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"Me!"

"Me!"

Lin Yu was so furious that he blurted out two "me's" in a row, yet couldn't follow up with anything coherent.

This was utterly ridiculous!

Lin Yu was on the verge of losing it.

Hadn't he and Gu Yue been discussing how to remove a tattoo?

How did it turn into Tang Manman wanting to get another one?

This wasn’t just hearing half of the conversation—this was outright hearing the complete opposite!

Lin Yu was seething, but at this moment, he couldn’t bring himself to take his anger out on Tang Manman.

He let go of her ear, which he’d been twisting, and took a few deep breaths to calm himself down.

Once he’d steadied his emotions, he glanced at Tang Manman beside him, who was still rubbing her ear and wiping away tears. He knew it was time for a serious talk.

Looking around, Lin Yu’s eyes narrowed with unmistakable menace.

The white-haired guy who’d been tailing them, pretending to just be passing by while eavesdropping, shrank back nervously. He offered Lin Yu an awkward smile before bolting under the weight of that death glare.

Considering the guy had actually been helpful today, Lin Yu let it slide. His gaze eventually landed on a nearby café.

"Come with me," he said to Tang Manman before striding toward the café.

Inside, he ordered two hot coffees and led her to a secluded corner.

Sitting across from Tang Manman, who was still dabbing at her tears, Lin Yu exhaled heavily, his heart in knots.

When it came to Tang Manman, he truly didn’t know what to do anymore.

Maybe just accept her confession?

Be with her?

No way!

After a brief consideration, Lin Yu dismissed the idea.

Even if he ignored the absurdity of the situation—like something out of a cheesy romance comic—there was still Qing Mo to deal with.

He’d taken so much money from her...

Wait—

Lin Yu suddenly realized something and mentally facepalmed.

Actually, Qing Mo wouldn’t be the problem. A few slaps, some harsh words, and she’d probably let it go.

The real issue was Tang Manman.

If he accepted her feelings and became her boyfriend while still flirting with Qing Mo on the side, it’d be a disaster. If he kept it hidden, fine—but if she ever found out, she’d shatter into a million irreparable pieces.

No.

He absolutely could not accept Tang Manman’s confession.

At least not while his arrangement with Qing Mo was still in place.

Besides, even if he did agree, who knew if it’d help or hurt her studies?

What kid could date and still ace their exams?

If her grades didn’t plummet, it’d only mean she wasn’t serious about the relationship!

If accepting her feelings wasn’t an option, what about distancing himself?

That was even worse.

Lin Yu groaned internally.

Hadn’t he been trying to keep his distance all along?

If he pulled away any further, her grades would likely crash harder than they already had.

At this rate, forget getting into a top-tier university—they’d both end up in some second-rate college.

Accepting her was impossible. Rejecting her was just as bad.

Lin Yu was at his wit’s end, completely clueless about how to handle Tang Manman.

In the silence, the café waiter approached with a tray carrying two cups of coffee, subtly easing the awkward and heavy atmosphere between the two.

Standing by the table, the waiter lifted his free hand, carefully picked up one of the cups from the tray, and placed it in front of Lin Yu. With a bright smile, he launched into his pitch:

"Hello, sir! Would you be interested in signing up for a membership card?"

"We’re running a top-up promotion right now—get 100 free for every 500 you recharge, or 300 free for every 1,000."

"As a first-time member, you’ll also receive a complimentary tiramisu voucher, redeemable anytime you like."

Listening to the waiter’s smooth sales spiel, Lin Yu was genuinely speechless.

Seriously, dude.

Can you really not sense the tension here?

Is the girl across from me not crying loudly enough?

Or do I just look so cheerful that you think this is the perfect moment to pitch your membership card?

Under Lin Yu’s sharp glare, the waiter offered an apologetic smile, placed the other cup of coffee in front of Tang Manman, and swiftly retreated.

Once the waiter was gone, Lin Yu found himself once again grappling with the same dilemma.

How should he treat Tang Manman moving forward—so that she wouldn’t be his girlfriend, yet could still let go of her distractions and focus on her studies?

As he pondered, the waiter’s sales pitch resurfaced in his mind.

Stripping away the unnecessary details, Lin Yu zeroed in on one key point.

Rewards.

With that in mind, an idea quickly took shape.

Looking across the table at Tang Manman, who was still wiping away her tears, Lin Yu nervously cleared his throat. Steeling himself, he finally spoke up:

"Tang Manman, do you like me?"

Tang Manman’s hand froze mid-motion, her delicate fingers hovering near her nose. She didn’t look up, but bit her pink lips and nodded firmly, tears still glistening in her eyes.

Even though the answer had been obvious, hearing Tang Manman confirm it outright made Lin Yu’s heart twist painfully. He couldn’t help but lament the cruel irony of fate.

Damn it all!

If only he’d found out just two days earlier that she was slipping in her studies because of him!

He could’ve swallowed his pride and asked Xia Muzhu for more money.

But no—it had to be after he’d already sold himself to Qing Mo that he learned the truth!

Leaving him with no room to maneuver at all!

Fate!

Heavens!

Dear God above!

Why don’t you go mess with someone else for a change?

Must you torment me alone?

I really can’t take it anymore!!!