Forgive Me? No.

Forgive Me? No.

"So, Lin Yuan, have you forgiven me? You're not mad at me anymore, are you?"

Gu Lianyin cautiously stole glances at Lin Yuan's reaction.

Lin Yuan shook his head. "When did I forgive you?"

"I'm sorry, I was wrong. Give me a chance to make it up to you, okay?"

"How will you make it up to me?"

"I can personally make you delicious food every day. I can do lots of things for you. As long as you say the word, I'll agree to anything!"

Gu Lianyin patted her chest in assurance.

"I won't take advantage of your guilt and make you do things you don't want to do," Lin Yuan said slowly. "For now, let's keep it like this. I'll see how sincere your apology is. Class first."

"Mm-hmm."

For the rest of the day, although they did not chat and laugh like usual, they at least exchanged a few words.

Gu Lianyin felt that was already very good.

She did not expect Lin Yuan to forgive her immediately.

From their scattered conversations, she learned just how miserable her deskmate's childhood had been.

He had lived with his mother since he was young and learned to be independent. Other children his age had been carefree and happy, while he was already helping out at home.

Washing dishes, mopping floors, cooking, and sharing his mother's burdens.

Gu Lianyin immediately felt too ashamed to show her face over what she had done.

Her guilt toward Lin Yuan deepened.

She would never lie to him again.

After school, Gu Lianyin went to the supermarket to buy ingredients for pastries.

Although the pastries she had made the day before yesterday were still edible, she insisted on making another batch.

It would make her apology seem more sincere.

Ling Wanqing had silently watched her best friend bustle about these past two days, growing far more haggard, and she could not bear it.

"Lianyin, do you really like Lin Yuan that much? You're willing to do so much for him. With your qualities, you could actually find someone better."

Without even thinking, Gu Lianyin said, "I only want Lin Yuan. No matter how good anyone else is, I don't want them."

"Why?" Ling Wanqing did not understand.

"Because I like him!"

Those words left Ling Wanqing speechless, and she could only stop saying anything more.

By the time it was dark outside, the pastries were finally baked.

Gu Lianyin smiled, hoping Lin Yuan would like the pastries she had made herself tomorrow.

After sleeping for less than five hours, Gu Lianyin got up early and took the pastries to school.

She waited for Lin Yuan to arrive in the classroom.

More than ten minutes later, Lin Yuan entered the classroom and sat down.

"Lin Yuan, these pastries are for you. Give them a try."

She handed the pastries to him.

Lin Yuan accepted them, picked one up, and put it in his mouth.

Gu Lianyin watched with hopeful eyes, waiting for his evaluation.

"Not bad." Lin Yuan nodded and ate several more pastries in succession.

They really were delicious—sweet without being cloying, no worse than those from a dessert shop outside.

Gu Lianyin smiled happily, and some color returned to her pale face from exhaustion.

It was as if all her hard work over the past few days had been rewarded.

"You don't need to make me anything tomorrow. Get some proper rest," Lin Yuan said, having seen everything.

"It's fine. I'm not that weak!" Gu Lianyin said.

"Listen to me!"

Lin Yuan looked at her.

Gu Lianyin shrank her neck and said weakly, "Okay."

She knew Lin Yuan was not being harsh with her. He was worried about her.

Instead, her heart felt sweet.

After returning home, Gu Lianyin did not make any more food, but she still stayed up late folding many heart-shaped notes.

On every heart-shaped note, she wrote something she wanted to say to Lin Yuan.

"Lin Yuan, I'm very happy that I got to meet you."

"I'll behave and won't make you angry. I'll be a good girlfriend that everyone envies!"

"The blue sky waits for the misty rain, and I'm waiting for you. Don't be angry anymore, Lin Yuan!"

Ling Wanqing had wanted to help fold the hearts too, but Gu Lianyin firmly refused her again.

"It's fine. Lin Yuan can't tell anyway. Just say you folded them all yourself—he won't know," Ling Wanqing urged earnestly.

"No!" Gu Lianyin shook her head. "I won't lie to Lin Yuan again, so I have to fold them myself!"

Besides, every note had something she wanted to say to Lin Yuan written on it. If Ling Wanqing saw them, she would be so embarrassed that she would want to crawl into a crack in the ground.

"Fine, fine, I won't interfere anymore." After saying that, Ling Wanqing went to sleep.

Before she knew it, it was past one in the morning.

Gu Lianyin had folded several hundred heart-shaped notes and put them all into a box.

She yawned before returning to her room to rest.

During morning reading class the next day, Lin Yuan was speechless for a long time when he saw Gu Lianyin take out a box filled with heart-shaped notes.

"Lin Yuan, I folded these heart-shaped notes myself. They represent how sorry I am. Forgive me."

Gu Lianyin looked at him expectantly.

"No!"

(End of Chapter)