Loved By The Villain And The Male Lead

"If you were in his shoes… how would you feel? The person you like sitting on their confession for a month."

Su Ning stared at Lin Miao with a conflicted look on her face. Lin Miao has always been very perceptive even back when they were in Chang Yue. It was common knowledge in school that Lin Miao came from a poor family background and her difficult childhood likely contributed to the young girl's exceptional maturity. What Lin Miao had pointed out wasn't some new concept and it wasn't something Su Ning purposely did out of spite but she had to admit that she didn't feel the need to respond urgently to Allen's confession. The man was kind and Su Ning knew it. Plus she took his words at face value. "Take all the time you need," Allen had said. As such, after she returned to C Country, it was like everything was unconsciously put to the back burners. As people normally say, out of sight out of mind.

However, looking back at things now, Su Ning felt rather ashamed of herself. Lin Miao was right, Su Ning was acting rudely towards Allen. The man deserves a response.

'Come on now! I'm a 29 year old ahjumma who is getting schooled by a 19 year old! What am I doing with my life?' Su Ning chastised inwardly.

After a few moments of silence, Su Ning finally spoke up. 

"You're right. I was being rude. I'll give Allen an answer as soon as I get back," responded Su Ning.

"Right, it's best to reject the man directly and not give him false hope," Lin Miao said thoughtfully.

But what Su Ning followed up with took Lin Miao completely off guard. 

"I'll try going out with him," Su Ning quipped.

"Huh?! Wha—-?!" Lin Miao blurted aloud. Then Lin Miao asked in a quieter tone, "What did you say? I didn't hear it well."

"Hmm? I said, I'll try dating Allen," Su Ning reiterated. 'Is MiaoMiao alright? Why is she looking so shocked?'

"…" Lin Miao stared at her friend with an uncomprehending look. 'Is NingNing sick? Why is she speaking like this? Why would she suddenly decide to give Allen a shot?'

"…" Su Ning stared back at Lin Miao, unspeaking. She had an innocent look on her face.

"Wait… why?" Lin Miao asked after composing herself. She suddenly felt a sense of foreboding as she waited for Su Ning's response.

"What, why?" Su Ning retorted with furrowed brows. She felt like her answer wasn't particularly complicated but why was Lin Miao not understanding? 

"I mean. What made you come to this decision? I thought you didn't like the guy?" Lin Miao clarified.

"Well.. I don't dislike him. He's very kind," Su Ning answered carefully.

"…" Lin Miao attempted to keep a blank look on her face. This was completely unlike Su Ning, it was as if someone took over her friend's body and was masquerading as Su Ning.

"So… so you've decided to go out with him?" Lin Miao reiterated.

"Mhmmm," Su Ning answered in affirmative.

"Uhh since when?" Su Ning's friend asked.

"Just now. I thought about what you said and you're right. I was thinking about this matter way too seriously. It's not like I have to marry the first man I date and just because I don't like him now, it doesn't mean I won't come to like him in the future," Su Ning easily explained. The pair was munching on some strawberry shortcake and milk chocolate and almond dipped vanilla ice cream as they chatted. 

Lin Miao nearly choked on her ice cream. She did say those words to Su Ning but to be quite honest, she was merely playing devil's advocate to urge the latter to act, i.e., dole out a swift and painless rejection. Lin Miao felt that Su Ning was someone who always stayed true to her own convictions.That is why Lin Miao never anticipated that Su Ning would actually decide to date Allen. In fact, she thought Su Ning would eventually come to realize either Gu YuChen or Lin JinYan's feelings and choose one of the two. This turn of events was something she thought of as completely out of the realm of possibility. She couldn't even begin to imagine how Lin JinYan and Gu YuChen would react after they find out that Su Ning is about to have a boyfriend. Lin Miao already felt bad for Allen for all the impending hardships bound to arise from dating Su Ning. Maybe not so much Gu YuChen but for certain Lin JinYan would retaliate and make Allen's life miserable. 

These past 6 years, Su Ning had miraculously remained oblivious to the true nature of those 'two kids she raised.' Yet Lin Miao realized earlier on that the pair was simply wearing a mask of gentle kindness and acting as a doting older brother in front of Su Ning. Unbeknownst to Su Ning, the effusive affection from the two princes was reserved only for her. In reality, they were cold, cruel and apathetic to others. Lin Miao accidentally witnessed it for herself, the instances of seeing the princes' real face. 

Before he had first left for the UK, Lin JinYan had taken the trio (Su Ning, Lin Miao, Li Youqing) out to lunch at a fancy seafood restaurant. After their meal, the young man had excused himself to use the restroom and Lin Miao followed suit a few minutes later. In the hallway of the luxuriously decorated establishment, she had chanced upon a slightly inebriated businessman bumping into Lin JinYan. It was barely a slight graze and the man who had recognized Lin JinYan had immediately apologized, addressing him as Young Master Lin. Yet in response, Lin JinYan had given the man a look of complete disgust. The young man who was known in A City as the gentle prince, summarily took a white handkerchief out his pants pocket and brushed off the part of his sleeve that came into contact with the stranger. From a few feet away, Lin Miao heard Lin JinYan click his tongue and saw him exasperatedly wave the contrite man away. Lin Miao attempted to remain as silent as possible as she stood at the corner of the corridor waiting for Lin JinYan to enter the men's lavatories.

However, it seems Lin Miao didn't wait long enough because when she finally made a move to turn into the hallway, she was startled to see Lin JinYan still outside with his arms crossed. Lin Miao halted in her steps as the pair's eyes met. No words were exchanged but Lin Miao implicitly understood. The young man gave her a small half smile before entering the men's room. 'He knows that I know. He's warning me not to tell NingNing,' Lin Miao thought astutely. Being a smart young woman, Lin Miao heeded Lin JinYan's warning and kept her mouth shut. 

Truth be told, Lin Miao couldn't say she was completely surprised at discovering the gentle prince's duplicitous nature. Lin JinYan had always been aloof and standoffish. He only appeared kind and gentle when people didn't encroach on his territory. But whenever a stranger or admirer unwittingly does so, they would be met by a steely gaze tinged with visible annoyance. From what Lin Miao observed, Lin JinYan absolutely abhors people's touch other than Su Ning's. The man carries disinfectant wipes everywhere and can use a whole pack in one sitting. It even got to a point where Su Ning had become concerned with the condition of the young man's hands.

"JinYan-ge, your hands! Don't use those wipes so much," Su Ning worriedly exclaimed as she held Lin JinYan's hands. His skin had become reddened and irritated from using hand sanitizer so often. Su Ning then took out a hand lotion from her handbag and proceeded to massage the young man's hands to his utter delight. 

"99% alcohol?!" she gasped. "I'll find you another kind to use. One that's better for the skin so don't use this anymore, hmm?" Su Ning prodded, shooting her friend a worried glance.

"En. If NingNing says so. Then I won't use it anymore," Lin JinYan replied, his eyes curving into crescents. He clearly enjoyed being the object of Su Ning's attention.

"You promise? You're not just saying this right?" Su Ning asked suspiciously, kneading the lotion onto the man's palms.

"En. I promise," Lin JinYan promptly responded with a tender smile on his face.

Lin Miao who witnessed this fond exchange couldn't help but bite her lip apprehensively. Lin JinYan's behavior is odd. It was almost like a call for attention. There was no way he couldn't have known using such strong disinfectant wipes would be damaging to his skin. It was much less fathomable that he didn't have the means to buy those nontoxic all-natural sanitizing wipes. He appeared to be thoroughly obsessed with Su Ning. It was as if in his world, there was only space for himself and Su Ning. Lin Miao didn't know how to feel about this. This type of thought process isn't sustainable, not to mention unhealthy. Lin Miao just hoped that when their relationship came to a turning point, Lin JinYan wouldn't snap.

On the other hand, Gu YuChen's true face was even more frightening. When Su Ning had fallen into a coma, Gu YuChen had stayed by her bedside all day and night. The only times he stepped out of the room was to give Su Ning's parents some privacy with their daughter. It was during one of Lin Miao's visits that she had accidentally eavesdropped on Gu YuChen's phone call whilst he was in one of the rooms inside the VIP suite.. If only the door hadn't been left slightly ajar, then Lin Miao wouldn't have had to overhear such a sinister conversation.