After rebirth, I rejected the rich yandere lady

They were also wondering, had the friendship gone sour, or was the lovelorn finally turning back?

Zhao Lianmai's gaze flickered; as an observer who had never fallen in love, she saw things most clearly.

Now, although Yao Mingyue was aggressive in her approach, Nuannuan consistently struck the most crucial points with just a sentence or two.

This situation maintained a strange balance, but it seemed that the scales might have already started tipping to one side.

Xu Musen glanced at An Nuannuan, then at Yao Mingyue.

At that moment, the pride and willfulness that used to characterize Yao Mingyue were absent from her eyes, which were so fervent that Xu Musen felt a stir in his heart.

She held her milk tea, her gaze sweeping over the few people standing opposite her, including Xu Musen and An Nuannuan.

At this moment, Yao Mingyue seemed as if she were standing against the whole world.

Yet at that instant, she also seemed to suddenly sense...

Was it possible that in those past moments, Xu Musen had also faced the scornful eyes of everyone else, but still chose to like her all the same?

Clutching her milk tea, she looked at Xu Musen and did not continue to refute anything on her behalf.

"Musen, my mom wants to take us out to eat in the next couple of days, do you have time?" she asked.

Without any hesitation, Xu Musen nodded: "Sure."

"Okay."

Yao Mingyue gave him another look, a slight smile returning to her face, then she turned and took a few steps before suddenly turning back.

"Dingdong..."

She took out several coins and dropped them all into the rabbit-shaped piggy bank.

"Here's the money for my milk tea. From now on, I'll give you everything that's meant for you, and I won't lose to anyone," she said.

Yao Mingyue bit her straw, smiled radiantly at Xu Musen, and then turned and left.

The milk tea shop was silent for a while.

Everyone watched Yao Mingyue's retreating figure, reminiscent of the final scene in 'A Chinese Odyssey' when the Monkey King walks away.

The sun was slowly setting on the horizon, its gentle rays providing some solace to the crowd that had grown weary from the day's events.

In a mutual understanding, everyone decided not to continue the topic but instead talked about where to go to have a good time over the weekend.

"We're going to head back and get some rest," said Zhou Hangyu as the three of them prepared to leave.

Xu Musen decided to close the shop for the day since all the prepared ingredients were used up, and it was time for a little rest.

Inside the shop, Xu Musen was cleaning, while An Nuannuan was tidying up the accounts.

After finishing cleaning, Xu Musen saw Nuannuan listlessly lying on a chair by the window, staring at the sunset outside.

Her cheeks were pressed against the table. Xu Musen had taken good care of her recently, and her face looked a little plump, like a white rice cake lying on the table.

Xu Musen walked over and lay down on the table alongside her.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked.

"Xu Musen, do you think I was... a bit too harsh today?" Nuannuan suddenly asked, as if somewhat unsure in her query.

Xu Musen was slightly startled, then couldn't help but say, "Harsh? I thought you were going to be jealous and not give her milk tea."

Nuannuan's cheeks turned a faint pink: "I'm not jealous, I just like sweet things..."

"Even friends can get jealous. If one day Nuannuan starts hanging out with someone else every day and ignores me, I'll be really jealous, because jealousy comes from caring," he said with a laugh that tried to mask his true feelings.

"But, I don't want there to be unhappiness between you two, after all, you've been childhood friends..." Nuannuan's lips curled into a small, joyful smile, but the last part had a slightly sour tone, sweet and tart like a plum.

The setting sun's light fell on her cheeks, making her look incredibly cute.

Seeing her like this, Xu Musen thought, could it be that this naive girl also had such worries?

"Nuannuan, if, and I mean if, one day I make up with her and she tells me not to talk to you, would you not get angry?" he asked.

Xu Musen suddenly asked, always observing her little expressions.

An Nuannuan pursed her lips, and indeed, a flicker of emotion crossed her small face. She propped her delicate and petite chin on the table, slightly turning to face him.

"I won't be angry, but I will be very sad."

An Nuannuan, as if she could never get angry, met Xu Musen's eyes, then suddenly added, "But I know you wouldn't do that."

"Why are you so sure of me?"

Xu Musen asked.

"Because I trust you,"

An Nuannuan spoke, her eyes bright: "We're supposed to be good friends for a lifetime. If it's for a lifetime, then we must trust each other completely. As long as I trust you, I won't be afraid of anything."

Every word she uttered seemed to carry endless strength into Xu Musen's heart.

He couldn't help but pinch An Nuannuan's soft little face: "Don't you ever have that thought, where you only want me to be especially good to you?"

In fact, if there's affection, there definitely will be possessiveness, which is one of the charming and enchanting aspects of being in love.

An Nuannuan seemed to ponder seriously for a moment, her lips pouting and her face flushing slightly before she finally said, "Yes... "

"But, I think if two people can be together for a lifetime, that's already the best thing. I hope that I'm the icing on the cake for you, not the one stopping you from seeking help in the snow. First and foremost, you need to be yourself. If you are kind to me, I'll be happy. If one day you stop being kind to me, it must also be my problem. You've already been very good to me.

As long as I remember your kindness, I won't be afraid of anything."

In An Nuannuan's words, there seemed to be no complaints or the slightest bit of negative energy.

Just like her name, warm and intimate.

"Then why did you suddenly say that last sentence?"

Xu Musen recalled the last thing An Nuannuan had said to Yao Mingyue.

"Because... I don't want the things you've done before to be wasted,"

An Nuannuan's tone had a touch of emotion, but it wasn't out of anger for herself, but for Xu Musen.

It was as if she was defending the Xu Musen who had once given his sincere heart.

Xu Musen's breath became irregular, yet his mind was clear. He knew what he found appealing about her.

It was the unprecedented sense of trust, respect, and the freedom of heart-to-heart connection he felt with An Nuannuan.

True security wasn't constant companionship, but rather knowing that even if worlds apart, two hearts would never stray from each other.

Xu Musen took a deep breath, a wave of warmth filling his chest, and he gently pinched her soft face: "You're so silly. If I sold you, would you still help me count the money?"

An Nuannuan shifted her head slightly, allowing herself to stretch out a fair finger and gently poke his nose: "You don't sell me, and yet I'm helping you count money every day."
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Xu Musen paused, looking at the bills on the table, and the money jar on the counter.

Yes, this adorable little boss lady had already volunteered herself to count money for him.

"Nuannuan, if you keep this up, I'm afraid our friendship might start to turn into something else,"

Xu Musen couldn't hold back his thoughts and didn't really want to restrain them, either.

"Our shelf life is a lifetime,"

An Nuannuan's lips curved slightly, her dazedly cute face showing a rare hint of a smile.

Sunlight fell on her fair skin, long eyelashes, casting a golden glow over her.

At that moment, she really was beautiful, a warmth and comfort in her charm outshining even the twilight's afterglow.

"Nuannuan, I have a suggestion..."

Xu Musen's words were left unfinished.

An Nuannuan suddenly poked his lips, her clear eyes shining with the dazzling light of a setting sun.

"Xu Musen, I'm so tired today, can we wait until the next few days to have dinner together at my place?"

A dinner invitation again.

Xu Musen agreed without a moment's hesitation: "Sure."

The thoughts and impulses that had been amassing in Xu Musen in that instant did not fade, but as if tacitly understood, they lay in wait.

Waiting for a moment when, like waters rushing from all directions, everything would naturally fall into place.