I WANT IT ALL

Wang Yi felt a twinge of discomfort and wondered if attending Lin Youyu's birthday was a mistake. However, as he turned his head and caught sight of Lin Youyu's bright and sweet smile, he reassured himself. It didn't matter what others thought; he was here to offer his blessings, and that's what mattered.

He found a place to sit and observed the surroundings. Apart from Lin Youyu and Gao Yurong, he didn't know anyone else, making him feel somewhat out of place in the crowd. Nevertheless, Wang Yi maintained a calm expression.

He had come here solely to celebrate Lin Youyu's birthday. As for the opinions of these unrelated people, Wang Yi couldn't care less.

However, his solitude didn't last long. Soon, Gao Yurong and Lin Youyu approached him and sat down beside him.

Wang Yi couldn't help but feel the gaze of those around them as the two most outstanding girls in the room sat beside him. Whispers and murmurs began circulating among the attendees.

Curiosity sparked in Lin Youyu's eyes as she sat on Wang Yi's right side, her large, doe-like eyes shining with interest. "Wang Yi, how did you meet Yu Rong?" she asked curiously.

Wang Yi had no reason to hide the truth. "Yu Rong and I met about a year ago. I had just become a senior student at the martial arts gym and needed a tutor. Yu Rong was the one I chose to teach me."

"Ah, so that's why you always seemed so tired. You went to Yu Rong's place every day for tutoring?" It was the first time Lin Youyu discovered this aspect of Wang Yi's life and felt a tinge of regret. "If I had known...," she trailed off abruptly.

"Huh?" Wang Yi looked at her curiously.

Gao Yurong interjected, "Are you thinking of asking Wang Yi to be your tutor too? But, Yuyu, don't you dislike being alone with boys or practicing martial arts?"

Lin Youyu impulsively responded, "Wang Yi is different. How can other boys compare to him?" As soon as the words left her lips, she realized something was amiss and her face flushed.

"I see. So, Wang Yi is your target," Gao Yurong teased with a smile, her gaze fixed on Wang Yi.

Wang Yi, already uncomfortable being caught between the two girls, felt like ants were crawling all over his body, as if he were sitting on pins and needles.

"Yu Rong, that's not what you think." Lin Youyu protested, trying to downplay her feelings for Wang Yi. Gao Yurong's revelations had caused her face to turn as red as a shrimp, giving her a cute appearance. "If you keep joking like this, I won't talk to you anymore."

While Lin Youyu protested, she secretly glanced at Wang Yi sitting beside her. To her disappointment, Wang Yi seemed lost in thought, his gaze fixed on the sky, seemingly oblivious to their conversation. His lips involuntarily pouted.

"That's good," Gao Yurong shrugged, a gesture that seemed out of character for her, yet it revealed her straightforward nature.

"Wang Yi, let me ask you," Gao Yurong looked at him with a casual tone. "If both Yuyu and I asked you to be our tutor, who would you choose?"

Lin Youyu instinctively tensed upon hearing Gao Yurong's question and couldn't help but look at Wang Yi.

Wang Yi was taken aback but instinctively replied, "Of course, I'd choose both."

One family tutor charged one hundred and five dollars per hour, and the rate for two hours was three hundred dollars. It was a double opportunity for work and happiness. Any sensible person would know how to make the choice.

Gao Yurong and Lin Youyu found themselves staying together, and a sense of tension filled the air. Gao Yurong, with an intense gaze, posed a question to Wang Yi as if she wanted to unravel the deepest corners of his mind.

Perplexed, Wang Yi responded, "Why should I have to choose? Is there something wrong with your relationship?" He couldn't comprehend the intricacies of the female mind, finding their thought process strange. After all, Gao Yurong had been single for eighteen years. Wang Yi silently pondered to himself.

Gao Yurong felt a mix of frustration and anger. Wang Yi's lack of comprehension only solidified her belief that he was clueless about understanding a girl's emotions. She questioned her own choice of liking someone like him in the first place.

Well, he had always been a bit dense.

Observing the interaction, Lin Youyu noticed Gao Yurong's interest in Wang Yi. However, Wang Yi's bewildering response provided Lin Youyu with a sense of relief, implying that their relationship hadn't progressed to that stage yet.

Nevertheless, Lin Youyu couldn't help but feel a tinge of annoyance. She had secretly harbored feelings for Wang Yi for quite some time. With the upcoming college entrance examination, the two of them might have a chance to grow closer afterwards. At this birthday party, Lin Youyu had summoned the courage to express her feelings to Wang Yi, only to discover that her best friend of many years also harbored similar feelings. She felt perplexed and unsure about what to do.

Wang Yi wasn't oblivious to the fact that both girls had an interest in him. However, he found himself grappling with how to navigate this complex situation. Gao Yurong and Lin Youyu were both wonderful individuals, and he couldn't deny the presence of some affection. However, when it came to choosing between them, Wang Yi was unsure of his own feelings.

He carried the weight of secrets that were difficult to share with others, and the uncertainty of what lay ahead. Consequently, he naturally chose to evade matters of the heart, hoping to maintain emotional distance.

The trio fell into an uncomfortable silence, creating an atmosphere of mild awkwardness.

Sensing that Wang Yi might feel left out, Lin Youyu often approached him to engage in conversation. This, however, didn't sit well with a middle-aged couple nearby, whose disapproving expressions became evident.

In a corner, a middle-aged woman, vaguely resembling Lin Youyu, grasped her daughter's hand and inquired, "Who is he, dear?"

"Mum, you've asked twice already. I told you, he's my friend," Lin Youyu replied, feeling a hint of embarrassment.

Aware that her parents had grown suspicious, Lin Youyu had always been a well-behaved girl both at home and in school. Yet, whenever she saw Wang Yi and Gao Yurong sitting together, an unexplainable uneasiness compelled her to lean closer. It left her feeling unsettled.

Unaware of this situation, Wang Yi couldn't help but notice the occasional covert glances directed his way, as if multiple eyes were secretly observing him.

Even with his heightened warrior senses, Wang Yi caught snippets of murmurs floating around, prompting him to offer a wry smile.

Sighing to himself, he mused, "Ah, the burdens of popularity. It's not all it's cracked up to be."