At those words, Liu Yilin glanced back at the women he had dealt with before and smiled graciously, showing no sign of anger or irritation.
Then he turned to Ye Xinxia beside him and spoke softly.
"Don't mind them. They're just being petty because they saw us walking together. Come on, let's go to the pavilion."
"There's really no need. I just want to take a walk by myself. Sorry."
Ye Xinxia raised her head. Her clear eyes held nothing but the stillness of an autumn lake.
Rather than step onto the ice, she continued slowly along the lakeshore, intending to leave this trouble behind.
Watching her graceful figure recede, Liu Yilin rubbed his nose and gave a self-deprecating smile.
He had been pursuing her for almost a month. Any other girl would probably have become his girlfriend by now, but this woman was like a spotless lotus, ethereal and untouched by the world.
That's right. If Xin Xia had agreed to be my girlfriend right away, I probably wouldn't be pursuing her so eagerly...
Just then, Yun Qi's distinctive shrill, affected voice drifted over again, dripping with sarcasm.
"Oh, playing the aloof innocent and hard to get. What a clever little trick..."
"Oh, Yun Qi, don't keep saying that. She really isn't interested in Young Master Ice. Maybe she already has someone she loves."
The girl with long, center-parted brown hair wore a faint sneer as she chimed in.
"Someone she loves... you mean someone who likes girls who deliberately act all pure and aloof, then get bullied so they can play out some domineering CEO romance? What a joke!"
"You've read too many romance novels. As if one person could get all the good things in life. Hehehe!"
Liu Yilin immediately frowned at their remarks. He felt Yun