“Ah? No… no need…”
The girl shrank back a little.
This time, Liu’s mother seemed especially understanding and considerate, which left her feeling a bit overwhelmed and flattered.
Although Liu’s mother’s words were likely driven in part by her earlier guilt and a sense of sympathy, the main reason was undoubtedly Ye Xīngmián’s place in Liu Yino’s heart. That position was one of the reasons for her change in attitude—and at the same time, it was her hidden source of worry.
Although she had, as Liu Yino requested last night, looked into the girl’s background, the core conflict still remained unresolved. This time, however, she chose to respect her daughter’s decision.
That didn’t mean she had no hesitation; she could only hope things would develop in the direction she wished for in the future.
“Then we’ll leave it at that. Uncle and Auntie still have things to do, so we’ll head out first. You two chat properly. Whenever you change your mind and are willing to come stay with Auntie, just let us know anytime.”
She stood up, glanced at her husband, and the man quickly rose as well, giving the girl a friendly smile. Then the two of them left together.
In other words, now the spacious living room contained only Ye Xīngmián and Liu Yino.
Sitting on the sofa, Ye Xīngmián kept her head lowered. She didn’t know what to say; the atmosphere felt somewhat awkward.
She had to admit that the words from Liu Yino’s parents just now had indeed made her waver considerably.
So now, the only one still stubbornly holding on… was just her?
Speaking of which—was Lin Ziyān’s threat really that serious? The so-called plan to reveal her secret to her foster parents and get her kicked out of the house—did it truly carry that much weight?
And that teddy bear… in the end, wasn’t it just a toy? Did it really matter that much to her?
Unknowingly, in her heart, the scales had quietly begun to tip.
“So? I’ve already convinced my parents. They know about your situation now. Still not considering coming to stay at my place?”
At that moment, Liu Yino suddenly leaned in close. With a mischievous smile, she brought her face right up to the girl’s ear. In her view, once the obstacle of her parents was removed, the distance between her and the girl would surely shrink dramatically.
“Mmm…”
The soft body trembled slightly. The girl didn’t speak—Liu Yino simply took it as her thinking things over.
Without further ado, Liu Yino pulled her directly into her arms. After all, with such a soft and compliant personality, the girl wouldn’t resist anyway. Even if she let her hands roam freely, she probably wouldn’t say anything, right?
The girl’s heartbeat quickened noticeably, betraying her tension.
“Class… Class president… I’m sorry… I still… can’t come…”
“It’s fine. I can wait. But I have one request.” Although she had already anticipated this answer, Liu Yino’s tone still cooled slightly. Yet there was one small surprise this time—the girl hadn’t struggled or pushed her away. She knew what that meant: the tall wall called “distance” in the girl’s heart was quietly beginning to crumble. Her strategy was proving effective!
“What request…?” Her voice carried a faint note of dejection. The girl herself didn’t even know why she felt disappointed—after all, wasn’t this rejection her own choice? Wasn’t this all her own fault?
“Can you tell me the reason?”
The arm around the girl’s waist tightened a little. Liu Yino leaned forward, carefully studying the girl’s expression.
No answer. It seemed she still wasn’t willing to say anything. She only buried her head even lower, guilt flickering in her eyes.
Liu Yino narrowed her eyes slightly. That familiar impatience and irritation surged up again. She took a deep breath and forced those restless, almost frantic thoughts back down. She knew that if she acted on them, everything would be over—she would never win the girl’s heart and would be completely and permanently pushed away. Besides, that wasn’t something she should do.
Last night had been the same: only after struggling to suppress those dark emotions had she finally gained the clarity to think calmly, which led to today’s progress.
But now, facing this stalemate again—what could she do to break it? How could she take one step further?
Honestly, she was a little tired. Trying to guess someone else’s thoughts was truly exhausting—even when that someone was just a pitiful, insignificant nobody.
After thinking for a moment, she decided to change the subject for now.
“Come to my room.”
With that, she stood up without waiting for a reply, took the girl’s hands, and motioned for her to follow.
After a brief hesitation, Ye Xīngmián nodded.
Liu Yino’s room was also on the second floor, directly opposite the master bedroom. She opened the door and led the girl inside.
The decor was very minimalist yet felt quite cozy. The lighting wasn’t harsh—in fact, it was somewhat dim. The windows weren’t open. Liu Yino switched on the light, but the bulbs weren’t bright, leaving large areas of the room in shadow.
The furnishings were simple: a large bed big enough for two people with room to spare, a tall wardrobe in white and gray tones, a computer desk against the wall, and a bookshelf beside it filled with books.
For some reason, the girl suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of déjà vu—as though this exact scene had happened many times before.
A vague unease rose in her heart. She asked softly, “Class president… is something the matter?”
Liu Yino didn’t answer. Instead, she led her all the way to the edge of the bed and sat down. She helped the girl take off the backpack on her back and set it on the floor. Then she wrapped her arms around the girl, leaving no room for escape.
“These past few days… why have you been avoiding me?”
Her intuition told her that the reason behind this question was the same as the reason the girl refused to come stay at her house. Although she already had some guesses, she still couldn’t hold back from asking directly.
“Ah…? I…”
The girl pressed her lips together. Sure enough, she fell silent again.
“I really don’t understand. Actually, you like staying by my side, don’t you? Those so-called ‘family’ members of yours treat you so coldly—they won’t even let you eat with them. They basically treat you like free labor. And that Qín Hǎiyuè—don’t you have any doubts about her? She used to bully you, and then suddenly she changes her attitude and starts buying you things. Aren’t you afraid she has ulterior motives? And moreover…”
Liu Yino took a deep breath. She could already feel the girl trembling in her arms. She frowned.
“Actually… staying away from me goes against what you really want, doesn’t it?”
Her words struck like needles. The girl’s body suddenly shook violently—she was desperately holding back tears.
She couldn’t say it. If she said it… all the effort she had put in up to this point would be for nothing.
If she admitted it, what would happen? What would she do in an emotional breakdown? She didn’t dare imagine. If she admitted it, she would definitely lose control and pour out everything—every thought, every secret—all at once. Then everything would spiral completely out of her control.
And moreover… moreover…
I’m sorry… Class president… for hiding it from you… I’m really sorry…