Just as Tang Ning was focused on feeding Xu Xingbai and trying to gain his favor, on the other side, Ye Jinyan, with an icy expression, found Jiang Yao and Yin Yuqing eating, talking and laughing in their favorite little canteen.
Because of her seating position, Yin Yuqing looked up and saw Ye Jinyan walking in. She immediately waved excitedly at him, "Brother Jinyan, we're here!"
Upon hearing that Ye Jinyan had arrived, Jiang Yao's smile immediately faded, and he chewed the fish in his mouth with a rather uninteresting expression.
Soon, Ye Jinyan arrived beside the two of them.
As soon as she sat down, seeing Ye Jinyan's icy expression, Yin Yuqing subconsciously bit her lip. You see, since she came to Jinsheng High School, the first person in the school to show her a kind and gentle smile was Brother Jinyan. Especially since he was actually a cold person, yet he showed her such a gentle smile.
She had to admit that Ye Jinyan meant something different to her than to anyone else. She was even certain that if it weren't for A Yao, she would have fallen for Jinyan.
So she didn't want him to show such a cold and unhappy expression.
After thinking for a moment, Yin Yuqing immediately picked up a piece of duck meat for him, and then asked cautiously, "Brother Jinyan, is Sister Tangning alright now? Actually, Ayao didn't do it on purpose. It's all my fault. I was too petty and stopped talking to Ayao because of a small disagreement, which made him unhappy, and that's why... Brother Jinyan, if you want to scold me, scold me. It's all my fault..."
As Yin Yuqing spoke, she became increasingly distressed, and soon her eyes welled up with tears.
Seeing her eyes redden, Ye Jinyan hadn't reacted yet, so Jiang Yao immediately said, "What does this have to do with you? I started the fire, and I pushed the person. Why should you take responsibility for me? Okay, stop crying. I've noticed you really are a crybaby. You cry so easily over the slightest thing. You're worthless!"
As he spoke, Jiang Yao pulled out a napkin, lifted Yin Yuqing's chin with one hand, and gently wiped away her tears.
This action made Yin Yuqing's cheeks involuntarily turn red.
Watching the two of them interact like this, Ye Jinyan truly couldn't understand why he hadn't thought there was anything wrong with it before. Jiang Yao already had a fiancée, didn't he? Yet Tang Ning still liked him so much, and the two were still so close?
He didn't believe that Jiang Yao knew nothing about Yin Yufeng's true identity as a girl.
But why...?
As Ye Jinyan looked at her, images of Tang Ning diligently cooking in the kitchen, her resolute expression when she said she liked Jiang Yao, and her pale face in the classroom flashed through his mind.
The more he thought about it, the more jarring the scene before him became.
Immediately, Ye Jinyan stood up, the ear-piercing noise of the chair being dragged on the floor instantly waking the two who were in an ambiguous mood.
Yin Yuqing immediately blushed and dodged Jiang Yao's hand, then stammered and asked Ye Jinyan in a low voice, "Brother Jinyan, aren't you going to eat?"
"I have no appetite and can't eat. You can take your time."
After saying that, Ye Jinyan, with a cold face, lifted his foot to walk out.
Upon hearing this, Yin Yuqing's face instantly turned from flushed to slightly pale. Seeing her expression, Jiang Yao closed his eyes in annoyance and then threw his chopsticks onto the table.
With a sharp crack, Jiang Yao's voice rang out at the same time, "Is it really necessary? Jin Yan. I clearly remember that you used to dislike me associating with Tang Ning, so why are you giving me attitude now because of her? You've changed too quickly. Is it really necessary for you to refuse to eat with us for her sake?"
Upon hearing Jiang Yao's words, Ye Jinyan slowly stopped in his tracks. "Am I changing too fast, or are you changing too fast? Who used to treat Tang Ning like the apple of their eye, and now..."
"What's going on now? I clearly explained it to her. I've always treated her like a younger sister, I..."
"She heard you weren't eating well at school, so she stayed up until 1 a.m. last night to prepare a lunchbox for you. Worried you wouldn't get the freshest food, she got up at 4:30 a.m. to make you a new one. She didn't get more than four hours of sleep in total..."
After holding back for a long time, Ye Jinyan finally spoke out, and then walked forward.
Jiang Yao, still sitting in his original seat, was stunned, his eyes fixed on the snow-white crucian carp soup on the table. Tang Ning's tear flashed through his mind again.
“Ah Yao…”
Yin Yuqing reached out and tugged at his sleeve.
Unexpectedly, at that moment, Jiang Yao suddenly stood up and ran outside without thinking.
"Ah Yao!"
Yin Yuqing quickly stood up as well, then bit her lip hard and chased after them.
Because the two of them hadn't finished eating, when they ran back to the classroom, it was empty, with not a single person in sight.
Jiang Yao subconsciously went to the spot where Tang Ning had been standing, a flash of guilt crossing his eyes.
Meanwhile, Yin Yuqing finally caught up, panting, only to see Jiang Yao's expression.
Immediately, waves of panic surged through her, sudden and uncontrollable.
It was this panic that made her immediately call out to Jiang Yao several times before he turned around to look at her, as if waking from a dream.
Seeing this, Yin Yuqing forced a smile at him and said reproachfully, "You promised to invite me to a big meal, why did you suddenly run off without a word? I haven't even eaten a few bites of the food yet..."
Hearing her say that, Jiang Yao, realizing what she meant, gave her an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Yu Feng. I'll make it up to you next time."
"Remember to keep your word!"
Yin Yuqing said this with a smile.
After that, the two chatted in the classroom. Yin Yuqing didn't want to ask him about his relationship with Tang Ning, nor did she dare to, for fear of accidentally triggering Jiang Yao's memories.
The two chatted for an unknown amount of time, until around one o'clock, when more and more classmates began to arrive.
Jiang Yao never cared about other people's gazes, but Yin Yuqing was different. Almost instantly, she noticed the subtle glances and disdain that other classmates were giving her and Jiang Yao.
Did Tang Ning say something to them after they left?
Yin Yuqing couldn't help but think this.
Soon, most of the classmates had arrived, but Tang Ning still hadn't shown up, and Jiang Yao's gaze never left the direction of the door.
Around 1:30, Tang Ning finally came in through the back door of the classroom.
However, she didn't come in alone. The man beside her, whose lips curled up at the sight of her words, was none other than Xu Xingbo.
The other person was even holding Tang Ning's lunchbox in his hand. Judging from the way he held it, you could tell that the food inside had definitely been eaten clean long ago.
Jiang Yao, seeing Tang Ning's untroubled smile, immediately pursed his lips.
The two of them...
Just then, Yin Yuqing's voice rang out at the perfect moment.
"Ah, Tang Ning is smiling so happily, she must not be angry anymore, that's great! I just didn't expect Tang Ning and Xu Xingbo to be so close? I don't think I've ever seen him so close to any other classmate. But it's normal, I heard they knew each other before. By the way, Yao, you're so familiar with Tang Ning, do you know how they met? Yao, Yao..."
Before Yin Yuqing could finish speaking, she saw Jiang Yao get up and walk out. Before leaving, he slammed the back door of the classroom shut, startling everyone.
Jiang Yao's current favorability rating: 45.
Huh? It's gone up another 3 points.
What happened?
Tang Ning, who was wholeheartedly trying to flirt with Xu Xingbo, raised an eyebrow in surprise upon hearing the system's notification.
Jiang Yao was gone for two whole periods of time, and it wasn't until the third period of physical education class that everyone finally saw him again.
Because it is early spring and the weather is still very cold, no matter what kind of exercise you do, wearing a coat or down jacket will always feel very cumbersome.
Jinsheng High School is, after all, a prestigious boys' high school, so physical education classes during this season are mostly held indoors.
The moment the news broke that Tang Ning's Class 7 of Grade 11 was going to have PE class, almost all the boys in the school were in an uproar. PE class, in an indoor stadium! In this situation, their school beauty would definitely change into a vibrant sportswear outfit. Her usual school uniform was already stunning enough, but if she changed into a matching white tracksuit, just thinking about it...
And so, the word was passed from one to two, from two to four, and so on. By the time the break between the second and third periods in the afternoon arrived, the stands of the indoor gymnasium were almost full of eager boys.
And it was under such intense public scrutiny that Tang Ning made her entrance—
She wore white and pink sneakers, white knee-high socks, and her legs were straight, long, white, and slender. She also wore a white athletic skirt and a white short-sleeved shirt. Her long hair, which had always been loose, was now tied into a high ponytail, which swayed as she walked, while she swung a tennis racket in her hand.
"Tang Ning!"
She had just come out when a deafening shout rang out from behind her.
Tang Ning turned her head in surprise and looked at the boys in the stands behind her. With her bright black eyes and pink lips, several boys who were into anime and manga couldn't help but pinch their philtrum and fall down.
As Tang Ning smiled slightly in surprise, almost everyone present clutched their chests and collapsed one after another, deliberately making sounds of astonishment.
"ah!"
This immediately made Tang Ning laugh even harder.
In the end, it was only because the school bell rang in time that she was able to stop them from teasing her. Otherwise, she wouldn't know how these rascals would have managed to amuse her in the future.
Meanwhile, Tang Ning's workout photos once again went viral on the school's online forum.
Meanwhile, looking at Tang Ning, who was dressed in a sporty and youthful outfit, Yin Yuqing looked down at her own white men's short-sleeved shirt and shorts, and her short hair.
My heart was once again filled with bitterness and disappointment.
She never used to think there was anything wrong with herself, and even... she even tried to act like a boy for fear of being exposed, but now...
Looking at Tang Ning like this, she was truly envious. She was a girl too, and she also wanted to have long hair and wear dresses like her.
Yin Yuqing's eyes never left Tang Ning's fair and delicate face.
Because so many people were watching her, Tang Ning didn't even notice Yin Yuqing's gaze. As soon as she saw someone standing in front of her, she excitedly rushed towards that person.
"elder brother!"
She excitedly patted the other person on the shoulder, and before he could turn around, she was already chattering away, "What a coincidence! I never expected that our PE classes would be in the same period!"
Upon hearing her voice, Ye Jinyan turned his head sharply. When he saw Tang Ning's attire, his pupils dilated slightly, and his heart began to pound uncontrollably.
They jumped faster and faster, more and more rapidly.
Just then, Tang Ning stood on tiptoe and touched Ye Jinyan's forehead with the back of her hand.
"Is the heating in the gym too strong, bro? Your face is so red, are you sick?"
Upon feeling the softness and warmth of Tang Ning's hand, Ye Jinyan immediately coughed lightly to cover it up. Then, when the PE teacher asked who would go to the sports equipment room to get the basketballs, soccer balls, and badminton shuttlecocks, he raised his hand without hesitation.
He was willing to take it.
"I……"
Seeing this, Yin Yuqing immediately wanted to help, but Tang Ning didn't give her a chance and grabbed Ye Jinyan's sleeve, "Brother, let me go with you. There are so many people here, you definitely can't carry them all by yourself, okay?"
Since Tang Ning had already spoken, how could Ye Jinyan possibly say no?
Seeing that he nodded in agreement, Tang Ning's eyes immediately and imperceptibly swept over Yin Yuqing, who was showing a look of dejection, before she smiled and walked forward with Ye Jinyan.
You ask her why she specifically glanced at Yin Yuqing? It's because in the plot, Ye Jinyan, as the devoted second male lead, has quite a few scenes with Yin Yuqing, and this scene in the sports equipment room is one of them.
Giving it to Yin Yuqing would be a waste anyway, since she only likes Jiang Yao, that scoundrel!
Let's just make use of her!
After all, Ye Jinyan is currently very fond of her and feels great pity for her. She only needs to give him a gentle push, and winning his favor will be a piece of cake.
After picking up the basketball, ping-pong ball, badminton shuttlecock, etc., Tang Ning smiled and turned around, about to say something to Ye Jinyan. The next second, she saw a box teetering on the support above the boy's head. Coincidentally, it fell down as soon as Ye Jinyan walked down.
"Brother, be careful!"
In an instant, Tang Ning tackled Ye Jinyan to the ground.
Crash—the box fell.
"Hmm!"
She couldn't help but let out a muffled groan in his ear.
“Tang… Ning… Ningning! Ningning…”
Immediately after Ye Jinyan pushed away the box that was pressing down on Tang Ning, he saw that blood was flowing from her slender white legs. Without hesitation, he picked Tang Ning up and ran outside like a madman.
Tang Ning's small hands remained tightly gripping his clothes. Although her face, resting on his shoulder, was deathly pale, she still whispered softly in Ye Jinyan's ear, "It's okay, brother, don't be afraid. I actually... I don't hurt at all..."
Ye Jinyan's current favorability rating: 45.
Wow!
My brother is awesome! My brother is so handsome! My brother is the best!
Tang Ning mentally showered him with all sorts of compliments!
Author's Note: [Mini-Theater]
As Ye Jinyan's favorability rating skyrocketed, Tang Ning danced and showered flowers, exclaiming: "Brother is so great! Brother is so handsome! Brother is the best!"
After gaining 100 points of favorability, Tang Ning said expressionlessly: "Excuse me, who are you?"
Haha~~
Then there's Jiang Yao. I think the reader's suggestion is great. What kind of scum is he? He's just a scoundrel, hahaha. From now on, when he has a name, he'll be called Jiang Cha.
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