Chapter 57: A Slightly Disappointed Li Qing Xue
Ye Liang Chen gazed at the notebook Wang Rui had just handed him, a subtle smile curling at the corner of his lips.
Sure enough, she still cared about him.
Otherwise, why would she bother giving him the notebook?
He gently flipped through the pages, examining the handwriting, stroking the paper thoughtfully. All those scribbles were proof that Li Qing Xue liked him.
But clearly, Li Qing Xue still hadn’t realized she was in love with him.
Taking a deep breath, he slowly stood up, grabbed the notebook, and approached Li Qing Xue’s desk.
He placed the notebook neatly on top and smiled gently. “Thanks for the notes, but I don’t need them anymore.”
At this, Ye Liang Chen lowered his gaze to precisely forty-five degrees, revealing his sharp jawline, then slightly closed his eyes and chuckled self-deprecatingly. “A knight is just a knight. Maybe it’s time for this knight to bow out.”
With that, Ye Liang Chen opened his eyes, looking seriously at a somewhat stunned Li Qing Xue. He smiled composedly. “But still, thank you for your kind gesture.”
And then, he turned to leave.
In less than a few minutes, Ye Liang Chen had played out his heartbreak—confusion, sadness, self-mockery, and finally, a sense of release—all perfectly choreographed.
“Ye Liang Chen!” Li Qing Xue called out.
If it had been the old Ye Liang Chen, he wouldn’t have even looked back.
But now, he finally stopped in his tracks.
He turned around with a smile. “Is there something else?”
His smile was familiar—like before—but a little different.
Before, when he smiled, his eyes shimmered with Li Qing Xue’s image.
Now, he was still smiling, yet her figure was gone from his eyes.
Li Qing Xue probably noticed this change too. She wondered how much it must must hurt her to see her once-cherished friend like this.
“Ye Liang Chen…” Li Qing Xue mumbled softly. However, certain words felt too embarrassing to say in front of so many classmates.
After a moment of hesitation, she asked, “Can we talk?”
Ye Liang Chen snorted softly and nodded slowly. “Of course. After all, my knightly duties are done, and it’s about time I step down, right?”
He pocketed his hands and followed Li Qing Xue outside the classroom.
“Honestly, you didn’t have to do this. Just say what you want inside the classroom. Coming out here, it’s bound to spark gossip.”
Ye Liang Chen leaned casually against the railing, pretending to be carefree.
Li Qing Xue looked at him—still summoning her courage—and said, “Ye Liang Chen, I hope you can focus all your energy on studying.”
“I hope we can just be normal—like friends.”
“I really want you to get into the university you’re aiming for.”
Hearing her earnest words, Ye Liang Chen couldn’t help but laugh. “Li Qing Xue, after knowing you for so many years, I guess you still don’t really understand me.”
“Love, to you, is just a trivial matter. But not to me. Love is beautiful—at least, for me, it’s something meaningful.”
“I know what you’re thinking. I know you haven’t fully sorted out your feelings yet. But that’s okay. Leave it to time. I believe time will prove everything.”
Hearing this—
Li Qing Xue’s face was starting to turn red with frustration. “Can you not be so fixated on love? Do you have any idea we’re about to take the gaokao? If you don’t buckle down now, all three years of high school will be wasted.”
Honestly, Ye Liang Chen’s answer today disappointed her deeply.
No one said love was bad; in fact, everyone yearns for a sweet, passionate, whirlwind romance.
But the premise for all that? Mutual support, progress together.
Not entangling themselves to the point of falling into a muddy pit because of love.
That’s where Ye Liang Chen was right now.
His head filled entirely with romantic notions—as if love had taken over his whole life.
That’s wrong!
Everyone comes from ordinary families, studying tirelessly for a bright future.
Once they survive gaokao and enter university, their horizons expand. They’ll see a bigger world.
Dreams of the future, aspirations, wandering through a colorful world—only then, with clarity and conviction, can love be free and happiness truly found.
Not like now, falling apart right before the gaokao because of this obsession. What kind of way is that to live?
It’s just a failure to respect your own life and all the effort you’ve put in so far.
Li Qing Xue wanted to guide Ye Liang Chen as Long Ao Tian would, reminding him of the importance of the gaokao, urging him to pull himself together. Love could wait until after the exams.
But Ye Liang Chen’s response left Li Qing Xue speechless.
As a friend of nine years, Li Qing Xue truly hoped that Ye Liang Chen would focus seriously on preparing for the gaokao.
Yet, as she saw the faint anger in her words, Ye Liang Chen only smiled nonchalantly.
He didn’t argue back, because deep down, he knew he’d already stirred her emotions.
Her concern for him was proof of her feelings.
She just hadn’t realized it yet, but it wouldn’t take long.
As Ye Liang Chen said earlier, time will tell all.
“Qing Xue, regardless of what happens, I appreciate your reminder. But everyone has their own way in life. To me, love is sacred—something I have to stake everything on.”
This wasn’t the end—there’s more ahead, so click on the next page to continue reading. It gets even more exciting!
“Don’t worry—eventually, a knight will meet a princess who aches for him, and for that princess, he’ll change the world.”
“Just hope you won’t regret it later, because you turned down a boy who was once all about you.”
“Qing Xue, this is the last time I’ll call you Qing Xue. From now on, I’ll step back…”
He finished with a bright smile, giving Li Qing Xue a gentle shake of his head. “Liking you was my one-sided love. You weren’t wrong—you just didn’t like me.”
“So let’s just leave it here, as classmates who’ve known each other for nine years is good enough!”
“Class monitor, I’ll head back first.” With that, he turned and left, appearing completely carefree and at peace.
Watching Ye Liang Chen’s figure disappear into the distance, Li Qing Xue looked toward the teaching building, feeling a twinge of sadness.
Yes, she was sad.
But more important than sadness was her upcoming gaokao preparations: “Stay true to your original intention, strive hard, Li Qing Xue. Keep moving toward your goal. Come on!”
Quickly adjusting her emotions, she entered the classroom as well.
“Brother Chen, Li Qing Xue asked you to come out. What did you two talk about?” Gao Quan asked softly.
Ye Liang Chen chuckled. “Nothing much.”
Though he said nothing, inside he was already delighted.
All he was doing was tormenting Li Qing Xue—those words he spoke, she probably felt pretty bad, didn’t she?
“Our friendship has lasted too long—so long that you’re probably unaware of your true feelings for me.”
“No worries. I’ll make you see your own heart clearly…”
