Why are you always thinking about dating me?

On the contrary, he himself was just speculating today. Xiao Chacha's timing was perfect. At this point in time, the closer his relationship with Su Yuejin had become, the more panicked he became, panicked that Xu Qinghuan didn't care about him.

So Xiao Chacha just happened to step in, as if this was his revenge, his revenge on Xu Qinghuan. Xiao Chacha herself was also very satisfied. She had been looking forward to this day for a long time. She carefully and earnestly tried to feel what she wanted, looking into his eyes without restraint, without shame, without any sense of shame.

However, Miss Xiao Chacha is very smart. She knows that if she continues to act like she is jealous of Su Yuejin after this, she will be a fool, because in the long run, she will really become annoying.

Moreover, Xiao Chacha was actually too lazy to do that. She didn't have much desire to show off or compete with Su Yuejin. She just wanted to get what she wanted. In some ways, she lived a much more carefree life than Lin An. She could find happiness as long as she satisfied herself.

This is what you call a true selfish person, willing to do anything for it, going to great lengths, and then crying and wailing when they get beaten up—it's both stupid and adorable.

Lin An lay on the side watching the rain for who knows how long, which calmed his mind. After calming down, everything seemed to return to normal, and he suddenly had a change of heart.

Just as Xu Qinghuan said, take it slow, time will give him the answer. He was too impatient, so impatient that he didn't know what to do, and then he had a desire for revenge, and then he fell into Xiao Chacha's trap and was completely controlled by her.

Hey, Miss Xiao Chacha, do you know what? You're playing with fire.

You like the feeling of flames brushing against your skin, you like that painful stimulation, but if a warm fire were to burn you and eventually engulf you completely, I really hope you could still laugh.

You'd better behave, Xiao Chacha.

Lin An muttered to himself, the rain in the city was still falling drizzly, as if it would never stop.

It's a pity there's no moon tonight.

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

P.S.: Bonus chapter rule: 300 monthly votes will result in one extra chapter per day.

Chapter Ninety-Six: An Unexpected Gift

Lin An finally fell asleep at 2 a.m.

When he woke up the next morning, it was still drizzling outside the window. The light rain made the world look a little dim, which Lin An thought was fine, at least the light wasn't too bright.

He rubbed his eyes and walked out of the room. Xu Qinghuan was washing up, so he waited for a while. Xu Qinghuan finished washing up and went downstairs to pick up a package, which should be her new dress. Lin An held an umbrella for her.

The place to pick up the package was downstairs in the residential area. After getting the package, Lin An accompanied her upstairs. However, when they got home, there was someone standing at the door.

Xu Qinghuan narrowed her eyes slightly.

Lin An felt that the figure looked somewhat familiar, and subconsciously thought it was Su Yuejin. However, he still held Xu Qinghuan's hand. Strangely, Xu Qinghuan was also holding his hand and did not want him to let go.

But when the girl in the light gray skirt turned around, Lin An realized that it wasn't Su Yuejin.

It is Qin Xueming.

On a rainy day, she wore a white shirt with a black blazer over it, and a plaid skirt that reached her knees. Her long hair was tied in a ponytail. When she turned around, she seemed elegant and composed, but when she saw Lin An holding Xu Qinghuan's hand, her eyelashes drooped slightly.

"Good morning," she said softly.

Xu Qinghuan didn't get angry, nor did Lin An. The two looked at each other, and after a second or two, Xu Qinghuan spoke first. Her voice was actually quite gentle and not very aggressive.

It seems that the reason why this person has always had a loli voice is also partly due to this.

"What are you doing here, Qin Xueming?"

"Here's a gift that you all deserve."

She also had a file folder in her hand. She said softly, "Your adoptive parents' company was originally meant to be inherited by you. You went through a lot along the way, and in the end you didn't get a penny. Now... it's mine. I put in the effort. Here are two contracts. You each sign one, and you can get 10% of the profits every quarter."

Xu Qinghuan and Lin An were both stunned for a moment. After a few seconds, Xu Qinghuan looked up at Lin An and asked, "Do you want it?"

"I don't care," Lin An shrugged.

"Then I won't." Xu Qinghuan refused decisively.

"As far as I know, you two are doing some online part-time jobs. Last month, the property management had to deal with issues like water leakage and gas at your place. You both have very low expenses, and you rarely buy clothes that cost more than 500 yuan. But you shouldn't be living like this. This is what you deserve, something that has been taken away from you by others."

"It's not charity, it's just that I helped you get it back from a friend's perspective. I put in the effort, so I get the lion's share. It doesn't involve any personal favors, so I don't think you have any reason to refuse, Xu Qinghuan."

"You work as an amateur cosplayer, an amateur artist, and learn voice acting. These things are all very tiring. Lin An, what about you? You work as a gaming companion, write novels, and take a cut from that bar. You don't earn much money."

"Xu Qinghuan, girls are always better off financially. Lin An, you're dating Su Yuejin and Xiao Chacha, so you're bound to spend a lot of money, right?"

She stood there, her voice quiet and clear, completely detached from the role of ex-girlfriend, as calm as a machine.

Lin An decided to change his description, saying he was as calm as a stupid cat... because this guy also pronounced Xiao Chacha's name, damn it.

Xu Qinghuan looked up at Lin An again, "What she said seems to make some sense."

"What? Are you wavering?" Lin An glanced at Xu Qinghuan.

...Wait a minute, this guy doesn't seem to be paying any attention to Xiao Chacha? Or does she think Qin Xueming misunderstood, or does she know? Or does she just not care? Lin An's mind went blank again.

"I'm fine. Why not take the money that's offered to me for free? Look at how clearly she explained it, it seems pretty good."

"Then sign it. If you sign it, you'll support me and give me living expenses. I don't want it."

"Why?" Xu Qinghuan poked Lin An's chest with her finger.

"It's not that I have backbone, it's that I don't want this favor. Besides, how much money could I possibly spend? You don't really expect me to date Su Yuejin, do you? If you really expect me to, then go now!"

"You dare." Xu Qinghuan clenched her small hands into fists and then gently punched his arm.

"Are you busy right now?" Xu Qinghuan asked Qin Xueming.

“I’m not busy, so you have plenty of time to think it over,” she replied. Xu Qinghuan then took out her key and opened the door. “Come in and sit down. It’s a small place, so don’t mind.”

So Qin Xueming followed Xu Qinghuan into the house. Lin An poured her a glass of water. Strictly speaking, the two of them didn't really have any conflict, so he couldn't possibly point his finger at Qin Xueming and yell at her. It's just that now they really can't even be friends anymore.

So he didn't want this favor; if he wanted it, he wanted this friend. Although Qin Xueming didn't say it, he still owed her a favor. But he was childishly unwilling to compromise because he hated betrayal, even though he knew that Qin Xueming's choice back then was right.

Humans are a collection of contradictions.

So after he poured the water, he let Xu Qinghuan and Qin Xueming chat by themselves while he went inside to play games. Su Yuejin had invited him to play, but he had stood her up yesterday afternoon because he was doing something unspeakable with Xiao Chacha in his little room.

So Su Yuejin was very angry, so he had to coax her.

Although Su Yuejin still didn't know what exactly happened yesterday afternoon, his reason was that the internet at home was down. Although Xiao Chacha had impulsively turned on his computer and played music, she said she didn't want Lin An to hear her moans, which made her feel extremely ashamed.

Su Yuejin quickly entered the game room, and the unlimited firepower mode started! Let's go!

..............................

In the living room.

At home, Xu Qinghuan is very casual and doesn't bother to show any elegance or nobility in front of Qin Xueming. She can't do it and can't learn it. Right now, her fair feet are on the coffee table, she is hugging her Pikachu plushie, and then she glances at Qin Xueming.

"Unsolicited kindness is always suspicious. What happened when he met you that day?"

"Nothing happened." Qin Xueming shook her head, held the glass of water Lin An poured for her, and took a small sip. "He told me that there's a knot between us that can never be untied in this lifetime."

Xu Qinghuan sneered, "So, do you understand what he means now?"

"I understand." Qin Xueming nodded, her eyelids drooping. Years had passed, and the pride that once filled her face was gone. After a second or two of silence, she said, "I should have known that this would be the result of my choice back then."

"Judging from your expression, you don't seem to care that much?"

"I've cried so many times, but you can't see it anyway." Qin Xueming laughed self-deprecatingly. The water glass in her hand was warm, while the raindrops outside the window were slightly cool. She placed the document in front of Xu Qinghuan.

"Sign it. There are no hidden agreements that could trick or harm you. I'll handle the rest. It's not a lot of money, maybe three or four hundred thousand a month."

"Lin An doesn't want to sign, and I don't really want it anymore either. Actually, it's okay, we're doing quite well together."

"But reality isn't a fairy tale. Your future will still require some things, like a car and a house. These things can save you a lot of time and effort. The burdens of life will make love, which is inherently ethereal, even more fragile. It won't affect you. If he doesn't sign, you can just sign. Anyway, this is something you were meant to have anyway."

Qin Xueming sighed softly.

"So, you've come to terms with it? Why are you suddenly coming up to us like this, as if you're leaving and wishing us happiness?"

"Then what's the point of me trying anymore? He stopped loving me a long time ago, but I still feel guilty. I want to make up for this guilt to him. Maybe that way I can feel at ease and completely let go of love. As long as I don't want to, I won't be sad."

“I won’t cry,” she added.

Xu Qinghuan opened the file folder, thought for a few seconds, and then suddenly smiled, glancing at Qin Xueming, "If you want to compensate him, besides money, don't you have better resources?"

Xu Qinghuan's gaze fell on her delicate collarbone, her pert breasts, her slender waist, and her slender legs pressed together beneath her skirt.

When Qin Xueming first started taking over those things with her family, many people thought she was just a pretty face, because she was indeed incredibly beautiful. Her beauty was comparable to Su Yuejin's, and she was the dream of countless teenagers.

"I don't want it, and he won't want it either. You and I both know that."

"Hmm? He definitely won't want that, but you don't want it?"

"I would rather believe that my love for him is still in its early, innocent and beautiful days than let him ruin my dream now."

Xu Qinghuan put her hand on Qin Xueming's shoulder. "You've been reading a lot of youth-themed literature lately, haven't you? Why are you talking so harshly?"

"..."

That's Xu Qinghuan for you; she always manages to crack a rant even when she's being serious, leaving you with a wry smile.

In the end, Xu Qinghuan still signed her name at the signature area, but she only signed one document and put the other one back into the document bag.

“I have no right to make the choice for him, but he definitely still wants me to sign, so this seems to be a good thing. Well, thank you, Qin Xueming.”

"It's nothing."

"Speaking of which, haven't you met any better guys in the past two years? Your horizons have broadened, and you must have met quite a few, right?"

"Maybe there are, but I don't like any of them. They all have flaws."

"Doesn't Lin An have a lot of flaws too?"

"I mean, the only flaw of the guys I've met is that they're not like him." Qin Xueming said very seriously, without even feeling embarrassed, while Xu Qinghuan laughed heartily.

She could also communicate with Qin Xueming very easily. There weren't that many enemies in this world with grudges, and even if there were, there was no need to speak ill of each other, because it was meaningless. Doing is always more meaningful than saying.

"Can I go and talk to him?"

"Why are you asking me? He's not mine. If you want to go, go ahead. Just don't come out crying and looking pathetic later."

"...Thank you for your kind words."

Qin Xueming put down her water glass, stood up, walked into Lin An's room, and closed the door behind her.

Chapter Ninety-Seven: The Panic She Instilled

Inside the room, Lin An was playing a game with Su Yuejin.

He was still playing support, because Su Yuejin mainly played ADC. With her headphones hanging around her neck, he heard Qin Xueming's footsteps when she walked in and turned around to look.

"I'll come in and take a look once you're done playing."

"Oh." Lin An nodded, not understanding what this guy was thinking. Qin Xueming sat to the side without saying a word. Su Yuejin played AD quite well, but unfortunately they lost a team fight.

"She made a mistake this time. She shouldn't have used Q to roll forward. Vayne's Q is for adjusting her position, not for charging forward, so your team lost." She analyzed calmly, and Su Yuejin on the other end of the microphone was startled when she heard the voice.

"Why do I hear a girl's voice on your end?" she asked.