Qin Hanyue handed her a glass of water and asked calmly, "How did he confess to you? Did he directly express his feelings? What else did he say?"
Before Qiao Ying could respond, he continued, "If he confessed directly, did he also prepare flowers for you?"
He further inquired, "How did you reject him? Is he giving up?"
Qiao Ying looked at him, pretending to be indifferent, and couldn't help but smile. "He asked me to pretend to be his girlfriend. Why are you so anxious?"
Pretend? Qin Hanyue felt relieved, but he thought to himself, pretending is not enough. He controlled his tone and said, "Tell me the details."
Qiao Ying replied, "It's complicated and involves the royal family and its members. I can't be bothered to explain." Besides, she had already rejected him.
Qin Hanyue asked, "So, did you accept?"
Qiao Ying was always ready to help her friends.
Just now, when Lin Cheng scolded the dog in front of Qin Hanyue, it seemed like a small matter, but now in Qin Hanyue's eyes, it felt like a provocation. He even wondered if it was because Qiao Ying had agreed that Lin Cheng had developed some ideas and was fully immersed in them.
After all, Qiao Ying was outstanding.
Qiao Ying looked at his nervous expression and the corners of her mouth slightly lifted.
"Guess."
Qin Hanyue replied, "I don't want to guess."
Qiao Ying said, "This topic is not pleasant, let's not talk about it."
Qin Hanyue insisted, "Let's talk."
This topic would only make him unhappy.
Qiao Ying leisurely said, "You're too afraid to guess."
Qin Hanyue asked, "Did you reject him?"
Qiao Ying replied, "Obviously."
Qin Hanyue's face relaxed, and before the smile fully formed, he heard her say again, "Am I that kind-hearted?"
Qin Hanyue asked, "So you rejected him not because you're not that close to him, but because of me?"
If it were Ye Si, would she have accepted?
Qiao Ying's tone was light, but it inexplicably annoyed him. "No, it's also because I have to go to school."
Qin Hanyue remained silent.
Qiao Ying asked, "Are you upset?"
Qin Hanyue replied, "No. The reason for the rejection doesn't matter. Let's not get involved with the royal family."
Qiao Ying lifted her gaze and said, "Us?"
She didn't know what she was thinking, but her expression became animated. "Why don't you go and accompany him in acting? It would also repay him for his favor."
Qin Hanyue didn't understand. "What should I act?"
Qiao Ying said, "Act as his boyfriend."
Qin Hanyue looked at her, puzzled. Seriously?
Qiao Ying sat up straight, rested her elbow on the table, propped her chin with one hand, and looked at him. "Lin Cheng has always been virtuous and hasn't publicly revealed his sexual orientation. If you help him, not only can he resolve the issue once and for all, but with your status, even if the royal family members are dissatisfied with you and Lin Cheng, they won't dare to act against you. I think it's a perfect plan. I don't mind."
Qin Hanyue emphasized each word as he told her, feigning annoyance and pinching Qiao Ying's face. "What goes on in that head of yours every day? How do you come up with such terrible ideas?"
Qiao Ying turned her face away, glanced at the restless students around them and outside the door, picked up her water, took a sip, and reminded him, "Pay attention to your image, Mr. Qin."
"University encourages students to date." If he cared about his image, he wouldn't have come here. He smiled playfully and added, "Plus, there's a credit bonus if you can get married and have children."
Qiao Ying replied, "Enjoy your meal."
Qin Hanyue savored his couple's meal while Qiao Ying glanced at her phone. She lifted her gaze to Qin Hanyue across the table and absentmindedly opened the campus forum.
The students of Jing University had lived up to Qin Hanyue's expectations. They had not disappointed him after he had traveled a long way in the cold weather.
The first thing that caught their attention was a photo of Qin Hanyue pinching Qiao Ying's cheek.
The students below were cheering excitedly, and Qiao Ying casually scrolled through the comments.
She came across a bunch of people saying that Qin Hanyue's eyes were filled with tenderness and love. Intrigued, Qiao Ying zoomed in on Qin Hanyue's eyes.
Despite her lack of discernment, she couldn't see any difference in his gaze compared to usual.
She looked back at Qin Hanyue sitting opposite her. His long lashes rested on his eyelids, and his eyes were narrow, beautiful, and beneath his thin eyelids were deep black irises. The prominent bridge of his nose stood out on his face, and Qiao Ying's gaze gradually moved downward.
Finally, it settled on his thin lips and paused.
Her mind echoed Ye Si's words from the previous night: "He's really good at kissing." A smile involuntarily formed at the corner of Qiao Ying's mouth.
Originally, she only intended to take a quick glance at his eyes, but unknowingly, she became completely captivated.
Qiao Ying shifted her gaze away, long-pressed on the picture, and tapped the save button.
She continued scrolling down and saved the well-taken photos.
After finishing his meal, Qin Hanyue wiped his mouth and naturally picked up the remaining water in front of Qiao Ying to drink.
Upon hearing Qiao Ying's sudden question, "Are you happy now?"
Qin Hanyue knew she was referring to his purpose of coming to the school to assert his presence because of Lin Cheng.
With a satisfied nod, Qin Hanyue replied, "Of course, I'm happy when I have you accompanying me for a meal." Especially when there were Jing University students witnessing their relationship.
Qiao Ying responded, "You're a decent guy."
The two of them then left the restaurant.
Qin Hanyue accompanied Qiao Ying to the entrance of the teaching building before saying, "I'm going back."
He discreetly glanced at the large crowd of students around them, then lowered his head and kissed Qiao Ying on the forehead.
The students completely lost their composure and erupted into screams.
Qiao Ying remained silent.
Qin Hanyue looked at Qiao Ying with a mischievous expression and chuckled, "It's cold outside, let's go inside the classroom."
Qiao Ying shot him a sideways glance, put her hands in her pockets, and turned away.
After seeing Qiao Ying enter the building, Qin Hanyue left as well.
In the car, Qin Yan grinned and laughed heartily while browsing the forum. When he saw Qin Hanyue coming out, he quickly suppressed his laughter.
As soon as he got in the car, Qin Hanyue opened his phone and successfully found what he had been eager to see on the forum—the freshly released photos, which were like artistic portraits.
"Next time, just kiss me until your lips are worn out!" The caption was quite bold, and the comments below were even more embarrassing. He wondered if she read the forum and, if she did, what her reaction would be.
Qin Hanyue saved the pictures and also took a screenshot of the caption.
On his way back to the company, Qin Hanyue scrolled through the forum. Lin Cheng's presence had already vanished from the forum, and Qin Hanyue had successfully replaced him and secured his position.
Suddenly, Qin Hanyue came across an unexpected photo taken in the restaurant. It was taken from a table close to theirs.
In the photo, he was eating while Qiao Ying, sitting opposite him, held her phone. However, upon closer inspection, her gaze was not directed at the phone but at him.
Her eyes were naked, and the smile at the corner of her mouth was very evident.
That gaze directly pierced Qin Hanyue's heart.
The caption was also interesting: "What is it like for the aloof Qiao Campus Belle to fall in love?"
Qin Hanyue repeatedly looked at the photo. For Qiao Ying, this action, along with the smile at the corner of Qin Hanyue's mouth, was no different from Qiao Ying whispering sweet nothings to him.
Qin Hanyue saved the photo and took a screenshot of the caption, then forwarded them to Qiao Ying.
He held his phone and waited for Qiao Ying's reply. Even though he saw "Typing..." at the top, he waited all afternoon but didn't receive Qiao Ying's response.
Qin Hanyue thought that she probably cursed at the screen and then turned off her phone.
Lin Cheng only stayed for two days and then left.
In the evening,
Qiao Ying returned to the villa from school.
As soon as she opened the door, a dart flew straight towards her.
Qiao Ying tilted her head to dodge it and caught the dart firmly.
Fourth Master and the two people on the sofa shouted in excitement. Their front paws scraped the ground, their hind legs slightly bent. This was an attacking posture, and the robot immediately slid to Qiao Ying's side, entering a defensive state.
Seeing Qiao Ying walking towards the sofa, Fourth Master anxiously barked at her.
Qiao Ying pacified him, saying, "Quiet."
Then she threw the dart back onto the sofa, hitting one of the people.
Flowing Shadow reached out and caught it.
