Chapter 70: Yu, I Love You
Xia Yu averted his gaze somewhat guiltily, for he was still struggling to adjust to the shift in their relationship.
Faced with Zhao Sijie’s intense and forthright affection, he found himself a little overwhelmed. He had seldom received gifts from anyone, let alone from a girl. So although he was still adapting, he was truly moved.
“What’s wrong? Aren’t you surprised and happy?” Zhao Sijie, noticing the uncertainty on his face, asked nervously.
Xia Yu shook his head quickly and explained, “No, I’m really touched. It’s just that, as a man, I feel like for the first gift, I should be the one to give it—not my girlfriend.”
“Besides, you need money right now, and this is so expensive. It doesn’t feel right for me to accept it.”
“What are you going on about?” Zhao Sijie chided him playfully. “Can’t a girlfriend buy her boyfriend a set of clothes? Besides, didn’t I just get tens of thousands in compensation from Big Head Fang?”
“And now my job prospects and salary are great, so this isn’t a big deal. I believe if we work hard together, things will only get better for us.”
“Alright, then I’ll accept it,” Xia Yu said with a smile, genuinely touched by her gesture. “But I have a gift for you, too.”
“Really? You have a present for me?” Zhao Sijie asked in disbelief.
Xia Yu took off the amulet hanging around his neck—or, in Master Lin’s words, a priceless treasure known as the “Gold Seeker’s Talisman.”
Originally, he had intended to give it to Master Lin, but now that Lin Yuqing was together with Li Hao, there was no promise left to fulfill. Besides, Lin Yuqing probably didn’t need it anymore.
Since he had decided to take responsibility for Zhao Sijie, it felt only right to give it to her.
“Here, this is for you.”
“What is it?” Zhao Sijie took it, puzzled.
“It’s a protective charm. It’s been with me since I was a child,” Xia Yu replied. “I hope from now on, it can help me protect you, too.”
Zhao Sijie’s eyes grew hot with emotion. Suddenly, she threw her arms around Xia Yu.
“Brother Yu, thank you…”
“All these years, I’ve always relied on myself. No matter what difficulties I faced, I gritted my teeth and pushed through. No matter how tired I was, I never dared to stop.”
“Everyone thinks I’m strong. Thank you for protecting me. You’re the first man who has willingly cared for me and made me feel safe.”
“Brother Yu, I love you!”
Xia Yu was deeply moved and gently wrapped his other arm around her.
This girl had truly endured a hard life. Despite having the kind of beauty that others envied, hardship had given her every excuse to give up and take shortcuts—to find some rich boyfriend or seek an easy way up by clinging to wealthy men, as many others did.
But she hadn’t. She had relied on her own hands, persevering all the way. Even knowing her past—her divorce, her reputation as someone others looked down on—she never flinched, nor did she look down on him. She was willing to struggle alongside him and build a better future together.
Was she a good girl? Without a doubt—she was someone worth cherishing and loving.
Yet, why did Lin Yuqing’s face surface in his mind at this moment?
Xia Yu gritted his teeth and forced himself to calm down. The girl before him was the one he should take responsibility for. Lin Yuqing had made her choice, hadn’t she?
“Hey, isn’t that Sijie?”
“Am I seeing things? Isn’t that our old classmate, Zhao Sijie?”
Suddenly, a surprised voice spoke up from the side.
Startled, Zhao Sijie quickly let go of Xia Yu and turned around. Three stylishly dressed girls stood nearby. She called out in surprise, “Lily, Xiaorong, Xiaoqin!”
All three were her high school classmates. It had been years since they last met—back in their first year of college, when the high school classmates had gathered for a reunion.
“Well, if it isn’t our old classmate! What’s going on—got yourself a boyfriend?”
“So many people in the square and you’re showing off your love? That’s not very appropriate, is it?”
The three girls looked Xia Yu up and down with amused, somewhat mocking expressions. To their eyes, he was nothing special—aside from being a bit handsome, he didn’t seem to stand out in any way, just another ordinary guy you’d see on the street.
But then again, back in school, everyone knew Zhao Sijie was the poorest. She would wear the same outfit for years, colors faded from too much washing, still unwilling to buy new clothes.
For someone so down-and-out, how good a boyfriend could she possibly find? As the saying goes, people match according to their status—he must be a pauper, too.
“Yes, he’s my boyfriend,” Zhao Sijie said generously, then introduced them to Xia Yu. “Brother Yu, they’re all my high school classmates.”
“Hello,” Xia Yu said, eyeing them. From their arrogant and disdainful expressions, he could more or less guess what kind of people they were, so he kept his attitude neutral.
“Heh…” The girls gave perfunctory little laughs and then said to Zhao Sijie, “Sijie, it’s been years. Are you working now? How’s life treating you?”
“Not bad,” Zhao Sijie replied. “I’m the floor manager at Delicious Restaurant now. How about you all?”
The three were clearly surprised. They knew that Delicious Restaurant was the city’s largest five-star restaurant chain, and a managerial position there was quite impressive.
After all, they themselves were just regular employees climbing the corporate ladder. By comparison, it seemed they weren’t doing as well as Zhao Sijie.