C35 Little Beggar

Ye Tian was taken aback, gazing at him with a blank expression. Her beautiful, misty eyebrows furrowed more and more tightly, the confusion in her eyes growing deeper. Who was this man? And more importantly, why was he addressing her with such familiarity? She couldn't recall ever meeting someone so renowned.

As she stood there, lost in thought, the man who had been leading the way suddenly stepped forward from behind. Seemingly out of nowhere, he produced a stack of snacks and placed them on the coffee table with a bow before respectfully bowing to Kawase Yuki and making his exit.

Ye Tian's bewilderment only intensified, her face a mask of perplexity. Then, Kawase Yuki strode forward, gesturing toward the sofa with a gentle command, "Sit." Ye Tian made her way to the sofa in a haze and sat down, only to see Kawase Yuki's long legs appear opposite her. He sat down with a graceful crossing of his legs and she finally found her voice, murmuring, "Mr. Kawase, do you... know me?"

Kawase Yuki passed her a cup of tea and took one for himself. At her question, he quirked an eyebrow and his lips curled into a smile. "Yes, I do."

Ye Tian's confusion only deepened. She tried to think back but couldn't find any trace of a memory. Kawase Yuki's hearty laughter in response to her puzzled look startled her, causing her to sit up straight with a jolt of nervousness.

"There's no need to be afraid; I'm not a bad person," he reassured her.

His unexpected assurance only heightened Ye Tian's anxiety. She swallowed hard and managed a strained smile. "I'm not scared, I just can't remember... I can't recall where we've met before."

Kawase Yuki wasn't taken aback by her admission. He sipped his tea leisurely before speaking, "It's understandable that you don't remember. It has been eleven years, after all."

Eleven years? Something that happened when she was twelve? As she furrowed her brow in concentration, Kawase Yuki decided to cut to the chase.

"Do you remember, eleven years ago, encountering a beggar near your school?" he asked directly.

A beggar?

"I was that beggar—the one you helped," he revealed.

Ye Tian's eyes widened in astonishment as she looked into Kawase Yuki's warm, smiling, deep brown eyes, her shock nearly palpable.

Did she help a beggar? When was that?

Just then, as he spoke candidly, memories flooded his mind, revealing themselves as clearly as the sun breaking through the clouds.

She recalled how, at twelve years old, she had lingered in the bookstore next to her school until dusk was nearly upon her.

By sheer coincidence, she nearly collided with someone at the corner while riding her cherished bicycle. Upon stopping, she realized it was a beggar in tattered clothes.

Seeing his gaunt appearance, she guessed he was about her age. Moved by compassion, she purchased two generous handfuls of bean curd sheets from a nearby stall and handed him one.

Then, she squatted next to him, adopting his posture, and began to eat with gusto.

Midway through her meal, she glanced at him and noticed he was still staring blankly at her. With a radiant smile and a lively voice, she encouraged, "Eat up, it's really tasty!"

The beggar seemed taken aback by her gesture. He continued to gaze at her dumbfounded for a moment before silently starting to eat.

She finished her portion quickly, leaving only the wooden skewers, which she returned to the stall owner's wife. Then, turning on her heel, she came back and squatted opposite him.

The beggar hadn't finished his meal yet, hungrily chewing on the bean curd as he watched her.

She smiled again and pulled out two hundred yuan, offering it to him. When he hesitated to accept it, she pressed it into his hands.

"My name is Ye Tian. I'm sorry for almost running into you earlier. I wanted to treat you to the bean curd, but I was worried it wouldn't be enough, so take this money as an apology. Buy something to eat, then find a way to make a living. You're capable; life will get better," she said, her words sounding almost like a lesson. Then, she hopped back on her bike and rode away.

In the blink of an eye, eleven years had passed. She stared at the distinguished and handsome man before her, struggling to reconcile him with the beggar from her past.

Kawase Yuki could see she had remembered, a warm smile playing at the corners of his eyes. His voice, slightly raspy, carried an allure all its own.

"The soybean curd I had that day was the most exquisite dish I've ever tasted. Tian, I've always wanted to thank you in person."

Ye Tian snapped out of her reverie, her incredulous smile easing the tension from her body, making her feel significantly more relaxed.

"It was nothing, really. You shouldn't dwell on it so much. I just never imagined..."

She was brimming with questions, yet she held back. Kawase Yuki, however, seemed to read her thoughts and volunteered the information.

"The truth is, I owe my current success to you. That's why I wanted to thank you in person. It wasn't just for your small act of kindness."

Ye Tian was puzzled, her round, luminous eyes fixed on him intently.

Seeing his own reflection in her eyes, Kawase Yuki's smile widened as he began to share his history.

"I was actually an orphan, taken in by the Ann Mountain orphanage. But the director was cruel, forcing us to beg daily. That's the person you met that day. After you left, two vagrants had their sights set on the two hundred yuan you gave me. They tried to steal it, but I was too weak to fight back. All I could do was desperately cling to the money you gave me. I managed to kick them and attempt an escape, but I was shoved by someone chasing after me and collided with a passing car."

Ye Tian was unaware of his harrowing past and the events that unfolded after she had gone. Her eyes widened in shock.

Yet Kawase Yuki recounted his tale with a lightness as if it were just a story.

"My forehead was injured, and the vagrants, scared, ran off. I remember someone getting out of the car before I passed out."

"...Ah?" Ye Tian was taken aback.

Kawase Yuki seemed amused by her bewildered expression, the corners of his mouth lifting as he concluded the tale.

"I later learned that the man in the car was Mr. Kawase Matsuya, the CEO of the Kawase Group. He was in Ann City for business and, on his way to the airport, he accidentally hit me with his car. He had no children and took pity on me, so he adopted me. He raised and mentored me, and that's how I got to where I am today."

Ye Tian was stunned by the convoluted tale, and it took her quite a while to process it.

"It's all good, it's all good. This turned out to be a positive outcome."

Yuki Kawase gave a noncommittal nod. "Indeed, I've always been deeply thankful to my adoptive father."

He paused, his deep brown eyes locking onto hers. "And I've always been thankful to you, too. Coming to Ann City, the very first thing on my agenda was to find you. Fortunately, I did."