Ch. 39: Hard to Believe (Continued from previous segment)<br>"Just now I wasn't sure. I never expected it to really be you." Yin Jingnan's smile was faint, but his tone was gentle. "What are you doing here?"<br>Cheng Xiaonuan stiffened slightly, his eyes dimming. "I... I came out to buy some things... heading home..."<br>He was soaked through by the rain. His soft black hair clung wetly to his face, making his complexion seem even paler. Yin Jingnan couldn't help but frown. "Get in the car."<br>"G... get in for what..." Cheng Xiaonuan looked at him blankly.<br>"Take you home." Yin Jingnan said.<br>Cheng Xiaonuan quickly shook his head, declining softly. "N... no need... I'll dirty your car..."<br>"It's fine. Wipe it and it's clean." Yin Jingnan opened the car door and got out. Not caring if he'd get wet, he reached out to pull him.<br>The driver in the front seat had never seen him so eager with anyone. He stared in disbelief.<br>Cheng Xiaonuan was half-pushed, half-confused into the car. Yin Jingnan thoughtfully had the driver turn on the heater. Instantly, he felt less cold.<br>He sat properly on one side, his eyes a bit red. "Th... thank you, Jingnan Gege..."<br>"Don't be polite." Yin Jingnan took off his suit jacket and draped it over him. Then he took a few tissues and gently wiped the water droplets from his face. "How did you get soaked like this? Still cold?"<br>Cheng Xiaonuan shook his head. His lost, despondent look made Yin Jingnan feel something was wrong. "What happened?"<br>"Did that bastard bully you again?"<br>Thinking of how that man treated the little fool in the hospital, Yin Jingnan couldn't help but frown.<br>Since their last parting, he often thought of the little fool. Sometimes he even dreamed he turned into the Samoyed he raised as a child, playfully nuzzling against him in his arms. During the act of coaxing, he suddenly turned back into a human, hooking his arms around his neck and sweetly calling "Jingnan Gege," melting his heart.<br>He knew this wasn't normal. He vaguely sensed he might have fallen for this little fool. But the other already had someone in his heart. His good upbringing never allowed thoughts of forcibly inserting himself as a third party.<br>He just couldn't resist having someone investigate. Only then did he learn that the little fool was already an adult, a year older than him. But it didn't matter. In his eyes, the little fool was the little fool. If the other called him "Jingnan Gege," he was still willing to answer.<br>He also learned that 'A'qing's' real name was Shen Qingchen, the boss of an entertainment company, from a wealthy family. He thought the little fool shouldn't fare too poorly with him. Yet meeting again, he saw Cheng Xiaonuan walking in the rain on the street, looking wronged.<br>He only felt worried.<br>"N... no one bullied me..." Cheng Xiaonuan lowered his head, revealing a small section of pale nape, looking obedient and quiet.<br>Yin Jingnan knew he was sad inside. Seeing him unwilling to say more, he didn't press, changing the subject. "Feeling better since leaving the hospital?"<br>"You seem thinner. Had lunch?"<br>Since the miscarriage, the little fool's mental state hadn't been great. When Shen Qingchen was around, he'd prepare many dishes and manage a few nutritious bites. When Shen Qingchen wasn't, he wouldn't even spare himself a piece of meat. No wonder he was thin.<br>Cheng Xiaonuan didn't feel it himself; he was used to this lifestyle. As a child, the good food went to his brother. As an adult, the money he earned from odd jobs was saved for his brother. Always thinking of others, rarely of himself.<br>No wonder he was called a fool. Giving his heart and soul, only to be despised and then secretly sad.<br>"I... I ate..." Cheng Xiaonuan pressed his hand slightly against his stomach, which ached from hunger, replying softly.<br>Though he'd only eaten a few bites, it still counted as having eaten, right?<br>Half an hour later, the black BMW SUV stopped outside the villa district. Cheng Xiaonuan got out at the gate. The rain had stopped, but he was still wet. A gust of wind made him shiver uncontrollably.<br>Yin Jingnan frowned, watching. He got out too, draping the suit jacket Cheng Xiaonuan had taken off earlier back over him. "Really sure you don't want me to take you inside?"<br>The little fool sniffled, offering a pale-faced smile. "Really no need, Jingnan Gege... thank you..."<br>"Wh... when I get paid... I'll treat you to a meal..."<br>He only had 20-something yuan left; it wasn't enough.<br>Yin Jingnan's somewhat stern face instantly softened, laughter sparkling in his eyes. "I told you, no need to be polite. Hurry back, take a hot shower. Be careful not to catch a cold."<br>"Wear the jacket first. Return it next time. Call me if you have any trouble." He paused, as if thinking of something, his gaze darkening slightly. "If he bullies you, tell me. I'll handle it."<br>"Mm... Jingnan Gege, goodbye." Cheng Xiaonuan said softly.<br>The smile at the corner of Yin Jingnan's mouth deepened. "Goodbye."<br>He watched the little fool walk a good distance before getting back into the car.<br>Passing the dessert shop at the entrance of the residential area, Cheng Xiaonuan happened to see the shop owner carrying a basket of bread out, opening a trash can as if to dump it all.<br>He hesitated for a moment, pressed his hand against his faintly aching stomach, gathered his courage, and walked up. "M... Miss Shop Owner... are there any... day-old bread left?..."<br>"Yes, this whole basket is. The weather's been too hot lately; I forgot to put it in the fridge. The bread from yesterday has gone a bit stale, so we're throwing it out."<br>Although it was something others were already going to discard, asking for it like this still made the little fool feel terribly embarrassed. His voice was as thin as a mosquito's. "C... could I have one?"<br>He was so hungry.<br>"You can't eat this. It'll easily make you sick." The shop owner paused, putting down the basket. "How about this? Come inside, I'll give you a fresh one."<br>This area was for the wealthy; none were short of money. Very few people actually claimed day-old bread, mostly elderly looking to save a penny. Cheng Xiaonuan was one of the few young people among them. He was delicate-looking, cute, a bit slow, different from normal people. The shop owner remembered him well and usually took good care of him. Sometimes, when the limit was one bread, she would give him an extra one.<br>"N... no need, I'll take this..." Cheng Xiaonuan quickly shook his head.<br>It was already unearned gain; he shouldn't be greedy.<br>In the end, the shop owner couldn't persuade him. She took three pieces from the basket and gave them to him.<br>Not long after Cheng Xiaonuan left, a tall, imposing man walked into the shop. After hearing the shop owner's account, he frowned deeply, unable to believe it. "Day-old bread?"<br>"Yes. It's strange. He obviously lives in this villa area, yet comes almost every day for day-old bread. He looks malnourished. Seems like life is really hard for him." The shop owner said, puzzled.<br>Yin Jingnan was silent for a moment. He took out his wallet from his trouser pocket, pulled out a bank card, and handed it to the shop owner. "There are twenty thousand yuan in here. The password is numbers 1 to 6. Next time he comes, be sure to give him the best. Find an excuse; let him pick what he likes. Don't let him know I asked you to do this."<br>He then pulled out another card.<br>"This is my business card. Call me if the money runs out."