Chapter 105: Thank You, President (11/20)

“Of course, Auntie. Is there anything you need my help with?”

Ye Qingchang responded with a kind smile.

“I can guess—there’s someone important to Xiao Anxin, right? Do you know about this?”

Ye Qingchang’s expression tightened.

She hadn’t expected the older generation’s intuition to be so sharp, able to sense Xiao Yian’s evasive white moonlight just like that.

Then again, maybe Xiao Yian’s attempts to hide it were just too obvious.

After all, back when she was still a boy, she could already tell this guy had a net romance he wished he could be glued to.

Only back then, she never imagined that net romance would be herself. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have taken over this barely-populated literature club from the seniors after graduation; she probably would have run away on the spot.

“I know, I’ve heard a little about it, but not much,” Ye Qingchang could only say.

She certainly couldn’t get right up close to Xiao Yian’s aunt and bluntly say she was the bad woman who toyed with Xiao Yian’s feelings, the one who haunted his soul.

“It seems like you and Xiao An have a good relationship if he doesn’t even tell me about this.”

Ye Qingchang could even hear the hint of envy in Xiao Yian’s aunt’s words.

To be honest, she would have preferred she didn’t know about it.

“It’s okay. We’re in the same club, so we chat a bit during activities,” Ye Qingchang scratched her head.

The middle-aged woman beside her immediately ordered a cup of iced smoothie for Ye Qingchang.

To be honest, Ye Qingchang wasn’t like Yang Shuli, who was always craving snacks, but she couldn’t refuse the other’s kindness.

“May I ask your name?”

“Ye Qingchang.” The girl answered obediently, holding the freshly made iced smoothie.

It seemed a bit too cold.

“That’s a beautiful name. You live up to it.”

Ye Qingchang shifted uncomfortably. “Auntie, just tell me what you need. If I can help, I definitely will.”

“Oh, well.” Xiao Yian’s aunt smiled faintly upon hearing Ye Qingchang’s straightforwardness. “I feel like Xiao An has put that person on too high a pedestal, but from what I know, he’s probably never even met them.”

Ye Qingchang nodded, listening seriously.

“It’s not that it’s wrong for him to care so much about someone, but as an elder, I’m afraid he might be deceived.”

“His indebted parents entrusted him to me. It doesn’t matter how it affects me, but I worry most about him.”

“Xiao An is a simple person. What if that person has ulterior motives? Wouldn’t Xiao An face unbearable heartbreak again?”

Ye Qingchang continued to listen attentively.

But she could at least guarantee that the white moonlight Xiao Yian was attached to wasn’t scheming for anything.

Because she hadn’t thought that far.

Even now, thinking back clearly, the motive behind that night’s confession seemed to be just sympathy—not wanting Xiao Yian to wander the beach like a lost little pet without a way home.

When she finally approached Xiao Yian, she started thinking about how to make that white moonlight, who could easily influence him, lose some of their position.

Otherwise, scenes like that would probably keep happening.

And it would turn into a competition between her past self and her present self.

“So, I hope you can find out what kind of person that is. Ideally, you could also make him divert some of his attention, not put all his focus on that one person.”

Ye Qingchang raised her eyebrows in surprise.

She hadn’t expected Xiao Yian’s aunt to have similar thoughts after learning about Xiao Yian’s situation.

Only, she couldn’t let Xiao Yian get any closer to herself. Otherwise, he would eventually find out her true identity.

And once her true identity was exposed, it would be over.

Ye Qingchang nodded slightly. “I’ll do my best.”

Xiao Yian’s aunt smiled softly. “Help me take this cup over to Xiao An. I’ll stay here, enjoy the breeze and the sun.”

The girl’s face stiffened.

So the plan was to have her try to get close to Xiao Yian, to distract him.

Such deep scheming.

But Ye Qingchang was faster; she had already been rejected after confessing last night.

“All right.” She agreed, glad for the excuse to approach Xiao Yian.

She was also a bit bothered by how Xiao Yian had ignored her when she left this morning.

Picking up another iced smoothie, Ye Qingchang walked in the direction Xiao Yian had come from.

In two or three minutes, she arrived at the shaded area under Xiao Yian’s beach umbrella.

Xiao Yian lay on the beach mat, holding up a book that nearly covered his entire face.

But as soon as Ye Qingchang stepped into the umbrella’s shade, he suddenly spoke: “Just put it over there.”

The single sentence stunned Ye Qingchang.

While she was frozen, Xiao Yian slowly set the book aside, locking eyes with her.

That was a face of utter indifference—an expression Ye Qingchang was very familiar with.

Previously, Xiao Yian would show that expression to everyone except herself.

But now, looking at Ye Qingchang, there was no admiration in his eyes, not even though she was undeniably beautiful.

It was like he was looking at an animal.

He said, “Put it there, then you can leave.”

Ye Qingchang’s pupils contracted; it seemed she only now realized what had been wrong—the uneasy feeling that had kept her up all night.

Because she had overlooked the weight of Xiao Yian’s past feelings for her.

“Don’t worry, it’s not because you did something to annoy me. You just reminded me suddenly.”

Xiao Yian said calmly, “The person I like isn’t you. Essentially, this kind of close contact shouldn’t exist. After your confession, I shouldn’t have kept in touch with you.”

“I’m very grateful that you liked me, but our relationship should end here.”

“I can’t waste your feelings, but I can’t betray my own heart either.”

The boy paused, then said, “Your confession made me realize I’ve taken too many detours.”

Ye Qingchang watched as Xiao Yian took out his phone and shook it slightly. “I have to go after her now. Otherwise, I don’t know how many people she’ll face pursuing her. Just like what you did last night—I should have mustered the courage to confess directly. At least that way, I can get her to see me as more than a friend.”

“Now that I say it like this, I have to thank you for inspiring me, for showing me what I should do. At least I need to put myself in the pursuer’s position in her eyes.”

The boy’s eyes no longer held any hesitation. “I can’t give her up to someone else just because I’m afraid of losing her. That’s also something you taught me, otherwise, you wouldn’t have confessed to me.”

“Thank you, President. When my love succeeds, you’ll be the first to hear the good news.”

His tone finally shifted, filled with genuine gratitude.

Ye Qingchang opened her mouth but couldn’t say a word.

She was truly amazed.

The only thing she kept thinking about was one question.

Had she really thought about so many things when she confessed last night?