Chapter 177: How much do you like me?
‘Not the Second Young Master Jin’
Lian Li liked Jin Shi Yue not because of his power, nor because he had helped her, it wasn’t the halo effect of a hero saving a damsel in distress.
‘Not your younger brother’
Lian Li liked Jin Shi Yue and it had nothing to do with anyone else, and no one could interfere with them.
— “I just like him.”
Her words were like a sharpened blade, slicing through Jin Yan Ting’s mind without hesitation, causing him to feel suffocated.
The young girl he had watched grow up was now, in front of him, resolutely telling him: she liked someone else.
Jin Yan Ting spoke, his voice with a slight rasp: “How long have you known him, and you’re already talking about liking him?”
“I know I haven’t known him for long, less than a year.” Lian Li’s eyes were like clear water, brave and honest, “But the feelings between us aren’t measured by time, they’re measured by feeling.”
“He is the most uncertain existence in my past twenty-two years, and the only thing I can be sure of now.”
She said clearly, “I am very sure, I like him.”
Lian Li’s life was like a math problem; she followed logic, step by step, calmly and steadily solving the difficult problem, finally finding the optimal solution.
Jin Shi Yue was completely different from her. He never followed any steps, he was casual, unrestrained, and free, doing whatever he wanted.
Their personalities were worlds apart, to the point that Lian Li felt their mutual attraction was both an impossible event and an inevitable one.
The contradictory two collided, creating a wonderful feeling that the universe could not explain.
Jin Shi Yue lowered his gaze, looking intently at Lian Li. Her eyes were resolute, and her delicate face showed no hesitation.
Every word she spoke was like setting a fire in his heart, a raging inferno engulfing him, burning fiercely and uncontrollably.
As Lian Li finished speaking, something in Jin Yan Ting’s heart suddenly broke, like a dam bursting.
Lian Li didn’t see Jin Yan Ting’s dimming eyes because Jin Shi Yue took her hand, pulled her closer to him, and away from Jin Yan Ting.
“You’re sweating so much confessing.” Jin Shi Yue gently brushed aside her hair, seeing the fine sweat on her forehead, “I’ll punish you by making you confess to me at least once a day.”
Lian Li: “…”
Can I take back a confession.
A ray of pale golden sunlight leaked through the gap in the window frame, shining on Lian Li’s upturned nose, illuminating her delicate face, making it clear and striking.
“Brother Yan Ting, I know it was wrong of us to hide it from you…”
Lian Li was halfway through her sentence when Jin Shi Yue lazily interrupted: “What do you mean ‘wrong of us’? Do you think dating requires approval? Do you need to apply in advance and wait for it to pass before you can date?”
His arrogant and presumptuous demeanor suggested he probably never thought he did anything wrong, after all, with his silver tongue, he could make black appear white.
Jin Shi Yue slightly lifted his chin, a leisurely smile playing on his lips, and said to Jin Yan Ting, “You heard clearly, she only likes me. If there’s nothing else, we’ll be going on our date now.”
At this moment, Jin Yan Ting’s expression had returned to its original state, noble and solemn, with no trace of abnormality on his face.
However, his mood was extremely complex, and all his unspoken words finally turned into a single “Mm.”
Lian Li was about to speak to Jin Yan Ting, but as soon as she opened her mouth, Jin Shi Yue put his arm around her shoulder and, with a forceful half-hug, half-push, took her away.
“You have so much to say, save it for me,” Jin Shi Yue gently pinched her chin with his slender fingers, his tone carrying a hint of command, his usual domineering style.
Lian Li was enveloped by his presence, like falling into ripples of scenery, intoxicated and unaware.
She looked up at him, her eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings, and asked after a moment, “What were you guys talking about just now?”
“About when you started liking me,” Jin Shi Yue said leisurely.
The man’s jawline was deep and sharp, reflected in Lian Li’s clear pupils. She belatedly remembered their conversation at the coffee shop, her cheeks flushing slightly.
“Lian Li, you’ve been hiding it very well,” Jin Shi Yue lowered his eyelids, examining her closely, “How much do you like me?”
His eyes were like a vortex in the depths of the universe, drawing her in. Lian Li averted her gaze and pretended to be nonchalant, saying, “A little bit.”
“A little bit, how many bits is that? Like the repeating decimal point?” Jin Shi Yue, being with Lian Li, knew her logic for measuring things; she could approach everything from a mathematical perspective.
As soon as the man finished speaking, it made Lian Li look up at him again. This gave Jin Shi Yue an opportunity. He lowered his head and pressed his thin lips against hers, kissing her.
Sunlight spilled onto their faces, which were beaming with joyful smiles, illuminating the unique emotions held in their eyes.
Jin Yan Ting saw this scene through the transparent glass window. The burning pain in his body intensified, from his skin to his bones, every inch of pain was extremely clear, and his eyes turned ashen.
The glass display window separated him from them.
He could no longer walk to her side.
But, he was the one who discovered her first.
How did things turn out like this?
Xue Shufan was engrossed in looking at photographs in the cultural and creative store. Her junior sister looked good no matter how she was photographed, making it impossible to pick a favorite.
Her mobile phone rang; it was Pei Qingji calling.
She swiped to answer and heard him say, “Xixi is waiting for you to do experiments. Where are you now? I’ll send a car to pick you up?”
After Xue Shufan left the Xue Family, she was penniless. Pei Qingji provided her with a relaxed part-time job: teaching Pei Xixi some basic science experiments.
Children from other families learned humanities and arts like dance, calligraphy, and cello skills. The Pei family’s little princess was special; she had been exposed to science experiments since childhood.
For example, using lead nitrate and potassium iodide to create beautiful golden rain; inserting zinc nails and copper wires into a potato, connecting them with wires to make a simple battery to charge a digital clock.
“At school, it’s the graduation ceremony today; I’m taking photos for my junior sister,” Xue Shufan said, looking down at the photographs. “You don’t need to pick me up; I’ll go myself later.”
“Okay.”
Xue Shufan pondered for two seconds, then asked again, “Are the two young masters of the Jin family on bad terms recently?”
She was worried her junior sister might get caught in the crossfire.
“No. What’s wrong?” Pei Qingji sat on the sofa, unbuttoning a few buttons of his suit with one hand.
“It’s nothing major, it’s just that today is my junior sister’s graduation ceremony, and both the Young Master and the Second Young Master are here,” Xue Shufan stated plainly.
Without her needing to say more, Pei Qingji roughly understood what had happened. He said calmly, “Jin Yan Ting likes Lian Li.”
“What!!”
Xue Shufan was shocked, and the photograph in her hand fell, like fallen leaves in late autumn.
Just then, she saw her junior sister walk into the cultural and creative store, followed by a tall and distinguished man.
“I have something to do, I’ll hang up now, goodbye!”
Xue Shufan immediately hung up the phone. Due to her shock, her dilated pupils had not yet returned to their original size when she greeted them with a fake smile: “Junior Sister, Second Young Master.”
“Senior Sister, I came back to get my graduation cap.”
Lian Li picked up the graduation cap from the edge of the table, held it in her arms, and said to Xue Shufan, “I’m leaving now.”
“Okay, okay, goodbye.”
After Lian Li and Jin Shi Yue left side by side, Xue Shufan was still reeling from the shock.
Recalling what Pei Qingji had said earlier, her pupils widened abruptly again.
Jin Yan Ting likes Lian Li?!!
