A Healthy Partnership Requires Our Joint Efforts!

After hearing "boyfriend and girlfriend," Lin Tian visibly froze.

Then, the young man let out a rather helpless sigh.

So that's what it is.

Looking at Gan Yan Yu, who was covering her face and looking down shyly.

He understood.

In fact, this was another "very Gan Yan Yu" thing to do.

In Gan Yan Yu's opinion, she and Lin Tian were just partners, not even friends.

Yet she always did things that seemed "very intrusive."

Lin Tian cooked for her at home, he ran with her during training, and practicing piano, performing, and filming all took place at Lin Tian's home.

This clearly went beyond the scope of "partners."

Someone as popular as Lin Tian must have no shortage of girls. If he wanted to date other girls, and they knew a girl was staying at Lin Tian's house every day, how would that look?

So, Gan Yan Yu chose to restrain herself, tactically retreating every time they seemed to be getting too close at Lin Tian's place!

But what Gan Yan Yu didn't know was that, firstly, Lin Tian had no girls around him.

Secondly, Lin Tian's recent popularity at school was also related to the rampant gossip about him and Gan Yan Yu.

Lin Tian rubbed his chin and thought for a moment.

Actually, this time, he could understand Gan Yan Yu.

This was definitely not an 18-year-old girl overthinking due to adolescent syndrome.

It was indeed a bit problematic.

If Lin Tian put himself in her shoes and thought about Gan Yan Yu, considering her reputation, wouldn't it be inappropriate to always drag her out for drinks and chats? Not to mention, Lin Tian had also massaged her feet twice!

But the little figurine was really fun; Lin Tian couldn't be blamed.

And besides, his thoughts about Gan Yan Yu weren't that upright either.

The reason for this awkward, in-between situation was that—

They had skipped the "making friends" stage entirely and directly established a "partner" relationship.

This "partner" thing was quite significant!

Broadly speaking, they were comrades-in-arms, enduring hardships together and aiming for the same university.

On a smaller scale, they didn't even know if they qualified as "friends."

So, what Lin Tian needed to do now was to clarify things completely.

What exactly was a "partner"?

"Why do you think that? I think partners should be like this," Lin Tian said.

"Huh?"

Gan Yan Yu looked up, her eyes widening in surprise.

"I think a partner is a relationship that transcends friendship. A relationship isn't just about romantic love. Mutual trust, mutual cooperation – isn't that kind of relationship also great?"

"That kind of relationship isn't wrong, but..."

"But if we get too close, it might cause me trouble, right?"

Lin Tian's expression darkened, and he leaned forward.

The girl's personal space was further compressed, and Gan Yan Yu covered her head, shrinking down to the floor.

She let out a helpless and slightly wronged sound.

"Yes."

"You wish!"

Lin Tian flicked Gan Yan Yu on the forehead.

The latter cried out in pain, clutching her head.

"Did you ask me? How do you know I would be troubled? By making decisions for me based on what you thought I would feel, didn't you inherently disregard my feelings?"

Logical and convincing.

Lin Tian's words.

Gan Yan Yu was completely silenced.

She could only half-crouch on the ground, staring at Lin Tian with a hint of grievance.

Seeing Gan Yan Yu had calmed down, Lin Tian felt a bit awkward about pinning her against the wall.

He released her and then extended his hand to Gan Yan Yu.

The girl hesitated for a moment before cautiously reaching out her hand.

Lin Tian grabbed Gan Yan Yu's hand and pulled her up from the ground.

Look at how nervous the girl is!

She can explain things logically when she's being reasonable, but one touch against the wall and she turns into Lin Daiyu.

Lin Tian continued seriously, "I think it's normal for even good friends, or opposite-sex friends who are very close, to eat together or run together every day! There's no need to be so hesitant just because we're partners!"

"Then is it also normal for us to always be doing things like a couple?"

Gan Yan Yu said weakly.

"This..."

Lin Tian was actually stumped.

It seemed Gan Yan Yu was determined to get to the bottom of this.

It must have been when he massaged her feet that day, giving the girl some kind of adolescent syndrome.

He could understand.

Gan Yan Yu, with her delicate body, would have kicked anyone else away for touching her ankle.

Yet, she was completely compliant under Master Lin Tian's expert massage.

It was hard for Gan Yan Yu not to overthink things.

It wasn't that she had a problem with Lin Tian, it was just that she felt incredibly conflicted!

If their roles were reversed, and Lin Tian, this pure young man, were in her shoes, his mind would already be conjuring images of a sweet, delicate wife massaging and tending to her husband's feet after a long day of work.

"Then how about this!"

After careful consideration, Lin Tian found a solution.

"To prevent you from worrying and being troubled by me, and also for the sake of your reputation."

"Next time, if we do something that might cross the line as 'partners' while we're interacting, one of us calls 'stop,' and the other immediately has to cease, how about that?"

As he said this, before Gan Yan Yu could even respond, Lin Tian added, "The premise is, we need to interact normally like partners who trust each other. You can't just keep finding excuses to run away and leave me guessing, okay?"

Finally, Lin Tian didn't forget to add the positive implications:

"We are partners who are going to create music together. Only when our interaction model is healthy can our work be better."

Gan Yan Yu, with her fingers twirling a strand of hair that had fallen by her ear, wore a thoughtful expression.

She nodded:

"Okay!"

Hearing Lin Tian say this, Gan Yan Yu also felt a pang of guilt.

She also felt her behavior was too childish.

They were partners who were going to conquer the path together, and if there were difficulties, they should naturally communicate about them.

Lin Tian's words were so well put.

Only when their relationship was healthy could they create the best work together.

"Lin Tian, it's amazing that you could think of this."

Gan Yan Yu couldn't help but praise him sincerely, while also feeling a bit dejected. She said softly, "Unlike me, I don't have much experience interacting with people and always don't know what to do when something happens."

"It's okay, then it's settled."

Seeing the conflicted Gan Yan Yu finally relax, Lin Tian smiled and said, "From now on, if our actions cross the line, you must remember to call 'stop'."

"Mhm, mhm."

The girl clasped her hands together in front of her chest, as if making a promise to Lin Tian.

Her beautiful face was filled with determination:

"I definitely will!"

"Since we've clarified our relationship so clearly, shouldn't our way of addressing each other change too?"

"Addressing each other?"

"Yeah, do you like me calling you Teacher Gan?" Lin Tian asked.

To be honest, calling Gan Yan Yu "Teacher Gan" was partly out of spite.

That brat, always so polite to me!

Fine, I'll be polite to you too and call you by a more distant title!

As a result, Gan Yan Yu never reacted to that title, which could only be said to be perfectly in character.

"Then you can call me something else." Gan Yan Yu said.

Although she didn't answer directly, she had answered – she didn't like that title.

"Then how about I call you... Yan Yu?"