Chapter 163 You Protect Me

On Wednesday after school, when Chen Yuan and Xia Xinyu were on their way home, Chen Yuan clearly felt that her breathing was a little erratic.

Seriously, was she that nervous?

My mom is indeed two-faced, but she's not Ryomen Sukuna.

"Xinyu, are you very scared?" Chen Yuan couldn't help asking as they approached their stop.

"No, I'm not."

Xia Xinyu mechanically turned her head and looked at Chen Yuan, taking five seconds to say those four words.

"Okay."

When girls say no, they mean yes, and when they say yes, they mean no.

So, translating that sentence, it means: Yes, yes, aren't you nervous that my parents suddenly want to see you?

However, that might be more than just nervousness.

"Regarding their invitation, should I go, or shouldn't I?" Thinking of this, Xia Xinyu nervously inquired.

"I think it's best not to go." Chen Yuan explained, "They're not very outgoing people, and the walk from the station is too long. The atmosphere might be a little awkward."

"But if I don't go... wouldn't that be bad?" This was what Xia Xinyu was concerned about.

If she was just a girlfriend, then not going wouldn't be good.

But if they were aiming for marriage, then she definitely had to go.

The very awkward thing was that, so far, she was neither a girlfriend nor a fiancée aiming for marriage.

It was too early to say such things; after all, they were only in the second year of high school, even still in the early stages of a relationship that was being criticized.

She didn't expect that when this day really came, she would be this scared.

She should have pretended not to hear it.

Actually, that day, after hearing Chen Yuan say 'because of Xinyu,' she was already satisfied.

Now, it was just greed!

"Well..." After thinking for a moment, Chen Yuan decided, "Then let's not go at all."

"Ah?" Xia Xinyu was stunned. "Not pick them up?"

"I don't know why you're already so sure that I was going to pick them up..."

Chen Yuan explained a little awkwardly, "I've never picked them up from the train station when they came. After all, they can directly transfer to the subway to Sunshine Community station."

"Is that how sons are?" Xia Xinyu was confused and muttered, "That's not very considerate."

"What's wrong with sons? Love for parents is in the heart."

Chen Yuan felt that he was already very filial. You could ask the old man if he didn't actively chat with him every month.

What, giving money doesn't count as chatting?

Who decided that? Absurd.

"Then, you decide," Xia Xinyu said.

"Actually," Chen Yuan turned to look at the girl who was so nervous that her body was stiff, and comforted her, "You might think that it's because you improved my grades that my mom is so concerned about you. But even without that, she thinks you're a very good kid."

"Really?" Xia Xinyu asked a little unsure.

"You might have heard some of it when you brought me milk that day, but not all of it," Chen Yuan encouraged her. "She always thought you were beautiful, capable, and caring, but she just didn't understand why you were so good to me. In other words, now that I've started studying hard, she's relieved."

"Ah? Relieved about what?" Xia Xinyu asked, puzzled.

Chen Yuan looked away, not wanting to tell the truth, and said vaguely, "You know, that thing."

"What thing?" Xia Xinyu said seriously, "Explain it clearly, I'm very concerned."

"Oh come on, do you really not understand?"

Chen Yuan felt that this kid was a little bit pretending.

"I don't understand." Xia Xinyu shook her head and said, "So, if you tell me, I'll understand."

"Okay, then I'll explain it to you."

After hesitating for a moment, Chen Yuan began to elaborate, "You're a mom, you have a son, who's a sophomore in high school, his grades are terrible, but he has a girlfriend who has very good grades, more than 120 points higher than him, she's sweet-looking, practically a school belle, and she's very capable, can cook and take care of people. At this time, your son says he wants to go to the same university as her, what would you think?"

"Like that? I'd think my son might get dumped, after all, the college entrance exam will separate two people... no." Xia Xinyu realized halfway through and quickly denied, "I'm different."

"How are you different?"

"My grades aren't good in school, and I'm not a school belle. I can cook, but... I don't often cook for you, we do it together." Xia Xinyu's voice grew softer and softer, becoming less and less confident.

It wasn't that she agreed with Chen Yuan's example.

It was that in the eyes of others, their future didn't seem that solid.

Otherwise, her aunt wouldn't have been so focused on Chen Yuan's studies.

"Right, if you put yourself in my mom's shoes, someone who doesn't fully understand our situation, you'll know that her worries are very reasonable," Chen Yuan said.

If Chen Yuan, who scored 504, said he had to have Xia Xinyu, his mom would just think, my son is so cute, such a confident and handsome baby. She wouldn't think that the two of them could keep going until they reached the hall of marriage.

"Then what do you think?" Xia Xinyu was more concerned about what this boy thought.

"There are other people on the bus, do we really have to talk about this..." Chen Yuan wanted to avoid this question.

Then, Xia Xinyu didn't say anything.

But after getting off the bus, she stared into Chen Yuan's eyes and brought it up again, "Then, what do *you* think?"

"I thought this topic had already passed..."

Chen Yuan felt a headache because this slippery slope was dangerous.

"You're avoiding it again, just tell me seriously." Xia Xinyu revealed a pleading look and said, "Mom thinks that way, based on an adult's experience. Your own opinion is the most important."

Did Chen Yuan really think that if he hadn't improved his score, if he was still at 504, and the two of them couldn't get into the same university, he would be dumped?

How could I dump him?

I couldn't bear to!

I'm very sentimental. Even if he didn't get into college, I would still be with him. At that time, I would work hard and try to earn more money, take on more responsibilities.

That's what she thought.

Looking at Xia Xinyu, who was serious and not joking at all, Chen Yuan thought for a moment and said, "Actually, when I first met you, I didn't think about things too far ahead..."

"Didn't think about the future as..." Xia Xinyu sized him up and asked in a low voice, "Just wanted to take advantage of me?"

"No, you're being too extreme, not thinking about the future means being a pervert?"

"Yes."

Xia Xinyu nodded like that.

She was like an antique, sticking to her unique ideas, a moralist who believed in 'any relationship not aimed at marriage is just playing around.'

Before this, she had never liked any boys, because she always thought that she should only date when she had the ability to decide.

Then, go all the way.

From first love, to marriage.

Chen Yuan appeared a little early, but it didn't affect her adhering to this principle.

"Okay, okay."

Since that's what she said, Chen Yuan also started to provoke, "I continue to slack off, you try to persuade me to study but I don't listen, and then I get into a vocational school in the college entrance exam, and after graduating, I casually find a dead-end job. And Ms. Xia Xinyu wants to go to graduate school, but the school she likes requires her to leave the province, and I don't go with her, and my family is urging me to go on blind dates, what do you do?"

"You, you're not that kind of person." Xia Xinyu thought about it, suddenly felt a little flustered, and then corrected, "That's not true."

"Right, so this matter isn't established at all." Chen Yuan smiled, "Imagining this kind of thing is just nonsense. The current situation is that I'm studying hard, and I'm improving."

"Okay, let's just assume."

Xia Xinyu hardened her heart, put herself into the story just now, and then said very resolutely, "Even if you don't listen to what I say, your personality and mentality are still the same as they were at the reservoir. When that time comes, if it's really like you said, I won't go to graduate school, and I won't give you a chance to go on blind dates. A mediocre future, an ordinary life, even a poor and struggling one, what's wrong with that?"

If it really doesn't work, we can save some money to open a husband-and-wife shop, as long as we're diligent...

"Hiss, is this a sci-fi movie?"

Chen Yuan suddenly felt that the Ms. Xia Xinyu in front of him was a little unreal.

Shouldn't most girls say: Then you can't stop me from becoming a better person, right?

"What sci-fi movie, why do you always not believe me?" Xia Xinyu turned her head to the side, and muttered a little depressed, "Do you think I'm lying, or that I'll dump you like mom is worried about?"

"That's not true."

Chen Yuan said frankly, "I just feel that, personally, I don't want to let others downward-compatible."

When facing a girl he likes, he always wants to surpass her fiercely - Southeastern Men's Association.

"No need, no one is worse than anyone else, let's not talk about this between us, okay?" Xia Xinyu was really afraid that Chen Yuan would get hung up on it.

"No, I must be stronger than you."

"...Why?" Xia Xinyu asked, not understanding.

Chen Yuan stretched out his hand, opened it, and said to Xia Xinyu, "Reach out your hand and make a fist."

Although Xia Xinyu didn't understand, she still did as he said, and then Chen Yuan directly wrapped his hand around her fist.

"What does this represent?"

Xia Xinyu looked up and asked.

"My hand is so much bigger than yours, only I can protect you."

Chen Yuan lightly made a straight-man declaration, and once again emphasized the status of the head of the household.

"This..." Xia Xinyu thought for a moment, and then realized what he meant.

She didn't care how successful Chen Yuan would be. She liked the person himself. Even if she had to start a shop early and work late in the future, as long as she was the boss's wife, it wouldn't matter.

But Chen Yuan wouldn't let himself be weaker than her.

He wanted to be the one who protected her more...

This male chauvinism is so handsome.

"Actually, you also have to understand my mom."

For the sake of family harmony, Chen Yuan explained on behalf of Ms. Yang Junlian, "She always tells me, Xia Xinyu is too beautiful, if your grades aren't good, and you don't go to the same university, wouldn't you panic if she's chased by other boys every day?"

"Pfft."

Xia Xinyu was amused and laughed, feeling it was so interesting. Then, she turned to look at Chen Yuan and teased, "Then does this kind of aggressive tactic have a motivating effect on you?"