Chapter 5 She’s Damn Adorable
As the camera set up again, viewers quickly recognized the familiar rundown shack. [Wait, are we seeing a replay here?]
Yasmine had just returned with a bundle of fire thorn branches. When she walked in, she spotted Xavier, and her jaw dropped slightly in surprise. For a split second, it felt like time had paused just for her.
“Yasmine, starting today, I’m officially moving in with you,” Xavier declared with an air of authority that left no room for discussion.
“Why?”Yasmine stared at him, blinking in a daze.
Xavier felt a flash of frustration. Andrew was practically begging him to stay, yet here was Yasmine questioning his decision. Xavier made an excuse casually. “Because I gave you clothes and shoes. Can you let me crash here?”
Yasmine instinctively nodded, then shook her head a moment later. “That’s… not really a good idea. This place is really rough.”
‘So you find it bad too?’ Xavier thought to himself. But he quickly came up with another plan. “How about we find a new place together?”
Yasmine shook her head with more resolve.
“Alright, fine. Just let me stay at your place, okay? No more arguing.” Xavier raised his hand, signaling the crew to bring in his luggage.
The viewers erupted into chatter again.
[Classic case of playing hard to get.]
[How did this kid even manage to pull Xavier? Seriously impressive for someone so young]
[Andrew’s definitely losing here]
[This is breaking the show’s rules!]
[LOL, are you really arguing rules with Xavier?]
Despite the chaos online, Xavier’s luggage had been brought in, and he stepped inside right after it. Yasmine tried to stop him, wrapping her arms desperately around his leg.
Xavier looked down and noticed her wild hair sticking out in all directions, making her look a bit like a fluffy animal. For some reason, he reached down and gently ruffled her hair. With one swift motion, he lifted his leg and carried her inside.
The viewers were left in shock.
[Whoa, he looks so strong!]
[Seriously, don’t forget Xavier is still just a kid. They’d still have to take him to pediatrics if he went to the hospital!]
Xavier’s sudden entrance jolted Barnaby awake. “Who’s there?” he blurted, quickly grabbing his valuables.
Xavier pulled aside the makeshift curtain and strode over. “I’m Xavier Sanchez, and I’m going to be living here from now on.”
Even in the dim light, it was hard to miss Xavier’s charisma. His strong presence seemed to cut through the darkness, leaving Barnaby momentarily speechless.
“What… why? Who are you?” Barnaby stumbled over his words, taken off guard.
He noticed that Xavier was wearing stylish clothes that looked pretty expensive. But he couldn’t wrap his head around why someone like Xavier would just show up out of nowhere.
A crew member stepped forward, looking awkward. “Uh, Mr. Leach, let me explain what’s happening…”
After the member finished explaining the filming situation, Barnaby suddenly realized who it was—it was the guy who had given him cash earlier. Without thinking, Barnaby asked, “How much are you paying?”
The crew member paused, confused. “What?” Thankfully, the local guide nearby quickly translated.
Barnaby backed away from Xavier. Sure, he was just a kid, but something about him felt intimidating. He leaned in closer to the crew. “If you guys are staying here, you’re going to pay, right? This is for a TV show, so that means extra fees.”
The local guide translated his words, looking embarrassed.
[No wonder everyone says Yasmine isn’t a good person. Her grandpa is just like this.]
[Like grandfather, like granddaughter.]
[So annoying… don’t give them any money. Get Xavier out of here.]
[A tough environment makes tough people, I swear.]
The crew almost laughed out of anger. ‘What’s wrong with this old guy? Does he really think we’ll pay a lot in a dump like this?’
Barnaby put on a serious face. “And don’t think you can skip the contract. I may be broke, but I’m no easy target.”
One of the crew members glanced at Xavier, who wasn’t backing down at all. Reluctantly, the crew member said, “Just give us a minute. We need to check with our director first.” With that, they stepped outside.
Barnaby took a deep breath, feeling like he was already sitting on a big payday. He couldn’t help but smile as he turned to Yasmine. “I’ll definitely reward you…”
Xavier didn’t catch any of that—the local dialect was too thick. He reached out and grabbed the local guide’s arm. “What did he say?”
The guide quickly translated, “Barnaby is telling Yasmine, ‘You said they wouldn’t come back, but look—they’re here.'”
Xavier felt a mix of emotions hit him. ‘No wonder she had run off from Andrew’s place without looking back. Did she know we wouldn’t return?
‘When she sat in that rundown house, did she ever miss the cozy warmth of a hair dryer, even for a second? Maybe she knew her fate and didn’t dare even dream about it. But she is just a kid…’
Hoping he was just overthinking, Xavier quickly looked down at Yasmine. But with her head bowed, it was hard to read her face. All he could see was her pale fingers gripping his pant leg, trembling slightly.
Concerned, he knelt down and took her small hand in his, rubbing it gently until the color returned to her skin.
“You don’t want me to stay here?” Xavier asked softly.
Barnaby didn’t speak standard Clusian, but he understood enough. His eyes widened in shock, and he shot Yasmine a sharp glare. The moment was perfectly captured by the camera on the guide’s uniform.
[Don’t you guys think Yasmine’s grandpa is staring at her a little too intensely?]
[Yeah, it’s kind of creepy, like he’s threatening her.]
[Come on, it’s so dark. You can hardly see anything!]
Yasmine slowly lifted her head and met Xavier’s gaze, whispering, “I didn’t find Aladdin’s lamp.”
“Huh?” Xavier blinked, taken aback.
A blend of confusion and disbelief crossed Yasmine’s pale face, making her seem even more pitiful. “I didn’t make a wish to the genie. Why are you here?”
Xavier felt like he had been punched in the gut. His breath caught for a moment, then a fresh wave of air rushed in, sweet like candy. He murmured, “You’re just so adorable.”
The viewers online were all stunned into silence.
