In the past, Ming Ge once joked with Qin Si after getting drunk, saying that with such a bad mouth, he might not be able to catch up with girls in the future.

He sneered at the time, saying that he would never look for anyone in his life, he loved whoever he loved.

Because of his childhood experiences, he had never received warmth, didn’t know how to get along with people, win their favor.

He also didn’t feel like he needed that kind of thing.

When he was young, he just wanted to survive, to retaliate against those who had bullied and humiliated him.

But now, the older he got, the closer he got to his goal, the more he felt empty inside.

Like an apple that had rotted from the inside out, emitting a rotten smell both inside and out, he felt disgusted with himself, and no one would love him.

He had always stubbornly thought that he didn’t need anyone’s love, and now it seemed that he really was not likable.

The confusion of adolescence surrounded him, with no one to guide him.

…But wait, who did he want to be liked by?

That inexplicable annoyance surged up again, making him restless and not wanting to stay here for another moment.

Meanwhile, Zhao Tingyuan continued to talk to Lu Nian, using a light and affectionate tone that wouldn’t be annoying, “…you’re amazing to be able to get along with Qin Si so well.”

Qin Si had excellent grades, and in terms of what could be done at his age, he excelled in all aspects.

He was just cold, always keeping to himself, his whereabouts a mystery, maintaining a distance from everyone, rarely showing any emotion.

Qin Si looked down at him coldly and said, “Where do you see that we have a good relationship? Is knowing someone the same as having a good relationship?”

He stood a bit away from Lu Nian, the tree shadows falling on him, casting a deep gloom on his handsome face.

“And, am I familiar with you?” he asked.

The boy’s words were as cold and sharp as his gaze.

Zhao Tingyuan didn’t know what to say, standing awkwardly in place.

Lu Nian, “…”.

Qin Si had always been like this when he spoke.

When they first met, she had also suffered a lot from him, and he had said even more hurtful things to her.

“I’m leaving,” he turned to Lu Nian and said coldly, “I have to go to work.”

Lu Nian quickly packed her bag and chased after him.

After walking a few steps, she turned back and apologized to the two of them, “I’m sorry, we just had a quarrel, please don’t mind us.”

Zhao Tingyuan forced a smile, “It’s okay, I don’t mind.”

Until they were far away, he smiled bitterly at Su Qingyou, “I don’t know where I’ve upset him.”

Su Qingyou was staring at the backs of the two as they walked away, suddenly remembering the girl who had come to the class to find Qin Si when they were still in elementary school.

She was very clear about the relationship between these two, but Zhao Tingyuan might not know.

Most of the Zhao family’s main business is in other places, and Zhao Tingyuan also grew up in Haicheng.

It wasn’t until junior high school that he transferred back to Ancheng, so it’s inevitable that he is unfamiliar with the twists and turns in these wealthy families.

Su Qingyou said, “That’s just his temperament, there’s no way around it. After all, he’s been without parents since he was a child, so it’s normal for his personality to be a bit strange.”

Zhao Tingyuan was very surprised. “Qin Si is an orphan?”

Su Qingyou nodded.

She explained the relationship between the Lu family and Qin Si to Zhao Tingyuan one by one, and Zhao Tingyuan’s eyes widened more and more.

A young lady and an adopted poor boy?

However, unlike those young ladies he had known before, Lu Nian showed no signs of arrogance or superiority.

Zhao Tingyuan said, “The first time I saw her, I felt she looked familiar, it turns out she reminded me of my younger brother.”

Su Qingyou asked, “Yayuan?”

Zhao Tingyuan nodded. “By the year after next, he might also come over here to study with me.”

However, because of this familiarity, he developed some goodwill towards Lu Nian, but he never expected her to be the young lady of the Ancheng Lu family.

As for Qin Si… they didn’t seem to have that kind of relationship at all.

Instead, Lu Nian seemed to be more tolerant and considerate towards him.

Zhao Tingyuan found it hard to understand. “Why is Lu Nian so good to him?”

“Who knows,” Su Qingyou said.

She murmured softly to herself, “But, this investment might also have returns in the future.”

For people like Qin Si, tenderness is much easier to tame than violence.

She believed that one day, if Qin Si really went crazy and turned into a mad dog, there would only be one person who could tame him—that would be the person who had helped and shown him kindness when he was still in his early days of coldness.

Lu Nian could see that his mood was not very good.

“Can I go see where you’re living now?” Lu Nian asked.

The young man replied stiffly, “I’m living fine, there’s nothing to worry about.”

The annex campus was in the bustling downtown area.

The two stood at a busy intersection, and the weather was a bit hot.

Lu Nian saw an ice cream truck at the intersection and quickly ran over to get two and quickly comeback.

“Do you want ice cream?”

“No.”

“Have one.” Lu Nian said reluctantly, she was already holding two in her hands.

The girl’s fair, tender hands held two ice cream scoops, one in each hand.

The weather was hot, and they were starting to melt, dripping onto her hands.

He remained silent, but eventually accepted the ice cream.

After finishing the ice cream, he noticed her left hand, which was dirty from the ice cream.

Lu Nian hadn’t finished eating yet.

When she saw him hand her a tissue, she subconsciously thought he was going to help her wipe her hands.

So, she switched the ice cream to her other hand and took small bites.

The girl looked up at him with a sweet smile, her soft black hair falling gently on her tender cheeks, full of trust and dependence.

He once again couldn’t control the warmth on his face, hoping she hadn’t noticed—until Lu Nian, in a very natural and matter-of-fact manner, extended her hand to him.

She thought he was offering to help her wipe her hand.

The young man froze.

He didn’t speak, his expression unclear.

He had already taken back the tissue and placed it on the chair next to her.

Lu Nian, “…”

Right, she suddenly remembered in disappointment.

Qin Si used to be like this.

He didn’t even want to be near her, so how could he possibly want to touch her hand?

After finishing the ice cream, Lu Nian took out a tissue and wiped her hands herself.

She stole a glance at him and muttered softly, “You really haven’t changed at all.”

“Still not cute at all,” she murmured even softer.

The heat behind the boy’s ears slowly subsided.

He sneered, “You just met me?”

That’s just how he is, there’s nothing likable about him.

Compared to him, there are plenty of people who are more likable and can make her like them more, like Lu Yang, or even Zhao Tingyuan.

Anyone could do it, and would be willing to do it.

Wasn’t she also very willing?

Why bother coming to find him?

“Alright, alright.” Lu Nian quickly finished her ice cream, feeling like she had inadvertently rubbed him the wrong way again.

“So, can you take me to see where you live now?” She said cheerfully.

The young man didn’t say anything.

He stood in the shade of a tree, his expression unclear.

Ming ge had a part-time job running a bar, which was doing very well.

Qin Si’s current temporary residence was in the innermost room.

“A bar?” Lu Nian muttered.

She didn’t think it was a good place, and there would be a lot of strange people, which could easily lead Qin Si astray.

She asked, “What kind of people usually come? Are you familiar with them?”

The boy’s face showed no expression. “There are many people who come, all kinds. They usually come to drink or have dinner.”

He doesn’t handle the specific affairs here; Ming ge is in charge of that.

He is only responsible for bookkeeping and planning.

The boy has a natural talent for this line of work, and this year, he has begun to learn programming and statistics on his own.

Curious, Lu Nian asked, “Do they ever invite you to drink?”

Qin Si pursed his lips slightly and replied stiffly, “No.”

It was clear he didn’t want to talk about himself.

Qin Si’s room was on the second floor, in the innermost part.

Just like when she used to enter his attic, when Qin Si opened the door, Lu Nian naturally reached out to push the door open. “Can I come in and take a look?”

“No.” Suddenly, he remembered something and blocked the door.

His room was very simple.

The most conspicuous thing was a box.

It contained the clothes and other gifts she had given him that winter.

They were all neatly folded and clean.

He had never worn those clothes, and although he had grown taller now and couldn’t fit into them anymore, he hadn’t thrown them away.

He had even just tidied them up yesterday and hadn’t had time to move them into the room, so now those things were just sitting in the middle of the room.

If she were to go in now and see these things, it would be better to just kill him.

Lu Nian was now more than half a head shorter than him.

With his long legs blocking the doorway, she couldn’t get in and could only step back in frustration.

Under her clear gaze, he felt as if he were on pins and needles, as if he were being grilled over a fire, extremely uncomfortable.

“You’re so strange,” Lu Nian muttered. “Do you have something you don’t want others to see in your room?”

The boy, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, became angry and bristled, “Are you done looking?”

“Once I’m done, I’ll leave,” he said coldly. “This isn’t your home.”

Lu Nian snorted softly, but she felt a little relieved after all.

That evening, when she returned home, she suddenly remembered this incident and asked Miaomiao, “What would boys usually have in their rooms? Why wouldn’t they let people in to see?”

Miaomiao chuckled, “They definitely wouldn’t let you in to see. You’re a girl. Boys at this age, who doesn’t have their own secrets? They’re also shy.”

Shy?

Would that Qin Si be shy?

Lu Nian tried to imagine it, finding it difficult to do so, but also finding it amusing.

Sometimes, she even felt that Qin Si was born with a heart of iron and stone, completely cold.

Would he also have such emotions?

He’s also growing up.

They’re all growing up, day by day.

So, would he also fall for a girl in the future? If everything goes smoothly, he won’t turn into that future cold, ruthless, and gloomy demon king.

As Lu Nian thought about this, she slowly drifted off to sleep.

Lu Nian’s high school life was uneventful. She often went to the art studio to paint and started learning the violin.

Her academic performance at school remained stable, hovering between the top fifty and one hundred in her grade.

She often saw Qin Si’s name on the grade list, and his grades were getting better and better, moving up in rank.

Ancheng Affiliated High School is a key high school in the city. If he can maintain this level of performance, he is basically guaranteed to be admitted to a top university in the future.

Lu Nian remembered that in the original book, Lu Nian died at the age of fifteen.

In her third year of junior high, this meant there was just over a year left.

The original book didn’t clearly state whether she died from suicide or illness, so Lu Nian was also unsure.

Now, Lu Nian regularly undergoes physical examinations.

However, she has no one to confide in about her worries about the future, so she can only quietly wait for that day to come.

The girl walked down the corridor, hugging her books.

She had already started to bloom, like a young willow in spring, seemingly overnight, showing soft and subtle curves.