Wu Youyou looked at Song Shaojie, who had disappeared into the night, and then her steps slowed down.

"Shi Zhan, the Xiao family has already set their sights on Liu Xiaolan. I don't want anything to happen to her!"

“Song Shaojie has to make a choice about this matter. He can’t just let it drag on like this. The engagement with the Xiao family has always been a source of anxiety for him. She’s unwilling, but this is a matter between the two families. It’s not something he can just cancel the engagement on his own!”

Wu Youyou walked slowly, but her thoughts began to wander to Shi Zhan. Without thinking, she said something...

"Oh~ Just like you and Wei Ziyao? You two are also engaged!"

Shi Zhan paused slightly. When this matter came to him, he suddenly didn't know how to tell her.

Wu Youyou rarely asked about his engagement. She felt that it was his own business and she trusted that he would handle it well.

However, belief is one thing, reality is another.

As of now, Shi Zhan has no ability to dissolve his marriage with Wei Ziyao, and Wu Youyou is well aware of this.

Wu Youyou continued,

"I know part of what happened between you and Wei Ziyao, but not all of it. What happened between you two? You don't need to tell me, and I don't want to know. All I know is that I can't be with you now, and I can't have any expectations of you. But I will remember what I promised you, so don't worry."

The two of them walked quietly toward the playground.

Song Shaojie ran all the way to the playground and saw Liu Xiaolan sitting under the willow tree in the distance. She was curled up in a ball, her head buried between her knees, and her shoulders were shaking. She was obviously crying.

He approached and called her softly.

"Little Lazy".

Upon hearing the voice, Liu Xiaolan slowly raised her head, her eyes red and swollen. The moment she saw Song Shaojie, tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

Song Shaojie tenderly embraced her, gently patting her back.

"Don't cry, it's okay."

Liu Xiaolan burst into tears in his arms, as if she wanted to cry out all her grievances and sadness.

Song Shaojie held her like that, letting her tears soak his clothes.

He knew that at this moment, all she needed was a shoulder to lean on, someone to confide in.

When Wu Youyou and Shi Zhan arrived, this was the scene they saw.

She stood quietly at a distance, watching the two figures embracing, and couldn't help but sigh in her heart.

She knew that Liu Xiaolan's feelings for Song Shaojie had crossed the line of friendship.

Song Shaojie also has special feelings for Liu Xiaolan.

However, neither of them realized it, or perhaps they were afraid to face it.

She walked over and gently patted Song Shaojie on the shoulder.

"Let her cry for a while, she'll feel better once she's cried it out."

Song Shaojie nodded and released Liu Xiaolan.

Liu Xiaolan looked up, saw Wu Youyou, and couldn't help but shed tears again.

"Youyou, I..."

"Don't say anything, I understand."

Wu Youyou interrupted her, pulled her hand, and sat her down.

"Xiao Lan, you need to know that there is nothing in this world that cannot be solved. No matter what difficulties we encounter, we must face them bravely instead of running away."

As Liu Xiaolan listened to Wu Youyou's words, her heart gradually calmed down.

She knew she couldn't keep running away like this. She had to face it bravely, no matter the outcome.

She stood up, walked up to Song Shaojie, and stared intently at him.

“Song Shaojie, I know you like me, but I’ve never dared to face your feelings. I know it’s not just because you’re engaged, but because the gap between us is too big. I can’t have any extravagance towards you, and I can’t place all my hopes on you. That would make me feel very insecure.”

Song Shaojie was a little anxious.

"Little Lazy, but I like you, and if you like me too, we can be together."

"No, it's not what you think?"

"Is that how it is?"

Liu Xiaolan's lips trembled.

“I’m just an ordinary girl. All I want is an ordinary love, a love where we can wake up every day, care for each other, eat spicy hot pot together at a roadside stall, do things that ordinary people do together every day, and after graduation, find jobs together, save money to buy a house together, and then get married naturally and live a simple married life. These are things that you, Song Shaojie, simply cannot do.”

Liu Xiaolan's words surprised Wu Youyou. If we're talking about being clear-headed, Liu Xiaolan, who always seemed so simple, saw things so clearly.

For a moment, Song Shaojie didn't know what to say.

He admitted that he couldn't do what Liu Xiaolan said, and that she had even thought about marriage, something he hadn't considered.

For a moment, he felt a sense of elusiveness towards Liu Xiaolan, something he couldn't quite grasp, yet he was also filled with resentment.

"So, after all you've said, you still don't want to accept me?"

Liu Xiaolan's tears flowed uncontrollably; she slowly closed her eyes.

"We're not on the same path, I can't be with you."

After Liu Xiaolan finished speaking, she pulled Wu Youyou to leave.

Wu Youyou was also shocked by Liu Xiaolan's words today, and her gaze towards Shi Zhan became complicated.

"Shi Zhan, Song Shaojie, I'll go back with her first."

After Liu Xiaolan returned to the dormitory with Wu Youyou, He Qiangwei was already waiting there. Upon seeing Liu Xiaolan, she feigned concern and asked…

"Xiao Lan, where did you go? I'm so sorry about that. I suddenly had a stomachache and went to find the toilet. When I got back to the shop, I didn't see you. I thought you had gone back to your dorm. I came back but I still didn't see you."

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!