We Were Once Called Losers Chapter 09
I gently pushed him back a little and looked into his eyes.
“Why do you say that?”
Julian lowered his eyes slightly. “They… bullied you.”
He was referring to Arleth and Justin.
“I… couldn’t protect you.”
His voice was laced with self-blame and frustration.
Even though he had taken that slap for me, he was powerless to stop the harm that followed.
He couldn’t even save his own life, let alone protect mine.
My heart ached as I cupped his face.
“Julian, you’ve already done so well.
“You took that slap for me, and you didn’t leave me behind.
“To me, you are the bravest person in the world.”
Julian stubbornly shook his head.
“Not enough.”
He looked up, a light I had never seen before flickering in his eyes.
“I want to get stronger.
“Like oldest brother… and second brother.
“To protect Chloe.”
His earnest look made me smile, but I couldn’t stop the tears from falling.
“Okay, our Julian will get stronger.
“But right now, your most important task is to rest and recover.”
For the next half month, Julian received treatment in the hospital.
Second Sister personally monitored his vitals every day.
The two sisters of the Vance Family also took turns visiting every day, bringing mountains of herbal tonics each time, nearly stuffing the hospital room full.
“Chloe, it’s been so hard on you.”
Lillian held my hand, her face full of gratitude.
“If it weren’t for you, Julian might have…”
“Lillian, don’t say things like that.”
I interrupted her.
“Julian is my husband; we are family.”
Second Sister wiped her tears from the side.
“If anyone dares to bully you two again, I’ll be the first to make them pay!”
Half a month later, Julian was finally discharged from the hospital.
On the day of his discharge, Oldest Brother sent a motorcade to pick us up.
We didn’t return to the ancestral mansion, but went back to our own little villa instead.
This was the marital home Second Brother had gifted us when we got married.
As soon as we walked in, I collapsed onto the sofa and let out a long sigh.
“There’s no place like home.”
Julian walked over to me and sat down right next to me.
He didn’t speak, just looked at me quietly.
I turned my head, meeting his gaze.
“What’s wrong?”
He suddenly reached out and pulled me into his arms.
“Chloe.”
“Hmm?”
“I… signed up.”
I was completely baffled.
“Signed up?
“Signed up for what?”
Julian pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to me.
I opened it to see a registration form for a business management course.
And it was a fully isolated, grueling boot camp.
I looked at him.
“You’re going to take classes?”
He suffered from autism; what he feared most were unfamiliar environments and crowds.
Attending this kind of isolated boot camp would be absolute torture for him.
“Julian, you don’t have to force yourself.”
I said hurriedly.
“Our family has money, and our brothers and sisters will take care of us for the rest of our lives.
“Wouldn’t it be nice if we just became a pair of happy good-for-nothings?”
Julian shook his head firmly.
“No.”
He looked at me and said, word by word.
“I want to… provide for you myself.
“I won’t let others… look down on you.”
At that moment, looking into his clear and resolute eyes, I suddenly felt that my young master had grown up.
He was no longer the autistic boy hiding in his own world.
For me, he was willing to step out of his safe shell and face the world.
I hugged him tightly, tears streaming down my face.
“Okay.
“I’ll wait for you.”