Chapter 29: Discussion on Narcissism
He Bing was on the verge of losing her mind. It was utterly frustrating; the name Lin Chu was so unique and pleasing to the ear. Compared to her own name, it seemed hopelessly outdated.
Continuing this invisible comparison would drive her insane — she was on the brink of it already. A strong sense of envy, jealousy, and resentment repeatedly tormented her. Feeling inferior yet forced to interact, looking down on others but unknowingly receiving the same treatment in return, this sudden shift in mentality drove her to the edge.
She couldn't fathom how such an incompetent person could possess such an extraordinary girlfriend. But reflecting on it now, it was clear. If one could have such an exceptional girlfriend, could Lin Yu still be considered ordinary? Could he still be labeled as incompetent? Would a woman of such exquisite taste be blind to reality? That would be absurd.
He Bing felt a deafening ringing in her ears, as if she'd been slapped hard — being slapped by someone else was an insult, but self-infliction was self-disparagement.
Right now, He Bing felt as though she was only debasing herself. Who could have imagined that someone with such an outstanding girlfriend would be pretending to be someone else? Wasn't this acting unnecessarily desperate? His girlfriend was so stunning and wealthy, capable of buying him an eight-thousand-dollar suit, yet he paraded around in worn-out Li-Ning sportswear?
Is this what they mean by being low-key? But this wasn't quite low-key; it was more like losing one's own sense of identity. He Bing cursed inwardly; she was on the verge of exploding. However, this inadvertently revealed the mindset prevalent among some tycoons in society, who enjoyed having elite university students as their mistresses. The more sophisticated and elegant the woman, the more she could exhibit their status. Although women aren't objects, sometimes, they cannot escape the fate of being seen as "belongings". Perhaps this was the residue left unconsciously by feudalism and patriarchy over millennia. However, it had to be admitted that having a high-quality girlfriend indeed elevated one's status — this wasn't mere exaggeration.
He Bing felt she couldn't stay any longer. Her pride and dignity had been thoroughly trampled by Lan Chu's sudden appearance. Without looking back, she grabbed Xiao Yibin's head and headed decisively in the other direction, as resolute as the Eight Immortals crossing the sea or the Five Heroes of Langya Mountain.
"Umm, umm, Lin Yu, Lan Chu, let's have dinner sometime, shall we..." Xiao Yibin waved at them, repeatedly.
"What's with you!" He Bing, filled with rage, delivered a sharp blow to his waist, her fingernails instantly digging into his flesh. It hurt so much that tears welled up in Xiao Yibin's eyes. He finally realized that having close proximity to beauty and harboring extravagant desires came with a price.
"I thought you had some method, and here I am, worrying for nothing." Lin Yu shrugged, casting a glance at Lan Chu, somewhat amused.
"I only need to stand by your side; that's my method." Lan Chu surveyed the surroundings and her piercing, icy gaze forced everyone still staring to step back.
With a huff, she reverted to her original aloofness when she first met Lin Yu, throwing the suit at him and walked away without looking back.
"I didn't realize you were so self-absorbed." Lin Yu chuckled, holding the suit and his shoulder bag, teasingly.
"A confident person never needs to be narcissistic because there's no necessity for it." Lan Chu walked ahead, her tone indifferent.
"If narcissism has levels, I think you'd be the highest. You've transformed self-love into one of your inner strengths." Lin Yu jabbed back nonchalantly. Meanwhile, he intentionally fell behind, enjoying the immensely dynamic view of her incredibly shapely buttocks. Gosh, even her back view in an office lady's skirt was a nosebleed-inducing delight.
"Since you believe I lack the qualifications for narcissism, why do your eyes keep glued to my behind?" Lan Chu halted abruptly, delivering a startlingly bold remark that almost caused Lin Yu to stumble.
"How could you, a person of such nobility, speak so coarsely? It startled me." Lin Yu repeatedly patted his chest, taking deep breaths.
However, he had to admit, hearing such words bordering on rudeness from such a beauty was indeed a minor pleasure for one's deviant psyche.
"It's just a backside. All things natural, all things real. I'm just stating the facts. So, why are you staring at my behind if it's not a big deal?" Lan Chu sneered, revealing a fleeting expression of inexplicable disgust.
This made Lin Yu inwardly wonder if she had experienced some trauma. How could she speak with such sharpness? And it felt like she saw through all men.
"Since that's the case, why would you hire me, a man, as a teacher? And why help me, a man, today?" Lin Yu snorted, raising this question sharply.
"Simple. I want to hire you, so I'm helping you." Lan Chu looked at him coldly.
"That only proves you're a very pragmatic person. You go against your principles to help me, just to get what you want. That's equally unremarkable." Lin Yu touched his face, feeling a blow to his self-esteem. He had thought that his slightly handsome looks had attracted this incredibly cool beauty to help him.