Chapter 82 Leaving Him

Chapter 82 Leaving Him

"Smash—"

The glass cup in Lin Yao's hand shattered on the table, and the red watermelon juice instantly spread across the cream-colored tablecloth.

"Youyou, be careful. Let me see if you're hurt..."

Song Li anxiously checked Lin Yao's hand while calling over a waiter to replace their table setting, "Waiter, please clean this up quickly..."

Soon, the shards were cleared away, a new tablecloth was laid out, and fresh dishes were placed upon it, as if nothing had broken or gone awry just moments ago.

But Lin Yao's heart could not calm down.

It felt as though something was blocking her chest. "Auntie, you said Shi Yu's fiancée is...?"

"Oh, that." Song Li still held her finger, examining it carefully, not paying much attention as she said, "It's just that Shi Yu's grandfather wants to introduce him to a girl. The old man thinks highly of her and is waiting for Shi Yu to return to set the engagement."

Lin Yao: "..."

She drew in a sharp breath, biting her tongue to steady herself.

Shi Yu's fiancée... waiting for him to return to set the engagement...

Suddenly, Lin Yao felt a sharp pain on her face.

As if someone had slapped her right there, unexpectedly.

She thought it would be until her sophomore year before Zhou Yanan appeared.

She might have had time to prepare, to gather courage from her interactions with Shi Yu.

Perhaps, if their relationship was strong enough...

But it turned out everything was in vain. The official couple would not waver because of her presence.

No matter how well she and Shi Yu got along now, once Zhou Yanan appeared, the plot would return to its course... Look, Zhou Yanan didn't even wait until her sophomore year; she came back early.

Invisibly, Lin Yao felt as if a hand named Plot God was controlling their lives.

Correcting all mistakes.

Whether in the original book she saw in her dreams or in the real world, Zhou Yanan was Shi Yu's first love.

His true childhood sweetheart, his white moonlight, his constant longing.

Time and space had separated them.

Because she, Lin Yao, acted like a butterfly flapping its wings, causing a slight disruption in the storyline, she had somehow caught Shi Yu's eye in this world.

But the world line would always return to its correct path. Perhaps sensing her existence, the plot made Zhou Yanan appear early, and she... should step aside.

"Youyou? What's wrong? Why aren't you speaking? Are you feeling unwell?" Song Li's gentle voice came through.

"I'm fine, Auntie Song..." Lin Yao gently withdrew her hand, hiding her fingertips under her sleeve, subconsciously rubbing them, feeling numb and almost without sensation, "By the way, what's the name of the girl Grandpa Shi likes?"

Even knowing the answer, she couldn't help but ask.

Lin Yao herself didn't know why she was still struggling.

"Oh, you mean this..." Song Li chuckled, "So eager to hear about Shi Yu's gossip?"

Lin Yao hesitated, then nodded, biting her lip.

She lowered her head, seemingly embarrassed.

Song Li assumed it was due to the girl's shyness and smiled, saying, "It's okay, I came out today to talk to you about this. With Shi Nian not around, who else can I discuss this with?"

"The girl's name is Zhou Yanan, the daughter of the Zhou family. She lived in Jincheng for a while due to certain circumstances, in our neighborhood, that's when she met Shi Yu."

Zhou Yanan... Indeed, Zhou Yanan...

Hearing the name, Lin Yao closed her eyes, curling her fingers into her palm.

It turned out that after the Shi family recognized each other, they had been trying various ways to show concern and make up for decades of missed family ties.

But Shi Mo, Shi Yu, and Shi Nian were not proactive people.

Although Shi Kaiji desperately wanted to get closer to the three, helping Shi Mo restart software development and treating Shi Nian and Shi Yu as successors,

their relationship, however, was complicated.

In Song Li's view, it was one-sided enthusiasm from Shi Kaiji, while Shi Mo, Shi Nian, and Shi Yu remained indifferent, neither cold nor overly warm.

"You know how they are," Song Li laughed.

Apart from Song Li, who had a bright and generous personality, the other three could go a week without speaking when together.

Song Li: "I guess the old man hasn't seen this clearly and blames himself for not caring enough about his grandchildren, leading to their distance."

Shi Mo had already established his family, so Shi Kaiji could only offer some warmth, unable to do much more.

But Shi Yu and Shi Nian were different. Their appearance most resembled their deceased grandmother, making them the most favored by the old man.

Moreover, both were still young, just in college. Shi Kaiji felt... he missed his son's growth process, and now, even if he wanted to get closer to his son and daughter-in-law, he couldn't find a way.

Therefore, he wanted to participate more in their life plans before they settled down, offering advice for their future.

"After asking, Grandpa learned that Shi Nian already has someone he likes, a childhood friend and classmate, and he supports it."

Mentioning Qi Yanye, Song Li seemed quite satisfied with him as well.

It was hard to imagine how someone as arrogant as Qi Yanye managed to win over his mother-in-law's favor.

Song Li: "But Shi Yu still hasn't found a girl he likes, and he's always alone, so their grandfather is getting anxious. He thought that while Shi Yu is back this time, he could find a girl for him to meet and see if they're suitable."

Suitable... Of course they would be suitable.

In the original story, there's no reason for the official couple not to be compatible.

"I see."

Lin Yao heard her own voice say, clearly already heartbroken but still pretending to be calm, asking knowingly: "So, Grandpa Shi chose Miss Zhou?"

"Yes. Look, I'll show you the photo. I actually came here today to ask for your opinion on the girl," said Song Li, treating Lin Yao like her own daughter without any reservations. She took out her phone and showed her a picture.

In the photo, a delicately beautiful girl in a blue dress sat by the window enjoying afternoon tea. The moment she looked up, captured by the camera, she smiled, looking like a well-bred, graceful young lady.

She was very elegant and refined, with impeccable manners.

The blue dress she wore and the blue diamond hair clip in her hair immediately caught Lin Yao's attention.

She remembered playing truth or dare once, when Shi Yu mentioned that his favorite color was blue.

And Zhou Yanan... In Lin Yao's memory, she used to wear blue dresses in the courtyard.

In the original story, it was noted that Shi Yu liked blue because of Zhou Yanan.

Song Li, focused on the photo, didn't notice Lin Yao's reaction and asked, "Yao, do you remember this girl? They say she used to live in our courtyard, and the old man investigated and found out that everyone knew Shi Yu liked her back then. But why don't I remember? Didn't Shi Yu always play with you when you were little?"

Lin Yao: "I... I think..."

Song Li suddenly recalled how other children in the courtyard used to exclude Lin Yao.

Seeing her expression, she assumed Lin Yao had been bullied by Zhou Yanan.

Song Li: "Did she bully you when you were little? Tell Auntie, if she did, I won't let such a daughter-in-law into our family."

"No, not really." Lin Yao shook her head, not wanting to make unfounded accusations despite her sadness. "I just haven't seen her in a long time, so I can't remember clearly."

Seeing that Lin Yao wasn't deliberately hiding anything, Song Li nodded and confessed, "Actually... Auntie doesn't like that girl at all. She claims to have grown up in Jincheng but doesn't eat Jincheng food. When she came to our house, I noticed she only pretended to eat a few bites before switching to other dishes. But later, when she saw me reminiscing about Jincheng, she claimed she loved Jincheng food too."

Song Li knew these were polite words, necessary in that social circle, but she disliked them.

If she could accept such hypocrisy, she wouldn't have left with Shi Mo without hesitation.

Song Li was bright and straightforward, disliking pretense and falseness.

"However, since the old man investigated and confirmed that Shi Yu likes her, my opinion doesn't matter much," Song Li admitted openly. "After all, it's their life together, not mine. Besides, I know the Zhou family's background, though not as prestigious as ours, is still decent."

Yes.

It's their life together.

They are the couple.

The Zhou family's background matches Shi Yu perfectly... unlike her own family, which is just an ordinary household in Jincheng.

Lin Yao bid farewell to Song Li in a daze, not even realizing how she got back to her dormitory.

When she entered, she noticed the lights were off, remembering it was Friday and Qiao Xin had gone home, while Xu Dong'er was out watching a movie with Jiang Lingling tonight.

No one being there was better.

Even though it was only 8 PM, Lin Yao felt exhausted, too tired to speak. After a quick wash, she climbed into bed and fell asleep.

Her sleep was restless, filled with dreams.

She seemed to return to that year, the chaotic dream she had when she was hit on the head and sent to the hospital.

This time, however, the dream was different from before. Back then, she mostly saw herself in high school, deliberately provoking Shi Nian and using manipulative tactics to get close to Qi Yanye, only to be publicly exposed and humiliated.

But in this dream, she saw herself as an adult.

She went abroad and became an influencer, climbing the ranks to prove she was just as good as Shi Nian, signing with a powerful but notorious MCN company. Eventually, she was tricked back to China for an annual meeting, where she faced harassment, drugged, and taken to a hotel room...

In the dream, she was crying.

But the scene shifted to her wearing designer clothes at a jewelry gala.

The jewels around her neck were worth a fortune, and her entire outfit was priceless. Yet, no one cared about her; they looked at her as if she were a caged canary.

Just a mistress.

No one knew which big shot she had hooked up with or how much effort she put in to get an invitation to the gala.

At the gala, she stood in the corner and saw Shi Yu being invited to speak on stage.

He wore a custom-made suit, his figure tall and straight as ever, but his features now more mature and profound, his eyes dark and intimidating. He lacked the gentle carelessness she once knew, replaced by sharpness and coldness.

She noticed another familiar figure in the crowd.

Zhou Yanan, dressed in a blue mermaid-style gown, gazed adoringly at the man on stage. When he finished his speech, she led the applause.

People gathered around Zhou Yanan, showering her with compliments.

In her dream, she lowered her eyes and tugged at the red dress on her body, a self-mocking smile curling her lips. Feeling unworthy, she quietly slipped out of the ballroom.

The brief lines of text she had seen in dreams before now appeared in her current dream, materializing vividly.

"Zhou Yanan and Shi Yu often attend public events together, looking like a golden couple. Everyone speculates when they will announce their engagement."

So, this was the meaning behind those simple words.

Buzz... Buzz...

The phone beside her pillow kept vibrating until Xu Dong'er and Jiang Lingling came back and woke her up.

Her roommates asked if she was sick, wondering why she went to bed so early.

Lin Yao's eyes were still blurry with tears, and she didn't dare open them, covering one eye with her hand while fumbling for the phone with the other. "I'm fine," she said.

"Just too tired from shopping, that's all."

Xu Dong'er and Jiang Lingling didn't suspect anything and went about their own business.

Lin Yao answered the phone.

"Hello..."

On the other end, it was Shi Yu's familiar, cool, and magnetic voice.

Lin Yao's heart ached fiercely, almost unable to hold back her tears at the sound of his voice, wanting to tell him about all the grievances she felt in her dream.

But she couldn't.

She softly responded with an "Mm," biting her lower lip hard.

She forced herself to calm down, not showing any signs of distress.

Even as her lips trembled from the bite.

If she relaxed even a little, she would break down in front of Shi Yu.

"Baby, what's wrong? Were you sleeping? Not feeling well?"

He noticed her slightly congested voice, but it was only 11 PM in the country, and Lin Yao usually wasn't asleep yet.

"No, I'm in the dorm." She covered her mouth, trying not to cry, her voice muffled.

Misinterpreting her concern about being overheard by her roommates, Shi Yu chuckled softly on the other end.

"Next time you come back, how about treating your roommates to dinner? You won't have to hide when calling them anymore."

Their bond had swiftly intensified, and Shi Yu noticed that his dear green tea was more forthcoming than she used to be.

Several times, she didn't resist the topic of going public, so he took the opportunity to declare his ownership.

"Mm." Lin Yao took a deep breath, not refusing but agreeing instead.

She didn't care; anything was fine.

After all... once he returned, none of what they said today would matter.

Shi Yu paused briefly, then his deep, magnetic voice softened, "I'll arrive tomorrow afternoon. I'll pick you up then..."

"No need." Lin Yao shook her head, her voice almost breaking due to urgency.

She covered her mouth, taking a breath to regain control: "I'll come to you."

She remembered Song Li's words: Zhou Yanan was originally abroad, but because Shi Yu's grandfather intended to arrange potential matches for him, the Zhou family brought Zhou Yanan back early.

She recalled that in the original story, Zhou Yanan studied abroad first and later became a student at Capital University.

To avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings in the future, it was better to minimize the chances of others seeing Shi Yu picking her up from school.

On the other end, Shi Yu seemed pleased with her repeated willingness, chuckling softly, "The first person I want to see when I get home must be you."

Lin Yao's eyes filled with sorrow, closing them as she responded, "...Okay."

Being the first person he sees is fine.

It means she can break up with him sooner, parting ways amicably.

That night, Lin Yao tossed and turned, unable to sleep until just before dawn.

...

...

The result of a poor night's sleep was that Lin Yao missed breakfast the next day and didn't wake up until noon.

Since entering Capital University, she had continued to study diligently and engaged in various extracurricular activities with enthusiasm.

This was the first time she had slept until this late.

"Lin Yao, let's go out for dinner tonight. There are some new restaurants near the school we haven't tried yet," Jiang Lingling said, bringing Lin Yao a loaf of bread and watching her munch on it at the table.

Tonight...

Lin Yao thought about tonight, when she would go to Shi Yu and break up with him.

Words she could never bring herself to say before now seemed less agonizing to utter.

Lin Yao decided to let go of Shi Yu and also give herself a chance to move on.

She didn't have the ability to fight an unwinnable battle and no longer wanted to be a moth drawn to a destructive flame.

Since Zhou Yanan was destined to appear, she would break up with Shi Yu tonight and exit gracefully.

But...

Something unexpected happened.

Xu Dong'er: "Lin Yao can't join us for dinner tonight; she has a student council event."

Lin Yao was taken aback. A student council event?

Right, how could she almost forget.

Yesterday, after hearing about Zhou Yanan, she had come back and cried herself to sleep, lost in her sorrow, completely forgetting about this event.

What about going to Shi Yu's apartment this afternoon to confront him.

What about making sure he saw her first when he got there.

All of it turned into empty promises.

Tonight was a fundraising event for the student council's new student dance.

She and a few classmates were responsible for hosting this event, so she had to be there.

No matter how sad she felt, doing her job was more important.

Lin Yao took out her phone and saw messages from her classmates involved in the event, detailing the dinner location and financial reports. She confirmed and replied to each one before finally sending a WeChat message to Shi Yu.

He was probably still on the plane, so Lin Yao didn't elaborate. She told Shi Yu that there was a last-minute student council fundraising event tonight and that she would visit his place after dinner.

...

...

The student council's fundraising event was held in a private room at a nice hotel.

Since they were inviting potential sponsors for dinner, the venue couldn't be too shabby but also shouldn't be overly extravagant. They didn't want to end up spending thousands if the sponsors backed out.

Lin Yao arrived with another female classmate and found several bottles of Maotai already opened on the table.

She discreetly asked a senior from another department who had arrived earlier what was going on.

It turned out that a wealthy sponsor had unexpectedly shown up tonight.

Not only did he promise exclusive sponsorship for the new student dance if they presented a decent plan, but he also said the sponsorship amount could be unlimited.

Moreover, he had arranged this dinner and opened those bottles of Maotai himself. He was currently outside taking a call and would return soon.

They had expected to work hard to secure this collaboration and had prepared three different plans. But now, they had encountered such a generous sponsor.

Well, it worked out fine. No need for them to talk much or pay the bill. Lin Yao silently poured herself a drink.

She decided to sit down and enjoy the meal tonight, gathering strength to break up with Shi Yu later.

After a short while, representatives from various faculties of the student council arrived.

There were also a few smaller sponsors, all of whom had collaborated with the student council multiple times. Everyone exchanged brief pleasantries.

Apart from two seniors, everyone else present was a freshman.

After all, this was just a simple fundraising event—basically a dinner to discuss cooperation plans.

The student council hadn't sent many people, treating it as an opportunity for the freshmen to gain experience and enjoy a good meal.

At that moment, the senior sitting next to her stood up, "Mr. Song is back."

Hearing the commotion, Lin Yao stood up with the others.

A young man in a suit, reasonably handsome, entered from the door.

For some reason, despite his appearance and attire, Lin Yao felt instinctively uncomfortable around him.

Seeing him made her uneasy.

He seemed to have just put away his phone, smiling and saying, "Don't call me Mr. Song; it makes me sound old. Just call me Young Master Song."

The senior promptly adjusted his address, and everyone sat down after exchanging pleasantries.

Lin Yao's gaze fell on Young Master Song... oh, right, Young Master Song. Suddenly, she felt he looked familiar.

She thought she had seen him somewhere before.

And at that moment, he looked at her.

Upon seeing her, the man actually smiled and winked at her, thinking he looked cool.

Lin Yao quickly averted her gaze.

"This is Song Shuyun from the Song Group, Young Master Song. Young Master Song, these are the representatives from the freshmen of Capital University. This is from the Finance Department... this is from the English Department..."

The senior's introduction continued in her ear.

But Lin Yao was entirely focused on the name Song Shuyun.

Song Shuyun... Song Group...

He was the Song family's cousin that Shi Nian had mentioned.

Thinking about how in the original story, Song Shuyun and Song Bailu, brother and sister, could steal someone else's college entrance exam results to get into Capital University, saying they had bad character would be an understatement. They were scum.

Lin Yao felt even more fortunate that in this world, she had reported the two for their college entrance exam cheating.

However, what she didn't expect was that the biggest sponsor of tonight's freshman dance was none other than Song Shuyun.

Just then, her senior introduced Lin Yao, "By the way, this is from our Math Department..."

"I know, it's Lin Yao," Song Shuyun said proudly. "Little Sister Lin Yao, long time no see. Do you remember me?"

That one call of "Little Sister Lin Yao" instantly brought Lin Yao's memories back to that night.

Outside Ding Yan Lou, she had been slightly drunk, and a man had grabbed her wrist, trying to force her into a car.

Sister, Little Sister Lin Yao...

That night, the man's lecherous voice still made her feel nauseous and disgusted whenever she thought about it.

Lin Yao's face turned pale as she lifted her gaze: "...It's you!?"

"Do you two know each other?" The senior looked pleased, thinking it would be convenient to talk business with someone they already knew.

After all, the other party had said they would decide based on the final proposal...

Lin Yao: "No, we don't."

Song Shuyun: "Of course we do."

Their voices overlapped, making the situation awkward.

Song Shuyun subconsciously looked at the girl sitting across from him.

Her lips were red, her teeth white, and her skin like congealed fat. His heart, which he had been trying to control these days, itched even more. But the next moment, seeing the undisguised disgust in Lin Yao's eyes as she looked at him,

Song Shuyun felt humiliated and angry. "Stop pretending, Little Sister Lin Yao. You're quite familiar with my cousin and his sister. When their family couldn't make ends meet, my parents kindly went to Jincheng to bring them over. You've met before. Now, in front of everyone, you pretend not to know me!"

Ever since that night at Ding Yan Lou, Song Shuyun had been unable to forget Lin Yao.

Even though he was beaten up by some mysterious black-clad men and sent to jail for 15 days,

the first thing Song Shuyun did upon release was to find out more about Lin Yao.

He spent some connections and time to learn about her situation. He discovered that she was close to his two cheap cousins. Even when his parents went to Jincheng to bring the two over, the Lin family had obstructed them.

Thinking about how he could have gotten into Capital University if not for the Lin family's interference, which led to both him and his sister failing the exams,

he felt he deserved to play with Lin Yao for all the trouble he had gone through.

So, when he heard that the Song family had plans to sponsor various activities at Capital University this year, he immediately volunteered to take charge of the Capital University project.

Song Zhe thought Song Shuyun had matured and wanted him to interact more with the students at Capital University to gain some scholarly aura. Little did he know, Song Shuyun was only interested in getting the female students into bed.

"Misunderstanding, misunderstanding... Lin Yao is just shy, not intentionally rude."

"Yes, girls can be shy. She knows your cousins but might not recognize you."

Feeling the tension between the two, several classmates tried to smooth things over.

After all, Song Shuyun was the main sponsor they needed to discuss cooperation with; they couldn't afford to offend him.

The senior handed Lin Yao a drink: "Lin Yao, toast Song Young Master a cup, and we'll forget about this."

The senior didn't know that Lin Yao had almost been forced by Song Shuyun before. He poured her a glass of fruit juice, thinking it was appropriate for a girl to toast with a drink.

"I won't toast."

But even a glass of juice was unacceptable to Lin Yao.

That night at Ding Yan Lou, although she had been drunk and couldn't remember many details, the feeling of disgust remained vivid.

Song Shuyun clearly intended to do something inappropriate to her that night. If she toasted him now, she would be...

Lin Yao stood up to leave.

With a thud, Song Shuyun slammed his glass on the table.

He raised his chin, his voice both provocative and triumphant: "If you dare walk away without toasting, I'll withdraw the 10 million yuan sponsorship I just promised to your two departments!"

Hiss...

Someone in the room drew in a sharp breath.

Before Lin Yao arrived, two departments that needed to purchase a lot of experimental equipment had just finalized a 10 million yuan sponsorship deal with the Song family.

They couldn't let this 10 million yuan slip away because of Lin Yao's temper.

Some people in the room stood up to quietly persuade Lin Yao, and others even came over to pull her back.

Ha, power and money have always been the most effective tools throughout history.

10 million yuan is a lot.

20 million yuan is even more.

It's money that Lin Yao's entire family couldn't come up with.

But why should these people be able to pressure her like this?

Why should she have to apologize, toast, and admit her mistakes!

Just like how could it be that the person chosen by Shi Yu's grandfather is always the best.

Why, in both this life and in dreams, everyone believes... only a girl from the Zhou family, someone like Zhou Yanan, can match Shi Yu.

In any world, no one ever thinks she and Shi Yu would be a pair.

Because no one believes that a girl from an ordinary family in Jincheng can be with the grandson of the richest man.

Just as now, no one thinks she should refuse Song Shuyun's request.

As if Song Shuyun believes his money gives him the right to force her to bend down and toast to him.

"Fine, I'll toast." Lin Yao turned around, her eyes red as she stared at the other person, her face pale with tension.

She had an indescribable sense of fragility as she walked to the table and picked up the glass she hadn't yet offered.

"Sister, don't rush, Zi Mo will be here soon." The senior beside her couldn't bear it and pressed down on her glass, speaking softly.

Song Shuyun's behavior was truly despicable.

Even if 20 million is a lot, Capital University students shouldn't be treated this way.

At the banquet, apart from the two representatives who couldn't bear to lose the funding, most others wore expressions of righteous indignation.

Yet, with such a large sum looming over them, anyone would hesitate to stand up and refuse it outright.

After all, that's a 20 million shortfall...

"Ah, juice won't do." Song Shuyun turned the table, and the few bottles of opened Maotai already on it were now facing Lin Yao, "Little Lin, you must drink this when toasting me."

Clearly, he was deliberately making things difficult!

Others tried to intervene, but Lin Yao beat them to it, emptying the juice from her glass into a bowl.

"Fine."

Without another word, she picked up a bottle of Maotai and poured it directly into her wine glass.

"Enough, enough, Sister... that's too much."

"Lin Yao, white wine is served in small glasses; you don't need so much."

Seeing Lin Yao's red eyes and the nearly full glass, others feared she would suffer.

That's white wine; a young girl like her can barely handle a small cup.

But Lin Yao seemed not to hear, pouring until the glass was nearly three-quarters full before stopping.

She lifted the glass, her moist, red eyes looking at Song Shuyun across the table: "If I finish this glass, will Young Master Song be satisfied?"

"Satisfied, of course, haha..." Song Shuyun laughed heartily.

If this little beauty could finish this large glass of Maotai tonight, he could make her do anything he wanted.

He beckoned her over: "Come here, come to Big Brother for a drink."

His disgusting demeanor made many present show looks of disgust.

But Lin Yao seemed unaffected, carrying the glass over.

Seeing such a fair-skinned, beautiful girl walking gracefully towards him with a glass, Song Shuyun felt even more elated.

Thinking about her bending down, lowering her eyes, and speaking softly to him, he felt even more thrilled.

"Young Master Song, this one is for you." Lin Yao brought the glass to her lips, her rosy mouth gently touching the rim, making Song Shuyun's heart race.

Just as he was about to pull her into his arms,

a full glass of icy liquid drenched him from head to toe.

'Splash—'

The sound of a whole glass of cold white wine pouring over his head.

'Crash—'

The sound of the glass shattering on the ground as Lin Yao threw it.

"Want me to toast you? In your next life!" Her eyes red, tears welling up.

"You fucking bitch, you dare to splash me with wine!" Song Shuyun, stunned for half a second, wiped the alcohol off his face and grabbed for Lin Yao's collar, "I don't care if Qi Yanye has already played with you, you—"

A sharp slap cut off all his unspoken words.

Everyone who had risen to intervene froze.

"You... you dared to hit me..." Song Shuyun touched his left cheek, disbelieving, feeling the burning pain and the clear imprint of five fingers.

Lin Yao's right hand hung by her side, her fingertips numb from the pain.

But her heart was racing, beating loudly and clearly...

"Yes, I hit you. Why can't I hit someone who tries to drag me into a car while I'm having dinner with my classmates!"

—What!?

The other students from Capital University were stunned. They never expected that Song Shuyun's so-called acquaintance with Lin Yao would be like this!

"You, you damn liar! Do you think I won't report you for defamation..."

"I am not lying!" Lin Yao's body trembled uncontrollably. She took a deep breath to stop herself from breaking down in tears. "On the first day of school at Ding Yan Lou, my roommate treated us to dinner. I accidentally drank too much and, when I came out, I almost got forced into your car on the street... I don't even know you! If it weren't for a kind passerby who beat you up and sent you to the police station, I might have already been..."

She couldn't continue, biting her lip for a moment. "There is a record of you at the police station. Whether it's defamation or not, a quick check will make it clear..."

Trying to molest a girl and being sent to the police station, leaving a record behind.

No need to say more; even if he wanted to donate money, Capital University could not accept it!

After saying this, Lin Yao ignored the murmurs, sympathetic looks, and questioning gazes around her. She turned and walked straight towards the door.

Just as she turned, she realized the private room door had somehow opened.

Two figures stood outside.

It was Ji Zimo, who arrived late, and He Yan, who wasn't supposed to be there tonight.

Lin Yao didn't care about the black and white figures. She let her tears fall, soaking her cheeks, and ran out between Ji Zimo and He Yan.

...

...

In the private room, Song Shuyun realized Lin Yao was leaving and was about to curse and chase after her.

But as soon as he looked up, he met a pair of cold, murderous almond eyes, and all his curses and insults were instantly stifled.

"H-Heyan..." Song Shuyun's legs trembled with fear.

He Yan didn't even give him a word. He just patted Ji Zimo beside him and quickly left.

Ji Zimo would handle things here.

He wouldn't let the incident that made Lin Yao suffer tonight spread.

He would also deal with those who tried to sell out their classmates just now.

Most importantly, Song Shuyun would no longer need to appear again.

*

Lin Yao ran out of the restaurant and found that it had started drizzling outside.

The rain was light but quickly drenched her flushed face and her trembling body.

Lin Yao looked up at the sky.

Perhaps it was the slight buzz from the wine she had earlier to confuse Song Shuyun, but she thought she saw a face in the dark sky.

Was the mastermind of the plot looking down at her from above?

Ha.

The young girl smiled faintly.

Sometimes, she had to admit that she was an unloved supporting character.

Look, even the heavens thought she wasn't miserable enough and decided to rain specifically to mock her misery.

He must be mocking her for trying to rebel and change her fate.

Mocking her, a mere supporting character, for daring to secretly be with Shi Yu, the protagonist, amidst the plot lines.

"Lin Yao..."

Suddenly, someone grabbed her wrist from behind.

He called her name softly.

In the next second, she was pulled into an unfamiliar embrace.

Raindrops pattered on the black umbrella above them, as if separating them from the world.

At that moment, a scent of sandalwood and cedar mixed with the faint musk of an unfamiliar man enveloped her.

She blinked away her tears and finally saw who it was.

It was He Yan.

The man, dressed in a loose white casual shirt and matching pants, stood before her on the muddy steps, holding a large black umbrella, looking at her with an unfamiliar and indescribable gaze.

"I'll take you home."

They stood in silence for two seconds before hearing his voice.

"No need."

Lin Yao tried to shake off his hand.

But he held it tighter.

"It's hard to get a ride at this hour. Let me take you." He repeated, his clear, glass-like eyes partially hidden by his bangs.

Even so, those almond eyes looked incredibly sincere.

Lin Yao understood that such a person, with those eyes, would look at anyone with such depth.

In reality, believing him would be a mistake.

She would be teased, deceived, and ridiculed.

They were high and mighty, just like the richest man who casually arranged others' emotions; just like Song Shuyun, who had thrown money at her and humiliated her inside; just like the plot deity who had designated her as a side character unworthy of any affection from the very beginning.

The He Yan in front of her was no different.

He was also a favorite of this storyline, a character with little description in the original text but one who, upon appearing, was always extraordinary and remarkable.

Unlike her.

From childhood to now, she was destined to be on the sidelines, merely an accessory.

"No! I said I don't want you to send me... why do you pretend not to understand?" She finally erupted.

Even if she told herself that it wasn't necessary to quarrel with He Yan at this moment, couldn't she at least borrow his umbrella?

But the girl's heart was filled with too much grievance and frustration. Her beautiful deer-like eyes were misty with tears, almost blurring her vision completely.

With a wave of her hand, she knocked the umbrella out of He Yan's grasp.

The rain seemed to intensify, drenching both of them.

Since she was always the only one getting wet, she might as well knock away the umbrella so everyone could get wet together!

"Senior He, no... I should call you He Yan directly. There's no need for pretense between us; you don't need to act nice in front of me..."

"Lin Yao, go inside first." He tried to pull her hand again, but the girl stepped back to avoid him.

Since it had come to this, she might as well let it all out.

Perhaps because she usually appeared obedient and sweet in front of everyone, never showing her negative emotions.

But He Yan was different.

This person hated her, and she hated him too.

Even if she went crazy tonight and said these things to him, tomorrow would be a new day.

They had nothing to do with each other!

So in the rain, the young girl cried bitterly while looking into his supposedly affectionate eyes.

—Do you think I don't know? The words you said to Qiao Xin, how you looked down on me from the start!

—In your eyes, people like us are impure and cunning. But what about you? You're just lucky, favored by fate. Why can you judge me without even meeting me?

—What difference is there between you and Song Shuyun inside? Oh, there is a difference—he's just your follower, while you are the worst of them all. He Yan, stop pretending to be nice in front of me; I hate you and despise you too!

Hating him, despising him... it turned out she knew everything.

From the moment they met, she had disliked him.

The girl's heart-wrenching accusations in the rain, word by word, pierced through He Yan's heart like sharp swords.

Suddenly, he felt as if a gaping wound had been torn open in his chest. When he first learned of Lin Yao, he had carelessly and arrogantly made judgments based on his preconceived notions.

At this moment, those cold winds, accompanied by Lin Yao's accusations and the pouring rain, rushed in.

A hoarse sensation rose in his throat.

The eloquent and proud man found himself speechless, opening his mouth but only managing to utter a stiff—

"The rain is getting heavier..."

It sounded pale and powerless.

Repeating the same weak phrase, he bent down to pick up the fallen black umbrella.

His slender, fair fingers once again grasped the girl's wrist.

"I'll send you," his deep, resonant voice carried a hint of indescribable hoarseness.

But this time, his grip on Lin Yao's wrist was stronger than before.

She couldn't shake him off.

She struggled fiercely but couldn't break free, even considering biting him. However, her head spun dizzily, as if intoxicated.

Under the large black umbrella, He Yan's slightly upturned almond eyes shone brightly.

He lowered his gaze, his dark pupils reflecting the girl's flushed face. Watching her futilely hitting his arm due to the disparity in strength, he could feel her soft skin brushing against his fingertips.

A strange, unfamiliar warmth spread across his ears.

But echoing in his mind were her words of hatred and disdain.

Contrasting sharply with the soft, gentle voice he had heard her use with that man.

He Yan couldn't speak.

He simply held the girl's wrist silently, waiting for the car.

After a moment, a dark Maybach slowly pulled up in front of them.

He Yan held onto Lin Yao: "The car is here, let's go. I'll take you back to school."

"No!" She pressed her palms against the door, the rain had given her a headache, but she still remembered that she couldn't get into his car, "I said no. You and that Song Shuyun are in this together. You want to take me away just like him..."

"No." It was the first time He Yan felt anxious explaining himself to a girl, "I didn't know what he dared to do to you that night at Ding Yan Lou."

If he had known, he would have...

Thinking of the girl's aggrieved accusation he overheard at the room door earlier, He Yan felt a heavy and painful sensation in his chest for the first time.

"You're lying." Lin Yao leaned against the car door, her tears washed away by the rain. She lifted her small face, looking at the noble young man in front of her with a sad and dazed expression, "He Yan, don't lie to me... People like you are all the same."

He Yan's eyes darkened, "I'm not..."

Beep—

Suddenly, a loud honk echoed behind them, so loud it seemed to reverberate throughout the street.

A black Rolls-Royce stopped not far behind them, its headlights glaring menacingly.

Lin Yao instinctively covered her face as she turned around.

When she lowered her hand, she saw the car door open, and a familiar black figure stepped out.

The tall and slender silhouette stood out against the night, the man's face stern, his eyes darker than obsidian, filled with coldness, and his gaze was chilling.

But at that moment,

Lin Yao felt a pang of sadness.

She saw Shi Yu.

The best Shi Yu in the world.

At least... before she fully woke up from her dream today, he was the one who loved her wholeheartedly in this world.

"See?" For some reason, she softly said to He Yan beside her, "That's Shi Yu, my boyfriend. He's the person in this world who won't misunderstand me, who won't look at me with prejudice, who knows all my flaws yet still accepts me. He's the person in this world who loves me the most."

"But... maybe not after tomorrow."

After saying this, the little girl shook off He Yan and rushed into Shi Yu's arms like a happy little animal.

She was soaked to the bone, but he held her tightly.

Even though Shi Yu's face wasn't pleasant, his hands firmly caught her, his tight jaw resting on the top of her wet head.

Letting her dirty, tear-stained face and drenched body rub against him.

"Shi Yu, let's go home... I'm so cold."

"Take me home, okay..."

The best Shi Yu in the world, the one who belongs only to her tonight.

Lin Yao didn't want to wait anymore.

She wanted to live for herself one last time.

Who says the protagonist must belong to the protagonist... why can't she, the scheming side character, sleep with Shi Yu first?

All the anger and hostility vanished when he saw the girl's red, crying eyes and her trembling body.

No questioning or suspicion.

Shi Yu didn't even spare a glance for the person across the street.

He picked up his treasure, his palm cupping her delicate chin, and kissed away the tears at the corners of her eyes.

"Okay... husband will take you home."

He said hoarsely.