Arrogant Man VS Unyielding Woman novel Chapter 618

Ronald's words stirred all sorts of feelings in Jean.

'Am I supposed to be happy by what he just said? What did he really mean when he said that?

Is it a good thing to not have your appearance changed even a wee bit in the last fifteen years?' wondered Jean. Probing her feelings to understand whether she felt pleased or bittersweet at Ronald's supposed flattery, Jean soon forgot that Ronald was still standing in front of her.

"I'm telling the truth..." uttered Ronald hastily as he saw Jean's lips curl into a wry smile. From what he had known about her since their childhood, he knew that her half-smile was never about happiness. This made Ronald afraid that he might have said something wrong, which might have led to a misunderstanding. Anxiously, he felt the urge to explain that he meant to praise her beauty and innocence. But, the cat had got his tongue. Red in the face, a nervous Ronald was sweating profusely.

"I know," replied Jean reading the anxiety clearly written on Ronald's face. In her bid to console him, she even uttered, "I believe you."

'I believe you, ' repeated Ronald in his mind again.

After these simple words from Jean, his face suddenly lit up with a childlike smile. He was still shy and did not know what to say next. Eyes fixed on her, he scratched his head to dissolve the tension between them.

Jean's mind was rather clouded by the memories of her childhood.

The image of a chubby Ronald came in front of her eyes. His features seemed so crowded on his face and his body was as plump as a traditional Chinese rice-pudding. He always moved slow when compared to others kids.

At that time, children often teased and bullied him because of this.

What was worse, he was also isolated by most. On such ocassions, Jean had found him hiding in a corner crying.

Anyhow, Jean wasn't much better off than Ronald.

Her mother had died when Jean was still too young, which left her unexposed to Joy and Shirley's bullying. Overcome by grief and loneliness, Jean soon withdrew into herself.

Feeling no love at 'home', she got what Ronald was putting up with.

With no friends and no desire to play or socialise, Jean didn't talk too much and mostly stayed at the back, out of everyobody's sight.

One of the worst times she saw Ronald facing was when he got beaten by several even-aged children. Seeing him lying there on the ground, surrounded by a group of bullies, Shirley and Winner's beating her up came to her mind. Anger rose inside her against the group kicking Ronald, for she felt as if she was the one getting beaten by them.

The young Jean decided that she would report these playground bullies to her teacher. So, she walked up to them and warned them in clear, stern words. The group of little bullies ran in fear of the teacher's punishment, leaving a bruised Ronald. Beaming with courage, she gave her hand to Ronald to stand up and never felt that horrible fear again.

Ronald was clearly thankful that he had Jean to look after him. Soon, he started tailing her from classes to lunch time to stay in her shadows.

Since, Ronald was doing this all the time, it got on Jean's nerves. She told him off and asked him to be on his own because according to her, all that she had done for him was a little favour. She didn't look herself as his protector and found it bizarre that Ronald felt safer in her presence.

But Ronald was determined to be her friend no matter how many times she scolded him. He just kept going everywhere she went.

With time, she gradually got used to him following her.

Once, they started doing everything that friends did, shared lessons, played in the ground, and ate lunches together. She realized that he loved eating greasy octopus balls. Then of course, she didn't let the golden chance go. She began teasing him by calling him 'Octopus Ball*, ' which got stuck as his nickname between them.

(*TN: In the Chinese version, Ronald's Chinese name had the similar pronunciation as octopus ball.)

"I never thought that time would pass so quickly. It's been fifteen years since we last saw each other," said Jean as she was jolted out of her reminiscing. She looked at Ronald and smiled.

"Yes, time flies," replied Ronald smilingly.

'For fifteen years, I've been waiting to see you again.

As a matter of fact, time felt so slow. I have been eagerly waiting for this day to come, ' thought Ronald to himself.

But somehow he knew what Jean meant. He thought she was right about everything, just like it used to be back in their childhood. Indeed, he felt those fifteen years was worth waiting for now when he finally met her, it felt fulfilling.

'I am filled with joy to meet you again, Jean.

Although it has been over a decade, ' said Ronald internally.

"When did you come back?" asked Jean looking at him. With a smile on her face, she thought of the childhood days when they were doing everything together as friends.

'Wow, that once-chubby boy is now handsome.

If any of the bullies from school were to look at Ronald now, their jaws would drop to see what a striking figure he has become today, ' thought Jean to herself.

"It's been three days since I got back," replied Ronald.

What he didn't tell Jean was that he had asked a lot of people for help to look her up in H City. Ever since he left the country with his parents, he was eager to get in touch with her on his return.