As they went upstairs, Li Yan could still feel Tian Ci's fleeting jealous glance, which amused him slightly. "Xiao Di, has Tian Ci been visiting you often lately?"

"No, not at all." Yu Xiaodi replied absentmindedly, then remembered something and immediately turned her head to scrutinize him: "Eh? Are you jealous?"

Li Yan couldn't help but laugh: "How is that possible! How could I be jealous?"

Having discovered this, Yu Xiaodi was very happy, giggling as she said, "That's great! So in your heart, I'm that important too. For someone like you, who's such a ladies' man, to actually get jealous over me, I'm so happy."

Li Yan was speechless. "I was just asking, you see, his jealousy towards me has become even more obvious than last time."

Though Yu Xiaodi was gratified, she earnestly explained: "No, since the last time, he hasn't visited. You know, the political struggles in my dad's world affect not just one or two people. During uncertain times like last time, people like Tian Ci's parents probably didn't want their child associating closely with our family, preferring to wait and see. Now that things are settled, Tian Ci has the courage to invite Wen Qiang, Ling Muhang, and Ling Luqiu over to play."

Seeing her somewhat bitter smile, Li Yan knew that unlike typical twenty-year-old girls, she enjoyed more material comforts but also bore more burdens. God is always fair.

"Hmm, it's good that everything is fine now, so your friends can hang out together."

Yu Xiaodi stopped in the corridor, "Li Yan, do you know why I like you?"

Li Yan was taken aback, speechless for a moment.

The beautiful girl seriously said, "Maybe at first, as you said, I liked you out of admiration, gratitude, and a sense of thrill. But later, after you visited my home and understood the situation, and learned about it from my dad, friends like Tian Ci, who grew up with me, hesitated because of familial ties. But you, just an ordinary person, didn't leave me!

Compared to them, who have interest-driven hesitations, you faced real danger. Yet when I called you to watch me play tennis, you still came, and when I was in danger, you stood by me; when I was being rebellious against my parents, you rushed over to persuade me as soon as you knew...

These are things they couldn't do. My current college classmates, like Bai Feijin and the others, they like me and want to pursue me just because I'm pretty. Knowing my identity, even more people might pursue me, but under circumstances like those recently, I believe most of them would stand by and wait for the situation to become clear without taking risks."

After hearing her words, Li Yan smiled wryly, "Xiao Di, you're giving me too much credit. I actually...never really thought about these issues, I just didn't care about them. It wasn't that I disregarded everything for you..."

In response to his words, Yu Xiaodi flashed a blissful smile, "I understand... Although you always think I'm still a child, unable to keep up with your thoughts, I do grow and think. What I just said is the result of my reflections over time. As for what you said... hehe, don't you think it's contradictory? It's precisely because you care about me that you didn't think about danger or struggle. It's like... when I ask if you like me, if you think it over before responding, there might be other considerations, but blurting out an answer without thinking is the genuine truth."

Li Yan felt a headache coming on, shaking his head: "Fine, whatever, don't ask me that question now, or I'll have to think about it for a long time. Let's just go see your dad!"

His reaction made Yu Xiaodi giggle secretly, feeling so wonderful, clearly, this cheeky brother, this annoying uncle, has unknowingly fallen for me...

"Why go see my dad? You don't like talking to him, I'm just coming upstairs myself, and I didn't want you to be bored downstairs with them, so I found an excuse to bring you up." Yu Xiaodi giggled, taking his arm and dragging him toward her room.

Li Yan was a bit surprised, then realized her encouragement. He was suddenly filled with emotion! The benevolence of a beauty—she, an heiress who knows nothing, is willing to consider so much for me, cautiously protecting and caring for me, fearful I might suffer any grievances...

Looking at the beautiful girl clinging to his side, full of youthful vitality, Li Yan silently swore to himself that no matter what the future holds, he must give her more joyful experiences, and he will certainly protect her well!

...

Brought into the room by Yu Xiaodi, Li Yan felt a bit awkward, "Hey, there are still a lot of guests downstairs. You wouldn't be thinking of getting cozy, would you?"

Yu Xiaodi looked at him, softly laughing, "Is it me wanting it... or is it you? I didn't say anything like that!"

"Then why bring me here?"

"Pervert Li Yan! Taking you to my room means I want to get cozy with you?" Yu Xiaodi gave him a sidelong glance. "I'm just going to wash my face."

Seeing her dash into the bathroom adjoining the bedroom, Li Yan let out a sigh of relief, realizing he was overthinking it.

A little while later, Yu Xiaodi came out looking fresher and more radiant after washing her face. As an irresistibly youthful beauty, she had spent most of her time around Li Yan with a bare face, not needing any makeup.

"So quick? I thought you were removing and reapplying makeup."

"Hehe, this miss is naturally beautiful, never needing makeup." Yu Xiaodi laughed as she approached him.

Li Yan chuckled too, "Right, you never wear makeup. I once saw someone with hair styled like a porcupine, hair color like a parrot, smoldering eye makeup, and thick blue lipstick... That must've been your body double..."

"I've changed... I used to deliberately make myself look exaggerated and outrageous to chase thrills, but after meeting you, I never dressed like that again." Yu Xiaodi said weakly.

Seeing her slightly aggrieved expression, thinking about how she really changed her bad habits for him was truly commendable. Li Yan sincerely said, "Xiao Di, I'm sorry, even if it was just a joke, I shouldn't have brought up the past."

Yu Xiaodi pursed her lips, shaking her head, "As long as you don't still hate my old look, joking is fine."

"Haha, I don't hate it, anyway that look I only saw once, what followed—student girl, bespectacled girl, tennis girl, lingerie show... which look wasn't more beautiful, more captivating, more memorable? I'll just consider it your performance art." Li Yan patted her head.

"Really?" Yu Xiaodi finally let go of her worries. Then she said, "By the way, do you want to wash your face? Just use my towel."

"Uh... sure."

Watching him walk toward the bathroom, Yu Xiaodi teased from behind with a subtle laugh, "If you want, you can even take a bath too!"

Li Yan broke out in a cold sweat, thinking he had already taken five showers today, any more and he'd turn into a white person.

The Yu Family's villa was far more luxurious and grand than the one he shared with Zhang Yurong, down to every detail. Like this bathroom, which was larger than his, and all the bathroom facilities were top-notch luxury brands. And because it was Yu Xiaodi living there, it was evidently customized, with light pink tiles adorned with embossed storybook illustrations, and the bathroom fixtures were not the usual white, but in various colors, like the apple green toilet lid and the ocean blue bathtub...

Li Yan checked it out and grabbed Yu Xiaodi's towel to wash his face. After washing and hanging it back up, he was drawn to something on the clothes rack.

Looking closer, it was a pair of recently changed small panties! Yu Xiaodi wasn't wrong, it seemed to be the same pair he saw last time...

His heart stirred, did she intentionally leave it there for him to see since she hadn't put it away while letting him come in to wash his face?

Oh my! Don't tempt me, my appetite is big, even if I'm full, I can't resist temptation.

Just as Li Yan was lamenting, the bathroom door opened, and Yu Xiaodi slipped inside, giggling, "I knew you'd sneak a peek at my clothes... But since you didn't pick them up, it seems you're not that perverted!"

Li Yan was a little embarrassed, "Why'd you come in? If I were taking a shower, wouldn't you have caught me?"

"Hehe... if you don't lock the door when showering, who can you blame?" Yu Xiaodi approached him and whispered ambiguously with a smile, "It's all your fault, you definitely know... want me to give it to you as a keepsake?"

"Get out of here! I don't have that kind of hobby!" Li Yan glared at her and dashed out of the bathroom.

Yu Xiaodi, seeing Li Yan's reaction, was momentarily stunned before laughing and chasing him out.

In the bedroom, Li Yan sat by the bed, calming himself and taking deep breaths. Seeing Yu Xiaodi laughing so hard she nearly toppled over, he was even more embarrassed and could only glare at her, pretending to be fierce: "Stop laughing! Or I'll... I'll..."

What else could he threaten her with? Overthrowing her? The thought intensified his restlessness. He could only close his eyes, sighing: "Quickly put on your underwear! Don't catch a cold..."

Catching a cold? Yu Xiaodi felt a bit embarrassed, moving closer to him with a giggle, "Then I'll put them on now, close your eyes tightly, and don't sneak a peek via the mirror."

(Urgently requesting monthly pass! About to be overtaken, having held second place for twenty days, losing it at month's end would be quite a pity! Eagerly hope the brothers check the bookstore, if there are new monthly passes, please support Mixed, help out Old Lai.) ↓Below's a fast voting link (To be continued, for more, please log on to www.qidian.com, more chapters, support the author, support legitimate reading!)

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