Even as a "normie," I'm completely oblivious to it.

The tension is getting higher and higher.

16. They were never the same.

"Brother Yuzhe, are you going out?"

Mo Lingyun naturally sensed that something was wrong. As Zixiao's shield when she was not around, she should make the most of it.

To everyone's surprise, Yu Zhe simply put his index finger to his lips, closed one eye, and said softly, "Yun'er, you can just sit here. I'm going out to talk to Xiao Meng for a bit, and I'll be right back."

"Ah... okay."

It's embarrassing to say, but Mo Lingyun was clearly "defeated" by Yu Zhe's single glance.

She sat down again, leaning against the back of the chair, staring blankly at Yu Zhe's retreating figure as he walked out of the classroom.

Brother Yuzhe... and you keep saying you're a boy all the time...

But you should sometimes tone down your irresistible charm!

She already committed a foul, and then she tried to act cute; it was simply irresistible.

On the other side, Qin Ruoke had been waiting for Luo Xiaomeng to make a move ever since she entered the classroom.

Didn't she make a decision yesterday? She's curious about what Xiaomeng will do, so she's going out to see what happens.

Now is the time.

She stood up, intending to quietly slip out of the classroom behind them.

But as soon as she took a step to the side, a girl walked up to her and called out to her.

"Qin Ruoke, your homeroom teacher wants to see you in the office."

"Call me? Does it have to be now?"

"Yes, Teacher Fang said she needs to see you urgently, so you must go during this break."

"..."

Damn it.

Unfortunately, the unexpected situation disrupted Qin Ruoke's plans. She had no choice but to change her destination and go to Fang Lan's office first. She would wait for Xiao Meng to return and then try to find out what she had said...

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

This is the rooftop that Yu Zhe used to frequent when he brought Zi Xiao and Xiao Lizhi to eat at school.

It wasn't lunchtime or afternoon dismissal time, so the rooftop was deserted, quiet, and spacious—perfect for discussing important matters.

Yu Zhe walked ahead, and even after standing on the rooftop platform, he didn't turn around to look at Xiao Meng. Instead, he remained silent and gazed at the distant sky.

We need to give Xiaomeng some time to calm down; she's too nervous.

How did you figure that out?

She walked forward with the same hand and foot the whole way, and she even walked with the same gait. How could she not be nervous!

Just a short while later, Yu Zhe heard a soft voice calling from behind him.

"Yuzhe..."

"Well, I'm here."

Responding as gently as possible, Yu Zhe turned around.

Xiaomeng's current state is something he has never seen before in the past six months.

This little girl, who used to always adapt perfectly to her surroundings, now had her face as red as an apple, and was tightly clutching the hem of her school uniform skirt, which was decorated with many cute black ribbons.

Her legs, clad in white over-the-knee socks, were trembling involuntarily, a testament to the turmoil in her mind.

Hey...you're nervous, but isn't Yuzhe nervous too?

He had been pondering this matter all night.

But since he was a boy, he took a step forward and stood in front of Xiaomeng.

"Xiao Meng, just say what you want to say. There's nothing to hesitate about. Actually, many things, no matter what the outcome, will leave you with regrets if you don't try."

"Well... before I say anything, could you please agree first...?"

"That definitely won't work!"

What's going on in that silly little girl's head?!

There's no way...

Xiao Meng has been preparing for this for so long, and Yu Zhe himself has been giving her such earnest advice.

What other reasons does she have that she wouldn't dare to say...?

then.

On this bright, sunny day, under the deep blue sky, a gentle breeze blew by, lifting a strand of long hair from Xiaomeng's forehead. Following the strand of hair, she looked up and saw Yuzhe's face, which held a warm and encouraging expression.

Finally, she bent down slightly, closed her eyes, and used all her strength to express herself, almost shouting.

"Yu Zhe! I like you! Please go out with me!"

Oh dear...

Sure enough.

Even though she had expected it, Yu Zhe still blushed when she was confessed to so formally and directly for the first time. She turned her gaze slightly to the side and scratched her cheek with her right hand, a little embarrassed.

Don't ask why this is the first time someone has confessed to him like this. Many people like him, but no one else has ever had the chance to say these words to him face to face.

Well, shouldn't it usually be the boy who takes the initiative to confess?

No, no, no... now is not the time to think about these things!

In short, Yu Zhe first helped Xiao Meng, whose body was a little stiff from nervousness, to stand up straight.

Xiao Meng looked at Yu Zhe with expectant eyes.

Everything that needed to be said has been said... Now comes the most crucial part.

What will the response be...?

Within this line of sight, Yu Zhe let out a soft sigh and looked directly into Xiao Meng's eyes.

"Xiao Meng... tell me, why do you like someone like me...?"

You... this kind of person?

Yu Zhe's self-deprecating remark made Xiao Meng want to immediately refute it!

The words in my heart naturally flowed out as I refuted them.

"Yu Zhe, how could you say that! In my heart, you're a hero! You're my hero... I thought high school would just end like this, uneventfully, but... you appeared at the very end, appeared in front of me, and I don't know what to say... I've never felt this way before... but I..."

I always felt that if I missed this opportunity, I would regret it for the rest of my life...

"Gentle and kind, always considerate of everyone around you... You are like the prince charming in my fairy tale. Even if it's difficult, I really want to follow behind you and see what the scenery looks like... It's not because you are so outstanding, nor because you are the young master of the Su family. I just genuinely like you as Su Yuzhe!"

Me as Su Yuzhe?

This simple sentence suddenly struck Yu Zhe's heart.

Is that so...? It has nothing to do with family background. Are you referring to the most authentic me?

How interesting... If Yu Zhe thought about it, apart from the few girls closest to him, no one had ever spoken to him like that before.

Because they dare not.

They were afraid of the Su family's power and Yu Zhe's identity.

Isn't what Yu Zhe is pursuing precisely this kind of acceptance and understanding as an ordinary person?

However, the words still need to be spoken.

"Xiaomeng, I'm not as great as you think, and I'm not a hero, do you understand?"

"I...I don't understand..."

“Then let me tell you.” Yu Zhe straightened his face and told her word by word, “The prince charming you’ve been dreaming of… is definitely wholeheartedly going to welcome his princess, right? But me, I can’t play that role.”

He paused for a moment, then continued, "I have many feelings in my heart, for Zixiao, for Yuche, for Yun'er, and many more... I think you know that, and you usually spend time with them. Since you've been so honest with me, I'll tell you the truth too. I can't make a choice among them. I can't let go of any of these relationships. Even if it's difficult, I will try my best to accept all these feelings and respond to them."

"So, this isn't the kind of thing your dream prince would do, Xiaomeng. Even though you say you're not looking at family background and don't see me as different, the truth is, we are indeed different. I've never expected to be understood, can you understand that?"

The words fell.

Seeing this, Xiaomeng noticed an unspeakable sadness in Yuzhe's eyes.

It was like a wall, seemingly advising Xiaomeng—you should consider giving up.

17. It has now been discovered

give up?

Looking into Yu Zhe's eyes, Xiao Meng couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

Lately... I feel like I've heard or seen the word "give up" so many times...

But it was only when she saw the urgency in Yu Zhe's eyes to give up that Xiao Meng became particularly afraid.

Xiaomeng's worst-case scenario for today was being rejected by Yuzhe.

To my utter surprise, Yu Zhe wasn't refusing; instead, he was trying to persuade me to give up...

Faced with such pressure, Xiaomeng couldn't help but tremble slightly.

She was scared. All she could think about was how to prove herself and not be scared away by Yu Zhe's gaze... She had to persevere and try her best to stay standing here.

Perhaps, if someone else were in this situation, they would have given up.

But Xiaomeng is so clever.

In her near-despair, she cleverly realized the problem.

Oh dear...

That logic doesn't make sense.

Simply put, if Yu Zhe is unwilling, he can just refuse, just like he used to refuse the piles of love letters that came his way every day.

But now, why is he advising me to give up voluntarily?