You Rong's thin lips pressed tighter, his gaze dropped, and after a long while, he said in a hoarse voice, "...No more."
Lin Qinghe furrowed her brow slightly in displeasure, "Hm? Are you sure there's really nothing else?"
You Rong replied with difficulty, "No more..."
A bitter feeling surged within You Rong. Since Lin Qinghe didn't have those kinds of feelings for him, he dared not confess, lest he lose even the资格 to stay by her side.
Seeing You Rong's pained struggle, Lin Qinghe felt an inexplicable urge to lash out. She stood up and walked towards him.
Lin Qinghe stopped in front of You Rong, her eyes fixed on him, making him uncomfortable and causing him to avert his gaze, his throat tightening. "You... why are you looking at me like that?"
Had she seen through his feelings?
Lin Qinghe narrowed her eyes, pointed a finger at You Rong's chest, and pouted, "Do you really have nothing else to say? Don't you like me? Why don't you dare to say it?! Hm?"
You Rong's body stiffened abruptly. He turned to look at Lin Qinghe, his face a mask of shock and panic.
How could she know!
Did she know everything he had done while she was in hibernation?!
You Rong's face suddenly paled. Before Lin Qinghe could say another word, he suddenly embraced her, holding her tightly. His grip was so strong that Lin Qinghe felt pain.
Lin Qinghe winced in pain and struggled, "You Rong! What are you doing? If you have something to say, say it after you let go. You're hurting me..."
"I won't let go!" You Rong roared, his voice trembling. The grip on Lin Qinghe did not loosen; instead, it tightened, as if she would vanish if he let go even slightly.
You Rong buried his head in Lin Qinghe's neck. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have secretly kissed you when you were unconscious. Please don't be angry, I beg you, don't be angry... But I really couldn't help it. After you fell unconscious, I missed you so much, I missed you like crazy, every second, every moment, I was thinking of you! I... please don't be angry, don't leave me. I can stop liking you in the future. Just let me stay by your side, really, just staying by your side is enough! I've grown up, I don't need you to protect me anymore. This time, let me protect you... can I?"
You Rong's choked voice stunned Lin Qinghe, and her heart ached with every sob.
This silly little wolf cub. She had only wanted him to admit his feelings, when had she ever said she didn't want him!
Lin Qinghe gently patted You Rong's hand, her voice filled with helplessness and affection. "Aren't you silly? If you don't say you like me, how will you know if I like you too?"
You Rong was stunned. "Qinghe... what do you mean?"
Lin Qinghe pushed him away slightly and playfully pinched his cheek. "First, say you like me."
You Rong, still dazed by the meaning behind Lin Qinghe's words, stammered, "I... I like you!"
Lin Qinghe's eyes curved into a smile. "What a coincidence, I like you too! Little wolf cub, I've finally waited for you to grow up!"
You Rong's pupils contracted. He stared blankly at Lin Qinghe, wondering if his ears were playing tricks on him. How could he possibly hear Lin Qinghe say she liked him too!
"Qinghe..." You Rong nervously swallowed. "What did you just say? Can you say it again?"
"You silly thing..." Lin Qinghe chuckled softly and said again, "I said... I like you too!"
This time, You Rong was finally sure he hadn't misheard. Lin Qinghe had really said she liked him!
Lin Qinghe was pleased to hear the long-awaited system prompt: "Progress increased by five percent, total progress at ninety-five percent."
However, before Lin Qinghe could rejoice, in the next second, You Rong looked at her, his eyes suddenly reddened, on the verge of tears.
Lin Qinghe was stunned and immediately panicked. She asked anxiously, "You Rong, what's wrong? Did I hurt you when I struggled just now? Did I use too much force?"
But she hadn't really used much force!
Had her power increased so much during the nearly two years of hibernation that a slight push could cause serious injury?