Dynamic music played in the doll shop, but it was completely blocked by Viloti's aura around her.
For some reason, the girls in the shop deliberately stayed away from Viloti, afraid that their own flaws would become even more obvious in her presence.
"Sorry Miss Viloti, I know these gifts are a bit cheap, but I really can't afford more expensive presents right now."
Viloti quickly shook her head and refuted:
"That's not what I mean, it's just... it's just that if I accept the gift, you'll ignore me again."
During this time when she was helping Felyn with tutoring, his willingness to stay by her side was perhaps because Felyn felt indebted in his heart, feeling that she had helped him a lot.
But if she accepted this gift, Felyn wouldn't owe her any favors anymore.
He would leave me again.
Viloti didn't know what this emotion mean.
Just now in the coffee shop, when she thought about a girl looking for Felyn, she couldn't sit still at all.
After waiting for Felyn for a long time, Viloti had actively asked the staff and learned that a very beautiful girl had gone out with him.
Her heart sank, and she hurriedly ran after them.
Seeing the scene of Felyn chatting and laughing with that girl, Viloti pressed her hand tightly against her chest.
It came again—just like that time when she saw Felyn and Adeline in the dungeon, her chest began to hurt again.
Why was this happening?
Viloti was confused.
Hiding behind the shelves, listening to Felyn praising her in front of others, Viloti was very happy.
Her cold expression at that moment bloomed like an epiphyllum in the unnoticed corner, showing its most beautiful appearance.
For some unknown reason, Felyn had suddenly formally said goodbye to her that day. He had also deliberately distanced himself from her starting from that day.
Viloti had suffered from insomnia more than once at night.
She kept recalling what she had done before that day when Felyn said goodbye to her that might have made Felyn angry.
But she couldn't think of anything.
She didn't know what she had done wrong.
After thinking it over, Viloti could only wonder if she had been too cold toward Felyn.
When Teacher Sofia made her and Felyn study partners this time, Viloti was actually very happy in her heart.
During these few days together, she discovered that Felyn didn't dislike her, or at least didn't dislike her to the point of not wanting to see her.
Perhaps everything could return to how it was before, Viloti thought to herself.
So she absolutely couldn't accept Felyn's gift.
Once she accepted it, Felyn wouldn't feel indebted to her anymore.
Once she accepted it, Felyn might leave her again.
"Miss Viloti, do you have someone you like?"
Felyn stared into Viloti's eyes and suddenly asked.
He didn't like asking such questions—it always made him seem like someone who went around seeking love everywhere.
But he had to say it.
Felyn could roughly guess Viloti's thoughts.
He didn't dislike Viloti. During those days when he was Viloti's simp, he actually hadn't received contempt or exclusion from Viloti. On the contrary, she had taken care of him in many ways.
She simply wasn't good at communicating with others, and when faced with those rumors, she didn't know how to refute them.
But such thoughts wouldn't work.
Getting entangled with a former client was something he absolutely couldn't accept.
Because once such a thing happened, how would he face all his current clients?
Should he take them all in?
Once he psychologically accepted that he could become emotionally involved with clients, then when facing clients, he would have many completely unnecessary emotions hindering him from making the most correct responses.
Felyn had always been serious about his simp work. He didn't think there were any tricks to pleasing girls.
He had always thrown his heart out, using sincerity to play each role well.
Only by truly putting clients in his heart would they feel genuine emotions.
If he just used rational knowledge and techniques to manipulate people's hearts, Felyn was afraid he would eventually become someone incapable of truly loving another person.
Felyn treated each client very carefully.
Once his heart stayed with a client, his consequences would be terrible.
His clients were all wealthy young ladies, while he was just a clown with only appearance and sincerity.
So Felyn used money to attach a protective film to his heart.
"Miss Viloti, although it's embarrassing, I want to ask: do you like me?"
Seeing that Viloti didn't answer his first question, Felyn simply got straight to the point.
Viloti still didn't answer.
Last week, Felyn had asked her the same question at the banquet.
At that time, she had answered that she didn't like him.
But now, Viloti tried hard to open her mouth, her throat desperately trying to make a sound, but she couldn't speak.
She found she could no longer say that she didn't like Felyn.
Was this liking?
She couldn't answer that either. Viloti couldn't distinguish clearly.
She had never liked anyone before, and she had no friends who could explain her current feelings.
If she said she liked Felyn, but then after spending time with him she felt it wasn't true, wouldn't that hurt Felyn?
So Viloti didn't dare take this step. She was afraid of hurting Felyn.
Perhaps when she grew up a bit more, she would know whether this was really liking or not.
But before then, she didn't want Felyn to leave.
Even if it meant spending all her money, she just wanted to return to those days when Felyn stayed by her side.
Even if, even if it was just for one day.
But Viloti couldn't do that.
She couldn't be so selfish—with her feelings toward Felyn unclear, she still wanted him to stay by her side.
"I feel a bit unwell."
Viloti didn't answer Felyn's question. Her gaze fixed on the doll in Felyn's arms, and after biting her lip and thinking for a few seconds, she said, "I'll go back first. Sorry."
She couldn't answer Felyn's question, afraid that choosing the wrong option would make her relationship with Felyn even worse.
So she chose to escape.
Viloti took a deep breath and calmed her emotions, only then realizing that her limbs had become somewhat numb.
She turned and left, that touch of pink disappearing from Felyn's sight, leaving only Felyn standing there alone holding two dolls.
"The music this shop plays is really terrible."
Felyn muttered to himself.
The night wind was somewhat cool.
Viloti tightened her clothes and hurried through the streets of Homhot Commercial District.
The neon lights cast a long shadow behind her on the stone pavement, looking particularly lonely.
Her fingers unconsciously gripped the corner of her clothes, her fingertips slightly pale, her mind constantly replaying the image of the doll in Felyn's arms.
She really wanted that ugly caterpillar—it was a gift Felyn had chosen for her.
Felyn had given Viloti many gifts before, but Viloti had never accepted them.
Because at that time, their relationship seemed unequal to Viloti. Due to her own reasons, she felt too embarrassed to ask Felyn to stop giving gifts, so each time she coldly refused.
The shops on both sides of the street were still lively, the light spilling onto her shoulders, but it couldn't dispel the chill in her heart.
She remembered the comforting scent from the coffee shop earlier.
Viloti felt somewhat regretful.
So having Felyn by her side was such peace of mind—why hadn't she given Felyn more response at that time?
She supposed she deserved this.
"Did you two fight?"
Viloti looked up to see Sofia standing in front of her.
This teacher who had slept in the car for two hours had finally come to pick up the two of them.
"Teacher Sofia? We didn't fight. I felt a bit unwell and left first."
Sofia walked over and patted Viloti's shoulder.
"Teacher was young once too. You can't fool me with that look."
Viloti's eyelashes drooped, those amber eyes powerlessly looking at her toes.
"Teacher Sofia, I want to ask you a question."
"What?"
"What does it feel like to like someone?"
(End of Chapter)