“But you never considered that someone like me, who is not worthy of you, owes you so much money, and has family pressuring me to be with you—how could I possibly be completely devoted to you—”
“I don’t care about all that. I just want to know if you like me!”
“
“If your feelings are mixed with so many other things, can you even tell if you like the other person?”
“Of course I can! Have I ever doubted what you’ve done? Have I listened to what others say? Why can’t you do the same! It only shows you don’t really like me. Like last time, when I touched you, you wanted to break up. If you truly loved me, how could you have no impulse at all? Aren’t you still afraid today that I might take advantage of you? You’re with me like you’re guarding against a wolf, and you don’t really see me as a boyfriend, right? Am I a debtor or a backup?”
Breaking Up Only to Discover
Fang Yuzhe finally exploded. If he didn’t get angry, he’d be treated like a sick cat!
Xia Yuluo was never good at arguing, and since what he said was true, she had no words to refute.
What could she do? She resorted to a girl’s ultimate weapon: hands hanging down, eyes cast to the ground, squeezing out tears like a broken pearl necklace, looking pitiful.
When a girl cries, the guy gives in – Fang Yuzhe saw her like this and couldn’t bear to argue further. His chauvinistic protective nature couldn’t withstand the assault of tears.
“Why are you crying! Stop crying!” he panicked, quickly closing the door, afraid someone would see him bullying a girl.
With the door closed, Xia Yuluo had won her first step, at least not worrying about being dragged into the hallway. Second step: continue playing pitiful.
She sobbed, “Sorry, sorry—”
“It’s okay!” How could he not forgive her when she was so tearful? Fang Yuzhe was truly frustrated. If you don’t like me, just say it clearly. Crying like this makes it seem like you’re reluctant – what does he want her to do!
Xia Yuluo’s crying and apology had broken through Fang Yuzhe’s anger, but it was purely by accident. She wasn’t the type of girl who knew how to manipulate. If she were, she’d have already satisfied Xia Daohao and Ma Jiao’s wishes and wrapped Fang Yuzhe around her finger!
She actually liked him very much, just controlling herself weakly!
For example, when Fang Yuzhe complained she wasn’t impulsive, how could she not be? Many times she couldn’t help wanting to be more intimate when seeing his handsome face; when they were ambiguous, she wanted to respond; when touched, she wanted to actively hug and kiss him, to make him happy… But in Xia Yuluo’s mind, a girl doing that was wrong. She should be reserved, or she’d be “disrespecting herself”!
She had lived in the countryside for seventeen years, and that closed environment had given her such “feudal” thoughts. She couldn’t change quickly!
Fang Yuzhe stood straight at 182 centimeters tall, and Xia Yuluo could barely reach up to kiss him, so she could only kiss for a very short time — at least it was longer than the last time she kissed him. Moreover, this time she was completely proactive; he didn’t even ask.
Xia Yuluo quickly lowered her head after letting go, her two cheeks red like overripe apples.
Xia Yuluo had mustered great courage to take the initiative and kiss the handsome guy in front of her, but Fang Yuzhe became angry.
“Xia Yuluo, are you playing games with me?”
Xia Yuluo hurriedly raised her head. “I’m not playing games!”
“When we were together, asking you to kiss me was like asking you to die, but now that you say you don’t love me, why are you kissing me? I don’t need an insincere kiss as a memento!”
“I don’t want to break up!” Xia Yuluo unexpectedly shouted.
“Please, if you don’t like me, why are we together? Don’t use yourself as collateral; I’m not interested in buying a slave to please!”
“Fang Yuzhe, I do like you! Although I hope you could be as ordinary as me, even if I’m not good enough for you, even if being with you would bring great pressure, I can’t control my feelings for you!”
“Can I believe your words?” He really found it hard to believe.
“The wish I just made was hoping that one day, I could be as outstanding as you, and have as many people who like me as those who like you! When that time comes, I can confidently stand in front of you and tell you that the only person I like is you, Fang Yuzhe!”
“Are you an idiot or a fool, why compare such boring things! I just want you to like me now, and show exactly what you’re thinking!”
“Then I’ll tell you, I like you, really like you, like you so much that I can’t tolerate anything or anyone tainting my feelings for you!”
“Xia Yuluo, you always do this, provoke me, and then make me helpless!” Fang Yuzhe pulled her into his arms, his burning lips pressing against her cold lips. For the first time, he felt her response instead of avoidance; he kissed her true heart, and the heart under a passionate kiss cannot lie!
Some minutes later, the two were cuddling on the bed—don’t get any wrong ideas, they just shared a passionate kiss, nothing more.
When Fang Yuzhe first pushed Xia Yuluo onto the bed, she momentarily thought that night’s events would repeat, but she still didn’t resist, bravely thinking she wanted to love completely, without reservation! Fortunately, Fang Yuzhe kept his word and didn’t do anything he said he wouldn’t.
In such an impulsive atmosphere, he didn’t cross the line, and Xia Yuluo truly realized how hurtful her previous defenses had been!
Rainbow After the Rain
Being able to cuddle safely in an embrace made the world feel warm and secure—this was Xia Yuluo’s most genuine feeling at that moment.
Fang Yuzhe’s carefully planned birthday party was slightly disrupted by some small accidents, but the outcome was surprisingly good. Xia Yuluo not only took the initiative to kiss him but also remained docile, clinging to his embrace like an obedient kitten.
Xia Yuluo had some savings from previous part-time work, pocket money, and lunch money that Fang Yuzhe didn’t want her to use. This little money was barely enough for Xia Xiaohao, but Xuyang High School’s fees were terrifying – even a single exam paper could cost hundreds of yuan, which she simply couldn’t afford.
“Go ask Fang Yuzhe, I don’t have money now!” Xia Dahao would get angry with anyone who mentioned money to him.
“How could I ask him for money?” Xia Yuluo certainly couldn’t do that.
“You spend all day accompanying him, playing with him, sleeping with him, and you can’t even get this little bit of money?” Fang Yuzhe was right – Xia’s father immediately started talking about his daughter’s private life.
“Dad, I never did those things!” Fortunately, Xia Yuluo had been in the city for a long time and her thinking had become more open.
“Don’t bother me! If you can’t get money, ask the teacher for an IOU. Anyway, I have no money, not a single cent!”
Ask the teacher for an IOU? Xia Yuluo was speechless. She had long said not to attend an expensive school, but he insisted.
Because they couldn’t pay the commission, the Xia family had dismissed their housekeeper, reasoning they had a free labor force. Xia Yuluo attended classes during the day and did laundry and cooking for the family at night. Ma Jiao refused to do any work and would criticize her stepdaughter’s efforts, sometimes making Xia Yuluo so angry she wanted to quit!
But she couldn’t quit. Their rural home was gone – would she really have to cohabitate with Fang Yuzhe? She couldn’t do it. No matter how much she liked or trusted him, Xia Yuluo would never make such a decision.
High school learning is already tough, and having to do hard labor at night has made Yu Luo very thin from exhaustion.
