Just Spoil Them

Long Aotian didn’t dwell on minor incidents like those involving Ye Liangchen and Xue Shaohua.

He could tell that Hu Yuying genuinely disliked Ye Liangchen.

And when he had mentioned Xue Shaohua earlier, the frown on her face had said it all.

Hand in hand, the two arrived at the subway station’s entrance hall.

Before long, they spotted Li Qingxue and Lin Wanning walking over, chatting and laughing.

Even in the crowded space, their eyes instantly found the two girls.

Likewise, the girls immediately noticed where Long Aotian and Hu Yuying were standing.

With cheerful waves, they quickened their steps toward them.

Li Qingxue and Lin Wanning’s gazes skipped right past Long Aotian, landing entirely on Hu Yuying.

Under their scrutiny, Hu Yuying felt a little uneasy and instinctively pressed closer to Long Aotian.

Noticing her small movement, Li Qingxue and Lin Wanning wasted no time—they grabbed hold of Hu Yuying, their expressions playful yet demanding.

Long Aotian watched the scene with amusement.

Whenever the three girls got together, they always created a lively, heartwarming dynamic.

"Brother, could you buy us some water?" Lin Wanning asked.

Ever since that night when she had bared her heart to Long Aotian, the once aloof and ethereal girl had shed all traces of her cool demeanor around him, replacing it with playful, girlish coquetry.

Once Long Aotian was out of earshot, Li Qingxue and Lin Wanning transformed into mischievous wolves, closing in on their "little rabbit."

"Spill it," Li Qingxue said.

While others might not know, she was well aware that Hu Yuying hadn’t returned to the dorm last night.

And now, here she was with Long Aotian so early in the morning—what else was there to guess?

Best friends shared the juiciest gossip, especially when it involved an overnight absence.

Hu Yuying’s eyes flickered evasively as she pretended not to understand, glancing to the side and clasping her hands behind her back.

"Spill… spill what?" she murmured.

"Still playing dumb? Should I tickle you into confessing?" Lin Wanning teased, her slender fingers lightly brushing against Hu Yuying’s neck.

The cool touch against her delicate skin made Hu Yuying instinctively shrink back.

But how could she possibly talk about such things?

Her mind flashed back to this morning—Long Aotian’s overwhelming presence, the way he had carried her to bed, the almost rough urgency as he removed her clothes…

Her face instantly flushed crimson.

"We haven’t even asked anything yet, and look how red you’re getting! If nothing happened, we’d never believe it," Li Qingxue said, her curiosity burning.

Having never experienced such things herself, she was genuinely eager to know.

"R-really, nothing happened," Hu Yuying whispered.

Lin Wanning studied her for a moment, then leaned in and sniffed.

The three of them spent so much time together that they were familiar with each other’s scents—but today, Hu Yuying’s carried something new.

"You didn’t go back to the dorm last night. Did you stay with my brother?"

"Don’t lie, Yuying. You smell just like him."

At Lin Wanning’s words, Hu Yuying bit her lip lightly before giving a tiny nod.

The moment she did, Li Qingxue and Lin Wanning’s eyes practically sparkled with scandalized delight.

"What did you do? Tell us everything," Li Qingxue demanded, her tone leaving no room for evasion.

"Really, we didn’t do anything," Hu Yuying insisted truthfully.

She wasn’t completely ignorant about relationships, and she knew exactly what Li Qingxue was implying.

But on that point, she was being honest—it hadn’t gone that far.

Seeing the sincerity in Hu Yuying’s eyes, Li Qingxue and Lin Wanning reluctantly accepted her answer.

Just as Hu Yuying sighed in relief, they pressed further: "Then what did you do?"

Hu Yuying simply pursed her lips into a shy smile.

They had done plenty, but how could she possibly say it out loud?

Especially here, in such a public place, where passersby kept stealing glances at them just for standing there.

If anyone overheard, the embarrassment would be unbearable.

"Alright, enough teasing," Long Aotian interjected, seeing Hu Yuying on the verge of melting into the floor from embarrassment.

He handed out the bottles of water he had bought, distributing them among the three.

Hu Yuying shot him a grateful, watery-eyed look.

If not for him, she was certain Li Qingxue and Lin Wanning would have "interrogated" her right then and there.

Li Qingxue was one thing, but who would have guessed that Lin Wanning—with her icy, untouchable aura—could be so… mischievous behind closed doors?

Watching Long Aotian shield Hu Yuying so protectively, both Li Qingxue and Lin Wanning couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy.

But they were just talking—if they really wanted to ask, they’d definitely find a place without outsiders...

With a little playful grabbing, Hu Yuying would surely spill everything.

This was just the girls’ way of teasing, not bullying Hu Yuying at all.

And when faced with their antics, Hu Yuying was incredibly gentle, making it clear she was indulging them...

The moment Long Aotian arrived, the trio immediately settled down.

Holding hands, the three of them obediently trailed behind Long Aotian, whispering among themselves, much to his amusement and exasperation.

That was his girl—shouldn’t she be sitting right beside him...

After a grueling struggle through the overcrowded subway station—hot, stifling, and draining everyone’s patience—they finally emerged.

Yet the moment the distant outline of Tiananmen came into view, all that frustration melted away.

As they drew closer to the majestic sight, pride and excitement swelled in their hearts.

The gate tower, the portrait of the Chairman, the soldiers, and the endless stream of tourists all came together to form a breathtaking scene.

The fluttering flags were a reminder—how fortunate they were to be born in China. This was a romance that belonged to the nation.

"Long Aotian, look! There are foreigners over there!" Li Qingxue exclaimed, turning excitedly to Hu Yuying and Lin Wanning.

She adored lively atmospheres like this, absolutely thrived in them.

Li Qingxue’s infectious energy quickly lifted the mood, and soon she was dragging Hu Yuying and Lin Wanning around, demanding Long Aotian take photos for their social media.

For the first half of the day, Long Aotian became an emotionless photo-taking machine.

By the afternoon, he’d transformed into an equally indifferent human prop, posed at their whim.

Before the photos: "Sweetie, help us out, please?"

After the photos: "Sweetie" was forgotten, the trio huddled together, critiquing the results.

Truly, he was "sweetie" when useful, and utterly ignored once they got what they wanted.

But what could he do?

Spoil them, of course.

...