When the Male Lead Finds Out I’m the Transmigrator Trying to Win Him Over - Chapter 60

“Move a little to the left… a bit more to the left…” Yun ruo adjusted carefully. Satisfied, she let Han Qi step down.

In recent years, Han Qi had rarely put up Spring Festival couplets himself. Spending the New Year alone, with countless banquets to attend, he hardly ever had any at home. If it weren’t for the maid helping, there would likely be no couplets at all.

Recalling the scene just now, he felt a rare illusion of having a home.

“What are you thinking?” Yun ruo brought him back to reality, holding a paper-cut decoration. “And the ‘Fu’ character, hurry up.”

Han Qi smiled and followed her instructions. Today, he listened to Yun ruo’s directions.

Finally, the house was decorated for the New Year. It was afternoon, New Year’s Eve, and they needed to prepare the reunion dinner in the evening.

After resting for a while, Yun ruo volunteered to cook tonight. Han Qi considered his own cooking skills but didn’t argue. He could help with prep and washing dishes.

They helped each other put on aprons and happily went to the kitchen. There was no sign of household chores being a burden—only excitement for the New Year.

Or perhaps, having someone by your side makes everything joyful.

Today, Yun ruo could control her emotions. At least she wouldn’t just stare blankly at Han Qi. She took out ingredients from the fridge. Though there were only two of them, a reunion dinner still required a few extra dishes.

Han Qi watched quietly from behind, smiling, though as Yun ruo pulled out ingredients, the smile slightly stiffened.

“Why are these all my favorite dishes?” he asked after she closed the fridge, casually picking up a mushroom.

Yun ruo gasped, then naturally replied after a second: “Of course, we need to make what you like. It would be sad not to eat your favorite dishes on New Year’s Eve.”

Han Qi put down the mushroom. “What, you’re not making mine?”

“I’ll eat whatever you eat—I mean, I like these too,” Yun ruo said.

Han Qi smirked. “So thoughtful of me?”

Yun ruo nodded.

Han Qi’s expression was ambiguous, teasing. Suddenly he said, “Only making what I like… are you feeling guilty, Yun ruo? Did you do something wrong?”

Yun ruo’s hand tightened at her side, trying not to show any trace of panic. Calmly, she replied, “No, why would I? Making dishes you like isn’t wrong.”

Han Qi nodded slowly. “Hmm… good.”

Turning away, he hid his smile.

Yun ruo thought she had disguised herself well, but after so long together, Han Qi knew her too well. If there were truly nothing to hide, she would have joked back, not responded so seriously.

Yun ruo had something she was keeping from him.

Han Qi recalled his deduction from last night.

—Yun ruo could come or leave as she wished.

Closing his eyes, he composed himself and started preparing the dinner.

Yun ruo, standing back to back with him, also had restless emotions. Han Qi noticed—her disguise wasn’t perfect.

Because of the earlier incident, they were both quieter. That evening, they ate dinner in front of the TV.

The table was filled with dishes. Han Qi poured wine for Yun ruo. She took a big sip, and he cautioned her to drink slowly.

“It’s only seven now, five hours until New Year. If you get drunk, how will you celebrate?”

Yun ruo hesitated, then obediently put down her glass.

It was her first New Year’s Eve with Han Qi.

“First time someone’s here with me for New Year,” Han Qi laughed, adding, “Not counting those years in the orphanage.”

“Are you happy?” Yun ruo asked.

Han Qi looked at her for a long moment, finally replying, “Happy. The happiest moment in all these years.”

He continued, shifting topics: “But thinking ahead, there will be many more New Years. Surely, more moments of happiness. For the first time, I feel like I have something to look forward to.”

“Future?” Yun ruo drank another sip.

Han Qi watched her set down the cup. “Unless next New Year, you’re not here with me.”

Yun ruo choked.

She scrambled for a tissue, unsure whether Han Qi was testing her or speaking casually. The tissue was too far; Han Qi took one himself and came to her side.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, gently wiping her mouth, gazing deeply into her eyes.

Yun ruo shook her head. “Just an accident.”

Han Qi remained silent, checking she was fine before returning to his seat.

The living room wasn’t completely quiet, TV background noise playing. A group of people sent blessings. Yun ruo’s fingers twitched; she almost lifted the cup again.

“Eat your food,” she tried to sound casual. “Spent all afternoon making it—see if it’s good.”

“Of course it’s good, you made it,” Han Qi said, taking a bite. The combination of vegetables’ sweetness and tender meat revealed her skill.

He looked at Yun ruo, noticing she couldn’t eat properly, mechanically picking at the dishes. The relaxed atmosphere they usually had was gone.

Sighing, he realized Yun ruo could never lie well. How could he not notice something was off?

“Yun ruo,” he said, putting down his chopsticks, “are you hiding something from me?”

Yunruo looked up blankly, unable to taste her food.

“Are you hiding something from me?” Han Qi asked again.

Yun ruo swallowed, wanting to say no, but she would leave in seven days. Saying “no” would be meaningless.

She hesitated. Han Qi already knew.

“Don’t force yourself,” he said. No one who couldn’t lie could hide anything.

Han Qi stood, finishing his glass, then squatted before her. Eye to eye, he said, “Tell me. You’re leaving, aren’t you?”

Yun ruo’s eyelashes trembled.

Han Qi’s heart sank. “Did you get what you wanted from me already?”

—Chasing you was for gain.

The “gain” Yun ruo sought was Han Qi’s love—and she had it.

She nodded with difficulty.

Han Qi held her hand, secretly amused at his own obsession. Even now, his first reaction was to feel the warmth of her hand. He feared she might feel cold.

“Do you have to leave?”

Yun ruo nodded again.

“Then,” he forced himself to ask, “when will you go?”

Yun ruo opened her mouth several times, Han Qi never letting her look away. She had no escape: “In seven days. I want to spend the rest of the Spring Festival with you.”

Han Qi said nothing, just held her hand tighter.

He wasn’t not angry—she had publicly announced their relationship just days ago. Yun ruo said she only cared about him, had firmly chosen him.

But his anger was trivial compared to hers.

Everything had come too suddenly; he hadn’t had time to process it.

He finally fought for himself: “Even if I stop you, you’ll still leave?”

Yun ruo’s eyes turned red. She clung to Han Qi, tears streaming uncontrollably, unable to speak.

She had to go. She had said it before—never fall into the same pit twice.

Han Qi realized. Yun ruo had already given him a warning.

He touched her head, holding her tightly. “You’re too kind. You deliberately approached me, yet still gave me warnings.”

She had made it clear to Meng Tingmo that night, and Han Qi had watched her from behind while she spoke on the phone.

Back then, he thought she just didn’t want to fall into Meng Tingmo’s trap twice. Now he understood—it was about love.

He didn’t know what Yun ruo had gained from him. Meng Tingmo said she approached him for money—but he hadn’t given her any.

All he had given Yun ruo was a job and his true heart.

Yun ruo clung to him, gripping his clothes. Han Qi’s embrace was always so safe; as long as he was there, anything seemed solvable.

She closed her eyes, listening to his restrained breathing.

“Since you’re leaving,” Han Qi’s voice was near her ear, heavy with difficulty, “then leave today.”

Yun ruo was shocked, lifted her head, but Han Qi pressed her back down.

She didn’t miss the redness in his eyes.

“Listen to me. I’m not always this generous, letting you go.”

“And today is New Year’s Eve—not even the New Year yet.” Han Qi was used to spending New Year alone; Yun ruo need not accompany him. What he had experienced before—the pain of having but not fully—was worse than never having.

“So if you leave, leave tonight.”

Yun ruo understood, nodding in his embrace. She finally felt the pressure at the back of her head lessen.

She stepped out of his arms. Han Qi’s face was calm, without a smile. He carefully wiped her tears.

“You’ve arranged everything? No problem leaving tonight?”

Yun ruo took a deep breath. “Yes, I can go.”

“Good,” Han Qi seemed relieved. “Then I won’t see you off.”

Yun ruo’s tears fell again.

Han Qi smiled, quickly continuing to wipe her tears. “You’re the one leaving. Why are you sadder than me?”

After a pause, he asked again, “Can you take care of yourself in the future?”

“Of course,” Yun ruo nodded hastily, recalling Han Qi’s words: “A person’s potential is limitless. If you think you can’t, actually you can.”

That day at the Meng family banquet, she was pregnant, and hadn’t yet broken up with Meng Tingmo. Han Qi had already seen it coming. Using his own entrepreneurial failures as an example, he had told her: Starting over is hard, but it will all pass.

So, she pressed the hand wiping her tears. “No matter the difficulties, I won’t give up on myself.”

You too.

Han Qi looked at her. “Good.”

Yun ruo curved her lips, finally smiling.

The last parting shouldn’t be all tears.

She sniffled and switched to a lighter topic. “Previously, on my birthday, I made five wishes.”

Sitting on the thick carpet, right hands tightly entwined, Yun ruo and Han Qi faced each other.

“Mm, you said some wishes were related to me.”

“Yes.” Yun ruo touched his eye corner, leaning close. “All five were about you.”

Han Qi looked curious. “What were they? You telling me now?”

Yun ruo pressed her forehead to his. “First wish: I hope you stay healthy and live a long life.”

Han Qi wrapped his arms around her waist, listening quietly.

“Second wish: I hope your career thrives, and your era never ends.”

“Good,” Han Qi replied.

“Third wish: I hope your life goes smoothly, without idle gossip bothering you.”

“Fourth wish: I hope everyone sees you as a good person, and more people care about you and stay by your side.”

In fact, she only made two real wishes; one was split into the first four, summarizing as hoping for Han Qi’s future happiness and safety.

Han Qi looked at her; their eyes conveyed deep emotion.

“Last wish…” Yun ruo hesitated. She separated from his forehead. “Last one… I wish you could forget me, okay?”

If he didn’t remember her, he wouldn’t love her, and life was long enough to find new love.

Han Qi neither refused nor agreed, just looked at her. The same commanding aura from the business world returned: Try to forget me; see if you can.

Yun ruo’s eyes flickered. Unexpectedly, her favorability rating increased at a time like this.

She said nothing further.

Han Qi pulled her back into his arms. “Coincidentally,” he said, “the wish I made before was also for you.”

Yun ruo rested on his shoulder, staring into space. “What was it?”

Han Qi whispered: “Only one wish. I hope your future won’t be burdened by love. Do what you want, be where you want, free of chains and troubles. Where your heart is, there you are.”

“Yun ruo suffered a lot in the first half of life. The second half should only be happy.”

His wish contained no mention of himself.

Just like Yun ruo’s wishes didn’t include him.

“Done,” Han Qi let go. “You should go.”

Any later, he would have been unwilling.

Yun ruo didn’t move.

One… two seconds… She left his embrace, picked up her coat from the sofa.

The distance from the living room to the door was only a few steps. She opened the door and never looked back.

The New Year’s Eve night was brightly lit, the city bustling, fireworks blooming in the sky. The Spring Festival Gala was about to begin.

Yun ruo walked alone in the night.

She walked for a long time until she could no longer see Han Qi’s home. Then she stopped, turning back.

She had just deceived Han Qi. The fifth wish wasn’t for him to forget her.

She had nine rewards; Meng Feihan only used four. The remaining were for Han Qi.

She had entered Han Qi’s world on her own, obtained his heart, but had not cherished it. She felt guilty.

So the first four rewards were for Han Qi’s future happiness and safety.

The fifth reward… “According to the agreement, draw away Han Qi’s love for me, reset the favorability to zero.”

Han Qi didn’t need to forget her, only not to love her.

Yun ruo turned around. No regrets.

She had done all she could. The rest was just… “Let’s go home.”

[Yay!] the system responded happily. Another mission successfully completed. Most importantly, Yun ruo gained a new life.

In the darkness, something flickered. From now on, this world had no more Yun ruo.

Original World – Subway Station

Yun ruo carried her suitcase, returning to the subway on her way to school. The system had brought her to another world to complete missions; now the mission was done, she naturally returned to the subway.

She had a blank expression.

[Dear host, you’re home! No car accident! Your life is safe!]

“Oh.” Yun ruo weakly replied.

[…]

[Why aren’t you happy?]

[Regret? Want to go back to Han Qi?]

Yun ruo held back: “No.”

[Then what?]

Yun ruo couldn’t hold back: “Remember? Before coming to school, I traveled everywhere and spent all my money—including tuition for this semester!”

[…]

Yun ruo clenched her suitcase. Heaven, must it play with her like this?

“I have to work hard and earn money again—ahhhhh—”

System: …

…

…

Three years later, Yun ruo graduated from university and received an offer from a listed company.

She moved out, rented an apartment, and prepared to start a new chapter.

Years passed routinely; memories of the other world were sealed deep in her mind. Occasionally, she thought of them, but being busy, she soon immersed herself in work.

One morning, Yun ruo woke from a dream. She had dreamt of Meng Feihan and chatted with him all night, smiling even now.

The system’s electronic voice appeared in her mind: [Yun ruo, I’m back to see you! Your host has completed another mission!]

Yun ruo smiled. “Great.”

She wanted to wash up and chat with the system about these years. Before entering the bathroom, there was a knock on the door.

[So early? Who is it?]

Yun ruo didn’t know either.

She changed clothes and went to the door. The apartment was old; the peephole fogged, barely seeing outside.

She placed a wooden stick at the door.

“If it’s a stranger, I’ll hit them.” She spoke to the system while pulling the door—

Han Qi, unseen for three years, appeared at the door.

Yun ruo almost thought she was hallucinating.

Han Qi was still handsome, but calmer. Seeing Yun ruo, he froze.

“Han… Qi?” Yun ruo called, uncertain.

Han Qi nodded.

Yun ruo blinked. He was real. “Why are you here?”

Han Qi looked at her, unwavering: “To start over in your world.”

He had lived a hundred years in another world, never married, always knowing he loved Yun ruo. Even if the system took away his favorability, recalling moments with Yun ruo would quietly rekindle his love.

So when, in his last second, a supernatural “Career System” asked if he wanted to go to Yun ruo’s world to rebuild a business empire, he agreed.

Where Yun ruo went, he would go.

[Ding~ Current favorability: 100%]

[He loves you, unwavering until death]