The Person I Have Always Liked Is Xia Muzhu

Lin Yu held his phone, staring blankly for a long time before finally deciding not to reply. He placed it on the table and continued eating in silence.

His mind was racing.

Should he delete Tang Manman from his life?

If he did, he feared she might confront him, demanding an explanation. Worse, he worried she’d have no one to protect her if she encountered trouble—her innate vulnerability to bullying was no joke.

But what if he tried to explain things to her?

...What was there even to say?

And if there was, how would he phrase it?

Should he say he wanted to break up?

But they had never officially been in a relationship—how could he even call it a breakup?

Should he tell her he had a girlfriend now?

...

Lin Yu’s gaze drifted over the delicious food in front of him, his mind elsewhere. His chest tightened with a dull ache, as if his body itself refused to let him deliver the news.

It wasn’t so much unwillingness as it was fear.

He knew that if he told her, she would inevitably show up at his doorstep, crying and causing a scene.

He couldn’t face that version of her.

Afraid he’d soften. Afraid he’d regret it.

Better to just maintain the status quo.

After all, nothing substantial had ever happened between them.

At most, they were just close friends.

If he kept ignoring her like this, eventually, she’d give up and walk away.

That would be best for everyone...

...

...Right?

Lin Yu exhaled deeply, rubbing his face wearily.

When it came to Tang Manman, he couldn’t think of a better solution.

This was the least terrible option—dragging things out until she moved on.

Maybe once she saw more of the world, she’d forget him even faster than he forgot her.

Shoveling a few more bites into his mouth, Lin Yu suddenly remembered the promise he’d made before sending Tang Manman off at the airport.

He was supposed to surprise her.

After some thought, he decided sending her a bouquet would suffice.

After browsing countless flower meanings online, he settled on yellow roses—symbolizing farewell.

He pulled up Tang Manman’s city on his phone, ordered a large bouquet through a delivery app, and entered the address she’d mentioned in a previous message.

With his plan to distance himself from Tang Manman now set, Lin Yu’s thoughts inevitably drifted to Xia Muzhu.

His feelings for her weren’t complicated.

He definitely liked her.

With her looks, figure, and personality, it was hard to imagine any man not being drawn to her.

Lin Yu had initially avoided pursuing Xia Muzhu for two reasons.

First, they’d be in a long-distance relationship once college started. Second, she was the heroine of an adult comic—and out of defiance toward fate, Lin Yu had resisted getting involved with these fictional women.

But now, it was too late for regrets.

Lin Yu sighed, channeling his frustration into his meal.

As he ate, a delicate fragrance wafted over him, carried by the cool breeze of the air conditioning. The scent was light, elegant, and refreshing—so crisp that it sent a shiver down his spine, almost like a premonition of winter.

And...

It smelled familiar.

Lin Yu glanced up just as the woman walking past him reached his table and unceremoniously pulled out the chair opposite him, sitting down.

Seated on the wooden chair, her skin was pale as jade, her features coldly ethereal.

She crossed her legs, leaned back, and loosely folded her slender arms across her chest—every inch the queen. Though petite, the way she tilted her chin up made Lin Yu feel like he was being scrutinized from above.

It was impossible not to feel guilty.

Especially when he recognized her—and remembered what she’d once said to him.

“Something you need?” Lin Yu asked, feigning nonchalance as he kept eating.

Qing Mo shifted her posture, leaning forward with her elbows on the translucent amber glass table. She propped her chin on one hand, tilting her head slightly—her expression playful, but her voice icy.

“Are you pretending not to know?”

“Know what?”

With no better options, Lin Yu decided to play dumb to the end.

Qing Mo studied him for a moment before letting out a cold laugh. She straightened, her tone sharp.

“Fine.”

“If you really don’t remember, then come back with me. I’ll help you recall.”

With that, she lazily flicked her wrist in a beckoning motion.

Lin Yu was confused at first—until he spotted several broad-shouldered men in suits striding toward them.

“Wait!”

He grabbed Qing Mo’s wrist. “I remember now! Tell them to stand down!”

Qing Mo raised a hand, and the men immediately halted, awaiting further orders.

“Go on.”

Her cold eyes gleamed with disdain, like a cat cornering a mouse—ready to pounce on any excuse he might offer.

Lin Yu could feel sweat forming on his forehead but resisted the urge to wipe it. That would only make him look guiltier.

Taking a deep breath, he forced a calm expression.

“I know what you’re getting at.”

“But you’ve misunderstood me.”

“Misunderstood?” Qing Mo repeated mockingly.

“Are you saying you didn’t sleep with that woman, Xia Muzhu, between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. yesterday?”

Lin Yu cursed inwardly.

So she never actually called off the surveillance!

Liar.

He really wanted to punch her...

...

Never mind.

She’d probably just lick his hand afterward.

“Ahem.” He cleared his throat. “Not that. You misunderstood my relationship with Tang Manman.”

“We’re just close friends.”

“Xia Muzhu is the one I love.”

“I’m not two-timing anyone. I haven’t broken our agreement.”

Qing Mo’s composed smirk vanished. After a brief pause, she glared at him, teeth clenched.

“Are you messing with me?”

“Who’s messing with you?” Lin Yu spread his hands, shamelessly doubling down.

“You’ve had people watching me, right?”

“You know everything, don’t you?”

“Then you should already know exactly what happened—or didn’t happen—between Tang Manman and me.”

“We never made it official.”

“We barely even held hands, let alone anything else.”

“I’m sure you know that better than I do.”

“We were just good friends!”