Sweet Temptation: After Rebirth, The Campus Heartthrob Can’t Hide His Feelings Anymore - Chapter 32

Xu Zhizhi set out early today for her home tutoring session.

Winters in the south were relatively mild, and by noon, the bright sun shone warmly, bathing everything in a cozy glow.

Dressed in autumn attire, Xu Zhizhi carried her drawing board and art supplies as she followed the map’s directions to the Lu family’s home.

According to the family’s description, her student was a 77-year-old grandfather who had retired and, with time on his hands, wanted to learn painting to immerse himself in the arts.

The situation was a bit unusual.

She had never interacted much with elderly people and had initially considered turning it down.

But the fee they offered was simply too tempting.

She was desperate for money.

She couldn’t escape worldly desires either, after all, money could solve 99.99% of life’s problems.

The remaining 0.01% was probably just figuring out how to spend it.

To establish a good and harmonious teacher-student relationship, Xu Zhizhi had specially prepared a painting as a gift before her visit.

She arrived early and waited outside the villa for a full forty minutes before nervously pressing the doorbell of the luxurious mansion right on time.

As soon as Zhou Xuci returned home, he confirmed the bizarre news that his grandfather had signed up for an art class.

The strangest part? His iron-willed, unyielding grandfather had actually agreed!

Today was the first day of class!

Sitting on the sofa peeling an orange for his grandfather, Zhou Xuci asked with a serious expression, “Grandpa, what kind of dirt does Lu Huaibei have on you to make you, at your age, suddenly passionate about studying?”

Old Master Lu stroked his snow-white beard and waved a hand dismissively. “Seventy-seven is the perfect age to take on new challenges. I’m going to make a splash in the art world.”

“…” Even a dog would laugh at such a lame excuse.

Zhou Xuci studied his spirited grandfather, leaned in, and touched his forehead. “Grandpa, are you feeling alright?”

Old Master Lu swatted his hand away, his beard practically bristling with indignation. “You brat! Are you just waiting for me to get sick?”

“Of course not!” Zhou Xuci denied immediately, then added bluntly, “But Lu Huaibei’s got eight hundred pounds of schemes stuffed in him. I’m worried you’ll get swindled. Isn’t this just unnecessary trouble?”

“Hah! The older the ginger, the spicier it gets.” Old Master Lu patted his grandson’s shoulder confidently. “You two youngsters still have a lot to learn.”

Handing the peeled orange to his grandfather, Zhou Xuci remained puzzled. “What exactly are you two scheming?”

Weren’t they supposed to be sworn enemies? How had they suddenly become allies?

The love-hate tension between Old Master Lu and Lu Huaibei was a historical legacy.

During his rebellious teenage years, Lu Huaibei had been utterly stubborn, refusing to listen to reason, and had suddenly become obsessed with a “punk” aesthetic, determined to become the coolest guy in the universe.

So, at the height of his wildest phase, Lu Huaibei dyed his hair a flashy blond, wore ripped jeans studded with spikes, and strutted around like a delinquent.

Old Master Lu, furious, had him knocked out and dragged back home, where he personally shaved off Lu Huaibei’s golden locks.

Unfortunately, the old man’s amateur barber skills were disastrous, Lu Huaibei’s head ended up looking like it had been chewed on by a dog, with uneven patches everywhere.

And so, at the age when appearances mattered most, Lu Huaibei’s grudge against his grandfather was firmly cemented.

Of course, Lu Huaibei was no pushover either. That very night, he grabbed a razor and shaved off half of his grandfather’s beard, leaving it uneven and patchy, making the old man look like a fool. As a result, his grandfather was mocked relentlessly for a full half-month.

As for Zhou Xuci, ever the model student, he found himself caught in the crossfire of this grandfather-grandson battle like a bewildered hedgehog in a melon field!

“What grudge?” Old Man Lu spread his hands, looking utterly sincere. “Our family is clearly a loving and harmonious one, isn’t that right?”

Just then, Lu Huaibei walked over. The old man shot him a meaningful glance. “Right?”

“Of course.” Lu Huaibei plopped onto the single-seater sofa and said to his grandfather, “Grandpa, I’ve arranged for Butler Zhang to be your study companion.”

Old Man Lu gave an “OK” sign.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang,

The old man tilted his chin at Zhou Xuci. “Kid, go get the door.”

“Sure.”

Zhou Xuci didn’t think much of it and went to open the door.

With a creak, the door swung open.

Zhou Xuci froze. Reflected in his eyes was the beautiful face of Xu Zhizhi, and a flicker of joy instantly spread across his gaze.

He had been thinking of finding a chance to ask her out, but who would’ve thought…

Xu Zhizhi was also taken aback. “Senior? Why are you…”

A second later, it clicked.

The last blind date had also been with a Mr. Lu.

So the Mr. Lu who had hired her as a tutor must be Zhou Xuci’s older brother.

What a coincidence!

Just then, Old Man Lu’s voice came from behind Zhou Xuci,

“Is that Teacher Xu?”

The old man peeked out from behind Zhou Xuci with a beaming smile. The moment he laid eyes on the lovely and demure Xu Zhizhi, his fondness for her was unmistakable.

Xu Zhizhi felt a little nervous but greeted him politely. “Hello, Grandpa.”

What a warm and kind old man.

He gave off such a comforting vibe.

“Hello, Teacher Xu.” Old Man Lu pushed Zhou Xuci aside and stepped forward, introducing himself earnestly. “I’m your student, Lu Changfeng.”

Xu Zhizhi flushed slightly and scratched her head. “Grandpa, you’re the elder here. Just call me Zhizhi.”

Old Man Lu’s first impression of the pretty young woman before him was excellent.

Polite, adorable.

And sweet as honey.

No wonder Zhou Xuci had such good taste!

The old man, ever the social butterfly, immediately helped Xu Zhizhi take off the heavy drawing board she carried. “Come on in, let me help you with that.”

He casually shoved the board into Zhou Xuci’s arms and warmly ushered Xu Zhizhi inside, his laughter ringing through the air visibly delighted.

Zhou Xuci held Xu Zhizhi’s drawing board and followed behind them, watching their cheerful exchange with a smile he couldn’t suppress.

Old Man Lu, unusually energetic, eagerly showed Xu Zhizhi around the house, grinning from ear to ear.

Zhou Xuci stood by the windowsill, gazing through the glass at the old man and Xu Zhizhi in the courtyard. His eyes softened to the point of melting.

“Tsk, Zhou Xuci, rein in that pathetic look of yours.” Lu Huaibei smirked around the cigarette dangling from his lips. “So embarrassing.”

Honestly, the way he was staring, utterly smitten.

Ah, of all things to indulge in, why choose the bitterness of love?

Zhou Xuci spoke up. “Bro, you and Grandpa…”

Before he could finish, Lu Huaibei mercilessly cut him off. “Calling me ‘bro’ won’t help now, too late.”

Zhou Xuci turned to look at Lu Huaibei.

All he heard was Lu Huaibei’s smug voice, eyes glinting with mischief, as he said triumphantly, “Zhou Xuci, bark twice for me, and I’ll swap the study companion for you.”

Zhou Xuci: “…”

Lu Huaibei was truly a dog!

…