Sweet Temptation: After Rebirth, The Campus Heartthrob Can’t Hide His Feelings Anymore - Chapter 2

Xu Zhizhi was no longer Shen Yu’s little shadow.

She was from the College of Arts, while Shen Yu belonged to the Sports Academy.

One in the south, the other in the north.

In her past life, Xu Zhizhi had been as stubborn as a mule, no matter how far apart they were, she would take a forty-minute detour just to watch Shen Yu play basketball.

Honestly.

With that kind of perseverance, she should have succeeded at anything she set her mind to.

Yet she had stubbornly wasted it all on a scumbag.

Given a second chance, Xu Zhizhi refused to repeat the same mistakes.

Just over ten days into the new semester, the freshmen, their eyes still bright with innocence, were immersed in the novelty and exploration of university life.

Xu Zhizhi, however, had already skillfully completed her course selection, pouring all her energy into studying, part-time work, and fitness.

“Zhizhi, why haven’t you been going to the Sports Academy lately?” Cheng Xiaoxin noticed something was off.

It had been a whole week since her last visit.

Cheng Xiaoxin knew Xu Zhizhi had feelings for Shen Yu.

After being adopted by the Shen family, Xu Zhizhi had met Cheng Xiaoxin, the heiress of the Cheng family.

They had met as children, grown close, and eventually made a pact to attend their dream university together. Both entered the College of Arts, Xu Zhizhi chose fine arts, while Cheng Xiaoxin pursued dance.

At the mention of Shen Yu, Xu Zhizhi’s heart still sank slightly. Dipping her brush into the paint, she lowered her gaze and murmured, “I’m tired.”

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

“No.”

“Did you have a fight with Shen Yu?”

Xu Zhizhi shook her head. “I’m just exhausted.”

Eight years of genuine affection had slowly drained away through countless disappointments. Once the disappointment piled up enough, it was time to let go decisively.

All her past obsessions had been nothing more than a self-imposed prison, a joke.

“I don’t like him anymore,” Xu Zhizhi said firmly.

Cheng Xiaoxin froze, then leaned in with concern. “Are you really okay?”

“Of course.” Xu Zhizhi added a touch of blue to the sky in her oil painting. “I’ve just realized, what’s more important than studying? From today onward, I’m devoted to learning. Studying brings me joy, progress, and big money.”

Money was the ultimate truth!

Cheng Xiaoxin pressed a hand to Xu Zhizhi’s forehead, studying her with worry, but in the end, she said nothing.

After finishing her painting, Xu Zhizhi headed to the track for her nightly run, circling the colorful lanes again and again.

In the dimly lit sports field, she faintly overheard a girl pouring her heart out in a confession.

“Senior, I’ve liked you for a long time.”

“Sorry, you don’t meet my standards.”

Xu Zhizhi wasn’t one for gossip, so after a brief glance, she ran past.

The girl, however, wasn’t ready to give up. “Senior, what kind of girl do you like? I—I can try to change.”

The lingering summer breeze swept through, fluttering Zhou Xuci’s white shirt with an almost poetic grace.

Zhou Xuci lowered his gaze, his eyes devoid of emotion. “160 cm, 44 kg, bright eyes, a little dimple, sweet when she smiles.”

Height, weight, appearance, all rigidly specified.

“…” The girl’s head instantly drooped, her hopes dashed. “S-sorry for bothering you.”

“Damn, Xuci, that’s way too harsh,” his roommate Fang Cheng remarked as he emerged from the shadows, slinging an arm over Zhou Xuci’s shoulder. “With standards like that, are you even looking for a girlfriend?”

Zhou Xuci smiled faintly. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“If you add a name and ID number, it’s practically a missing person notice!” Fang Cheng teased. “Man, that’s such a novel way to turn someone down.”

Standing in the shadows, Zhou Xuci’s lips curled slightly as his gaze lingered on Xu Zhizhi, who was running along the colorful track.

The streetlights illuminated the path, stretching her slender figure into a long, hazy silhouette, brimming with youthful energy.

His eyes softened with tenderness as he murmured, “It’s not a missing person notice, it’s my dating criteria.”

My standard has always been her.

Fang Cheng shrugged. “Alright, alright, whatever you say.”

After finishing her run, Xu Zhizhi returned to her dorm.

Her roommate Song Jia was examining the sketches on her drawing board. “School just started, and you’re already grinding this hard? Who are you trying to outshine?”

Another roommate, Ling Shuang, sidled over, eyeing Xu Zhizhi, who was still glistening with sweat. “Who knew someone with such delicate arms and legs would be so into sports?”

Xu Zhizhi was the epitome of a Southern soft girl, shy, sweet-faced, and doll-like in her prettiness.

Wiping her sweat, she explained, “My stamina’s terrible. If I don’t train now, I won’t survive military training.”

…

In the blink of an eye, the dreaded military training arrived.

Even in late September, the campus felt like a steamer, thick with sweltering heat.

Due to childhood malnutrition, Xu Zhizhi had developed mild hypoglycemia.

During a break, she quickly popped a candy to replenish her energy.

“Quick, quick! Top-tier hottie alert ahead!”

“Holy! he’s so handsome, I’m about to lose my mind!”

“Dear heavens, I beg you, let me marry him on the spot! I’d go vegetarian for life!”

Suddenly, Ling Shuang grabbed Xu Zhizhi’s arm, shaking her excitedly, nearly morphing into a screeching chicken. “Ahhh! Zhizhi! It’s Zhou Xuci!”

Song Jia’s eyes were already sparkling with hearts. “Yes, yes! The god among gods from the Computer Science department! My ultimate crush! How can someone be this devastatingly handsome?”

Ling Shuang was fully starstruck. “Let me tell you, back then, I pulled all-nighters for 600 days just to scrape into Jing University, all because of Zhou Xuci.”

Xu Zhizhi looked up in surprise toward the colorful track, where Zhou Xuci was indeed walking toward them.

Dressed in a fitted white shirt and black pants, his proportions were flawless; tall, striking, with long, sculpted legs.

His bone structure was impeccable: sharp brows, starry eyes, a straight nose, and thin lips that exuded an air of aristocratic aloofness, like a young master from an elite family.

Zhou Xuci was the pinnacle of Jing University’s looks, the face of the Computer Science department, a top-tier academic, the cream of the crop. For three years straight, the school had featured him in their recruitment brochures.

Xu Zhizhi remembered that Zhou Xuci had later been recommended for postgraduate studies abroad.

In their past lives, their paths had barely crossed.

The only time was that rainy night when Zhou Xuci had held an umbrella for her, just before the car crash.

Xu Zhizhi had been reborn. But what about Zhou Xuci?

She vaguely recalled that when the truck came barreling toward them, he had shielded her with his body…

Now, Zhou Xuci walked to the shade under a tree by the field, sat on the grass, opened his laptop, and began typing code with focused intensity.

At the instructor’s command, the commotion caused by Zhou Xuci’s sudden appearance was quickly suppressed.

Break time was over, and Xu Zhizhi continued standing at attention under the scorching sun.

At that moment, the square formation from the Physical Education Institute marched forward in perfect step, an imposing sight composed of energetic sports students, becoming the most dazzling spectacle on the field.

Leading the formation was none other than Shen Yu.

He was strikingly handsome, with a pair of charming eyes and an inherently roguish, bad-boy charisma.

A classic “cool guy.”

Xu Zhizhi didn’t spare Shen Yu a glance, she didn’t want to give him even a single look. She only felt unbearably hot, sweat beading on her forehead and trickling down her temples. The hair beneath her cap was already soaked.

But her condition was much better than before.

The ten-plus days she’d spent training had paid off.

In her past life, she had fainted from low blood sugar during military training, and Shen Yu, marching in perfect step, had carried her to the campus infirmary. From then on, Xu Zhizhi had been hopelessly devoted to him.

This time, Xu Zhizhi had come prepared, she didn’t want to faint, and she certainly didn’t want to get involved with Shen Yu again.

Xu Zhizhi didn’t faint. She held on until the sun set behind the mountains.

In the distance, Zhou Xuci still hadn’t left.

For the third time, Zhou Xuci glanced down at his wristwatch, confirming the time once more. The sky behind him was awash with vibrant sunset hues, like a beautiful oil painting.

He looked up, his gentle gaze sweeping over the military training formation until it quickly landed on a familiar figure.

Zhou Xuci muttered under his breath, “Why hasn’t she fainted yet?”

…