How come you're also my ex-girlfriend?

Her eyes were still deep, but this time they seemed to hold a hint of emotion, and Xu Yan felt as if he could read their meaning.

It's probably... Come on, continue.

Feeling even more confused, Xu Yan simply stopped looking in that direction and turned her head back to the present.

"That makes sense... I got 130 on the math test, which is better than last time."

"Oh."

Xu Yan was taken aback. "Just one?"

"Otherwise what?" An Lulu asked coldly.

"Shouldn't you compliment me by saying I've improved or that I did well on the test?"

"Hehe." An Lulu couldn't help but laugh. "Does 130 deserve praise too?"

Xu Yan remained withdrawn for the entire evening self-study session.

I thought that after sitting next to each other for a few days, the two of us had already developed a good relationship. It turns out that the underlying logic of a top student is not so easily changed.

When faced with someone who is weak in learning, a passive response is triggered.

Finally, school was over. Xu Yan didn't think about joining the group activity where people crowded around the office door, trying to get more grades.

He went straight home with his schoolbag on his back.

I had just arrived at the bus stop when my phone vibrated.

A message popped up that I hadn't seen in a long time.

Shu Ying: [Do you have time for drinks sometime?]

As Xu Yan looked at the message, he suddenly remembered something that might be very important.

He kept saying he was still studying...

Does she think she's a college student?

……

Chapter 103 My Aunt is acting strangely!

Shu Ying was a little angry; she shouldn't have felt annoyed.

The deal we signed with Li Qian went very smoothly. Although the company has been extremely busy lately, overall it's thriving and very fulfilling.

Maybe, perhaps... it's because I received a message from Ye Tingyuan today that my mood suddenly turned sour.

Because of the frustration, a lot of unpleasant things came to mind all at once.

For example, last time I drank too much and felt dizzy, I accidentally put on my pajamas, took a selfie, and sent it to that boy...

It's one thing to send messages, but after chatting with him a few times that night, he never messaged me again.

It really feels like negotiating a contract and doing business. Once the deal is done, there's no need for further interaction or follow-up entanglements.

But... isn't that the kind of tactic I should be using?

Not sending a single message? Are you college students working that hard these days? So busy that you can't even send a single message?

I posted those kinds of photos, and you just gave me the cold shoulder, huh?

It makes me a little angry just thinking about it.

It was as if she was denying her own charm. As a career woman with good looks, she was certainly aware of her own charm.

The boy's current behavior seems to indicate that he doesn't care about his own charm, or that he has better resources around him.

If you don't like yourself, why post those kinds of photos? Is it fun?

I want to type some really vicious things as soon as I open my phone, but... it seems like I don't have the right to do so.

So, feeling frustrated, I typed out a sentence that seemed rather devoid of emotion.

I didn't feel any particular emotion while typing, but after sending it, I suddenly felt a sense of nervousness with my heart racing.

If it were any other man, Shu Ying might have been able to roughly predict his reply after sending the message. But she genuinely didn't know what this young man would say. It was the unknown that created anticipation, and it was anticipation that made her nervous, her heart pounding.

It seems normal, but it's not.

This time, I didn't have to wait long; Xu Yan's message arrived in the blink of an eye.

Xu Yan: [Are you addicted to alcohol? Do you crave alcohol every day?]

Sitting in her car, the young woman who hadn't yet gone upstairs pursed her lips when she saw the message, and gently tapped the screen with her light blue manicured fingers.

I haven't been drinking it every day; it's been almost a week since the last time.

Xu Yan: [So that means you haven't drunk with anyone else this week besides me?]

This sentence feels a bit strange. Is it a little... ambiguous?

It's like saying something is done by a specific person, with no one else involved, as if it were an exclusive matter...

He tightened his grip on the web of his hand.

Shadow: [No.]

Her simple reply seemed far less profound than the undercurrents in her heart. She wondered how he would respond to her words and what he would think.

结果

That's quite well-behaved.

Shu Ying: ?

The face reflected in the dim car window had clear colors.

It was like a sunset inside the car, the crimson glow of the sunset, the fiery clouds.

"call..."

She put down her phone, looked out the empty car window, took a deep breath, and awkwardly raised her arm to stroke her long, fair neck.

"This person is really..."

There seemed to be a hint of shyness mixed in; at that moment, the phone seemed to possess a magical power.

No... it's not that the phone has magic, but rather that ordinary, indiscriminate chat box.

She typed with much lighter pressure, [Are you coming out for drinks or not?]

Xu Yan: [I'm not drinking anymore. I'll go to bed early tonight; maybe tomorrow night.]

Tomorrow night?

Shu Ying bit her tender red lower lip.

Drinking... isn't it all about a momentary impulse? It's like getting married; if you lose the impulse tonight, who knows if you'll still want to tomorrow...

She wasn't the type to look forward to tomorrow; on the contrary, she was somewhat resistant to living with expectations.

Because you have expectations, you have to bear the risk of disappointment, and you may even fall into inexplicable anxiety during this period because of these expectations.

This is the most agonizing part.

Ying: [But if I don't drink tonight, I won't be able to sleep well.]

After sending the message, Shu Ying suddenly realized that the sentence might have sounded a bit like 'whining'. How come... it seemed like she was making up all sorts of excuses to beg this boy to go out for drinks with her?

I used to be able to do things on my own, and even felt relaxed and comfortable, but now it seems like a lot of things have changed drastically.

They all happen in the smallest details.

Xu Yan was a little slower to send the message this time, and time seemed to slow down inside the car.

You don't necessarily need alcohol to sleep; you've just gotten used to relying on it as a way to relieve your troubles.

Sister, I don't think you're the type to make excuses to avoid things.

This time, Shu Ying didn't reply to the message again, and no one knew what she was thinking. Anyway, Xu Yan clicked into Shu Ying's Moments to confirm that she hadn't been blocked or deleted.

That would prove that there was nothing wrong with what I said.

It seems unnecessary to delve into why the other person is troubled. People cannot truly empathize, especially if you pretend to be in their shoes and force yourself to feel the same way; that would be ridiculous.

It serves no purpose other than to move oneself.

Therefore, Xu Yan felt that it was fine to stay at this level of understanding, like online friends who occasionally meet offline.

There won't be too much pressure, and at the same time, you can ignore the differences in status and the world you live in.

Of course, if the other party really chooses to go drinking tonight, Xu Yan doesn't really think it's a big deal; everyone has their own way of life.

Whether you are willing to listen to other people's opinions or not is your own business; he was just saying it casually without any psychological burden.

After getting home and washing up, I lay in bed and looked at a beautiful selfie that Shen Yourong had sent me.

The girl seemed bolder today, tying her hair into a ponytail, as if it was the first time Xu Yan had seen her face completely.

Fortunately, Shen Yourong isn't the type to use her hairstyle to cover up her chubby face.

A standard small face, with no signs of widening jawline.

The lines from her cheeks to her jawline are very soft, giving her the image of a sweet girl next door... Speaking of sweet girls next door, I'm reminded of a classic novel, "The Girl Next Door"... Well, that's a relic of the past.

As usual, I praised Shen Yourong a couple of times, which marked the completion of the last 'daily task' for the day. Then I activated my perfect sleep routine and went straight to bed!

"call..."

I wake up in the morning in a large, soft single bed.

With my hair disheveled, it felt like my soul was floating along with those statically charged strands.

Shu Ying had forgotten how she fell asleep last night, but anyway... she didn't go drinking, and instead parked her car in the garage and went upstairs.

As for why she didn't reply to the boy's messages anymore, she thought it was probably because she didn't want him to feel like she was listening to his 'lectures'.

In the workplace, keeping your opponents guessing about your thoughts and emotions is also a clever tactic.

I got up, tied my hair up, and then went to the bathroom to wash up.