Sweet Temptation: After Rebirth, The Campus Heartthrob Can’t Hide His Feelings Anymore - Chapter 29

In the blink of an eye, Jing University’s New Year’s Eve gala arrived.

Xu Zhizhi had long planned to send flowers to Cheng Xiaoxin.

Unexpectedly, her final assessment painting was suddenly destroyed, forcing Xu Zhizhi to bury herself in the studio day and night, painting frantically.

As a result, she nearly missed the event.

Glancing at the time, Xu Zhizhi hastily threw down her brush, wrapped a scarf around her neck, and rushed out of the studio.

Snowflakes continued to swirl, transforming the campus into a dreamlike ice kingdom.

Xu Zhizhi ran through the wind and snow, arriving at the florist near the west gate to pick up the bouquet she had pre-ordered.

Clutching the flowers, she sprinted toward the university auditorium.

As she ran, her knees began to ache from the cold.

But even if her knees gave out, she was determined to deliver those flowers.

From her memories of her past life, today was the day Shen Yu became captivated by Cheng Xiaoxin’s radiant performance on stage and presented her with flowers.

That bouquet of red roses marked the beginning of Cheng Xiaoxin and Shen Yu’s entanglement, which eventually led to a falling out, leaving them as strangers.

By the time she reached the auditorium, the venue was already packed, leaving Xu Zhizhi no choice but to stand in a corner.

Suddenly, the lights went out, stirring a wave of murmurs in the crowd.

Then, with a sharp “click,” a spotlight pierced the darkness, illuminating the stage.

The next second, the entire auditorium erupted,

“Ahhhhhhhhhhh!”

“It’s Zhou Xuci! Zhou Xuci! Zhou Xuci!”

“Oh my god, he’s killing me! That figure, that face, that talent, he was born to be my husband!”

Xu Zhizhi looked up, her gaze cutting through the overlapping silhouettes to land on Zhou Xuci on stage.

The cold, white spotlight bathed him in light. He sat sideways, the glow cascading over him as he wore a white shirt, his head slightly bowed, eyes fixed on the piano keys.

The lighting was impeccable, as if casting a soft filter over him, within it, he appeared exquisitely elegant, breathtakingly beautiful.

Xu Zhizhi stood frozen, utterly mesmerized by Zhou Xuci in that moment.

His facial proportions were flawless.

A textbook example of artistic perfection.

Conversations buzzed around her, and Xu Zhizhi pricked up her ears,

“Wasn’t the Computer Science department supposed to perform a band act? Why did they suddenly switch to Zhou Xuci? Those guys are sneaky, hiding such a trump card!”

“I heard the band’s lead singer broke his leg riding a bike on campus this morning. They dragged him off to get a cast, and he’s still in the hospital on an IV drip.”

“The Computer Science department is hosting the gala, so Zhou Xuci, as their golden boy, got pushed onto stage last minute.”

“Wait, Zhou Xuci can play piano? No way, aren’t those hands meant for coding?”

Xu Zhizhi held her breath, her eyes locked onto Zhou Xuci on stage.

Then, his slender fingers moved, pressing down on the first note.

A melodious, enchanting tune flowed from his fingertips, the melody lingering in the air, carrying a gentle, soothing tone.

So beautiful it was intoxicating.

Xu Zhizhi lost herself in the music, her gaze growing more and more fixated on Zhou Xuci.

The noise around her faded; her vision blurred at the edges, leaving only Zhou Xuci in sharp focus.

He seemed to glow, so dazzling she couldn’t look away.

For a fleeting moment, Xu Zhizhi couldn’t help but want to reach out to grasp the light radiating from him.

Soon, she snapped back to her senses with clarity.

She realized the distance between them was too vast.

Someone like her, clinging to the mountainside, attempting to grasp the radiance from the summit, was truly a flight of fancy.

As the music ended, the audience, still intoxicated, longed for more.

Zhou Xuci stood up, bowed politely to thank the listening crowd, and was immediately met with thunderous applause that echoed throughout the grand hall.

Ling Shuang and Song Jia, seated in the best viewing area, captured the highest-definition videos and photos, sharing them in their dorm group chat,

[Frost on the Ground: Ahhh! Come out and drool with me! This man is so handsome, even his hair strands are perfect!]

[Carnival: Wuwuwu, my tears are streaming down from the corners of my mouth!]

[Heart to Heart: ???? Didn’t you two promise to be my die-hard fans today? [dog head.jpg]]

[Frost on the Ground: Xinxin, but that’s Zhou Xuci! I’ll just stray for three minutes! [love you mwah.jpg]]

[Carnival: Xinxin, I love you, but that doesn’t stop me from loving him too! I’ve just committed the mistake every woman in the world would make, hahaha!]

The crowd was too dense, and Xu Zhizhi couldn’t squeeze to the front, so she gave up the struggle. Watching the lively chat in the group, she quickly replied,

[I’m your number one die-hard fan, and I’ll cross mountains and seas, push through crowds, and walk up to you with flowers in hand [pleading.jpg] @Heart to Heart]

After sending the message, Xu Zhizhi opened the photos Ling Shuang and Song Jia had shared in the group.

With nearly perfect facial proportions, it seemed as if heaven had bestowed all its favor upon Zhou Xuci.

Xu Zhizhi thought, if there truly was a god of beauty, it must look like Zhou Xuci.

Not long after, another wave of commotion rose from the crowd, and Xu Zhizhi looked up toward the stage.

It was Cheng Xiaoxin.

Just as she remembered, Cheng Xiaoxin was dressed in a stunning red dress, dancing gracefully on stage. She was a radiant red rose, born to bloom under the spotlight, shining brilliantly.

Watching Cheng Xiaoxin dance so freely, Xu Zhizhi suddenly felt her eyes well up, tears glistening as her nose tingled with emotion.

As the dance ended, the grand New Year’s Eve gala officially came to a close, and the dense crowd began to disperse.

Xu Zhizhi, holding a bouquet of flowers, pushed her way through the crowd toward the stage, her gaze fixed on Cheng Xiaoxin, who still stood there.

Navigating the sea of people, she moved slowly.

Closer and closer.

Step by step.

Zhou Xuci stood in a corner, spotting Xu Zhizhi’s figure.

A smile touched his eyes as he watched the girl he liked, clutching a beautiful bouquet, resolutely heading toward another girl in a red dress.

But then, Xu Zhizhi suddenly stopped. In the crowd, she caught sight of Shen Yu’s figure.

Shen Yu was also walking toward Cheng Xiaoxin!

Fragments of memories from her past life flooded her after Cheng Xiaoxin broke up with Shen Yu, she had spiraled into self-destruction, carelessly toying with others’ emotions, only to be vilified on forums, labeled as easy and shameless.

All these memories crashed over her, turning her face pale and stricken, freezing her in place.

Trapped in the crowd, Xu Zhizhi watched helplessly as Cheng Xiaoxin walked toward Shen Yu, her face glowing with a dazzling smile.

Lowering her head, Xu Zhizhi stared despairingly at the blooming flowers in her arms.

A sharp pain shot through her knees, so intense that her legs weakened, nearly buckling beneath her.

“Zhizhi!”

Suddenly, Cheng Xiaoxin’s voice cut through the crowd.

Xu Zhizhi looked up to see Cheng Xiaoxin swiftly brush past Shen Yu.

With a radiant smile, Cheng Xiaoxin strode confidently toward her.

Tears welled up in Xu Zhizhi’s eyes as she watched Cheng Xiaoxin approach step by step.

So, she too was walking toward her without hesitation.

Ignoring the pain in her knees, Xu Zhizhi quickened her pace and held out the bouquet of flowers to Cheng Xiaoxin.

“You danced so beautifully, here are some flowers for you~” Her voice trembled with barely concealed emotion.

Cheng Xiaoxin cradled the bouquet, her brow furrowing slightly. “New Year’s flowers are ridiculously expensive.”

She hated to see Xu Zhizhi spend so much.

Xu Zhizhi had bought the most expensive flowers in the shop.

In her heart, Cheng Xiaoxin deserved nothing but the best.

Xu Zhizhi shook her head. “You’re worth it.”

With one arm holding the flowers, Cheng Xiaoxin wrapped the other around Xu Zhizhi.

Xu Zhizhi buried her face in Cheng Xiaoxin’s shoulder and whispered, “Thank you for choosing me.”

The pain of their past life would not be repeated.

Zhou Xuci gazed deeply at the two girls embracing in the crowd, his expression darkening before he finally let out a soft sigh.

…