Chapter 96: Girlfriend, You’re Not Being Honest
Xu Nianshen smiled, counting it as a response to those words.
In Fan Ke’s eyes, love never looked like this, and she was truly envious.
“I hope you and your girlfriend can meet again soon. I hope you’ll always be together and happy forever!”
Xu Nianshen’s lips curved upward, his tone both an answer and a promise: “We will.”
After that, Lin Yuejiu became very busy, splitting her time between studying and practicing. She often had to take part in competitions. The training here was much stricter than back home, and for a while, she was so busy she sometimes missed meals. But she didn’t tell Xu Nianshen, afraid he would worry—she only ever shared the good, never the bad.
Though she thought she might struggle to adjust, surprisingly she didn’t. She quickly adapted to the food, got used to the new environment, and during free evenings, Chen Qianxi and Xu’s mother would call her. Xu Nianshen would also message her, and even in the Class 1 group chat, her classmates would @ her, asking what fun things she had discovered there. It felt as though they were always right beside her, keeping her company.
On her first day at the association, Li Jing had already introduced her to everyone. Being new, strikingly beautiful, and later proving herself talented by winning competitions, she quickly became well-known. Many people approached her—both men and women—but especially men. Some confessed to her directly, and some of the more passionate foreign students even boldly asked her to marry them, which startled her so much she froze in place, until Li Jing helped her out of the situation.
One day, after finishing a small competition, a foreign boy came up to her. She had just changed her clothes and, seeing him waiting, asked politely: “Hello, is there something you need?”
The boy handed her a rose straight away. “I want to ask if you need a boyfriend. I like you and want to be yours.”
By now, Lin Yuejiu had grown used to their straightforward, bold way of expressing feelings. Without hesitation, she shook her head. “I’m sorry, I already have a boyfriend.”
“Who is he?”
“He’s not from here. He’s from my country. We’ve known each other for a long time, and our relationship is very good.”
“Can I see his photo?”
Lin Yuejiu showed him a picture on her phone—one of her and Xu Nianshen together.
The boy’s eyes lit up with amazement at Xu’s face, and he asked curiously: “Why is your boyfriend so handsome?”
Lin Yuejiu laughed. “That’s just how he was born—nothing I can do about it.”
“In the photo, you look really happy. Do you like him a lot?”
She nodded firmly. “Yes, very much. I’ve always liked him, and I want to stay with him forever.”
Hearing her so certain, the boy’s face dimmed with disappointment. “Alright then… I wish you both happiness.”
“Thank you.”
That night, during a video call with Xu Nianshen, Lin Yuejiu proudly told him the story, like she was claiming credit: “Teacher Xu, did you see? My feelings for you are so solid!”
Her whole face practically screamed, Hurry up and praise me!
Xu Nianshen obliged, smiling. “Mm, my girlfriend is the best.”
At once, Lin Yuejiu puffed up with pride. If she had a tail, it would’ve been wagging sky-high. “Of course! I’m amazing!”
“You have a lot of people chasing you over there?”
Suddenly, her straightened back slouched, and she glanced away with a guilty look. “N-no, not a lot…”
“Look into my eyes.”
She obediently lifted her gaze to meet his.
He raised an eyebrow. “Really not a lot of people chasing you?”
“N-no…”
“Mm?”
“…Yes,” she admitted instantly, pressing her lips together. “Quite a few.”
Xu Nianshen sighed. “Girlfriend, you’re not being honest.”
Lin Yuejiu immediately pouted and apologized: “I was wrong, Teacher Xu. I just didn’t want you to get jealous, so I didn’t tell you. But I promise—I rejected everyone very clearly! And I told them all I already have a boyfriend!”
Xu Nianshen did believe her, but seeing how seriously she was explaining herself, he couldn’t resist the urge to tease her.
“Really? I’m not over there with you, so how do I know whether what you said is true or not?”
Lin Yuejiu thought he didn’t believe her and grew anxious. “If you don’t believe me, I can call my roommate right now to testify. She was there every time I turned people down!”
Seeing that she was really about to grab her phone and make the call, Xu Nianshen quickly said, “Alright, alright, I believe you. No need to call.”
“Really?”
“Mm, I was just teasing you just now.”
Lin Yuejiu immediately gave him a faint, accusing look. “Boyfriend, you’ve gotten bad.”
Xu Nianshen laughed and smoothly admitted fault. “My mistake, please forgive me, girlfriend.”
“I’m kindhearted, so I’ll forgive you.”
“Mm, thank you, girlfriend.”
“By the way, we should have exchange students in your class, right?”
“Yes.”
“From which country? Where do they sit?”
“She sits right next to me, in your old seat.”
Lin Yuejiu raised her eyebrows. “Next to you? What does that girl look like? Have you already talked to her?”
Seeing her act like she was checking up on him, Xu Nianshen immediately raised both hands in surrender and chuckled. “She came up to talk to me first. I didn’t go to her.”
“What does she look like?”
“I don’t know, I didn’t look.”
Lin Yuejiu gave a little hum. She had originally thought if he hesitated even a little before answering, it would mean he had noticed the girl’s face, and she could catch him on that and pretend to quarrel. She hadn’t expected his answer to be so firm and clean.
“What did your classmates think of her?”
“Everyone welcomed her.”
“You just said she talked to you first—what did she say?”
“She noticed my bracelet and asked who made it. I told her it was from my girlfriend. Then she asked to see your photo.”
“Is that so? And what did she say after seeing it?”
“She said, ‘Wish you two happiness,’ and that we look very well-matched.” Xu Nianshen’s face was full of a smile as he said it.
Lin Yuejiu, who had been trying to hold a stern expression, couldn’t help but laugh, lifting her chin a little. “Of course! We’re such a good-looking pair—it’s only natural we’re a match!”
Just as they were talking, Li Jing came back in from outside. Seeing Lin Yuejiu smiling, she immediately came over suspiciously. “Jiujiu, who are you talking to?”
Suddenly, Li Jing’s face appeared in the video frame.
She took one look at Xu Nianshen and immediately remembered. “Jiujiu, this is your boyfriend, right?”
The very first time Lin Yuejiu had turned someone down and said she already had a boyfriend, Li Jing had pestered her until she showed her his photo.
Xu Nianshen nodded. “You’re her roommate?”
“Yes, I’m her roommate!”
“Thank you for looking after her for me.”
Li Jing waved her hand grandly. “No need to thank me. She kissed me, so of course I should take care of her.”
Xu Nianshen: “……??”
Lin Yuejiu: Uh oh.
