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

"What's going on? Yu Zhe, how...how did you get in?! And you don't have a key to my house, do you? I think I gave you one before...but you said you couldn't find it, and I haven't given you a new one yet...wait, wait?"

Oh no, this really scared Ruoke!

Yu Zhe sat calmly in the chair, shaking the screwdriver in his hand: "Who said you need a key to open a door? As long as you have the skills, you don't have to worry about small locks."

"You... pried open my door lock?!"

"Uh...sorry, I'll put it on for you later..."

24. If they leave

It's true that Yu Zhe has been sensible since he was a child, but maybe he's always been a little mischievous by nature?

Take that door lock for example. There are actually quite a few ways to fix it, but Yu Zhe just wanted to take it apart. What can he do? He was thinking, maybe he could give Xiao Ruo Ke a surprise, cough... or a shock?

So I apologize to the door lock.

It took Qin Ruoke a while to figure out what was going on.

She stared blankly at Yu Zhe's face: "Hey... whatever the door lock is, so Yu Zhe, what are you doing here? Have you finished dinner?"

"I'm telling you, you really need to practice your communication skills. Do you think I came all this way just to hear 'Have you had dinner yet?'? Isn't there something else you'd like to tell me?"

Yu Zhe spoke very directly, mainly because he felt a little unhappy.

When he burst through the door, he clearly saw Qin Ruoke still with tears in her eyes, curled up in the corner of the bed, and he could hear her sobbing.

But after saying just a few words, she acted as if nothing had happened and even asked if she had eaten dinner.

Is this what they call "holding on for the sake of it"?

Yu Zhe is still angry. He doesn't even realize that he is the one who always tries to be strong. Otherwise, Zi Xiao and the others wouldn't complain about this problem with him every day.

After being suddenly "taught a lesson," Qin Ruoke became even more confused.

She looked left and right, fidgeting with her feet, clearly indicating that she was restless.

Yu Zhe wasn't in a hurry; he just waited for her to speak.

After waiting for a long time, Qin Ruoke stiffly turned her head and said, "I haven't...I haven't eaten. I'll go and make you something."

"That's all you wanted to say?! Ah... I'm sorry."

Yu Zhe's sudden rant startled Qin Ruoke, who immediately closed her eyes.

He quickly changed to a gentler tone, knowing that Qin Ruoke's emotions were probably quite sensitive at the moment.

"No... I mean, Ruoke, can we put aside the dinner thing for now? Let's not let your door lock be sacrificed for nothing, okay?"

"..."

Qin Ruoke fell silent again.

Is she unwilling to talk about it? No, she isn't.

She has a thousand things she wants to say to Yu Zhe and a thousand questions she wants to ask.

But he couldn't utter a single word.

What can I say?

Should I just say, "If I confess my feelings to you, will you want me?"

It's not that I can't say it... but if I get rejected outright, I'm afraid I won't have another chance.

In short, she was afraid.

The current situation is both within Yu Zhe's expectations and slightly unexpected.

She hadn't expected Qin Ruoke to be in such a bad state; standing in front of her, she didn't even have the courage to communicate properly.

Zixiao is right... If we let her continue like this, she probably won't be able to get over it even by the time she takes the college entrance exam.

Yu Zhe already knows that Qin Ruoke's nature is both strong and fragile; these two contradictory states coexist within her.

She didn't speak, and Yu Zhe couldn't remain silent with her.

"Xiao Ruoke, sit down too. There are some things I want to talk to you about."

"Shall we talk...?"

Qin Ruoke was quite surprised by what Yu Zhe said, but she still obediently sat back down on the edge of the bed.

Yu Zhe sat in the chair opposite her, not with a smile, but with a rather serious tone, and asked.

"I'm asking you, did Teacher Fang talk to you about studying abroad today?"

"I already said it, it was this afternoon... when you and Luo Xiaomeng went out."

"Well, to be frank, without beating around the bush, that was my arrangement, and the selection of schools for your study abroad was also my decision."

"I see... Yu Zhe, thank you."

Is that really the case?

Qin Ruoke initially thought so too. At Fenghai No.1 High School, apart from Yu Zhe, she couldn't think of anyone with such power to arrange a spot for her to be recommended to a university.

Now that this fact has been confirmed, Qin Ruoke sincerely expressed her gratitude, but the pressure in her heart suddenly increased.

Yu Zhe played with his silver hair in his hand and continued, "So, have you decided which school to choose? Really, you can choose any school. If you're not satisfied with any of those schools, just say so, and I can arrange another one for you. You can pick any university on Earth, and I can get you into any of them."

Pick whatever you like?

This gave Qin Ruoke some courage: "Then...can I choose a university in China? I mean, a university in the capital, no...a university in a provincial capital is fine too!"

"This won't do." Yu Zhe replied expressionlessly. "I forgot to mention earlier, pick anything you like, except for those from China."

"Why..."

She knew the answer to that question very well.

As expected.

Qin Ruoke gripped the fabric of her cotton pajama bottoms tightly, slowly lowering her head: "I understand... I'll think about it carefully. Anyway, thank you..."

“Say what you think. I don’t want to hear any more thanks. That’s not like you at all.”

Yu Zhe's gaze turned cold: "Maybe I shouldn't have gone to find you on that rainy night. If I had, you wouldn't be so conflicted now. Didn't you always say you had a dream you wanted to pursue and wanted to change this unfair life? Now that I've given you the chance, you don't want it anymore? It's really disappointing. I've helped you for so long and you don't even appreciate it. This is really boring."

Yu Zhe shook his head and said this.

This wasn't what I really thought; it was just a provocation, Yu Zhe's "usual trick," but it always works.

Try to use strong, provocative words; only by arousing her emotions can you get her to tell you her true feelings.

The light in Qin Ruoke's eyes dimmed.

"Boring...maybe...Yu Zhe, you're right. I also think I'm pretty boring. My former classmates often said that to me in private. Others have told me that I only study and don't participate in anything...It's been like that before...you've always helped me, and now you've given me this opportunity again, and I'm still refusing...I'm really, sigh, I'm utterly rotten."

Yu Zhe understood that this reaction was normal for Qin Ruoke.

You can't expect a girl who's always been focused on changing her destiny and buried in books to suddenly become sentimental.

She uses rational thinking to consider problems at all times.

"Then there's nothing more to say." Yu Zhe shook his head and stood up abruptly. "I can take that as you're inclined to accept my help and have basically decided to study abroad, right?"

"I..."

"Alright, stop worrying about it. If you can't move forward, you'll just stay in the same place. Ruoke, for the sake of our past relationship, I'll help you out. I'll book your plane ticket abroad and fulfill your wish. That way, you won't have any regrets, right?"

Regret.

Qin Ruoke opened her eyes wide and looked at Yu Zhe's face. She covered her chest, seemingly lost in thought.

Seeing that she was still in a daze, Yu Zhe was really disappointed.

Yu Zhe decided not to try to persuade him any further and turned to leave.

Unfortunately, in the end, nothing could be changed.

As he reached the door, looking at Qin Ruoke, who was deathly pale behind him, Yu Zhe uttered only one sentence.

Goodbye, and may your future be bright.

A flash of lightning streaked across the sky, and Yu Zhe had already stepped one foot out of the room.

But the other foot didn't step out; it remained in place.

He didn't stop on his own initiative.

But behind him, Qin

Ruo Ke hugged him.

Qin Ruoke, who was hugging Yu Zhe from behind, was trembling all over. With the rumbling thunder that had just come, she finally couldn't help but say what she had been holding back for a long time.

"I don't want to go abroad..."

After the thunder, she bent down, buried her head in Yu Zhe's back, and with all her might, did something she had never done before in her life.

—He shouted out his heartfelt words, his voice trembling with a sob as he pleaded for her to stay.

"Yu Zhe... I like you! I'll tell you everything! I shouldn't have kept quiet just now! Let's sit down and talk again, okay? Don't go..."

If they leave.

Then it really is over.

What is life?

That is, making the right choice at the right time.

Instead of remaining silent and missing out on life, only to regret it later.

Fortunately, Qin Ruoke did not remain silent until the end.

25. Decision made.

From the moment Yu Zhe entered her room tonight until now, this is the first time in all this time that he has genuinely smiled.

Xiao Ruoke, she finally spoke up.

But that smile was only fleeting; when he slowly turned his head back, his expression remained serious.

"You like me? Ruoke, are you serious?"

"It must be true!" For once, tears welled up in Qin Ruoke's eyes. "So please stop doing this! I've had enough! Even if I have to leave, I don't want you to be the one driving me away! Because I love you!"