my biological parents." Amy suddenly changed the subject, looking down without looking at him.

Jasper nodded as if he had known this truth for a long time.

"Aren't you surprised?" Amy turned her head to look at the man leaning back in the chair. He was sitting back in the chair, and the light cast his large shadow over her body, making her feel even smaller.

Jasper looked directly into her beautiful, innocent face, "Your face clearly has the characteristics of someone from country A, completely unlike the other three people in your family."

Amy nodded, "Yes, my parents bought me from someone in their hometown. I've lived in their house since I started having memories. Then we immigrated here."

"Are you in middle school? 14 years old?" He proactively asked to change the subject. However, he felt a little perverted for having feelings for a 14-year-old child.

Amy laughed aloud. Her often melancholic face, when it lit up with a smile, was lovely. Her large, round eyes curved like a crescent moon, making Jasper unable to look away. "No, do I look that childish? I'm 18, graduating from high school this semester."

"Do you study at a school nearby?" Jasper quietly took a deep breath to control his rapidly beating heart.

Amy nodded. He thought about something in his head, not forgetting to encourage her, "Keep going. You're about to live your own life. Good days will come."

"I've told you too much about myself. It's your turn."

Jasper laughed, "My turn? What should I do?"Amy nodded naturally: "Yes, we have to exchange information, right? I see you come here often, have you just moved here?" The noodle shop had been open for a long time, but she had only recently seen this customer.

Hearing this question, he paused slightly, as if pondering for a moment, then said in a calm voice: "No, my house is half a city away, but the hospital is nearby."

"Hospital? Are you sick and have to go to the hospital often?" No wonder she always felt he lacked vitality.

"No, my father has been seriously ill recently, and I have to go often to take care of him."

Amy was startled, feeling foolish for asking about such a sensitive, private matter: "Oh."

She said nothing more, continuing to look down at her swinging feet.

Jasper saw her childlike demeanor and found it incredibly endearing: "There's nothing to hide about this. You can keep asking me, I'll answer, Amy." He wanted to continue hearing her sweet voice.

Hearing her name spoken in a warm, deep tone, Amy suddenly looked up, a little surprised, at him: "You know my name?"

"A customer who comes continuously for a month, I think knowing your name isn't too difficult, right?"

Amy scratched her head, wondering why she always felt so foolish in front of this handsome man.

"I know your name now, you should ask for mine." He had never initiated a conversation so much before.

"So what's your name?"

"Jasper Scott." He suddenly looked directly into her eyes, making the introduction even more solemn.

Again trying not to stare blankly into his emerald eyes, Amy asked: "Which university are you attending?"

"Little girl, I might be much older than you. I've graduated with a master's degree and am already working."

"But winter break is over, and everyone has gone back to work. Why are you still sitting here idly? What do you do?"

The young man winked mischievously at her: "You'll find out later."

They chatted idly like that all afternoon, until Amy saw the sky getting dark, and she reluctantly said, "It's dark now, I have to go back to the noodle shop to continue working. You should also go home and rest..."

Before she finished speaking, a large rainbow lollipop tied with a bow was presented to her. Amy looked up blankly at the man in the white coat with beautiful eyes.

Jasper placed the candy in her palm: "I saw it when I bought medicine earlier, and I thought it was perfect for comforting sad little ones. But I got so caught up in talking that I forgot."

Then, her frail body was enveloped in a warm woody scent.

He put his white coat on her, not caring that he was only wearing a sweater.

He gently adjusted her coat and hair. At this moment, he stood in front of her, bending slightly to meet her gaze: "You look beautiful when you smile. Please smile more. Goodbye, I have to go back to the hospital. I'll come back for my coat next time."

Amy looked at the candy in her hand.

How could someone be so kind to her? Did she deserve to be treated like this? Why didn't he look down on her or hate her like others?

It was another first time.

For the first time in her 18 years of life, she was treated like a child, comforted with a sweet lollipop when she was sad.

That was the candy that, 7 years later, she still kept perfectly preserved.

...

Two days later.

"Are you the only one here today?" Jasper had just walked in and was also the only customer at Wang's noodle shop. After that day, it seemed their distance had grown a little closer.

Amy nodded: "My parents took my younger brother to the amusement park."

She didn't ask him what he wanted to eat but automatically went into the kitchen to cook, and soon after brought him noodles and returned to her homework.

Jasper ate his noodles, his eyes fixed on the girl diligently doing her homework, oblivious to her surroundings. But suddenly, she stood up to get his coat to return it to him, making him awkwardly look away.

"I'll pay, hey? Hey?"Amy snapped out of her Biology homework after a hand took away the pen she was biting. Jasper looked at the slightly dented pen, shaking his head helplessly: "Look, this pen is so pitiful."

Amy proactively pointed at her notebook, smiling shyly: "It's because every time I encounter a difficult problem, I have a habit of biting my pen..."

Actually, she hated Biology the most.

Jasper raised an eyebrow: "Show me the problem, maybe I can help you." He then leaned down to read the problem, not noticing that his posture almost trapped Amy in a small space filled with his unique scent.

Amy's heart pounded, her face flushed from his masculine scent.

What's wrong with her body? Why did it suddenly become excited??? Amy asked herself.

"Hey, is the problem so difficult that you're frozen?" Jasper looked at her somewhat helplessly.

Amy didn't clearly hear what he asked, she nodded randomly: "Do you know how to do it? Can you explain it to me?"

He always met all her requests.

After solving all the difficult problems, Jasper's image in Amy's heart became increasingly good and great. Amy looked at him with adoration: "You explain things really well, you're like a very experienced teacher."

At this moment, Jasper Scott just smiled silently, saying nothing. But Amy was just immersed in adoration and didn't notice anything unusual.

Unexpectedly, a week later, her words came true.