Chapter 23
Ye Liangchen understood Hu Yuying. She had endured too much malice, and instinctively closed off her heart, unwilling to trust anyone easily.
Even though he had already shown her kindness, it still didn’t work.
“How about this? I know you’re busy with work right now, but if you accept this cup of milk tea, I promise I won’t bother you anymore, okay?”
Ye Liangchen smiled confidently, tossing his hair back.
He was taking a step back to move forward, slowly inching closer to dissolve Hu Yuying’s resistance.
It might be a bit shameless, but what’s wrong with having a thicker skin when pursuing the treasure of his future wife?
Who doesn’t have to be a little thick-skinned when chasing after a girlfriend?
Moreover, Ye Liangchen understood Hu Yuying; she was a good girl.
When it came to someone she liked, she was always devoted.
The same went for her studies and work.
She always felt that since she was being paid by her boss, she had to complete the tasks assigned to her diligently.
So, to fulfill her part-time job, she would definitely agree.
Faced with Ye Liangchen’s shameless proposal, Hu Yuying bit her lip. She really needed this part-time job, but...
“I refuse.”
Though the words lacked conviction, they were clear and firm.
Ye Liangchen’s smile faltered for a moment: “Of course, I never... what?”
This was a response Ye Liangchen had not anticipated at all.
He had considered all the shy expressions Hu Yuying might show when accepting the milk tea, but he never thought she would outright reject him.
At this moment, Hu Yuying’s heart was already battered and bruised; generally, she wouldn’t refuse any firm demands.
What he had said earlier was, in a way, a veiled threat.
A threat that if Hu Yuying didn’t accept his milk tea, he would disturb her work.
Given Hu Yuying’s personality, she would usually compromise to ensure she could work well!
Seeing the shock in Ye Liangchen’s eyes, Hu Yuying was cheering herself on internally.
Because her brother had once said, to truly change oneself, the first step is to learn to **refuse**.
You can’t easily compromise for others; otherwise, they’ll think you’re easy to manipulate.
Always remember, never let others have the upper hand over you.
Her brother had said this with a serious tone.
She wanted to change her personality, not wanting to be easily controlled by others.
Even as she spoke those words, her heart raced.
She didn’t know if refusing him would lead to retaliation or bullying.
But for the sake of changing herself and not disappointing her brother, she steeled herself and **refused**.
At that moment, seeing the astonishment in his eyes, Hu Yuying knew she had finally taken a brave first step.
“I refuse. I won’t be easily manipulated by you.” Hu Yuying tried to appear angry and unapproachable.
But the way she tightly gripped the hem of her clothes betrayed her inner tension.
Ye Liangchen’s gaze softened, feeling as if his heart had been struck by a gentle wave.
Sweet and soft.
Hu Yuying stared at him with her glistening eyes, trying to look fierce.
It seemed she wanted to disguise herself as intimidating, but her long, thick eyelashes trembled slightly, revealing a vulnerable and delicate demeanor that made one want to protect her fiercely!
“Hey, this chapter has more! Click the next page to continue reading; it gets even more exciting!”
Shaking his head, Ye Liangchen thought, how could he have such thoughts about wanting to bully and trample on Hu Yuying?
He was different from those people; he was Hu Yuying’s future salvation.
He was nothing like those who simply wanted to take advantage of her!
“I’m not trying to bully you just because I think you’re easy to handle. I genuinely want to be your friend,” Ye Liangchen took a deep breath, suppressing his impulses, and said slowly.
“It’s okay. One day, you’ll see my sincere heart and genuine nature.”
Hearing this, Hu Yuying looked at him with a hint of confusion in her eyes.
Noticing the hesitation in her gaze, Ye Liangchen flashed a bright smile, knowing he had already made a significant impression on her: “You focus on your work. I won’t disturb you.”
When school started on Monday, Hu Yuying would realize that she had indirectly charged in for her, one against eight, and she would understand everything in an instant.
When Long Aotian bullied her to the brink, pushing her to the edge of fragility, she would know 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 unfolding of events would gradually align with his dreams.
For now, he just needed to leave a good impression in her heart.
At least she already knew he was different from those boys who only thought about bullying her!
That was the effect he wanted, creating a clear contrast.
With a distinct difference, the scales in Hu Yuying’s heart would begin to tip.
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**Chapter 28: The Little Teacher**
Ye Liangchen sat nearby, no longer forcing Hu Yuying to accept the milk tea, nor did he disturb her. He simply watched her with a smile.
It seemed that everything about Hu Yuying was beautiful to him.
Feeling Ye Liangchen’s gaze, Hu Yuying couldn’t say she wasn’t nervous; that would be a lie.
Anyone would feel uneasy when a strange man looked at them like that.
Fortunately, after a while, Ye Liangchen, having drunk two cups of milk tea, felt a bit uncomfortable in his stomach.
Seizing the opportunity while he went to the restroom, Hu Yuying finished her part-time job half an hour early and left the mall.
She couldn’t quite understand why, despite having rejected Ye Liangchen, he still smiled and stared at her.
In any case, she decided to avoid him in the future.
With that thought, Hu Yuying quickened her pace, fearing that Ye Liangchen might notice she had left and come after her.
On her way home, she passed by the vegetable market and, looking at the money in her hand, decided to go in.
Her part-time wages were paid daily.
She wanted to buy some vegetables to take home.
Usually, Hu Yuying came to the market in the afternoon when prices were the lowest.
But today, she didn’t want to go out again after returning home.
She needed to study more and practice problems to ensure she wouldn’t struggle when explaining them to her brother in the future.
As she entered the market, Hu Yuying began selecting vegetables from various stalls.
The weather was gradually warming up, so she chose mostly inexpensive vegetables that could be stored.
“Boss, I’ll take these. How much do I owe you?”
Handing over the selected potatoes and sweet potatoes to the vendor, she asked softly.
After paying, she picked up her bag and was about to leave the market.
“Hu Yuying?”
Suddenly, she heard someone call her name. Hu Yuying turned around in confusion, but with so many stalls and people around, she couldn’t immediately figure out who was calling her.
“Over here!”
The voice rang out again, and Hu Yuying glanced toward the meat stall.
She saw a young man waving his right hand high, his black hair damp with sweat, sticking to his refined face.
He walked slowly toward her, and even in the bustling market, at that moment, everything else seemed to fade away.
“What are you standing there for? Don’t you recognize me?” The young man smiled lightly, his laughter like a clear spring in a summer mountain, sending ripples through her heart.
“Brother, what are you doing here?” Hu Yuying’s eyes sparkled, reflecting fragments of light, her previous worries vanishing in an instant.
“My dad is over there selling pork, and I came to help out.” As he spoke, he noticed the bag of potatoes and sweet potatoes in Hu Yuying’s hand and frowned slightly. “Come with me.”
“Okay.” Hu Yuying nodded vigorously, a faint dimple appearing on her cheek.
He led her to the old man’s stall.
The old man was taken aback when he saw his son return with a girl.
“This is my dad,” Long Aotian introduced.
“This is my deskmate, and also my little teacher.”
It was the first time his son introduced someone in front of a classmate, and the old man felt a mix of emotions. He glanced at his dirty apron and instinctively took it off.
Hu Yuying hadn’t expected her brother would introduce her as his little teacher in front of his father.
Being naturally reserved, she felt a bit flustered.
Out of politeness, she softly greeted, “Hello, Uncle.”
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