Math professor returns to routine

Chapter 534 Worth the Price

"Bro, fire me a sniper rifle!"

"No way, with your lousy shooting skills, how dare you ask me for a sniper rifle?"

"Just tell me, are you going to send it or not?"

"Get out of here, I'll do it myself."

Lu You and Li Yu were locked in a fierce battle in the computer room, while their partners were cleaning up the mess after dinner on the balcony.

The moon, like a crescent moon, hangs high in the sky.

The bright white light illuminated the area.

Tang Wan swept all the kitchen waste into a black garbage bag, tied the bag tightly, wiped the table clean with a rag, straightened her back, and let out a long breath.

"Phew, all done! Now all I have to do is move the tables and chairs back to the dining room, and I'm all set!"

Xu Nianchao glanced into the living room.

Deng Rui and Wang Linghua were sitting on the sofa, each playing on their phones, while their men were nowhere to be seen.

"Wanwan, come over here." Xu Nian grabbed Tang Wan's wrist without saying a word and pulled her to the railing on one side of the balcony. "There are some things I want to talk to you about."

Tang Wan became very interested in Xu Nian's furtive appearance.

They deliberately hide from people; it's almost certainly a little secret!

"Let's chat, we can chat anything, speak freely!"

Tang Wan's enthusiastic and eager attitude left Xu Nian completely bewildered.

"You seem excited?"

"No way! Don't talk nonsense, that's not true!"

"Still saying you don't?" Xu Nian sneered, pointing at Tang Wan's face. "Look at you, your mouth is practically stretched to the back of your ears!"

Tang Wan pursed her lips, rubbed her cheeks vigorously with both hands, and forcibly suppressed her smile.

"You know, I'm naturally cheerful."

I know nothing!

Xu Nian rolled her eyes speechlessly. She believed she knew Tang Wan better than Lu You did.

Don't be fooled by Tang Wan's cheerful and lively demeanor tonight; it's because Lu You is in front of her and she's with a friend, so she's let her guard down.

Once she left Lu You and found herself surrounded by strangers, she immediately donned her armor and entered full-armor mode.

Although they won't intentionally harm anyone, they do resist others getting close.

That's why when Xu Nian learned that Lu You and Tang Wan knew each other, her first reaction was half shock and half curiosity.

Shocked that Lu You could break through Tang Wan's defenses, they were curious about what kind of attack Lu You had used.

Later, as Xu Nian got to know Lu You better, he felt relieved.

Handsome, wealthy, good-natured, academically excellent, and with no bad habits.

With these values, even a straight steel bar can be bent, let alone a little hedgehog curled up in a ball.

"So, what exactly do you want to talk about?"

Tang Wan's words pulled Xu Nian back from his reverie.

She leaned against the railing, her head slightly lowered, her medium-length hair slipping down from behind her ears, obscuring her profile and blurring her jawline.

"Wanwan, have you and your boyfriend ever had a fight?"

"Are you referring to major conflicts or minor conflicts? There are no major conflicts at the moment, but there have been a few minor conflicts, which were resolved quickly."

"How did the conflict start?" Xu Nian turned his head to look at Tang Wan.

"It's mainly caused by the inconsistency between their respective perceptions and needs."

Tang Wan leaned against the railing next to Xu Nian.

"Lu You is a good person in every way, except that he is too self-disciplined and too focused. To put it bluntly, he is stubborn. He spends several hours on math every day. If he misses a day, he will make up for it the next day. It's like he has an obsession. He does this every weekend without fail. Moreover, when he studies, he is completely immersed in it and does not know what the world is. Even if I took off my clothes and walked in front of him, he would not even glance at me."

"Really? You're exaggerating, aren't you?"

Xu Nian glanced at Tang Wan's large breasts and thighs; with that figure, she didn't believe anyone could ignore them.

Especially since Lu You is Tang Wan's boyfriend, Tang Wan is within his reach.

"I've personally tested it, and there's absolutely no exaggeration," Tang Wan said earnestly.

Xu Nian imagined what Li Yu's reaction would be if he walked past him completely naked.

Eyes like an eagle, a tiger pouncing on its prey, a crow flying in an airplane, and finally...

Hey~

Feeling the blood rushing downwards and a flush rising to his face, Xu Nian hurriedly shook his head to clear his mind of all sorts of thoughts.

She and Li Yu had been together for quite some time, but their relationship had progressed slowly, and they hadn't yet reached the point of being completely open with each other.

"So, you're saying that you felt resentful and had a conflict with the expert because he was too engrossed in studying and neglected you?"

Tang Wan smiled, neither admitting nor denying.

"It's very unpleasant to be ignored, especially when that person is someone you're closest to, trust most, and value most. I put in a lot of effort to please you and get your attention, but you remain unmoved and ignore me completely. What does that mean?"

Yes, you're studying and don't have time to pay attention to the outside world, but I didn't ask you to abandon your studies to deal with me. Can't you even spare a little attention, glance at me, give me a response, and meet my emotional needs? Can't you even do something as simple as that?"

Tang Wan spoke calmly, without much emotional fluctuation, but from her words, Xu Nian could sense that this was Tang Wan's first reaction after being ignored.

Dissatisfaction, anger, and resentment.

"You two had a fight?"

"No," Tang Wan gently shook her head. "If they really started arguing, could it really be called a minor conflict?"

"So how will you handle this afterwards?"

"Go lie down in the guest room next door, calm yourself down, and wait for him to come to me."

"You didn't cause trouble?" Xu Niannian asked in surprise.

"Why make a scene? Besides venting your emotions and upsetting the other person, does making a scene have any positive benefits?"

Xu Nian had no rebuttal.

This is true.

As adults, we have hands and mouths; we can take what we want ourselves and just say so.

Acting like a baby, expressing needs through yelling, screaming, and tantrums will only annoy people.

Tang Wan continued, "The key to resolving conflicts lies not in making a scene, but in identifying the points of contention. Ultimately, the essence of conflict is nothing more than a difference in the perceptions and needs of the two parties."

I seduced him while he was studying because I wanted him to spend more time with me, value me, and always put me first. No matter what he was doing, he would have to stop what he was doing and spend time with me whenever I appeared.

His indifference towards me stemmed from his belief that one must be persistent and wholehearted in doing things. "Mathematics cannot be neglected for a single day, nor can my partner be ignored for a single day; I cannot be distracted while studying math, nor can I be absent-minded while spending time with my partner."

Xu Nian was slightly puzzled by Tang Wan's words.

It's not surprising that people have a clear understanding of their own psychological activities, but how can they analyze others' psychological activities so accurately?

While criminal investigation experts might be able to reconstruct a suspect's criminal psychology through meticulous investigation, Tang Wan is clearly not one of them.

"Have you discussed this with the expert?"

“Of course! How can we resolve conflicts if we don’t talk about them?” Tang Wan said matter-of-factly.

Don't you feel embarrassed?

"Compared to planting a time bomb between us, embarrassment is nothing."

Xu Nian paused, then asked, "How did you talk?"

"Like we are now, talking one-on-one, face-to-face, calmly and rationally to find solutions. Finally, we come up with a solution and discuss it in advance."

Before the weekend, he would ask me if there was anything I wanted to do. If so, he would spend time with me; otherwise, he would continue studying as usual, while also asking me to interrupt him appropriately during his studies.

"You rock."

Xu Nian sincerely admired Tang Wan.

I admire her emotional control, and I also admire her feelings for Lu You.

Putting himself in Tang Wan's shoes, Xu Nian knew he couldn't do what Tang Wan did.

She can resist arguing, but she will inevitably show her displeasure and refuse to communicate for a period of time.

"I've finished speaking, now it's your turn."

Tang Wan knew very well that Xu Nian was asking her questions in essence to seek examples and solve his own predicament.

What conflict did you have with Li Yu?

Xu Nian's heart tightened, and his expression became conflicted.

For her, opening up to others is not an easy thing.

Fortunately, Tang Wan had set a precedent, so Xu Nian hesitated for a moment before slowly speaking.

"Wanwan, you must have received quite a few gifts from the great god over the years, right?"

"It's quite a lot indeed."

They would feed the baby milk tea every few days, and occasionally send breakfast or a late-night snack. On holidays, they would also send flowers and gifts.

Over time, Tang Wan's food, clothing, and daily necessities all bore traces of Lu You.

How do you feel when you receive a gift?

"Do you even need to ask? Bao is happy and touched! Aren't you?"

Xu Nian's eyelids drooped slightly, and the corners of his mouth curved into a slight smile, like chocolate sauce with insufficient sugar, slightly sweet with a hint of bitterness.

"Giving gifts once or twice is touching, three or four times is joyful, but what if he keeps giving them? Giving fruit, milk tea, snacks, cakes, topping up water cards, meal cards, and even topping up my dorm's electricity account with a large sum of money."

If it were just for daily expenses, that would be fine; I could just transfer him a monthly allowance. But some gifts are just too much for me to repay! Like last year's Qixi Festival, do you know what he gave me?

Following Xu Nian's lead, Tang Wan asked, "What did you give?"

"A gold bracelet, strung with jade beads!"

Tang Wan was initially shocked, but when she thought about how Lu You had taken Ying on a trip during high school and returned with a platinum and diamond necklace, she calmed down.

Rich guys are like that; they don't treat money like money.

"At first, I thought it was just a gold-plated bracelet that you could buy anywhere on the street, so I happily accepted it. But when I got home and opened the box, there was actually a certificate of authenticity inside. I was completely stunned. We've only been together for less than two months, who would give such a big gift!"

Tang Wan's gaze swept over Xu Nian's wrists; on his right was a smart bracelet, and on his left was a red string bracelet.

"You returned the bracelet?"

"I returned it the next day. I told him that it's okay to give me gifts, but not anything too expensive, because I can't accept them and I can't afford to return them."

He is always giving and receiving, arrogant to others and arrogant to himself, which fits Tang Wan's consistent impression of Xu Nian.

What was Li Yu's reaction at the time?

"He was not happy and said that there was no reason to take back a gift that had been given. No matter how much I tried to reason with him, he kept a sour face and refused to change his attitude. Later, I couldn't stand it anymore and simply threatened him, 'If you don't take the bracelet away today, don't expect me to accept any gifts from you in the future.' Only then did he reluctantly take the bracelet away."

Next, Xu Nian complained about all the gifts Li Yu gave her, such as headphones, keyboard, mouse, graphics card, etc.

Xu Nian refused most of them and sternly told Li Yu not to send expensive gifts.

Li Yu verbally agreed repeatedly, promising to pay four or five figures next time as well.

Xu Nian argued with Li Yu about this several times, but Li Yu always brushed it off with a laugh and let it go.

After listening to the whole thing, Tang Wan understood the source of the conflict between the two.

A rich second-generation heir who never lacks money, a complete novice in love, tries to express his feelings and possessiveness towards the girl he likes by throwing money at her.

A girl from an ordinary family, proud and ambitious, pursuing equal love and resisting gifts beyond her means.

The clash of mutually exclusive ideas naturally leads to conflict.

After pouring out his grievances, Xu Nian felt less annoyed, but a look of confusion appeared on his face.

She and Li Yu often joked around, but joking around and arguing are different.

The former is a way of getting along, while the latter is genuinely hurtful.

"Wanwan, what should I do?"

After considering for a while, Tang Wan said, "To be honest, I've encountered the same problem you two have."

Xu Nian turned to look at Tang Wan, "You've encountered this before?"

Tang Wan smiled and nodded gently.

"When Lu You gave me the necklace for the first time, I was very conflicted. Although he said it wasn't expensive, I knew in my heart that anything he gave me could never be cheap. The so-called cheapness only meant it wasn't expensive to him."

At the time, I had a fierce internal struggle. Refusing would mean rejecting his kindness, while accepting would leave me feeling guilty for not being able to repay the gift of equal value. However, in the end, I accepted it.

Tang Wan pulled down her collar and pulled a bright silver diamond necklace from the abyss.

The collisions and friction produced a faint rustling sound.

"As our relationship deepened and our interactions continued, my thinking gradually changed. Given the difference in our family backgrounds, it was impossible for us to exchange gifts equally."

His family's income is hundreds or thousands of times that of mine, and our spending habits are different. This alone means that the gifts he gives me will inevitably be more expensive than the gifts I give him.

So, I changed my approach. Instead of considering an equivalent return, I used a service industry mindset to make him feel that the money he spent on me was worthwhile.

Xu Nian's eyes flickered, and he looked thoughtful. "Go on."

"To achieve this, we need to understand that men's biggest preferences are nothing more than three things: being concerned about face, being lazy, and being lustful."

As she spoke, Tang Wan raised her index finger, “First, he cares about his image. This is easy to do. In front of outsiders, go along with him, take his arm when you walk, offer him your hand, and ask him to do some trivial things in a cute way. After you do them, give him a kiss and a hug, so that he feels needed and relied upon.”

Then, she raised her middle finger and said, "Second, so lazy. This isn't difficult. The most basic thing is housework, but Fu Ge has a professional housekeeper, so we don't need to do it. What we need to do are more intimate and detailed things, like feeding him fruit while he plays games and helping him with small things he doesn't care about."

"As for being a womanizer..." Tang Wan glanced furtively at the living room, then leaned close to Xu Nian's ear, "You should understand that, I don't need to teach you, right?"

Xu Nian's cheeks flushed, and she pushed Tang Wan away in embarrassment and annoyance.

There's really no need to teach her, because Li Yu will come to her on her own and start touching her.

"But wouldn't doing this be too ingratiating?"

"You're not making a one-sided effort. One-sided effort is called ingratiating yourself; mutual giving and receiving is a two-way street."

Xu Nian's expression changed, but he eventually agreed with Tang Wan's statement.

Actually, there are some things she has been doing all along, such as linking arms and taking the initiative to hold hands.

More importantly, it requires a change in mindset and overcoming that mental hurdle.

After all, in Xu Nian's mind, Li Yu was more of an eyesore and an enemy than a close boyfriend.

It's too much to ask of someone to fawn over your enemy and act like a subservient person.

Xu Nian took a deep breath, rallied his spirits, and said, "I will try to do it."

Tang Wan was pleased to see that Xu Nian had listened to her words.

"That's right! Whether it works or not, it's always good to try! Come on, let me teach you some more tips."

The two heads huddled together, whispering to each other.

Exclamations of surprise rang out every now and then, creating a chaotic scene. (End of Chapter)