Xu Yining walked out of the classroom and stood in the stairwell of the adjacent class. She sent a message to Pan Hao, telling him to come out. Pan Hao saw the text, looked out the window, and saw her gazing at the playground in the distance. He gripped his phone with a conflicted expression but eventually forced himself to walk out.
“Xu Yining, what is it?” he asked, standing behind her.
She turned around abruptly, her tone impatient. “Pan Hao, when exactly are you going to confess to Han Doudou? I can’t wait any longer.”
Pan Hao hesitated. “We just got to school…”
“It’s not time for class yet,” Xu Yining interrupted. “Everyone is excited. If you confess now, it’ll cause a scene. In the heat of the moment, she’ll definitely agree.”
Pan Hao looked at her bitterly. The problem was that he didn’t like Han Doudou; he didn’t want to confess, and he certainly didn’t want her to say yes. “Do I really have to do this?”
“What do you think?” Xu Yining looked at him coldly.
Seeing no room for negotiation, Pan Hao gave a self-mocking laugh. “Fine. I’ll go. I’ll go right now.” He turned and left, while Xu Yining watched his back with indifference. To her, it was just a play—she’d compensate him for the trouble later.
He Lan was currently explaining a math problem to Han Doudou when Pan Hao marched up to their desk. Ignoring He Lan, he looked at Han Doudou and barked, “Han Doudou, come out here with me.”
His commanding tone annoyed Han Doudou. Just because his family was rich didn’t mean she owed him anything. She glanced at him casually and said two words: “No time.” She then lowered her head back to her workbook.
Pan Hao was stunned. “You’re really not coming out?”
“Can’t you see I’m studying?” Han Doudou snapped.
Feeling the eyes of the class on him, Pan Hao grit his teeth and blurted out, “I like you!”
The classroom went dead silent.
Han Doudou blinked, stunned. “Nonsense. You clearly like Xu Yining.”
The silence deepened. Everyone in class knew Pan Hao was always bringing snacks to Xu Yining. Pan Hao’s face flushed. Everyone knew he liked Xu Yining—why was she the only one who didn’t care? Driven by desperation and frustration, he snapped, “Just tell me, will you go out with me or not?”
“My dad’s ‘Daughter’s Code’ says no early dating,” Han Doudou said bluntly. “Besides, I trust my gut. You like Xu Yining. Sort out your own drama and leave me out of it.”
Pan Hao felt humiliated. “With my family background, I’m doing you a favor by chasing you, and you’re saying no?”
Han Doudou rolled her eyes. “Yes, yes, you’re rich so you don’t have to study. But I’m not, and if I don’t work hard, I won’t find a job. So can you please stop interrupting my studying?”
His face beet-red, Pan Hao turned and stormed out. Han Doudou watched him go, a thought crossing her mind. Xu Yining just went to see Pan Hao, and then he comes in here to confess to me? She suspected Xu Yining was behind this.
She turned back to He Lan. “Keep explaining the problem.”
He Lan looked at her. “You still have the heart to listen?”
“Why wouldn’t I?” Han Doudou asked. She had realized her friendship with Xu Yining was full of calculations, and she wasn’t as sad as she expected. If a friendship didn’t work, it didn’t work.
…
Xu Yining was waiting outside. When she saw Pan Hao’s dark expression, she asked, “Did she agree?”
Pan Hao stared at her. “Xu Yining, we grew up together. Our moms used to joke about us being engaged. Do you really not know I like you?”
Xu Yining looked away. “Why are you bringing that up now?”
Pan Hao let out a tragic laugh. “Han Doudou said I like you and told me to confess to you instead.”
Xu Yining’s heart tightened. She hated Han Doudou for speaking the truth. Pan Hao gave her one last disappointed look and went to his own class. Xu Yining composed herself and walked back into her classroom with a gentle smile.
She sat down and said softly, “Han Doudou, let me in.”
Han Doudou moved her chair. “Didn’t you go to the dentist?”
“The pain went away as soon as I walked out,” Xu Yining lied. “I’ll just see my family doctor later.”
“Wow,” Han Doudou said. “I’ve never had a toothache that follows a schedule.”
Xu Yining froze. Han Doudou continued, “Pan Hao just confessed to me. He clearly likes you—you guys are childhood sweethearts. Is he trying to drive a wedge between us?”
Xu Yining panicked and glanced at He Lan. He Lan didn’t look up, but a mocking smirk played on his lips.
Han Doudou grabbed Xu Yining’s arm. “Don’t worry, Yining. I don’t like him at all. I don’t want people thinking I’m stealing my best friend’s man.”
Xu Yining felt cornered. “He’s not my boyfriend… he’s just a friend.”
“Regardless,” Han Doudou said, “I don’t want any trouble. If my dad found out about this, he’d kill me. I don’t dare challenge his temper.”
…
Another week passed. Han Doudou headed home with a bag of laundry and smelled meat cooking. She opened the door and found Xiao Locheng on the sofa eating potato chips.
“Xiao Locheng! Why are you here?”
“I have a boyfriend,” Xiao Locheng whispered. “My dad found out and said if I don’t break up with him, he’ll disown me. So I ran away to your house.”
Xiao Locheng sighed. “Han Doudou, I really envy you. You have a dad like Uncle Han. He’s strict, but he never screams at you like my dad does.”
Han Doudou was surprised. People envy me?
The two girls chatted about their parents. “I don’t get what my dad sees in your mom,” Xiao Locheng remarked.
“Well,” Han Doudou pondered, “Your dad is rich but… not very cultured and, let’s be honest, a bit ugly. My mom is pretty, dresses well, and looks thirty when she’s forty. She makes her own money, too. It’s a classic ‘Beauty and the Beast’ situation.”
Xiao Locheng agreed. “My dad is just obsessed with her looks.”
Han Doudou shrugged. “I don’t know about that. But if I get married one day, I’d rather have someone like Uncle Xiao—someone who might not be a looker but treats his wife well—than a handsome guy who’s always criticizing me.”
Xiao Locheng was stunned. “You actually think my dad is good husband material?”
“He’s good to his wife,” Han Doudou said simply.
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152