Yang Chen was engrossed in watching when the door suddenly swung open.
He turned his head to see Sun Xiaoting entering in a seductive, alluring outfit.
Seeing Sun Xiaoting’s heavily made-up face, Yang Chen couldn’t help but frown.
To be honest, Sun Xiaoting looked very sexy and alluring today.
But frankly, having spent many years abroad, Yang Chen had seen countless women who were sexy and alluring, to the point that any of them could easily outshine Sun Xiaoting.
Moreover, Sun Xiaoting’s outfit wasn’t quite sexy or alluring, but rather gave off a vibe of trying to be wild but restrained.
He didn’t side of Sun Xiaoting because, aside from the lovely memories from the orphanage, Yang Chen felt nothing for her, even if she dressed provocatively now, occasionally tossed flirtatious glances, flaunting her cleavage - Yang Chen felt nothing.
"Yang Chen." Sun Xiaoting looked at Yang Chen with deep emotion.
Yang Chen nodded slightly, turning his gaze back to the photo.
Seeing Yang Chen’s demeanor, Sun Xiaoting knew that her emotional card had worked.
She walked over, stood before Yang Chen, and pointed to the first photo: "Do you remember this photo?"
Yang Chen smiled faintly, nodding: "I remember, it was the first time the director organized a personal photo shoot for us, each of us had two photo opportunities."
"That’s it!" Sun Xiaoting recalled: "That was my first time taking a solo picture."
After saying that, Sun Xiaoting gave a self-deprecating smile: "Do I look silly?"
Yang Chen slightly shook his head, looking at the photo: "Quite good-looking."
At least Yang Chen felt Sun Xiaoting looked much better back then: pure... beautiful!
"This dress... you bought it for me." Sun Xiaoting looked at Yang Chen with deep emotion, "I remember, you saved for a long time and bought me this dress. I seemed to have cried because I felt I had no clothes, so you bought it for me?"
An old saying goes, ’Eight years old reveals eighty.’ It’s true.
Back then, Sun Xiaoting hadn’t been exposed to much outside, nor had she been tainted by the restlessness or desire to compare in society.
Yet still, she would cry over not having pretty clothes and compare herself with others to see if she was glamorous enough.
Sun Xiaoting laughed: "Really, all girls are the same, no matter how old they are, they always feel their wardrobe is empty."
"Yanyan won’t." Yang Chen said.
From the time she was aware, Chen Siyan was very sensible and never asked for anything beyond her little rag doll.
Her clothes were patched and worn, and she never complained they were ugly or refused to wear them.
Even the little pillowcase Yang Chen gave her, she still keeps it.
People are inherently different.
Hearing Yang Chen’s words, Sun Xiaoting was slightly stunned but quickly laughed: "She’s just a child, what does she know?"
"Then don’t let her grow up." Yang Chen would rather pamper her forever, not letting her grow up.
A trace of loss flitted across Sun Xiaoting’s eyes.
If she was like she used to be, Yang Chen would likely spoil her like he did Chen Siyan.
Unfortunately, she was no longer her former self and couldn’t return to her past state.
"Look at this one." Sun Xiaoting shifted topics, pointing to a photo: "This was when I was in middle school, see the ponytail, my hair was so good then, thick and black."
Sun Xiaoting spoke while Yang Chen listened beside her, occasionally nodding, a reminiscent look in his eyes.
"This photo is from my high school days... that time... you should have already gone, right?" Sun Xiaoting’s voice was somewhat subdued.
Yang Chen sighed softly and nodded.
From the year he joined the Guard, it’s been nearly nine years.
"Back in high school, I should have been with you, but you didn’t come."
"You know, high school is different from middle school, everyone is nearing adulthood, starting to mature, and you have to be cautious in everything."
"I’m an orphan; I don’t dare to speak loudly, don’t dare to scheme with them, don’t even dare to eat in the cafeteria with them or join them during breaks in night classes."
Sun Xiaoting raised her head, looking at Yang Chen pitifully: "Yang Chen, do you know that feeling?"
Yang Chen fell silent.
"All my sense of reliance was on you; as long as you were there, I wasn’t afraid of anything! But why didn’t you come with me?"
"The director told me you would be back soon, I believed it, and waited!"
"One year... two years... senior year arrived, graduation approaching, yet you still didn’t return!"
"Then a boy confessed to me, saying he’d liked me for three years... though I already knew. Women are sensitive to emotions; even the slightest hint can be detected, so I knew how he felt about me. But... I had you; as long as you were around, no man could capture my heart!"
Yang Chen took a deep breath, quietly watching Sun Xiaoting.
"Later I grew cold, realizing you wouldn’t return and if you did, you wouldn’t be the Brother Chen you were. Look at this photo, it’s different, isn’t it!"
Yang Chen followed Sun Xiaoting’s pointing hand, seeing a college campus photo with Ding Yutong.
Ding Yutong still dressed in a ladylike manner, elegant and dignified, even after all these years, still looking beautiful.
But Sun Xiaoting, now had a Sassoon hairstyle, her hair dyed grape purple, sporting large earrings, with a lip ring, and a nose ring, with a necklace of unknown material around her neck.
Considering the time, this was the then-popular ’Killer Matt’ style; Yang Chen could only lament that Sun Xiaoting didn’t have an afro.
"At that time, my parents appeared! They found me, gave me love, and more material enjoyment. Suddenly I realized how great the world of wealth was! I could eat anything I wanted, eat to my heart’s content. I could buy anything I liked, all the bags, shoes, clothes I desired could be purchased."
Sun Xiaoting stared at Yang Chen: "I think you wouldn’t understand the disparity when a poor girl suddenly turns from Cinderella to a princess, becomes a golden phoenix. True, I couldn’t withstand it, couldn’t control it, thus becoming arrogant and reckless... so, what you see now is the current me."
Hearing this, Yang Chen hesitated, then sighed: "It’s good you can see yourself clearly."
"I can’t see clearly!" Sun Xiaoting shook her head, "Because of you, I can’t see myself clearly!"
Saying this, Sun Xiaoting leaned in towards Yang Chen.
Yang Chen sensed a peculiar glint in Sun Xiaoting’s eyes and couldn’t help but frown and take a step back.
At this moment, a faint voice came through Sun Xiaoting’s hidden Bluetooth earpiece, "They’re here!"
Immediately, Sun Xiaoting placed her hand on a button at her back.
This outfit was specially designed by her; once this button was pressed, the entire outfit would fall off.