Chapter 41
As soon as she finished speaking, Lin Ting laughed so hard she bent over, unable to close her mouth. Looking at the innocent and shy boy in front of her, she thought he was really a handsome boy with handsome features, but also with the gentleness and sunshine of youth. Especially his clear eyes, which always looked at her with sincerity.
Who doesn't love beautiful things?
Lin Ting is willing to listen to her own heart.
Chen Zhiyi was bewildered by her inexplicable laughter and was extremely anxious about the question from earlier. He grabbed her shoulders, his face darkening, and said, "Are you that happy? You haven't answered my question yet."
Seeing his impatient look, Lin Ting said seriously, "Okay, I'll answer you seriously now. I like your confession. As for you, I'll tell you after you finish your college entrance exam."
"Huh?" Chen Zhiyi didn't react for a moment, but quickly understood, and his face lit up instantly. "You mean, you mean? It's that..." He even stammered in his excitement.
Seeing his excited, incoherent manner, Lin Ting couldn't help but feel shy. "Yes, it's just what you think."
"Really?" Chen Zhiyi's eyes shone even brighter with surprise.
Lin Ting feigned helplessness, "You know my situation, how could you joke about something like this?"
Overjoyed, Chen Zhiyi rushed forward and hugged Lin Ting tightly. However, the force caused Lin Ting's front teeth to chip against her lip, making her wince in pain. "Could you be a little gentler?"
"I'm sorry, I got too excited. I thought you would refuse."
"Let's give each other a chance, but as I just said, let's talk about it after your college entrance exam."
"I know, I know. I just feel like why can't the college entrance exam be tomorrow? There are still six months left."
Lin Ting: "No matter what, your most important things right now are the art exam and the college entrance exam. I don't want anything to bother you. If your grades fluctuate because of this, I will be the one to blame."
Chen Zhiyi affirmed, "No, that won't happen."
"That's good. We can still get along normally for the next six months. Don't focus all your attention on me. If there are other suitable girls around, you can."
Before he could finish speaking, Chen Zhiyi immediately interrupted, "I can't! How can you be like this? You just gave me a taste of sweetness, and then poured water on me. I can tell you with certainty that I am the kind of person who sticks to one thing and does it to the end. Or are you just lying to me?"
Lin Ting: "I didn't lie to you."
"So you still think I'm too young and are unwilling to wait for me. If you meet someone you like in the next six months, will you stop paying attention to me?"
"Why do you have to get stuck on this? If I could talk to someone else, why would I bother telling you all this and making you anxious? What I mean is that you're about to graduate high school and go to university, which means you're entering another phase of your life. It's a very independent phase, and your mind will become more open. Don't confine yourself to one corner. Feel free to pursue whatever you want, whether it's people or things. I wish you all the best."
"I don't need your blessings, you're all I really want."
"You said you wouldn't be affected by me, but now I regret it."
"No, I understand what you mean. Don't worry, right now all my focus is on these two big exams. But I just don't feel safe with you. I tend to overthink and worry. After all, you're in university and have one foot in the door. You're bound to meet many people who are more suitable for you, understand you better, and are on the same level as you. So there are too many variables in the next six months. I swear there won't be anyone else. Can you give me a promise too?"
Lin Ting stared intently at him and gave him this promise, "Okay! I'll wait for you."
At that moment, Lin received a message on his phone: "Countdown, D180."
"What's the meaning?"
"This is the countdown to my college entrance exam, and also the countdown to officially becoming your boyfriend. I will send it to you every day from now on, and you must reply to me every day to confirm. It's a written record, in case you change your mind."
Lin Ting found it amusing, but still replied with two words without hesitation, "Confirmed," and said, "Now there shouldn't be any problems, right?"
Chen Zhiyi beamed with joy, "Mhm!"
When the two returned home, Uncle Chen was already standing in the yard waiting for them. His face was still kind and gentle, but Lin Ting could feel the undeniable authority in his gaze.
That's true. If the young master of the family runs away with someone else without permission, it's fine as long as nothing happens, but if something does happen, the sky will fall.
Chen Zhiyi stepped forward. "Uncle Chen, didn't you say you'd arrive around 2 p.m.?"
Uncle Chen: "I came early this morning. We were all very worried about you coming all this way by yourself."
Chen Zhiyi: "Us? My parents already know?"
Uncle Chen: "Madam and the others went straight back to the company after their business trip, so we don't know yet."
Chen Zhiyi first breathed a sigh of relief, "It's alright." But then he felt disappointed, "As expected, career comes first in their hearts."
Uncle Chen's expression was grave. "Young Master, if they knew, they would have come here last night. I only selectively report things to them." He glanced at Lin Ting, his meaning clear.
Lin Ting felt guilty. "I'm sorry, Uncle Chen, I made you worry."
Chen Zhiyi frowned, their relationship deepening. He couldn't bear to see Lin Ting suffer any injustice. "What's there to apologize for? Did you cause Auntie's leg injury and the train cancellations? These were all accidents. Besides, Uncle Chen, Teacher Lin has been diligently tutoring me during this time. Her family is in trouble; shouldn't I help her?"
Uncle Chen: "Young Master, I can help, but you have to choose the right way. If you had called me or Madam back then, I believe there would have been a better way to bring Lin's mother to Tianjin for treatment or to arrange a driver to take her back, instead of you running over here alone in the snowy night to flag down a taxi."
Chen Zhiyi didn't care. "You saw it yourself, I'm perfectly fine, nothing's wrong with me."
Lin Ting tugged at his sleeve, signaling him to stop talking. "Uncle Chen, I'm sorry, I was inconsiderate. This won't happen again. But I still want to thank Zhiyi for his help. I'll try my best to solve any problems I encounter in the future. You must be tired from driving here so early. Come in, sit down for a while, and have a cup of hot tea."
Uncle Chen's tone was curt, "No, young master, please pack your things and we'll leave now. Teacher Lin, would you like to come with us?"
Lin Ting shook her head. "I'll take the train back a few days later."
Chen Zhiyi was still bothered by Lin Ting's words about solving problems on his own, and didn't pay attention to what Uncle Chen said. His face was gloomy, and he lowered his head and whispered to Lin Ting, "I don't like what you said. You must tell me first if you encounter any difficulties again."
Lin Ting felt uncomfortable with other people talking intimately, so she quickly grabbed Chen Zhiyi's arm and led him into the inner room, saying, "Let's get the bag, don't keep Uncle Chen waiting too long."
"Did you even listen to what I said?"
"I listened," Lin Ting replied dismissively.
"Then repeat it again."
"I'm not a broken record."
"...δΊ†"
Just then, Chen Zhiyi's phone rang.
"at home."
"Okay, I'll come find you up ahead."
Then he hung up the phone.
Lin asked, puzzled, "What's wrong? Who are you looking for?"
"I'm going to get something, I'll be right back." With that, Chen Zhiyi took off running.
Not long after, they first heard a clattering sound, like a cart rubbing against a gravel road, and then they saw Chen Zhiyi pushing a wheelchair in.
"Didn't I tell you not to spend any more money?" Lin Ting was a little angry.
"This is a necessity. Auntie's legs aren't very good right now, and this will make it much easier for her to walk and do anything. It takes a hundred days to recover from a broken bone, and we can't let her stay in bed all the time."
"How much is it? I'll transfer the money to you." Regardless of whether their relationship had progressed, Lin Ting was still reluctant to spend his money.
"Am I being too formal?"
"Then I'll settle my debt with work."
"So everything we said in the park was a lie?"
"No, it's just..."
"They just don't want to spend my money."
"I just want to make one thing clear: I can handle many things on my own. After all, it's us, it's us."
"After all, we're not officially together yet. But even if we get together after the college entrance exam, you won't spend my money, right?"
Lin Ting was speechless. After what had just happened in the park, it was as if the paper between them had been torn, yet there was still a transparent film separating them. She just couldn't rely on him; they were both independent individuals.
Chen Zhiyi saw through her thoughts and said in a harsh tone, "I've already bought this wheelchair, and there's no way I can return it. You just have to accept it. Also, from today onwards, I won't make clear distinctions with you. What's mine is yours, and what's yours may not be mine."
Lin Ting chuckled. What's with this little guy acting like a domineering CEO?
Chen Zhiyi grabbed Lin Ting's hands. "I don't know what you're thinking, but I've already considered myself your trial boyfriend. I have to perform well for the next six months. What if you don't make me your official boyfriend after the college entrance exam?"
"What nonsense?" Hearing him say the word "boyfriend," Lin Ting felt a tremor in her heart, and her face flushed with embarrassment.
"Okay, you must take this chair. It's foldable and easy to use. I'll show you."
"Uh-huh."
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