"Do you like him?" Han Xiao asked.
Qiao Xin Yue walked expressionlessly to the sofa and sat down, then turned to look at him and said coldly, "Yes, I like him."
Her tone was firm, and she spoke these words with sincere truthfulness.
Han Xiao felt slightly suffocated, his eyes reddening, his lips trembling, but he could say nothing.
A trace of reluctance flickered in Qiao Xin Yue's cold eyes, but it was quickly concealed, almost imperceptible.
She was clear-headed.
She did not like Han Xiao, nor did she have any romantic feelings for him.
After realizing he liked her, she had consistently rejected him with a clear attitude, but Han Xiao was unwilling to give up.
However, Han Xiao was now thoroughly disheartened.
He silently returned to the kitchen to help.
He felt a pang of sadness in his heart.
But he also understood that he should no longer harbor any misplaced thoughts.
After helping Ou Ma, he left, no longer showing the same warmth towards Qiao Xin Yue as before.
This outcome was for the best, he thought.
If he hadn't revealed his feelings, they would have remained good friends.
But now that things had reached this point, being friends was impossible, as he feared he might not be able to control his feelings again.
Qiao Xin Yue felt a sense of relief, as Han Xiao's affection had put immense pressure on her.
She knew of his kindness, his meticulous care, and his concern for her.
But gratitude was not liking, let alone love. Hesitation would be unfair to Han Xiao.
After Han Xiao left.
Ou Ma came out of the kitchen a while later.
At a glance, she saw her daughter sitting on the sofa as if in a daze, her eyes vacant, her expression extremely complicated, her brows furrowed, and her face etched with sadness.
She hurried forward and asked, "Xin Yue, what's wrong?"
Qiao Xin Yue sighed, feeling dejected, "I've hurt someone I didn't want to hurt, and my heart aches."
Ou Ma didn't know who she was referring to, but she understood her daughter. She was a soft-hearted child.
So, she comforted her, "It's okay, Mom knows it wasn't your intention, and I believe he won't blame you. As long as things are explained clearly, he will surely forgive you."
Qiao Xin Yue opened her arms and said with a slight catch in her voice, "Mom, hug me."
Ou Ma looked herself up and down, then sighed helplessly, "Mom is covered in cooking oil, don't get your clothes dirty."
"Mom~" Qiao Xin Yue didn't care about such things and went forward to hug Ou Ma.
Ou Ma did indeed have a strong smell of cooking oil on her, but Qiao Xin Yue found it very comforting.
Because this was her mother's scent, a smell that had always been on her mother since childhood.
The mother and daughter embraced. Words were unnecessary; silent comfort was the most soothing.
After this incident.
Han Xiao never came upstairs again. Every time he dropped off Ling Yu Chen, he would leave immediately.
Not long after, Xia Wan Tang learned from Ling Yu Chen that Han Xiao had gone on blind dates and planned to find a partner to marry within a year.
Qiao Xin Yue was also aware of this, but she had no reaction, as she had already rejected Han Xiao.
Han Xiao's future had nothing to do with her.
As for Wen Yan.
Qiao Xin Yue was still as infatuated as ever.
But only from afar. After all, they lived in different worlds, and unless something unexpected happened, they would have no contact.
Wen Xuan Xuan had also become much more subdued since moving in.
She was constantly with Li Bo Wen, and besides attending classes, they were together almost all the time.
Life gradually returned to normal, and time flew by, with two months passing in the blink of an eye.
The first half of the month before returning to school had been anything but peaceful.
Because of Ling Yu Chen, Xia Wan Tang had directly become a prominent figure at the school.
No matter where she went, she would be observed, and many people tried to strike up conversations or express their admiration.
The most direct feeling was that even the teachers, directors, and the principal's attitudes towards her had changed by 180 degrees.
Xia Wan Tang only wanted a peaceful life, so she generally kept a low profile.
Apart from attending classes, she rarely participated in group activities.
Her daily life was a simple commute between school and her apartment.
Ling Yu Chen would pick her up and drop her off at the school gate every day, and their relationship had become increasingly stable.
One day.
Xia Wan Tang, as usual, finished her classes and headed home. When she reached the school gate, she found that Ling Yu Chen wasn't there to pick her up today.
As she was wondering if he was delayed by something, her phone rang. It was Ling Yu Chen calling.
Ling Yu Chen's voice sounded tired. He said, "Tang Tang, Grandpa has fallen ill and is hospitalized. I've gone back to the old house first. Han Xiao will pick you up later."
"Ah, is Grandpa okay?" Xia Wan Tang's heart faltered with worry.
Although they didn't live together, the elders of the Ling family often called to check on her.
Xia Wan Tang felt a long-lost familial affection and already considered them family.
There was a lot of wind noise on Ling Yu Chen's end, with constant "whooshing" sounds in the background of the call.
He might have been driving at high speed with the car window open.
Xia Wan Tang anxiously advised, "Yu Chen, drive slowly and be careful. Grandpa has always been in good health; he'll be fine."
"Mmm," Ling Yu Chen responded, not in good spirits.
"I have to hang up now. I'll be there soon."
Xia Wan Tang didn't say more, as it wasn't the time for comforting words. Too many words would only distract him while driving.
The call ended, and Xia Wan Tang felt a deep sense of unease.
Ling Yu Chen's haste suggested that his grandfather's illness was likely serious.
She anxiously scanned the surroundings, waiting for a long time, but Han Xiao didn't appear. Yet, there was nothing she could do but wait.
"Tang Tang, what are you doing standing here? Hasn't Ling Yu Chen come to pick you up yet?"
Xia Wan Tang turned around to see Wen Xuan Xuan and Li Bo Wen.
She said urgently, "Yu Chen went back to the old house; it seems Grandpa is ill. I'm waiting for Han Xiao to pick me up."
Li Bo Wen frowned slightly and comforted her, "Don't worry, he'll be alright."
While offering words of comfort, his heart sank.
Grandpa Ling was old. For an elderly person, even a common cold could be debilitating, let alone a serious illness.
Ling Yu Chen's hurried return indicated the situation was likely not optimistic.
"Thank you. You two should go back quickly. Han Xiao will be here soon," Xia Wan Tang's eyes welled up, tears shimmering.
Her mind was filled with the kindness and concern Grandpa Ling had shown her.
"It's fine; we'll wait with you." Wen Xuan Xuan took her arm and stood by her side in silence.
More and more students were emerging from the school gate, but Han Xiao was nowhere to be seen.
Li Bo Wen looked into the distance and said, "It's rush hour after work and school. He might be stuck in traffic."
It was Friday, and many students were heading home.
"Hey, why are you all here?"
Qiao Xin Yue slowly emerged from the school gate and immediately spotted the three conspicuous figures at the entrance.
Normally, she would return to the apartment alone because Xia Wan Tang and Wen Xuan Xuan both had people picking them up.
As a single person, she didn't want to be a third wheel, so she walked slowly. Another reason was that she wanted to avoid Han Xiao.