Profit

Seeing Tang Manman's choked-up confession, Lin Yu couldn't help but recall that period of time.

Aside from a melancholy feeling of all his efforts having been in vain, Lin Yu also felt quite guilty.

To be honest.

During that time when he had deliberately distanced himself, Tang Manman must have suffered much more than he did.

Thinking of this, Lin Yu looked up at the crying girl with red eyes standing before him.

He cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs gently wiping away the tears at the corners of her eyes.

Looking right at Tang Manman, Lin Yu brought out his former sincerity, making a gentle yet firm promise:

"I won't do it again."

"I will never ignore you again."

"You are the most important person to me."

At this point, Lin Yu choked up for a moment.

Because baring one's conscience does come with some drawbacks.

For instance, even the simple act of telling half-truths made a black-hearted scoundrel like Lin Yu feel a twinge of guilt.

But was that really something he could say?

Mmm...

After a brief moment of thought, Lin Yu followed his conscience and added,

"You are all the most important people to me."

Having added that, and before Tang Manman could process it, Lin Yu quickly continued:

"I will never leave you again."

"I will stay by your side until the end of time."

The sudden romantic words didn't soothe Tang Manman's emotions; instead, they made her even more emotional.

She looked at Lin Yu, her red eyes softening. Her pink lips turned down in a pout as she threw her arms around him, buried her face in his chest, and began to cry...

...

This year's winter was not only a cold one, but also one with a tremendous amount of snow.

From the day he returned to H City until today, Lin Yu had hardly seen the city without snow.

A heavy snow had fallen a few days ago.

Due to the freezing temperatures, it had yet to melt.

Today, the temperature had finally risen a bit, but the melting ice and snow only made it feel even colder.

As the cold, damp wind struck, Lin Yu suddenly felt that Tang Manman was very warm in his arms, so he hugged her a little tighter.

Her face pressed against his neck, smooth and soft, radiating heat and a fragrance that smelled incredibly warm and comforting.

She seemed to still be crying, making his neck all wet, and her stray hairs stuck to his skin, tickling him slightly.

Lin Yu held her; the thick, fluffy down jacket made embracing her feel wonderfully cozy.

At this moment.

Lin Yu felt it clearly.

He was happy.

They hugged in the snow for who knows how long before Tang Manman gently pulled away from Lin Yu's embrace.

Her eyes were red as she looked at him, but there wasn't much sadness left in them.

"You're not allowed to not like me anymore."

Lin Yu looked at her and said softly:

"I have never stopped liking you."

Joy and grievance bloomed like flowers in Tang Manman's eyes.

She knew it.

She knew it!

Lin Yu really hadn't stopped liking her.

Tang Manman threw herself at him again, and their lips met in a kiss...

...

Daytime on New Year's Eve was just like this: shops were closed, businesses shut down for the holiday.

Barely a soul could be seen in the entire city; it was deserted and cold.

Lin Yu and Tang Manman wandered around the quiet city, and soon found themselves unsure of where to go.

After thinking for a moment.

Lin Yu and Tang Manman exchanged a glance and quickly thought of the same place.

Two years had passed, and this seaside cafe had already taken on a slightly weathered look from the passage of time.

It couldn't be helped.

The sea breeze was highly corrosive. Even though the clean storefront showed the owner's meticulous care, they ultimately couldn't defeat time backed by the salty, damp sea wind.

It was currently the afternoon, and there weren't many people in the cafe.

Lin Yu and Tang Manman chose a window seat facing the sea. After ordering two cups of coffee and a few plates of pastries, they quietly leaned against each other, silently watching the scenery outside.

Time slowly slipped by in the tranquility.

Tang Manman leaned against Lin Yu's chest, her eyes narrowing in comfort. She was deeply satisfied with everything here.

The broken ice on the shore outside, the clear blue sea in the distance, the warming temperature inside the cafe, the fragrant aroma of coffee and desserts, and Lin Yu beside her.

She was happy with all of it.

So happy she couldn't be any happier.

"How did you find this place?"

Tang Manman suddenly felt a bit curious about how Lin Yu had found such a great spot to relax, so she asked casually in a soft voice.

Lin Yu's calm expression tightened.

Thinking of the person who had first brought him here, Lin Yu couldn't suppress a wave of panic.

Facing Tang Manman, he definitely couldn't tell the truth.

Fortunately, Lin Yu was also quite good at lying. He casually made up an excuse:

"I saw someone share it in a short video app."

"It looked pretty good at the time, so I made a note of it."

Tang Manman didn't suspect a thing. She obediently murmured an acknowledgment and didn't ask any further, continuing to lean into Lin Yu's embrace while watching the sea waves being whipped up by the wind outside.

After this brief interlude, the two continued to enjoy their peaceful time together.

Completely unaware that outside the window facing the road, an extra pair of eyes had appeared...

...

This New Year's Eve, Gu Yue's chores weren't overly tedious, but there were more than in previous years.

After all, she was an adult now.

She couldn't just lie in bed doing nothing and dump all the necessary tasks onto her mother.

Still...

She did quite miss those idle times of doing nothing.

After helping her mom finish most of the housework.

Gu Yue made up a random excuse to leave the house. She hailed a taxi on the street and headed to the secret base she loved visiting.

To be honest.

Gu Yue didn't know what was wrong with her.

Every New Year's Eve, she had a strong urge to come sit here.

Even though the guy who was always a bit cheeky amidst his bossiness was no longer sitting across the table.

But she still really wanted to go.

Whenever Gu Yue sat there alone, nostalgia would pull him out of her memories, using his carefree laughter and cheeky words to keep her company.

It was like an immersive movie.

Here.

Gu Yue could play the leading lady for once.

However...

Gu Yue looked through the window at the two people snuggled together in that familiar spot.

She suddenly realized that today, the rightful owners were already here.

There was no seat left for someone performing a one-woman show.

Gu Yue knew she should leave.

But through the glass, the figures of the two inside were slightly blurred, hard to see clearly.

For some reason, she couldn't bring herself to walk away.

She wanted to look at the people inside.

She didn't want to admit that she yearned for the life inside.

But she really did want to look at him.

And she also wanted to see what kind of treatment and feelings one would experience being by his side.

She took two steps closer, arriving in front of the tinted glass.

She cupped her hands around her eyes and face, leaning forward slightly, pressing her pinkies and the sides of her palms against the glass to block out the glare of the sun so she could see the people inside more clearly.

Mmm.

How nice.

Gu Yue watched greedily, yet felt the guilty conscience of a thief.

She was afraid that if the two of them saw her, it would ruin their mood.

Gu Yue knew she should leave.

But she still couldn't bear to tear herself away.

So, she could only continue to watch, her heart in her throat.

Murphy's Law really is an obnoxious thing.

Gu Yue had been as careful as could be, but the very thing she dreaded still came to pass.

As if sensing something in the unseen air, Lin Yu paused for a moment, then actually turned his head to look in her direction.

Meeting Lin Yu's gaze, Gu Yue froze.

But she immediately reacted with lightning speed to defuse the awkwardness.

She gently pressed her face forward against the glass—her nose, forehead, cheeks, and lips squishing flat, giving her a rather comical appearance.

Rolling her bright, clear eyes upward, she pulled a silly face, making herself look even more ridiculous yet adorable.

Inside the window, Lin Yu was so amused by her that he broke into a grin.

Looking at him through the tinted glass, Gu Yue thought to herself that it was truly wonderful to see him so happy.

This time, she really had to go.

Gu Yue raised her hand to her cheek and gave a gentle wave to Lin Yu inside the cafe.

Bathed in Lin Yu's soft gaze, which felt like a whispered goodbye, Gu Yue turned and walked away.

Yeah.

It wasn't a loss.

She had gotten to see the real Lin Yu this time.

Yeah.

Totally worth it!