A large hole seemed to be gouged in her heart, causing her already precarious trust to teeter precariously.
Wen Tingxue wished she could laugh heartily, pretending that nothing had happened.
But she truly couldn't.
He had appeared at her most vulnerable moment, offering her the protection she craved, both physically and emotionally.
He had taught her to depend on him, to trust him.
She had tried to offer him her meager hopes and faith, but what was the outcome?
The shattering of expectations was far more painful than the absence of them.
The immense gap was enough to crush her fragile, breakable soul.
Even now, his words echoed in her ears – "The candies in big brother's pocket are all for you."
He could have simply not said it. If he hadn't, she wouldn't have had expectations, wouldn't have felt that candy was hers.
It *was* hers, but he had given it to his ex-girlfriend!
Wen Tingxue herself felt she was being unreasonable.
After all, she was the ex-girlfriend, and he, at best, was like a brother.
At worst, she was just a neighbor.
What right did she have to throw a tantrum?
And what right did she have to be jealous?
Yet, she felt like her heart was about to explode with anguish!
She could endure it, she could endure anything.
Hadn't she endured enough since childhood?
Yet, despite all her efforts, she couldn't bear this tiny bit of discomfort!
It was his fault for being too good to her, for making her develop unwarranted dependence and reliance.
It was also her fault for being too foolish, for taking his casual words to heart.
He had probably said and done all those things, all that care, to her, perhaps even more.
She was simply greedy.
How could the moon belong only to her?
It was just wishful thinking, an illusion in a dream.
Wen Tingxue choked back a sigh, a lump stuck in her throat, making her feel suffocated.
"Yi Yi."
Thanks to Xie Jin Yi, Yu Wenli managed to grasp Wen Tingxue's hand.
The young girl struggled a bit, but ultimately, for his sake, she didn't pull too hard.
Yet, she kept her gaze lowered, her head tilted, showing no intention of talking.
She looked like a doll whose spirit had been drained, utterly lifeless.
A pervasive ache spread through Yu Wenli's heart, and he tightened his grip on her fingertips.
Then, with a cold expression, he turned to Xie Jin Yi, "Meng Que You Shuo, has Shang Zi Qian found you?"
He had received the news just as Tong Jia Yi came to find him.
Rushing downstairs, he had seen the young girl looking lost and dejected, walking from the direction of the bookstore.
He knew something was wrong then.
Now, he was almost certain that Shang Zi Qian must have said something.
It made sense why Meng Que You Shuo hadn't waited for him to arrive; Shang Zi Qian had let her go.
Xie Jin Yi instinctively looked at the silent Wen Tingxue, her expression troubled.
As she hesitated, Yu Wenli's patience wore thin, and a hint of darkness gathered in his eyes.
"Speak!"
His tone was undeniable, laced with barely suppressed rage. Wen Tingxue looked up.
Her dark eyes held a trace of pain that was difficult to discern.
She was genuinely curious, was his outburst because of her?
Or was it because Shang Zi Qian had revealed Tong Jia Yi's identity without his consent?
Xie Jin Yi had never seen Yu Wenli like this before, and she blurted everything out.
"He took a thousand yuan from Tingxue, said it was for information, then he said Tong Jia Yi is your ex-girlfriend, and something about a phone call..."
Her reason returned, and Xie Jin Yi closed her mouth in regret, but the words were already out.
Meeting Xie Jin Yi's apologetic gaze, Wen Tingxue forced a smile and shook her head.
She knew that even if she hadn't said anything, he would find out somehow.
The outcome would be the same anyway.
She just didn't know who he truly cared about.
Her?
Or Tong Jia Yi?
Wen Tingxue blinked with a complex mix of emotions, then, her throat tight, she looked up, unsure of what to expect.
She still wanted to know the answer, even if it wasn't what she desired.
To her surprise, Yu Wenli turned and walked away, his white school uniform with blue trim billowing in the cold wind, inexplicably exuding a sense of chill.
Almost blending into the night.
"Yu Wenli!"
Tong Jia Yi, her face pale, ran over and stopped him, her posture desperate.
"Yu Wenli, calm down! Shang Zi Qian is setting a trap for you! You..."
The rest of her words were choked back by the icy glint in his eyes as he looked up.
It wasn't until he brushed past her and left that Tong Jia Yi, shivering, snapped back to reality, her face even paler.
Chi Ze Rui arrived on his motorcycle, and even with Yu Jie on the back, it didn't slow him down.
With a skillful drift and a slide, he stopped his bike steadily in front of Song Jia Mao, his brow furrowed as he asked:
"What's going on? Brother Yu...?"
Before Song Jia Mao could finish, he quickly explained, "Shang Zi Qian found Little Sister-in-law, said Tong Jia Yi is Brother Yu's ex-girlfriend, and Brother Yu lost it."
He had wanted to stop Yu Wenli, but he was afraid Wen Tingxue would be wronged here.
Caught between the two, Chi Ze Rui sped over.
"You protect Little Sister-in-law, I'll go after Brother Yu!"
With that, Song Jia Mao turned and ran towards Yu Wenli.
No matter what, he couldn't let Brother Yu confront Shang Zi Qian!
Shang Zi Qian had ruined everything, but Brother Yu's future was bright; he couldn't let that bastard Shang Zi Qian ruin it!
Chi Ze Rui frowned darkly, while Yu Jie, pale, slumped on his shoulder, unable to recover for a long time.
It wasn't until Chi Ze Rui dismounted that she finally touched the ground, her legs so weak she almost collapsed.
Meanwhile.
While Chi Ze Rui and Song Jia Mao were talking, Tong Jia Yi, her eyes red, ran to Wen Tingxue.
Her voice hoarse, she yelled, "What are you standing around for?! Go stop him! Are you happy to watch him be ruined by Shang Zi Qian?!"
Wen Tingxue blinked, her eyes filled with confusion.
Tong Jia Yi couldn't afford to waste any more time and pulled her forcefully towards Yu Wenli.
Song Jia Mao managed to block Yu Wenli, but the fierce anger churning in his eyes was almost bursting out.
Even with immense courage, Song Jia Mao didn't dare to block him any further.
Just as he was about to step aside, Tong Jia Yi, dragging the stumbling Wen Tingxue, arrived.
Without explanation, she pushed Wen Tingxue forward, shouting at the top of her lungs, "Say something!"
Wen Tingxue was startled by the ferocity radiating from Yu Wenli. Caught off guard by the push, her knees buckled, and she fell straight to the ground.
The anticipated pain never came; Yu Wenli reached out and caught her.
The familiar, clean, cool scent filled her nostrils, causing the buried grievances in her heart to ache.
Her nose instantly burned.
Yu Wenli held the young girl's limp body, the pent-up emotions in his eyes receding slightly.
His long eyelashes drooped, and his expression was tinged with a rare gentleness.
"Wait for me to come back and explain, okay?"
He gently patted the young girl's back, and before waiting for her answer, he grabbed her by the collar and handed her to Song Jia Mao.
At the same time, he told Chi Ze Rui, who had arrived, "Watch her."
His voice, cold to the bone, left no room for negotiation.
Chi Ze Rui and Song Jia Mao exchanged a look, both disapproving, but no one could change a decision made by Yu Wenli.
So they both nodded and moved in unison to block Wen Tingxue, who was trying to step forward.
Lately, the data has been declining, and we haven't reached the desired four rounds. To be honest, it's been quite disheartening.
I know the flaws in this book. The plot is too slow and too plain, not exciting or angsty, and the writing is just passable. The male lead can be a bit preachy, which might annoy many readers.
People read books for enjoyment, not to listen to lectures.
I understand.
But the female lead in the story doesn't understand. She grew up in a wrong environment, and many of her perceptions are distorted.
Her inner self is insecure and impoverished.
Since the story is a healing one, there are bound to be some empty and vague general principles.
To me, this is a form of spiritual repair (much like occasional soul chicken soup; it can be healing).
The male lead uses this to gradually change the female lead's thinking, to change her perception of the world.
My writing skills are limited, and my control over the narrative is insufficient. If I've made you uncomfortable, that's my fault.
I apologize, but I won't change it (forgive the author's stubborn persistence).
[Other issues besides these can be pointed out in the comment section. I will read them, and reasonable suggestions will be accepted and adjusted.]
To those of you who have read this far, I am very grateful for your companionship.
I've never been very confident about writing, always feeling like my work is subpar, but this book has given me a pleasant surprise, making me feel like, perhaps, I can do it.
Although I was quickly brought back to reality, at least I was happy for a while.
So, regardless of the data or whether we reach the end, I am very grateful for your reading.
I also promise to do my best to tell this story well, and I hope you enjoy reading it.
A little secret: I personally really like this book, and it's the one I've put the most effort into so far (haha, a bit of self-praise).
I won't put these words in the comment section; consider it a fated encounter if you see them.
[Lastly, with the plot reaching this point, most of the groundwork has been laid. After the monthly exams, the healing arc will temporarily conclude, and the pace of time will accelerate.]