{Chapter: 147 Yan Ruyue is easily moved!}
"So… what do you think of the gloves? Are you satisfied? If you're not, I can exchange them for another brand…" Yan Ruyue asked a little anxiously.
She rarely gave gifts to anyone, let alone a man.
Hearing her nervous voice, Lin Yuan chuckled and said, "It might not be the right thing to say, but the brand really doesn't matter. What's important is the thought behind it."
His gaze lingered on Yan Ruyue, watching her expression shift between nervousness and something softer.
"Of course, it's not every day that Miss Yan gives me gifts."
"Yeah… right, right…" Yan Ruyue nodded repeatedly, as if trying to convince herself more than him. It was unclear if she had fully registered his words.
Lin Yuan smiled but didn't press further. After exchanging a few more polite words, he turned to leave.
However, just as he was about to step away, something unusual happened.
Two small pieces of cloth suddenly slipped from Yan Ruyue's body, fluttering gently to the ground.
They were oddly shaped.
Yan Ruyue, who had been standing nervously, immediately panicked. Her face turned pale as she quickly bent down to pick them up.
But before she could reach the second piece, it landed at Lin Yuan's feet.
Out of courtesy, Lin Yuan picked it up.
As he held the strange piece of fabric in his hands, a puzzled expression appeared on his face.
It was soft, slightly uneven in texture, and oddly colorful. The shape was… strange, to say the least.
Across from him, Yan Ruyue froze, her face instantly turning red. Her delicate fingers clenched around the other piece she had managed to retrieve.
She looked like she wanted to dig a hole in the ground and disappear.
Lin Yuan narrowed his eyes slightly and then said, "Take out the other one."
Yan Ruyue bit her lower lip, hesitated, but ultimately obeyed. She slowly unfolded the crumpled fabric in her hands, revealing its full form.
Finally, with both pieces side by side, Lin Yuan realized what they were.
Gloves.
Or at least, something that was meant to resemble gloves.
It wasn't that Lin Yuan couldn't recognize them immediately, but rather, the craftsmanship—or lack thereof—was simply too unconventional.
One glove was missing an entire finger… no, wait. The finger was there, but it was barely the size of a fingernail.
Then, as he recalled Yan Ruyue's bandaged fingers from earlier that morning, everything clicked into place.
She had made them herself.
Yan Ruyue, the dignified young miss of the Yan family, had personally knitted these gloves.
Compared to the high-end Gucci gloves she had gifted him earlier, these looked like they had been crafted by a child trying knitting for the first time.
Lin Yuan glanced at her, then asked, "Did you knit these?"
Yan Ruyue's already flushed face deepened in color. She looked down and nodded softly. "Hmm…"
Lin Yuan then asked, "And you were planning to give them to me?"
Another small nod. "Hmm…"
He tilted his head slightly. "Then why did you give me the Gucci pair instead?"
Yan Ruyue's expression turned complicated. She fidgeted with the fabric in her hands and hesitated before murmuring, "Uh… Because… because these are… ugly."
Lin Yuan stared at the lopsided gloves, then back at her embarrassed face.
He didn't need to hear her answer to know the truth—she was too shy to give them to him.
The gloves were undeniably misshapen. Even calling them gloves was generous. But despite their appearance, he couldn't ignore the effort she had put into them.
His gaze lowered to her hands, remembering the bandages.
She had struggled.
For him.
With a soft chuckle, Lin Yuan reached out and gently took the misshapen glove from her hand. Then, he handed back the Gucci gloves.
"Compared to Gucci, I prefer this pair," he said firmly.
Yan Ruyue's breath hitched. She looked up at him in shock, her beautiful eyes shimmering with emotion.
Her lips parted slightly before she whispered, "As… as long as you like it… but it's really ugly…"
Lin Yuan wanted to reassure her.
But as he glanced at the wildly uneven stitches and the absurdly short glove finger, he swallowed back any attempts at false praise.
Some things simply couldn't be sugarcoated.
After expressing his gratitude, he prepared to leave once more.
But just as he turned, Yan Ruyue hesitated, rubbing her hands together. Then, in a barely audible voice, she said, "It's… a bit cold."
Lin Yuan glanced at her. "Yeah, it is pretty cold. I can feel it too."
He assumed that was her way of saying goodbye. They could both return to their homes and warm up properly.
But then, unexpectedly, Yan Ruyue took a deep breath and blurted out, "Then… can you hold me? Just… give me a hug!"
Lin Yuan blinked.
Yan Ruyue's entire body stiffened. Her slender, elegant legs shifted uneasily, and her hands clutched the hem of her coat.
She looked like she wanted to take the words back.
But it was too late.
Lin Yuan raised an eyebrow before letting out a soft laugh. "Please?" he teased.
Yan Ruyue's face turned even redder.
She bit her lip lightly. "This… this also… also requires…"
She didn't want to say 'please,' but deep down, she missed the warmth of his embrace.
Just as she was about to swallow her pride and say it, Lin Yuan suddenly stepped forward.
A pair of strong arms wrapped around her.
Yan Ruyue inhaled sharply.
She was enveloped in warmth.
She could hear the steady beat of Lin Yuan's strong heart, feel the strength in his arms, and the comforting presence surrounding her.
Her own heart pounded wildly, echoing his rhythm.
A strange warmth spread through her chest, reaching deep into her soul.
Without warning, her eyes burned slightly.
She was moved.
Inexplicably moved.
She didn't know why.
She didn't understand how such a simple hug could make her feel so much.
She hesitated for a moment, then slowly raised her head, stealing a glance at Lin Yuan's face—the face that had been appearing in her dreams more often than she would like to admit.
But just as she looked up, she met his eyes.
Deep. Amused. Warm.
And smiling.
Yan Ruyue's entire body tensed.
The next second, she broke free from his embrace and turned away in panic.
Then, with her face still burning, she called over her shoulder, "S-see you tomorrow!"
Lin Yuan chuckled, watching her retreating figure. "Okay."
At that moment, a mechanical voice echoed in his mind.
[Ding! Yan Ruyue's favorability +5! Reward: 500 Counterattack Points!]
---
Later that night, after returning home, Lin Yuan turned on his phone and saw a message from Yan Ruyue.
Yan Ruyue: "If… if you can't wear the gloves, you can throw them away… I'll knit a better pair for you…"
Lin Yuan smiled and replied:
"It's okay. It's Miss Yan's gift, after all. I like it. I'll keep it, keep it…"
In truth, the gloves were far from wearable. He had even considered using them as cleaning clothes.
But before he could type that, he deleted it.
Then, another message arrived.
Yan Ruyue: "Yeah! See you tomorrow at the Mei Family's banquet!"
Lin Yuan's gaze sharpened slightly.
Tomorrow's banquet…
He suddenly remembered something important.
Something he needed to prepare.