Qiao Nan took a sip of the tea, casting a glance at Gao Yan. He was totally unlike how he looked during the first two encounters where he wore a suit, looking neat and tidy like a successful person in life. Today, Gao Yan, who sat in front of her, wore a crumpled shirt. The white shirt beneath his outer clothes was yellowish. His chin was covered with stubbles and he had eye bags. He seemed as if he had been sleepless for several nights. “Have some tea. Fang Fang came over to my place recently and I served Fang Fang with this tea.”

  Kuding tea—it was most suitable for Gao Yan and Fang Fang to have this tea.

  The two youngsters were creating trouble for themselves!

  Gao Yan, who was in a bad mood, did not wish to drink the tea, but he changed his mind when he learned that Fang Fang drank the same tea when she came to the Zhai family’s residence previously.

  Therefore, a gloomy Gao Yan could not care for his pride and drank three cups of tea in one go. Given what Fang Fang said and did, Gao Yan felt that the kuding tea was sweet instead of bitter!

  Looking at Gao Yan’s behavior, Qiao Nan told herself that Gao Yan was beyond hope.

  “Do you still intend to be with Fang Fang? Do you not mind at all?” Fang Fang had a boyfriend and the youngsters nowadays were fairly open-minded. Fang Fang might not be open-minded, but her boyfriend might be. With this in mind, did Gao Yan still love Fang Fang and want to be with her forever?

  Gao Yan’s face turned green and purple. “Nevertheless, I am the only person who is capable of bringing happiness to Fang Fang. She might be good in her studies, but she is clueless in all other areas. If I am not around to take care of her and protect her, she will be bullied by other people. Since a young age, she has been good in her studies but lousy in other areas. To think that she feels very proud of herself.”

  Gao Yan pointed out Fang Fang’s shortcomings, but at the same time revealed his concerns for her. His contradictory behavior made Qiao Nan feel sorry for him. She felt like comforting him. “Alright, I will keep a lookout on your behalf. It is rare that Fang Fang has a boyfriend. I should keep a watch as well. I cannot possibly allow her to be bullied by other people.”

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  If Fang Fang’s boyfriend was perfect and had no shortcomings, no matter how much Gao Yan liked her, she would not interfere. After all, it was up to Fang Fang to choose whether she wanted to be with someone that she loved or someone that loved her. She would not give her opinion.

  Perhaps Fang Fang felt that she would be happier being with someone that she loved.

  Of course, if the man had any shortcomings—since she was closer to Gao Yan and he was her senior while the other person was a stranger—she could not help but take sides and help Gao Yan.

  “Thank you.” Gao Yan rubbed his face. He used to think that his marriage with Fang Fang was already confirmed. He already had it planned out. They would be engaged when Fang Fang was in her third year in college and they would marry once she graduated.

  In another year’s time, he would be able to buy a house and a car in the capital. He would make sure to provide Fang Fang with a good life.

  It was useless to think about the future right now. He had made a huge mistake and all his plans had gone hay-wired. He did not manage to be engaged to Fang Fang and she rejected his engagement ring. She could not wait to throw it far away and leave for a faraway place with her boyfriend at school.

  Qiao Nan did not know many men, but she had heard of many stories about scumbags.

  It was rare that Gao Yan was such a sentimental and devoted man. Qiao Nan could not help but be softhearted. “Let me give you a gentle reminder. Like what I have said previously, there is a big problem with the attitude of Fang Fang’s parents toward you. It is understandable for young ladies to be narrow-minded. She is an only child and she is considered capable and smart. If she were in another family, she would be pampered and doted on by her parents. But her parents compared her with you, and to her parents, you are the smartest kid instead of her. No child will be happy to know that.”

  Gao Yan was the subject of the love and praise of Fang Fang’s parents.

  Notwithstanding that Gao Yan used to provoke Fang Fang when he was at a young age, this alone was good enough for Fang Fang to hate Gao Yan to the core.

  Siblings would fight with each other for their parents’ love. Moreover, Gao Yan was not related to them. Fang Fang’s parents liked to praise Gao Yan for being a good child in front of Fang Fang and they would tell her to look up to Gao Yan and work harder. It was no wonder that she hated Gao Yan.

  Under such circumstances, it would be weird if Fang Fang realized Gao Yan’s feelings for her and accepted his proposal. “Many men will work on their in-laws in order to receive their blessings to marry their daughter. But it is different for you. It is unsuitable for you to do that. Do you understand that too far is as bad as not enough?”

  Gao Yan drank another three cups of kuding tea. He was bloated with the tea. “Thank you. I finally understand what you are saying.” Although it took him so long to understand, it was better than not realizing it at all.

  He never thought that the affirmation of Fang Fang’s parents would work against him, driving a wedge between him and Fang Fang, and that she would hate him since a young age. “I will talk to her parents regarding this. Thank you very much.”

  If he did not come looking for Qiao Nan today, he might not have known where he went wrong even until the day Fang Fang married someone else and had children with the man.

  Fang Fang’s parents might like him, but it was useless if Fang Fang had no wish to marry him. They could not possibly force her into marriage.

  In the end, they had to go with Fang Fang’s decision and allowed her to marry someone else.

  Gao Yan used to think that he had a high EQ and IQ. But when it came to Fang Fang and he was the party involved, it was useless to have high EQ or IQ.

  “Alright, you should go now.” Although Qiao Nan could give him a gentle reminder, she would not do anything on behalf of Gao Yan. No matter what, Fang Fang would be marrying him, not her.

  Gao Yan was someone who put words into action. Previously, he was clueless, so he could do nothing about it.

  Now that he knew what was going on and where he had done wrong, he would not allow himself to make the same mistake again that would widen the distance between him and Fang Fang, leaving no chance for them. “Uncle, auntie, this is what happened. I hope that you can give me your support and make a phone call to Fang Fang so as to talk things over nicely.”

  Fang Fang’s parents were startled. They had been adding trouble instead of rendering help.

  Father Fang turned silent. “Did Qiao Nan say that?” Father Fang had a deep impression of this classmate and good friend of his daughter. Apart from Gao Yan, Qiao Nan was the first person who had better results than Fang Fang and had helped her a lot in school.

  All these years, Father Fang felt that this friend of her daughter was a good friend and she had good judgment.

  Father Fang might have some doubts over other people’s words. He might wonder if the person was sincere about helping Fang Fang and Gao Yan, or that the person was interested in Gao Yan. The person might betray Fang Fang and make lousy suggestions such that Gao Yan would fail in gaining Fang Fang’s affection.