Zhao Yang stared at Lai Jiayi with blank eyes. A seed just grew in his heart.

He might not know what it was, but certainly, it was the start of a great change in the future.

Zhao Yang inhaled deeply and sighed.

\'She said times wait for no one. Not me, not you, and not your past.\'

The word \'your past\' just struck straight to the man\'s heart. At that moment, he felt like...someone just opened his eyes.

\'I know...that I\'m still trapped in the past. I don\'t want to accept the reality that...Biyu is gone.\'

Zhao Yang\'s heart ached. The man subconsciously clutched his chest.

\'I know that. I know I should let her go. But...what if I can\'t? How could I forget someone that I indirectly killed?\'

Zhao Yang gritted his teeth.

\'Whatever. What I need to do now is to respond to this girl\'s feelings. I...don\'t know that she likes me just because I\'m kind to her.\'

Zhao Yang felt something heavy just hit his chest.

\'Zhao Yun is right. I shouldn\'t have been too caring for someone if I couldn\'t bear the responsibility.\'

I have to tell this girl clearly that I can\'t return her feelings. In case this case just worsens her phobia.

Zhao Yang shut his eyes tightly and slowly opened it. His pair of sapphire eyes looked straight at Lai Jiayi, startling the girl.

Lai Jiayi gulped. She gripped the broom in her hand tightly.

\'Here comes the rejection. No matter how harsh it is, I don\'t care!\'

Zhao Yang slowly opened his mouth and spoke in a cold voice.

"Thank you."

….what?

Lai Jiayi blinked fast as she gawked at Zhao Yang in confusion. The girl almost thought Zhao Yang was someone else in disguise.

\'Why do you say thank you?? There\'s nothing you should be thankful for, ah!\'

Lai Jiayi wanted to ask Yaya whether Zhao Yang was fake or real when the man resumed his speech.

"But, as you see." Zhao Yang squinted his eyes. A cold air slowly seeped out of his body.

"I can\'t love anyone other than her. Give up." The man lowered his voice and strengthened the tone when he said the last two words.

"Give up. I don\'t want to hurt you." Zhao Yang didn\'t avert his eyes away from Lai Jiayi.

\'Usually, I never say this to those women who have confessed to me. But this girl…\'

Zhao Yang inwardly sighed.

\'I don\'t want to hurt her. If my presence only inflicts more wounds to her, then it will be better if I go away.\'

Zhao Yang had planned to avoid Lai Jiayi for her sake. Of course, this would only happen if the girl insisted that she would still love him.

\'If it\'s hurt. Why not let go?\' Was what Zhao Yang thought, although he went back on his thought.

It hurts to keep loving someone who\'s not in this world anymore. Yet Zhao Yang won\'t let go and choose to dwindle in that wound.

Zhao Yang looked at Lai Jiayi with a grave expression. He really wished Lai Jiayi would stop and forget her feelings.

Lai Jiayi\'s breath stilled.

\'I thought it\'s over, but now...if I do something outside Zhao Yang\'s expectation...my barometer might drop.\'

Lai Jiayi had just thought so when a notification sounded in her mind, along with an orange hologram board popping out.

TING! [Otome game assistance activated!]

Obey what Zhao Yang said and pretend to give up.

Refuse his advice and show him you are serious about him.

10. 9. 8.

Lai Jiayi\'s lips twitched. The girl closed her eyes and, somehow, didn\'t even panic as she usually did.

\'The answer is obvious.\'

TING! [You choose A. Obey what Zhao Yang said and pretend to give up. Please do so in 10 seconds.]

"D-don\'t worry, boss!" Lai Jiayi nodded. "Just like what I-i said before, it\'s not like I-i want to be your girlfriend or something…"

"I-i think I like you...because I admire you?" Lai Jiayi scratched her cheeks. "W-well, it can be more than that b-but I know my limit!" The girl half-shouted.

"T-that\'s why please don\'t worry." Lai Jiayi lifted her head and looked at Zhao Yang with a reassuring gaze. "I-i won\'t pester you, I-i will act as if nothing happens!"

\'Yes. This is what Zhao Yang wants. He doesn\'t want me to like him because he can\'t return my feelings. If I insist, it will be crossing the line.\'

Lai Jiayi put her broom behind her back and lowered her head again. She tugged the corner of her lips without anyone noticing.

\'Knowing when to attack and when to stop is one key factor in winning a war.\'

Lai Jiayi smiled dryly.

\'This is a war. I can\'t let down my guard.\'

The girl then lifted her head again and smiled sheepishly. "I-if my confession burdens you, p-please just forget it, boss!"

\'With how kind this man is, he will want to act as if nothing happens between us.\'

Lai Jiayi\'s sheepish smile and that innocent eyes just stirred Zhao Yang\'s heart. The man gritted his teeth and nodded.

"Good. This...will be the best for you."

\'Even though I have no right to say what\'s best for you. But rejecting you...is really the best thing I can do.\'

Zhao Yang paused for a bit before turning around.

"Then, I\'m going."

Zhao Yang waved his hand and speeded up. His cloak fluttered in the air, covering his figure. He disappeared from the corridor along with Tianjin in a mere second.

That\'s how the man wrapped up the event, but the day isn\'t over yet.

Since it just began.

WANT MORE CHAPTERS?! Unlock using power stones! Every Sunday, I\'ll count the power stone accumulation from this novel & give bonus chapters depending on the votes.

X votes (The amount will be announced through author notes)= 1 bonus chapter. The bonus chapter will be posted every Sunday at 9 pm and the vote will be counted at 8 pm (GMT+7)

Also, this novel is posted to Webnovel.com with a lot of free chapters. Please read there to support the author. I have to do this since the huge decrease in my income.. Thank you in advance. -Zehell2218