Xue Shaohua quickly followed suit when he saw what was happening.
Truth be told, the moment he witnessed Hu Yuying walking into the courtyard with that other guy, his heart ached unbearably.
If he had to describe the feeling, it was like watching someone else play with his most treasured possession—an unbearable frustration.
He was outstanding in his own right, so why couldn’t Hu Yuying seem to see him?
The more unattainable she was, the more his heart stirred with longing.
All of it eventually condensed into sheer unwillingness.
A girl like her—once encountered, impossible to forget.
He wanted her every second of every day. That radiant smile was etched into his mind, and if one day it were to bloom just for him, Xue Shaohua felt his life would be complete.
And then there was Li Qingxue—if possible, he wouldn’t mind getting to know her better too. He knew he shouldn’t be so greedy, but greed was etched into human nature.
The only regret was not knowing the name of that aloof yet stunning girl.
As they neared the courtyard, Ye Liangchen and Xue Shaohua faintly caught snippets of conversation.
Ye Liangchen suddenly raised his arm, signaling Xue Shaohua to stop and not go any further.
"Brother Long, I really have been trying my best."
"Of course I can tell." After all, he’d watched her grow step by step since she arrived from Haishi—how could he not see it?
"No, you don’t. The way you look at me is always so indulgent, like I’m some helpless child who’ll never grow up."
"My mistake. From now on, you’ll just be a slightly bigger child in my eyes. Happy now?"
"Brother Long~~" Hu Yuying stomped her foot, pouting in protest. Get full chapters from 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡⚫𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢⚫𝘯𝘦𝘵
Seeing her , Long Aotian couldn’t help but chuckle. He pinched her puffed-up cheeks playfully before finally giving in and flicking her nose. "Go on inside. Everyone’s waiting for you. We’ll grab dinner together later."
The two eavesdroppers outside couldn’t suppress their grins, already picturing Hu Yuying’s adorable, sulky expression.
Their smiles were so blissful, as if in that moment, they were the ones standing before her instead of Long Aotian.
"Brother Long." Hu Yuying called out to his retreating figure. The second he turned, she wrapped her arms around him in a gentle embrace.
Just like that day when he’d carried her on his back, she held him tightly, pressing her face against his chest. "Brother Long, I’m an adult now. I know exactly what’s in my heart."
"It’s not gratitude, not indebtedness—it’s dependence. But not the kind a little girl has. It’s the dependence of a woman... on a man."
With that, she’d said everything she needed to.
Long Aotian looked down at Hu Yuying in his arms, his hand hovering as if to stroke her hair...
Silence. A deep, heavy silence.
Hu Yuying bit her lip and shut her eyes. Even if she expected rejection again, even if...
Her lashes fluttered as she slowly opened her eyes, pressing even closer to his chest.
She smiled—a smile so tender it could melt into one’s very bones.
Her cheeks burned uncontrollably.
Even the tips of her ears flushed hot.
She didn’t need words. She heard it.
And she thought... she might already know Brother Long’s heart.
"Scum! Let her go!" A sudden, jarring voice shattered the moment.
The door was kicked open.
Instinctively, Long Aotian pulled Hu Yuying behind him, his gaze snapping toward the intruder.
Inside the room, Li Qingxue and Lin Wanning, alerted by the noise, rushed out.
There, standing in the doorway, was a figure.
He faced slightly away, head tilted at a melancholic 45-degree angle, his expression shadowed with sorrow.
At the sight of him, Li Qingxue frowned. Lin Wanning frowned. Even the gentlest of them, Hu Yuying, wrinkled her nose in disgust.
Long Aotian studied Ye Liangchen without a frown—only a flicker of confusion in his eyes.
Hidden to the side, Xue Shaohua gave an approving nod at Ye Liangchen’s dramatic entrance.
Feeling all eyes on him, Ye Liangchen allowed a faint smirk.
With a dramatic toss of his hair, he fixed his piercing gaze on Long Aotian—and the three girls behind him, the objects of his longing.
The sight of Hu Yuying, Li Qingxue, and Lin Wanning deepened his smile, but it vanished as he glared at Long Aotian. "I said, let them go!"
"Ye Liangchen, have you lost your mind?" Li Qingxue snapped. She’d known him the longest, and seeing him here only deepened her disappointment.
She wasn’t stupid. In a city as vast as the capital, how had he found this exact alley, this exact courtyard? The answer was obvious.
Disgust slowly eclipsed her frustration.
Ye Liangchen responded with a bitter chuckle, shaking his head. "They call me mad, yet they see nothing."
"Your knight is here, Qingxue. Don’t be afraid." His gaze shifted to Hu Yuying and Lin Wanning. "You two—fear not. For I have arrived!"
He gave the three girls a solemn nod before finally locking eyes with Long Aotian. This was their first true confrontation.
No matter. He’d already embraced the darkness.
Hands in his pockets, he strode forward, stopping inches from Long Aotian. Swallowing hard, he declared, "Long Aotian, I know you feel threatened by me."
"I never wanted to fight before, but now—I can’t stand by any longer. I—"
Ye Liangchen’s head snapped to the side. He stood frozen, lips trembling in shock.
Li Qingxue and Lin Wanning were equally stunned—this was the first time they’d seen Long Aotian act this way.
Only Hu Yuying understood. She looked up at him, her heart aching for her Brother Long... because she knew exactly why he’d struck Ye Liangchen.