Standing Next To You

When the young master stepped into the kitchen, he saw the little figure reaching towards the small plate on the countertop.

It was his cookies!

"That's my cookies."

Bei Sangyun was taken aback by the voice behind her that the small plate she was holding over her head slipped off her fingers.

The plate shattered and the cookies fell to the ground.

Bei Sangyun's eyes turned wide and hurriedly took the fallen cookies. She hadn't tasted them yet!

But as she reached towards the cookies, her sight fell to the broken small plate. She turned pale. She broke a precious plate! How much was this?!

"Don't touch it!"

The boy yelled.

Bei Sangyun's hand paused.

She looked up and saw a handsome boy who was covered in thick clothes. She suddenly remembered the words of the villagers, 'Like an angel, fair and beautiful,'

This must be the young master.

Bei Sangyun turned even paler. She stood up and said apologetically, "I didn't mean to break the plate."

The boy eyed her feet, "Get out."

Bei Sangyun felt like crying. She wanted to apologize for her mistake but the young master did not want to hear it. If the young master becomes angry at her, she might not be allowed to attend the feast.

"I really didn't mean to..."

"I said get out."

"...I will. I will clean this up first." This was her mistake and her mess. So she should clean it up before leaving. This was what her grandma taught her.

As she was about to pick up the broken plates the boy yelled angrily again.

"I said don't touch it! Just leave it!"

Bei Sangyun paused and stood up slowly. For some reason, even though this child was just a bit taller than her and might be the same age as her, his cold gaze made her afraid of him.

She had never met a child who made her terrified. His cold gaze and loud yelling made Bei Sangyun who rarely cried shed tears.

The boy saw her tears. He frowned. He hated people who easily cry.

"You stole my cookies, break my plates, and now you are crying?"

Bei Sangyun cried even harder. "...I did not steal your cookies. This is mine. But I broke your plate...I'll...I'll...." She wanted to say she would 'pay for it'. But how much would it be? Could she pay it if she sell Little Sang and Little Yun?

Huhu...her elementary funds would be gone like that.

The boy's face turned darker. What he hated the most were those people who easily cried and those who spout lies.

"You are so young but you are already a liar." Those cookies were his. He did not mind sharing them with her, but he did not like that she had to lie to cover her mistakes.

Bei Sangyun wiped her tears. She had never been scolded like this. "I am not lying. I am so hungry and remembered the cookies."

"Those cookies are mine. I won't hold you accountable for the cookies. But since you lied, I changed my mind. You have to admit your mistakes or people will know you are a liar."

"I am not a liar! These are really mine!" Bei Sangyun found the courage to yell as well. She hated it when people accused her.

Several footsteps sounded. They heard the yelling from the kitchen.

Grandma Pei came in and saw the broken plates between them. "Oh, my! What happened?!"

She went to the boy's side and checked him from head to toe, "Young Master, are you fine?"

The boy pointed at Bei Sangyun, "She stole the cookies, broke the plates and now she is lying."

Bei Sangyun heard the accusation again. She wanted to explain and stepped forward with teary eyes. "I am not lying! I just got hungry and..."

Grandma Pei saw that Bei Sangyun had no slippers and the broken shards were lying around. She was afraid that the child would accidentally step on it so she gestured towards Mrs. Bang.

"Get her out of here first."

Mrs. Bang carried Bei Sangyun. Bei Sangyun was thin so it was easy to carry her.

Bei Sangyun was carried away. She glanced at Grandma Pei and the boy who was left in the kitchen. She hugged Mrs. Bang's neck and her tears fell.

She felt so bad being accused. She wasn't able to properly explain herself. She felt wronged and sad at the same time.

Was this why her grandma always said to not accept food easily? Was it because bad things would happen if she accept food from others?

Bei Sangyun thought about the plate again. She wasn't able to eat the cookies and she still had to pay for the broken plate. She felt crying again.

When Bei Sangyun came out together with Mrs. Bang, she saw her grandma who was peeking curiously at the gate.

Mrs. Bang wanted to ask what happened after she put Bei Sangyun down, but Bei Sangyun immediately dash out towards Grandma Bei.

"Grandma!" Bei Sangyun called out so pitifully.

Seeing Bei Sangyun crying, Grandma Bei became worried. Bei Sangyun rarely cried. Did her sickness relapse again?