Chapter 14: You Deserve the Best Life
With beauty plus talent—an absolute winning hand at the start—yet if you don’t know how to play your cards right, you’re toast.
Shy personality, terrible at socializing—basically squishy tofu.
The reason they dare to bully Hu Yu Ying? Because Hu Yu Ying doesn’t fight back. They just think, “Eh, she’s an easy target.”
Take today, for example, the pretty girl who was interviewing them.
She was gorgeous, did well in school.
But why didn’t anyone bully her? Taunt her? Push her around?
Eighty percent? Because she comes from a good family. She’s been showered with love and attention since she was a kid, so she’s cheerful, optimistic, and confident.
People like that quickly make friends and form their own little clique.
But Hu Yu Ying? Nope. In the original novel, her family wasn’t wealthy, her childhood wasn’t cushy. That’s what shaped her shy, sensible personality.
A kid who cries gets candy—well-behaved kids? Nobody dotes on them.
Even if she’s talented, simple, shy, poor at language, non-confrontational, and kind of bland—those external and internal traits? They’ll get her pushed to the margins.
Marginalized, isolated, bullied. Just a matter of time.
“So, if you want to really change all that, first you gotta become strong and confident.”
Hu Yu Ying looked at Long Ao Tian. The guy was about her age, but when he spoke, it was like he tapped a hidden chord in her soul.
Like an elder gently guiding her out of a dead-end alley.
Step by step, pulling her out.
“I want to change, so I’ll take it slow. I’ll learn to be strong, to be confident.”
“Uh, don’t get ahead of yourself,” Long Ao Tian grinned. “First, you gotta have a thick skin. Honestly, I think yours is paper-thin—blushing just from saying a word!”
Hu Yu Ying instinctively touched her cheek.
No fever, no blush. Or was her face just not hot?
“I can practice. I’ll get there.”
Seeing her so determined, Long Ao Tian nodded with satisfaction: “Say two words—‘Brother Long is super handsome’—just listen to how good that sounds.”
“Huh?” Hu Yu Ying’s courage shriveled by half.
Oh boy, this was too embarrassing.
Sure, Long Ao Tian was pretty handsome, but saying that—was that being too brazen?
Her ears suddenly felt like they were on fire.
Quick, hide! She covered her ears, sneaking a look — hoping he hadn’t noticed.
“Take your hands off,” Long Ao Tian said.
Hu Yu Ying’s big, innocent eyes blinked at him, then shook her head.
“No way. Take ’em off, or I’ll punch you!”
She bit her lip, cheeks turning red. Then she looked up at Long Ao Tian, slowly lowering her hands.
Long Ao Tian felt a lump in his throat. Is this girl just naively flirting? Or genuinely clueless?
Her innocent expression screamed she was easy to push around, right?
With her hands down, Long Ao Tian turned aside. “Still say you’re not blushing?”
“Watch this,” he smirked. “Time for you to see how thick my skin is!”
Then he suddenly leaned in close, gazing into her eyes: “Hu Yu Ying, you’re so pretty.”
“You’re pretty amazing yourself.”
“Your life deserves the best there is.”
The moment Long Ao Tian got close, Hu Yu Ying reflexively tilted back—wanted to put some distance between them.
But she clenched her teeth, fighting to stay put.
She wanted to change herself.
So she endured.
But as Long Ao Tian kept praising her—how beautiful she was, how talented or how her life was worth the best—that pounding in her chest refused to calm down.
Her heart was pounding wildly. Her hands clenched unnaturally tight as she locked eyes with him.
Breath quickening, forcing herself to look into his eyes again.
Suddenly, her heart settled, her hands relaxed—breathing as normal as it could be.
All because… she noticed Long Ao Tian’s ears. It looked like—wait—were they blushing, too?
She looked at him, still pretending to be serious. Then she lowered her gaze slightly, gave a quick glance, and decided—nope, better not to stare too long.
“Did you see that?” Long Ao Tian swaggered. “My face is so resilient, it’s like steel!”
Hu Yu Ying instinctively looked at his ears. Yep—they were a little red, too.
Quickly, she nodded: “Yeah, I saw.”
“You, uh… what are you looking at? Careful I’ll punch you!” he yelled, acting all bossy.
Hu Yu Ying nodded like a little chick pecking grains, murmuring softly, “Got it.”
Seeing her like that, Long Ao Tian couldn’t hold back his laughter.
This girl was pretty good—sweet and obedient.
Just needed someone to guide her a little. Believe in himself, and Hu Yu Ying would soon regain her confidence.
Her name wouldn’t turn into some evil villain meme or internet hot topic!
He took a deep breath, gazing out the window.
The sky had dimmed, stars and the moon glowing faintly.
He wondered if he could go back home.
That thought? Just a fleeting second.
Long Ao Tian was never one to dwell on melancholy.
He’d go back to that world, be the same as always—living his usual life.
In this world, for him, maybe… it was a brand-new beginning.
In the end, survive—that’s all that mattered.
When the study bell rang, Hu Yu Ying tidied up her desk.
Then she even helped clean Long Ao Tian’s desk.
“See you tomorrow.”
“See you tomorrow, Brother Long.”
She watched his silhouette walk away, then headed for the school gate.
Just as she reached the corridor entrance,
“Hey, do you remember me?” came a cheerful voice.
Ye Liang Chen stepped out of the hallway, grinning like he was sunshine itself.
Hu Yu Ying froze. The face seemed familiar, but she couldn’t quite place it.
The guy continued to smile, a trace of bittersweetness curling his lips: “It’s me, Liang Chen. Ye Liang Chen. We bumped into each other at the cafeteria today, remember?”
Thanks to his reminder, Hu Yu Ying suddenly remembered. She hurriedly apologized: “Sorry about that.”
Ye Liang Chen saw her finally recall him, and his smile deepened: “No worries. No need to say sorry between us.”
The smile she’d been maintaining faded a little.
He spoke as if they knew each other very well. But they had just met—just twice, actually.
It wasn’t enough to be that familiar, right?
“I… I’m heading home now. Bye!”
She tried to tug her way free, wanting to tell him that he was her salvation—the one who could save her.
But her hand, as always, refused to obey her.
She knew—somehow—their fates weren’t done writing here.
She was still not his treasure girl. He wasn’t her savior.
Blurt out all that stuff too soon? She’d probably scare him off.
Watching her walk away, Ye Liang Chen took a deep breath: “No worries. We’ve got plenty of time.”
“I just want to see if you’ve been bullied by that idiot Long Ao Tian. Seeing that you’re okay—that’s all I need to be at ease.”
……
