Although Ye Yu looked down on Yu Xiaogang as a person...
He had to admit—
When it came to "living off a woman," Yu Xiaogang was truly a senior worth learning from!
In the days that followed...
According to the Dugu Yan courtship plan he had laid out,
Ye Yu continued to show concern and take good care of Dugu Yan.
At the same time, aside from his strength, he displayed excellence and capability in various other aspects.
For instance, in theoretical knowledge—
As someone who had transmigrated from Blue Star, Ye Yu had read countless novels, watched anime and films, and played games in his previous life.
During class, whenever the teacher gave examples while explaining the basics of soul skill application,
Ye Yu would often propose even more refined and optimized methods of using soul skills.
When the instructor taught soul masters how to coordinate in team battles,
Ye Yu could take the examples given and improve upon them, formulating more effective strategies and teamwork approaches.
During their regular strolls through Heaven Dou City,
Ye Yu could give high-level analyses on palace politics that rivaled court advisors,
Offering perfect solutions from any political standpoint.
At the same time, even a casual suggestion he gave to local shopkeepers
Could cause a struggling business to boom and gain immense popularity in the city.
This caused Dugu Yan—and even Ye Lingling—to gradually develop admiration and respect for Ye Yu.
Before they knew it...
Half a year had passed since Ye Yu enrolled in the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy.
Although he had entered the academy with the help of Qian Renxue,
In a sense, Ye Yu could be considered to have aligned himself under her wing.
But perhaps due to his seemingly average soul master talent, Qian Renxue didn't pay him much attention.
She merely arranged a small courtyard for him to live in within Heaven Dou City
And would only occasionally visit him—
Always expressing concern with a gentle tone, asking if he had made any new progress in his "research," similar to the Curved Plow.
Ye Yu understood well—
With his average talent, the only value he held in Qian Renxue's eyes was those "research results."
So there was no way he could spill all his ideas at once!
When Qian Renxue inquired again,
Ye Yu offered her only the design blueprint of a saw and sighed,
Saying he was currently developing a tool that could simultaneously plow, sow, and cover soil in one motion, vastly improving farming efficiency.
But completing it, he claimed, would take quite some time.
In other words—he was stalling for at least another year or so.
Qian Renxue, understanding that intricate tools weren't developed overnight, didn't pressure him further.
During this half-year period,
Under Ye Yu's patient pursuit,
His relationship with Dugu Yan had evolved from mere friends to something more—on the cusp of romance.
Though not officially lovers,
They were only one step away.
Ye Yu could see it clearly:
In Dugu Yan's emerald eyes, her fondness had already grown into true affection.
But due to her pride and reserved nature, she couldn't bring herself to confess first.
Ye Yu understood this perfectly—
So he began preparing to confess to her himself.
And this time—
He wanted his confession to move her so deeply, she'd fall head over heels for him!
Heaven Dou Imperial Academy
Ever since becoming close friends,
Every day after their morning classes,
Ye Yu would join Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling for lunch in the dining hall. Afterward, the three would head to the library to read together.
On this particular day—
As they ate, Dugu Yan's heroic yet elegant face, with her gem-like emerald eyes, kept staring at Ye Yu's.
"Ye Yu, why are your dark circles so heavy lately?" she asked.
"Have you been staying up late every night?"
"It's nothing."
Ye Yu shook his head, fatigue visible in his eyes. He yawned, then smiled casually.
"I've just been reading some books at night. I guess I got a bit carried away."
"Ye Yu, don't stay up so late anymore. Constant sleep deprivation is bad for your health!"
Dugu Yan furrowed her delicate brows, reminding him with genuine concern.
"Yan Zi is right."
Ye Lingling's cool and aloof voice echoed with concern, her amethyst-like eyes full of worry.
"Don't worry. I know," Ye Yu replied with a light smile.
But afterward—he still stayed up late every night.
As his dark circles worsened and his fatigue became more apparent,
Dugu Yan grew visibly annoyed and started ignoring him.
Half a month flew by.
Still mad at him,
Dugu Yan had pulled Ye Lingling away, refusing to eat or go to the library with Ye Yu for several days in a row.
That afternoon,
On the way to the Mimesis Training Ground—
Ye Lingling suddenly spoke in her cool tone:
"Yan Zi, I want to go shopping tonight. Come with me."
"Us? Just the two of us?" Dugu Yan asked.
"I was thinking of inviting Ye Yu as well."
Ye Lingling paused for a moment before responding.
"Hmph! I don't want to see him!"
Dugu Yan's voice carried her lingering anger.
"We've told him over and over not to stay up so late—it's seriously harmful to his health! But he just doesn't listen!"
"Yan Zi, have you ever considered that maybe Ye Yu has a reason for staying up late?"
Ye Lingling finally couldn't help but speak up.
"Eh?"
Dugu Yan paused, looking at her suspiciously.
"Are you two hiding something from me?"
"No… it's just a guess," Ye Lingling replied, eyes dodging Dugu Yan's gaze, her voice still cool but clearly guilty.
In the end, Dugu Yan agreed.
That evening, the three of them wandered around and had fun in Heaven Dou City.
As they were about to head back—
Ye Lingling suddenly stopped walking, took out a small, elegant pink box, and handed it to Dugu Yan. Her cool yet gentle expression warmed slightly as she said:
"Yan Zi, happy birthday."
"This is my gift to you."
"Lingling! I knew you wouldn't forget my birthday!"
"So this year you were planning a surprise for me all along!"
Overjoyed, Dugu Yan tightly hugged her best friend, grinning happily.
Then, she suddenly thought of Ye Yu beside her.
Could it be—
After letting go of Ye Lingling,
Ye Yu smiled, took her hand, and said:
"Come with me."
He pulled Dugu Yan along and started running.
Just before they reached their destination, he covered her eyes with his hand.
When her vision cleared,
She saw that they were surrounded by a glowing circle of pink heart-shaped candles.
Above them, flower petals gently rained from the sky.
"Yan Zi—"
Ye Yu looked at her tenderly.
"From the moment I first saw you, I fell for you."
"And as we got to know each other, I learned our pasts and families were surprisingly similar."
"It made me believe that maybe... our meeting was fated by the heavens."
Then came the heartfelt confession—
"You might be angry—wondering why I've been staying up late every day these past two weeks, ignoring your concern."
"But it was all for a reason."
"After learning about the Jade Phosphor Serpent Clan's venom—how you've suffered all these years from the Jade Phosphor Poison, and how even your uncle died from it…"
"I've been tirelessly researching, looking for a way to neutralize the Jade Phosphor Poison."
"Half a month ago, I found out from Lingling that today was your birthday."
"So I've spent the past two weeks hoping to find a cure—and present it to you as your birthday gift."
"And as my confession of love."
"Perhaps the heavens heard my wish—because I found it."
As he spoke, Ye Yu pulled out a notebook and handed it to Dugu Yan, his eyes brimming with affection.
"Yan Zi, happy birthday."
"Would you be my girlfriend? Give me a chance—to care for and protect you for the rest of our lives?"