Xu Ke Xin didn't expect him to think so far ahead and couldn't help but pinch his face, saying:
"Liking you is my business, they can't control it."
—Liking you is my business.
—Liking you…
This was the first time she had openly said she liked him.
Xing Jia He was stunned for a long time before happily embracing her.
A complete bear hug.
Xu Ke Xin felt her breath stolen.
"..."
What a fool.
Who hugs a girl like that?
But—
Xu Ke Xin curved her lips. It was quite cute.
—
Everyone said Yu Wen Li was good at games.
Actually, compared to Xing Jia He, Yu Wen Li was nothing.
One could even say that Yu Wen Li's gaming achievements were honed by Xing Jia He's constant defeats.
Xing Jia He started playing games in elementary school.
The one who introduced him was Que You.
Que You's intention at the time was simple: just find a sparring partner.
He never expected that, three days later, Xing Jia He would completely crush him.
Que You was so angry he puffed out his beard and glared, utterly unwilling to believe he had been instantly defeated by a novice.
So he practiced desperately, and half a month later, they competed again.
That girl who strived for the sun, even when mired in the mud.
—
Xing Jia He said that due to the college entrance examination, he hadn't played games for a long time.
His hand speed and reaction time had both declined.
Therefore, it would be difficult to return to his previous level in a short time.
There was actually another, more important reason Xing Jia He didn't say.
Joining the youth training camp was a deal between him and Fourth Master Han.
The Wen family's affairs had been resolved.
According to their agreement, he was supposed to go to the capital after his college entrance exams.
But he wanted to spend more time with her, so he procrastinated until now.
If he didn't go soon, Fourth Master Han might really get angry.
Xu Ke Xin expressed understanding.
So, she spent a fortune.
She went to Mao Mao's cafeteria to have breakfast with Xing Jia He.
She knew he had always loved Aunt Qin's savory pancakes and soy milk.
Once he went to the capital, it would be hard to eat them.
—
Wen Ting Xue woke up close to ten o'clock.
Her head was swimming.
She had no desire to get out of bed.
"I really shouldn't drink. Sleeping feels like no sleep at all..."
The young girl mumbled as she reached for her phone, wanting to check for messages.
As she rubbed her eyes, a buried message caught her attention.
It was sent very late, at three in the morning, with only two words: Congratulations.
Looking at the number, it was completely unfamiliar.
But Wen Ting Xue knew who it was from.
Xie Jin Yi.
She didn't know where the intuition came from, but she was very sure this message was from Xie Jin Yi.
Considering the time, she should be back in the country now.
She just didn't know where she was staying…
"Why am I thinking about her!"
Wen Ting Xue couldn't help but smack her own head.
But she didn't delete the message.
While brushing her teeth in front of the mirror, Wen Ting Xue habitually let her mind go blank.
Then she remembered last night…
Last night…
Wen Ting Xue blinked, her brushing slowing down.
If her memory was correct.
Yu Wen Li seemed to have said in the car—Chi Ze Rui liked her?
But how was that possible?
Qiao Xi Xi couldn't keep things to herself.
Mu Chen confessed to her, and she immediately blared it in the group chat.
Since last night, she had been agonizing over it.
Insisting that they come over and give her advice.
"Right," Wen Ting Xue sighed, "otherwise, on a day like this, who would want to go out."
Isn't it nice to stay home and enjoy the air conditioning?
Xu Ke Xin teased, "If Yu Wen Li asked you out, you'd definitely go."
"..." Wen Ting Xue instantly found it amusing and exasperating.
"That's like saying I value romance over friendship. If you asked me, I'd go too!"
Xu Ke Xin nodded with a smile, "Yes, but the degree is different."
Wen Ting Xue: "..."
This conversation was impossible.
Speaking of Yu Wen Li, Xu Ke Xin raised an eyebrow, "Didn't he ask you out today?"
Because Xing Jia He didn't like grand send-offs.
So only she was going to see him off today.
But Yu Wen Li had messaged Xing Jia He.
Considering the time, he should have woken up very early.
"It's not that Kang Wei or whatever. The Lin family is promoting him now, so Yu Wen Li has to work even harder, or he'll have no chance of succeeding."
The young girl said indignantly.
Xu Ke Xin hugged her and comforted her for a bit, then said, "I'm so sleepy right now."
"We're not going to the cafe. Please thank Luo Er for me. He really liked the tie clip she picked out."
After receiving the dress, she had been thinking about what gift to give in return.
Preferably something expensive, so she would feel better.
Luo Er had suggested a tie clip.
But she had no experience, so she asked Luo Er to help her pick one.
She had originally intended to give it at his graduation banquet, but she didn't expect him to leave today.
Fortunately, she had the gift with her, otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to give it.
Cafe.
Wen Ting Xue and Hao Luo Er arrived one after another.
Qiao Xi Xi held her milk tea and cried.
"Why are you only arriving now? I'm so depressed!"
"Where's Xin Xin?" she asked, looking behind them expectantly.
Wen Ting Xue drew her gaze and explained about Xing Jia He.
Qiao Xi Xi immediately forgot about Mu Chen's confession, "Holy crap! The future esports god!
"With his looks, he'll definitely dominate the esports scene!
"But, I heard he stopped playing games a long time ago?"
Hao Luo Er said, "It's not that he stopped playing, but that he couldn't."
Qiao Xi Xi: "Oh? What do you mean?"
Wen Ting Xue also looked at her.
Hao Luo Er pursed her lips and explained.
"The years Xing Jia He was most famous were also the years he had the most strained relationship with his parents.
"No one is clear about the specific reason, but rumors say his parents were too snobbish and looked down on others.
"Xing Jia He couldn't stand this behavior, so they argued frequently."
Qiao Xi Xi pouted and whispered,
"I think the rumor is credible. His parents are indeed a bit..."
Hao Luo Er smiled and continued,
"Near the end of the first semester of junior high, Xing Jia He was playing a game with a streamer in an internet cafe.
"His parents suddenly burst in, crying, making a scene, and scolding him. They were strongly against him playing games, and things got quite ugly.
"From then on, Xing Jia He never went to an internet cafe again, and thus the rumor that he didn't play games began."
She paused and added,
"Remember the computer in the backstage of the Black Hole Bar?
"That was specifically for Xing Jia He to play games on."
Qiao Xi Xi was silent for a moment, then said, biting her dessert spoon,
"He confessed to me at that computer desk last night."
Wen Ting Xue and Hao Luo Er were startled.
Then they asked in unison, "What are your thoughts?"
"I just don't know!" Qiao Xi Xi slumped onto the table in frustration.
Like an octopus.
Her left cheek was completely pressed against the table, and her voice sounded muffled.
"I feel like I still like him a bit, but I also think he's not liking me, he's just purely sick."
"No," Hao Luo Er flatly denied, "he truly likes you."
Qiao Xi Xi immediately sat up, "How so?"
Hao Luo Er stirred the coffee that had just been served.
Instead of answering, she asked, "Do you know where I went last night?"
Wen Ting Xue and Qiao Xi Xi exchanged a look, then shook their heads.
Hao Luo Er lowered her head and smiled, "A blind date."
The two: "!!!"
"With the young master of the Qi family from Shen City," Hao Luo Er said.
Qiao Xi Xi cursed, "Are they crazy! You're not even eighteen yet! What are they blind dating for!"
Hao Luo Er looked up with a bitter smile, "This is the reality of wealthy families. Behind the glamour are all schemes of profit.
"The Mu family is the same. Therefore, the fact that he dares to defy his parents for you is enough to prove he cares about you."
Qiao Xi Xi's eyes widened, "But..."
"You want to talk about him rejecting your confession?"
"Yes," Qiao Xi Xi nodded, "if he likes me, why?"
Hao Luo Er pondered for a moment, "Have you learned about his family background?"
Qiao Xi Xi slowly shook her head.
"What does my liking him have to do with his family?"
"Of course, it has to do with it," Hao Luo Er said, "a person's personality and choices are greatly influenced by their family background.
"For example, A Rui, he initially accepted arranged marriages.
"But after learning about his parents' situation, he began to resist them.
"His chaotic personal life is actually a form of rebellion.
"This way, many daughters of wealthy families would be unwilling to marry him.
"Mu Chen, on the other hand, is indifferent to who he marries.
"It's because he has no expectation of love."
"How do you know?!" Qiao Xi Xi's pupils widened in shock.
This was something Mu Chen should have only told her.
She had never told anyone else!
Hao Luo Er smiled, "Is it that hard to guess?"
Qiao Xi Xi blinked in disbelief.
Hao Luo Er said directly:
"Secrets can't be hidden in this circle. The Mu couple are a nominal couple; everyone knows that.
"And I also know that his parents have attempted divorce several times.
"The most serious disputes were always over interests, not children.
"Mu Chen might not say it, but how could he not care?"
Qiao Xi Xi remembered Mu Chen's almost numb expression when he spoke of his parents' divorce and couldn't help but ask,
"Besides these, is there anything else?"
Hao Luo Er pursed her lips, "I'll only say what I know."
"Okay," Qiao Xi Xi nodded slowly.
Hao Luo Er thought for a moment, "His parents live separate lives privately. They have countless lovers outside.
"Mu Chen's fights, his troublemaking, his academic improvements or declines, his parents never cared.
"At most, they would show up when things got serious, giving the impression that they didn't really care about his life or death.
"Xi Xi, I think, in a family like his, for him to confess his liking to you must have taken a tremendous amount of courage.
"He's definitely not just playing around with you."
Qiao Xi Xi took a long time to process, then said, "I know, but I also..."
"It's okay," Hao Luo Er patted her hand, "I'm not telling you all this to pressure you.
"I just want you to know that he's sincere towards you, not just acting out of possessiveness as you said."
Qiao Xi Xi nodded blankly, continuing to process the information she had been given.
Wen Ting Xue was shocked after hearing everything.
"How do you know so much?"
Hao Luo Er smiled, "They are A Rui's brothers, so I would naturally pay some attention to them."
At this moment, on the second floor.
"My little car god! Why are you still standing here?
"Xu Yao trains on the track every day, aren't you afraid of losing?"
As the person spoke, they tried to look down.
Chi Ze Rui covered their face with his hand, arrogantly stating:
"I will never lose on the track in my life!"
In this life, he could only lose in matters of the heart.
"No," the person tried to struggle, "what are you looking at here? You're so engrossed, let me see too."
Chi Ze Rui pushed their face and led them towards the private room, his tone impatient.
"What I'm looking at is none of your damn business!"
At the same time, Wen Ting Xue, having heard all the gossip, finally felt a gaze upon her.
She looked up at the second floor.