Xue Yang’s infatuation with Chen Ying had been common knowledge since his first day of school. His grand, high-profile confession yesterday had only served to make him a household name throughout Yanbei.
There were many who liked Chen Ying, but Xue Yang was a one-of-a-kind case. People were watching to see if he would eventually win the beauty over, but the result came as no surprise: he had failed.
Chen Ying stood before Xue Yang, holding herself with the air of a condescending princess, as if to say: "Xue Yang, if you apologize to me now, I might begrudgingly allow you to sit and have a meal with me."
*Look, I’ve taken the initiative to come find you; aren't you touched? If you are, why aren't you hurrying to please this goddess?*
In the past, if Chen Ying had made such a move, Xue Yang would have been so touched he would have immediately wiped her chair clean, gone to fetch the best and most expensive food in the cafeteria, and wished he could offer her everything he had. But now...
Xue Yang felt touched, but it was entirely unnecessary.
Late-blooming affection is worth less than grass. No, that wasn't right—there was no affection at all. She was only stooping to come over here because she had no other place to sit and he happened to be a target she could enslave. If there had been any other seat available, she never would have come near him.
"Excuse me, I'm finished. You two can have this spot; I’m leaving."
With that, he picked up his tray and walked away, never once glancing at Chen Ying from start to finish.
*When I liked you, you were the stars and the moon in the sky, a goddess from the heavens, my one and only queen. But when I no longer like you, to me, you are nothing more than a stranger.*
"Son, wait for me!"
Cui Hao hurriedly grabbed his lunch box, wolfed down the last few bites, and chased after Xue Yang.
"Brother, you really are my brother. That’s the second time today you’ve given the campus belle the cold shoulder. I’m starting to believe you’ve really moved on. That move just now was so damn cool—I think I’m falling in love with you."
Xue Yang shot him a look, and Cui Hao scrambled to change his tune. "I know, I know—your sexual orientation is perfectly normal, hehehe~"
"So, you’re really not planning on coming to pass out flyers with me? We might run into the heiress of the Lin Group. One hundred million, think about it! We could split it fifty-fifty... or sixty-forty, if you insist... can't go any lower than that..."
"Get lost!"
"You got it."
...
By the time Xue Yang left the cafeteria, everyone was still in shock. Had they seen that correctly? Xue Yang had actually... refused to share a table with the campus belle? Had the sun risen in the west today, or were they all still dreaming?
"Maybe he’s been rejected by her so many times that he’s finally lost his mind."
"That’s very likely."
People would rather believe he had gone insane than accept that he had stopped liking Chen Ying. It really showed just how much effort he had poured into that pursuit.
Wu Xiaoya felt awkward, too. If she had known, she wouldn't have brought Chen Ying over. This had turned into such a mess; she had never seen Chen Ying suffer such a slight since they had met.
Chen Ying’s expression remained indifferent, as if she hadn't noticed being ignored at all. Only she knew that, inside, her heart was in turmoil.
*Xue Yang, how much longer are you going to keep this act up? When you liked me, you made it known to the whole world. Now, are you trying to use public opinion to force me to say yes? Don't you think you're taking yourself a bit too seriously?*
...
By the time Xue Yang returned to his rented room after his afternoon classes, it was already 4:30.
"Since there’s no hope for that confession, I might as well give up this room. Three hundred yuan a month is still money. Besides, the money spent on this place—where I can only stay two or three times a week—could be spent treating that guy Cui Hao to food. He’d probably call me his foster father for a decent meal. He’d even kneel and sing 'Conquer' for me without a second thought."
Thinking of this, Xue Yang recalled his years of devotion. He had spent money to rent a room he barely stayed in and money to chase a woman whose hand he couldn't even touch, only to be treated like garbage and told to disappear in the end.
He laughed at himself and opened the door with his key.
Inside the room, Lin Xi was wearing Xue Yang’s white T-shirt. Her lower body was clad in a pair of short, hot-pant-style shorts, which were almost completely hidden by the oversized shirt, revealing only a sliver of black. Her snow-white, slender legs were crossed. Despite the loose fit of the shirt, the curves of her figure and her slender waist were still apparent. Any man coming home to such a sight would have felt his blood run hot.
"!!!"
Their eyes met, and both were stunned.
After a brief, awkward silence, Xue Yang blurted out, "Why haven't you left yet?"
"Ah—!"
Lin Xi shrieked and sprang up from the sofa. "You... you... close your eyes! Don't look!"
She rushed into the bathroom, hastily put on her still-damp underwear, and only felt a sense of security once she was dressed. She then walked back out.
"You're finally back. I thought you weren't coming home tonight."
Xue Yang walked over to the sofa and sat down. "Weren't you going home today? Why are you still here? You don't intend to stay, do you?"
Lin Xi pouted. "You were the one who told me to go home, but I never said I was going to."
"So? You intend to live here forever?"
*She isn't planning on latching onto me, is she?* He was just a simple college student; he had nothing worth her greed, and he was soon going to be struggling to afford his own meals.
"Of course not. How could I stay here forever? Your place is small and cramped. I just plan on staying for a few days."
"And then what? What are you planning to do?"
"I’ll figure it out later."
"Have you considered the fact that I’m just a student? I can’t afford to cover the living expenses for two people, even for just a few days."
If he hadn't spent so much on his failed confession these past few days, Xue Yang might have been able to manage, but... the money he had left wouldn't even last until his family sent him his next allowance. Feeding two people was out of the question.
"Don't worry, every cent spent on my stay here will be returned to you."
"If you leave now, that would be the greatest help you could give me. Go find somewhere else to stay; I’ve already decided to give this place up and move back to the dorms."
Lin Xi grew anxious. She wanted to grab Xue Yang’s arm, but hesitated, opting instead to block his path to the room. "You can't give it up! If you give it up, where am I supposed to stay?"
"Where you stay is none of my business. I only offered to help you; I never said I would do it forever."
Lin Xi could no longer afford to hold back. She tugged on Xue Yang’s sleeve and shook it slightly. "Please, just a few more days. Once I find a place, I’ll leave, I promise. I swear, I’ll pay you back ten times, even a hundred times the amount. Whatever you want, I’ll give you."
"..."
"If you call the police, I'll run away, and if something happens to me, you'll be held responsible~ I’m not trying to threaten you, I just... I really don't want to go back yet."