Mygo, you guys seem to be getting a bit heavy-hearted.

"But after two punches, nothing will change, right? The sun will still rise the next day as usual."

“…I know that too, Mr. Yanming,” Aine complained, “but the thought of them talking about me behind my back after we meet makes me feel terrible, really terrible… But if I don’t meet them, the image of ‘Chihaya Aine’ won’t change in their memories… That’s why…”

"Won't change? Who told you that? Or is it just your own belief?" Yanming corrected Aiyin's mistake. "Nothing is immutable, not even memories."

"I……"

"Aine, you're just running away, aren't you?" Yanming stated simply, his tone revealing no other meaning.

If someone else had said those words, Aine would probably have felt incredibly ashamed and run away without looking back, just like before.

Since I've already escaped once, doing it again will be a piece of cake.

But Yanming remained remarkably calm; he didn't even detect a hint of sarcasm from Aiyin, let alone any provocation.

He simply repeated Aine's actions from an outsider's perspective, narrating them without offering any further explanation.

Even if she was angry, Aine couldn't vent it on the other person.

Aine's eyes dimmed: "Yes, I am running away. I don't dare...face them."

Sometimes being honest is more effective than making a thousand excuses for yourself.

Sincerity is always the key to getting help.

“I know some other kids whose situations are much more serious than yours, but I’ve already taken care of them.” To be honest, Yanming knows enough troubled girls to form a band.

Among them are those who are so proud that they wouldn't even tell their friends if their family went bankrupt.

Some were so lost that they took all the blame and responsibility upon themselves, and were depressed all day long.

There are also those who are extremely altruistic, even willing to abandon themselves in order to please others.

Compared to these troubled girls, Chihaya Aine, who is merely "vain," is actually the most normal one.

It was so normal that Yanming almost wanted to cry.

What a wonderful child!

He thought it was something serious, but it really was just that.

Is it a problem if minor issues that occur during puberty appear in teenage girls?

Nothing wrong!

Yanming himself was rebellious when he was young, and he changed his image in order to gain popularity.

This is all perfectly normal.

Once you notice it, you can deal with it without any problems.

"You know my husband, right? You know, that Toyokawa Shoko Ang." Yanming spoke eloquently like someone who had been through it all. "Let me tell you, I'm not talking about her behind her back, it's just that her personality is sometimes really terrible. I'm not saying bad things about her on purpose."

Using storytelling to shift attention and manage emotions is a common technique in psychotherapy.

Therefore, Yanming did not harbor a long-standing grudge against a particular octopus and deliberately use her as a negative example.

Well, absolutely not.

"Xiangzi? What happened to her?" Aiyin perked up a bit because she could hear some gossip.

Could it be that in Yanming's eyes, Xiangzi's image is quite different from what he has seen?

Ai Yin recalled the classmate Xiangzi who she usually saw always staying with the lamp.

First of all, she's cute, super cute.

Her chubby little face... I really want to pinch it, but if I actually do that, Aine will probably get glared at by her intimidating eyes again.

And the tone of voice was very pleasant and polite.

When talking to Xiangzi, Aiyin felt like she was bathed in a spring breeze. This feeling was so obvious that it seemed to cast a halo around Xiangzi.

Finally, she has a great personality; she's both well-behaved and occasionally plays mischievous pranks, revealing her cunning side.

Wherever Xiangzi goes, she is the most popular. Everyone's attention is drawn to her, and they all turn their gaze to her.

This Xiangzi is like an angel fallen to earth, untouched by worldly concerns, otherworldly, and practically a symbol of "beauty".

How could Yanming have found a place worth being cricketed in?

Ai Yin was somewhat skeptical, but based on her previous conversations with the two, she could also tell that Yanming and Xiangzi's relationship was definitely not ordinary.

Especially Xiangzi, he can't stop talking about Yanming, he has to mention him all the time.

Sometimes it's expressing dissatisfaction, but more often it's like showing off, constantly praising how great Yanming is, almost to the point of exaggeration.

...Aiyin was very familiar with this symptom. When she was a child, she would show off to other children in the same way because her mother bought her her favorite toys.

Chapter 147: Just Overthinking

Yanming spoke up, "Let me ask you a question. In Aiyin's eyes, what kind of image does Xiangzi have?"

Ai Yin summarized, "She's probably... a very cheerful and good student, right?"

"Cheerful? A good student? Oh, thank goodness!" Upon hearing this, Yanming immediately pounded his chest and stamped his feet, looking like he had no way to express his bitterness.

"Uh... um?" Is what she said wrong?

Could it be that Xiangzi secretly smokes and drinks alcohol?

Yanming composed himself and calmly said, "That was an act she put on... at least a significant part of it."

"Eh?"

Chihaya Aine never expected that Hiko would say such a thing, and so seriously at that, it didn't seem like he was joking at all.

"Xiao Xiang is actually a very fragile child." Yanming explained the origin of Xiangzi's current appearance in a calm tone, "Because of some reasons that cannot be said, her state of mind has been greatly affected. The appearance you see now is actually her former self, to be precise, Xiangzi in her third year of junior high school."

Even after the wound heals, a scar will remain.

Memories are memories precisely because of their irreplaceable nature.

The past is the past, the present is the present.

The Xiangzi of today can no longer be as naive as he once was.

That child really thought he couldn't tell.

He's not stupid; they see each other every day, how could he not notice?

“Only in front of me does she occasionally relax.” Yanming raised a hand and placed it above his knee. “She doesn’t say a word, just quietly lies on my lap, and then after a while walks away as if nothing happened.”

“Ah…” Chihaya Aine touched her hair.

Is this something she can hear?

Does it really matter?

“It’s okay, she won’t mind.” Yanming’s lips curled into a sly smile. “And even if she finds out, there’s nothing she can do about it.”

"This, this is it..."

“The reason why Xiao Xiang has become unable to open her heart to anyone other than me and Xiao Deng is actually very simple.” Yan Ming put down his hand, letting it hang naturally on his knee. “She is too proud and unwilling to give up her dignity to live, so she forces herself to become strong… However, in my opinion, that is forcing growth.”

Even with exceptional intelligence, without corresponding experience, one may appear invulnerable on the surface, but will eventually crumble from within when faced with obstacles.

Xiangzi is no longer, and can never be, the innocent "White Xiangzi" she once was. At the same time, she hasn't truly let go of her past, donned a seamless mask, and become purely "Black."

Rather, it lies somewhere between black and white, constantly adjusting the "grayscale" in one's mind to a point where one can briefly immerse oneself in it; what is expressed is the Xiangzi they see now.

A mixture of truth and falsehood, black and white.

“Many of her thoughts are actually quite easy to guess; it’s just that I often choose not to try.” Yanming’s gaze returned to Aiyin. “Aiyin, do you know why?”

Ai Yin now is like Xiang Zi before.

She needs someone to tell her not to care too much about what others think, but to focus on being the best version of herself.

Caring too much about what others think will not only cause you to lose your dignity, but also your original simple and joyful happiness.

Ai Yin shook her head: "I don't know Xiangzi very well..."

"Because Xiao Xiang, like you, always overthinks things."

Yanming's words were too blunt, and for a moment, Aiyin didn't know how to reply, and stood there stunned.

“Things that shouldn’t have required so much thought have become complicated because of repeated consideration, resulting in a lot of unnecessary energy being wasted.”

Yanming shrugged: "My suggestion is to find some time to meet up with your friends and have a good cry about what you've been going through lately. As friends, they may not understand British food and other things, but they will definitely stand by you and help you vent your emotions."

This is the simplest way.

Once you can overcome that mental hurdle, the problem will naturally be solved.

There's absolutely no need to go through all that trouble, or even lose sleep over it.

"Which is more important, friends or dignity? Everyone will have their own answer. Don't overthink it. Just make a judgment based on the answer that comes to mind first. This choice may not be the best, but at least it won't be too bad."

"Aiyin, you are very smart, but smartness is not always useful. Sometimes, being impulsive might bring unexpected surprises."

Aine was persuaded, but she was still hesitant because she still had a little bit of reservation in her heart.

"But what if...they laugh at me..."

"Then I'll lend you my shoulder, and then I'll treat you to a huge ice cream." Yanming remained casual, but quickly adopted a serious attitude. "As for now, the break time should be over. Aiyin, pick up your guitar."

“…Hmm,” all of Aine’s concerns vanished during her conversation with Yanming. “Yes, I will try my best!”

……

While Aine is being vigorously played (referring to the guitar), let's temporarily switch the focus to the other two people.

"stare--"

"What are you looking at me for?" Le Nai stopped writing and turned to the little cucumber beside her.

Tired of doing homework

A little touch

The problem is not big.

Ruo Yemu shook her head and honestly said, "I don't know either, but Yanming asked me to look at you."

However, Yanming suggested observing Lena's way of speaking, rather than having Mu stare at her.

"Oh, what's your name?" Lena was distracted during the introduction and didn't hear the other person's name.

"Ruoye...Mu."

"A nice-sounding name."

"Ah... thank you?" Mu didn't expect the other person to praise his name so directly.

In other words, can this girl, who is like a cat, really understand the meaning of her name?

"Do you think I'm an idiot?" Lena's ears twitched, and she instantly saw through Mu's thoughts. "Let me say it again, I am, for the sake of argument, a normal human being."

"Sorry……"

“You.” Le Nai closed her workbook and suddenly leaned close, startling Mu. “Indeed, just like Yan Ming said, you can’t speak.”

"Um……"

“It’s not ‘hmm’.” After understanding Yanming’s purpose in calling them together, Le Nai felt a newfound goodwill towards the little cucumber in front of her, in addition to her interest. “It’s ‘I’m going to compensate you with parfaits’, that’s the right way to put it.”

"……is that so?"

Le Nai was the language tutor Yan Ming found for Mu. Logically speaking, she didn't need to question the tutor's professional level; she only needed to observe and learn.

But Mu always felt

"Something seems... off?"

Chapter 148 Cats and Cucumbers (2)

Lena patted her chest earnestly: "I didn't lie to you."

She didn't lie.

Because she really wanted to eat parfait.

Yanming still doesn't understand how Le Nai, who looks so small, can hold so many matcha parfaits inside her body.