10 Hand

"Hey.... hey..."

Yi Fei heard a soothing voice and felt something constantly touching her shoulder. She scrunched up her eyebrows, muttering back, "Stop it... Mom..."

"Mom? I'm not your mom."

Yi Fei immediately widened her eyes, staring at the figure beside her. She found a cute girl with a side ponytail that was poking her shoulder. She was wearing a casual outfit consisting of a light denim jacket, a bright yellow shirt, and some gray sweatpants. The girl gave Yi Fei a sweet smile upon realizing Yi Fei was staring at her.

"You woke up?" She asked gently, tilting her head.

Yi Fei immediately scootched sideways, clearly uncomfortable of how close the girl was. Embarrassment and confusion overwhelmed Yi Fei's whole body, giving goosebumps everywhere. Yi Fei's eyes obscurely teared up, ashamed that she was caught sleeping and calling the person in front of her Mom.

"W-what? Is there something on my face?" The adorable girl asked, pointing at her small face.

Yi Fei immediately shook her head and was about to mouth a sorry before the girl suddenly asked, "Are you a new manager? Or a trainee? Why were you sleeping in the middle of a hallway? What's your name by the way?"

Yi Fei's brain was overloaded, no longer able to function after being asked so many questions. She didn't know how to answer back to the numerous questions and as she immediately recognized how pretty girl was, she instantly thought of the bullies back at school. The bullies' faces merged with the girl's and Yi Fei could feel herself quivering, unable to talk. Yi Fei only rubbed her frail arms in response, soothing her goosebumps. She slowly put down her head like she always has done to avoid her problems. It wasn't like she hadn't done this before.

"What's wrong...?" The girl asked, confused at the situation.

The girl in front of her was sleeping in the middle of the hallway, and she wasn't talking at all. She put her head down as if she had done something wrong...

'Ah! Could she be... Oh no, I was so insensitive.' The adorable girl thought, pitifully looking at Yi Fei.

"My name is Yu Yan," the girl excitedly said. "You must be Mr. Zhang's daughter, right? Let's go! I'll show you around his workplace!"

Yu Yan energetically got up and held out her arm for Yi Fei. Yi Fei was perplexed at her gesture and nervously eyed the girl's small hand, and the girl's face seemed to say, 'Go on! Take it!'

Yi Fei hesitated. She glanced up at the girl's face again, and it was as pure as ever. Looking at Yu Yan, Yi Fei could already infer on how kind-hearted the girl was. She would be the type of person you would see helping an old grandma cross the road. The one who would offer her help to anyone that seemed to be struggling. A girl who looked like she was only up to honest good.

'Just like them,' Yi Fei thought. 'She looks exactly like them...'

"Come on, don't leave my arm hanging!" Yu Yan said earnestly, her eyes somehow seemingly radiating.

Yi Fei's face flinched. She remembered a similar scene in her past. However, something about Yu Yan seemed different. Perhaps it was her unusual hair or the name she had. Yi Fei gulped, looking at Yu Yan only made her compare herself. She helplessly knew that she was ugly, an outcast, not funny, stupid, and simply a waste of oxygen. She knew that those repulsive factors made her seek validation from people who were attractive and popular. She could feel it in her heart, that her conscious wanted to take that hand and never let go. She hated herself for that. She despised it, she wanted to kill herself over it. Drown. Cut. Snip. She knew what would happen. What would happen all over again. It was simply resentment, for the world, the school, and herself. That she couldn't do anything. Not a single thing.

But... Yi Fei still reached for her hand.