Xue Shaohua quickly followed suit when he saw what was happening.
Truth be told, the moment he witnessed Hu Yuying walking into the courtyard with that other guy, his heart ached unbearably.
If he had to describe the feeling, it was like watching someone else play with his most treasured possession—an unbearable frustration.
He was outstanding in his own right, so why couldn’t Hu Yuying seem to see him?
The more unattainable she was, the more his heart stirred with longing.
All of it eventually condensed into sheer unwillingness.
A girl like her—once encountered, impossible to forget.
He wanted her every second of every day. That radiant smile was etched into his mind, and if one day it were to bloom just for him, Xue Shaohua felt his life would be complete.
And then there was Li Qingxue—if possible, he wouldn’t mind getting to know her better too. He knew he shouldn’t be so greedy, but greed was etched into human nature.
Someone as exceptional as him, well-liked in class, deserved a little more leniency, didn’t he?
The only regret was not knowing the name of that aloof yet stunning girl.
As they neared the courtyard, Ye Liangchen and Xue Shaohua faintly caught snippets of conversation.
Ye Liangchen suddenly raised his arm, signaling Xue Shaohua to stop and not go any further.
"Brother Long, I really have been trying my best."
"Of course I can tell." After all, he’d watched her grow step by step since she arrived from Haishi—how could he not see it?
"No, you don’t. The way you look at me is always so indulgent, like I’m some helpless child who’ll never grow up."
"My mistake. From now on, you’ll just be a slightly bigger child in my eyes. Happy now?"
"Brother Long~~" Hu Yuying stomped her foot, pouting in protest.
Seeing her like this, Long Aotian couldn’t help but chuckle. He pinched her puffed-up cheeks playfully before finally giving in and flicking her nose. "Go on inside. Everyone’s waiting for you. We’ll grab dinner together later."
The two eavesdroppers outside couldn’t suppress their grins, already picturing Hu Yuying’s adorable, sulky expression.
Their smiles were so blissful, as if in that moment, they were the ones standing before her instead of Long Aotian.
"Brother Long." Hu Yuying called out to his retreating figure. The second he turned, she wrapped her arms around him in a gentle embrace.
Just like that day when he’d carried her on his back, she held him tightly, pressing her face against his chest. "Brother Long, I’m an adult now. I know exactly what’s in my heart."
"It’s not gratitude, not indebtedness—it’s dependence. But not the kind a little girl has. It’s the dependence of a woman... on a man."
With that, she’d said everything she needed to.
Long Aotian looked down at Hu Yuying in his arms, his hand hovering as if to stroke her hair...
Silence. A deep, heavy silence.
Hu Yuying bit her lip and shut her eyes. Even if she expected rejection again, even if...
Thump.
Her lashes fluttered as she slowly opened her eyes, pressing even closer to his chest.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
She smiled—a smile so tender it could melt into one’s very bones.
Her cheeks burned uncontrollably.
Even the tips of her ears flushed hot.
She didn’t need words. She heard it.
And she thought... she might already know Brother Long’s heart.
"Scum! Let her go!" A sudden, jarring voice shattered the moment.
The door was kicked open.
Instinctively, Long Aotian pulled Hu Yuying behind him, his gaze snapping toward the intruder.
Inside the room, Li Qingxue and Lin Wanning, alerted by the noise, rushed out.
There, standing in the doorway, was a figure.
He faced slightly away, head tilted at a melancholic 45-degree angle, his expression shadowed with sorrow.
At the sight of him, Li Qingxue frowned. Lin Wanning frowned. Even the gentlest of them, Hu Yuying, wrinkled her nose in disgust.
Long Aotian studied Ye Liangchen without a frown—only a flicker of confusion in his eyes.
Hidden to the side, Xue Shaohua gave an approving nod at Ye Liangchen’s dramatic entrance.
Feeling all eyes on him, Ye Liangchen allowed a faint smirk.
With a dramatic toss of his hair, he fixed his piercing gaze on Long Aotian—and the three girls behind him, the objects of his longing.
The sight of Hu Yuying, Li Qingxue, and Lin Wanning deepened his smile, but it vanished as he glared at Long Aotian. "I said, let them go!"
"Ye Liangchen, have you lost your mind?" Li Qingxue snapped. She’d known him the longest, and seeing him here only deepened her disappointment.
She wasn’t stupid. In a city as vast as the capital, how had he found this exact alley, this exact courtyard? The answer was obvious.
Disgust slowly eclipsed her frustration.
Ye Liangchen responded with a bitter chuckle, shaking his head. "They call me mad, yet they see nothing."
"Your knight is here, Qingxue. Don’t be afraid." His gaze shifted to Hu Yuying and Lin Wanning. "You two—fear not. For I have arrived!"
He gave the three girls a solemn nod before finally locking eyes with Long Aotian. This was their first true confrontation.
No matter. He’d already embraced the darkness.
Hands in his pockets, he strode forward, stopping inches from Long Aotian. Swallowing hard, he declared, "Long Aotian, I know you feel threatened by me."
"I never wanted to fight before, but now—I can’t stand by any longer. I—"
Slap!
Ye Liangchen’s head snapped to the side. He stood frozen, lips trembling in shock.
Li Qingxue and Lin Wanning were equally stunned—this was the first time they’d seen Long Aotian act this way.
Only Hu Yuying understood. She looked up at him, her heart aching for her Brother Long... because she knew exactly why he’d struck Ye Liangchen.
ng to die together with you." Lin Xuan is dead, his body thrown into the river by his scumbag lover and her accomplice. She, the president of the Su Group, is decisive, ruthless, and ice-cold. For three days and three nights, she had his body fished out of the river, and without hesitation, she kissed the bloated corpse of Lin Xuan. She laid down beside him in a cold coffin, their fingers intertwined, a smile lingering on her lips as she closed her eyes. The noble and cold-hearted woman, only bending for one man—Lin Xuan. Lin Xuan, with his golden finger, is reborn and returns to the day of his wedding to the treacherous woman. Su Qiang comes to steal the bride. Lin Xuan's eyes light up, eager to pledge his loyalty on the spot, but instead, her kiss transfers a glass of drugged wine into his mouth, causing him to pass out... 【Male Protagonist with Single Female Lead】【Yandere Tycoon】【Action-Packed】【True vs. Fake Heir】
for mindless slaughter, this isn't for you.] My name is Ye Shu, and I'm a transmigrator. It seems I'm supposed to be the protagonist, but that feels pretty unlikely. This world has been invaded by a system. The antagonists on the other side have suddenly become pure, flawless saints. The female leads have been force-fed the so-called "original plot," making them think they've been reborn. Now, everyone thinks I'm scum. Including the old lady in my ring. And here I am, in the Monster Beast Mountain Range, braising pork. To put my situation in perspective— It's as if, the moment Xiao Yan stepped into the Monster Beast Mountain Range, the Soul Emperor already knew he would become the Flame Emperor, and Yao Lao had been turned to the enemy's side. I have nothing right now. Oh wait, that's not true. I do have a white-haired loli child-bride who's the Heavenly Dao, and her only skill is acting cute. So, tell me guys... what are my chances of making it to the end?
villain is the number one simp for the book's leading female protagonist, Shen Wan'er. As expected, he later becomes a tool for the main character to show off and slap faces, ultimately meeting a tragic end with his family ruined and his life in shambles. Fortunately, he awakens the [Universal Pure Love System], which allows him to earn points by performing acts of pure love. To change his fate, Gu Yan makes a decisive choice to seek warmth and companionship with the book's biggest villain—Cold Qingqiu. ........... My name is Leng Qingqiu. To find the murderer who killed my parents years ago, I deliberately blinded myself so that everyone would lower their guard around me. Just as I was secretly accumulating power and capital according to my initial plan, a man walked into my world. "Lengleng, Qingqing, Qiuqiu, which nickname do you prefer?" I don't like any of them. You'd better leave quickly! "Why aren't you saying anything? How about I call you my baby wife?" Leng Qingqiu thinks to herself, this man is truly annoying! (Stubborn pure love warrior + single female lead + true pure love + 1v1)
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
