How Socially Anxious People Make Friends, Dugu Yan's Preferences!

"Me... make friends?"

Ye Lingling wore an expression of disbelief. She pointed at herself with a slender finger and spoke.

"Yes, you."

"That girl doesn't like boys. If we rashly try to befriend her..."

"Then Xue Beng's fate before will most likely become our fate afterward."

"But you're different, Lingling. I dare say that if you go over there, she'll definitely be willing to make friends with you."

Qin Qi smiled as he walked over to Ye Lingling, reached out to help her up, and then handed her a plate of cream puffs.

"Be brave, Lingling. Don't be afraid of difficulties!"

"Go for it!"

Qin Qi smiled and gave Ye Lingling a push from behind as he spoke.

Staggering, Ye Lingling arrived near Dugu Yan. She looked back at Qin Qi, who was giving her a thumbs-up.

Then she looked at Dugu Yan before her. Biting her lip, she made up her mind.

She walked over to Dugu Yan and wanted to say something, but no sound came out.

She tried several times, but in the end, she still could not speak. Giving up, she silently sat down across from Dugu Yan.

She quietly ate her cream puffs without saying a single word, not even glancing at Dugu Yan more than necessary.

"This kid's hopeless. She can't even speak!"

"Qin Qi, you're pushing Lingling way too hard. She was never good at dealing with people!"

"Not to mention that the other person is Dugu Yan, who has an absolutely terrible personality."

"It's over. We're done for."

Xue Beng looked utterly doomed. He felt like he was going to die. He was definitely going to die.

"Alright, don't be nervous. Girls have their own way of making friends."

"For now, come take a look around the Royal Library with me. I'm very curious about the knowledge inside."

Qin Qi slung an arm around Xue Beng's shoulders, and the two left together.

"Didn't we agree that you'd take me there after you succeeded? You failed right at the start!"

"Don't worry, I definitely won't fail. Besides, with the relationship we brothers have, just consider it an advance payment."

Qin Qi smiled and dragged Xue Beng away just like that, leaving Ye Lingling alone here for a time.

"..."

Ye Lingling remained silent.

"Hey, there are so many seats here. Why are you sitting next to me?"

Dugu Yan looked at Ye Lingling. She found the girl rather adorable.

But she also found her strange. She had sat beside her without saying anything at all—Dugu Yan truly could not figure out what she wanted.

Ye Lingling did not know what to say. She stayed quiet and silently ate her cream puff, but she was too nervous.

By accident, she squeezed some cream out of the puff and onto her clothes. She hurriedly reached out to wipe it away.

But the more she wiped, the worse it got.

"You really are a fool. You can't wipe cream off clothes like that. Let me help you."

Dugu Yan could not bear to watch any longer. She reached out and helped Ye Lingling clean the cream off her clothes.

"Mhm."

Ye Lingling looked at Dugu Yan and nodded to express her thanks.

"Are you thanking me?"

Seeing Ye Lingling nod, Dugu Yan asked tentatively.

"Mhm."

Ye Lingling nodded again.

"You can't speak?"

Dugu Yan grew curious about this foolish little girl and asked.

Ye Lingling shook her head.

"You don't like talking?"

Dugu Yan continued asking.

"Mhm."

Ye Lingling nodded.

"You're such a strange child. But you're really cute—your little cheeks are so chubby."

"She makes you want to pinch her cheeks."

Dugu Yan suddenly reached out and pinched Ye Lingling's cheek as she spoke.

"Mmm..."

Ye Lingling did not resist, only showing a somewhat bewildered expression. It was her first time being this intimate with someone.

"That reaction is really interesting!"

A smile spread across Dugu Yan's face. She did not know why herself, but she just really wanted to "bully" this girl.

Seeing her reaction made her feel that she was incredibly cute.

Over the next few days, Qin Qi went to the Royal Library every day, staying there for the entire day at a time.

During that period, he read through an unknown number of books, storing a vast amount of knowledge in his mind.

Gradually, a combat system centered around strength took shape in his mind.

Meanwhile, because Xue Beng was dragged away by Qin Qi every day, Ye Lingling could only spend time with Dugu Yan alone.

Dugu Yan always liked teasing Ye Lingling and watching her adorable reactions, but she also looked after Ye Lingling like an older sister in their daily lives.

Whenever anyone bullied Ye Lingling, she was always the first to step forward, driving them away like an enraged tigress.

After Qin Qi finished reading, the two sides ran into each other one day while having tea.

"Morning, Lingling."

Qin Qi smiled naturally as he greeted Ye Lingling. "Want to come sit over there and have tea with us?"

"And this young lady can join us too."

Qin Qi looked at Dugu Yan and invited her.

"Huh?"

Xue Beng looked at Qin Qi as though saying, Brother, are you out of your mind? Didn't you see what happened to me last time?

"You..."

The moment Dugu Yan saw Qin Qi, she frowned. But the next second, Ye Lingling leaned close to Dugu Yan and whispered something to her.

"Fine."

Dugu Yan agreed. She got up and joined Qin Qi and the others at a table in the corner, while Ye Lingling settled herself in the innermost spot.

"Lingling, sit here."

Seeing Ye Lingling curled up in the corner against the wall, Dugu Yan instinctively wanted to take care of her and spoke up.

"Okay."

Ye Lingling nodded, then rose and sat in Dugu Yan's seat.

"Hey, get up. You go sit in the corner."

Dugu Yan looked at Qin Qi and Xue Beng, then finally fixed her gaze on Xue Beng as she spoke.

"Uh... why me?"

Xue Beng looked at Qin Qi. There were two men here, so why did he have to sit in the corner?

Was it because Qin Qi was better-looking than him?

"Why are you asking so many questions? Go when I tell you to."

Dugu Yan said impatiently. She did not know why either; she had simply picked between Qin Qi and Xue Beng.

Instinctively, she found Xue Beng's face irritating. Perhaps it was because he had not left a good impression on her before.

"Fine, fine, I'll go, alright?"

Xue Beng spoke as he prepared to stand, but Qin Qi pressed him down the moment he moved.

"Don't move. Don't say your brother always screws you over—this time, I'll stand up for you."

Qin Qi said.

"Good brother!"

Xue Beng was nearly moved to tears at that moment. He thought Qin Qi was going to take the corner seat for him.

"Miss Dugu Yan, do you know why Lingling sits in the corner?"

Qin Qi looked at Dugu Yan and asked with a smile.

"Because Lingling has a soft personality and is easy to bully. You bullied her, then made her sit in the corner."

Dugu Yan spoke with some displeasure. She had not come over to be friends with Qin Qi.

She had come so Ye Lingling could see just how awful these so-called friends really were!

So Ye Lingling would not be deceived and bullied by these people anymore.

"No. We chose a table in the corner because Lingling likes quiet surroundings. There are too many people over there, and it's too noisy."

"She sits against the wall because narrow, enclosed spaces make her feel safe."

"You think making Lingling sit outside is for her own good, but have you ever considered what she herself likes?"

Qin Qi smiled as he asked in return.

"Th-then... is what Lingling said true?"

Dugu Yan wanted to argue, but then something suddenly occurred to her. She turned to Ye Lingling and asked.

"Mm."

Ye Lingling hesitated for a moment, then nodded anyway. Just as Qin Qi had said.

She sat in the corner not because she was being bullied, but because she liked it. In fact, Qin Qi had deliberately chosen the table by the wall to accommodate her preferences.

"Lingling, I... I didn't know that. I didn't mean to."

Dugu Yan immediately grew flustered. Although she liked teasing Ye Lingling, she truly cared about her as well.

She had thought Ye Lingling was bad at getting along with people and therefore probably had no friends. Since that was the case, she would be Ye Lingling's friend.

But now, it seemed she did not deserve to be called a friend at all. She had only been dragging Ye Lingling along to do the things she liked.

In that instant, Dugu Yan suddenly felt sad and guilty.