After being attacked by the rich young ladies with hatchets, I chose to enter "sage mode".

Covering her pretty face, Qing Sisi said something that made Bai Yu pause slightly.

After all, his current attitude towards Qing Sisi is really strange, because in his previous life, he was never so gentle to Qing Sisi at this stage. However, none of that matters anymore. For Bai Yu, being able to see her again is already a blessing. He no longer wants to hold back his gentleness and sincerity, nor can he.

"What's wrong?"

With a smile, Bai Yu asked a question, pretending that she didn't know.

When Qing Sisi saw his puzzled expression, she covered her blushing face and peeked out from between her fingers, her peach blossom eyes blinking as she stared at Bai Yu and said something very seriously.

"Senior...have you been possessed? You're talking so strangely..."

The familiar chuunibyou vibe wafted over, and Bai Yu used to think that Qing Sisi was childish and stupid, but now she no longer thought she was childish or stupid. All she saw was cuteness and beauty.

"Yes, I've been possessed. After being possessed, I found that Sisi is becoming more and more beautiful in my eyes."

Bai Yu spoke these words sincerely. The more hypocritical he was in flirting with girls before, the more directly he revealed his true feelings now.

Such straightforward and sincere words, coupled with their captivating charm, made Qing Sisi's heart flutter and her words become incoherent.

"I...I...I have to hang up now, I have something to do...it's that, senior, bye-bye."

She waved her hand, her eyes filled with shyness and her face flushed. For the first time, she hurriedly hung up Bai Yu's WeChat call out of embarrassment. It really was the first time she had ever hung up on Bai Yu.

Qing Sisi, who hung up Bai Yu's call, had nothing to do with it. She was simply overwhelmed by Bai Yu's sudden change in demeanor and felt extremely shy and uncomfortable, which is why she hung up.

She quietly crouched under the computer desk in her home gaming room; only the cramped space allowed her to feel a little relieved of her nervousness and shyness.

Looking at the WeChat call screen that she had hung up on herself, tears of shyness welled up in her eyes, but she was still holding her phone and smiling foolishly, like an innocent and carefree child.

"Senior...do you like me a lot? You probably do, right?"

Putting down her phone, Bai Yu sat cross-legged on the wooden floor of her room, recalling Qing Sisi's shy and bashful appearance from earlier. She was so cute. It turned out that she didn't only like mature women; she also liked cute and lively young girls.

Looking at the date on her phone, Bai Yu realized it was still summer vacation and there was still a long time before the exchange students started school. She planned to formally re-introduce Lin Ying to her, hoping to prevent her from having any suicidal thoughts after school started.

Just as Bai Yu was pondering how to get to know Lin Ying again, there was a knock on his door from outside.

dong dong dong~

The knocking was very soft; if Bai Yu hadn't been quietly contemplating her problem, she probably wouldn't have even heard it.

Bai Yu got up and went to the door. Without looking at who was outside, she casually opened the door.

As soon as the door opened, he saw Lin Ying standing primly at his door, wearing an apron and holding a box and a notebook.

He held up the notebook in his hand, on which a line of text had already been written beforehand.

"I made a little extra dessert. Please try it if you don't mind."

Seeing Lin Ying holding a notebook and a box of desserts, Bai Yu was flattered and nervously didn't know whether to accept or refuse.

The two stared at each other for three seconds, and then Lin Ying, who was already nervous, started to feel awkward. She didn't know why she made more than she should have, even though she was just making breakfast. She even subconsciously wanted to bring some over to Bai Yu, even though they were strangers meeting for the second time.

Chapter Four: An Unexplained Familiarity

"Thank you... I really enjoy your desserts, they're delicious."

Bai Yu reached out and took the box from Lin Ying's hand, but Lin Ying couldn't understand what Bai Yu was saying. If she remembered correctly, this person had never made desserts for her before, so how did she know that she liked them and that they were delicious?

Although she didn't quite understand why Bai Yu would say something so obviously flattering, Lin Ying still bowed politely and turned back.

Watching Lin Ying's departing figure in silence, Bai Yu felt a heavy weight in his hand, a weight so heavy he could hardly lift it. The box in his hand, though only containing some desserts, felt incredibly heavy at that moment.

Kata~

The sound of the door closing next door rang out. Bai Yu looked down at the dessert box he was carrying. He wasn't a big fan of desserts, but at this moment he stood at the door and started eating it bite by bite, as if he was afraid that if he went back inside and ate it any later, he wouldn't be able to get any.

"Delicious, really delicious..."

He ate heartily, praising her in a muffled voice, whether to himself or to Lin Ying, who could no longer hear him.

Sitting by the door, looking at the bright sunshine, Bai Yu ate all the desserts in the box, leaving not even a crumb. The taste of the desserts was a bit too sweet for him, but it was also a sweet treat that warmed his heart.

After getting up and closing the door, Bai Yu returned to her room, tidied herself up, and took a shower.

Although his dark circles were quite noticeable from not sleeping all night, what he needed to do was to build a good relationship with Lin Ying. Since they needed to get to know each other again, he needed to pay more attention to his image, and of course, it would be better to act naturally.

After tidying herself up, Bai Yu, who was sitting in the living room, soon heard Lin Ying from next door open the door and leave.

During her time in the island nation, Lin Ying had already opened a dessert shop. Although her inability to speak resulted in very few customers, she still persisted in going there every day of the summer vacation.

However, making desserts is a way for her to save herself; eating sweets can make her feel a little better, which is why she likes to make desserts.

Opening her own door, Bai Yu was wearing a white short-sleeved shirt, summer shorts, and low-top canvas shoes, looking clean and tidy.

As he opened the door and stepped out, he saw Lin Ying walking to the stairwell, preparing to go downstairs. Her long, golden hair, reaching her hips, swayed gently, making her look beautiful no matter the time. She truly resembled a princess from a fairy tale, dreamlike and ethereal. However, her outfit—which she wore in summer because of her low self-esteem and dared not wear short sleeves or short skirts—gave Bai Yu a strange feeling in his heart.

Bai Yu gently closed the door and followed Lin Ying. He didn't run up to greet her, but just watched from a distance, wanting to see what she would do along the way. Perhaps watching Lin Ying was something he cherished most right now.

However, Lin Ying obviously wouldn't talk to or greet any acquaintances on the street. She was like a doll, independent of the world and not interacting with anyone. No one paid her any attention, and she didn't care about the gazes cast upon her by others.

Bai Yu followed Lin Ying step by step to the entrance of the familiar dessert shop. Standing on the roadside, she watched Lin Ying unlock the door and push the door open to enter. In her hand, she tightly held the flyer she had received when they first met after arriving in the island country. In addition to the dessert description, it also contained job information.

Bai Yu had never thought about these things carefully before, but now, looking back, she can understand how difficult it was for Lin Ying to make these things and how misunderstood she was by others.

Just like the words written in the letter she finally saw under the cherry blossom tree, her world was gray from the beginning. It's just that I wasn't her warm sunshine, but a false light that she wholeheartedly protected.

Bai Yu pounded her chest, took a deep breath to compose herself, and then walked into the familiar dessert shop.

ding ding ding

Pushing open the glass door, the sound of the wind chimes being turned is especially pleasant in the summer, and also feels particularly warm and familiar.

Upon entering the store, Bai Yu subconsciously looked around at the decor. The space wasn't very large, but every detail of the arrangement reflected Lin Ying's hard work, and every place was so nostalgic.

"Excuse me, is the store manager here?"

As soon as Bai Yu entered, she saw Lin Ying standing in front of the counter, but still pretended not to know and asked a question.

When Lin Ying saw Bai Yu come in, she showed a surprised expression. However, as the store manager, she still lowered her head and quickly wrote a paragraph on her notebook and held it up for Bai Yu at the door to see. Perhaps afraid that Bai Yu was too far away to see, she wrote much larger characters than usual.

What would you like to order?

"Can I apply for a part-time job? I saw on a flyer that it says I can take a lower wage, and I'm willing to do things like promotion and hospitality. Is that okay?"

Bai Yu's attitude of immediately lowering herself left Lin Ying somewhat bewildered. In her understanding, no normal person would lower their agreed-upon salary and still ask to work more, right? Wasn't that just making an enemy of her?

Lin Ying's expression was blank and cute. She just stared blankly at Bai Yu, looking completely lost. The main reason was that the words spoken by this strange yet somewhat familiar boy felt so intimate, yet unreal and surreal.

From childhood to adulthood, she has always been very clear about reality, about human greed, and about human indifference. It was really strange that Bai Yu used such a tone of voice, which was obviously meant to belittle herself and curry favor with her from the very beginning.

"Ms. Lin Ying, you must be the owner of this shop, right? Um... could I apply for the job?"

With an awkward smile, Bai Yu knew she had inadvertently brought her inner emotions into reality. She had tried to act like a stranger, but... she couldn't help it...

Lin Ying pursed her lips, lowered her head and wrote a message. Just as she was about to hold it up, she saw Bai Yu use sign language, though she seemed a little clumsy and nervous.

Can I use sign language?

Staring blankly at Bai Yu's sign language gestures suspended in mid-air, Lin Ying realized that this was the first time she had ever encountered a person who could speak and would take the initiative to express himself in sign language. They were complete strangers who had only met twice, so why did she always feel that he was on her side in every way?

The stirring in her heart immediately brought Lin Ying back to her senses, dispelling her wild thoughts. How could a stranger be so inexplicably concerned about her from the moment he arrived? Perhaps he had ulterior motives. After all, how many people like that had she seen since she was a child?

Chapter Five: Love That Doesn't Need to Be Understood

"I'm sorry, the store doesn't need any help right now. I apologize."

Lin Ying did not respond to Bai Yu in sign language, but continued to express herself by writing.

Bai Yu's enthusiasm made her very uncomfortable, and even made her wary. After all, a stranger being so friendly would naturally make a pessimist like her subconsciously think it wasn't a good thing.

Bai Yu was bewildered by Lin Ying's rejection. In his mind, Lin Ying had never rejected him before, and this was the first time he had been rejected so bluntly.

Having become accustomed to not being rejected, Bai Yu was somewhat unrestrained and self-important. However, the sense of disappointment when she was rejected made her feel so lost and embarrassed.

He reached out to sign, but then opened his mouth to speak. For a moment, he was at a loss, unsure whether to use sign or words. He stood there dumbfounded at the door, completely bewildered, his disappointment and embarrassment impossible to hide.

Seeing Bai Yu standing blankly at the door, Lin Ying wrote another apology, feeling somewhat apologetic and careful.

"Feel sorry."

Lin Ying's fingers, which held the notebook, were very fair and slender. Her gentle appearance and her bright blue eyes were still as beautiful as ever. This time, Bai Yu found it somewhat difficult to get close to her.

"Okay...okay, sorry to bother you..."

With an awkward smile, Bai Yu turned and left. Her lonely figure made Lin Ying feel a little sad, a sadness tinged with inexplicable anxiety, and she didn't know why she felt this way.

Standing by the roadside, Bai Yu felt the heat of the sun slapping his cheeks. He reflected on his behavior just now. Acting like a victim was obviously a failure. But what could make him feel so guilty and loving towards Lin Ying that he couldn't help but express it in every action?

Bai Yu squatted down in the shade at the entrance of the dessert shop and waited quietly there. He wasn't idle; he was protecting Lin Ying. Perhaps Lin Ying would only think he was a stalker or a pervert if she knew, but he didn't need so many people to understand him. Sometimes love doesn't need explanation, and besides, he couldn't explain it clearly anyway.

From the time Lin Ying entered the shop in the morning until the evening, Bai Yu noticed that only a dozen or so people had entered the shop sporadically, and the number of people who actually made a purchase could be counted on one hand. Most of the people who did not make a purchase did so because Lin Ying was slow in making and serving desserts and could only answer questions by writing.

He knew that Lin Ying had a hard time, but only when he saw her rejected by the world could he truly understand what that grayness of the world meant.

The island nation truly adheres to the principle that the customer is always right, and some unreasonable or discriminatory people will treat Lin Yinglu even worse.

Bai Yu knew very well that she couldn't control this kind of thing, because it wasn't just a problem involving one or two people, but a problem that plagued the whole society, with very wide class divisions. Even Lin Ying, who ran a shop, couldn't avoid these kinds of people.

Lin Ying didn't close the dessert shop until a beautiful red glow appeared on the horizon. Thirteen people entered the shop that day, four actually made a purchase, and only one had a good attitude.

Bai Yu witnessed everything. Even just watching from the sidelines, let alone Lin Ying being directly involved, he felt distressed. Every time he saw Lin Ying biting her lip in a wronged manner, his heart ached as if it were being torn apart by a knife.

This is her world, a world where no one cares, no one understands, and she is rejected.

After closing the shop door, Lin Ying walked alone in the sunset, her steps devoid of any color, toward that lonely direction.

Bai Yu followed her from a distance. By the end of the day, he truly lived up to his reputation as a stalker. It would be strange if he hadn't been caught after being discovered.

Following the familiar alleyways and street corners, Lin Ying did not go home immediately. Instead, she went to the park not far from her residence. On the empty park swing, she took out her familiar MP3 player, listened to music, and gently swung herself on the swing.

Standing outside the park, silently watching all this, Bai Yu felt that he used to be a man with a heart of stone, but he didn't know when he had become so fragile. Seeing any grievance that Lin Ying suffered made him feel an unbearable pain in his heart, and tears no longer seemed precious.

Looking at Lin Ying's slightly narrowed eyes and parted lips, Bai Yu heard a song she sang countless times. Although it was silent, it had already begun to play automatically in his mind.

The evening breeze rustled through the leaves and grass, making the scene seem so empty and desolate, and even the darkening sky carried a hint of lonely silence.

Stepping into this small park, my steps were difficult yet firm.

When Bai Yu came into Lin Ying's field of vision, she stopped swinging on the swing and stared at him with her bright blue eyes, looking somewhat wary.

All of this seemed normal to Lin Ying, since the boy in front of her had inexplicably approached her. But for Bai Yu, it was like someone he knew so well suddenly becoming a stranger, a pain he could only bear alone.

When Bai Yu was still seven or eight meters away from Lin Ying, she stopped her steps, which she wanted to take to get closer.

"Miss Lin Ying, can I be your friend?"

Bai Yu was indeed a scumbag in the past, and he had a lot of skills in chatting with girls. But at this moment, he had no skills at all. All he had was emotional expression, which was so immature and so rigid and direct.