On a rainy night, the school beauty knocked on my door and asked for shelter

Chen Mo's analysis was like a ray of light, piercing through the thick fog of despair in Huang Mao's heart, but what followed was a deeper sense of unease and helplessness.

He looked at Chen Mo with pleading eyes, like a bewildered puppy soaked by the rain: "Like usual? Old Mo, you make it sound so easy! Just thinking about meeting her later makes me... I could dig a three-bedroom apartment out of my toes! How can it be like usual?"

"Idiot." Chen Mo rolled his eyes at Huang Mao without any politeness. "What's she like usually? Isn't it that when you act like a jerk she gets angry? Isn't it that when you steal her snacks she chases after you and hits you? What's the core of it? It's being natural, being carefree! What you need to do now is to temporarily pack up and seal away the idea that 'I like her' and lock it in the deepest 'to be processed' folder in your brain."

In front of her, you are just Huang Mao, that good friend Huang Mao, not the dejected Huang Mao who failed to confess his feelings.

Do you understand? The more deliberate you are, the more awkward it will be; the more natural you are, the faster you'll relax her.

Huang Mao touched his chin, seemingly understanding but not quite, but still nodded with difficulty. He took a deep breath and rubbed his face vigorously, as if trying to wash away the dejection and unease on his face.

"I...I'll give it a try!" His voice was still a little hoarse, but it was filled with more determination.

Seeing that Huang Mao's situation was almost resolved, Chen Mo continued to give him some alone time so that he could think things through more clearly.

"I'll go check on the late-night snack first, and I'll call you when it's ready."

Chen Mo got up and left the room, gently closing the door to the boys' room, temporarily shutting out Huang Mao's dejected figure and the heavy atmosphere inside.

He walked to the other end of the corridor, where Su Yuqing was standing quietly outside Zhao Yueyue's door. When she saw him come out, she immediately came up to him with a look of inquiry and worry on her face.

"How is Huang Mao?" Su Yuqing asked in a low voice, her curiosity evident.

"Huang Mao's situation is stable for now. We've explained a lot of things, but it remains to be seen how much he can digest." Chen Mo said succinctly, gesturing towards the girls' room, "Where's Yueyue? Why are you standing outside?"

"She said she wanted to be alone, so I came out... I could tell she didn't dislike Huang Mao, she really was... stunned, and a little scared."

"That's pretty much what I thought." Chen Mo sighed. "She needs time and a sense of security. And don't really leave her alone. This girl is still a child at heart, very clueless about relationships. She's usually very clever with others, but not so clever with herself. This time she's completely bewildered and needs someone to guide her."

Yuqing, go in and keep her company. Don't rush to ask anything. Just let her know that no matter what happens, she's not alone, and we're all here for her.

Especially you, she trusts you the most.

"Okay." Su Yuqing nodded knowingly.

Chen Mo gently squeezed her arm, conveying silent support: "I'll go check on the late-night snacks, I'll call you when they're ready."

Su Yuqing forced a smile, watched Chen Mo go downstairs, then turned around and turned the doorknob in a very soft voice.

Being alone didn't help Zhao Yueyue much; she remained curled up in the corner of the bed. Clearly, Chen Mo was right—leaving her alone didn't bring her any peace and quiet. Hearing the door open, she stiffened noticeably and buried her head even deeper.

Su Yuqing closed the door behind her, shutting out the light and sound from the corridor. She tiptoed over and, instead of immediately sitting on the bed, pulled over a chair from the coffee table next to her and placed it at a distance that wouldn't make her feel pressured.

"Yueyue." Su Yuqing's voice was as soft as a feather. "I'll stay here with you. It's okay if you don't want to talk, but you can tell me if you have any questions. Sometimes, keeping things bottled up can make you feel even more confused."

The only sounds in the room were the low hum of the air conditioner and the faint sound of the now quiet waves outside the window.

A silent tension and bewilderment filled the air.

After a long while, just when Su Yuqing thought she wouldn't speak, Zhao Yueyue's muffled voice, thick with a nasal tone, came from her arms: "...Yuqing...am I...am I...bad?"

Su Yuqing's heart clenched. "How could this be? Why do you say that?"

“I…” Zhao Yueyue finally slowly raised her head, revealing a face full of helplessness and self-blame.

Her eyes went unfocused, staring blankly ahead. "I didn't know how to respond, so I ran away. At that time, I saw Huang Mao's expression... very... very hurt, but I was completely dazed at the time... Now that I'm back, all I can think about is how hurt he looked by my reaction..."

Her voice was broken and disjointed, with a sense of dazedness.

“Yuqing, I really didn’t mean to hurt him. At that moment… I was completely stunned… utterly stunned! It was like… like someone suddenly stuffed a tangled mess into my head! I’d never thought about… anything like dating or being in a relationship… my mind was completely blank in that regard…”

Her speech quickened, tinged with a frantic urge to explain and seek validation. She suddenly grabbed Su Yuqing's hand, her cold fingers trembling slightly, her eyes filled with childlike panic and confusion: "Yuqing, what should I do? My mind is still a mess! Did I...did I hurt him? He looked...he looked so sad...the look in his eyes when I ran away...I can't even bear to think about it...did I...did I do something wrong?"

Zhao Yueyue, who rarely sheds tears, suddenly had two lines of tears welling up uncontrollably and sliding down her pale cheeks.

Su Yuqing held Zhao Yueyue's cold hand tightly with one hand, warming it with the warmth of her own palm, while taking out a handkerchief with her other hand to gently wipe away Zhao Yueyue's tears.

She didn't immediately comfort her by saying "You didn't do anything wrong," nor did she rush to defend Huang Mao. Instead, she gently guided her: "Yueyue, don't rush to blame yourself. Tell me, did you run away because you disliked Huang Mao? Was it because you felt disgusted by his words that he liked you?"

Zhao Yueyue was stunned for a moment, then shook her head vigorously, like a rattle-drum, "No! Absolutely not! How could I hate him... You, Brother Mo, and Huang Mao! You are the best friends I've ever made in my life! As long as I'm with you, no matter how bad my mood is, I'll be happy! I just... I just..."

She was speechless, unable to find the right words to describe the immense shock and chaos.

"It's just too sudden? You feel this has completely overturned your relationship all along?" Su Yuqing smiled gently, speaking for her, her voice calm yet full of understanding. (End of Chapter)