Chapter 10: Not a Man of Unwavering Virtue

The apartment building where Qi Yue and Yang Zhilin lived was called the Fortune Center. Lin Yu’s home was in Xin Garden Community, just two streets away from the Fortune Center.

So, after bidding farewell to his close friends, Lin Yu walked home with Qi Yue and Yang Zhilin. Along the way, the cheerful and lively Qi Yue was visibly excited and talked nonstop, while Lin Yu and Yang Zhilin quietly listened and responded from time to time.

When they reached the Fortune Center, Qi Yue invited Yang Zhilin to join them at Lin Yu’s place for dinner, but Yang Zhilin pointed at her watch and said that her mother wouldn’t allow her to come home too late, then headed upstairs alone.

Watching Yang Zhilin’s graceful figure gradually disappear onto the second-floor terrace, Qi Yue suddenly broke into a grin and patted Lin Yu on the shoulder. “Hey, dummy! Do you think Zhilin is pretty? Who’s prettier, her or me?”

In terms of looks alone, Yang Zhilin was, in Lin Yu’s memory, the most flawless, captivating woman he’d ever seen. Qi Yue, with her youthful energy, was also beautiful, but compared to Yang Zhilin, she was just a fraction less so.

Having been quite the ladies’ man in his past life, Lin Yu would never answer such a question directly. His eyes flickered with mischief as he replied, “Well, if we’re talking about beauty, you’re both very attractive. But in terms of pure looks…”

“But what? Who’s prettier?” Qi Yue pinched Lin Yu’s waist, urging him to answer. The seriousness in her eyes showed just how much she cared about the response.

“In terms of looks, you both fall just a little short—compared to me.” Lin Yu laughed smugly, looking insufferably pleased with himself.

“Shameless!” Qi Yue scoffed. Then, her cheeks suddenly flushed as she pressed on, “So, dummy, do you actually like me or not? Would you want me to be your girlfriend?”

“Huh?” Lin Yu hadn’t expected Qi Yue to come out and ask so directly, and for a moment, he was at a loss for words, unsure how to reply.

Seeing his hesitation, Qi Yue promptly kicked him and feigned indifference. “Whatever, if you don’t want to say, forget it. It’s not a big deal.”

“That’s more like it, silly girl. What’s all this about liking or not liking, anyway?” Lin Yu grinned, draping an arm around Qi Yue’s shoulders as they walked side by side.

When they reached the entrance of People’s Park near Xin Garden, Qi Yue suddenly had the urge to play on the swings, but Lin Yu stopped her. He vaguely remembered that there had once been an accident with those swings, where a little girl broke her arm, though he couldn’t recall the exact year. His protective gesture, however, left Qi Yue quite displeased.

By the time they strolled into Xin Garden, the sky was painted with the most vibrant, glowing sunset. Through the gaps between the buildings and the pink silk tree blossoms lining the road, they could see beautiful clouds in shades of white, red, and gray in the western sky.

Some elderly people were already out for an after-dinner stroll or walking their dogs, while others were engaged in fierce battles on the chessboard.

As they approached his building, Lin Yu spotted a familiar figure exercising on the step machine downstairs. It was his mother, Wang Chunhua. The sight made his eyes sting with emotion, for he knew this was the year she’d just taken a buyout from her job and been laid off. She’d always been accustomed to working, and with nothing to do, she couldn’t stand the idle hours, so she would come down to exercise and pass the time.

Thinking of his mother, only thirty-eight this year, facing countless idle days ahead, Lin Yu clenched his fists and silently vowed to change her fate.

That evening, Lin Yu’s father was away on a business trip, so after dinner, Qi Yue didn’t leave and instead stayed in the same room as Wang Chunhua.

After watching a while of “Years of Burning Passion” starring Sun Haiying and Lü Liping with the two women, Lin Yu returned to his own room, plastered with Bruce Lee posters, and lay down on his familiar double bed.

It had been nearly a full day since he’d been reborn as his sixteen-year-old self, but this was the first time he’d allowed himself to quietly reflect on the matters of the future.

He thought of using the search system in his mind to improve his grades, of leveraging his foresight to create wealth, or of helping his parents realize their dreams—so many possibilities. The sheer number of things he’d have to change and reverse weighed heavily on him, but by nature, he was brimming with confidence about the future.

He decided to take things as they came, one step at a time, countering every challenge as it arose.

For now, the most pressing matter was the college entrance exam, whose countdown had already begun. Everything else could wait until there was time.

Before he knew it, the television in the next room had been off for a couple of hours, but Lin Yu still wasn’t sleepy. He closed his eyes to rest, knowing that once the new day began, his intense study journey would officially start.

He had no idea how much the search system could help improve his exam scores; he’d have to experiment and find out.

At around 1:20 a.m., as the hands of the quartz clock by his bed crept forward, Lin Yu heard sounds from the next room—probably his mother or Qi Yue getting up to use the bathroom, he figured, and paid no further attention. The sound of the toilet flushing confirmed his guess.

But soon after, he noticed the sound of slippered footsteps coming toward his room. Slowly, his bedroom door creaked open, and a shadow slipped inside like a thief.

It was Qi Yue, dressed only in modest black underwear. With the blue school uniform gone, her long, fair, and shapely legs were on full display again.

Lin Yu pretended to be asleep, ignoring her.

Qi Yue stood by the bed, watching for a long while. Convinced he was truly asleep, she leaned down and placed a kiss on his face, then straightened up to leave.

But before she reached the door, she suddenly turned back, slipped into his bed, and began to play with Lin Yu’s not-very-long hair, attempting to tie it into a small ponytail before returning to her own room.

This put Lin Yu, who was feigning sleep, in quite a predicament. The warmth of Qi Yue’s breath on his neck made him feel unbearably ticklish, and he nearly burst out laughing. But he knew that if he suddenly woke up, Qi Yue would be mortified, so he forced himself to remain still.

About five minutes passed like this. Then, suddenly, Lin Yu felt Qi Yue’s entire upper body rest on his chest, her breathing deep and even—she’d fallen asleep.

The soft weight on his chest sent Lin Yu’s mind racing with wild thoughts.

In his heart, two little figures waged a fierce battle.

One said: “You can’t do anything bad. She’s only a teenager. If you do anything, you’ll be a complete scoundrel!”

The other countered: “With such a beautiful, long-legged girl right in front of you, if you don’t take advantage, you’re worse than a beast!”

After an intense internal struggle, Lin Yu finally suppressed his desires and carefully picked Qi Yue up, intending to carry her back to the next room.

But just as he lifted her, the girl let out a soft, alluring murmur in her sleep.

The fire Lin Yu had been keeping in check was instantly and utterly ignited.

“Might as well collect a little interest first! I’m no saint—who could resist such beauty?” he thought wickedly.