CHAPTER 294: CHAPTER 289: PHOENIX MAN

Zhang Meng was very aware of her feelings. If initially she felt more gratitude than liking towards Ye Qiu, now her liking definitely outweighed her gratitude.

From the very beginning of the school year when they became classmates, she started to notice this boy who stood out from the rest. She had heard some negative rumors about him and knew that he never paid them any attention. Inexplicably over time, she began to feel a growing compassion for him.

It was just because of his poor family background, not his fault. Given his circumstances, he naturally had to spend more time on his studies. How could those people understand the difficulties Ye Qiu faced?

Gradually, Zhang Meng found herself unconsciously focusing more on him, learning that in order to save money he would only eat two meals a day, only having two plain buns for breakfast and just vegetables with rice for dinner.

Ye Qiu saving her was just an opportunity; in fact, she had already fallen for him. She admired his relentless self-improvement and his hardworking nature.

So she found ways to get close to him, disregarding her best friend’s advice, just to spend more time with him. Knowing his male pride, she would often use the excuse of dieting to let him eat some meat, fully aware it might annoy him, but she did not mind.

She just liked him so much!

Zhang Meng lowered her head sadly. Did Ye Qiu actually start to hate her already? She knew she could be annoying and irritating.

"Silly girl." Ye Qiu sighed, his hands grasping her shoulders, staring seriously into her eyes, "Don’t be sad, it hurts me to see you like this."

Hearing Ye Qiu’s words, Zhang Meng looked up in surprise. Had she heard wrong?

"You’re a very good girl, you don’t deserve to belittle yourself for liking someone," Ye Qiu said gravely, "I’m just a poor student, and you are a rich girl, Zhang Meng, I can’t give you happiness."

But Zhang Meng stubbornly pressed her lips together, her gaze resolute: "Is happiness measured only by money to you? Ye Qiu, I believe in you, and I’m not going to give up. I’ll make sure you like me back."

"You’ve already done it."

"What?" Zhang Meng asked instinctively.

"I said you’ve already made me like you," Ye Qiu chuckled softly, his eyes full of tenderness as he looked at her, "It’s me who has been avoiding this; I don’t deserve you."

"Don’t you say that," Zhang Meng covered Ye Qiu’s lips with her hand, a slight smile curling at her lips.

Ye Qiu removed her hand and held it tightly, speaking earnestly, "Zhang Meng, from today on I’ve decided not to run away anymore. I will work harder to be worthy of you. Would you be my girlfriend?"

Zhang Meng had thought she would be the first to confess in this romance, but happiness came so unexpectedly. So Ye Qiu was not uninterested in her, he just felt unworthy and therefore had been avoiding her. How could he be so silly?

Tears of joy streamed down Zhang Meng’s face as she choked up, "I’d love to."

Ye Qiu gently wiped away her tears, chuckling, "If you cry any more, you won’t look like a little fairy."

"Little fairy?" Zhang Meng was taken aback. What kind of nickname was that?

"Yeah, you’ve always been my little fairy," Ye Qiu explained, "Do you think it was just by chance that I rescued you last year?"

"Why?" Zhang Meng was stunned, a bold guess forming in her heart, could it really be what she was thinking?

"Because I’ve liked you for a long time, and I knew Huanghua Lane was dangerous, so I followed you that day."

It really was just as she thought!

Zhang Meng opened her mouth in surprise; she thought she was the first to fall in love, but it turned out she was the one being loved! Happiness came so unexpectedly that Zhang Meng didn’t know how to react.

"Don’t overthink it, it’s time to head back to the dormitory," Ye Qiu patted her head, speaking affectionately.

"Oh, okay." Zhang Meng now followed any direction given to her, not until she was back in the dorm did she stomp her foot in annoyance.

Why did I act so silly again?

But this feeling feels so great! The person I like has liked me for a long time already.

Zhang Meng propped her cheeks with her hands, nearly bubbling with happiness.

Li Xin walked into the dormitory, saw Zhang Meng’s silly demeanor, and unusually refrained from making sarcastic remarks. She witnessed the scene of mutual confessions just before, and felt a bit complicated.

She thought Zhang Meng was destined to get hurt in this love affair, but in the blink of an eye, she harvested love, and the person has been devotedly thinking they weren’t worthy and silently rejecting.

She thought, it turns out Ye Qiu isn’t that useless, at least he truly likes Zhang Meng.

Although Ye Qiu comes from a poor family, far from matching those rich second generations at school, she still felt jealous at this moment.

How could her friend be so lucky? Not only coming from a wealthy family with a successful father, but she has also never faced much hardship from childhood, and even in love, her boyfriend is wholeheartedly devoted.

However, this jealousy was just momentary. She still thought her friend was a bit foolish; so what if Ye Qiu loves her? Can love be eaten? Even if he tries hard, he can’t compare to those rich second generations.

Li Xin thought, although her family background could not compare to Zhang Meng’s, she must marry better than her in the future, she wouldn’t foolishly give up material wealth for love!

Even though Zhang Meng has always treated her as a best friend since childhood, due to her father working under Zhang Meng’s father, she was fed up with always trying to please her, so the man she marries in the future definitely cannot be a poor boy like Ye Qiu.

"Xinxin, did you know? Ye Qiu confessed to me." Zhang Meng came back from her excitement and shared her joy with Li Xin.

"Is that so? Congratulations then," Li Xin sincerely said, hoping at this moment that Zhang Meng and Ye Qiu could always be together.

"Thank you, Xinxin, I knew you would bless me." Zhang Meng happily hugged Li Xin, blissfully speaking.

"If Uncle Zhang finds out you’re dating Ye Qiu, would he oppose it?" Li Xin asked seemingly worriedly.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Meng also hesitated and frowned, considering her father’s authoritarianism, she looked at Li Xin with hope: "Xinxin, can you keep it a secret from my dad for now?"

"But Uncle Zhang will find out sooner or later."

"Keep it secret for now, you know how my dad is, he has always hoped I wouldn’t marry a doctor, but that’s okay, once he finds out how outstanding Ye Qiu is in the future, he will definitely agree."

"How long shall we keep it hidden? You wouldn’t want Uncle Zhang to worry, right?"

"As long as we can keep it hidden, my dad has connections in the hospital, I don’t want him to affect Ye Qiu’s studies, it wouldn’t be fair."

"Okay, I promise you, but you’ll have to explain everything clearly to Uncle Zhang later." Li Xin’s eyes flickered, she unwillingly agreed, but her heart leapt a little with the thought that it would be great if Zhang Meng could be with Ye Qiu for a long, long time. Once their relationship deepened, even Dean Zhang couldn’t tear them apart.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Meng happily hugged her: "Xinxin, I knew you’re the best."