Chapter 442: Chapter 38: Revealing True Feelings, Only to be Humiliated
The two made their way up the stairs and arrived at the rooftop.
The rooftop was a fairly large platform, with many clothes and trousers basking in the sun on the left side, and a small flowerbed on the right designed for all sorts of green vegetables instead of flowers.
At the edge of the platform directly in front, there was a swing set, its metal frame speckled with rust.
Lin Ning sat on the swing and started to sway slowly, only to hear Yan Yu remark from beside her,
“You can actually see the sea from here.”
“Yes,” Lin Ning nodded. “Because Grandpa’s house is built quite high, one can overlook most of the village houses from the rooftop and see the scenery.”
...
“When I was little, every time I had an argument and got angry with my family, I would hide up here on the rooftop to look at the sea… and my mood would calm down.”
“I thought you were a goody-two-shoes as a child,” Yan Yu said casually. “Turns out you often bickered with your family too.”
“I was,” Lin Ning sighed, “but everyone liked to tease me.”
I also like to tease you… Yan Yu thought to himself, but he said aloud,
“It must be because you can’t take a joke, so when someone jokes with you, your reactions are quite amusing.”
“I don’t like jokes,” Lin Ning started to push the swing and responded gloomily.
“Of course.” Yan Yu said, “The first time we met, I made a joke and you blocked me straight away.”
“Don’t mention that.” Lin Ning fell silent for a moment before saying, “I think falling in love is a very serious matter. I really dislike it when people frivolously say things like ‘so-and-so would make a good match’ or ‘so-and-so should get together quickly’.”
“Indeed.” Yan Yu agreed with her sentiment, “Love is such a serious matter, how can we make jokes about it?”
“Don’t you dare mock me!” Lin Ning’s cheeks puffed up as if she was about to get angry, but soon she couldn’t help but let out a snort of laughter, “That’s just the way I am. What, can’t accept it?”
“I wouldn’t dare not to accept it,” Yan Yu replied.
“Hmph.” Lin Ning pursed her lips defiantly, “I just don’t like others gossiping.”
She gazed at the distant horizon of the sea, quieting down for roughly ten seconds, managing to suppress her irritation, which then gave way to an indescribable mood, a certain… urge to bravely take a step forward.
“Actually…” Lin Ning said softly, “I’ve often thought about it.”
“If it were someone I truly liked, he wouldn’t make me wait too long. He would understand my feelings, even if I can’t voice them out loud, and he would take the initiative to confess to me, letting me know that he likes me too, letting me know… that my waiting would have a good outcome.”
That was almost like laying her cards on the table, just like that time after dinner with Yun Jin.
If he confessed now, he could take this Lin down on the spot.
However, how could he consider home when he had not yet achieved great success?
Yan Yu’s mind churned with lofty national ideals, leaving little room for romance, and he quickly made up his mind. Lin Ning, who was sitting on the swing, quietly looked up to gauge the expression on Yan Yu’s profile, wondering whether the captain, neither confessing nor declining, was still hesitating or if he simply hadn’t understood her hint.
“I’m different from you in that regard,” Yan Yu finally spoke, “If I were to confess to someone, my first consideration wouldn’t be whether I like her or not, but whether she’s worthy.”
Lin Ning heaved a deep sigh, feeling both on the verge of tears and on the brink of laughter.
Such a typical response from the captain. So it’s not that he doesn’t like me, but he thinks I’m not worthy of him making a move?
Unless… I take the initiative to pursue him, then it’d be a different story. Is that what he means?
“But I can’t do that,” Lin Ning murmured as she looked again at the distant ocean.
“There is no such thing as can’t,” Yan Yu echoed her tone, talking to himself, “only don’t want to.”
“Hmph.” Lin Ning immediately harbored a multitude of grievances, grumbling, “That’s how you are, captain. Just wait to be confessed to, never considering a girl’s feelings. Even if the whole world has men pursuing women, you’d sit at home like a princess, waiting for knights from all over the world to come and propose to you, right?”
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“You’re jealous,” Yan Yu said.
Lin Ning immediately jumped down from the swing and shouted excitedly:
“Don’t flatter yourself! I don’t even like you, so wait for the one you like to chase after you! Lololol~”
She made a face with her tongue sticking out, only to see that Yan Yu was not angry, but instead sat down on the swing.
“Don’t be in a hurry…”
“I’m not in a hurry! I’m not hurried at all!” Lin Ning immediately denied vehemently.
“Alright, alright, you’re not in a hurry,” Yan Yu said with a smile, “Sit down and watch the sea with me for a bit.”
“I…” Lin Ning hesitated, “After what you just said, why should I sit next to you?”
“You can sit on the ground if you prefer,” Yan Yu suggested.
This crude and straightforward provocation strangely had a special effect on Lin Ning—You want me to sit on the ground? I’ll sit on the swing!
With indignation, she sat down beside Yan Yu and then noticed that his arm was conveniently placed behind her, suddenly feeling a bit uneasy: From behind, doesn’t this look like the captain has his arm around my shoulder?
“I’ve told all of these brothers and sisters of yours that I’m not planning to date anyone, at least not recently,” Yan Yu gazed at the distant sea horizon and said indifferently, “That’s the truth.”
“Oh,” Lin Ning asked in a muffled voice, “Why?”
“There’s no why,” Yan Yu replied, “People make different choices.”
“Look at Cai Qianlong from the Flying Dragon Battle Team. He found himself a girlfriend who is a second-generation official in his first year, perhaps because he has ambitions of climbing higher in the Dingbei Army, especially since Lord Master is blocking the way… In reality, Cai’s talent, awareness, and skills are not bad, but there’s always someone stronger than you in this world, and he sees almost no chance of surpassing Liu Longtao in terms of sheer strength. So he has to enhance his own capital from other aspects, that’s the path he chose.”
“But I’m different from Cai Qianlong. My status is almost the same as Lord Master’s, I’m already at the very forefront of Transcendents around the world. If I put in more effort to widen the gap enough so that no one can defeat you, then you can claim the throne of the strongest in this world—that is the path I choose to take.”
“What does that have to do with us?” Lin Ning asked, puzzled, “Even if you swear to be the best in the world, there’s no causal link to you not wanting to date.”
“Of course, there is,” Yan Yu said with a laugh, “Since I plan to be the best in the world, my wife at least has to be the second best, right?”
“Otherwise, if my wife is too weak, even though I would be the best in the world, when combined with her we could be surpassed by other couples, and wouldn’t that mean I’m being dragged down by her?”
“Uhh…” Lin Ning was at a loss for words and said, “I think you’re crazy.”
“Is little Ningning lacking confidence in becoming the second best in the world?” Yan Yu asked playfully.
“Hmph, that’s not it.” Lin Ning’s competitive spirit flared up as she asserted confidently, “My skills won’t be lacking, just being the second best in the world… Wait, I’m not saying I want to be your wife, I just mean I’m confident in becoming the second best in strength… That still doesn’t sound right. Why should it only be second? I aim to be the first!”
“Is that so?” Yan Yu’s face darkened immediately, “So you want to fight with me, is that it? You want to be my enemy, Lin Ning?”
Seeing his clearly displeased expression, Lin Ning suddenly felt guilty and stammered:
“No, the captain is really small-minded! Go ahead and be the strongest in this world, the best in the world, I won’t compete with you, being the second best is fine by me.”
“So you still intend to be my wife first!” Yan Yu feigned shock.
“Absolutely not!” Lin Ning said, huffing and puffing with irritation, “So I should aim to be the third best then?”
Being the best in the world means competing with you, the second best is your wife, pshaw, the captain really has no shame! Insisting that I be the third, huh!
“Well, that’s okay, I guess,” Yan Yu said after a moment of silence, “Being the third best in the world…”
“What’s wrong with being the third best in the world?” Lin Ning asked discontentedly.
“I was planning to reserve that spot for my second wife,” Yan Yu admitted frankly.
Honesty does not come without a price. Losing her temper, Lin Ning howled and promptly pounced on Yan Yu, tangling fiercely with him on the swing, as the rusty frame creaked under their struggle.