Stepping on the Demoness to become the strongest

Chapter 733: Chapter 17: The First Direct Confession Chapter 733: Chapter 17: The First Direct Confession After the Northern Army took over the Mysterious Realm, the three of them teleported out of the realm.

Chen Lingyun and Tang Xiaolian had not yet completed their Ear and Eye Perception, so they needed to return to the tranquil monastery to continue their cultivation; Yan Yu, having achieved his goal, naturally had to return to Jinling Prefecture to continue leading the team… That was supposed to be the arrangement.

But Tang Xiaolian invited me to dinner! Well, there was no helping it, after all, I am her benefactor, and I should give her the chance to repay me.

She arranged to meet at a little restaurant nearby. Yan Yu arrived early and had ordered some dishes when he saw Tang Xiaolian push the door open and enter.

“Did you deal with Ling Yun?” Yan Yu asked casually, “What did you say?”

“Um,” Tang Xiaolian replied, “I told Ling Yun that I had some issues and needed to consult with you.”

“There’s no need to lie,” Yan Yu waved his hand dismissively, “She definitely saw right through you.”

“So be it,” Tang Xiaolian picked up the menu with a smile, “I’m here to eat with you, not to do anything shameful, so she can’t control me.”

The Huofeng Team is deservedly known for their team-building sessions in restaurants. This girl ordered several hearty dishes, which made Yan Yu think that she and the Demonic Sect Enchantress would definitely get along well.

The food was served, and the two chatted and laughed while drinking some wine.

Tang Xiaolian was quite talkative, unlike Ye Jun, who was more like a buddy; she was more like the childhood friend next door, lively and humorous, and able to continue any topic, creating the atmosphere of a lively group in their private room.

After being served a few drinks by her, and not using his True Yuan to refine the alcohol, Yan Yu was slightly tipsy and enjoying himself when he suddenly heard Tang Xiaolian ask:
“Yan Yu, do you have a girlfriend now?”

“No,” Yan Yu answered.

“Do you have someone you like?” Tang Xiaolian continued.

“No,” Yan Yu replied.

A volley of verbal ammo got loaded, model “you wish,” ready to fire!

“Um,” Tang Xiaolian suddenly fell silent, preventing Yan Yu from taking his proverbial shot, leaving him with his finger just on the trigger.

She casually picked up the wine bottle and filled the glass in front of Yan Yu.

“Actually, I’ve heard some rumors,” Tang Xiaolian mentioned casually, “They say the girls from the Zhenhai Team all like you, but you haven’t accepted any of their feelings because if you did, the other girls wouldn’t be able to stay in the team.”

“That’s false,” Yan Yu said succinctly.

“Which part is false?” Tang Xiaolian curiously asked.

“The second half,” Yan Yu replied.

“So, the part about them all liking you is true?” Tang Xiaolian smiled faintly.

“Of course,” Yan Yu said proudly, “I am the number one cultivator in Lu Country! It’s normal for me to be very popular with the opposite sex, right?”

“Indeed,” Tang Xiaolian nodded, “I can relate to that.”

She fell silent again, focusing on eating her food.

Yan Yu was left somewhat speechless: Come on, if you’re going to confess, just do it. Why beat around the bush?

How can I reject you if you don’t confess? If I don’t reject you, how can I dispel your inappropriate thoughts?

He downed the wine in his glass and quietly observed Tang Xiaolian’s expression.

This girl had previously been tormented so much in the Great Hero Treasure Hall that she rolled on the ground in pain. After getting out, she changed into a clean, aqua-blue dress, and now she looked like a lively, cute, beautiful young girl. Her hairstyle featured low-hanging twin pigtails, and her features were pure and lovely, though her expression seemed somewhat melancholic.

I get it, she’s afraid of being rejected by me after confessing!

Yan Yu was about to speak when Tang Xiaolian suddenly said:
“In high school, actually quite a few boys chased after me. I uniformly told them that I wanted to focus on my studies, and most of them gave up after I rejected them, though a few persisted annoyingly… One boy even said he would wait until we graduated from high school and after we were in university, then he would confess again, hoping I’d give him another chance.”

“That’s nice,” Yan Yu said, “That’s true love.”

“Ah, what true love!” Tang Xiaolian sighed and pouted, “I was quite moved at the time, but then a month later, he got a girlfriend.”

“That guy is untrustworthy!” Yan Yu immediately retorted, “I despise him, I thoroughly despise him!”

“You don’t need to despise him,” Tang Xiaolian said somberly, “He probably said those words just to ease the embarrassment of being rejected. After all, we didn’t have anything to do with each other, so why should I demand that he truly stays single until we graduate? I don’t have that right.”

“That makes me see you in a new light,” Yan Yu said with a smile, “Not many people understand these things nowadays. Many girls, even if they don’t like the guy fawning over them, get sour if they see him shift his attention to someone else.”

“I don’t think he was a fawning guy,” Tang Xiaolian shook her head, “Actually, I kind of sympathize with him. I know it must be really unpleasant to fall for someone who doesn’t like you back.”

“Indeed,” Yan Yu sympathized.

Actually, there’s something even more painful: falling for someone when you “don’t know whether they like you back.” Your scenario is just a brief pain; mine is long-term, extreme torment… Oh, forget it!

“Yan Yu,” Tang Xiaolian suddenly asked, “If you fell for someone, and you knew that she wouldn’t accept you right now, would you choose to wait for her to change her mind?”

“No,” Yan Yu said firmly, “I would run as far away as I could, never harboring any hopes again.”

Tang Xiaolian paused for a long time, then chuckled dryly: