Chapter 234
“Those were his favorites. My grandmother has a whole garden of them in the backyard. When she saw them that day, she asked me who had sent them. My grandmother is very eager to meet you.”
Josie gently lowered her gaze. “Oh… but… I grew up in the countryside. I don’t know proper etiquette and have never spent time with elders. I’ve never celebrated the New Year with elders either. I’m afraid…”
The instinct to refuse surged—Josie did not want to upset anyone during the holidays.
Sean suddenly grasped her hand. “Hey, didn’t you call me your brother? No brother would let his sister spend New Year’s by herself. Come with me. My aunt already likes you, and I promise, my grandma will too.”
Sean pinched Josie’s cheek. “You are so adorable; how could anyone possibly dislike you?” he said.
Josie was truly touched. Back when she had insisted on calling Sean “brother,” it had been a selfish act—a way to convince herself she had someone to call family. Every time she said it, she subconsciously felt a little less alone.
Josie never thought Sean would truly see her as a little sister.
Sean’s kindness, the way he soothed her, and his insistence that she come home with him… it brought tears she could not hold back.
“What’s wrong?” Sean panicked, fumbling to wipe Josie’s tears. “Talk to me, don’t cry, okay? If you really don’t want to… I-”
“It’s not that I don’t want to!” Josie shook her head hard. “I’m just… afraid of embarrassing myself, afraid I’m not worthy of all the kindness you’ve shown me, afraid…”
What she did not say aloud was that she feared failing to meet their expectations, afraid of upsetting anyone.
Having been given a second chance at life, Josie had tried to live freely, recklessly even, determined not to care about every little thing.
However, she found it impossible to be indifferent. Josie still cared—about the people around her, about anyone who showed her even the slightest kindness. She could not put herself first entirely, no matter how hard she tried.
Even the smallest hint of warmth made her want to give back a thousandfold. Josie had so little of it in her life, and now that she felt it, she wanted to repay it in full.
Josie desperately wanted to keep this kindness and warmth by her side.
“Don’t be afraid!” Sean reached out and pulled Josie into his arms, gently patting her back to comfort her. “With me here, you have nothing to fear. The Reedshaw family is very easygoing. Just be yourself; no one will criticize you. Trust me—treat that place as your own home. I mean it!”
Josie sniffled. “Sean!”
“Hm?” Sean lowered his head, their breaths dangerously close, and for a moment, he almost gave in to the impulse to kiss Josie.
“The ribs are getting cold!” Josie blinked, wiping the remaining tears from her lashes.
Sean found that all his romantic thoughts had vanished; he could only feel a sense of helpless amusement.
This girl… always thinking about food, no matter what! he thought.
“Alright,” Sean said, letting go. “Then eat quickly—don’t choke again.”
Josie’s cheeks flushed. “Oh, it’s not like I choke every time. It’s all your fault anyway.”
Josie cast Sean a reproachful glance, then lowered her head to gnaw on the ribs.
Josie said, “Since I was a child, I have enjoyed gnawing on bones. However, during my early years, I was extremely poor. I relied on meals provided by various households, and having any vegetables at all was already fortunate. If there was even a slice of meat in the dish, it was a rare act of generosity from the host, let alone the possibility of having bones.
“Later, after much difficulty, I finally managed to get a bone. I gnawed at it very, very slowly, just thinking how fragrant the meat was. But because it smelled so good, it attracted the village dogs, and they snatched the bone away.”
Recalling how she ran through the village with dogs chasing her, Josie burst out laughing.
“Back then, I swore that once I had money, I’d enjoy meaty bones at every meal, savoring each bite slowly, so no one could snatch them from me. But later…”