45: Can I call you brother from now on?

The two walked to the bookstore on the third floor of the mall.

The bookstore was quite large, divided into several sections.

There weren't many people at this time, only a few students browsing the shelves.

"Let's go look over there." Yu Heng pointed toward the literature section.

Qin Ya followed behind him, holding a doll. The doll was quite big, and the panda's ears flopped as she walked.

Upon reaching the literature section, Yu Heng casually pulled a copy of *one hundred years of solitude* from the shelf, flipped through it, and put it back.

He hadn't really read this kind of book much. In his previous life, he was busy playing games and reading miscellaneous books while in school, and busy working like a dog after graduation.

His literary cultivation was basically nonexistent concerning classics.

"Have you read this?" Qin Ya suddenly asked.

Yu Heng turned his head and saw her staring at the copy of *one hundred years of solitude* he had just handled.

"No," Yu Heng admitted truthfully. "It's too thick; just looking at it makes me sleepy."

"Oh." Qin Ya replied, reaching out to take the book down. She opened the flyleaf and looked at it. "This one is actually okay, but the names are too confusing. I read a third of it and still couldn't figure out who was who."

Yu Heng raised an eyebrow: "You've read it?"

"Mhm," Qin Ya put the book back. "I read it last year when I had nothing else to do."

As she spoke, her finger traced the book spines, stopping on a copy of *Les Misérables*.

"You've read this one too?" Yu Heng asked.

"Yes, I have," Qin Ya said. "I read both volumes, and it took me an entire summer vacation."

Yu Heng was a little surprised.

Wasn't this girl a dropout staying at home?

He thought she spent all day playing games on her phone.

"What else have you read?" He became interested.

Qin Ya glanced at him, walked to the adjacent shelf, and pointed with her finger: "*Dream of the Red Chamber*, *The Plum in the Golden Vase*... I've read all of these."

She paused, then added: "From foreign literature, there's also *Pride and Prejudice*, *The Count of Monte Cristo*..."

"Stop, stop, stop," Yu Heng interrupted her. "Are you trying to show off your reading list to me?"

But was *The Plum in the Golden Vase* a book she should be reading at her age?

"Who's showing off!" Qin Ya immediately retorted. "You asked me!"

Yu Heng was puzzled, looking at her and asking, "Didn't you drop out of school? You have poor grades but you love reading?"

Qin Ya lifted her head, her expression complicated: "Who said my grades were poor? I used to be second in my grade!"

"Huh? If your grades were so good, why did you quit?" Yu Heng asked, frowning.

Hearing this, Qin Ya fell silent, her expression somewhat dejected.

"In the eighth grade," she suddenly spoke, her voice very soft, "my dad and mom started fighting."

Yu Heng didn't reply, listening quietly.

"It wasn't the kind of fighting with shouting," Qin Ya continued, "just the silent treatment. The house was like an ice cellar; they wouldn't talk, and they didn't pay much attention to me."

She paused for a few seconds.

"During that time, I was terrified of going home, so I just wandered outside after school. Then, during one monthly exam, I deliberately failed, ranking in the thirties in the class."

Yu Heng understood.

"I wanted to see if they would notice," Qin Ya's voice was a little rough. "But my mom just told me to try harder next time, and my dad didn't even come home that week."

She gave a self-mocking smile.

"Later, I thought, since no one praises me when I do well, and no one scolds me when I fail, why should I even try so hard?"

"So you deliberately stopped studying properly?" Yu Heng asked.

"Mhm," Qin Ya nodded. "I just scribbled down homework, zoned out in class, and took exams casually. I figured, once my grades dropped to the bottom, they would finally have to pay attention to me, right?"

Her finger stopped on the spine of *one hundred years of solitude* and pressed down hard.

"And then what?" Yu Heng asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Then my dad moved out," Qin Ya said, pursing her lips. "My mom cried every day during that time and paid even less attention to me."

She turned around as she spoke, her face devoid of expression.

"After that, I completely gave up on studying and just messed around for a year," she shrugged. "I didn't even go to the final exams."

Yu Heng looked at her; the girl spoke of it so lightly.

"How foolish," Yu Heng said. "Wasting your own future just to spite them."

"I know," Qin Ya pulled at the corner of her mouth. "I figured it out later, but it was too late. I just didn't want to study anymore!!!"

"Do you regret it now?"

"What good is regret?" Qin Ya countered. "No one will hire me for a job now, so I might as well stay home."

"Alright," he reached out and ruffled her hair. "The past is the past. Isn't everything good now? You're even starting to earn money from streaming!"

Qin Ya froze when he ruffled her hair, but didn't dodge, only muttering softly, "Don't mess up my hair..."

She looked up at Yu Heng, a rare trace of uncertainty in her eyes: "Do you think I can keep streaming?"

"Of course," Yu Heng said confidently. "It's only your third day, and you already have three Captains. You have great potential."

"Really?"

"Why would I lie to you?" Yu Heng grinned. "Once you have more fans, you might earn more money than both your parents combined."

Qin Ya's eyes brightened for a moment, but quickly dimmed again: "That still requires people to watch."

"Well, you have me, don't you?" Yu Heng patted his chest. "The Boss will make you soar."

Yu Heng made Qin Ya laugh. Although the smile was faint, she definitely smiled.

"Yu Heng," she suddenly called his name.

"What is it now?"

"Thank you for spending time with me today," Qin Ya said seriously. "And for treating me to dinner and catching dolls."

Yu Heng felt a little emotional looking at her serious expression.

This girl was actually very easy to please.

A meal and a few dolls were enough to make her remember his kindness.

"Don't mention it," Yu Heng waved his hand. "Just stream well in the future and earn more money for me."

"Mhm," Qin Ya nodded. "I will."

The two browsed for a while longer. Qin Ya paused in front of a row of comics but didn't reach out to take any.

"Take it if you want to read it," Yu Heng said. "I'll buy it for you."

"No need," Qin Ya shook her head. "I'm just looking."

Yu Heng looked at her. The little girl only reached his chest?

She might not even be 1.5 meters tall. Her expression was a little lonely, and it made him feel quite sorry for her.

Yu Heng finally bought her a set of *Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba*, which cost several hundred yuan.

The two walked out of the bookstore; the sky outside was already getting dark.

Yu Heng checked his phone; it was almost five o'clock.

"Your mom should be arriving soon," he said. "Let's go wait by the entrance."

"Mhm."

Reaching the mall entrance, Qin Ya stood beside Yu Heng, holding the doll and the comic books.

The evening breeze blew past, and she buried her face into the panda doll's fur.

"Yu Heng," she suddenly said, "Can I call you Brother from now on?"

Yu Heng was stunned for a moment: "Up to you. Call me whatever you like."

"Brother." Qin Ya called out once, her voice very soft.

"Hm?"

"Nothing," Qin Ya turned her face away. "I just wanted to try calling you that."

Yu Heng smiled and didn't say anything more.

At 5:30, Qin Lu's car appeared punctually at the mall entrance.

She opened the car door and got out, pausing when she saw Qin Ya holding both a doll and comic books.

"Mom," Qin Ya ran over. "Brother Heng caught me the doll, and he also bought me comics."

Qin Lu looked at Yu Heng, her eyes somewhat complex: "How could you..."

"It's fine," Yu Heng waved his hand. "Qin Ya performed exceptionally well streaming today and gained two new Captains. This is a reward."

Qin Lu looked down at her daughter. Qin Ya had a rare, relaxed smile on her face.

"Well, thank you, Yu Heng," Qin Lu said. "Sorry for troubling you all day."

"No trouble at all," Yu Heng grinned. "Counselor, please take her home quickly. It's getting chilly tonight."

Qin Ya got into the passenger seat and waved at Yu Heng: "Brother, I'll come stream again tomorrow!"

"Okay, I'll be waiting."

The car drove away.

Yu Heng stood by the roadside and lit a cigarette.

After two puffs, his phone vibrated.

The design shop sent over the initial draft of the poster.

He tapped the image to look at it. It was decent and met the requirements.

He replied with an affirmative, then stubbed out the cigarette butt on the trash can.

Today was quite fruitful.

Not only did Qin Ya's streaming metrics improve, but their relationship also grew closer.

If he nurtured this girl properly, she might really achieve something.

Yu Heng stretched and walked toward the school.

While waiting for Qin Lu, he and Qin Ya talked about other things.

He managed to glean some information.

Qin Ya's father teaches at No. 1 Middle School in the city and is a Chinese Teacher. Qin Lu originally worked at the city campus of Tangcheng University of Technology, but because the couple was not getting along, she applied to transfer to the University Town campus to seek peace and quiet.

Since Qin Ya had dropped out and was staying home, Qin Lu brought her along. Now, the mother and daughter rent an apartment in a nearby residential area.

The young girl usually stays home by herself, so she must be quite lonely.

He thought again about what Qin Ya had said.

Using self-destruction to gain attention.

Tsk, truly foolish.

But who hasn't been foolish before?