Volume 1, Chapter 61: Sincerity Is Always the Ultimate Killer Move

Tang Qin looked at me speechlessly, her expression a mix of amusement and exasperation. She sighed and said softly, "Now I finally understand a bit of what Feifei sees in you. I must admit, your humorous personality is indeed quite charming, but..."

She left her sentence unfinished, looking at me with hesitation, as if what she wanted to say next was difficult to articulate.

I stared at the pastry in front of her and murmured, "But some things lose their flavor once the initial freshness fades."

Tang Qin looked slightly surprised, gave me a startled glance, and then broke into an appreciative smile. Her red lips parted slightly, "Yes! Exactly that. Temporary passion easily goes to one's head, but compatibility is much more important."

I nodded. "Indeed, so we must learn to cherish things. Buying something and then letting it go uneaten is actually a waste."

Tang Qin was momentarily stunned, her delicate eyebrows knitting together slightly. "So... what on earth are you trying to say?"

I nudged her pastry with my chin. "If you don't eat that pastry soon, it won't be crispy anymore."

"..."

Tang Qin was instantly left speechless. She pressed a hand to her forehead, looking at me in utter exasperation and near-collapse, "I am talking to you about matters of the heart, and you are talking to me about food. Please, can you be serious for once?"

I remained completely unfazed by her words and said with an aggrieved tone, "I am being serious! Carpe diem is always the right approach. Those vague, intangible things you're talking about are far less important than the pastry right in front of you."

Tang Qin carefully chewed on my words, then sliced off a piece of the pastry and gracefully placed it in her mouth.

"Hmm, it is indeed a bit less crispy."

While leisurely cutting the cake, she said to me, "Then let me be completely blunt. Actually, I came to see you behind Feifei's back. I've noticed that whenever she chats with us lately, she talks about you non-stop. I'm almost sick of hearing it. I don't oppose her liking you, but liking someone and building a life together are two entirely different things. Regardless of family background or current status, the two of you are simply not on the same level. Have you ever thought about these issues?"

I smiled wryly. How could I not have considered what she was saying? I couldn't help but nod.

"Of course I have."

Tang Qin took a sip of her coffee and asked softly, "And do you have any thoughts on that?"

"I think our family backgrounds and individual circumstances are clearly not in the same league. But after thinking it over, I feel... actually, none of this has the slightest impact on us."

"Pfft."

Tang Qin was completely unprepared for this answer. She spat out a mouthful of coffee, choking and coughing continuously.

She coughed until her face turned red, hurriedly covering her mouth with a napkin. Once she stopped coughing, she gave me an annoyed side-eye.

"Are you doing this just to piss me off? When I asked you out today, I was trying to have a serious conversation with you. No impact? How could there possibly be no impact?"

"I am answering you very seriously too! I couldn't choose my family background, and my current status doesn't dictate my future. We have to look at the future with a developmental perspective. Besides, we aren't commodities, so why treat us like we have price tags slapped on us?"

The cool, elegant look in Tang Qin's eyes shifted slightly, and a faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "I didn't expect that answer. It seems I underestimated you before. But you need to think carefully—Feifei has many suitors, and plenty of them are in a much better position than you. Take Xie Zixuan for example, do you think you have any competitive edge?"

She paused for a moment, then added, "You don't mind if I compare you to a scumbag, do you?"

I nodded heavily and said with a completely serious expression, "I do mind."

Tang Qin's face paled slightly, and just as she was about to explain, I suddenly blurted out: "I am a living, breathing human being with dignity. Why on earth would you compare me to a beast?"

"Pfft!"

Her threshold for amusement must have been low, because she burst out laughing. When she laughed, her shoulders shook, and her curvaceous figure looked particularly captivating.

Once she managed to quiet down, she gave me a resentful, playful glare and smiled bitterly. "It seems everything I said today was a complete waste of breath."

I took a leisurely sip of my coffee, looked at her beautiful face, and smiled. "Not a total waste. At least it let me know that Feifei has a good impression of me and frequently brings me up in front of you guys!"

Tang Qin shot me a sharp look. "Feifei is a good girl, and she's already been hurt once. I asked you out because I don't want to see her get hurt a second time."

I nodded. "Feifei is indeed wonderful. I've lived for thirty years, and she's the only one who realized I'm a rare piece of jade. She has great taste."

"..."

After finishing the last bite of cake, Tang Qin calmly stood up, a light snort escaping her lips.

"I'll tell Feifei myself that I met with you today. I don't want her to think I'm interfering in her relationship."

She paused, the corner of her mouth curling up. "Of course I want her to be with someone she likes, and as far as I'm concerned, you've at least passed my test."

I was startled. "What do you mean? Do best friends have to screen her romantic partners too?"

"She hasn't told you about her family background yet, has she? Once you find out, you'll understand what a mismatch in social standing really means. I sought you out today because I genuinely thought the two of you were unsuited for each other and didn't want to watch her get hurt. I had originally prepared a lot of things to say to you, but you successfully killed the conversation completely."

I chuckled foolishly. "Sincerity is the ultimate unbeatable skill."

Tang Qin rolled her eyes. "Is there anything else you want to say to me? If not, I'm leaving."

I thought for a moment, pressed my lips together, and said, "Yes, just one thing."

Tang Qin raised an eyebrow. "Go ahead."

"Next time we play games, don't expect me to revive you when you get knocked down."

"..."

When we walked out of the coffee shop with Tang Qin, she headed to the parking lot to get her car and asked if I wanted a ride. I readily accepted, as she was already quite used to my thick-skinned nature.

After getting into the car, she opened her navigation app and asked me, "Where do you live?"

"Just drop me off at Feifei's place!"

I paused for a moment and grinned foolishly. "Didn't you tell me to deliver medicine to her? I have to complete your mission, right?"

"..."

The car sped off like the wind. On the way, I sent Lin Feifei a message. As soon as she heard I was with Tang Qin, she called Tang Qin directly.

Since Tang Qin was driving, she simply put the call on speaker, and I could hear every word they said clearly.

"Qinqin, why are you together with Yu Bin?"

Tang Qin curled her lips. "What? I asked him to come to the hospital to pick up medicine for you so you wouldn't have to make the trip yourself—aren't you grateful? Isn't he your pretend boyfriend anyway?"

Lin Feifei let out a soft hum. "I know what you're up to, but since you two are coming, why don't you both come over to my place for dinner? Qiuyun is already here! Let's all play video games together tonight!"

Tang Qin conceded. Upon arriving at her apartment, the door had just swung open when my eyes were nearly blinded by two pairs of smooth, fair legs.

Both of them were wearing shorts so short they could barely be called shorts inside the house. Their slender, fair legs were exposed to the air without a shred of inhibition. Their legs were remarkably attractive, as white as delicate, smooth cheese, and breathtakingly slender—a sight that instantly set my blood racing.