Ch. 1671..1680

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1671

Mrs. Zhong felt a little angry when she heard those words. I can’t believe Zhong Chufeng, that brat, told Tang Yuanyuan that he had no feelings for her! How does he expect to court a girl if he acts like that? Is he sh*tting me?!

“Yuanyuan, you’ve known Chufeng for so many years. What kind of person do you think he is?”

Tang Yuanyuan and Zhong Chufeng had always gotten along very well. Thus, she naturally thought well of him. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have taken the time to come to the hospital to visit or even help out in taking care of his mother. Mulling over it, she gently replied, “Chufeng is a great guy.”

“In what way?”

She replied, “In every way.”

“If that’s the case, are you willing to get to know him better? For example, maybe he lied to you when he said that he didn’t have feelings for you.”

“Lied to me?” She looked dumbfounded, then she shook her head. “That won’t happen. Chufeng is very nice to me. He would never lie to me.”

“Then, let me ask you this: why do you think Chufeng would suddenly tell you that he had no feelings for you?” Mrs. Zhong couldn’t believe that her son was so stupid that he would take the initiative to tell her that he didn’t have feelings for the girl. With his personality, he wouldn’t deny something like that even if he kept it to himself. There must have been a reason why he said something like that.

Tang Yuanyuan felt embarrassed by this topic. At that time, she had made the first move and asked him about it. After her schoolmates said that he had feelings for her, she felt that it was impossible. Later, she thought that it wasn’t impossible considering how nice he was to her. Thus, she asked him about it.

“Hmm?” Mrs. Zhong asked again when she saw that Tang Yuanyuan wasn’t answering.

Then, Tang Yuanyuan replied awkwardly, “I-I asked him about it myself.”

“What?” Mrs. Zhang was shocked. “You asked him about it yourself?”

“Yes.” Upon mentioning this, Tang Yuanyuan lowered her head. She didn’t even dare to lift her eyelids.

“Little girl, why would you ask Chufeng something like that? Do you have feelings for Chufeng?”

“No, I don’t.” Tang Yuanyuan denied it while shaking her head. “Mrs. Zhong, Chufeng and I are simply good friends. There is nothing else between us.”

“If there is nothing else between you, then why did you…”

Although she felt embarrassed, Tang Yuanyuan understood that Mrs. Zhong was trying to match her with Chufeng. However, she had no feelings for him. Thus, she decided that it was better to be direct with Mrs. Zhong as soon as possible. At that thought, she answered, “Mrs. Zhong, I asked him about it because I was worried that Chufeng had feelings for me.”

After hearing those words, Mrs. Zhong felt her heart breaking slightly. She asked Chufeng about it because she was scared that he had feelings for her?

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Zhong. I understand that my words may be excessive, but the relationship between Chufeng and I is platonic. Besides, I’m still very young. I don’t want to consider these matters yet.”

Mrs. Zhong couldn’t control herself and blurted out, “Are you refusing to consider it because you are still young, or because you already have someone else in your heart?”

Tang Yuanyuan said nothing in reply.

Noticing that her face had paled considerably, Mrs. Zhong realized that her words had gone overboard. No matter how she put it, this girl was still a child. Besides, love was not something that could be forced. Thus, she had no choice but to settle for the next best option. She said, “Yuanyuan, I don’t have any other intentions. I just wanted to ask you: why can’t you accept that Chufeng has feelings for you? After all, he isn’t such a bad catch, right? Besides, you’ve only just become an adult. You probably don’t have a clear grasp of your emotions yet. Perhaps…”

Words like these again… Just because I’m young, I don’t have a clear grasp of my emotions? How did things turn out like this?

Tang Yuanyuan wrinkled her delicate nose disapprovingly and said, “Mrs. Zhong, I’m an adult now. I know what I’m thinking about. Although I may seem young in your eyes, I don’t believe that the thoughts or preferences of a person are limited by age.”

Her words were as tactful as they could be, but her expression was firm. Mrs. Zhong noticed that the little girl seemed to be a little agitated. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been so serious with her response. She had always had a soft spot for Yuanyuan. Thus, she naturally wouldn’t force the girl to go against her. For that reason, she hurriedly changed what she was saying. “That wasn’t my intention. I know you’re an adult now, and you’re mentally matured too. I didn’t mean to chide you; I just wanted you to consider Chufeng as a potential partner. After all, I like you very much.”

“But, Mrs. Zhong…” Tang Yuanyuan’s facial features were scrunched up in a ball. “I don’t wish for you to tie me down with this just because you like me. Besides, I have a good relationship with Chufeng. If you continue like this, I’m afraid it would only be detrimental to our relationship.”

“Silly girl, you don’t know that he…”

Sigh. Forget it; if I say anymore, this little girl is going to get mad for real. She has already gotten so serious about it.

All of a sudden, Mrs. Zhong understood why Chufeng had denied having any feelings for the girl. When this little girl became serious, she wasn’t one to stand for any nonsense. Perhaps if Chufeng had admitted to having feelings for her, they couldn’t even be friends anymore. As the thought crossed her mind, Mrs. Zhong quickly changed what she wanted to say. “Alright, alright. Don’t get angry, Yuanyuan. I was in the wrong today. I shouldn’t have said such things. Please don’t get mad at me, alright? It’s just that I like you so much that I kept on trying to convince you. If you don’t like it, then I won’t bring it up again.”

I can’t be too forceful here; otherwise, I’m going to scare her away. Thus, she could only take a step back in hopes of advancing another day.

Hearing Mrs. Zhong apologize and assure her that she wouldn’t bring it up again, Tang Yuanyuan finally heaved a sigh of relief. “Thanks, Mrs. Zhong.”

Initially, she had the thought that if Mrs. Zhong was determined to continue with the topic, she would have to stop coming to the hospital from tomorrow onward. Fortunately, Mrs. Zhong promised not to bring it up anymore. With this, the relationship between everyone would not become overly awkward.

Even so…

Then, she recalled what Mrs. Zhong had said about Chufeng having feelings for her. That wasn’t the first time someone had said this to her. At that time, several others had said the same thing. Believing them, she had questioned him about it. In the end, Chufeng had denied it and she felt relieved after hearing that.

But now? Even Chufeng’s mother said that. Could it be that Chufeng really has feelings for me? But, if he did, then why did he deny it at the time? Sigh. I’m overthinking this. Tang Yuanyuan felt a headache coming on. In the first place, she was already upset and grieving over the incident involving Meng Kefei.

Don’t think about it; don’t think about it. Then, she threw aside those complicated thoughts in her head.

“Mrs. Zhong, do you want a drink? I’ll get you a glass of water.”

“Sure. Thanks, Yuanyuan.”

As noon approached, Zhong Chufeng and Yuchi Yishu finally returned. Both of them had lunchboxes in their hands.

“Mom, we’re back.”

“Mrs. Zhong,” Yuchi Yishu greeted Mrs. Zhong indifferently.

Mrs. Zhong glanced toward the two guys as they walked over, then she couldn’t help but sigh in her heart. Even if Yuanyuan falls for Yishu, there’s nothing strange about it. After all, when my son stands beside him, his height doesn’t even compare to Yishu’s. Moreover, his looks and his intelligence… don’t hold a candle to Yishu. Sigh. How can he even begin to compete with Yishu?

Then, she sighed again as she studied Yuchi Yishu. This child of the Ye Family truly inherited good genes. He isn’t just good-looking, he is outstanding too.

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1672

“Mom, I made two types of fillings. I also made some soup. Do you want to eat now, or later?”

“Put it aside for now. I’m not hungry yet. The rest of you can go ahead.”

Zhong Chufeng glanced at Tang Yuanyuan, then he said, “Then, you guys should head back. You don’t need to come again this afternoon. Have a good rest after lunch.”

Hearing that, Mrs. Zhong felt surprised. “Didn’t I ask you to bring food for all of us?”

“Bring food? For what? There are too many people here. Besides, I only made enough dumplings for two.”

In other words, Zhong Chufeng had not arranged for Yuchi Yishu and Tang Yuanyuan to stay for lunch. The meaning hidden behind his words was crystal clear.

Upon hearing those words, Mrs. Zhong nearly jumped out of bed to slap him and ask him what the hell was going through his head. However, she had just undergone a surgical operation. Besides, Yuchi Yishu and Tang Yuanyuan were still around. Thus, she held herself back, smiling as she said, “Oh, child; Yishu and Yuanyuan came to the hospital to visit me. They even took care of me! How could you only make enough for two? How about this? Put the dumplings aside. I have nothing going on here anyway. Chufeng, why don’t you take Yishu and Yuanyuan out for lunch? You can return after lunch.”

“How can I do that?” Zhong Chufeng shook his head, objecting to her suggestion immediately. “I can’t leave you in the hospital alone.”

“Mrs. Zhong, it’s fine. We’ll just go home to have our lunch. We’ll come again tomorrow to visit you.”

Helpless, Mrs. Zhong could only agree. “Alright then. Take care on the road and drive safely!”

After the two left, she gave Zhong Chufeng a resentful look. “You fool.”

Zhong Chufeng said nothing. He had done it on purpose after all. When he only made two portions of dumplings, Yuchi Yishu had asked him, “Why don’t we make enough for four while we’re at it?”

“There’s no need for that.” Zhong Chufeng curled his lips. “I may have feelings for her, but what is most important to me is her happiness, not obtaining her.”

Afterward, Yuchi Yishu said nothing else.

As they were leaving, Tang Yuanyuan followed behind Yuchi Yishu. Her gaze seemed a little lost. Yuchi Yishu had always seemed so slim. Moreover, he held his back straight while walking—it was as upright as his personality and his heart.

She liked Yuchi Yishu as he was, but… so many people have said that she was young and might not understand her own emotions. They also mentioned that she should give other people a try before she could understand her feelings. Should I try?

She was certain of her feelings, but when all the voices by her side were leaning toward one direction, she began to doubt herself. Am I wrong? Otherwise, why would everybody else’s words contradict what I believe in?

As she was deep in her thoughts, she unconsciously slowed down and lowered her head. She didn’t even notice that Yuchi Yishu had stopped in his tracks. Thus, she walked directly into him.

Bam!

“What are you thinking about?”

A deep male voice floated toward her from above. Tang Yuanyuan subconsciously glanced up and coincidentally met Yuchi Yishu’s deep gaze. “Yishu?”

“You’re walking while thinking about other things; what if you knocked into somebody?”

“I’m sorry.” She lowered her gaze. “I was lost in my thoughts for a bit. It wasn’t intentional.”

She didn’t want to walk and think at the same time either. Unfortunately, she had subconsciously begun to mull over certain things while they were leaving. After that, she got absorbed in her thoughts, leading to her current predicament.

“It’s fine this time since I’m by your side. However, you must not do something like this if you are alone. It’s very dangerous.” Yuchi Yishu tried his best to warn her about the dangers of walking alone; his tone was very gentle. “For example, if you failed to pay attention while walking on the road, what do you think will happen then?”

She was about to say something, but he interrupted her again, “The results are unpredictable. That’s why we should not think about other things while driving or walking. You can think about it when you’re not moving about. If you really can’t control yourself, then stand in place without moving. Do you understand?”

After saying that, he reached out and rubbed her head.

“I got it, Yishu.” At first, she wanted to tug at the edges of his shirt. She reached out for a moment, then suddenly recalled what she was pondering just now. Her hand froze in mid-air. A long while passed before she withdrew her hand and let it drop to her side.

It so happened that he saw everything that took place. Pausing, he felt as if his heart was being gnawed at by ants. “Let’s go. What do you want for lunch?”

Although she didn’t want to be caught up in her thoughts again, her mind was in a mess. Thus, she answered in a panic, “I’m fine with anything.”

“Are you tired?”

“Huh?”

“Do you want me to send you home?”

Go home? Tang Yuanyuan gripped the hem of her clothes tightly. Does Yishu not want to eat with me? Her eyes flickered, then she nodded after a moment. “Okay, let’s go home then.”

“Okay. Go home, have lunch, then take a good rest. School is going to start soon.”

“Yishu, are we going to the hospital again tomorrow?”

“You don’t want to visit again?”

“No, it’s not that.” She shook her head. “I just feel that Mrs. Zhong is acting a little strangely.”

Initially, she wanted to take care of Chufeng’s mother. However, the words Mrs. Zhong said to her today made her uncomfortable. If Mrs. Zhong planned to regard her as her future daughter-in-law, then she would definitely crush all the expectations Mrs. Zhong had of her.

Hearing that, Yuchi Yishu’s steps paused slightly. “Mrs. Zhong just underwent surgery. It’s quite normal to say something strange at this time. Don’t take it to heart.”

“But, what if she said that she wanted Chufeng and I to be in a relationship?”

He froze in his tracks. Thus, she followed suit. Along the bustling corridor, she raised her head and stared at him seriously. “Yishu, are you like them? Do you think that I’m still young and mentally immature? Is that why you won’t get into a relationship with me? Are you afraid that I will regret it?”

He had not expected her to bring up this topic here. Reaching out to rub her head, he said, “What nonsense are you thinking about? Aren’t you tired after running about the whole morning? Don’t you want to go back to rest?”

“Yishu, don’t change the subject. I’m asking you this question very seriously.”

Her expression indicated that she wanted to hash things out clearly. Thus, he had no choice but to drag her to the side where it was quieter. “Calm down.”

Her eyes were red-rimmed. She knew that her actions were going overboard, but she was starting to doubt herself after listening to so many people saying similar words to her recently.

“Let’s go back and rest. We can discuss this matter on another day, okay?”

She said nothing in reply. With her eyes lowered, she looked rather pitiful. After a long while, she finally nodded.

On the way home, the atmosphere between them was much stiffer. Leaning against the wall of the car, she closed her eyes and slept, refusing to speak to Yuchi Yishu. On the other hand, Yuchi Yishu felt too embarrassed to disturb her.

Tang Yuanyuan opened her eyes as they arrived home. As she removed her safety belt, she said, “Yishu, I understand your standpoint. I will also figure it out myself. Since you think I’m not mentally mature enough yet, I will work hard to become mature.”

After saying that, she left without waiting for his reply.

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1673

After Tang Yuanyuan left, Yuchi Yishu sat in the driver’s seat and mulled over it alone for a long time. For some reason, he felt slightly nervous. The gaze she had, as she left, made him feel like he was about to lose something important. After thinking about it, his mood turned sour—so much so that he craved a smoke. Then, it occurred to him that he did not smoke.

In the end, he drove to a small kiosk and bought a packet of chewing gum. Then, he popped a few into his mouth. Unfortunately, the sugar couldn’t wipe away the suffocating feeling in his heart. Thus, he stuffed the packet of gum into his pocket and left.

Over the next few days, Tang Yuanyuan continued to visit and help take care of Chufeng’s mother. Even so, she stopped going there once school reopened.

She had a slight fear of going back to school. This was because she and Meng Kefei sat at the same table. However, after their fallout, they probably couldn’t sit at the same table again. Besides, sitting at the same table would be awkward.

She regarded Meng Kefei as her best friend. Still, if Meng Kefei hated her that much, then there was no need for her to shamelessly approach Meng Kefei. Only, she did not know whether she should take the initiative to ask the teacher to change their seats. If she came forward first, wouldn’t that paint Meng Kefei in a bad light? I should let Fei do it herself.

Then, the long-awaited day of returning to school arrived. Thus, Tang Yuanyuan dragged her luggage to the dormitory.

At the same time, Mrs. Zhong was discharged from the hospital. For that reason, Zhong Chufeng and Yuchi Yishu sent her to the dormitory as usual and helped to clean up the place. However, due to delays on the road, they arrived late.

When she arrived, Zhang Xiaolu and Yuan Yuehan were already at the dormitory. Seeing Tang Yuanyuan, as well as Yuchi Yishu and Zhong Chufeng following behind her, the two girls immediately stood up.

“Yuanyuan; Yishu and Chufeng! You’re here!”

“Hello.” Tang Yuanyuan exchanged greetings with them. Then, she subconsciously glanced over at Meng Kefei’s bed—nobody had cleaned up the place. Despite her resolve not to shamelessly approach Meng Kefei, they had been best friends for many years. Thus, she couldn’t help asking, “Where is Fei? Has she not arrived?”

“Meng Kefei?” Zhang Xiaolu replied. “She’s not coming anymore.”

“Not coming anymore?”

“Yuanyuan, did you not know? She applied to change her dormitory room. Now, she is staying upstairs. It so happens that she is in the same room as my best friends.”

Hearing that, a flash of sorrow flitted across Tang Yuanyuan’s eyes. I guess now that she has changed her dormitory, I’m sure she’ll change her seat too. Oh, well. The relationship between us has fallen apart. This is fairly normal behavior. Even so, she couldn’t help feeling lonely. She did not truly believe that Meng Kefei had no intentions of ever being friends with her anymore.

“Yuanyuan, what happened between you and Fei over the winter break? Why did she want to change her dormitory the moment she got back to school?

“That’s right. Did she hurt you?”

As Yuchi Yishu and Zhong Chufeng were present, the two girls showed great concern for Tang Yuanyuan. Moreover, they did their best to show that they were on her side, even going so far as to talk badly of Meng Kefei.

“Yuanyuan, seeing as she has already applied to change her dormitory, then you should forget about her. Nothing will change even if it’s only the three of us staying here. In the future, if she won’t spend time with you, you can join us instead.”

“That’s right. We will take good care of you.”

“Thank you. I’m going to start cleaning up.”

Tang Yuanyuan placed her bags on a nearby study table, then she went to the bathroom. When Yuchi Yishu saw that, he pursed his thin lips and followed after her. Upon entering the bathroom, he found the young lady standing there with red-rimmed eyes.

“It’s not worth it,” he said neutrally. Then, he walked over and picked up a rag hanging by the side. “Let’s clean the place up.”

“Okay.” She forced her tears back, then put a smile on her face. “It’s nothing, Yishu. I was just feeling a bit down about it. I’ll be fine after some time.”

Reaching out, he rested his palm on the top of the young lady’s head. His gaze was gloomy. “Don’t be sad for the people that don’t cherish you—no matter who it is.”

“Okay.” She picked up a basin and filled it with clean water. Then, she put a rag into the water, washed it, and wrung it dry. “I’ll go wipe down the window.”

“The window is too high. I’ll do it. Why don’t you take the blankets out to sun-dry and wipe down your closet?” After saying that, Yuchi Yishu took the rag out of her hands and walked out.

Tang Yuanyuan took a while to get her emotions back under control before walking out with the plastic basin in her hands. At first, she was going to clean her closets as per Yuchi Yishu’s instructions, then unpack her luggage. However, as soon as she walked to her closet, Zhong Chufeng came over and took the rag out of her hands. “I’ll do it.”

Feeling helpless, she then went to wipe down her bed. This time, Zhang Xiaolu and Yuan Yuehan rushed over and took over her chores, pushing her aside.

“Yuanyuan, why don’t you sit by the side and wait? You can play with your phone or read a bit. We’ll be done in a flash.”

What a joke! Now that the hateful Meng Kefei is gone, there’s only the three of us left. Moreover, Tang Yuanyuan is surely feeling upset at the moment. Thus, it was the perfect chance for Zhang Xiaolu and Yuan Yuehan to integrate themselves with Tang Yuanyuan and snatch over the position of her best friend.

Over two years, Zhang Xiaolu and Yuan Yuehan had made up their minds. Even if they couldn’t snag Yuchi Yishu for themselves, Zhong Chufeng wasn’t such a bad catch either. Besides, it didn’t matter if they couldn’t obtain him either. They couldn’t put all their eggs in one basket—there were so many other outstanding men with wealthy family backgrounds. If they had a good relationship with Tang Yuanyuan, they could get closer to the Han Family, the Ye Family, the Yuchi Family, and countless other conglomerates. These were more important than a single man.

Tang Yuanyuan was dumbstruck. There was nothing she could do, so she could only stupidly stand to the side. The moment she approached them, she would be pushed aside. Thus, she did nothing in the end.

Once they were done cleaning up, she felt embarrassed. Therefore, she decided to treat all of them to hotpot outside the school. As it was still winter, they decided on having beef hotpot.

After eating the hotpot, the two guys sent the three girls back to their school before leaving.

On the way back to the dormitory, Zhang Xiaolu and Yuan Yuehan surrounded Tang Yuanyuan on both sides as they showered her with kind words.

“Yuanyuan, don’t feel sad. If Meng Kefei decides not to sit at the same table with you, you can randomly pick one of us and join us at our table. It doesn’t matter who you choose.”

“That’s right! If you want to share the same table with one of us, we can go to the teacher together and ask for a change of seats. Or, we could take turns to keep you company. What do you think?”

Tang Yuanyuan was slightly taken aback by their sudden friendliness. “No, it’s okay.”

“Don’t be afraid, Yuanyuan. We are just worried that you’ll be upset. That’s why we want to keep you company.”

“Yup, yup. We may have done some things to you that made you sad in the past, but we’ve come to regret our actions. Besides, we don’t have our eyes on your brother anymore. We won’t try to snatch him from you, so don’t worry.”

Tang Yuanyuan began, “I—”

“By the way, how far has the relationship between you and your brother developed? Your coming-of-age ceremony is over, so when are you going to become a couple?”

Tang Yuanyuan blushed. “How did you know?”

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1674

“What’s wrong? Haven’t you always liked Yishu?”

“No…”

“Don’t deny it. We’re all girls here. We can tell.”

“Yeah, yeah. If you ever need our help, don’t hesitate to ask.”

Zhang Xiaolu and Yuan Yuehan changed dramatically this year—so much so that Tang Yuanyuan was horrified by their friendliness. But having them by her side and keeping her distracted did help her forget about Meng Kefei.

Having a distraction easily diverted her attention away from what she did not want to think about.

“I’m so full. Should we have an orange later when we get back?”

“Yeah, sure.”

The three of them were walking together. When they made a turn, they ran into Meng Kefei who happened to be heading downstairs. Tang Yuanyuan came face-to-face with her and stopped abruptly.

Even though they made eye contact, Meng Kefei acted as though she had not seen Tang Yuanyuan and continued to walk ahead without a change in demeanor.

Zhang Xiaolu and Yuan Yuehan both looked at each other then lamented, “Oh, some people are just so cold and heartless. No matter how you look at it, you were once in the same dorm and were even roommates for two years, yet they won’t even say hi to you now that you’re not living together anymore. I can’t tell if they’re a human or a dog.”

“They’re not human but definitely not a dog either. Even a dog stays by your side after you’ve been with them for two years. They’re more loyal than some people.”

Their unpleasant remarks made Tang Yuanyuan frown. “That’s enough, you two.”

“Don’t worry, Yuanyuan. We’ll stand up for you from now on. That is the least we can say about someone cold and heartless like her.”

“Yeah, Yuanyuan. She was completely indifferent when seeing you earlier. Why do you still want to protect her?”

Not only did Meng Kefei act like she did not see Tang Yuanyuan, but it also seemed like she did not hear what Yuan Yuehan and Zhang Xiaolu said about her as she quickly walked off into the distance.

She was so cruel. Tang Yuanyuan’s eyes began to turn red.

“Don’t be angry, Yuanyuan.”

“Yeah, Yuanyuan. She’s not worth it.”

Tang Yuanyuan took a deep breath and held back the tears that were threatening to fall. “Why do you guys want to be friends with me?”

They hesitated then explained, “Of course, it’s because—”

“It’s because my family has money and influence, right?”

She looked at the both of them with a sharp and clear gaze as though she had seen right through them. “In the beginning, you guys only approached me because you were interested in Yishu. But when you realized he didn’t like either of you, you gave up. That day, at my coming-of-age ceremony, you guys used the fact that you were my classmates to get acquainted with a lot of people, didn’t you?”

“Yuanyuan, it’s not what you think. We did have a motive at first, but we have come to our senses since then. That was two years ago. We’ve matured and we’re all grown-ups now. We were just immature back then so we had those childish thoughts. That won’t ever happen now.”

“Yeah, yeah. Don’t misunderstand. We really want to be friends with you.”

As they spoke, they went in closer to her.

Tang Yuanyuan intentionally took a big step back and glared at them. “I don’t care who you guys become friends with, but never bad-mouth the people in my life again. Meng Kefei and I may not be friends anymore, but neither of you has the right to talk bad about her behind her back.”

“I don’t get it, Yuanyuan. She doesn’t even want to be friends with you anymore. Didn’t you see how she completely disregarded you earlier? Why are you still defending her?”

Tang Yuanyuan had a stern expression. “I’m not defending anyone. I just don’t like it when people around me like to gossip. That’s all.”

After that, Tang Yuanyuan turned and walked away, leaving Yuan Yuehan and Zhang Xiaolu behind.

“What do we do? We were supposed to get on her good side, but we ended up making her angry.”

“What can we do? She doesn’t like it when people talk about Meng Kefei, so we just have to refrain from talking about her from now on. Besides, Meng Kefei already moved out so there’s nothing much she can do now. It’s done and dusted.”

“Alright then. Let’s go.”

They followed Tang Yuanyuan back to their dormitory. While Tang Yuanyuan sat on the edge of the bed, they kept asking if she was okay and eventually apologized to her.

“We’re sorry, Yuanyuan. We were wrong to say those things about Meng Kefei. We shouldn’t gossip about other people. You’re right; it’s not right to talk behind someone’s back. We were wrong. Don’t be angry anymore, okay?”

“Yeah. We won’t talk about her anymore. We’ll just pretend she’s a stranger when we see her next time.”

Looking at the both of them, Tang Yuanyuan felt like they seemed sincere with their words and apology. If Tang Yuanyuan had not overheard their conversation from before, she would have been moved by the way they were acting right now.

But when she thought about how the two of them were only saying those things so they could use her, it just seemed sad and somewhat comical.

She questioned, “If I weren’t Tang Yuanyuan and Tang Yuanyuan weren’t me, would you guys still grovel before me and say all these things?”

Yuan Yuehan and Zhang Xiaolu froze and stared at her in silence.

“Honestly, I don’t need to hear it from you to know the answer.” Tang Yuanyuan lowered her gaze. If I wasn’t Tang Yuanyuan, no one would pay any attention to me. I wouldn’t have had the chance to grow up with Yishu either.

Nonetheless, she still felt like it was nice to have someone who cared about and was there for her. It was hard for her to let go of that warmth. Perhaps it was because she was spoiled with love as a child that made the sudden loss of a friend feel extremely lonely and bitter.

“I don’t really have to think so deeply into this. It’s fine even if you guys only approached me because I’m Tang Yuanyuan. That just means I have some worth, right?”

The two of them remained silent. Since it had come to this point, there was not much of an explanation they could give.

Tang Yuanyuan would not have believed them even if they tried to justify themselves.

Eventually, Yuan Yuehan said, “It wouldn’t mean a thing if we said anything now. But we’re all adults here. As long as we know the truth deep down, we can just let bygones be bygones. Isn’t it better to be friends than enemies? You should go take a shower and go to bed earlier today. We’ll have breakfast together tomorrow.”

She got up immediately and returned to her bed and started putting things away.

Zhang Xiaolu had not expected her to speak so bluntly. She’s not wrong, though. It is better to have one more friend than an enemy. So what if we’re just superficial friends? It’s all good as long as we don’t fight. With that, she also got up in an instant.

“I’ll go and put my things away too. You should take a hot shower. It will help you feel better.”

Tang Yuanyuan remained seated on the edge of the bed for a long time. It was hard to tell what she was thinking from the ambiguous expression on her face. But after ten to twenty minutes, she finally stood up, grabbed her clothes, and went into the bathroom.

“Do you think she took our words to heart?”

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1675

“Whatever.” Yuan Yuehan did not seem to care but her expression said otherwise. “Besides, you heard her; she knows exactly why we approached her. Is there anything else we can say?”

“That may be so, but even if we’re aware of it, it would still make some difference if we talked about it.”

“Do whatever you want.”

When Yuan Yuehan woke up the next day and was getting ready to go wash up in the bathroom, she was startled to bump into Tang Yuanyuan who was just coming out of there.

“Yuanyuan, why are you up so early?”

Tang Yuanyuan had switched out of her gloomy mood from the day before and was smiling at her. “Morning.”

For some reason, Yuan Yuehan found herself at a sudden loss for words. Did she come to terms with everything after just one night?

Seeing the dumbfounded look on her face, Tang Yuanyuan explained, “I’ve thought it through. We’re classmates after all, so there’s no need to make such a big commotion out of this. We should just get along with each other.”

Of course, they would not be the closest of friends, but she could put up with just being superficial friends.

Although it made her feel like a hypocrite, she did not want to keep figuring out the reasons people had to get close to her.

I’ll just pretend they actually want to be good friends with me. That way, I won’t be too lonely either. It doesn’t sound pleasant, but we’re really just using each other.

“Okay.” Yuan Yuehan smiled. “I’m glad that you were able to see past it. Let’s go eat breakfast together after I’m done washing up.”

“Sure.”

While Yuan Yuehan was brushing her teeth, she scrolled through WeChat on her phone and asked Tang Yuanyuan, “What do you want to have for breakfast? Are we going to the dining hall or somewhere outside?”

Tang Yuanyuan wanted to say that they should just eat at the dining hall.

But Yuan Yuehan suddenly cut in, “Let’s go out. This restaurant that opened recently has pretty good food. Xiaolu and I have been there before. We’ll take you there today so you can try for yourself.”

Tang Yuanyuan was a bit concerned. “Can we make it back in time if we go out to eat?”

“Of course. It’s still early now. We just have to be quick. ”

“Okay.”

“Xiaolu, that brat, is still not up yet. Can you go wake her up so she doesn’t hold us back later?”

After that, Tang Yuanyuan went to wake Zhang Xiaolu up. Once they were all ready, they departed together.

Since losing her best friend Meng Kefei, Tang Yuanyuan spent most of her time with Zhang Xiaolu and Yuan Yuehan. Their family backgrounds were not as outstanding as hers, but they were not too bad either. Surprisingly, they had similar opinions when it came to certain things.

For example, when they bought clothes, they all agreed on a brand that had both good quality and style. The same also applied for shoes and food—they all prioritized quality.

However, when Tang Yuanyuan and Meng Kefei used to spend time together, Meng Kefei often prioritized cheaper options. Even when Tang Yuanyuan wanted to pay for her, she did not want to accept it.

Clear distinctions kept emerging from their different perspectives on things.

Because of those differences, either one of them had to compromise each time. Despite that, they could have still been happy together as long as one did not impose on the other.

But after being with Zhang Xiaolu and Yuan Yuehan, Tang Yuanyuan realized that she was happier with them. Furthermore, she also realized that her own happiness was the most important.

Everything else did not matter as much.

As the days went by, she did not look for Yuchi Yishu. At the same time, he had gotten busier because it was his final year in university, so the both of them did not have much time to talk. Zhong Chufeng also only visited her every once in a while.

She spent most of her time with Zhang Xiaolu and Yuan Yuehan—going in and out of campus, studying, exercising, eating, and drinking. They never let any moment go to waste and had everything planned out perfectly.

In the midst of all that, they seemed to have grown closer to each other. Tang Yuanyuan felt like Zhang Xiaolu and Yuan Yuehan were not as ill-intentioned as they once were. Did they influence her or did she influence them?

In a blink of an eye, two months had gone by.

One afternoon, the three of them were in a beef noodle shop eating noodles. Tang Yuanyuan ordered an extra spicy one which made her nose all red and her eyes tear up every now and then. After wiping her face with a piece of tissue paper, she continued eating.

“Oh, you. You can’t even eat something that spicy. Why do you keep ordering that?”

After calling her out, Zhang Xiaolu stood up and ordered a bottle of frozen yogurt from the shop owner. “Drink some of this. I heard yogurt helps to take the heat away.”

“Thanks.” Tang Yuanyuan took the yogurt from her and drank a few mouthfuls. The cold sensation immediately filled the inside of her mouth and almost numbed her tongue that felt like it was on fire just before. At that moment, she felt a lot better.

“I think you should just give up on that and have the shop owner get you one with clear soup instead. You really can’t eat spicy food.” Yuan Yuehan was about to take away her bowl of extra spicy noodles and get a new order when she saw the shop owner bring out a bowl of clear soup noodles right as she stood up.

“This is for you, Miss.”

“Huh?” Tang Yuanyuan looked slightly dazed while sitting there with her eyes and nose all red. Even her eyes were swollen from the heat, which made her look rather pitiful.

At the same table, Yuan Yuehan and Zhang Xiaolu were also slightly confused.

“We haven’t even ordered yet, sir. How did you know?”

The shop owner was a kind and honest man in his forties. He looked at them with a cheerful smile then pointed somewhere. “That young lad over there said you looked like you were having a hard time eating that, so he ordered a bowl of clear soup noodles for you.”

The three girls were stunned. Then, they turned to look in the direction the shop owner was pointing at.

A fair-skinned and clean-looking young man wearing glasses was sitting over there. When he saw them look over, he waved a hand at them and looked rather friendly.

“Miss, the young man wanted me to tell you not to force yourself if you can’t eat spicy food because your stomach won’t be able to handle it. You don’t want your stomach to hurt later.”

Tang Yuanyuan felt like the young man’s gaze on her was too piercing and avoided it intentionally. In a small voice, she said, “Thanks, sir. I got it.”

The young man did not come over and Tang Yuanyuan did not continue to eat the bowl of extra spicy noodles. Before this, she was already planning to order a bowl of clear soup noodles for herself.

She did not expect someone to order for her. When she lowered her head to drink the soup, she heard Zhang Xiaolu and Yuan Yuehan let out a cheeky laugh.

“Hehehe, Yuanyuan. Is someone finally pursuing you?”

“Tsk. She’s so pretty. I actually thought it was weird that no one pursued her in the past. This is how it should really be.”

The expression on Tang Yuanyuan’s face changed slightly. “Don’t say things like that, you guys.”

“What are you scared of? All he did was buy you a bowl of beef noodle soup.”

However, that gesture had shaken up Tang Yuanyuan. Pursing her lips, she lowered her head and ate the noodles in silence.

Once they were done eating and ready to pay for the bill, the shop owner informed them that their table had already been paid for.

They knew who it was without a second thought. Since he left not too long ago, Tang Yuanyuan had no choice but to quickly chase after him.

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1676

Letting out a cheeky grin, Yuan Yuehan and Zhang Xiaolu followed after Tang Yuanyuan but kept some distance between them.

“Hey, wait up,” Tang Yuanyuan called out as she jogged up to the young man in glasses.

The young man stopped walking and turned around.

“Hey.”

After rushing out to catch up to him, Tang Yuanyuan fumbled as she came to a stop in front of him. The young man reached out to help her but retracted his hand when he saw that she had steadied herself.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah.” She nodded and hurriedly took out some money from her wallet to give to him. “This is for what you paid for us earlier. You can have it back.”

Since she did not have change with her, she gave him the biggest note she had.

He looked at the money in her hand and smiled as he fidgeted with his glasses. “Pardon me, but I didn’t spend that much money.”

Tang Yuanyuan quickly turned red. “I know, but I don’t have any change. Just take this for now.”

She was going to shove the hundred note at him but he blocked it and her soft, small hand touched his warm palm instead.

In comparison, her hands were icy cold. Ever since she was little, aside from Yuchi Yishu, Zhong Chufeng, and the two Han brothers, she never had any physical contact with another guy.

Bumping into his hand left her slightly stunned and she quickly pulled back on impulse.

“S-Sorry,” she apologized with a flushed face. The money also fell out of her hand and onto the ground.

He lowered his gaze at her and smirked upon seeing her flustered appearance. Bending down, he picked up the money from the ground.

“I’m not a monster. I don’t eat people so you don’t have to be so nervous.”

After he said that, she felt even more embarrassed and stammered as she spoke.

Just then, Yuan Yuehan and Zhang Xiaolu, who kept watch the whole time, quickly made their way over. “Oh, Yuanyuan hasn’t had a lot of interactions with guys. She’s not scared; she’s just shy.”

“Isn’t that right, Yuanyuan?”

The young man smiled as he looked at the three of them. “Let me introduce myself. I’m Zong Yongran, a third-year student.”

“Eek! You’re our senior.”

“Nice to meet you, Yongran. We’re only second-year students. I’m Yuan Yuehan, this is Zhang Xiaolu, and this is Tang Yuanyuan.”

Tang Yuanyuan?

Zong Yongran looked at Tang Yuanyuan’s flushed cheeks and teased, “Your name is just as cute as you are. Tang Yuanyuan, you shouldn’t force yourself to eat spicy food next time if you can’t take it. It’s not good for your digestive system.”

“Mm-hmm.” She just nodded.

“Also.” he paused and handed her the money. “You don’t have to pay me back. We’re all from the same school anyway, and you’re my juniors. It’s only right that I buy you a meal.”

“N-No, you don’t have to,” Tang Yuanyuan immediately refused while Zhang Xiaolu took the money back from him. “Got it. Thanks, Yongran. If we ever get a chance to, we’ll buy you a meal next time.”

“Sure, if the chance comes. I still have class so I’ll get going now.”

“Alright. See you, Yongran.”

The moment he was gone, Zhang Xiaolu and Yuan Yuehan shook Tang Yuanyuan by her arms. “Who would have thought? After you’ve been here for so long, that was the first time someone made a move on you. I always wondered; since you’re so beautiful and you come from a great family, how did someone like him only show up now?”

“It’s not like there weren’t any.” Yuan Yuehan crossed her arms. “They were just too timid. The Tang Group is one of the Three Big Groups in North City. Even if they wanted to, they wouldn’t have dared.”

“Finally, there’s someone brave enough now. But I don’t think he’s desperately trying to pursue you seeing as how he knows when to back off. He didn’t even ask you for your number. He’s a total pro who just made it seem like paying for the meal was purely coincidental.”

Yuan Yuehan suddenly grinned. “Yuanyuan, are you interested?”

Tang Yuanyuan shook her head. “Enough with the blabber. We’re probably not going to meet him again.”

She already had someone in her heart, although they assumed she was only acting that way because of her lack of interaction with guys.

“Whether we meet him again or not will depend on what he does. Okay, let’s head back for today. Yuanyuan, if you and Yuchi Yishu don’t end up together, you should try things out with Yongran if he chooses to pursue you.”

“Try?”

“Yeah, just try it. He’s good-looking and seems very neat. If you date someone as gentle and considerate as him, best believe that he will treat you with the utmost care.”

Tang Yuanyuan could not help but think of Yuchi Yishu. Yishu doesn’t look gentle on the outside. His handsome features also seem to make him less approachable as he always wears a tight-lipped, straight face. He’s not much of a talker and he’s always frowning.

But still, he treats me with the utmost care in the world.

“Yeah, you should never go for those nasty and hard rocks who don’t care about you at all. You have to go for someone like Yongran.”

“I don’t think appearances tell the whole story,” Tang Yuanyuan murmured. “It’s just a person’s outer shell.”

“Yuanyuan, are you thinking about Yishu? We don’t mean him; we mean nasty and hard rocks. Yishu isn’t a rock.”

“Huh?”

“He’s more like a snowy mountain, but the snow melts eventually. On the other hand, a rock will always be a rock—nasty and unyielding.”

Can snowy mountains melt?

Why does it feel so difficult? A small ice cube can melt easily, but a whole mountain?

Whatever; I don’t want to think about this anymore.

Tang Yuanyuan returned to campus with them and happened to meet Zhong Chufeng, who came over to look for her.

She spotted him standing by the school gate from a distance away. Yuan Yuehan and Zhang Xiaolu, who had their arms hooked on either side of her, also spotted him.

They teased, “I’ve noticed that Zhong Chufeng is especially attentive when it comes to you. If you don’t want to be with Zong Yongran, you can try things out with him too.”

“What?”

What nonsense are these two talking about?

Tang Yuanyuan changed the topic.

“I don’t want to think about this for now. I’ll consider it when I get to university.”

“Huh? University? But you’re already an adult.”

So what? I still look like a child to a certain someone. A year or two after getting into university, we’ll see if he still sees me as a child.

Tang Yuanyuan clenched her fists.

“My relationship with Chufeng is really pure. You guys can say these things to me, but don’t say them in front of him. I don’t want things to get awkward between us.”

Thus, the two of them had no choice but to do as she asked.

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1677

Ever since that first meeting at the shop with Zong Yongran, Tang Yuanyuan would often bump into him whenever she was out to buy something. Like when Zhang Xiaolu suddenly said she wanted some mango-flavored drink from a store by the school gate and begged Tang Yuanyuan to buy it for her, Tang Yuanyuan just happened to run into him when she went there and he ended up paying for the bill again.

On another occasion, they were out eating hotpot together and also met him there. Coincidentally, there were no more seats left at the restaurant that day, so they naturally formed a table together.

Tang Yuanyuan originally wanted to eat mandarin duck hotpot, but Zong Yongran went ahead and ordered a clear soup base for them.

“You’re so considerate, Yongran. You know that Yuanyuan can’t eat spicy food so you ordered a clear soup base. How sweet!”

“Yeah. Is there a more caring senior out there?”

While Zhang Xiaolu and Yuan Yuehan continued to flatter Zong Yongran in front of Tang Yuanyuan, Zong Yongran stayed calm and kept a small smile on the corners of his lips.

At the same time, Tang Yuanyuan felt extremely out of place as she had a feeling that Zhang Xiaolu and Yuan Yuehan were intentionally trying to bring her and Zong Yongran together.

She was a bit reluctant, but she also wanted to see if she did indeed lack in her interactions with guys. Either way, she was completely at odds with herself.

Midway through eating, Zhang Xiaolu picked up a call that needed her and Yuan Yuehan to head back first. The both of them shot each other a meaningful glance and stood up.

“Yuanyuan, there are some things we need to take care of right now. You should take your time and eat here with Yongran.”

“Huh? What things?” Tang Yuanyuan also stood up. “Should I come along?”

“It’s nothing major.” Yuan Yuehan pressed on Tang Yuanyuan’s shoulders and pushed her back down into the seat. Smiling at Zong Yongran, she said, “Yongran, look after Yuanyuan for us. You have to keep a close eye on her, okay? We’ll come looking for you if anything happens to her.”

After that, they left the place in haste.

The corners of Tang Yuanyuan’s lips started to twitch from the awkwardness.

“Don’t be nervous.” Zong Yongran seemed to have sensed her distress and smiled at her. “They mean well, but you don’t seem willing. Just treat me as a friend.”

A friend?

She let out a sigh of relief. “Okay.”

His hand stopped abruptly. It did not seem like he was expecting her to answer so quickly. “You didn’t even hesitate to answer. It kind of hurts.”

“Huh?” She did not know how to respond for a moment. “Sorry, Yongran. I just—”

“It’s fine; you don’t have to explain. It hasn’t been that long since we met. I don’t have other intentions either so don’t feel pressured, okay?”

She nodded her head. Despite saying that they would just be friends, he kept putting food in her bowl for her. He kept looking after her—so much so that he did not get to eat much himself.

Feeling uncomfortable as she ate, her mind somehow wandered to Yuchi Yishu.

If only Yishu was here eating hotpot with me instead.

She could not help but sigh at the thought of him. How long had it been since they last met? Since the semester started, she did not really want to see him anymore. He had also gotten busier and did not normally have time to see her. Even when he was finally able to relax and have some free time, she did not go to see him.

Just like that, the two of them had not seen each other since the semester started.

In a way, Tang Yuanyuan was also avoiding him.

“What? We ran all the way here but there are still no seats left?”

“It can’t be. It’s like this every day. We never get a seat, and we can’t book in advance. Isn’t your shop too much of a cheat?”

“We’re really sorry, misters. We tend to get quite a lot of people in the evening. Perhaps you can consider coming a bit earlier tomorrow. Will that work?”

“Will what work? Who eats hotpot in broad daylight? Don’t people usually eat it at night? If there aren’t enough seats, can’t you just put in more? For goodness sake.”

Tang Yuanyuan thought she heard two unfamiliar yet familiar voices. Turning back around to look, she realized that it was the two roommates she met at Yuchi Yishu’s dorm last time.

They had only met once before and were not very close, so she did not feel comfortable with greeting them.

However, one of them looked over and made eye contact with her.

“Eh? Isn’t that Yishu’s sister?”

The other one also turned to look at her. “It really is. Yuanyuan, what are you doing here?”

“Hello.”

Tang Yuanyuan stood up and greeted the both of them. When they walked over, they realized that there was a guy at the table too. He was wearing glasses and seemed put-together; he looked like he was Tang Yuanyuan’s schoolmate.

“Are you eating hotpot with your friend, Yuanyuan?”

Zong Yongran stood up when they greeted him, and Tang Yuanyuan introduced them to each other. “Yongran, they are my brother’s schoolmates. This is Yongran, my senior at school.”

Zong Yongran smiled at the two people. “Are you guys looking for a seat? Do you want to sit with us?”

That table was originally meant to fit six people. They asked for a bigger table earlier when Zhang Xiaolu and Yuan Yuehan were with them. But since they left midway, there were now four empty seats left.

“Sure, if you guys don’t mind.”

“Not at all.”

Once they sat down, Zong Yongran asked the waiter for two more sets of cutlery.

Tang Yuanyuan was already uncomfortable before. Now that there were two more people, she felt even more uneasy. Even though they were Yuchi Yishu’s friends, she was not close to them.

One of them stood up after ordering and said, “I’m going to the bathroom.”

But when he left, he immediately picked up his phone and called Yuchi Yishu.

Jiang Yu and Yuchi Yishu were schoolmates, but they did not normally call each other for no apparent reason. This time, he was calling Yuchi Yishu about Tang Yuanyuan.

When the call went through, Yuchi Yishu’s bleak tone came through the phone.

“What is it?”

“Yishu.” Jiang Yu dragged out the end of his name. “I came out to eat hotpot with Yi Huasheng today. Can you guess who we met?” There was silence on the other end and no indication that Yuchi Yishu would play along.

“Hurry up and guess, Yishu.”

“I’m really busy here. If there’s nothing else, then I’ll—”

“We met your sister! Who would have thought?”

Yuchi Yishu paused. “My sister?”

“Yeah. The one who came to our dorm last time.”

Meeting Tang Yuanyuan at a hotpot shop was not unusual and Yuchi Yishu was not bothered by it. After all, she was a little foodie.

The only thing that unsettled him was how she had been trying to avoid him lately.

“Mm-hmm.”

“Yishu, your sister has grown to be so beautiful. There’s even someone pursuing her now. The young lad eating hotpot with her is so caring toward her.”

“What did you say?”

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1678

Yuchi Yishu thought he had misheard him. Yuanyuan is eating hotpot with another guy?

“Yishu? Yishu?”

He only snapped out of it when he heard his roommate call his name a few times. Lifting his hand to look at the time on his watch, Yuchi Yishu pursed his lips then asked, “Where?”

Just as Jiang Yu returned inside, the waiter brought over their new order and switched out a new pot for them. Zong Yongran motioned to Tang Yuanyuan and asked, “Yuanyuan, do you want to come sit over here?”

They were at a table for six. Initially, the both of them were sitting face-to-face with each other. When Yuchi Yishu’s friends showed up, they sat next to Tang Yuanyuan and left Zong Yongran on the other side by himself.

Jiang Yu automatically got up. “I’ll sit over there.”

He sat next to Zong Yongran and left the spot next to Tang Yuanyuan vacant. Yishu can sit there when he arrives later.

Jiang Yu was fairly quick-witted. Ever since Tang Yuanyuan showed up at their dorm, he sensed that there was something odd between the both of them. When he later found out that they were childhood friends, he seemed to put the pieces together. Although he was not too sure, he did not talk about it if Yuchi Yishu did not bring it up first.

He was on Yuchi Yishu’s side on this today. The phone call he made was also a way to test him out. When he heard the long pause Yuchi Yishu gave before asking for the address, everything became clear to him.

Meanwhile, Tang Yuanyuan wanted to leave. She did not expect to eat hotpot with three other guys. Moreover, she was not very familiar with them.

Feeling down, she thought, If only Yishu were here.

Suddenly, Jiang Yu, who was sitting in front of her, waved his hand behind her with a smile on his face. “Yishu, over here.”

Yishu?

Tang Yuanyuan thought she had misheard him. But when she turned around to look, she saw a tall figure heading toward them. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and handsome. He sat next to Tang Yuanyuan and brought in some of the crisp air from outside, but it was quickly overwhelmed by the heat from the hotpot.

Yuchi Yishu sat down next to Tang Yuanyuan and placed his phone on the table.

Tang Yuanyuan immediately stiffened.

“Do you mind if we have another person here, Yongran?” Jiang Yu asked cheerfully as he glanced at Zong Yongran beside him.

The sudden appearance of Yuchi Yishu left Zong Yongran slightly awe-struck as his presence was domineering and he seemed to come from a world of his own.

When he sat down next to Tang Yuanyuan, the aura he carried quickly blended in with hers and they somehow befitted each other from his point of view.

“Of course, not. He is Yuanyuan’s friend, so he’s a friend to all of us too.”

“He’s not just her friend,” Jiang Yu nonchalantly responded but did not go on to explain Yuchi Yishu’s relationship with her, letting him make his own guesses.

Zong Yongran hesitated then nodded at Yuchi Yishu when he understood. “Nice to meet you. I’m Zong Yongran, Yuanyuan’s senior.”

“Mm.” Yuchi Yishu was very monotonous. In a cold tone, he replied, “Yuchi Yishu.”

He took a good long look at Tang Yuanyuan, then suddenly reached up and pinched her cheeks. “You got thinner.”

Tang Yuanyuan froze as she looked at Yuchi Yishu. Her pink lips twitched, and she wanted to say something but was interrupted by Yuchi Yishu.

“Looks like you’re not eating properly again without me by your side.”

After that, he ordered another bowl of rice from the waiter and placed it in front of her. “You can’t just eat hotpot without rice. Eat some rice so you don’t get hungry at night.”

Tang Yuanyuan was already very full and was definitely not going to finish that big bowl of rice. She shook her head. “I-I can’t eat that much.”

“I’ll eat the leftovers.”

What?

She did not know how to respond and felt her face start to heat up. Lowering her eyes, she thought, Why does Yuchi Yishu seem a bit different today?

More dominating? Possessive?

No, no. She pictured herself shaking her head. Why would he feel that way toward me? He never wanted to be with me. Pursing her lips, she silently picked up some rice.

Yi Huasheng and Jiang Yu exchanged glances, then looked at Zong Yongran at the same time. They were impressed to see that he looked unperturbed. In a situation like that, unless he did not like Tang Yuanyuan, he would need to be calm enough to remain unhindered.

They felt apologetic and started to engage in conversation with him. Tang Yuanyuan continued to poke at her bowl of rice dejectedly. She was unable to eat any more, but she was worried that Yuchi Yishu would actually eat her leftovers. She had no choice but to keep stuffing rice in her mouth, bit by bit.

Until half a bowl of soup was placed in front of her.

“Drink some soup, then rest for a bit.”

“Huh?”

Before she had time to react, Yuchi Yishu took away the bowl of rice she only had one-fifth of. Seeing him eat from the side of the bowl, the temperature on her face rose.

Is that considered indirect kissing?

She waved her hand in the air without realizing then picked up the bowl of soup to drink but ended up choking on it because she was in a rush.

Cough…

The soup was quickly taken out of her hands. Yuchi Yushi grabbed a piece of tissue paper and wiped the corners of her mouth then said gently, “How can you be so careless?”

Tang Yuanyuan looked up and met his eyes; they were as deep as the ocean and fixed on her. His gaze carried a hint of resignation and adoration.

How can this be?

She could not figure it out. Yishu is acting completely out of character today.

“Silly girl. No one is going to take it away from you so drink slowly.”

He poked her small and delicate nose. “Did you hear me?”

She froze; her pink lips gaped slightly but she did not say anything.

This is not how it should be. Yishu shouldn’t be like this. He was never like this before. Why is he so gentle toward me now?

Is it because…

She looked to where Zong Yongran was sitting and suddenly understood. Her previously blushed cheeks now lost their color, and her mind turned into clutter. She stood up.

Everyone turned to look at her.

“I-I have to go back and study. I’ll get going now.”

She did not care to hear their response and wanted to head straight out with her backpack. However, she was sitting on the inner side of the table. Yuchi Yishu would have to get up for her to leave, but he did not budge.

The atmosphere in the room became strange, but Zong Yongran maintained his composure.

“I just got here, and you want to leave already?”

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1679

Yuchi Yishu grabbed her by her wrist and looked her in the eye. “Are you full?”

“Yes, I am. I’ll go now.” Tang Yuanyuan withdrew her hand. Seeing how he was not going to give way to her, she told Yi Huasheng, who was next to them, “Excuse me, I’m trying to get through.”

Even though Yi Huasheng and Yuchi Yishu were roommates, the former dared not treat Tang Yuanyuan the way Yuchi Yishu did. So, he quickly got up.

Very quickly, Tang Yuanyuan disappeared while Yi Huasheng scratched the back of his head, feeling remorseful, “I’m sorry, Yishu. Yuanyuan—”

Before he could finish his sentence, Yuchi Yishu began running to catch Tang Yuanyuan, making the atmosphere extremely awkward.

Jiang Yu coughed and sneered. “Come on, I guess Yishu is sending Yuanyuan back to school. Let’s dig in. We don’t have to wait for them.”

In the meantime, Zong Yongran looked calm and continued eating hotpot with the two without mentioning either Tang Yuanyuan or Yuchi Yishu.

Looking pale, Tang Yuanyuan quicked her pace until she started jogging. She felt that something was welling up in her eyes and causing her to feel bitter. As such, she was not aware of the car that was coming when she ran into the middle of the road right away, until someone grabbed her by her arms and pulled her back in.

Tang Yuanyuan fell into a warm and secure embrace, which was quickly followed by a rebuking in a deep and raspy voice, “Do you want to die? Why did you run into the middle of the road?”

All the bitterness and frustrations that Tang Yuanyuan had been bottling up were all released right at this moment. She pushed Yuchi Yishu’s hands away. “It’s not your business! Let me go! Let go of me!”

No matter how hard Tang Yuanyuan tried to push and shove him, he would not loosen his strong grip. At some point, he even tightened his grip, causing so much pain to Tang Yuanyuan that she teared up. “Go away! Let me go!”

Yuchi Yishu felt helpless and pulled her back into his arms with his arms fully around her. “Who else is going to care about you? Don’t you know how dangerous it is to just storm into the middle of the road? What if you get hit by a car?”

“That’s none of your business!” Tang Yuanyuan still tried to push him away. She was feeling extremely frustrated and began speaking sarcastically, “If that happens and I die, you should be happy since no one else will pester you in the future anymore!”

A frown creased his forehead as he heard these words. “Why did you have to say that?”

“Isn’t it true?” Tang Yuanyuan looked up and stared at Yuchi Yishu. “What are you doing here today? I was just eating hotpot with my senior. What did you think you were doing here?”

Yuchi Yishu squinted. “Young lady, are you blaming me?” His eyes turned callous. “Is it because you were happily eating hotpot with him and my appearance ruined your mood?”

“Yes!” Tang Yuanyuan nodded and yelled, “Everything was perfect even when your roommates were around. But why did they have to invite you? I don’t want to see you at all!”

Did he think that she did not know what he was trying to do? Tang Yuanyuan was mad at him for not giving her an answer and not believing in her feelings for him. Since that was the case, he should not have shown up. Yet, he did and whilst there, he even tried being lovey-dovey with her in front of Zong Yongran by finishing her leftovers and wiping her mouth for her. These acts were truly absurd! The thought of this made her blood boil as she felt that her feelings were disrespected by him.

Yuchi Yishu almost burst out laughing at her reasoning but had to maintain his cool. “What do you mean by you don’t want to see me? You were the one who told me you liked me and wouldn’t even allow me to get a girlfriend. And now you’re saying that you don’t want to see me?”

“So what?” Tang Yuanyuan did not want to look weak. “That was before, and things are different now. Right now, I don’t want to see you.”

“I guess that means you like Zong Yongran?”

“Yes!”

“And you want to be with him?”

“That’s right!”

Yuchi Yishu nodded and slowly loosened his arms. “That means you no longer like me and have fallen for Zong Yongran?”

Noticing him loosening his grip, Tang Yuanyuan began to feel flustered. But since she had already said what she said, it would be embarrassing to change her mind. She paused before responding, “Y-Yes!”

She thought this response would cause Yuchi Yishu to let her go, but she did not expect him to sneer before tightening his grip again. “Oh? But why do you not sound convincing at all?”

Tang Yuanyuan was stunned. “Who says so?”

Yuchi Yishu exhaled and responded, “We haven’t seen each other in only a few months and that’s how you treat me. Are you trying to hurt my feelings by doing all this?”

Hurt his feelings? Tang Yuanyuan thought she had misheard it. Why would his feelings be hurt?

Tang Yuanyuan knew what he meant last time around. He thought the same as others—he did not believe that she liked him at all.

“Why would your feelings be hurt?” Tang Yuanyuan’s countenance dropped. “Like everyone else, you think that I’m immature and I don’t understand my feelings, let alone know what love is. Therefore, you never believed that I have feelings for you. Since that’s the case, how can your feelings be hurt?”

“Why not?”

Tang Yuanyuan was slightly agitated. “Then tell me, how are your feelings hurt when you don’t even believe what I said? You’re ridiculous!”

At this point, Yuchi Yishu was certain that Tang Yuanyuan was upset and had lost her rationale. It seemed like he had to make things clear with her today. Even though she was able to say these things that were contrary to her feelings now, his true fear was that she would actually want to be with Zong Yongran. So, Yuchi Yishu pursed his lips and responded in a deep voice, “I don’t want you to regret it.”

“What?”

“Yuanyuan, do you know what love is to me?”

“Huh?” Tang Yuanyuan blinked. “What do you mean?” At this point, she noticed that he had got into her head. So, she responded quickly and grumpily, “I don’t want to know!”

Without being concerned about whether or not she wanted to know, he continued, “In my view, loving a person means loving that person now and forever. Apart from death, there is nothing that can separate the two of you.”

Tang Yuanyuan was stunned. Now and forever?

“So, if you choose to be with me and one day you find yourself regretting this decision, I’ll never let you go. So, before you really know your feelings—”

“Who says I don’t?” Tang Yuanyuan responded angrily. “I like you and I want to be with you forever!”

Her words stunned Yuchi Yishu. He stared at her fair complexion. She was the same girl who liked to cry and be coddled, yet she looked different now—she was much more beautiful. What remained the same was her pair of clear eyes that she used to look him in the eyes when she told him that she wanted to be with him forever.

Yuchi Yishu responded, “So are you clear about this?”

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1680

Tang Yuanyuan had just made a bold move today in expressing her feelings. After she finished yelling, she came back to her senses and realized what she had just blurted out.

As such, she looked startled as she abruptly took a few steps back.

What just happened?

She should not have said those words, especially after he had made it so clear. Was I making a fool of myself?

At this point, Tang Yuanyuan was all over the place. She was about to turn and run away until Yuchi Yishu grabbed her by her wrist. She heard him exhale. “I’m talking to you. Where do you think you’re going?”

“I-I don’t know. Let go of me.”

Not only did Yuchi Yishu not release her, but he also looked around before commenting, “Let’s find a place to talk.”

“I’m not going.” Tang Yuanyuan took another step back. “Please let go of me.”

Since she was unwilling to move, Yuchi Yishu decided to carry her in his arms. Before Tang Yuanyuan could react, her feet had already left the ground. Then, she reflexively put her hands around his neck.

As he began to walk with her in his arms, she was startled and began yelling angrily, “Let me down!”

Yuchi Yishu seemed to not have heard what she said as he continued to walk to somewhere quiet before putting her down.

“It was too packed earlier; it’s much better here.”

He looked at Tang Yuanyuan and noticed that she was still not in the mood. Then, he pursed his lips and inquired, “Do you prefer to talk while seated or in my arms?”

Tang Yuanyuan was confused. Is he trying to tell me that he’ll keep carrying me until I speak to him nicely?

“Huh? Pick one,” Yuchi Yishu continued in a deep voice. “If you’re still going to run away the moment I put you down, I’ll continue carrying you in my arms. Then, we’ll talk that way.”

Since he had already put it so bluntly, could she still rebut?

Would that not mean that she was letting him carry her?

At this point, Tang Yuanyuan had to give in.

“I’ll talk after you put me down.”

“Are you going to run away?”

“No.”

If running away meant that he would carry her again, she would rather talk while standing on the ground.

As much as Tang Yuanyuan had indeed missed Yuchi Yishu’s embrace, the situation right now demanded that she talk things out with him.

“Promise that if you run away again…”

Yuchi Yishu did not finish his sentence before putting her down. After touching the ground, Tang Yuanyuan straightened out her shirt and pouted grudgingly.

“If you want to say something, just say it!”

Amused, Yuchi Yishu looked her in the eye. “Since when is it about me?”

“Didn’t you have something to say?”

“Fine then. That might be better. So, have you thought about my question to you earlier?”

Tang Yuanyuan unhappily stared at him. “What do you mean by that?”

Yuchi Yishu silently looked her in the eye then all of a sudden, he bent down, put his hands around her head, and pressed his forehead against hers. The distance between the two vanished in an instant.

“Didn’t you say you liked me and wanted to be with me? Earlier on I told you that once I find the one, it’s going to be now and forever. Are you clear about that?”

Their proximity made Tang Yuanyuan blush and sent her heart pounding in her chest. She tried pushing him away, but it was to no avail.

Right now, her body and heart were facing Yuchi Yishu.

“Does silence mean you aren’t clear about it?” Yuchi Yishu exhaled. “Or are you frightened about what I just said?”

These words were followed by another long sigh from Yuchi Yishu. “That’s why I said that you weren’t mature enough. Anyway, I’ve finally said what I’ve been wanting to say. Perhaps you can go back and have a think. Also, stop meeting up with that senior of yours.”

At this point, Yuchi Yishu paused. “But if you still insist on meeting up with him after what I just said to you, that’s fine too.”

“Why?” Tang Yuanyuan was confused.

“Since I’ve already told you how I feel, it would prove that you don’t actually like me if you still decide to meet up with him. If that’s the case, I’ll respect your decision. Do you understand?” Sounding helpless yet affectionate, Yuchi Yishu tapped the tip of her nose.

Tang Yuanyuan bit her bottom lip and remained silent.

“I won’t force you to do anything. I’m going to send you back to school now. Please think about it and let me know your answer.”

Then, Yuchi Yishu began walking Tang Yuanyuan back to school. On their way back to school, Tang Yuanyuan appeared to be unusually quiet as she looked thoughtful.

Finally, they arrived at the school entrance. It was getting late, and the surroundings were getting quiet.

“We’re here.”

Yuchi Yishu gently rubbed the back of her head. “Please give it a think.”

Without moving, Tang Yuanyuan stood there and looked him in the eye.

“Yishu.”

“Yeah?”

“Is this why you’ve never given me any direct answer before? Because you’ve kept all these words in your heart?”

Yuchi Yishu did not respond.

“Am I right?” looking for an answer, Tang Yuanyuan added.

“Yes.” Yuchi Yishu nodded. “If I were to tell you these things at that time, you’d probably think that I was crazy.”

In actuality, he never planned on saying these things to Tang Yuanyuan. Based on his disposition, he just wanted to wait until she became more mature. Once they got together, it went without saying that he would never let her leave him.

Ever since he heard about her having hotpot with that guy, his usual calm and steady self had been all over the place, as he feared that she would really end up with that guy and leave him forever.

He never forgot what Zhong Chufeng said to him before, but there was never a good chance for him to do it. He could not possibly do something so brutish just to test how much he loved her, could he?

In Yuchi Yishu’s mind, he reckoned that the gift that he brought her on the day of her coming-of-age ceremony was enough to express his feelings for her. However, it was unfortunate that she was too simple-minded to receive his message.

Perhaps she was waiting for him to say it out loud.

So, Yuchi Yishu granted her wish today.

Since he had already said what he said, as much as he was curious as to what she was thinking at the moment, he did not regret it at all. Though, the part about her meeting up with the guy was not entirely intentional.

But if he did not mention that, he was afraid that she would miss out on her true love because of him.

“Why? Why do you think that I’ll treat you as a crazy person after saying these things to me? Is loving someone and wanting to be with her for the rest of your life something embarrassing?”

“Of course, not.” Yuchi Yishu answered firmly. “I was just afraid that you might be scared off by me just when you were about to make a move.”

“I won’t!” Tang Yuanyuan bit her lower lip and looked him in the eyes with reddened eyes. “Am I such a coward?”

A smile gradually appeared on Yuchi Yishu’s face. “Does that mean you agree?”

Tang Yuanyuan blushed. “Since when did I agree? I was just saying that I’m not a coward. That has nothing to do with my answer.”

“Oh.” Looking disappointed, Yuchi Yishu closed his eyes. “I knew that you wouldn’t agree so easily. I expected this.”