Chapter 217: My Ex-Girlfriend Changed So Much in Just a Few Days?
Should I do my love rival a favor?
Should I let him put his arm around my waist, so he can show off and feel proud in front of others, but this guy actually says I "accused" him?
Lin Yibai laughed lightly and said, "So you want to act like a gentleman, huh? Fine! I'll make it happen for you."
Xia Changyu was already kneeling: "No!"
Lin Yibai raised an eyebrow and asked, "No what?"
Xia Changyu, face full of regret, gave a bitter smile and said, “Okay, fine! I admit I was wrong!”
Lin Yibai tilted her head and narrowed her eyes with a hidden smile. “Hmm?”
Xia Changyu patted his chest and said dramatically. “I’m just a fake gentleman! I didn’t mean what I said, I do want to hug you! Please let me take back what I said earlier!”
Lin Yibai smiled slightly. After a moment, she said, “I could forgive you... but I still think I shouldn’t let you put your arm around my waist. That wouldn’t look good.”
Xia Changyu let out a long sigh. “Sigh~”
Lin Yibai whispered, “What were you thinking? A guy wrapping his arm around a girl’s waist looks way too flirty. We’re good young people, we have to think about our image, you know.”
When Xia Changyu heard that, he felt happy inside.
Just as he was about to ask what she meant, he felt her lightly hook her arm through his.
He immediately had nothing more to say.
This was even better than what he was hoping for just now.
When they walked into the hotpot restaurant, the table had already been reserved. The others first glanced at Xia Changyu, then looked at Lin Yibai with surprise.
Lin Yibai was the first to greet them, “Hello.”
Xia Changyu’s three friends all stood up and welcomed her. “Hello, hello... Wow, we didn’t think it would really be you. You’re way prettier than what Changyu told us!”
Lin Yibai smiled and said, “Thanks for the compliment.”
She didn’t act proud or picky. She wasn’t one of those people who avoided this or that food. She chatted and laughed naturally, quickly making the whole table feel relaxed and cheerful.
To be honest, during past hangouts, the guys didn’t enjoy it when girls were around. Some girls were too picky.
This is no good, that is no good. Can’t eat this, can’t eat that. This is unsafe, that is uncomfortable...
But Lin Yibai felt different.
She cooked two slices of freshly cut raw fish. One for herself, and the other she gave to the annoying love rival.
Then she curiously asked, “You guys are going out for internships already? It’s just the start of the semester!”
The friend who was actually leaving gave an awkward smile and explained.
“Well, the opportunity is hard to come by. I worked part-time during the summer, and the boss there is willing to give me a chance and promote me. Plus, in the final year, we really don’t have many classes left. I checked, and I can finish them all in about ten days. So I talked to the advisor, and they said as long as I pass the final exams, it’s fine. I really didn’t want to miss this chance.”
Lin Yibai asked again, “But you haven’t graduated yet, so they’re probably only paying you intern wages, right?”
Everyone could tell what she was worried about.
She was afraid her friend was getting lured in by promises, and would end up working for a whole year at low intern pay.
Because every “opportunity” has some risk.
If you’re lucky, you get promoted and earn more. If you’re not, you get used like a tool.
Lin Yibai poured a glass of cold beer, raised it, and said, “Well, in that case, I won’t say too much. Things like ‘this company is a trap’ or ‘be careful’, people always say that. All I can do is wish you the best of luck in your future!”
The friend smiled brightly, “Thanks!”
Just stepping into society, he had already heard too many people telling him things like, “Is that company trustworthy?”, “Does it have a future?”, “Be careful.”, “Play it safe.”
But how was he supposed to know all that?
Compared to warnings, what he needed more was exactly this, encouragement and blessings from someone like Lin Yibai.
The other two friends had chosen to take the grad school entrance exams. As guys, whether they chose work or study, the pressure was real.
Lin Yibai showed that she understood them, and they all let out a breath of relief. The atmosphere at the table became more and more relaxed and fun.
Maybe it was the alcohol, but one of the guys suddenly said, “I have to say, girls like you, Lin Yibai, are the best. Kind, thoughtful, gentle, and cute! I don’t know what was wrong with Changyu’s eyes before. Why would he ever choose someone like Gu Xiaoxue?”
Another friend agreed quickly. And a third even made a bitter face when he heard Gu Xiaoxue’s name.
One of the guys made a disgusted face, shook his head, and said,
“Yeah, something's really off with Gu Xiaoxue. Back when Changyu brought her along to hang out with us, she started criticizing everything, saying our major was useless and that we’d be kicked out of society sooner or later. I still remember how she looked down on us. She even said stuff like, ‘AI translation is so advanced now, why do we even need your major?’”
Lin Yibai’s face instantly turned into the ‘are you serious?’ expression.
She totally believed that was the kind of thing Gu Xiaoxue would say. Luckily, her roommate wasn’t there back then, or the guys would’ve been embarrassed enough to hide under the table.
Not only did Gu Xiaoxue have no emotional intelligence, she always thought she was right.
And the worst part? You couldn’t even argue with her. The moment you disagreed, she’d act like you were personally attacking her..
Once the group found a common topic and a mutual “target” to criticize, the mood became even more lively.
It turned into a full-on “let’s all vent” session.
Just then—
A coughing sound came from the side.
Xia Changyu: “Ahem, cough cough!”
Come on, guys, read the room! Talking about my ex-girlfriend in front of my current girlfriend (or someone I’m still chasing), do you really think that’s a good idea?
Please… I’m begging you, stop talking about her.
Otherwise, I’ll be the one hiding under the table this time. Actually, maybe I should just stay under it. At least I’d be safer there.
To avoid that fate…
Xia Changyu desperately threw them warning looks.
But Lin Yibai caught him and gave him a fierce glare. Then she snorted coldly and said, “Cough what? You…”
She thought about it and decided to let it go.
After all, in front of her "love rival’s" friends, it wouldn’t look good to lose face.
But honestly, all this talk about Gu Xiaoxue had made her a little curious. There hadn’t been any news about her for a long time.
Lin Yibai sighed and tried to wrap up the topic. “Someone like Gu Xiaoxue... no matter what, I think she probably still ended up doing okay.”
One of the guys laughed out loud. “Hahaha, you got that one wrong!”
Lin Yibai: “Huh?”
Ugh! I just tried to end the topic!
But now that you’ve said that, I have to listen, time to become the gossip-loving auntie at the village gate.
That guy clearly had a lot of inside info.
“She’s dating some guy from the sports college now! One of my friends is from there, you wouldn’t believe the drama.”
Lin Yibai: “Oho? Tell me everything.”
The guy grinned. “So the sports guy already had a girlfriend at his school. When Gu Xiaoxue found out, her roommates encouraged her to confront them. She went over, made a huge scene, and ended up getting humiliated by the sports college girls… Honestly, we all know how those schools work. Out of a whole class, maybe one or two teachers are actually serious. The rest? A mess. Everyone knows that. Did Gu Xiaoxue really think she could win?”
Lin Yibai: “Uh… (O_O)!”
Xia Changyu: “Ugh…”
The guy kept going, “But Gu Xiaoxue didn’t back down. She and her roommates actually beat up the other girl! Now she’s in trouble with the law. You can go check out the 'little essays' they posted from their dorm. The case has caused such a big mess that it might affect her graduation and leave a bad mark on her record.”
At that point, Lin Yibai and Xia Changyu exchanged a look, both seeing the same feeling in each other’s eyes, pure relief.
Damn… thank goodness she’s an ex.
As someone who dated Gu Xiaoxue before, Xia Changyu had already been beaten up by some of those girls. He knew better than anyone what kind of person she really was. So her ending like this? Honestly, kind of satisfying.
Under the table, Lin Yibai gently squeezed his hand. Then she looked at him with a half-smile and asked, “So… how do you feel about all this?”
Xia Changyu gave a short and simple reply, “Relieved.”
Lin Yibai asked, “Relieved about what?”
Xia Changyu said, “Relieved that I broke up with her early on. Relieved that you saved me back then. Relieved that you helped me see her true colors. And most of all… relieved that the person I’m with now is you.”
After hearing all that about Gu Xiaoxue, Xia Changyu probably didn’t want to hear anything else about her ever again.
But in his heart, he now cherished Lin Yibai even more and held onto her tighter.
Good girls are easy to lose.
And once you lose one, don’t expect to get her back.
As for those stories where the guy realizes too late and tries to win the girl back?
Xia Changyu knew that kind of drama wouldn’t work on Lin Yibai.
She’d just say: Don’t bother chasing, there’s no place left for you here.