Lin Yu is the best person in the world, okay

The name "Gu Yue" floated lightly into her ears, and Tang Manman's expression darkened further, a hint of grievance flickering at the corners of her eyes. This time, she didn’t even have the heart to hum in acknowledgment, simply pretending she hadn’t heard the remark.

Seeing that her sister had no intention of continuing the conversation, Tang Qinqin had no choice but to press on herself.

"Gu Yue."

"Hmm..."

"Gu Yue."

"That name sounds so familiar."

"I feel like I’ve heard it somewhere before."

Tang Qinqin muttered to herself, almost theatrically. She kicked her feet lightly forward, tilting her chin up to gaze at the sky, putting on a thoughtful act.

A moment later, her bright, dewy eyes lit up. She turned to her sister, her voice brimming with surprise as she exclaimed,

"Oh!"

"Isn’t she that bully who picked on you?"

"Yu Kai told me about her!"

"Her name is Gu Yue!"

Tang Manman’s face twisted with even deeper hurt this time. Her lips pressed into a tight line, and the rims of her eyes flushed a damp red. She didn’t answer Tang Qinqin’s question, instead quickening her steps as if trying to shake her off in anger.

Naturally, Tang Qinqin wasn’t about to be left behind. She hurried to keep up with her sister.

When it became clear that Tang Manman still wasn’t engaging, Tang Qinqin began to piece things together.

Her sister must have already known about whatever was going on between Lin Yu and that awful woman.

But if she knew, why was she still hung up on Lin Yu?

Was she refusing to face the truth?

Or was she deceiving herself?

Or was there some other reason?

Tang Qinqin couldn’t figure it out, but that didn’t stop her next move.

No matter what the case was, as long as she laid everything bare and made her sister see that Lin Yu was no good, that would be enough.

Once her sister realized that whole incident had just been a scripted act by him, she’d surely despise him forever!

With that in mind, Tang Qinqin resumed her masterful performance.

"Sis, why is Lin Yu so close to that person who bullied you?"

"They look even tighter than best friends."

"I thought they hated each other?"

"Yu Kai told me Lin Yu even hit that Gu Yue once."

"So how did they end up like this?"

At this point, she raised a hand to her lips, feigning sudden realization as she gasped,

"Wait—does that mean what Yu Kai said was true?"

"Was Gu Yue just an actress Lin Yu hired?"

"Was that whole incident just a fake—"

"Tang Qinqin!"

Tang Manman finally snapped.

It was rare for her to lose her temper, but now she stopped in her tracks, glaring at her sister, who shrank back sheepishly.

"Since when did you start acting like Yu Kai?"

"Blaming someone you don’t even know for no reason!"

"Do you think that’s right?"

Tang Qinqin flinched at her sister’s uncharacteristic outburst, but she didn’t back down. Instead, she argued defensively,

"I’m not blaming him for no reason."

"And I’m not making things up."

"His behavior with Gu Yue is just weird—I’m just putting the pieces together!"

"Think about it, sis."

"Their relationship makes no sense."

"Gu Yue bullied you, and Lin Yu stood up for you and hit her."

"They should be like fire and water—completely incompatible."

"But now?"

"They’ve actually become close friends."

"Tell me, sis."

"Other than the possibility that they knew each other before, how else can you explain this?"

Tang Manman’s lips parted slightly, but no words came out. She couldn’t understand why Lin Yu and Gu Yue had grown so close, practically inseparable these days.

But one thing she knew for sure—Lin Yu was absolutely not the kind of person Yu Kai made him out to be!

"Qinqin, Lin Yu isn’t what you think he is."

Tang Manman pleaded earnestly:

"I’ve told you before—Lin Yu doesn’t like me."

"There’s no reason for him to put on such an elaborate act just to deceive me."

"You say Gu Yue is just part of his scheme, but what would he gain from it?"

"He doesn’t have feelings for me."

"He doesn’t want anything from me. There’s no need for him to go this far."

"Sis!"

Tang Qinqin stomped her foot in frustration.

"He’s playing hard to get!"

"He wants you to end up like this—thinking about him all the time, pining for him."

"He’s stringing you along like a fish on a hook!"

Hearing her sister’s words, Tang Manman felt a pang in her chest, almost laughing in disbelief.

Playing hard to get?

What kind of "hard to get" was this?

She had practically thrown herself at him with her confession.

And he still turned her down.

How was that playing hard to get?!

Stringing her along like a fish?

If she really were a fish,

she’d have already leaped onto the shore and right into his pot!

But what happened?

He tossed both the fish and the pot back into the sea.

What kind of fishing was that?!

The more Tang Manman thought about it, the angrier and more hurt she felt.

Especially when she remembered that day—Lin Yu’s harsh words after her confession—her heart ached even more.

That memory was like the crest of a tidal wave.

And in its wake, countless other memories of Lin Yu came crashing down.

Tang Manman stood alone, swallowed by the bitter tide of sorrow, her eyes reddening uncontrollably.

Seeing her sister’s unwavering certainty, she wanted to defend Lin Yu, but the words stuck in her throat. She couldn’t bring herself to admit she’d been rejected.

With tearful eyes, she glared at her sister for a long moment, then turned and stormed off without a word, her strides quick and furious.

Only then did Tang Qinqin realize she’d gone too far.

She hurried after her sister, forcing an apologetic grin:

"Sis, sis."

"I was wrong. I shouldn’t have badmouthed Lin Yu."

"I’m sorry, please don’t be mad at me, okay?"

She kept apologizing, but when she saw her sister’s eyes still red and now brimming with tears, she panicked completely:

"Alright, sis."

"I really know I messed up."

"Lin Yu isn’t a bad guy. He didn’t trick you."

"He’s the best person in the world!"

"He’s the absolute best person in the world!!!"