Forced into a romantic relationship

"What's wrong with you just now? Why did you suddenly get angry?"

The sunlight slanted across the fallen leaves, turning the withered yellow leaves into gold. The wind blew through the sparse branches, carrying two or three swirling ginkgo leaves, which were caught by a delicate white hand and waved in front of the person next to them.

Han Zhou took the maple leaf, held the stem and twirled it in his hand for a moment, then looked at the crowd in the distance and said, "No one around us has hearing problems, yet people come up to us asking if we need hearing aids. What's the difference between that and asking someone 'Do you want to prepare a coffin in advance?'"

He wanted to throw away the maple leaf, but felt it would be a shame to discard such a beautiful leaf, so he simply tucked it behind the girl's ear.

"Pfft, it's not that exaggerated."

Seeing Han Zhou "tease" her like this, Zhong Yin wasn't angry. She simply took the maple leaf off her ear and craned her neck to look into Han Zhou's eyes.

"...Is that all?"

She could sense that the guy seemed to be in a pretty bad mood when he heard the words "hearing aid".

Under Zhong Yin's concerned gaze, Han Zhou was momentarily at a loss for what expression to make. He didn't want her to see his expression at that moment, so he could only reach out and grab the girl's face, slowly pulling her away from his eyes.

“That’s all,” he said.

Zhong Yin was angry, but not because Han Zhou had casually pulled her face; she was angry that he had something on his mind but wouldn't tell her.

"I told you not to be a hero..."

She muttered something under her breath, hesitated for a moment, and then tentatively said, "If... if someone around you really has hearing problems, you don't have to hide it from me. I can help you find a solution."

Han Zhou was taken aback, then looked at him with a mixture of amusement and exasperation: "What ideas do you have?"

"I……"

After hesitating for a while, Zhong Yin suddenly realized that she couldn't think of any other way besides seeing a doctor, so she said, "I can give you all the money I earned today!"

At this point, her confidence suddenly increased. "Besides, I've saved up some money. In short, as long as you're willing to tell me, I can help you in any way I can!"

Under the golden sunlight, the girl's ponytail flew freely, and her eyes sparkled with intense light.

Han Zhou was lost in thought for a moment, then gave a wry smile: "Sister Yin, what you said has touched me a little."

"Being moved is the right thing to do."

Zhong Yin smiled smugly and raised her chin slightly. "Now you can tell me, right?"

"No."

Zhong Yin's smile froze.

"What I mean is, there really isn't anyone around me who needs hearing aids, that's really all. You can ask Xiaoya if you don't believe me!" Han Zhou quickly explained.

"Don't try to fool me with Xiaoya. She doesn't even know where you went the other night, so how would she know anything else?"

Zhong Yin was still not entirely convinced, but seeing that Han Zhou was determined not to say, she didn't press him further. She simply snorted and tucked the maple leaf in her hand behind his ear.

When the three returned to their booth, the concert had already started, but there were still many people gathered outside the venue. Some were passersby who came to join in the fun, while others were fans who hadn't bought tickets and could only "get a free ride" outside.

As soon as you could hear even the slightest bit of singing, you could hear the frantic shouts of "Wow, brother is so awesome!" which forced the group to move to a quieter spot to set up their stall.

As soon as I sat down, Liu Shiyue leaned over with a gossipy look on her face, winking and asking, "So, did you have a good time shopping?"

Zhong Yin blushed slightly, but pretended to be calm and said, "It's alright."

What do you mean "not bad"? You're clearly very happy...

A relieved smile appeared on Liu Shiyue's face. She then turned to Xiao Yixia, who was sitting not far away, and asked, "By the way, haven't they found the child's parents yet?"

“No, it’s crowded everywhere now. Even if her parents get there, they might not be able to see her.” Zhong Yin shook her head.

Liu Shiyue hesitated for a moment, then suddenly lowered her voice and said, "Don't you feel that this child doesn't seem flustered at all?"

"What do you mean?"

"It seems like it doesn't matter to her whether she finds her parents or not."

"Have it?"

"I'm not sure either, maybe it's just my imagination..."

As the two were talking, Han Zhou stood next to Xiao Yixia, examining the toy rhinoceros in his hand, and asked, "So, have your parents contacted you?"

The girl, also fiddling with the special forces building blocks Han Zhou had given her, said without looking up, "You really want them to contact me?"

"It has nothing to do with whether I want them to or not. The point is whether you want them to contact you."

Han Zhou smiled and said, "If they contact you, I'll take you back. Don't worry, I've already thought of an excuse for you, they won't blame you."

He knew very well that Mo Yixia still valued family ties. Even if she was treated like a prisoner in the future and lived in a home full of surveillance every day, she would never complain about her mother.

Even though she chose to protest by slacking off, she ultimately bore the heavy expectations from her mother that she hated most, rather than choosing to run away from home or break off all ties.

In fact, since leaving home this morning, the child has secretly checked his phone countless times, clearly waiting for a call from his parents.

Han Zhou was pretty sure that Xiao Yixia agreed to this "kidnapping" not only because she wanted to take this opportunity to relax, but also because she probably wanted her parents to pay more attention to her.

After all, Xiao Yixia is only a nine-year-old child, and it's perfectly normal for her to crave care from her parents.

Having only spent less than three days together, Han Zhou didn't think he held a place in Xiao Yixia's heart as important as her parents. If her wish was to go home, then he would help her go home.

Hearing this, Xiao Yixia looked up. A gust of autumn wind blew by, lifting the girl's long hair: "You're in such a hurry to get rid of me because you can't get tickets to tonight's concert, right?"

Han Zhou was taken aback, then said with a wry smile, "I'm thinking of you. You have to choose between the concert and going home, right?"

"Can't we have both?"

Xiao Yixia raised her hand to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear and said in a nonchalant tone, "Anyway, they haven't contacted me."

"What if they happen to contact you just before the concert?"

Xiao Yixia didn't answer, but instead asked, "What do you want me to choose?"

Han Zhou wasn't fooled and said with a smile, "That's a question you should be thinking about. Asking me won't help, and besides, you already know the answer in your heart, don't you?"

If there is any difference between the current Yixia and the future Yixia, the biggest difference should be that the future Yixia is more frank. Whether facing herself or others, she is independent and does not follow her own path.

At least in the future, Yixia will never pretend to be a good student.

This might not be a strength, but it was Han Zhou's favorite trait. As a teacher, he felt it necessary to pass this on to his most outstanding student beforehand.

He couldn't be there for Xiao Yixia for the next nine long years, nor could he give her freedom in advance, but he hoped that the girl's heart would always be free.

He placed the rhinoceros toy he was holding on the brim of the girl's hat and said with a smile, "What others choose is not important; what matters most is what you want right now."

Xiao Yixia didn't say anything. She thought this childish guy had finally become serious, but she didn't expect him to do such a childish thing.

A moment later, she reached up and took the rhinoceros toy off the brim of her hat: "You promised you'd take me to the concert tonight."

Han Zhou looked surprised and flattered, saying, "So you'd rather go to the concert with me than go home?"

"Do not."

Xiao Yixia stood up, picked up a assembled special forces tank from the stool, stood on tiptoe, and placed it on the brim of Han Zhou's hat.

"I just wanted to see you worry about getting tickets."

"You really have a really twisted sense of humor."

“You said it yourself, I don’t need to act like what others expect of me in front of you,” Xiao Yixia said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Never mind, whatever makes you happy... I'm going to the bathroom."

Han Zhou looked helpless, but the moment he turned around, a triumphant smile appeared on his face.

Little Yixia, oh Little Yixia...

Have you ever thought that, although you don't have to act like what others expect you to be, you are slowly becoming the person I expect you to be?

As expected... I won again!
He was smug and strode towards the toilet.

Meanwhile, Zhong Yin was asking Liu Shiyue if Zhang Yang had any reaction after she and Han Zhou left.

"It would be great if there was a response."

Liu Shiyue sighed, "I don't know what that guy is thinking. You already have a boyfriend, but he just keeps pestering you. After you left, he wasn't sad at all, but rather looked forward to it. I really don't know what to say about his mentality."

"What do you mean by 'expecting'?" Zhong Yin asked, puzzled.

Just as Liu Shiyue was about to answer, Zhang Yang suddenly walked over from a distance, smiling and saying, "What are you talking about? Can I listen?"

He said this to Liu Shiyue, and throughout the entire process, he didn't even glance at Zhong Yin.

Liu Shiyue really wanted to say "no," but after thinking about it, she nodded, winked at Zhong Yin, and replied, "We were talking about what happened when Zhong Yin was on a date with her boyfriend."

Zhong Yin opened her mouth, but did not stop her.

"Oh, so they went on a date."

Zhang Yang sat down next to the two of them, smiling and looking quite interested. He casually asked, "That must be very interesting, right? Would you mind telling me about it?"

Liu Shiyue felt a chill run down her spine, glanced at Zhong Yin with a complicated expression, and indicated that this was what "expectation" meant.

Zhong Yin found it strange. Zhang Yang hadn't looked at her once since he came over and sat down. Instead, his gaze was fixed on Liu Shiyue. Could it be that she was overthinking things and that Zhang Yang really liked Liu Shiyue, not her?
Just then, a commotion was heard not far away, and then a group of fierce-looking men walked towards them.

Seeing this, Zhong Yin and Liu Shiyue frowned slightly, but Zhang Yang's eyes lit up.

Finally here!

From morning until now, he has kept in mind Sun Chengshuang's teachings—not to do anything unnecessary, so he has been waiting for the group of friends that Sun Chengshuang arranged to come and help him get things started.

Even if he were a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, and even if he could understand Zhong Yin's proud and aloof personality, seeing her being affectionate with other men time and time again would inevitably make him uncomfortable. Therefore, his cold treatment when he first arrived was actually a warning to Zhong Yin.

Don't go too far.

Making too many jokes can cause big problems; you really don't want to end up in a "chasing-after-husband" situation.

He originally came here to remind Zhong Yin to behave herself, but since Sun Chengshuang's friend happened to be here, he could take the opportunity to give Zhong Yin a good talking-to and then make her understand his importance later.

"What are these people doing?" Liu Shiyue asked nervously, looking at the group of menacing thugs.

"I don't know, but it feels like they're targeting us."

Zhong Yin also felt uneasy. She looked back and saw only scattered crowds. Han Zhou had not returned yet, so she quickly took out her phone and entered "110" on the call screen, ready to call the police at any time.

Only Zhang Yang remained calm, as if he didn't take this group of people seriously at all.

According to the plan, the people Sun Chengshuang brought would first harass Zhong Yin, and then smash up his stall. He originally intended to take action during the harassment phase, but now he changed his mind and would intervene only after the stall was destroyed.

What? Aren't you worried that things will escalate and someone will call the police?
Once he has perfectly resolved the matter, Zhong Yin will naturally stop calling the police.

Before long, Zhong Yin and Liu Shiyue's worst fears came true: the group of fierce-looking thugs stopped in front of their stall.

The leader had a fierce look in his eyes. He quickly scanned the stall, then sneered and gestured for his henchmen to surround it.

Xiao Yixia, who was not far away, quickly noticed the commotion and immediately got up and walked towards the nearest public toilet.

Zhang Yang was sitting on a stool with his eyes closed, pretending to be an expert, when in the next second someone grabbed his hair and pulled him up.

"You're pretty cocky, aren't you? You don't even care about all of us, and you still dare to sit here and act all high and mighty, huh?"

He loves to show off, thinks he's something special, and has a lot on his head.

Hai Ge was already certain that this was the person Long Ge and Baldy were looking for.

Zhang Yang felt a sharp pain in his scalp and opened his eyes in a panic, only to be met with a rather fierce face, which made his heart tremble.

Didn't we agree to flirt with Zhong Yin first and then smash up the stall? Why are you attacking me instead?
The script was changed?

Wait... Could it be a misunderstanding? These aren't the people Sun Chengshuang hired?

The moment such a suspicion arose in his mind, he heard Hai Ge coldly utter the pre-arranged code—

"Do you know how long I've been watching your stall? If my brothers hadn't been telling me to calm down, I would have come to see if you really have the skills they claim!"

—This was meant to tease Zhong Yin. Although it deviated slightly from the pre-arranged code, it was still pretty much the same. This made Zhang Yang secretly relieved, but at the same time, he felt deeply depressed.

The code was correct... but the problem was the wrong person!
"I have no real skills whatsoever; you should be saying that to Zhong Yin!" (End of Chapter)