Chapter 223: If He Confesses to You, Just Say Yes
Lin Yibai didn’t expect Xia Changyu to stand up for her.
And honestly, he looked really handsome.
It felt surprisingly comforting, a kind of relaxed feeling she had never experienced before. Like someone was finally helping her face the hard things in life.
Unlike before, when she was still living as a guy, and had to carry everything on her own.
Still thinking like a guy who handles things alone, Lin Yibai whispered, “Changyu, you really didn’t need to get involved in this. There’s no need to get into trouble because of me. It’s not worth it, right?”
What? What was she even saying?
Did that sound like anything a normal person would say?
If they weren’t still in the counselor’s office, Xia Changyu might have actually gotten mad.
This girl had protected him so many times in the past, and now he's protecting her back, but she's saying there's no need!
And if a man couldn’t even protect the girl he liked, then what was the point of trying to be with her?
He gave Lin Yibai a sharp glare.
If it weren't for the others in the room, he would have kissed her stubborn mouth until she couldn't argue anymore.
But he couldn't embarrass her in front of others. So, he pulled Lin Yibai behind him and said, not very politely, “If you, Teacher, are on the same side as that company and only care about the school’s employment rate, then I really have nothing more to say to you.”
The counselor grew more and more annoyed and demanded, “What do you mean by that? What major are you from? Who’s your counselor? Aren’t you afraid of being punished for hurting the school’s reputation?”
Here it comes, here it comes!!
Only a teacher could pull out the standard set of moves so smoothly. Ask for your name, ask your class, threaten punishment. If you paid close attention, you’d see the hidden threat inside those words. It’s the classic combo, and honestly, kind of scary.
But unfortunately for the counselor, this wasn’t high school anymore. One great thing about university is that the teacher-student power gap becomes smaller. Students have more of their own thoughts and the courage to speak up. Unlike in high school, where whatever the teacher said was final.
Xia Changyu wasn’t polite at all. He said straight out, “I’m in the International Trade major. And if anyone needs to be punished for this situation, then punish me.”
The counselor was furious. “You’re not even from our department! Why are you interfering in our business? Do you have nothing better to do? Let me say it again, this is a matter for our own department, stay out of it!”
Xia Changyu shook his head and replied, “What do you mean ‘stay out of it’? I care about the girl I lov—uh… I mean, I care about my girlfriend. How is that ‘nothing better to do’?”
The counselor was getting desperate now. She had planned to pressure the weaker one, so she turned to Lin Yibai and asked in a calm but firm voice, “And what about you? Do you really want to blow this up into something bigger?”
Lin Yibai swayed gently, looking shy and relaxed, and said slowly, “Me? Well, like he said, I’m his girlfriend, so I’ll just do what he says.”
Counselor: “You… you two!!”
Xia Changyu waved his hand to cut her off, “No need to say anything more. I’ll just make it clear, whatever happens, you can just come to me.”
Then, without another word, he grabbed Lin Yibai’s hand and walked out of the office in big, confident steps.
Not long after leaving the counselor’s office, Lin Yibai suddenly burst into a clear, bell-like laugh, with a bit of happiness mixed into it.
Xia Changyu scratched his head. Why was she laughing out loud like that?
He had taken the whole thing very seriously, wanting to stand up for Lin Yibai and make things right.
He wasn’t in the mood to mess around anymore, not even when he had called her his girlfriend just now and she didn’t even deny it. He could’ve teased her about it a little, but he didn’t.
Xia Changyu believed that sometimes it was more important to take action than to just talk. He gently placed his hand on the girl's shoulder and said seriously,
“Don’t worry. This isn’t your fault, and I will make things right for you.”
Lin Yibai froze for a moment, then couldn’t help but laugh quietly. “Hey, are you… really taking this so seriously? You really don’t have to go through all this trouble for me!”
Xia Changyu shook his head and replied, “There are things in life worth doing, and things not worth doing. No one can follow truth and justice all the time. But as a man, my personal wish is to protect you.”
Darn it. Why was he saying things like that?
Lin Yibai was caught off guard by his words. But at the same time, she enjoyed this feeling of being protected. Did this mean she didn’t have to carry everything alone anymore?
But… she wasn’t his girlfriend. Wasn’t that a little unfair?
Her old way of thinking, the kind she had when she was still living as a guy, told her that nothing good came without a cost. If someone helped you, it meant you'd have to give something back, right?
Just as Lin Yibai furrowed her beautiful eyebrows and was about to say something, she saw Xia Changyu suddenly get fired up. He waved his hand angrily and said,
“He’s just a little HR manager in charge of campus hiring who gave him the courage to act so arrogant to our school, and even dared to bully you? Watch me go teach him a lesson!”
He started walking forward.
Lin Yibai panicked and quickly called out, “Hey, where are you going?!”
Xia Changyu replied, “To deal with him!”
Lin Yibai: “Who?”
Xia Changyu said, “That HR guy in charge of hiring, the one who said our school had to give him an explanation, and even bullied you!”
Lin Yibai: “!!”
No wonder Xia Changyu was so angry. Some people stay arrogant for so long they forget their place. That HR person was just a regular employee from that company.
Not only did he fail to do his own job well, he even had the nerve to demand that the school give him a formal answer?
This was a university! Who did he think he was?
So it made sense that Xia Changyu was so bold in front of the counselor. If this had gone the usual way, and Lin Yibai had chosen to give in, the school probably would’ve told her to just accept it quietly. All to avoid affecting their job placement rate.
But if things really did get out of hand…
Let’s be real, that little HR guy, who gave him the right to question or threaten a school?
This whole situation was ridiculous from the start.
Lin Yibai worried that Xia Changyu might do something reckless. She quickly caught up to him and said, “Changyu, please don’t be impulsive!”
Xia Changyu stopped and replied, “You’re wrong. This isn’t just being impulsive. It’s because of you, or rather because I like you, that I have to do something.”
Lin Yibai asked, “Why? Is it really worth it?”
Xia Changyu took a deep breath. After a while, he said, “This isn’t about whether you think it’s worth it, it’s about whether I think it is. This is purely about what I want to do for you, from the deepest part of my heart. Do you understand?”
Lin Yibai said, “I understand.”
Xia Changyu asked, “Then are you still going to stop me?”
Lin Yibai shook her head and said, “I won’t stop you anymore. And I know I couldn’t even if I tried.”
So what was the truth in her heart? Maybe Lin Yibai didn’t fully know yet.
But she could clearly feel one thing, the care and concern from her “love rival”… Ah no, from Changyu.
That feeling… It made her very happy.
Damn it.
Maybe she should drop a little hint later. Let him confess to her again.
And when he does…
She’ll say yes.