Rebellious Xia Ye

Lin Yuan, who was swamped with work as the semester drew to a close, really missed the nights he spent holding Xia Ye.

Lying alone in his cold, small dorm bed every night, he missed the bed in the rented house even more.

That bed, which originally belonged to him and Xia Ye, now had Xia Ye and Song Xiaoxiao lying on it.

Lin Yuan even thought, 'Damn, Song Xiaoxiao better not actually be a lesbian, or wouldn't I be cuckolding myself?'

However, he quickly dismissed these wild thoughts; he admitted that he was very empty and lonely at the moment.

He and Xia Ye had only hugged a few nights, and the barrier between them hadn't been broken when Song Xiaoxiao, an uninvited guest, arrived, even though he had invited her himself.

But Lin Yuan felt that it was time to find a way out for her; she couldn't always follow him and Xia Ye.

He planned to deal with this matter after he finished his current busy period.

Busy with various things, Lin Yuan hadn't been going to Xia Ye's place much lately because it was already quite late after self-study every night. He was incredibly fond of the scene of everyone eating around a small table under the dim yellow light.

Once he experienced the warmth of home, he didn't want to be a lonely ghost anymore.

But what caught Lin Yuan off guard was that little sister Xia Ye gave him a difficult problem.

Lin Yuan suddenly received a call from a former student's parent. The parent specifically called to ask why Xia Ye was no longer teaching dance, as Lin Yuan had introduced her to this job through his connections. Out of politeness, since Xia Ye had quit so abruptly, the parent felt he had to exchange a few words with Lin Yuan.

Only then did Lin Yuan realize that Xia Ye had quit the small group private lessons he had found for her.

This girl had clearly wanted to teach such high-end private small classes all along, but now she had quit so decisively.

Lin Yuan concluded that his wife probably had some emotions, and if it was rebellious emotion, it would be fine, but he was afraid she might have suffered some grievance outside. And then, it was the old routine of seeing him busy and not wanting to disturb him, so she didn't tell him.

So, Lin Yuan specifically said he would come back for dinner that evening.

When Lin Yuan returned to the rented house and entered the door, a waft of cooking oil smoke permeated from the kitchen, hitting him. Strangely enough, he even took two deep breaths. He couldn't smell this kind of homey scent at the school cafeteria.

"You're back?" Xia Ye rushed out, not even having time to take off her apron. "Hug, I want a hug."

As Xia Ye spoke, she hung herself around Lin Yuan's neck.

Lin Yuan looked towards the kitchen; Song Xiaoxiao was busy inside, not even glancing their way.

Given that Song Xiaoxiao was still there, Xia Ye quickly let go of Lin Yuan. "You sit for a bit, dinner will be ready soon." Then she returned to the kitchen.

"Let me do it. He hasn't been back for days; you go ahead and be all lovey-dovey with him." Song Xiaoxiao was serious; she wasn't being sarcastic.

"No, you're not a nanny I hired. We agreed to share both good times and bad."

Song Xiaoxiao said nothing more, just lowered her head and smiled with a look of contentment.

Before long, the steaming hot dishes were on the table.

Lin Yuan picked up his chopsticks. Although the cooking skills of Xia Ye and the other person were only average, it was still much better than the school cafeteria.

The steam rising from the food blurred the lamplight in the room and warmed the hearts of the three people on this winter day.

Halfway through the meal, Lin Yuan casually asked, "Why did you quit the job I found for you?"

"Ah? You already know?" Xia Ye's gaze darted away as she awkwardly admitted, "I originally wanted to tell you after you finished being busy."

Song Xiaoxiao calmly interjected, "I told you long ago. Even if you didn't say anything, someone would tell him."

Song Xiaoxiao naturally had sufficient social experience. For matters handled through connections, even if one later quit, conventionally, Lin Yuan should have informed the person he initially asked for help. Otherwise, the other party might think Lin Yuan was displeased about something.

"Tell me, what's going on in that little head of yours again?"

"I..." Xia Ye stammered, as if trying very hard to organize her words.

Lin Yuan then looked at Song Xiaoxiao, "Strategist, you tell him."

Song Xiaoxiao's eyes widened. "I'm not her strategist. I repay kindness, I didn't cause trouble behind your back, and I even tried to persuade her for a long time."

Song Xiaoxiao was afraid Lin Yuan would think she had given Xia Ye another bad idea.

"I didn't mean it that way, just a joke... Hearing you say that, it sounds like you two have something hidden from me."

Song Xiaoxiao looked at Xia Ye, "You tell him, or should I?"

Xia Ye then spoke, "I'll confess myself."

"I want to continue studying for a postgraduate degree at Purple Arts."

"What?" Lin Yuan was so shocked that even the chopsticks he was holding froze. "No... we don't lack food or clothes now, what are you trying to do?"

Song Xiaoxiao shrugged beside him, indicating that she agreed with Lin Yuan's point. "She insists on making her life difficult; she won't listen no matter how much I try to persuade her."

Lin Yuan was very much looking forward to Xia Ye's own explanation.

"I feel that continuing to teach dance is meaningless. Earning money through your connections is no different from directly asking you for money; it's too much self-deception."

"So, you're going to force yourself to make things difficult?"

"It's not that. I don't know what to do. Before I met you, I worried about my future life, but now that I have security, I suddenly don't know what to do."

"Get married and have babies. If you're bored, you can have a basketball team."

Song Xiaoxiao expressed support, "I volunteer to help you raise the children."

Lin Yuan rolled his eyes at her, motioning for her to stop egging them on.

Xia Ye continued, "But if that's the case, I feel so useless, as if all I can do is have children..."

"You mean you still want to be ambitious?" Lin Yuan blurted out.

"Yes, I want to work hard and get into Purple Arts."

"Since we've known each other, how come I never noticed you had ambitious genes? Honestly, what's the real reason?"

Lin Yuan didn't believe that naive Xia Ye would be ambitious. She was just a little girl who cried easily, loved to scroll through Douyin, and binge-watch dramas.

The idea of studying at Purple Arts, in fact, had already been given up by her before she knew Lin Yuan was rich.

She didn't persist when she was poor, but now that she's rich, she wants to persist. Lin Yuan smelled rebellion.

Seeing Xia Ye pouting and not speaking, he had no choice but to ask Song Xiaoxiao.

"She didn't scroll Douyin and give herself some toxic positive thinking, did she?"

Song Xiaoxiao looked at Xia Ye, like an old mother looking at her rebellious teenage daughter. "I probably know the reason, but it's best for her to say it herself."

Xia Ye then stammered, "To be honest, I used to secretly think that since I was the only one who liked you, it was okay if I was a bit lazy. Now I realize you're different..."

"Hmph~" Lin Yuan immediately gave a wry smile, "You used to think that anyway, no one else would want me out there. I was average-looking and a delivery guy, so you could rest easy and comfortably be a freeloader. Now you realize I'm actually very capable, so you feel a sense of crisis?"

"Mm." Xia Ye nodded in admission.

"What the heck. Have I changed from before?"

Xia Ye thought for a moment, "Besides knowing you're actually quite rich, it seems like nothing else has changed."

"Then that's all there is to it."

"Oh, anyway, I just feel like I'm not good enough for you anymore." Xia Ye laid her cards on the table.

Lin Yuan took her hand and patiently said, "If you approach it from the perspective of personal ability, no matter how hard you try, you'll still feel like you're not good enough for me."

Pfft~~ Song Xiaoxiao, upon hearing this, sprayed rice out of her nose. She had thought Lin Yuan would comfort Xia Ye affectionately. She had imagined an idol drama scene, but the reality was a slice of life.

Xia Ye glared at Song Xiaoxiao, annoyed, "Even you're laughing at me."

Song Xiaoxiao, wiping her nose, was both crying and laughing. "You're a top-tier humblebragger."

Lin Yuan thought carefully for a moment, "How about we get our marriage certificate? It'll save you from always worrying about this problem."

"Lin Yuan," Xia Ye suddenly raised her voice, "Are you looking down on me?"

"Huh?" Lin Yuan was bewildered.

"I don't want a marriage certificate to tie you down. I just feel that after I met you, my unlucky life suddenly got so much better. So I started thinking, why was my life so terrible before?"

"So, what conclusion did you come to?"

"I feel I can't always be like this. You were still a delivery rider a few months ago; think about when we first met. Right, you were a delivery rider then. But look at you now, you're different, but I'm still accomplishing nothing.

I can't accept standing by your side like this.

You've helped me so much, I can't continue to be so selfish."

"And then?"

"I don't necessarily have to get into Purple Arts; I just feel that I first need to get past this hurdle in my own mind. I can't accept marrying you like a burden."

Lin Yuan reached out and touched Xia Ye's forehead.

Xia Ye immediately slapped his hand away, "I'm not messing around with you anymore. If you don't believe me, ask Xiao Xiao; I've talked about this problem with her many times."

Song Xiaoxiao immediately nodded in agreement, "I've also thought about it. If she wasn't stubborn, she wouldn't be Xia Ye."

Lin Yuan casually replied, "Then I really admire you. How did you persuade her to go to the maid cafe back then? Quickly teach me."

Xia Ye's tears instantly flowed; Lin Yuan's words were indeed a bit harsh.

"Oh," Song Xiaoxiao quickly got up to comfort her, "You're bringing up old wounds. This matter weighs heavily on her heart. It's my fault too; I was muddle-headed back then, and now it's become a stain on her."

Lin Yuan didn't expect that a single sentence from him would break Xia Ye, because before Xia Ye knew his identity, they often teased each other about this in private.

Things like: 'You stood guard in a brothel, I braved the wind in a yellow robe. We are a match made in heaven.'

Lin Yuan suddenly realized that such jokes probably couldn't be made casually anymore. Because Xia Ye really did stand guard in a brothel, but he was no longer the one wearing the yellow robe.

With the change in their identities, Xia Ye had become sensitive.

"I'm sorry, I've been too busy and didn't consider your feelings. I support you in studying for Purple Arts, or how about I..." Lin Yuan originally wanted to say, how about he asks Dean Li if the Art Institute has any relevant preparation resources. But he was afraid Xia Ye would mind, so he didn't say it.

"In short, I support your decision. How do you need me to cooperate?"

"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry. I know you've been busy lately, and I'm still causing you trouble."

"It's okay. Girls are cute when they cry and whine." For some reason, Lin Yuan's mind at this moment conjured up that shrew Zhang Yan. Ugh~~ In the end, it was still his own wife who was endearing.

Xia Ye's tears turned into a smile, and while wiping her tears and snot, she said, "Xiao Xiao and I have been working at a milk tea shop recently. She's helping me save up for tutoring class fees."

Song Xiaoxiao chimed in, "I voluntarily accompany the prince in his studies."

"Alright, I'll find the tutoring class for you. Don't be sensitive about this. It's almost the end of the year now; by the time you save enough money, you'll only be able to apply for the year after next."

Once Xia Ye's emotions stabilized, she didn't argue with Lin Yuan anymore. "I'll listen to you on this, but you're not allowed to help me with anything else. In short, if I can't change myself, I won't marry you."

Lin Yuan chuckled, "Then who do you want to marry?"

"I won't marry anyone."

Song Xiaoxiao interjected, "Xia Ye, if being the main wife is too much psychological burden, you could consider being an outside mistress."

Lin Yuan, hearing this, slanted a look at her. "Are your professional habits resurfacing?"

Song Xiaoxiao wasn't annoyed. "Don't disbelieve me, that girl might just have a moment of foolishness and actually do something like that."

"Get out! If I treat my long-suffering wife as a mistress, wouldn't I be struck by lightning?"