Chapter 27: Did Ye Liang Chen Get Rejected?
Even after being rejected, Ye Liang Chen’s smile didn’t even flicker.
In fact, he looked at Hu Yu Ying with an even gentler gaze.
“You don’t have to be afraid. I’ve never had a single malicious thought about you,” he said softly.
That Friday afternoon, he even helped Hu Yu Ying fend off those troublesome students who were trying to cause her trouble.
Although Hu Yu Ying didn’t see it directly, she believed this little incident would soon become the school’s hottest gossip.
With her clever mind, she could probably guess the real reason those two high school students showed up at the gate of the first-year school.
And then she’d realize—oh, turns out it was just Ye Liang Chen aiding her in scaring them off.
By then, Hu Yu Ying would surely feel grateful and wouldn’t be so guarded around him anymore.
Ye Liang Chen was lost in his fantasy, a grin spreading wider.
He even imagined Hu Yu Ying standing shyly at the classroom door, her cheeks flushed, awkwardly mumbling a thank you.
And then, he’d tease her with a smile: “What’s this? No longer so guarded around me?”
She probably wouldn’t know whether to be embarrassed or furious.
Thinking about it made him feel a little excited!
Watching Ye Liang Chen staring blankly, grinning like a fool, Hu Yu Ying’s anxiety only grew stronger.
She turned to leave.
But Ye Liang Chen beat her to it, stepping right in front of her.
He flashed a sheepish smile. “Sorry about that. I was just thinking of something funny and got a bit distracted.”
“Here, take this milk tea. Life’s already bitter enough, so a little sweetness can’t hurt.”
Rebirth, to him, felt like it had only lasted a moment.
In his dream, the first time Hu Yu Ying drank milk tea, her face lit up with satisfaction and surprise—so vivid and beautiful, he could still see it clearly.
He couldn’t wait to see her glow that way again.
Hu Yu Ying eyed the milk tea warily and shook her head. “I don’t want to drink it.”
She barely knew him, and last time in the cafeteria, he had uttered words that hurt her pride.
She instinctively didn’t want any more trouble.
Hearing this, Ye Liang Chen looked helpless but still showed a doting expression. “I just want to make friends with you. I really mean no harm.”
He understood Hu Yu Ying well. She had suffered too much malice, which made her seal off her heart, afraid to trust anyone easily.
Even after he had shown her kindness, it still hadn’t broken through her defenses.
“Alright then, I know you’re working right now. If you accept this milk tea, I won’t bother you anymore, okay?”
With a confident flick of his hair, he smiled sweetly, gradually inching closer to dissolve her resistance.
It might be shameless—fine. But if chasing the girl of your dreams means a little face-losing, what’s the big deal?
Who doesn’t have to be a little shameless when trying to win a girl’s heart?
Besides, Ye Liang Chen knew Hu Yu Ying was a good girl.
She was all about sincerity—whether it was liking someone, studying, or working.
She believed that earning her boss’s paycheck meant she had to do her best to complete every task she was assigned.
So she would definitely agree to this side-job.
Faced with Ye Liang Chen’s shameless proposal, Hu Yu Ying bit her lip. She did need this side-job, but…
“I refuse,” she said, despite her lack of confidence, her words clear and firm.
Ye Liang Chen’s smile perked up. “Of course, I always… what?”
That response totally surprised him.
He had considered her bashful, blushing, and shy demeanor when accepting the milk tea, but he hadn’t expected her to flat-out reject him.
By now, Hu Yu Ying’s heart was already in tatters. Usually, she wouldn’t refuse outright when faced with a firm attitude. Her previous words had been a kind of implicit threat—refuse the milk tea, and she’d go back to focusing on her work.
Given her personality, she’d probably compromise, just to finish her part-time job properly.
Seeing her response, Ye Liang Chen’s jaw slackened in shock.
In her internal monologue, Hu Yu Ying was desperately psyching herself up.
Her big brother had told her: To truly change yourself, the first step is to learn how to refuse.
You can’t easily compromise for others, or they’ll think they can manipulate you.
Always remember: don’t let others domineer over you easily.
His serious tone at that moment made her determined.
She wanted to change her personality—she didn’t want to be easily manipulated anymore.
Even though her heart clenched as she said it, she was nervous about whether refusing might invite retaliation or bullying.
But for her own growth, to not disappoint her brother—she braced herself and【refused】.
Seeing her stunned face now, Hu Yu Ying knew she’d finally taken the first brave step.
“I refuse. I won’t be easily manipulated by you,” she declared, trying to look fierce and unapproachable.
But her clenched fists and trembling hands betrayed her true inner nerves.
Ye Liang Chen’s gaze softened, feeling as if his heart had been hit hard.
Sweet, soft, warm.
Hu Yu Ying’s bright eyes stared intently at him.
She looked like she wanted to act tough, but those long, dense eyelashes fluttered slightly, showing a delicate, fragile side that made people just want to spoil her.
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He quickly shook his head, scolding himself—how could he have thoughts of bullying or tormenting Hu Yu Ying?
He was different from those other guys. He was her salvation, her future.
He was not like those simple-minded bullies.
“I didn’t mean to just pick on you because you’re easy to manipulate. I just want to be friends,” Ye Liang Chen took a deep breath, holding back his impulsiveness, and slowly said.
“It’s okay. One day, you’ll see that my sincere heart and genuine nature are real,” he added with a bright smile.
Hearing this, Hu Yu Ying looked at him with a mixture of doubt.
Seeing her hesitation, Ye Liang Chen grinned brightly. He knew he had already left a good impression in her heart: “You get to work. I won’t bother you anymore.”
Come Monday, Hu Yu Ying would realize that her small act of defending herself—fighting against eight—would make everything clear.
She’d realize that Dragon Brother had been scheming and bullying her towards desperation, overwhelming her so fragile she was on the verge of breaking.
And then she’d understand—the one who truly cared for her all along was him.
That moment, he would become the only light in Hu Yu Ying’s heart.
The storyline would gradually match what she’d seen in her dreams.
For now, just leaving a few beautiful impressions in her mind was enough.
At least she would recognize that he was different from those boys who only wanted to bully her.
That was his goal: to create a stark contrast, to make her feel the difference.
Because of that contrast, Hu Yu Ying’s heart would tilt toward him.
