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"I...I've been looking for a suitable opportunity to tell you..."
"Um?"
Facing Xing Chen's hesitation, Nan Ke looked bewildered. She asked, "What do you want to tell me?"
Xing Chen looked into her eyes and said, "I don't plan to continue studying."
Nan Ke was stunned for a long moment before asking him, "Why?"
"I want to work as soon as possible. Studying is a bit of a waste of time."
Nan Ke blinked, knowing that something must have happened to drive Xing Chen to make such an irrational decision.
She knew very well that Xing Chen would have such thoughts from time to time. Even if he originally wanted to continue staying in school, various external information and factors would always make him think about not studying anymore.
But this is the first time that such a decision has been made directly.
When Xing Chen said this, it was obvious that he was not discussing it with Nan Ke, but had already made the decision and was just informing her.
Nan Ke asked him, "What happened?"
Her mind raced as she asked Xing Chen, "Is it because of the car I bought you that you feel financially stressed? There's no need to be like this. I just want to make your life easier. We're not short of money, and you can do whatever you want."
"That's not it."
Seeing Nan Ke’s anxious look, Xing Chen felt bad too, and her hair was messy.
Xing Chen raised his hand and carefully helped Nan Ke to tidy up her unruly hair. He said softly, "This is a decision I made after careful consideration. Honey, I don't think staying in school and ignoring what's happening outside is the right choice. I want to take responsibility for my own life and don't want to be a burden to you."
"What's the burden? We have the conditions..."
Nan Ke kept frowning.
Xing Chen has always been bothered by this matter since they were not together, but Nan Ke never thought there was anything wrong with him continuing to stay in school.
Not to mention that they have never lacked money, Xing Chen has also been working hard to earn extra money after going to college.
Xing Chen didn't always spend Nan Ke's money.
So Nan Ke didn't understand how this problem suddenly escalated to such a serious level.
Is it because you don’t have time?
Because he had to make a choice as soon as possible, Xing Chen decided to give up?
Or is there any other reason?
"I feel so far away from you."
After Xing Chen said these words, Nan Ke was stunned.
"What's happened recently has made me feel that I can't go on like this. If I stay in school, it will be like living in an ivory tower. I want to face everything in life and work with you."
Nan Ke was silent for a while, then began to persuade him—
"I know some things have happened recently... but it's just because you happened to be a little busy recently, so you have this idea. But this doesn't mean you will always be this busy in the future. I think you should still think about it seriously. Let me make it clear that I don't think this is your true opinion, and I don't need you to make any compromises for me."
Xing Chen didn't say anything, and Nan Ke didn't say anything either.
When the two returned home, Xing Xiaobai stumbled out to greet them.
Nan Ke reached out and held the kitten in her arms, glancing at Xing Chen. Xing Chen didn't look at her. Nan Ke could tell that Xing Chen didn't dare to look her in the eye.
They both knew very well whether Xing Chen's decision was a compromise or not.
Nan Ke knew what he should do. In fact, not letting Xing Chen do something was as difficult as forcing Xing Chen to do something.
None of them are very difficult.
I'm not bragging, Nan Ke is very confident that he can control Xing Chen.
The problem is how to communicate without hurting feelings.
Xing Chen is a delicate and sensitive person. Nan Ke had come into contact with such people before him, but she usually kept her distance from them. She had no way to deal with Xing Chen.
Every time before talking to Xing Chen about such important matters, Nan Ke would choose her words carefully, but this time, she didn't want to do that.
Xing Chen is no longer a child, what they need is a conversation between adults.
When lying in bed at night, Nan Ke was still thinking that Xing Chen came out of the shower and thought she was asleep.
After a long while, Nan Ke felt a slight sinking behind him, and the next moment, Xing Chen's arm gently wrapped around him.
Nan Ke turned around, and their two pairs of clear eyes met. Xing Chen looked a little nervous.
"I thought you were asleep."
Nan Ke looked at him without blinking and went straight to the point.
"I understand you don't want to be a burden to me, but you never have been. Can you understand that?"
Before Xing Chen could speak, Nan Ke continued, "I also want you to understand that I don't want you to change the direction of your life because of me. Can you understand this too?"
"But……"
Xing Chen's lips trembled slightly, as if he had something to hide, but Nan Ke still looked at him quietly.
"I'm worried that we'll drift further and further apart. Don't you think our lives have no intersection? I'm so scared that one day you'll feel like you have nothing to say to me. You and I are from two different worlds. I'm just lucky to be stuck with you..."
"I did it all on my own accord."
Nan Ke held Xing Chen's hand, looked into his eyes and said, "Including the confession I agreed to give you back then, it was also my own free will. Can you have more confidence in yourself?"
Xing Chen's lips turned pale. Nan Ke kissed him, then lay in his arms, wrapped her arms around his waist, which felt so good in her hands, and whispered, "Since we've been together for four years, why are you suddenly so unsure now? I've always believed that a good relationship isn't about who gives more to whom, but about becoming the best version of yourself while also taking care of the relationship."
Nan Ke actually felt a little guilty when he said these words.
There is no doubt about Xing Chen's loyalty to her, and she herself is the one who accidentally gets distracted in their relationship.
Fortunately, I came to my senses quickly.
When Nan Ke was almost in trouble on the mountain, the first person he thought of was Xing Chen.
She suddenly realized that if she died unexpectedly, Xing Chen would become the most miserable person related to her in the world.
Su Shuo has to rank behind Xing Chen.
Nan Ke never wants to, nor is willing to, see Xing Chen suffer because of him.
The same applies to breaking up.
Looking back now, Nan Ke realized that even during the time when she felt annoyed, she had never really thought about separating from Xing Chen.
In fact, whenever she thought of anything remotely related to those things, she would immediately think of Xing Chen's miserable look, and then immediately interrupt all fantasies.
Nan Ke knew Xing Chen's origins, and she claimed to be the person who knew Xing Chen best in the world.
How could she bear to see him suffer because of her?
Especially with all the things that happened during this period, Nan Ke has completely understood his own feelings.
Perhaps agreeing to be with Xing Chen was just half-hearted, just as Su Shuo said. Their feelings have deepened rather than diminished over the past four years as they have been together day and night.
When Nan Ke confessed to Quan Xiu, she had thought that unless Xing Chen said one day that he didn't love her anymore and wanted to leave her, she would probably stay with Xing Chen forever.
"Baby, can you...will you always love me?"
In fact, before he said anything, Xing Chen wanted to ask Nan Ke directly whether she no longer loved him.
But he didn't dare. Once he asked this question, their relationship might be directly...
Nan Ke was in a daze for a moment, and she realized that Xing Chen was extremely insecure now.
So she touched Xing Chen's cheek.
Smile at him and tell him, "I think I can do it."
The next day, Nan Ke made an appointment for lunch with Su Shuo and talked about this matter.
Su Shuo sneered.
"That's not surprising. He's a man with a strong sense of self-esteem. I think he's not completely unaware of your recent little whims. Self-esteem combined with a sense of crisis naturally leads to such thoughts."
Su Shuo’s words made Nan Ke’s heart skip a beat.
"Probably not...?"
She wasn't really sure, but...
"Whether it's true or not, Quan Xiu and I have already made it clear."
"Have you explained it clearly to him?" Su Shuo tilted his head and looked at Nan Ke, "So has he given up?"
While Nan Ke was stunned for a moment, her phone vibrated twice in succession. She turned around and looked at it, her heart sank.
Two messages came in almost at the same time, from two different men, the two they had just been talking about.
Xing Chen asked Nan Ke what he had for lunch.
Nan Ke originally wanted to type, but then thought of what Su Shuo said, so he took a photo and sent it to Xing Chen.
She even pretended to accidentally touch Su Shuo's hand, and the other person's very fancy phone case that was placed upside down on the side.
Even if Xing Chen couldn't recognize that it was Su Shuo's phone case, at least he knew from the manicure she had that the person having dinner with Nan Ke was a woman.
Nan Ke thought that if he had any doubts in his heart recently, at least this would make him feel better at the moment.
It’s difficult to reply to Quan Xiu’s message.
He asked Nan Ke when she was free and wanted to meet her.
Nan Ke read the text and didn't dare to listen to his voice.
She hesitated and didn't reply. Quan Xiu sent another message, and Nan Ke still directly forwarded it.
"I want to apologize to you in person for what happened last time."
Nan Ke bit her lip and thought about how to reply. Xing Chen also sent her a photo of his lunch.
It was obvious that the plate was from the school cafeteria.
Xing Chen said that he had lunch with Mo Ge, and asked Nan Ke what she wanted to eat in the evening. He said that he could go home early today and cook.
Nan Ke typed very quickly, allowing him to express himself freely.
At first, Nan Ke really thought it was a coincidence that everything Xing Chen made was her favorite.
Later, after spending more time together, she finally realized that there was no such thing as coincidence.
Because he cared so much, he paid extra attention and observed carefully day after day, which allowed Xing Chen to perfectly grasp all of Nan Ke's preferences.
Nan Ke suddenly realized that although he had brought him out of that place, he seemed to have forced him into a new cage.
Xing Chen's growth over the years has all revolved around her.
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