Senior Wang smiled brightly, completely missing how fake Qiao Li’s answer sounded.
"Oh! That’s a good one," he said, nodding like he actually read the book. "It’s about getting the hard stuff done first, right?"
Qiao Li nodded slowly. "Yeah... totally."
Behind the bookshelf, Ou Lin almost choked on air.
Eat that frog? Really? he thought, raising an eyebrow. She only read that because her mom forced her to for a school project. She didn’t even finish it — she just watched a YouTube summary!
Qiao Li sat there, trying her best to pretend she was totally fine.
But she wasn’t.
Her smile was getting tighter by the second. Her eyes kept flicking toward the windows, the clock, the ceiling — anywhere except Senior Wang’s face.
He leaned in just a little closer.
"So, uh..." he said, scratching the back of his neck nervously, "what kind of guys do you like?"
Qiao Li froze.
Her brain: Error. Error. Error.
"Um... ones with... brains," she said slowly.
What the heck does that even an?! she scread inside her head.
Senior Wang nodded seriously like she had just told him the secret to the universe.
"Yeah, I think brains are really important too."
Behind the shelves, Ou Lin’s eyes narrowed.
Is this guy for real? he thought. She’s allergic to books and this guy’s talking about brains?
He watched as Qiao Li tried to smile again, but her expression looked like she had eaten a lemon.
She was clearly uncomfortable.
He wanted to barge in and pull her away.
To grab her hand and say, She’s mine. She doesn’t belong here with you.
But he didn’t.
Because even jealousy was a privilege he no longer had.
He had already given her up once.
And now, she had every right to try soone else.
Even if it made his blood boil.
Even if it hurt more than anything.
Suddenly, Senior Wang laughed at sothing he said — Qiao Li laughed too, but it was the fakest laugh in the history of fake laughs.
Ou Lin had enough.
He took a deep breath, fixed his glasses, and calmly walked out from behind the bookshelf.
He walked straight toward the table where Qiao Li and Senior Wang were sitting.
Qiao Li looked up, and her eyes widened like she had just seen a ghost.
"Oh no..." she muttered under her breath.
Ou Lin stopped in front of her and said with a soft, teacher-like smile, "Qiao Li. Have you finished the howork I gave you in class?"
Qiao Li’s mouth opened. Closed. Opened again. "H-Howork?"
Senior Wang blinked, confused. "Excuse ... who are you?"
Ou Lin turned toward him politely. "Ah, sorry. I’m Ou Lin. Qiao Li’s biology teacher."
Senior Wang’s whole face went pale. Like ghost-pale.
He knew that na.
Ou Lin?! The guy Qiao Li liked for ten years?
The one she chased and cried for?
The one she told him she could never forget?
The one she called "the biggest mistake of her life" and still looked sad every ti she talked about him?
The sa Ou Lin who he thought had already disappeared forever?
Senior Wang’s brain was screaming: OH NO.
He tried to act cool though. Smiling awkwardly, he said, "Ah, I didn’t know... but the class is over, isn’t it? Why are you still giving her howork now?"
Ou Lin smiled, but there was sothing sharp in that smile.
"I’m not just her teacher," he said calmly. "I’m also her godmother’s godson. So technically, I’m her family. It’s my duty to check on her."
Senior Wang’s smile faded a little.
Inside, he was screaming again: FAMILY?! NOOOO!
He rembered how Qiao Li once said Ou Lin never really shouted at her. Not even once. She said he only pushed her away with words, but she could never hate him for it.
Now, it made sense.
Maybe... maybe Ou Lin wanted to protect her when he said those an things.
But Senior Wang never told Qiao Li that.
No way. Why would he?
He wanted her to move on.
He wanted her to be his.
Still pretending to be calm, Senior Wang gave a small laugh and said, "Even if you’re close to her family, that doesn’t an you can control her. You already rejected her before. Isn’t it unfair to co back now?"
Ou Lin’s smile didn’t fade.
He simply answered, "I’m not using my family na. I’m using my role as soone who cares. That’s all."
Before Senior Wang could reply, Qiao Li stood up suddenly.
She was done.
"Since you two are so interested in arguing," she said quickly, "I’ll just leave."
She looked at Senior Wang and said in a rush, "Thanks for the library ti! Bye!"
And before either of the boys could stop her, she grabbed her bag and ran out of the library like the building was on fire.
Senior Wang shouted after her, "Qiao Li—! Wait!"
But she was already gone.
Gone-gone.
Ou Lin smiled to himself.
Smart girl, he thought. She saw the chance and escaped.
anwhile, Senior Wang was boiling.
He looked at Ou Lin with a sharp glare.
"You shouldn’t have interfered," he said in a low voice. "You rejected her. You gave her up. So don’t co crawling back now."
Ou Lin didn’t look angry.
He just looked calm... and kinda sad.
Ou Lin stood there, still facing Senior Wang. His smile was gone now. Only calm, steady eyes looked back at the boy who tried to trick Qiao Li.
There was a mont of silence between them.
Then Ou Lin said, "You’re right. I did reject her. I hurt her. That’s the truth."
Senior Wang crossed his arms, looking proud. "Exactly. So now don’t co back acting like you’re so hero."
Ou Lin didn’t blink. "But I am coming back. And I’m going to get her back. No matter what."
Senior Wang’s face twisted in anger. "You think that’s okay?! After hurting her so badly?! You don’t deserve her!"
His voice rose louder, "You don’t know how she cried! How broken she was! And now you just wanna waltz back in like nothing happened? She deserves better!"
Ou Lin’s eyes didn’t move. "And you think that better person is you?"
Senior Wang opened his mouth, but before he could answer—
Ou Lin leaned forward and said coldly, "You want to talk about hurting her? What about the part where you have a girlfriend? Or were you planning to tell Qiao Li that after taking her money?"
Senior Wang froze.
Color drained from his face.
He backed up half a step. "I... I broke up with her already."
Ou Lin chuckled. Not kindly.
"Did you forget who I am?" he said softly. "I’m Ou Lin. The heir of the O Family. I know everything."
Senior Wang’s fists clenched. "You’re just trying to throw dirt on ."
"No," Ou Lin said. "I’m making sure soone like you never gets near her again."
Senior Wang gritted his teeth, muttered a curse, and stord off, slamming the library door behind him.
Ou Lin stood still for a mont.
He sighed. That guy was dangerous.
He couldn’t let Qiao Li stay near him, not for a second longer.
He pulled out his phone and called his assistant.
"Bring the file. The one we’ve been keeping on Senior Wang," he said.
Later that evening, Ou Lin arrived at the Qiao mansion. He had the docunts in a brown folder under his arm.
He didn’t waste ti. He went straight to Qiao Li’s room.
He knocked on the door gently.
No answer.
But from inside, he heard the sound of water running — she was in the bathroom.
He stepped closer and knocked again. "Qiao Li? It’s . Can we talk?"
There was a pause.
Then her voice ca from behind the door. "I’m inside. Co back later."
Ou Lin nodded, even though she couldn’t see him. "Okay. I’ll wait outside."
Exactly 20 minutes later, the door opened again.
Qiao Li was sitting on her bed in her soft pajamas, hair damp from a fresh shower.
She looked surprised to see he really waited.
"What do you want?" she asked, arms crossed.
Ou Lin walked in slowly, holding the folder.
"I need to show you sothing," he said, and handed her the docunts.
Qiao Li looked confused, but took it.
She opened the folder.
As her eyes scanned the first few pages... her face slowly changed.
The docunts were clear — there were screenshots of ssages, voice recordings, and reports.
It said Senior Wang was planning to use her.
To marry her.
To take money from the Qiao family.
To steal company secrets.
And if he couldn’t take over the company... he’d sell the information to the Qiao family’s enemies.
Qiao Li’s hands trembled.
Her face turned pale.
She looked up at Ou Lin, stunned.
"What is this?" She asked sternly, her body tensed up.
"The truth." Ou Lin said with a serious expression, "I didn’t want you to be deceived by him..."
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