The Appearance I Hated Most in My Past Life

"Brother Yun! My bladder is about to burst, I'm going to relieve myself! Won't disturb your 'world of two' with Beauty Jiang, okay!"

Zhou Da winked as he dropped the line. Before Ling Yun could react, he dashed out of the classroom, his rounded back exuding an air of "I get it, I'll leave."

The classroom seemed to instantly fall silent, leaving only Ling Yun and Jiang Yingqing, who stood quietly beside his desk.

"Yingqing," Ling Yun put down his pen and turned his head to look at her, his gaze carrying a hint of inquiry, "Today... why do you seem so clingy? Coming to me the moment class ends?"

His tone was gentle, but he genuinely felt Jiang Yingqing's unusual behavior this afternoon.

She would usually come to chat with him, but never like today, as if she had become a part of his shadow, existing quietly beside him.

Jiang Yingqing's cheeks instantly flushed with a light blush, like a newly bloomed peach blossom.

She lowered her head slightly, her fingers unconsciously twisting the corner of her school uniform. Her voice was as soft as a feather brushing against the heart, carrying an unprecedented, almost brave directness.

"It's... it's nothing special..."

She paused, as if gathering courage, and raised her clear, moist eyes, looking directly into Ling Yun's. They were filled with undisguised, pure affection.

"I... I just want to stay by Brother Ling Yun's side, to be with you... that's all."

This almost "face-to-face ultimate move" confession caught Ling Yun slightly off guard.

He clearly saw the fervent emotions in the girl's eyes, like the midday sun in summer, impossible to ignore.

If it were his ordinary self in his past life, to be so adored by a girl like Jiang Yingqing, he would have likely been overjoyed and responded without hesitation.

But in this life...

Having gained extraordinary strength and the infinite possibilities granted by the system, his state of mind had already changed.

He saw a broader world, and his ambitions expanded accordingly.

A promise of "one lifetime, one love" now felt like a restraint.

Deep within his heart, a subtle thought arose: he didn't want to be bound by a single emotion.

"Am I also becoming that kind of person?"

A cold voice echoed in his mind, filled with intense self-loathing.

"Not initiating, not refusing, not taking responsibility, not making promises... using someone's affection, enjoying the comfort of being pursued?"

The thought made him feel somewhat disgusted, as if he saw the shadow of the person he despised most in his past life.

However, another, more honest voice whispered in his heart, "This feeling... is indeed very comfortable. To be loved and watched wholeheartedly by someone..."

Looking at the expectant, even slightly anxious eyes of the girl before him, Ling Yun ultimately couldn't bring himself to say anything that might crush her.

That pure affection deserved to be treated gently, at least for now.

"Oh? You want to accompany me? Alright! I'm just heading to the restroom to 'take care of business' right now. Do you want to... come along?"

He suddenly flashed a slightly teasing smile, as if he hadn't grasped the deeper meaning in her words at all, deliberately misinterpreting them.

"Ah?!"

Jiang Yingqing's face instantly turned crimson, like a ripe tomato. Her courage from moments before vanished, leaving only panic and embarrassment.

"Then... then maybe not! Brother Ling Yun, you go by yourself!"

She quickly waved her hands, her voice changing pitch.

Watching Ling Yun turn and walk out of the classroom with that teasing smile, Jiang Yingqing covered her burning cheeks, let out a long sigh, her heart a mix of emotions.

There was the shame from her bold confession just now, and also a hint of relief. Fortunately, Ling Yun didn't hear it, or pretended not to?

If she had been directly rejected... she couldn't even imagine how awkward things would become between them.

"Too rash!"

She chastised herself mentally.

"We've only known each other for a little over a week, how could I be so impulsive!"

She secretly resolved to take things slow!

Boiling a frog in warm water! With meticulous care and companionship, she would gradually infiltrate his life, make him accustomed to her presence, and eventually... make him fall for her! Yes, that's it!

"The advantage is mine!"

Jiang Yingqing cheered herself on. "I'm the girl closest to him, the one he interacts with the most! The water near the tower gets the moon first!"

So, when Ling Yun returned to the classroom after finishing his "personal business," he saw this scene.

Jiang Yingqing was still by his desk, head lowered. Her small face showed a frown of annoyance one moment, and then, as if thinking of something, the corners of her mouth would secretly curve into a sweet arc, and she'd giggle to herself.

"Yingqing," Ling Yun couldn't help but chuckle. He walked over and gently patted her shoulder, "What are you thinking about? Smiling so happily? Did you win the lottery?"

"Ah--!" Jiang Yingqing, lost in her "conquest plan," was startled by the sudden touch and question, almost jumping up like a startled rabbit.

Meeting Ling Yun's smiling gaze, her face turned crimson again, and she stammered, "No! It's nothing! Cl... class is about to start! Brother Ling Yun, I'm going back to my seat!"

After saying that, she didn't dare to look at Ling Yun again, lowered her head, and quickly ran back to her seat, her retreating figure looking like a hasty escape.

As soon as Jiang Yingqing sat down, trying to calm her racing heart.

The school bell rang precisely on time, like a horn signaling the start of class, echoing throughout the campus.

The day's classes finally ended.

In the darkness, Ling Yun and Jiang Yingqing, just like the past few days, walked towards the school gate together in unspoken understanding.

Streetlights stretched their shadows long, occasionally overlapping.

"Brother Ling Yun, see you tomorrow."

Jiang Yingqing stood beside the car that had come to pick her up, her voice returning to its usual gentleness, with a hint of reluctance that was hard to detect.

"Mm, see you tomorrow, Yingqing."

Ling Yun nodded and watched her get into the car.

The car merged into the traffic and gradually drove away. Ling Yun also turned and started his journey home.

Back home, Ling Yun glanced at his phone. The screen showed it was already 10:30 PM.

He didn't start streaming. Instead, he buried himself in playing the Peak Tournament.

Two hours later, his third alternate account successfully reached 1700 points.

Looking at the score, Ling Yun calculated that he would start streaming to aim for the top three in the Peak Tournament when the rankings were finalized in two days.

The Peak Tournament closed. Ling Yun compiled the exciting clips from the recent matches and sent them to Jiang Yingxue.

Ever since Jiang Yingxue took over the editing work, they hadn't played Honor of Kings together again; she was simply too busy.

His phone quickly lit up with Jiang Yingxue's reply: "Received, little brother Ling Yun. Sleep early, good night."

Ling Yun replied with a "Good night" as well and put down his phone.

Afterward, he gathered his thoughts, sat cross-legged as usual, and began cultivating the Myriad Rivers Return to Origin Method.

When he opened his eyes again, it was already time for school.

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