Chapter 430: Am I Likable?

Li Ye didn't expect Wen Leyu's temper was so fierce.

She always had a low opinion of Professor Mu, but this time she'd gone this far.

If that snowball had hit Yu Lichen on the forehead, he'd have a huge bump, maybe even bleed.

And since she'd missed, Wen Leyu's anger hadn't cooled—she crouched down and started rolling another snowball.

Li Ye grabbed the girl and ran, because Yu Lichen was already charging toward the woods.

If the three of them had run into each other, wouldn't Li Ye have followed Wen Leyu's lead and knocked Yu Lichen flat?

But then tomorrow the school would be buzzing with gossip about Mu Yunning and her ex-boyfriend—maybe even helping Yu Lichen out!

Wen Leyu didn't resist Li Ye's pull, but after he dragged her far away, she huffed: "I'm so mad—you shouldn't have pulled me. That Yu Lichen is disgusting and deserves a beating. If you hadn't stopped me, I'd have smashed him right on the forehead."

"Yes, yes, he totally deserves it—but that snowball you threw just now was perfect: didn't crack his skull, but gave him a full-body chill. Brilliant."

"Hmph, he got off easy."

Maybe hearing "crack his skull" made her realize she'd gone too far, but she was still furious.

"That guy talks about East-West ideological differences—I think he just got dumped by that Heather and now wants to crawl back to Professor Mu. That foreign woman's shameless too—lived together, then cried over values."

"Well, you might be wrong about that Heather."

Li Ye thought a moment, then said: "I've been to Hong Kong several times—I've got some sense of how women there think. Their mindset is completely different from ours Eastern women."

"When they date or marry, many think: 'I don't live off you—why should I serve you?'"

"But here, we think: 'Marry a man to eat and wear clothes.' So many women there are truly independent—genuinely independent. They're born without the notion of serving men."

"But our girls? Much gentler by nature—so they're far more likable than their Western counterparts."

What Li Ye said had been proven true in the future: though some Western women married for money, many ordinary girls truly relied on themselves—everything was taken for granted as their own responsibility.

This "independent woman" ideal later spread to a certain Eastern superpower and meshed well with the idea that "women hold up half the sky," producing countless formidable female leaders.

But it didn't last long. Whether due to overseas conspirators' resentment or cultural incompatibility, the idea eventually twisted.

It became: "I want you to support me, and I want to be independent—if you don't support me or let me be independent, you're a scumbag; if you can't afford me or give me the means to be independent, you're a loser."

Ah, poor men of the Great Heavenly Dynasty—how few good days they'd had!

In fact, throughout history, men in the Great Heavenly Dynasty had always faced a bottom-tier elimination system: every generation, 10 to 20 percent of men couldn't find brides and died childless.

Only after the Red Flag swept across the land and monogamy was enforced did this change—bachelor rates plummeted, and men were treated far more kindly. But seventy years later, the percentage rose again—and seemed to keep racing upward with no stop in sight.

In Li Ye's past life, the title "Destined Solitary Star" was no longer reserved for mysterious martial heroes—any man who stayed single his whole life and buried his parents became one.

As for "Supreme Leftover Women," their numbers grew steadily too. Everyone could do the Seventy-Two Transformations—social media was full of polished self-portraits; no one could tell if you were a fairy or a monkey.

As Li Ye spoke, he truly sighed—he'd come from that world to this one and felt surrounded by likable girls.

Even the most temperamental girls could make a tired man come home to a hot meal—just that one thing kept a family reasonably happy.

But as Li Ye sighed, he didn't notice Wen Leyu beside him, lost in thought.

"I heard Qin Jie mention this 'independent woman' concept—she said women shouldn't naturally serve men or deliberately please them."

"After she married, she hardly cooked, washed clothes with the machine, and even asked Bai Mingyan to hire her a maid."

Li Ye was startled—he instantly felt the "danger of a best friend."

Tan Qin was clearly an unstable woman—he couldn't let her corrupt his little Yu.

Li Ye thought and said: "If we're busy later, we can hire a maid—but don't misunderstand 'serving men.' Gentleness like water is a virtue of our women—we can't abandon it lightly."

"Also, I think cooking together strengthens feelings. Look, before, when I cooked, you helped me; now you hold the wok and I prep the ingredients."

"Oh come on, you're overthinking it—cooking's just cooking. I'll handle it all from now on."

Wen Leyu cut him off: "Why hire a maid when we're so young? My mom never used one—who dares say she's not an independent woman?"

"No one would dare say that—Teacher Ke is unquestionably an independent woman."

Li Ye fully respected Teacher Ke—she'd raised Wen Leyu alone in the countryside for years. If she wasn't independent, no one else could claim it.

But even Teacher Ke cooked at home.

"By the way, starting tomorrow, I'm washing your clothes too—I already told you, leave them for me after you change."

"Huh?"

Li Ye didn't immediately grasp what Wen Leyu meant.

Wen Leyu looked into Li Ye's eyes and whispered: "I might not be gentle like water, but I'm still likable, right?"

Li Ye finally understood Wen Leyu's meaning.

Just now, Li Ye had said independent women don't serve men and aren't likable, then praised gentleness as a traditional virtue—so Wen Leyu had started analyzing herself.

"Who said you're not gentle like water?" Li Ye pulled Wen Leyu into his arms: "Stay exactly as you are—you're the Wen Leyu I love most. Don't change—change and you won't be likable anymore."

Wen Leyu mumbled: "But I just threw a rock at Yu Lichen!"

"No problem," Li Ye said at once: "Your gentleness like water is only for me. For everyone else, learn from Teacher Ke—she's your perfect model."

"Don't keep calling her Teacher Ke—it sounds weird."

"Okay, okay—I'll just call her Mom. We'll both learn from Mom."

"Get lost—call her Aunt Ke."

…………………

December 19, 1984, afternoon, was a memorable day.

On this day, the Joint Declaration between the Great Heavenly Dynasty and Britain on Hong Kong was formally signed; top leaders from both sides signed before the world, and over a hundred Hong Kong figures from all walks of life were privileged to attend the ceremony.

Among Hong Kong's cultural figures, Pei Wencong was undoubtedly the youngest, luckiest, and most envied.

Just a few years ago, Pei Wencong was seen as a mere ant by others—but now, he was someone mainland bigwigs could name.

He'd achieved the first step: getting his face known.

"Mr. Li, today is the proudest moment of my life—we must drink. I must toast you."

The next day, Pei Wencong brought a fine bottle of liquor to Zaojunmiao, insisting on toasting Li Ye.

Li Ye let him fill the cup, then asked: "After the ceremony, did the higher-ups say anything to you? Any expectations?"

Pei Wencong filled his cup and smiled: "They didn't say much—just welcomed my investment on the mainland and told me to invest with confidence."

Li Ye nodded: "Then invest more. The electronics factory I asked you to prepare—fully ready?"

"Ready," Pei Wencong said. "But I'm unsure—should we produce radios like other factories, or try to buy a production line for TVs?"

Li Ye thought a moment: "What about communication equipment?"

(End of Chapter)