My Years as the Pure Love Interest at the Noble Academy

The final days of intense review before the college entrance exams began.

Song's Father took a week off specifically to prepare a variety of meals for Song Yi, ensuring she had three full meals a day, along with an endless supply of snacks and desserts.

Apart from cooking, Song's Father would stay out of the house to avoid disturbing Song Yi's studies.

To be honest, Song Yi was confident in her ability to get into the directing program at the Imperial University. It wasn’t much of a challenge for her.

But since the college entrance exam was a once-in-a-lifetime event, she wanted to give it her all and achieve the best possible score.

Everyone else shared the same mindset. Regardless of their confidence levels, no one wanted to waste this final stretch of study time.

On the last day before the exams, at Saint Yu Boys' High School, classes weren’t canceled. Instead, students were required to stay in their classrooms to review, with teachers rotating at the front desk to answer any questions that arose.

During lunch break, Xu Che stayed in the classroom, holding a sandwich in his left hand and a pen in his right.

The classroom door opened, and a sophomore boy walked in.

The boy immediately greeted Jiang Qi, saying, "Brother Jiang, long time no see."

Then, his gaze shifted to Xu Che, and he sneered, "Oh, who’s this? Isn’t it our former top dog, Brother Che? What’s going on? Suddenly playing the role of a good student? It’s kinda hard to get used to."

Xu Che ignored him and continued filling in the answer to the last multiple-choice question.

Outside the window, a few sophomores were peeking in, watching the scene unfold.

The boy wanted to establish his authority among the sophomores, but since Jiang Qi was the current leader at school, he didn’t dare challenge him. Instead, he turned his attention to Xu Che.

Sure, Xu Che used to be strong, but since he had already lost to Jiang Qi, maybe he could lose to this boy too.

And even if something happened, Jiang Qi and Xu Che had their own issues, so Jiang Qi would probably side with him.

Feeling reassured, the boy grabbed the sandwich from Xu Che’s hand and mocked, "Eating this dry thing? Is it even worth it? Too busy studying to go to the cafeteria?"

He laughed, his voice grating like a duck’s quack.

Suddenly, his laughter stopped as someone grabbed his wrist and twisted it counterclockwise.

The pain made the boy widen his eyes. "Who the hell dares—Brother Jiang?"

The person gripping his wrist was none other than Jiang Qi, who looked utterly annoyed. "Throw it in the trash and buy a new one," he ordered.

The boy quickly nodded and left.

Xu Che still didn’t look up, his hand never leaving the pen. "What do you want?" he asked.

Jiang Qi shrugged. "I’m going abroad again."

"What’s that got to do with me?"

"Exactly, nothing to do with you," Jiang Qi nodded, his gaze lingering on Xu Che for a few seconds before adding, "Whether you believe me or not, that day at the barbecue place, I never intended to lay a hand on those two girls."

After saying that, he returned to his seat and lay down to sleep.

He didn’t care. It wasn’t like Xu Che was his only friend.

Well, they weren’t even friends anymore.

But whatever.

By the time the evening bell rang, students began to leave one after another. Jiang Qi woke up groggily, only to freeze when he noticed something on his desk.

A single honeydew-flavored lollipop lay there, all by itself.

*

That night, Murong Huan sent a message in the group chat.

【Welcome】: It’s the last day. Reviewing won’t make much of a difference now. Why not hang out and relax? It’ll help us be in better shape for tomorrow.

【Welcome】: [Picture]

【Welcome】: I bought some sky lanterns. Who’s in?

【Lonely Wolf】: Me!

【Listen to Me】: Me too!

【Song, Don’t Leave】: Me three!

【Welcome】: Great! Since everyone’s so enthusiastic, let’s meet at 7 PM at the restaurant across from Chunshan Park. We’ll have dinner and then release the sky lanterns. @everyone, see you there!

In this group, Jiang Yiheng, Hang Feng, and Xu Che never had much say. Their participation was always assumed.

So at 7 PM, everyone gathered at the restaurant Murong Huan had mentioned.

The private room wasn’t particularly large, and Quan Le frowned. "It’s our last high school gathering before the exams. Shouldn’t we eat something better?"

Murong Huan retorted, "That’s exactly why we should stick to something simple. We don’t want any stomach issues before the big day."

Song Yi nodded in agreement. "I think Murong Huan’s right."

Shen Yujing also nodded. "Quan Le, you’re being unreasonable."

Quan Le: "?"

He looked to Xu Che for support, but Xu Che simply said, "She’s right. We should be careful with our diet the day before the exam. Avoid anything too spicy or greasy, especially if you have a sensitive stomach."

Jiang Yiheng and Hang Feng had already picked up their chopsticks.

Quan Le: "…Fine, fine!"

After dinner, Murong Huan suggested, "How about we play a game?"

Everyone turned to her, waiting for the rules.

Murong Huan explained seriously, "It’s called ‘Fold Your Fingers.’ We’ll take turns saying something we’ve done. If no one else has done it, they fold a finger. The first to fold all five fingers loses, and the last person standing gets to decide where we go for our graduation trip. How’s that?"

Everyone: "…?"

Since when was there a graduation trip planned?

Though no one understood why Murong Huan always came up with these quirky little games, since it was the last day, Song Yi decided to humor her. "Sure," she said.

No one objected, so the game began.

Shen Yujing was the first to speak, proudly declaring, "I’ve ranked first in my class!"

Murong Huan frowned, disbelief written all over her face. "You?"

"First grade of elementary school. It only happened once, but it still counts," Shen Yujing shot back, challenging her. "Anyone who hasn’t ranked first, fold a finger."

Only Murong Huan and Quan Le folded a finger. She glared at Shen Yujing as if to say, "You’re dead," while Quan Le angrily muttered, "Shen Yujing, just you wait!"

The two, who had been at odds earlier over the dinner location, suddenly found themselves united against Shen Yujing.

As the game continued, each statement caused different people to fold fingers. Surprisingly, Song Yi was the first to be eliminated because she hadn’t skipped school for as many consecutive days as Hang Feng had.

Jiang Yiheng, Hang Feng, and Murong Huan were soon eliminated as well, leaving only Xu Che, Shen Yujing, and Quan Le in the running.

When Quan Le folded his last finger, he looked devastated but also gained the final question.

The decisive moment had arrived.

Murong Huan patted Quan Le’s shoulder and gave him a meaningful look, glancing toward Shen Yujing.

Quan Le caught on. He needed to come up with a question that would make Shen Yujing lose.

Fold a finger if you don’t have a scar on your eyebrow? Fold a finger if your hair isn’t black?

No, that was too obvious.

Suddenly, an idea struck him.

He smiled and said, "Fold a finger if the person you like is here."

If he couldn’t see through Shen Yujing’s feelings after three years in Class A, he’d be a fool.

The room fell into an awkward silence.

Song Yi glanced at Shen Yujing and, as expected, his ears turned red.

Shen Yujing took a deep breath and mouthed to Quan Le, "You’re dead."

Then, he folded his last finger and admitted, "I lose."

Murong Huan’s eyes widened in shock. She pointed at Shen Yujing and exclaimed, "What the—what the—what the—?!"

Shen Yujing looked puzzled. "Why are you so surprised?"

"You’re not secretly in love with me, are you…? Mmmph?!"

Before she could finish, Quan Le covered her mouth from behind.

Murong Huan: "???"

What was Quan Le doing? Had she said something wrong?

Quan Le quickly turned to Xu Che and said, "Congrats, you win. You get to pick the graduation trip destination. We’ll all follow your lead."

With that, Quan Le grabbed the bag of sky lanterns with one hand and dragged Murong Huan out with the other, calling over his shoulder, "Let’s go! Time to release the lanterns!"

Everyone followed.

As Hang Feng passed by Xu Che, he muttered sarcastically, "Even in a game like this, you’d lie. Is admitting you like her really that hard?"

Whether he was talking to Xu Che or himself, even Hang Feng didn’t know.

*

By the lake in Chunshan Park…

Everyone held their own pens, writing their wishes on their Kongming lanterns.

Shen Yujing finished first, then picked up a lighter and went to the side to light his lantern alone.

His wish was extremely simple, just two words—

Song Yi.

After a moment of thought, Shen Yujing added two more words: "Be happy."

If he had to choose between his own happiness and Song Yi's, he would choose Song Yi's happiness.

Of course, a win-win situation would be the best.

Murong Huan looked up curiously in the direction Shen Yujing had gone and asked Quan Le beside her, "What's Shen Yujing doing? Why is he hiding while releasing a Kongming lantern? Is he afraid someone will see it?"

Quan Le remained silent and didn't answer. After putting down his pen, he also went to the opposite side of Shen Yujing.

Murong Huan: "…?"

Are their wishes that mysterious?

How strange.

Murong Huan was someone who had no secrets. She lowered her head and openly wrote on her Kongming lantern—

1. Become more beautiful.

2. May my mom be happy.

3. Have a boyfriend who loves me very much, tall and handsome, and absolutely adores me.

After finishing, Murong Huan wanted to release her lantern but realized she didn't have a lighter nearby. She immediately waved at Quan Le, "Hey, Quan Le! I need a lighter!"

With that, she started walking toward Quan Le.

Quan Le, however, seemed flustered. He quickly lit his own lantern and released it, covering Murong Huan's eyes with his hand the moment she got close.

Murong Huan: ???

What is it that he doesn't want me to see?

Murong Huan struggled fiercely and finally escaped from Quan Le's grip. She looked up at the sky.

The Kongming lantern hadn't flown too high yet, but in the flickering light, the writing was already hard to make out. She could only vaguely recognize one word… "Huan"?

Murong Huan looked at Quan Le suspiciously and asked, "Did you write my name?"

Quan Le was taken aback and looked up, surprised. "You can tell? Your eyesight is pretty good."

Murong Huan stared at him intently, "What did you write about me?"

Quan Le lowered his gaze to look at her, his expression unusually gentle. He asked, "Don't you already know what I wrote?"

Suddenly, Murong Huan felt an indescribable tension, her entire body stiffening unnaturally.

What would Quan Le say? Could it be what she was thinking…

Quan Le's laughter broke the silence, "Of course, I wished for you to go bald soon!"

Murong Huan: "???"

She grabbed Quan Le by the neck and started chasing him, "Are you looking to die?"

Xu Che and Hang Feng stood together, silent and not speaking to each other. But when the Kongming lanterns were released, they both tacitly did not look up, nor did they check what each other had written.

Meanwhile, Song Yi also put down her pen and looked at the wish she had written on her lantern.

May everyone stay safe and happy.

And may I become a director with my own representative works.

One by one, the Kongming lanterns rose into the sky, carrying their wishes, dreams, and hopes.

Murong Huan yawned and said, "It's getting late. Let's all head back. Good luck on tomorrow's exams!"

Shen Yujing looked at Song Yi and said, "I'll walk you—"

But Murong Huan grabbed Song Yi's hand and said, "No, I'll walk her back."

They exchanged some words of encouragement for the exams and then gradually dispersed.

Only Shen Yujing remained standing in place, watching Song Yi's retreating figure. His mind drifted back to that night when they had stood together at her doorstep.

She had said she would give him an answer after the college entrance exams.

Soon.

He was looking forward to it, but more than that, he felt nervous.

Instead of leaving with the others, Shen Yujing turned and walked back into the park, venting his emotions by playing a few rounds of basketball.

As the sound of "missed shots" echoed, Shen Yujing felt even more anxious. He put down the basketball and prepared to leave.

As he returned to the spot where they had released the Kongming lanterns, he unexpectedly noticed a broken lantern hanging on the railing nearby.

It seemed like it hadn't flown very high before the wind extinguished its flame and caused it to fall.

Curiosity got the better of Shen Yujing, and he approached it. But when he picked up the lantern and saw the wish written on it, he froze.

[I hope Song Yi never finds out I like her. I hope we can always remain friends.

—Jiang Yiheng

June 6, 2022]

Jiang Yiheng… also likes her?

Shen Yujing's Adam's apple moved slightly as he lowered his gaze, his emotions hidden behind his lashes.

After a long silence, Shen Yujing took the lantern in his hand and walked to a nearby stall selling Kongming lanterns. He bought one of the same color.

Then, using Jiang Yiheng's lantern as a reference, he carefully copied the words onto the new lantern, lit it, and released it into the sky.

Was this Jiang Yiheng's wish?

Coincidentally, it was also his own.

*

On the day of the college entrance exams, they were assigned to different testing centers.

Shen Yujing was assigned to No. 7 High School, but his car was parked early at No. 9 High School, which was a ten-minute drive away.

The driver asked anxiously, "Young master, why are we at No. 9 High School? You should get to your testing center early."

"Don't worry. I scouted the place yesterday. I know exactly where my classroom and seat are," Shen Yujing replied, taking a sip of water from his thermos while keeping his eyes fixed on the window.

Finally, Song Yi and Hang Feng appeared together at the school gate.

Shen Yujing frowned, clearly displeased.

But there was nothing he could do. Out of their group, only Song Yi and Hang Feng had been assigned to the same testing center.

He watched Song Yi enter the school until her figure was no longer visible. Only then did Shen Yujing turn away, close his eyes, and say, "Let's go."n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

He had come all this way just to see her once.

Just one glance was enough to calm his nerves.

After all, she was the direction he had been striving toward all along.

*

The two-day college entrance exams came to an end.

Song Yi left the testing center around the same time as most people. As soon as she stepped out of the school gate, she spotted a very conspicuous head of golden hair in the crowd.

Song Yi: "?"

Shen Yujing waved at her from a distance, shouting, "Song Yi! Over here!"

Song Yi walked over and asked, "Why are you here?"

It was so noisy around them that Song Yi had to shout to be heard.

As soon as she finished speaking, someone bumped into her from the side.

Song Yi lost her balance, and Shen Yujing quickly steadied her by holding her shoulders. He said loudly, "It's too noisy here. Let's talk in the car!"

Inside the car.

Looking at the crowd outside, Song Yi asked, "Why did you come here?"

"I finished early," Shen Yujing replied with a smile, then added, "I'm taking you somewhere."

Song Yi asked, "Where?"

Shen Yujing looked into her eyes and said, "The place where you're supposed to give me your answer."

His tone was serious, his beautiful peach-blossom eyes fixed solely on her, as if his heart held no one else.

*

The movie theater.

An empty private screening room—clearly booked for just the two of them.

As they entered, Shen Yujing cautiously brushed his hand against Song Yi's. When she didn't pull away, he took it as a sign to hold her hand firmly.

They sat in the back row, with a bucket of popcorn and two sodas between them.

And now, their hands were still tightly clasped.

After a few seconds of silence, Song Yi asked, "You're not planning to watch the movie with me and then hand me a love letter disguised as a ticket stub at the end, are you?"

They had talked about this that night. Doing something so cliché would be boring.

Shen Yujing: "…No."

In the next moment, the lights in the room dimmed, and the screen in front of them lit up.

Song Yi felt the hand holding hers loosen. She turned to see Shen Yujing burying his face in his lap.

Just as she was about to ask what he was doing, Shen Yujing's voice echoed through the surround sound system, and his figure appeared on the screen.

It was a pre-recorded video. Too embarrassed to watch himself on screen, Shen Yujing now looked like an ostrich hiding from danger.

Shen Yujing's voice came from the screen, filled with both amusement and nervousness, "Song Yi, first of all, congratulations on finishing the college entrance exams. You can finally relax a little and look forward to the new chapter of your life."

"Secondly, I wanted to remind you of our agreement. Today is the day you're supposed to give me your answer. My last confession was too rushed, so before you answer this time, I have a few more things to say."

"First, I really like you. I think you've noticed, so there's no point in hiding it. But my feelings for you are my own, so no matter what decision you make today, I'll accept it. Don't feel pressured. If you don't like me, just say so. Tell me what I need to improve on or what I haven't done well enough yet."

"But don't think I'll give up just because you reject me. Once I work on those shortcomings, I'll confess to you again. Of course, if you have a boyfriend by then, that's a different story. But I hope that won't be the case."

“I chose to confess to you in the cinema because I hope you can achieve your dream of becoming an outstanding director. I… well, I don’t know what else to say.”

“So, that’s it. Song Yi, I like you.”

“Song Yi, I like you.”

The sound from the surrounding speakers and the hoarse voice of the boy beside her echoed simultaneously. The young man looked up at her, his eyes filled with nervousness and apprehension. He whispered, “So, what about you? What’s your answer?”

Song Yi looked at Shen Yujing, and the two of them locked eyes in the dimly lit environment.

Outwardly, it seemed calm, but inside, her heart was racing wildly. Some answers were on the verge of being spoken.

In the next second, Song Yi closed her eyes, as if making up her mind.

The moment his lips felt the soft warmth, Shen Yujing felt as if all the blood in his body had turned cold—overwhelmed by sheer joy and shock.

He heard the girl’s voice, unusually shy yet firm and sincere.

She said, “Shen Yujing, this is my answer.”

After saying this, Song Yi immediately stood up and walked out, even knocking over the bucket of popcorn between them in her haste.

She glanced back at the spilled popcorn on the floor, hesitated for a second, but then quickly left.

What more was there to understand?

Shen Yujing immediately chased after Song Yi and stopped her at the entrance.

Song Yi, sounding a little nervous, asked, “What are you doing?”

Shen Yujing grabbed her hand and pulled her closer, insisting, “Let’s do it again.”

Song Yi, her face flushed, asked softly, “Do what?”

Shen Yujing lowered his gaze, his eyes slowly moving down to her pink lips. He chuckled softly, “You know what I mean.”

With that, he leaned in and kissed her again.

The sensation was even softer than he had imagined, and it tasted sweet. She must have eaten orange-flavored candy earlier.

His hand instinctively wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

Song Yi’s hands, which had been pressed between them, gradually moved to lightly wrap around his neck, and then she pinched his back, mumbling with a mix of anger and embarrassment, “Shen Yujing, are you a dog? If you’re going to kiss me, do it properly… don’t bite me…”

*

That night.

Song Yi sat on her bed in her pajamas after taking a shower, her hands covering her face, which still felt warm.

Thinking about that kiss earlier…

She was fuming!

What kind of kissing technique did Shen Yujing have? Was that a kiss or was he trying to bite her? People who didn’t know better might think they had some deep-seated grudge!

Her phone lay beside her, displaying Shen Yujing’s latest social media post.

It was a simple photo of their hands intertwined, with no caption.

But anyone with eyes could tell what the post meant, and the comments were flooded with questions about whose hand was in the picture.

Just then, her phone vibrated.

Song Yi picked it up and saw a message from Hang Feng.

【Let’s meet. I’ll be waiting at the place where we first met.】

That alley.

Song Yi hesitated for a few seconds, then got up, changed into outdoor clothes, and left.

*

Hang Feng had been waiting for a while. Under the moonlight, his shadow stretched long, exuding a sense of loneliness.

Song Yi approached from a distance, waving and calling out, “Hang Feng!”

Hang Feng looked up in her direction, his gaze pausing on the small cut on her lip before he said, “You came.”

Song Yi got straight to the point, “What’s the matter? It’s so late.”

Hang Feng pursed his lips and then asked directly, “Are you and Shen Yujing together now?”

“Yes,” Song Yi admitted without hesitation. “We got together today.”

It was the answer he had expected, but hearing it from her lips made it feel final.

Hang Feng’s narrow eyes looked at her, filled with an indescribable loneliness and melancholy. He forced a smile and said, “Congratulations. But… what if I had confessed to you before him? Could it have been me?”

Could the person standing by her side have been him? Even just a little bit?

Song Yi bit her lower lip, remaining silent for a long time before finally saying two words, “I’m sorry.”

Those two words answered everything.

“I know,” Hang Feng said with a faint smile, this time more natural. “I promised you that if you ended up with someone else, I would sincerely wish you happiness.”

“Song Yi, I like you, so I hope he likes you even more than I do. Only then would he deserve your choice.”

That day’s meeting ended with a hug.

A completely platonic hug, free of any lingering emotions.

But deep down, he knew he was lying to himself—

Hang Feng mocked himself silently.

*

In early July, the college admission results were announced.

Jiang Yiheng was accepted into the prestigious medical program at University A, while Hang Feng surprised everyone by also choosing University A, majoring in the relatively niche field of psychology.

Song Yi and Shen Yujing were both admitted to Capital University, with Song Yi in the Film and Drama Directing program and Shen Yujing in the Acting program. Xu Che chose to study Finance at Capital University.

Murong Huan narrowly made it into the Museum Studies program at University S and burst into tears when she saw that Quan Le had also been admitted to University S.

Murong Huan cried and scolded him, “Are you out of your mind? You could have gone to Capital University…”

Quan Le helplessly handed her tissues to wipe her tears and asked, “It’s my choice. Why are you crying?”

Murong Huan crumpled the tissue into a ball and threw it at his face, sobbing, “Who asked you to make such a stupid choice for me? It’s so dumb…”

Quan Le couldn’t help but laugh and pinched her cheek, saying, “Hey, Miss Murong, your self-confidence is as strong as ever. It’s not like I gave up my future just because I like you and want to be with you. University S has the best law program in the country, you know?”

Murong Huan looked up at him and asked, “What did you say?”

“I said University S has the best law program…”

Murong Huan interrupted him, “No, the part before that.”

“It’s not like I gave up my future just because I like you and want to be with you…”

Quan Le paused mid-sentence, his face clearly saying, “Oh crap.”

“Pfft—”

Murong Huan burst into laughter, saying, “With a brain like yours, how do you expect to be a lawyer? Don’t let the opposing lawyer twist you into knots in court.”

Quan Le’s expression suddenly turned serious. “Hey, Murong Huan, is this funny to you?”

“Yeah, it is,” Murong Huan said, deliberately exaggerating her grin, even though her nose and eyes were still red from crying.

Quan Le, exasperated, reached out with both hands to pinch her cheeks, gritting his teeth, “I think you’re the one with the problem here. Can’t you focus on the important part? I like you. Can you at least react to that?”

“Hey… let go! Isn’t it normal for you to like me? What kind of reaction are you expecting? Dream on… Stop pinching my face!!!”

*

Hang Feng and Xu Che rarely got together, but this time it was to celebrate their grandmother’s birthday.

Their grandmother’s long-cherished wish was for her two grandsons to reconcile, and now it had finally come true.

What’s more, in the same year, both of them had been admitted to prestigious universities—a blessing that must have come from their ancestors’ good deeds.

The grandmother’s smile was unstoppable as she tremblingly took out two red envelopes from her clothes and handed them to Xu Che and Hang Feng, saying, “You two must get along well. Even if I die now, I can close my eyes in peace.”

“From now on, be good to each other. You’re brothers for life. My only wish is for the two of you.”

Both of them accepted the red envelopes, still feeling a bit awkward as they exchanged glances, but eventually nodded in agreement.

*

At the Jiang residence.

Jiang Yiheng and Murong Huan’s engagement was officially called off. His father wasn’t too concerned about it but frowned and asked, “Why medicine?”

Jiang Yiheng sat by the piano, his hands resting on the keys but not pressing them.

He replied calmly, “One day, I’ll find a way to treat this disease. So that those who suffer from it can recover more easily, without having to endure obesity, muscle atrophy, or loss of mobility.”

Jiang’s father was silent for a long time before finally walking over to Jiang Yiheng and placing a hand on his shoulder.

Looking up, they saw a family portrait hanging on the wall, with a woman smiling gently at the camera.

She hadn’t been forgotten, so she would never truly be gone.

Meanwhile, at the Shen residence.

Shen Yujing was balancing a vase on his head as he practiced walking, complaining, “Is this really necessary?”

“Of course,” Song Yi and Shen’s mother sat together, munching on sunflower seeds as they supervised Shen Yujing’s “posture training.”

Shen's Mother laughed so hard she nearly doubled over. Tom, the golden retriever, was already lying at their feet, his mouth wide open as if he were laughing at Shen Yujing too.

After the fifth vase shattered, Shen Yujing gave up. He said, "I'm not practicing anymore. I think you guys are just..."

Before he could finish saying "messing with me," Song Yi frowned.

She was the first to question Shen Yujing, "How can you give up so easily when faced with difficulties? Do you really have so little perseverance? How can I trust you to be my male lead when school starts?"

"Don't be mad, don't take it out on him," Shen's Mother reached out to pat Song Yi's back, pretending to "comfort" her. "I'll hire the youngest and most handsome male star to act in your movie. We don't need him anyway."

Shen Yujing: "???"

The youngest and most handsome male star? No way! That's not acceptable!

Song Yi's male lead has to be him!

Shen Yujing gritted his teeth and picked up the sixth vase. He would practice, alright? He would practice!

A long time later, Shen Yujing asked Song Yi a question he had been wanting to ask for a while—

What exactly do you like about me?

Song Yi thought for a moment, then sat on Shen Yujing's lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. She asked, "Do you want to hear the truth?"

Shen Yujing's hands encircled her waist to keep her from falling, and he nodded with a slightly awkward expression, saying, "Of course."

Song Yi thought for a bit and said, "Probably your clumsiness."

Shen Yujing frowned, displeased. "Is that even a good thing?"

"Because you're so clumsy, I can see right through you. I can tell when you're genuinely being nice to me."

Having heard too many insincere lies and seen too many acts of kindness, she found such honesty all the more precious.

As she spoke, Song Yi buried her face in Shen Yujing's shoulder, habitually ruffling his golden hair into a messy state. She kissed his chin, as if coaxing him, "But hey, if I like it, then it's not a flaw."

"Don't frown. My male lead looks best when he smiles."

"Mm... I know, Director Song."

—End