Chapter 15: Kind Words Fail to Sway a Damned Soul

After returning to the dormitory, Yao Yanyan gathered her toiletries, preparing to remove her makeup and take a shower.

Originally, she had planned to provoke Xu Ke a bit upon her return, but after hearing Tang Yu’s earlier words, she suddenly found the idea dull and inexplicably irritating.

So she abandoned her original plan and ignored Xu Ke, who sat quietly in the chair, gazing at her with a lingering gaze.

But just because she didn’t seek out Xu Ke didn’t mean Xu Ke wouldn’t come to her.

“Don’t you have anything to say to me?” Xu Ke’s voice was as emotionless as usual, yet Yao Yanyan distinctly sensed a deep grievance beneath it.

Yao Yanyan glanced back at Xu Ke, twisting a smile that didn’t reach her eyes, her words laced with sarcasm: “You really have no taste.”

“Did you have fun today?”

“It was alright.”

“You must be proud of stealing Qin Luo away from me, huh?”

At that, Tang Yu sighed, covering her forehead, while Chu Sijin’s chip-chewing slowed considerably, and even Chu Liunian, who was watching anime, took off one earphone.

Yao Yanyan narrowed her eyes and looked at Xu Ke in a similarly cold tone: “He’s not yours, and I never stole anything from you.”

Xu Ke sneered coldly: “That confession, that milk tea, and that song today—all of those were supposed to be mine. Now you’ve taken them all. You just like snatching things from others, don’t you?”

Yao Yanyan raised an eyebrow, a surge of anger flaring inside her, her tone growing firmer: “I’ll say it again—I never stole anything from you. Who he wants to be with is his freedom, and who I want to befriend is mine. You have no say in it.”

Their eyes locked, sparks seemingly flying between them, the tension snapping like a drawn sword, quickly engulfing the entire dorm room.

“I don’t care about others, but him? No way. He likes me!”

“Stop being so narcissistic. He doesn’t like you anymore.”

“What did you say? Say it again!”

“I said he doesn’t like you anymore! He told me himself!”

Their voices grew louder and faster, each trying to overpower the other to assert their dominance.

But after Yao Yanyan’s last sentence, Xu Ke suddenly fell silent.

She stared at Yao Yanyan in confusion, her lips trembling as she asked hesitantly, “You… said what?”

Xu Ke’s reaction caught Yao Yanyan off guard. She recalled Tang Yu’s earlier words and hesitated for a moment but eventually sneered, “I said he doesn’t like you anymore. That’s what he told me himself. You can go ask him and confirm for yourself.”

Xu Ke had heard this once before yesterday, and at that time, her response had been disbelief and instinctive rebuttal.

This time, however, she didn’t react so strongly. She sat there, dazed and absent-minded, just like earlier in the dormitory.

“He… doesn’t like me anymore… how is that possible…”

She murmured to herself, her voice trembling slightly. The sound reached Yao Yanyan’s ears, stirring an unexpected pang of regret for her earlier words.

Chu Sijin swallowed her chips quietly and whispered, “Yanyan, please stop.”

Chu Liunian wanted to chime in but didn’t know what to say, so he simply echoed like a broken record, “Yanyan, please stop.”

Yao Yanyan opened her mouth, but seeing Xu Ke in such a dazed state, she ultimately said nothing more and headed into the bathroom with her toiletries.

Tang Yu sighed and slowly sat beside Xu Ke, gently taking her hand and soothingly saying, “Xu Ke, from what I think, Qin Luo probably still likes you.”

With those simple words, it was as if a life-giving spring had been poured into a drying desert.

The person who had just been lost and broken suddenly gripped Tang Yu’s hands, seeking reassurance: “Right? He must still like me, right? I knew Yao Yanyan was lying to me. Qin Luo likes me so much, how could he just give up on me like that…”

“Calm down first,” Tang Yu patted Xu Ke’s hand and, once she seemed more composed, continued, “What I mean is, maybe he still likes you, but he no longer wants to love you the way he used to.”

“What do you mean?” Xu Ke looked puzzled.

Tang Yu explained slowly, “It’s simple. The way he pursued you before was distorted, it was wrong. It was that blind adoration and unconditional affection that caused you to develop such an attitude toward him.”

“When such things happen, those involved might not realize it, but outsiders can see it clearly. That’s why many people say Qin Luo is a ‘simp’… cough… and gave him all sorts of nicknames.”

“Now, Qin Luo has woken up. He knows the way he pursued you was wrong, so he wants to change—to get your attention, hoping you’ll respond and change a little for him too.”

“Like yesterday when he brought milk tea for all of us but purposely left you out, or today when he came looking for Yao Yanyan during class—those are just his ways of showing you he cares. You can tell from that song alone—if he didn’t truly like you, how could he write something like that? Someone who likes you that much wouldn’t just give up so easily.”

Tang Yu’s voice was gentle and slow, like a close friend whispering in your ear.

Xu Ke’s previously agitated mood was easily calmed by her words, and after listening, she felt a sudden clarity.

Yes… He likes me so much, even wrote a song for me. How could he just give up?

Just as Tang Yu said, he’s simply trying to change, which is why he did those things.

Whether it was bringing milk tea or seeking out Yao Yanyan, it was all just his way of showing he wants to change.

All these explanations made sense, and in truth, he still liked me.

He just wanted me to value him more… Like today when I first noticed how different he is from others in that video…

“He succeeded,” Xu Ke said with a complex tone.

Tang Yu’s eyes brightened, about to continue, but Xu Ke suddenly sneered again: “But his behavior just makes me think he’s childish. It’s like a grade-schooler pulling a girl’s pigtails. He’s so old, yet he still uses these tricks—how arrogant!”

“He only makes me hate him more! And he wants me to change for him? Why should I?”

“It’s him who likes me, not the other way around!”

Xu Ke’s voice grew louder, as if venting all the grievances of the past few days, or reaffirming her untouchable status. She refused to back down, cold and hard as a stone on a snowy mountain.

Tang Yu was stunned by her words—once again, she thought the same as yesterday.

What kind of outrageous statement is this?

You’re the one who’s been emotionally shaken, yet now you’re acting proud?

Tang Yu’s mouth twitched. She had wanted to ask if Xu Ke really liked Qin Luo, but seeing her like this, she lost the will. Regret swelled inside her, thinking she shouldn’t have said those things earlier.

She had meant to soothe Xu Ke’s feelings and shared what she thought was true.

Because, as she said, everyone knew who that song was for and how much Qin Luo liked Xu Ke.

Even if Qin Luo was hurt by Xu Ke’s long silence, she didn’t believe he could just give up so easily.

So she said those words—to make Xu Ke see Qin Luo’s true feelings and understand her own heart.

But now it seemed all her words had been in vain—like spreading plaster on lips—utterly pointless.

“A kind word is useless on a stubborn fool. She’s just an idiot. Talking to her is pointless.”

A teasing voice floated lightly, and several turned to see Yao Yanyan looking at Xu Ke with disdain.

Xu Ke immediately glared back: “Who are you calling an idiot?”

Yao Yanyan ignored her and just snorted coldly.

Xu Ke was about to retort when her phone lit up. The content on the screen made her eyes widen involuntarily.

The next moment, her usually expressionless face broke into a smile, her voice brimming with uncontainable joy: “Qin Luo messaged me!”

She paused, then restrained her smile, casting a cold glance at Yao Yanyan and saying flatly: “He’s definitely coming to apologize… Hah, you say he told you he doesn’t like me? Aren’t you ashamed to lie like that?”

Yao Yanyan narrowed her eyes, tired of arguing, and simply tossed out, “Not worth my time,” before returning to the bathroom.

Tang Yu also gave up, quietly returning to her bed, regretting that she hadn’t thought more carefully before speaking.

As for Xu Ke, she climbed into bed with a seemingly calm but actually hurried manner, clutching her phone and staring at the message Qin Luo had sent.

“Sorry, I didn’t realize it was you before. Thought you were some insurance salesman, so I just blocked you.”

In the dark bed, Xu Ke’s cold face was illuminated by the phone’s light, revealing a slight curve at the corner of her mouth.

She knew Qin Luo still liked her. There was no way he had given up on her!

Strangely, Xu Ke regained her usual confidence and certainty. She didn’t immediately reply to Qin Luo, deciding to leave him waiting to express her resentment.

She figured Qin Luo would message again soon.

Maybe to apologize, maybe to explain, maybe to ask what she wanted to eat tomorrow… In any case, it would be a peace offering.

But ten minutes passed, and no second message came.

This made Xu Ke restless.

Her fingers tapped lightly on the screen, trying to type something, but each time she hesitated and erased it.

Just then, the chat window finally showed a new message.