I've had a crush on her for a long time

Shen Yu's college life unfolded in a calm manner that he had never imagined.

The Wutong Avenue on campus, the bright and clean classrooms, the students walking hurriedly with books in their arms, and the unique smell of paper and old books in the library... He cherished this hard-earned life very much and devoted almost all his energy to his studies. He always sat in the front row in class and took notes meticulously.

However, his striking appearance meant he couldn't be completely ordinary. Shortly after the start of the school year, he caused a minor sensation. Even a simple white shirt and jeans gave him a clean, youthful air. This, combined with a subtle calmness and aloofness that stood out from his peers, created a unique and highly attractive aura.

Love letters began to quietly appear in his textbooks, and girls would deliberately run into him on the street. Initially, he was perplexed, but eventually, he simply accepted them gently, finding a quiet corner to read them quietly before carefully putting them away—not out of nostalgia, but simply out of respect for the other person's kindness. His way of rejecting people was also incredibly gentle, always with just the right amount of apology, making it difficult for people to harbor resentment towards him even after being rejected.

Among them, there was one girl who pursued him most passionately. She was the most beautiful girl in the literature department, with a pure and beautiful appearance and a cheerful and lively personality, like a sunflower blooming in the morning sun. She would wait for him at the classroom door after class and would openly invite him to the library. She was almost the perfect template for Shen Yu's naive childhood fantasies of a future wife: sunny, warm, simple, and full of energy.

Facing such a girl who almost meets all the secular standards of a good match, Shen Yu found himself calm and even a little confused. He tried to convince himself to accept this affection and tried to feel the throbbing that should have appeared, but failed.

His mind and heart would always drift uncontrollably to the woman in the penthouse apartment far away in the city center. He would remember the slight frown on her face while she worked, the elegant way she drank coffee, the occasional glances she gave him that showed no emotion but made his heart beat faster, and even the cool, soothing scent of cedar on her body.

This contrast reached its peak one night. He had an incredibly clear and beautiful dream. There were no cold deals, no cautious flattery, only him and Lin Qingyue. She was no longer the aloof President Lin; her eyes held a tenderness he had never seen before. They kissed softly, their breaths mingling, their embrace intimate, and they did blushing, heart-pounding things, as if they were just ordinary lovers, the most in love in the world. The dream was filled with an ultimate happiness and satisfaction, so real that when he woke, his heart was still beating violently, his chest filled with a sweet and sour emotion.

At that moment, it was like an epiphany.

He sat on the edge of the bed, stunned. The morning sun shone through the gaps in the curtains, and dust particles danced in the beam of light. He suddenly understood why he felt so calm when facing that sunny girl.

It turned out that, without even realizing it, the seed of love had already been quietly planted within his complex dependence, awe, and gratitude for that woman, stubbornly taking root and sprouting, occupying his entire heart. What he liked, what he wanted, was always the strong, calm Lin Qingyue, who occasionally showed a little warmth, but could easily control all his emotions.

This realization made him feel a little panic, but strangely, it also brought him an unprecedented determination.

The next day, when the beautiful girl appeared in front of him again with a bright smile and tried to ask him to go to the art exhibition on the weekend, Shen Yu did not make excuses to refuse as usual.

He looked into her expectant eyes, and said very seriously and gently, with a barely perceptible hint of apology, "I'm sorry. Thank you for your kindness, but... I already have someone I like."

The smile on the girl's face froze instantly, and a trace of surprise and hurt flashed in her eyes: "Is... is that so? Is he from our school? Do I know him?"

Shen Yu shook her head, her eyes seemed to drift far away, her voice was very soft, but with an unquestionable certainty: "She is not from school. She... is a very good person. I have been secretly in love with her for a long time."

This confession, which was considered a "campus headline", ended with the department beauty leaving sadly and the news that Shen Yu was "taken" spread like wildfire. Shen Yu's life returned to a superficial calm, but the newly clear emotions in her heart were like an undercurrent, surging.

…

Lao Zhao, the driver who usually picks up Shen Yu, loves to eat melons. When he sent Lin Qingyue home from get off work that day, he said something:

"Mr. Lin, the girls nowadays are so bold. Today there is another female student, waiting for Xiao Shen with a big box of chocolates, dressed up beautifully. But Xiao Shen refused without even looking at her, and got in the car directly, very well-behaved." Lao Zhao's tone even carried a hint of pride for Shen Yu, "This kid is really good, he looks so good, but his mind is right, he doesn't mess around at all."

As soon as the words fell, the air in the car seemed to suddenly drop several degrees.

Lin Qingyue's fingers, swiping across her tablet screen to process an email, paused. She didn't look up, nor did she speak immediately, but the air pressure around her had dropped several times. After several seconds, she uttered a very calm "hmm." Her voice lacked any emotion, yet it inexplicably made her feel stressed.

After that "hmm," there was a long, suffocating silence. Looking through the rearview mirror, Old Zhao caught a glimpse of Mr. Lin's expressionless face, noticeably colder than usual. His heart skipped a beat, and he immediately realized he'd been talking too much. He quickly shut up, focused on driving, and didn't dare say another word.

That night, Lin Qingyue returned to the penthouse a little later than usual.

Shen Yu had already prepared dinner and was sitting at the dining table reading a book while waiting for her. When he heard the door open, he stood up as usual, wanting to take her coat that she might have taken off, or pour her a glass of water.

However, Lin Qingyue walked straight in, her high heels making a clear and cold sound on the floor. Her eyes didn't even linger on him, nor did she glance at the dishes on the table as she would occasionally do. She just walked towards the bedroom with an expressionless face, leaving behind a cold sentence:

"You eat, I'm not hungry."

Shen Yu's outstretched hand froze in mid-air, and all the prepared words were stuck in his throat. He watched her disappear behind the bedroom door, and his heart sank suddenly.

That kind of deliberate neglect is more painful than any reprimand.

The atmosphere of the dinner, which should have been warm, dropped to freezing point. On the long dining table, only Shen Yu was silently eating the already cold food. The dishes were still exquisite, and he had put a lot of thought into making them, but now they tasted like chewing wax.

Lin Qingyue never came out of the bedroom.

After Shen Yu finished cleaning the kitchen, he hesitated for a long time, and finally mustered up the courage to knock on the bedroom door. A cold voice came from inside, "What's the matter?"

"Mr. Lin, would you... like to drink some hot soup? I'll warm it up for you." He spoke softly through the door.

"No need. Don't bother me." The voice inside did not soften at all, and even had obvious impatience.

Shen Yu stood outside the closed door, his fingers curled up unconsciously. That familiar, uncomfortable feeling came back, even worse than when he first came here. He didn't understand why. Was it because he did something wrong? Or was it because she had a bad day at work?

He returned to the living room alone and sat in the silence that was too spacious, his heart full of confusion and grievance. He repeatedly thought about his recent behavior, whether there was anything that made her unhappy, but he had no clue.

It was not until before going to bed that Lin Qingyue came out of the bedroom and went to the study to get something. When passing the living room, Shen Yu immediately stood up, like a child who had done something wrong, with questioning and uneasiness in his eyes.

Lin Qingyue finally glanced at him, but her gaze was as cold as ice, devoid of any warmth, even colder than looking at a stranger. She didn't stop, nor did she say anything. She took her things and went back to the bedroom, closing the door again.

That whole night, until the next morning when Shen Yu got up and prepared to go to school, Lin Qingyue didn't say a word to him, nor did she give him any straight glances.