Forced into a romantic relationship

Chapter 112 How did I get myself involved?

Chapter 112 How did I get myself involved?
Han Zhou was completely unaware of Lin Anyu's unusual behavior.

His attention was focused on Mo Yixia at the entrance of the residential area, so he didn't see Zhong Ling on the other side. He unbuckled his seatbelt and said, "Wait for me in the car for a while, I'll be right back."

Lin Anyu hesitated, his anxiety like that of an ant on a hot pan. Just as Han Zhou was about to push open the car door and get out, he quickly called out to stop him.

"and many more!"

"what happened?"

Han Zhou paused in his actions and turned to look at him with a puzzled expression.

"Could you also buy me a bottle of water?"

"Okay, what kind of water?"

"let me see……"

Lin Anyu's expression was solemn, and he started rambling, "As you probably know, I'm a rather picky person, so the selection of water isn't very extensive. The reason for the limited selection is that I'm quite particular about my taste, so I need water that's neither sour nor sweet, has a vibrant color, a rich flavor, is good value for money, and is colorless and tasteless..."

"If you keep talking, it'll never end," Han Zhou interrupted him, frowning. "What nonsense are you spouting?"

This guy is acting really strange today. Could it be that he really drank fake alcohol?
"It's nothing, just kidding. You should go ahead. Actually, I'm not that picky. You just need to remember one thing: I don't drink anything under five yuan. You haven't forgotten that, have you?"

"Amounts above five yuan will be reimbursed."

Han Zhou ignored the guy, opened the car door and got out.

Lin Anyu glanced out the car window beside him and saw the Zhong sisters walk into a bookstore before he breathed a slight sigh of relief.

If he hadn't delayed them for a while, the two people walking this way might have seen Han Zhou getting out of the car, which would have made things complicated.

I wonder how long Han Zhou will chat with his student. I just hope it goes quickly and that he can get back to his car before Zhong Ling leaves the bookstore.

"Forget it, I'll just send him a message to remind him. How come he has absolutely no sense of crisis..."

Lin Anyu sighed; he had been worrying himself sick over Han Zhou lately.

From a devoted admirer to showing signs of becoming a player, it's hard to say whether such an extreme change is a good thing or a bad thing...

Lin Anyu looked worried and was about to send a message to Han Zhou when Gu Zheng, who had been observing him for a while, suddenly said, "You don't look well. Are you feeling unwell?"

"No no."

Lin Anyu's heart tightened, and he quickly chuckled twice, "I was just a little thirsty from talking while driving."

He felt somewhat guilty towards the guzheng, so he spoke rather hesitantly.

"Really?" Gu Zheng looked at him suspiciously for a moment, then said, "Then I'll get off the bus now and buy you some water. I'm thirsty too."

As she spoke, she unbuckled her seatbelt and was about to push open the car door.

"no need!"

Lin Anyu's expression changed drastically, and he quickly shouted to stop her. Seeing the growing suspicion on Gu Zheng's face, he forced a smile and said nervously, "Didn't I already ask Han Zhou to buy me water? He'll be back in a little while, and he'll definitely bring some for you too, so there's no need to trouble yourself."

Gu Zheng looked at him with a scrutinizing expression: "Wouldn't it be the same if I got off the bus to buy it? Besides, it seems that Han Zhou is going to bring something over from that girl later, so even if he wants to buy water for us, it might not be convenient for him to carry it."

Lin Anyu feigned composure: "That's true, but there's really no need to go to the trouble. Han Zhou knows my tastes better."

"Why don't you just tell me your taste?" Guzheng persisted.

Faced with the girl's suspicious gaze, Lin Anyu really couldn't keep up the lie, but for his good friend's sake, he still gritted his teeth and insisted: "Taste is subjective, I still want Han Zhou to buy it for me."

Gu Zheng grew impatient and frowned, saying, "Is there any difference between what Han Zhou bought and what I bought?"

She didn't immediately connect the dots; she just thought Lin Anyu was acting strangely, making such a fuss over even buying a bottle of water. She didn't think he was intentionally preventing her from getting off the bus.

"Of course there is a difference."

"What's the difference?" Guzheng continued to ask.

She grabbed the car door handle, her meaning clear—if they weren't going to tell the truth, she'd get out now and see for herself what they were worried about.

In this critical moment, Lin Anyu suddenly unleashed all his potential, his eyes turned red, and he took a deep breath, deciding to go all out.

"Because only the water that Han Zhou bought for me is special!"

His face turned bright red with anxiety, and his voice trembled as if saying those words required immense courage.

"Special? What are you talking about..."

Gu Zheng looked as if struck by lightning, her expression blank.

Lin Anyu's eyes widened; he didn't even know what he was saying.

He knew that if he didn't say something, the girl named Mo Yixia might see the guzheng after he got off the bus.

He still remembers seeing Han Zhou and Mo Yixia walking out of the haunted house hand in hand when he followed them last time. Xiao Yuyan was so shocked that her jaw almost dropped to the ground. Although he was mentally prepared, he was still quite shocked and has been struggling with whether he should ask Han Zhou about their relationship.

However, according to general logic, it would be impossible for a young man and woman, who are alone together, to go to a haunted house near Qixi Festival and come out holding hands. It would be false to say that they are not close.

It's possible that Mo Yixia is actually Han Zhou's current girlfriend. If his girlfriend were to see him getting out of a car with a strange girl at the same time, she would be furious.

In fact, Lin Anyu's thinking was a bit too extreme. Most people wouldn't get angry just because they see their partner getting off the car with another person of the opposite sex, nor would they immediately suspect the relationship between the two, unless the two came out arm in arm.

But Lin Anyu knew very well how close Han Zhou and Gu Zheng were. To say they were arm in arm would be an understatement. He had already interpreted Han Zhou's current behavior as a sign that he was two-timing, which was why he was so nervous.

If the two boats are moving forward in parallel, that's fine, but even the slightest sign of them drifting apart or intersecting will cause a major problem.

However, he belatedly realized that he had just said something quite inappropriate, which was why Guzheng was looking at him strangely.

Fortunately, these words did have some effect; at least Gu Zheng no longer had any intention of getting off the bus, and Han Zhou's danger was temporarily averted.

But I feel like I'm in danger.

Lin Anyu felt as if he were being locked onto by a dangerous aura, making him feel extremely uncomfortable.

Gu Zheng remained silent for a long time before saying with difficulty, "What you just said... I think I understood it correctly, right?"

Although Lin Anyu was willing to share the firepower with Han Zhou, he didn't want to be mistaken for a gay man, so he quickly explained, "You misunderstood. I misspoke just now. I only see Han Zhou as a brother, and I absolutely do not have any romantic feelings for him!"

Gu Zheng's tone became even more strained: "But I haven't said anything yet."

Lin Anyu's expression froze.

Am I admitting something without being asked?
"You...he...you all..."

Gu Zheng was clearly encountering Lin Anyu's situation for the first time, and her expression was quite complicated. She was speechless for a moment, then took a deep breath and asked, "Does Han Zhou know about this?"

Seeing Lin Anyu's stiff expression, she couldn't help but recall some things she hadn't paid much attention to in the past.

Han Zhou and Lin Anyu have been close friends since the beginning of high school. They eat together and go to the bathroom together. Many people jokingly call them best buddies, but the two of them just laugh it off and never explain further.

Gu Zheng certainly knew that "bro" meant good friend, but in this situation, it was hard for her not to recall another meaning of the word...

Does Han Zhou know about this?

Thinking of this, she asked again, "The worst-case scenario is that Han Zhou not only knows about Lin Anyu's love, but they are even in love with each other..."

The mere thought of such a possibility made Guzheng grit her teeth and unconsciously clench her fists.

If that's the case, she'll have to consider whether to nip Lin Anyu in the bud. As for how to correct Han Zhou's behavior, that's something to think about later...

Gu Zheng's idea was so dangerous that Lin Anyu suddenly felt a faint killing intent, and the temperature inside the car seemed to drop a few degrees.

His heart skipped a beat, but he had no way to express his grievances, so he could only cautiously reply, "Han Zhou doesn't know..."

"Are you sure?" Gu Zheng asked, somewhat skeptical.

"I'm sure," Lin Anyu quickly assured him.

"That's good."

Gu Zheng breathed a sigh of relief, nodded calmly, and added, "Don't blame me for asking so many questions. People like you are not accepted by the world, and you should understand that yourself."

"Also, Han Zhou likes girls. If you tell him how you feel, you might not even be able to be friends with him anymore."

"I know I know."

Lin Anyu nodded repeatedly. Even after getting himself into trouble, he still couldn't resist gossiping. He thought something had happened between Han Zhou and Gu Zheng, and asked curiously, "But how are you so sure that Han Zhou likes girls?"

Does this kind of thing even need a reason...?

Gu Zheng glanced at him. Normally, she wouldn't say such things, but now, to make him give up, she insisted, "Because that guy always likes to peek at my legs."

Although she seemed nonchalant, her slightly smug tone clearly betrayed her true feelings.

That's nothing, I also enjoy peeking at girls' legs...

Lin Anyu looked pained.

He never imagined that his initial intention to stop the chaotic scene would lead him into it...

……

Han Zhou, of course, had no idea what was happening inside the car.

Looking at the girl wearing a mask and a baseball cap standing at the entrance of the residential compound, he couldn't help but feel a little surprised: "It's really like the sun has risen in the west today. Not only can you openly send me messages on your phone, but you can also leave your home and wait for me here?"

Mo Yixia stared at the white car not far away and explained, "Yesterday was the last test of the summer vacation, and I did very well. My improvement completely exceeded my mom's expectations." "And then?"

“I told her it was the power of love, so it was necessary to say goodbye to you today. My mom also thought we were a perfect match, so she agreed without hesitation. It’s just a pity I’m not eighteen yet, otherwise we could have left behind our love today. She would have reimbursed the hotel bill.”

Han Zhou's lips twitched as he listened; this guy's nonsense was getting smoother and smoother.

However, the thought that he might not hear this guy's nonsense for a long time made him feel a little melancholy.

The truth was certainly not as exaggerated as Mo Yixia described, but Jiang Baiqian did agree to let her be here, and asked her to tell Han Zhou that he could visit their home anytime in the future.

Although the previous fake robber incident was a misunderstanding that ended without serious consequences, it could not erase the fact that Han Zhou had "rescued the damsel in distress." Jiang Baiqian's goodwill towards Han Zhou had indeed increased significantly, and that afternoon she specially invited him to dinner to celebrate Mo Yixia's birthday together.

As expected, although she didn't know what Jiang Baiqian and her husband talked about that day, she couldn't stand being deceived. She not only rejected all of her husband's suggestions but also kicked him out of the house, and Mo Yixia stayed as she wished.

Naturally, with Mo Yixia's wish fulfilled, Han Zhou's mission was also completed. The mission reward was to randomly select a skill to enhance. To his delight, the random selection actually suited his taste, and the skill he enhanced was "Long-term Illness Leads to Medical Advice," which had previously been considered useless.

It's no exaggeration to say that all of this was thanks to Mo Yixia's father's help. If he hadn't acted impulsively and staged this fake robbery incident, things might not have gone so smoothly.

Han Zhou asked in bewilderment, "If you do so well on the exam now, won't you be able to relax in the future?"

According to Mo Yixia, Jiang Baiqian was never satisfied with her improved grades; her expectations for her only grew higher, and the pressure she exerted became greater.

This is also why Mo Yixia had been pretending to be a bad student. Poor grades meant lower expectations from Jiang Baiqian, allowing her to occasionally slack off. But once she showed such amazing progress, it wouldn't be so easy for her anymore.

"Who do you think I'm doing this for?"

Mo Yixia sighed, feigning concern. "There's nothing I can do. If I didn't do well on the exam, a useless tutor like you would probably have been fired long ago."

After a pause, she continued, "Do you remember what I told you before? I won't let you leave until I figure out why you approached me."

Normally, Mo Yixia should have returned to school long ago. High school students rarely have a complete winter or summer vacation; they usually return to school some time in advance for tutoring. Given Mo Yixia's previous performance, she certainly wasn't exempt from tutoring, but rather she didn't go.

Seeing that her daughter's test scores were getting better and better each time, Jiang Baiqian realized that the effect of her daughter learning at home was far greater than that at school. So she called the school to communicate with them, which allowed Mo Yixia to stay at home, and Han Zhou was able to continue to be her tutor.

Therefore, Mo Yixia's words were not an exaggeration. If she hadn't done well on the exam, she probably would have gone back to school long ago, and Han Zhou would naturally have lost his job as well.

However, summer vacation will eventually end. She can ignore the tutoring during the holidays, but she has to go to school during the regular school days. She can no longer keep Han Zhou with her.

Besides, this guy also needs to go to school, so the day they had to part ways eventually came.

Han Zhou was stunned for a moment, then laughed and said, "So now do you understand why I approached you?"

"of course."

Mo Yixia's calm tone and meaningful gaze made Han Zhou's heart skip a beat—this girl's senses were too sharp; could she have actually noticed the existence of the status bar?
"It's because you like me, after all."

However, his worries seemed unnecessary; the guy remained as unreliable as ever and hadn't guessed the truth.

Looking into the girl's eyes, he suddenly realized that she might not have been completely oblivious; perhaps she was just too lazy to point it out.

He realized he still didn't know this guy well enough.

"I know you're reluctant, but you don't need to stare at me like that."

Mo Yixia said calmly, "I've already had my mom transfer your salary to you. The extra hundred yuan is for keeping you as a mistress."

"I knew there was a hundred more..."

Han Zhou suddenly realized and joked, "But as a fee for keeping a mistress, isn't one hundred yuan a bit too little?"

A hint of disdain flashed in Mo Yixia's eyes: "Men with money turn bad. You're already bad enough, I can't let you get any worse."

"Then you're probably overthinking it. I have a long way to go before I 'go bad'."

Han Zhou shook his head. He was far from being rich now. He sighed, "But to be honest, I don't feel very secure with this salary. I haven't taught you anything useful. Instead, I've spent a lot of time doing things that aren't really productive with you."

"It's definitely not reassuring to be chasing girls while earning a salary," Mo Yixia said calmly. "But do you think being with me counts as neglecting your duties?"

"I don't think so, but from my perspective as a tutor, that's how it is."

“From today onwards, you are no longer a tutor, and I am no longer your student. Our relationship should be redefined, and your responsibilities should naturally change accordingly.”

“You’re right, although you’ve never seemed to consider yourself my student…” Han Zhou muttered, then chuckled, “So what do you think our relationship should be now?”

Mo Yixia hesitated for a moment: "The child's father?"

Han Zhou's face darkened: "I shouldn't have asked..."

"But you still asked."

Mo Yixia lowered the brim of her hat and pursed her lips. She didn't actually have much to say, but for some reason, she just wanted to talk to this guy as much as possible.

Why is it necessary to complete three years of high school?

If I had known summer would be so short, I should have performed better and skipped a grade to go to the same university as this guy.

Even if I'm forced to work hard, it's okay, because being with this guy makes things very relaxing.

But life doesn't offer "what ifs," and besides, if things had really turned out that way, I wouldn't have met him in the first place.

Life is truly unpredictable, both interesting and boring. I wasn't so sure before, but now I think it's more interesting.

"this is for you."

Mo Yixia handed the bag in her hand to Han Zhou, "Consider this a farewell gift, and also a birthday gift. I couldn't reach you on your birthday, so I postponed it a little. Please bear with it."

She had previously told Han Zhou that if she could stay here, she would give him a belated birthday present on his birthday. Unfortunately, she happened to be taken back to her hometown on his birthday and couldn't see him.

"Thank you."

Han Zhou didn't stand on ceremony, took the bag, and asked, "What's inside?"

"A few pieces of clothing that smelled of me, and a skirt."

Han Zhou's face darkened, and he immediately handed the bag back.

"I lied to you."

Mo Yixia was very satisfied with his reaction and pursed her lips, saying, "It's a proper... um, a proper gift. You can accept it without worry."

Han Zhou said warily, "You were just about to say 'normal gift,' right...? You suddenly changed your mind because you yourself weren't quite sure if the gift was normal or not..."

His face was full of distrust.

Mo Yi didn't answer; anyway, the guy had already accepted the item.

"Did you come with friends?" she asked suddenly, looking at the white car in the distance.

"Ah."

"Really? Then you should probably go now. Don't keep your friends waiting too long. If you miss me, you can come find me anytime. Remember to bring your ID card."

"I'm not used to you being so understanding all of a sudden."

Han Zhou was taken aback, then smiled and softened his tone, "But it's okay to stay a little longer."

"Can't bear to leave me?"

The girl smiled too, her eyes crinkling into a smile.

"A little."

"Oh, I see... Me too."

Mo Yixia looked up at the sky, unusually refraining from speaking carelessly.

"I'm talking about Han Zhou."

"Ok?"

"If we're apart for too long, will you forget me?"

"No," Han Zhou said seriously. "My memory is much better than you think."

"Photographic memory" is an enhanced skill from Mo Yixia.