What Makes You Think You Can Make Her Happy?

Upon hearing this, Li Hao's face turned ashen.

As if Ye Jing's words had hit the nail on the head, the anger and resentment in his heart intertwined into a complex web, almost suffocating him.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm the turmoil in his heart, but his voice still trembled. "Respect? How can you expect me to respect you? You're just an outsider, what makes you think you can easily win her heart? And me, we grew up together, all those years of friendship, is it not worth as much as these few months of your time together?"

Ye Jing gently shook her head, her eyes filled with both sympathy and determination. "Li Hao, the value of feelings is never measured by time. My relationship with Xiao Li isn't what you think, but that doesn't mean your feelings aren't important or worth cherishing. It's just that everyone's heart is unique, and sometimes we can't even fully control who it chooses."

"And what about you? What makes you think you can make her happy?" Li Hao pressed on, his eyes gleaming with a defiant light.

Ye Jing sighed deeply, somewhat helplessly.

This guy's gone mad.

"Let me make this very clear: although I know Xiao Li likes me, I only have sisterly feelings for her, nothing more."

Ye Jing was telling the truth.

But Li Hao didn't believe him, and said menacingly, "Then leave her! Don't stay with her!"

"I'll say it again, that's Xiao Li's freedom, and you and Xiao Li have no relationship. I can't distance myself from Xiao Li just because of your demands. I don't care, but that's unfair to Xiao Li!" Ye Jing was somewhat displeased; this was the first time he had encountered such a unreasonable person.

It doesn't make any sense at all!

Li Hao's face grew even more gloomy, like dark clouds before a storm, so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.

His clenched fists trembled slightly, and each word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth. "Is your so-called freedom built on my suffering? You know perfectly well what she means to me, yet you still continue your 'friendship' as if nothing's wrong? Is that fair to me?"

A complex emotion flashed in Ye Jing's eyes. He slowly stepped forward, attempting to explain in a calm tone, "Li Hao, I understand how you feel, really. But matters of the heart are never one-sided. Xiao Li and I have our own way of getting along, which you can't easily understand. Moreover, true respect means respecting everyone's choices and decisions, including Xiao Li's."

"As for your past with Xiao Li," Ye Jing's voice was gentle yet firm, "Those are your shared memories, precious and irreplaceable. But the future belongs to everyone, a new chapter. You can't let the beauty of the past bind her present and future happiness."

In the past, he definitely wouldn't have bothered with this nonsense and would have just left.

However, he is currently portrayed as a good person in the village.

Therefore, he had to intervene.

He also hoped that Li Hao could get out of this rut.

"No, I don't care, you just wait, I will definitely bring Xiao Li back to my side." Li Hao's eyes were wide with anger, as if Ye Jing was his greatest enemy at this moment.

"Li Hao, I really don't like Xiao Li, you..." Before Ye Jing could finish speaking, Li Hao turned and ran away.

Ye Jing sighed.

"Sigh, young people still have too much energy!"

He then continued with his work.

But in a corner unknown to the two of them.

Xiao Li hid in the corner, her arms tightly wrapped around her knees, her head buried deep between her arms, tears silently streaming down her face, dripping onto the cold ground and splashing up tiny droplets.

She heard every word Ye Jing and Li Hao said, and those words were like sharp blades, cutting into her heart again and again.

She never imagined that her emotional entanglements with Ye Jing and Li Hao would be so complicated and so hurtful.

"So, Xue Lan's older brother only saw me as a younger sister..." Xiao Li murmured to herself, her voice filled with bitterness and disappointment.

She recalled the time she spent with Ye Jing —the laughter, the unspoken understanding—were they all just wishful thinking on her part?

Her heart felt as if it had been hollowed out, empty and directionless.

Meanwhile, Li Hao's anger and resentment also made her feel uncomfortable.

She knew that Li Hao's feelings for her were genuine; they were the kind of companionship and protection he had shown her since childhood.

But how can you force matters of the heart?

She had tried to accept Li Hao, but the inexplicable feelings she had for Ye Jing could never be erased.

"What should I do? Am I being too selfish?" Xiao Li's heart was filled with struggle and contradiction.

She didn't want to hurt anyone, yet she couldn't go against her own heart.

Tears blurred her vision and her thoughts.

Just then, a soft footstep broke the silence. Xiao Li looked up and saw her best friend.

Liu Yan had appeared before her without her noticing, gazing at her with eyes full of tenderness and care.

"Xiao Li, don't cry, it breaks my heart to see you like this." Liu Yan gently squatted down and tenderly wiped away Xiao Li's tears with a tissue.

Her voice was like the warm sunshine of spring, instantly dispelling the chill in Xiao Li's heart.

"Liu Yan, I... I don't know what to do?" Xiao Li choked up as she poured out all her bitterness to Liu Yan.

After hearing this, Liu Yan gently hugged Xiao Li, offering her the strongest support. "Xiao Li, there's no right or wrong in matters of the heart, only suitability. You must trust your feelings, and also respect everyone's choices. Brother Ye Jing has his stance, Li Hao has his persistence, and you also have the right to pursue your own happiness."

"But... I'm afraid my choice will hurt them." Xiao Li's voice was filled with helplessness.

"Fool, the real hurt often comes from running away and hiding. As long as you bravely face your feelings, since you like Brother Ye Jing, then go after him! What's wrong with that? It's easy for a woman to pursue a man, and you're so beautiful, I don't believe Brother Ye Jing can resist you!"

Liu Yan's words were like a gentle spring breeze, gradually soothing the wounds in Xiao Li's heart.

"Alright, stop joking around. What about Li Hao? If I go after Brother Ye Jing, he'll only get angrier."

"Xiao Li, there's no such thing as having it all in this world. If you want to do one thing, you have to give up another," Liu Yan said slowly.

"And as you've seen, Li Hao's personality is too extreme; he actually threatened Brother Ye Jing. A person like him can only be a friend at best."

"So don't hesitate any longer, go after Brother Ye Jing. He has a special identity, and he might leave the town at any time."

"You'll regret it then, but it'll be too late."

After Liu Yan finished speaking, a determined light shone in Xiao Li's eyes.

That's right, she needs to take the initiative!