Chapter 107: Su Yuqing’s Sense of Crisis
When Chen Mo offered to treat her to a meal to thank her, Wang Lulu immediately shook her head. Looking at him apologetically, she said, "There’s no need. A couple of days ago, I sent a video of you and Su Yuqing living together to a friend, and it ended up spreading everywhere. I haven’t had a chance to apologize to you both yet. Let’s just consider this my way of making amends.
"I’m really, really sorry. I thought I was just sharing it with my best friend and that it wouldn’t get out."
Seeing her sincere attitude, Chen Mo smiled and waved a dismissive hand.
But then his expression turned slightly serious. "Let’s let bygones be bygones. But don’t do this again. You’re still young. If you pull something like this after you graduate and enter the workforce, you could face legal consequences. You need to be more careful about that."
Chen Mo felt it was necessary to warn Wang Lulu about such things.
Hearing his words, Wang Lulu suddenly had the strange feeling of being lectured by an adult, and she immediately nodded meekly.
It wasn’t until Chen Mo smiled, nodded, and walked away that she snapped out of it. ’Why did it feel like Chen Mo, who’s the same age as me, was acting like an elder just now?’
Ever since returning to this timeline, Chen Mo had done his best to blend in with his current age and enjoy his youth. As such, he rarely said or did anything that betrayed his true maturity.
In total, he had only let this side of himself show three times.
The first time was when he faced Su Yuqing’s father, Su Chengfeng.
Back then, if he hadn’t adopted a firm attitude and the intimidating presence of a grown man, it would have been difficult to make that selfish oaf, who was blind to his own daughter’s struggles, back down.
The second time was with their homeroom teacher. To ensure the teacher, He Xiaoyun, understood Su Yuqing’s predicament, he had projected an adult-like composure. It startled her, making her feel as if Chen Mo were a protective guardian who had come to discuss Su Yuqing’s affairs in detail and explain the stakes.
Chen Mo didn’t like acting overly mature at an age when he wasn’t supposed to.
Other than those two instances, there was just now, when he couldn’t help but lecture Wang Lulu a bit in the hopes that she would correct her bad habits.
Even though he had only let his un-age-appropriate demeanor show three times, each instance had drawn a surprised reaction from the person involved.
It just went to show that it was actually quite easy for others to notice when your words and actions didn’t match your age.
Staring at Chen Mo’s back as he walked away, Wang Lulu was still mystified. ’Why did that feel like I was getting scolded by my own intimidating older brother, the one who’s ten years older than me?’
After he returned to his seat, Su Yuqing, for once, took the initiative to probe him for information.
She almost never pried into other people’s business, worried that it might make them uncomfortable.
This time, however, she ignored that concern.
As soon as Chen Mo got back, she looked at him curiously and whispered, "Did Wang Lulu want to talk to you about something?"
Hearing Su Yuqing’s question, Chen Mo was slightly taken aback; he could sense that something was different.
’Yuqing is actually asking about someone else’s conversation.’ Chen Mo felt quite gratified.
The old Su Yuqing, tormented by depression, had been taciturn and spoke very little. While not quite another Lin Yu’an, she wasn’t far off.
The only difference between her and Lin Yu’an was that she typically responded to others with a gentle smile. She might not say much, but when she did respond, she was always very sweet and friendly.
Lin Yu’an, on the other hand, acted out of a desire to avoid others at all costs, lest he be targeted for bullying. He maintained a cold expression toward everyone, which made him seem arrogant to others.
That was why two people who were both introverted and taciturn received vastly different treatment from their peers.
Of course, the most crucial factor was that one was a boy and the other was a girl.
If Lin Yu’an had been a stunning beauty like Su Yuqing, that cold expression of his might have been labeled "ice queen" by others.
But for Su Yuqing—who was normally quiet and would never pry into others’ secrets—to not only proactively tease him these past two days but even inquire about his affairs... Chen Mo felt that her condition had clearly improved a lot. It was great progress.
So much so that he completely overlooked the other meaning behind her actions.
It didn’t even cross his mind that Su Yuqing might be asking because she was jealous.
Although Wang Lulu wasn’t as pretty as Su Yuqing, she was still attractive—and most importantly, she was very well-developed. Su Yuqing had already stereotyped Chen Mo’s tastes, believing he liked girls with the "impressive bust" she’d seen that Friday night.
Therefore, girls with similar attributes made her feel a strong sense of threat.
Love always makes people blind and insecure.
Between being in love and the effects of her still-lingering depression, Su Yuqing’s self-esteem was very low.
She was terrified that another girl would snatch Chen Mo away.
Although she initially felt that this time with Chen Mo was a gift from heaven, love is both selfless and greedy. Who wouldn’t want to receive more, longer-lasting love?
The human heart is forever a complex bundle of contradictions.
Sometimes, you feel completely content, that the happiness you’ve found exceeds your wildest dreams.
But other times, you feel like it’s still not enough.
Su Yuqing sometimes worried that she was being too greedy. While her heart was grateful for heaven’s gift, she would also repent for her own greedy desires.
But when faced with love, it is ultimately difficult to control oneself.
For instance, right now, Su Yuqing knew perfectly well that the most appropriate thing to do was not to ask. Even if she didn’t, Zhao Yuanyuan and Huang Mao would surely be unable to contain their curiosity and ask anyway. But she still couldn’t help but blurt it out.
The moment she asked, Zhao Yuanyuan and Huang Mao naturally leaned in, eager to hear the answer.
Chen Mo looked at the three of them, smiled, and said, "It was nothing. She was just apologizing for secretly recording and spreading that video of me and Yuqing."
Hearing it was just about that, Zhao Yuanyuan and Huang Mao instantly lost interest.
But the perceptive Su Yuqing clearly sensed that Chen Mo wasn’t telling the truth—or at least, not the whole truth.
But since Chen Mo was unwilling to say more, she wouldn’t force the issue.
Still, her heart itched with unbearable curiosity, wondering what on earth Chen Mo had said to Wang Lulu that he couldn’t tell the three of them.
’Could it have been a confession?’ The thought sent a sudden jolt of panic through Su Yuqing.
Just then, she suddenly felt a gentle heat cover her back. The warmth of a palm spread from the center of her back through her entire body, bringing with it an intense feeling of reassurance.