I suggest you investigate; this person doesn't seem to be a first-time reborn individual.

"You mean Huang Lingyue?" Lin Ran calmly interrupted Wang Zihao.

"Yes..." Wang Zihao nodded.

"I think Huang Lingyue is really great. She's beautiful, academically excellent, and has liked you for so many years. Weren't the things you said to her today a bit... hurtful?"

In his opinion, Lin Ran and Huang Lingyue were indeed a good match.

Lin Ran took two steps in silence, then let out a soft sigh.

"Ah Hao," he spoke, "If I stay with her, we'll only hurt each other, and it won't end well. It's better to end it quickly than to suffer for a long time. I'd rather say something harsh so she can give up on the idea completely."

"Why?" Wang Zihao was even more puzzled. "How do you know it won't end well if you don't try?"

Lin Ran was speechless for a moment. He couldn't very well tell Wang Zihao that he had been reborn and had already seen the future.

He thought for a moment and then changed his approach.

"Ah Hao, what kind of person do you think Huang Lingyue is?"

"She's good at studying and beautiful!" Wang Zihao answered without hesitation.

"So, setting aside grades and appearance, what can you glean from her usual behavior and conduct? Like her personality?"

"Personality?" Wang Zihao asked blankly. "I haven't had any in-depth contact with her, how would I know?"

"Okay, then let me ask you," Lin Ran slowed down and looked at Wang Zihao.

"Have you noticed how close Huang Lingyue's female classmates are to each other? Besides all being around Huang Lingyue, do they hang out together in private?"

Wang Zihao thought about it carefully, then said somewhat uncertainly:

"They... seem to appear more often alone with Huang Lingyue, and when they appear together, it's usually with Huang Lingyue at the center... Now that you mention it... it seems they really aren't very familiar with each other."

"Then think again, besides clinging to me, which other boys does Huang Lingyue usually interact with the most?"

"Gao Xiaoming, isn't he always bothering Huang Lingyue?" Wang Zihao reacted much faster this time.

Lin Ran nodded: "Think about it carefully. Besides pursuing Huang Lingyue, has Gao Xiaoming had any contact with other girls? Even just normal interactions with classmates?"

Wang Zihao was stunned, his eyes widening. After Lin Ran's reminder, he suddenly realized that Gao Xiaoming seemed to only have eyes for Huang Lingyue and almost never spoke to other girls.

Huang Lingyue's female friends seem to only have Huang Lingyue as their friend, and they don't keep in touch with each other.

Lin Ran's voice pulled Wang Zihao back to reality. "Huang Lingyue is too controlling. Whether it's someone she likes or someone who likes her, she subconsciously confines them. They are not allowed to have any other social interactions with anyone other than her."

He looked at Wang Zihao, who was listening in a daze, and asked, "Do you think someone with my personality can tolerate this kind of all-encompassing control? Am I the kind of person who obediently stays within a circle defined by someone?"

Wang Zihao subconsciously shook his head. He knew Lin Ran too well. She seemed easygoing, but deep down she was extremely independent and opinionated. Asking him to accept this kind of control? Absolutely not.

"But Ran-ge, even if Huang Lingyue's personality is a bit... well, she's been pursuing you for so long, aren't you even a little bit tempted?"

Lin Ran gave a complicated smile. "It would be a lie to say I wasn't moved at all. After all, being so passionately loved by a beautiful girl for so many years, anyone would have vanity and feel a little touched."

"But," Lin Ran's smile faded, and his eyes became deep.

"Huang Lingyue doesn't like me as a person. She only likes people who are better than her and whom she looks up to."

"In high school, my grades, my unconventional personality, and... being a little handsome just happened to meet her requirements."

"Brother Ran, why do I feel like you're just bragging to me?"

Lin Ran clicked his tongue and continued, "Believe it or not, if the environment were different, like going to university and encountering someone more mature, more dazzling, and someone she needs to look up to, her attention would quickly be diverted?"

"For her, falling in love with someone else was almost inevitable, regardless of whether it was a man or a woman."

Wang Zihao fell completely silent. He digested Lin Ran's almost cold analysis and vaguely felt that Lin Ran's words made sense. He no longer doubted the phrase "regardless of gender".

only.

To dissect a girl who likes him like this is a bit too cruel...

-----------------

July 10th, about a month and a half before the start of the university semester.

That evening, Lin Ran glanced at the QQ message sent by Huang Lingyue, but still didn't reply.

The demolition news is estimated to be out in another half month, and he is thinking about making another profit before college after the demolition compensation arrives.

"Beep beep beep," a QQ chat notification sound rang out. He opened it and saw that it was from Gao Xiaoming.

"Brother Ran, are you there?"

Brother Ran? Lin Ran's lips curled up, thinking that he had just fallen asleep when a pillow was delivered to his door.

"Um."

There seemed to be a moment's hesitation before the message came through: "What happened last time was my fault. I apologize to you first."

"It's okay, it's all over now."

Meanwhile, in the study of the Gao family villa.

Gao Fuyuan, who was a bit overweight, was sitting in front of the computer, typing away on the keyboard with a somewhat clumsy one-finger typing technique.

Standing to the side, Gao Xiaoming was very dissatisfied: "Dad, how could you say such things to him! How am I supposed to hold my head up in front of my classmates now!"

Gao Fuyuan turned and glared at Gao Xiaoming, saying with exasperation, "Look up? If my thousands of tons of steel rot in my hands, my whole family will have to live with our heads between our legs from now on!"

Seeing his son's dissatisfaction, his tone softened slightly: "Use your brain! He's just a high school student, yet he dares to make pronouncements about the province's plans. Do you know what that means? It means he has connections at the highest levels!"

Gao Xiaoming was still unwilling to give up and whispered in defense, "I think he's just bragging. They don't have any relatives who are officials..."

"Shut up!" Gao Fuyuan interrupted his good-for-nothing son. "Bragging? How could he spot our inventory backlog at a glance, and pinpoint the weakness in our cash flow? These are all facts! Just for that insight, he's worth putting aside your pride to befriend!"

"Even if his plans are fake, what harm could there be in saying a few nice words and giving him some face?"

"If it's true, a few kind words and a little face-saving can buy insider information that's priceless. It's practically the best deal in the world!"

"Xiaoming, remember this: when it comes to real money, face is nothing!"

After saying that, Gao Fuyuan stood up somewhat irritably and gestured for his son to sit down. "This piece of junk is really hard to use. When will they release a voice function?"

"You type this out and invite your classmate over for dinner."

"Oh." Gao Xiaoming accepted obediently, processing his father's words of instruction.

After his father's lecture, Lin Ran's image in his mind did indeed seem to have become much more impressive.

She's good at studying, tall, and has a good personality. As for looks... well, she's barely better than me.

Most importantly, Gao Xiaoming believed that his understanding of the ways of the business world far surpassed that of his peers, but Lin Ran seemed to be no less knowledgeable than him!

Looking at my cool QQ avatar next to the chat box, and the diamond icon that lit up with a tap, I suddenly felt a bit shabby.

The moment he typed "Lin Ran," Gao Fuyuan slapped his hand hard: "Call me Brother Ran!"

"Brother Ran, are you free tomorrow? I'd like to invite you over for dinner." She gave her father a resentful look, and only after receiving his nod of permission did she send the message.

Tomorrow? Lin Ran was taken aback, considered the date, and remained silent for a while.

"Let's go in a few days. I have some things to take care of these next couple of days, so I'm afraid I won't be able to make it."