"Ouch, sister, you're hurting me."
A look of fragile helplessness appeared on Chen Liuyue's face.
She forcefully broke free from her grip.
Pushing up her sleeve, she revealed a section of fair, slender forearm.
On it, clearly visible, were the red marks left by Chen Ruanruan's hand.
Wei Miao shot Chen Ruanruan a look of disgust.
He never expected that while Liuyue was kindly accompanying her back to her hometown, she would take the chance to play dirty.
Qin Xuanye was also slightly taken aback.
Could it be that Chen Ruanruan's gentleness when facing him before was all an act?
"..."
As for Chen Ruanruan herself, she was completely stunned.
She admitted she had been a bit anxious just now, but she absolutely hadn't pinched Chen Liuyue hard.
Her hope right now was for the other to accompany her back to her hometown; why would she provoke her anger at a time like this!
The corner of Chen Liuyue's mouth lifted slightly.
She had pinched herself.
Yet, her beautiful almond-shaped eyes remained clear and bright.
Tilting her head up, she wore an expression of a melancholic little white flower and sighed:
"Sister, I know you definitely didn't mean it."
But it precisely sounded like 'you did it on purpose'.
"Xuanye, I..."
As soon as Chen Ruanruan's gaze turned to him, he averted his eyes directly.
Her heart turned cold.
Then she met Wei Miao's sharp, suspicious look.
She felt both wronged and stifled.
Unable to defend herself, Chen Ruanruan could only seek help from Tao Tian and Jin Minjia.
"Dad, Mom, I didn't mean to."
Tao Tian smiled, playing the peacemaker: "Of course I believe both Ruanruan and Xiaoyue are good kids. Alright, let's all go back to the hometown together then."
Jin Minjia shot a sidelong glance and muttered:
"Alright, it's just a little pinch, the marks will fade soon enough. How come you've become so delicate since returning to the Chen family?"
"And you!"
She looked at Chen Ruanruan, her tone carrying a trace of resentment.
"You're the one causing all the trouble. It was you who insisted on taking her back."
"If any problems arise, it'll be on your head!"
Chen Ruanruan forced out a gentle, well-meaning smile: "Sister Liuyue is so well-behaved, how could that happen?"
...
The car slowly drove towards the direction of the Tao family's hometown.
Qin Xuanye stood in place, his gaze complex.
Wei Miao, however, turned and left.
"Where are you going?" Qin Xuanye asked.
Wei Miao closed the car door without sparing him an extra glance.
"None of your business!"
Qin Xuanye moved faster, also opening his car door, his long legs stepping in as he sat down.
Wei Miao narrowed his eyes, somewhat annoyed.
He turned to look at him.
"Qin Xuanye, what are you doing?"
Qin Xuanye also met his narrow, phoenix eyes and said word by word: "Liuyue won't like you."
Wei Miao let out a light scoff.
The corners of his mouth curled into a mocking arc.
"You're talking about yourself, aren't you?"
Qin Xuanye fell silent: "..."
Wei Miao raised his eyebrows.
"Just because Liuyue doesn't like you doesn't mean she won't come to like me."
"People are different."
"Brother-in-law!"
Qin Xuanye felt another arrow pierce his chest, especially at those last two words.
He couldn't help but say: "Brother Wei, you're two years older than me."
He didn't say 'two years older', but 'two years older'.
Wanting to attack him with the age gap.
Wei Miao gave a light, derisive laugh.
How childish.
He countered lightly: "I was addressing you according to Liuyue's family seniority, brother-in-law."
A knot of frustration clogged Qin Xuanye's chest, impossible to dispel.
Wei Miao didn't care, saying coldly: "Get out of the car!"
But Qin Xuanye didn't move.
He asked: "Are you planning to follow Tao Tian's car back to the county town?"
Wei Miao's hand on the steering wheel paused, and he couldn't help but roll his eyes.
"Obviously?"
Qin Xuanye, still somewhat unwilling, said: "You know Liuyue is so smart, she won't be in any danger."
Wei Miao chuckled twice.
He said incredulously:
"Qin Xuanye, your emotional intelligence?! I suspect Liuyue really must have had water in her head back then to agree to be with you."
"She's smart, so she doesn't need protection?"
"She's strong, so we should just leave her to face danger alone?"
Qin Xuanye was left speechless by the questions.
He suddenly realized something.
He had been too self-righteous.
Always looking at others from his own perspective, thinking that what he could do, others should be able to do as well.
Thinking that because his upbringing was a certain way, others' should be normal too.
He really had been too self-righteous!!!
Wei Miao gave him another deep look.
Pronouncing his judgment:
"Your liking is too superficial."
"And it's a self-serving kind of liking. You don't deserve her!"
"Not even a little bit!"
The color gradually drained from Qin Xuanye's face.
Wei Miao had hit upon his core issue.
Right on the mark.
He always measured others by his own standards. Coming from a wealthy family, he had never imagined that Tao Liuyue in high school would be someone barely scraping by on living expenses.
What kind of boyfriend was he?!
So going from boyfriend to ex-boyfriend was what he deserved!
Qin Xuanye got out of the car, utterly dejected.
Watching the car speeding away into the distance, his original intention had been to stop Wei Miao, this potential love rival.
But now, he had something more important to do.
To face his own heart.
Back in his own car, he took out his phone and dialed a number again.
It was his high school classmate, a mutual friend of his and Tao Liuyue's.
Also one of the boys who had a crush on Tao Liuyue.
"Hello." The call connected quickly, and a man's cheerful voice came through.
"It's me, Qin Xuanye."
"I know, Old Qin. It's been so long since we started university, why are you only calling me now? By the way, how are things abroad?"
"What abroad?" Qin Xuanye was dumbfounded.
"Ah."
The voice on the other end also paused, then said: "Didn't they say you were going abroad to study after high school graduation? Lots of people said so, with all the details. Someone even posted the acceptance letter from a foreign school online."
Qin Xuanye was stunned.
What was all this?
"Fake news. I'm at Qinghe University in the country. I never planned to study abroad."
"What the...! Who the heck spread that fake rumor? That's terrible! Back then I even asked Tao Liuyue if she knew about you studying abroad. She was confused and said she didn't know either."
Qin Xuanye sensed something was off.
"When did Liuyue find out I was supposedly studying abroad?"
The brother on the phone replied:
"It was during the summer break right after you started dating. But then you broke up anyway, don't be too sad. At least you got to date the goddess."
His tone carried a hint of concealed envy and jealousy.
Qin Xuanye frowned and asked again: "Do you remember what you told me about why Liuyue broke up with me?"
There was a moment of silence on the other end.
Qin Xuanye grew anxious.
"Don't tell me you just made it up?!"
"...Hey, buddy, don't get worked up."
"How can I not get worked up! And I considered you a good brother. Do you have any idea how much this affected me?"
Qin Xuanye's voice was a bit hoarse, his emotions visibly on the verge of losing control.
The voice on the other end gradually grew weaker.
He said cautiously: "It... it was made up. But it was Tao Liuyue who asked me to say it."
Qin Xuanye's heart felt like it was being squeezed.
He pressed: "Why?"
