On Relationship Distance: Handy Tips to Understand Human Nature

Not long ago, Lin Yu had been the threatening aggressor.

But when the underlying conflict between Wu Chuntian and Lv Rou escalated,

Lin Yu suddenly stepped forward, offering kindness and patience with gentle generosity.

In an instant,

Wu Chuntian fell straight into the Stockholm syndrome trap!

At this moment, in her eyes,

Lin Yu…

Not only was he lavish with his spending, but he was also incredibly generous!

More importantly,

He held a "scale of fairness" in his heart!

He understood that Wu Chuntian, though "awkward with words," was not someone who shied away from hard work—

She just wasn’t as smooth-tongued and cunning as Lv Rou.

He… got her!

Now that she thought about it…

Were Lin Yu’s past actions really that bad?

The photos and videos had come from Lv Rou’s phone…

It was Lv Rou who had schemingly saved those clips…

And it was Lv Rou who, in the heat of their struggle, accidentally sent them to Lin Yu…

Faced with Lv Rou’s endless, manipulative demands to delete them, no wonder Lin Yu had snapped…

After chasing him down at the cinema, she’d even pursued him in front of his friends on the sports field…

Lin Yu…

Had done nothing wrong at all!

Wu Chuntian asked herself—if she were in his shoes, wouldn’t she have been furious too?

Being treated like a lunatic by their classmates…

A little retaliation to show he had a temper was perfectly normal!

"Lin Yu, you really… don’t have to be so polite."

"Helping each other out is just what classmates do, right?"

"I only bought a few things, packed some stuff…"

"It wasn’t anything particularly hard."

Wu Chuntian’s tone had completely shifted.

Faced with Lin Yu’s generosity, she fumbled for words, unsure how to respond.

Sensing the change in her emotions,

Lin Yu seized the moment to add:

"Chuntian, that’s not how it is."

"Even between the closest friends, there should always be acknowledgment for each other’s efforts."

"If you refuse, I’ll think you’re unwilling to accept my goodwill."

Wu Chuntian: "!!!"

Between the closest friends…

Friends!

Did Lin Yu really see her as a friend?

Compared to Lv Rou, whom she had once considered a friend,

The contrast in her heart was staggering.

"No, no, it’s not that I don’t appreciate it!"

"I… I’ll accept it then."

"Thank you, Lin Yu!"

Watching Wu Chuntian’s flustered gratitude,

Lin Yu knew his goal had been achieved.

He understood all too well—

Even if he gave Wu Chuntian 10,000 yuan, she’d only dare to buy a backpack worth a couple hundred at most.

How could she recklessly splurge with a "friend’s" money?

Wouldn’t that betray the trust and kindness behind it?

Not only that,

Having received such generosity while feeling she hadn’t done much,

She’d only be more willing to go out of her way to help her "friend" in the future.

"Obligation follows favor"—an age-old truth.

Throughout his conversation with Wu Chuntian,

Lin Yu deliberately avoided even glancing at Lv Rou,

Leaving her ignored like air.

No matter how high Lv Rou’s emotional intelligence was, in this atmosphere, even she couldn’t maintain her usual composure.

She never could’ve imagined—

Lin Yu not only had money but genuinely treated it as nothing.

A decent backpack, even without going to a brand store, would cost at least 200 or 300 yuan, right?

Among the wealthy guys she’d dated before,

Only one or two had been willing to spend on her.

Most were all show—outwardly generous but secretly stingy.

They’d happily drop 100 or 200 yuan on a hotel room without hesitation,

But when it came to gifts? They’d sneak onto Taobao to hunt for knockoffs.

Lin Yu’s behavior was a stark contrast to theirs.

Wu Chuntian was his friend?

Maybe in the mind of someone as eccentric and reclusive as Lin Yu, she qualified.

Just for being a little more diligent,

She got this kind of warm treatment?

By all rights,

Shouldn’t she, Lv Rou, be closer to Lin Yu?

They’d even pretended to be a couple once!

Yet now,

All the benefits had landed squarely in Wu Chuntian’s lap.

Watching someone else effortlessly reap rewards from the "gullible and loaded" Lin Yu

Felt worse than losing money herself.

For now,

She had to bite her tongue and say nothing.

Otherwise, Lin Yu would surely label her as "jealous."

"If there’s nothing else, I’ll head out first. You two take a break."

"It’s really hot in here—you’re both drenched. Rest up."

"Next time, I’ll treat you both to a meal."

With that, Lin Yu waved and walked out of the guardhouse.

"Next time" usually meant never.

"Later" often meant never again.

From most people’s mouths, such invitations were empty.

But coming from the "gullible and free-spending" Lin Yu,

This meal might actually happen.

Lv Rou clung to a sliver of hope.

Lin Yu had said, "You two rest" and "treat you both."

At the very end, he’d finally included her.

She began scheming…

She hadn’t lost yet!

There was still a chance!

Even if they couldn’t be lovers, becoming close friends or confidantes would work.

Who knew? With enough back-and-forth,

She might just reel him into her net!

After Lin Yu left,

The small room returned to its awkward, stifling atmosphere.

Wu Chuntian and Lv Rou paused their tasks, taking a break.

They sat apart, neither speaking to the other.

Avoiding Wu Chuntian’s gaze, Lv Rou quietly pulled out her phone and messaged Lin Yu:

「Lv Rou: Next time, let us treat you. Thanks for your kindness.」

「Lv Rou: Hope we can still be good friends—don’t let recent events ruin that.」

「Lv Rou: If you ever need help, just reach out.」

「Lv Rou: Oh, and don’t forget to turn in your homework this Wednesday! (smiley)」

After sending the messages,

She waited… and waited.

Lin Yu didn’t reply.

Her mood sank to rock bottom.

Her mind raced—what had she done to make Lin Yu dislike her?

Was it just because she hadn’t spoken up earlier?

Buzz! Buzz!

After a torturous seven or eight minutes,

Finally,

Her phone vibrated.

Lv Rou hurriedly opened WeChat:

「Lin Yu: No need to be so formal. We’ve even acted together—aren’t we old friends?」

「Lin Yu: I left in a rush earlier—forgot to say, you’ve been working hard too these past couple days!」

Lv Rou took a sharp breath: "!!!"

See!

When it came to closeness, they were the ones with history!

Maybe…

They could become even closer.

「Lv Rou: Me? Hardworking? I was just having fun! Back to work now! (tongue out)」

After replying,

Lv Rou smirked, stood up, and returned to the large bag of supplies.

Glancing down at Wu Chuntian, who was still browsing backpacks on her phone, she said dismissively:

"Let’s get back to work. Had enough of a break, haven’t we?"

Wu Chuntian looked up: "???"

She had seemed completely drained of energy just moments ago—where did this sudden burst of vigor come from?

...

(First update for today, with more bonus chapters coming tonight!)