Even though he was rejected, the smile on Ye Liangchen's face did not diminish.
His gaze toward Hu Yuying only grew softer.
"You don't have to be afraid. I’ve never had even the slightest ill will toward you."
That Friday afternoon, he had even helped Hu Yuying deal with those who had come looking for trouble with her.
Although Hu Yuying hadn’t witnessed it directly, he believed the news would soon spread throughout the school.
With Hu Yuying’s intelligence, she would surely deduce the intentions of those students from the second high school who had come to the gates of the first high school.
By then, she would realize that it was he who had driven those troublemakers away.
At that moment, Hu Yuying would surely feel grateful toward him, and her guard against him would naturally lower.
Ye Liangchen was lost in his own fantasy, his smile growing brighter.
He had even imagined Hu Yuying standing at the door of his classroom, shy and hesitant, coming to thank him.
When that moment came, he would tease her with a smile: "What? Not so guarded around me anymore?"
He wondered how flustered she would become.
Just thinking about it made him a little excited!
Seeing Ye Liangchen inexplicably staring at her with a foolish smile, Hu Yuying grew increasingly uneasy.
She turned to leave.
But Ye Liangchen stepped in front of her, blocking her path.
A look of apology appeared on his face. "Sorry, I was just thinking about something funny and got lost in thought."
"Here, have this cup of milk tea. Life is already bitter enough; it’s good to have a little sweetness now and then."
To him, his rebirth felt like it had only happened in an instant.
In his dream, the look of satisfaction and surprise on Hu Yuying’s face when she first tasted milk tea was still vivid and beautiful in his mind.
He couldn’t wait to see her wear that expression again.
Hu Yuying, still wary, shook her head. "I don’t want it."
She didn’t know him, and he had even said things in the cafeteria that had hurt her pride.
Instinctively, she didn’t want to have anything to do with him.
Hearing this, Ye Liangchen sighed, though his expression remained tender. "I just want to be friends with you. I truly mean you no harm."
Ye Liangchen understood Hu Yuying. She had endured too much malice, so she had instinctively closed herself off, unwilling to trust others easily.
Even though he had shown her kindness, it still wasn’t enough.
"Alright, I know you’re working right now. If you accept this cup of milk tea, I promise I won’t bother you anymore, okay?"
Ye Liangchen smiled confidently, flicking his hair.
He was using a tactic of retreating to advance, slowly chipping away at Hu Yuying’s resistance.
Sure, it was a bit shameless, but what did it matter if he had to thicken his skin to pursue his future treasure of a wife?
Who didn’t have to be a little shameless when chasing after the girl they liked?
Besides, Ye Liangchen knew Hu Yuying well. She was a good girl.
When it came to the people she cared about, she was always loyal.
The same went for her studies and work.
She always felt that since she was being paid by her boss, she had to do her job well.
So, to ensure she could focus on her part-time job, she would surely agree.
Faced with Ye Liangchen’s shameless proposal, Hu Yuying bit her lip. She did need this part-time job, but...
"I refuse."
Though her voice lacked confidence, the words were clear and firm.
Ye Liangchen’s lips curled into a smile. "Of course, I always keep my word... What?"
This was completely unexpected.
Ye Liangchen had imagined every possible shy, flustered expression Hu Yuying might make when accepting the milk tea, but he had never considered that she would outright refuse him.
After all, Hu Yuying’s heart was already so fragile. She usually wouldn’t refuse when faced with a firm demand.
What he had just said could almost be considered a veiled threat.
He had implied that if she didn’t accept the milk tea, he would disturb her work.
Given Hu Yuying’s personality, she would surely compromise to ensure she could work in peace!
Seeing the astonishment in Ye Liangchen’s eyes, Hu Yuying silently cheered herself on.
Her older brother had once told her that if she wanted to truly change herself, the first step was to learn to say no.
She couldn’t easily compromise for others, or they would think she was easy to manipulate.
Always remember not to let others control you.
Her brother had been so serious when he said those words.
She wanted to change her personality, to stop being so easily manipulated.
Even though saying those words made her heart skip a beat, she didn’t know if refusing him would lead to retaliation or bullying.
But to change herself and not disappoint her brother, she mustered the courage to refuse.
Now, seeing the shock in Ye Liangchen’s eyes, Hu Yuying knew she had finally taken her first brave step.
"I refuse. I won’t let you manipulate me so easily," Hu Yuying said, trying to appear angry and unapproachable.
But her tightly clenched fists, gripping the hem of her clothes, betrayed the nervousness she felt inside.
Ye Liangchen’s gaze softened, feeling as though his heart had been struck by a piece of cotton candy—sweet and tender.
Hu Yuying glared at him with her moist, watery eyes.
She seemed to be trying to appear fierce, but her long, thick eyelashes trembled slightly, revealing her delicate and pitiable nature. It made him want to tease her even more!
He quickly shook his head. How could he have such thoughts about Hu Yuying?
He was different from those people. He was the one who would save Hu Yuying’s future.
He was nothing like those who only wanted to bully her!
"I’m not trying to manipulate you because you seem easy to push around. I genuinely just want to be friends with you," Ye Liangchen said, taking a deep breath to suppress his impulses.
"It’s okay. One day, you’ll see my sincerity and my true nature."
Hearing this, Hu Yuying looked at Ye Liangchen with a hint of doubt in her eyes.
Seeing her hesitation, Ye Liangchen grinned brightly. He knew he had already made a strong impression on her. "Go ahead and work. I won’t disturb you."
When school started on Monday, Hu Yuying would learn that he had stood up for her, taking on eight people single-handedly. She would understand everything then.
When Long Aotian pushed her to the brink, when she was on the verge of breaking, she would realize that he was the one who truly cared for her.
At that moment, he would become the only light in Hu Yuying’s heart.
The course of events would gradually align with his dreams.
For now, it was enough to leave a good impression on her.
At the very least, she now knew that he was different from the boys who only wanted to bully her!
This was the effect he wanted—a clear contrast.
Only with such a stark contrast would the scales in Hu Yuying’s heart begin to tip in his favor.