Sweet Temptation: After Rebirth, The Campus Heartthrob Can’t Hide His Feelings Anymore - Chapter 42

Xu Zhizhi opened the red envelope and found a card inside.

“Zhou Xuci, such a child, so immature,” Xu Zhizhi said with a laugh.

It was a wish card.

With this card, she could freely redeem any wish she desired.

The elementary school special edition.

A bit cringey, but it made her heart flutter a little.

Holding the wish card, Xu Zhizhi snapped a photo and sent it to Zhou Xuci.

Zhou Xuci replied almost instantly.

[Z: Ready to cash in your wish?]

[Zhi: Can I ask for anything?]

[Z: Anything.]

Xu Zhizhi’s bright, round eyes sparkled mischievously as she deliberately teased him.

[Zhi: Hehe, I’m super greedy for money.]

She was just messing with him.

The next second, Zhou Xuci called her directly.

Xu Zhizhi answered immediately, grinning like a little fox. “I’m so materialistic, aren’t you afraid I’ll drain all your money?”

“Is that so?”

“What do you think?”

“Then I’ll hang up first,” Zhou Xuci said, amusement lacing his voice. “I’ll transfer it to you right now.”

A man of action.

“No, no, no!” Xu Zhizhi panicked instantly, worried he might actually do it. “I won’t redeem it for now.”

Last time, Shen Yu had gone crazy and transferred her a million. She had painstakingly returned it, feeling uneasy about keeping ill-gotten gains, it would’ve kept her up at night.

More importantly, she absolutely didn’t want any ties to Shen Yu.

“Really not redeeming it?” Zhou Xuci asked, clearly in a good mood.

“Not for now,” Xu Zhizhi replied, eyes crinkling with laughter as she laid out her master plan. “I’ll save it for when you bully me someday, then I’ll use this wish card against you.”

Zhou Xuci frowned slightly, his tone firm. “I won’t bully you.”

You’re the one I hold dearest in my heart.

How could I bear to bully you?

Xu Zhizhi gave a playful hum and said seriously, “You never know. I have to plan ahead and eliminate all potential risks.”

I’m not after your money.

Right now, I’m a little after you.

Tsk, but I can’t just say that.

Zhou Xuci was utterly charmed, grinning so widely his eyes nearly disappeared. “Alright, alright, whatever you say.”

After chatting for a while, Zhou Xuci noticed it was already 2:30 a.m. and urged Xu Zhizhi to sleep.

Her constitution wasn’t the best, and staying up late wasn’t good for her.

Obediently hanging up, Xu Zhizhi carefully tucked the card back into the red envelope and stored it in the small drawer where she kept her diary.

That drawer held all her most treasured possessions.

Xu Zhizhi lovingly ran her fingertips over the red envelope, her eyes brimming with radiant joy.

She had been smiling more and more lately.

The old her had been like a little bitter gourd crushed by life, always bowing her head in insecurity, looking miserable, awkward, and socially anxious.

But now, she had become brighter and more confident, glowing with vitality, even bold enough to make all sorts of whimsical demands of Zhou Xuci.

Xu Zhizhi whispered softly, “Zhou… Xu… Ci.”

Tsk, just how much would it cost to have you all to myself?

After washing up, Xu Zhizhi, still wide awake, lay in bed scrolling through her phone, checking Zhou Xuci’s updates.

Zhou Xuci rarely posted on social media, but today he had shared a photo of fireworks blooming in the sky.

[Happy New Year to my whole world.]

The comments below were lively.

Fang Cheng: Damn, Zhou Xuci actually posted something!

Lin Jin: You’re actually active? Something’s definitely up!

Gu Sen: “My whole world,” who gets it? Not me! Those who get it, get it! Tsk tsk tsk tsk!

Lu Huaibei: Content is inappropriate, reported.

Xu Zhizhi chuckled to herself and quietly gave Zhou Xuci a like, playfully passing through his world unnoticed.

Three seconds later, a WeChat message from Zhou Xuci popped up.

[Xu Zhizhi, go to sleep properly!]

Xu Zhizhi replied with a “Yes, sir!” meme before sneaking away.

Tossing and turning, she couldn’t sleep.

The constant firecrackers outside kept her awake all night.

Hugging her phone, she opened her chat history with Zhou Xuci, scrolling through their messages bit by bit.

Suddenly, inspiration struck, keeping up with the trend, she changed Zhou Xuci’s contact name to,

[crush]

The one who made her heart flutter.

On the other end, Zhou Xuci was also wide awake, dragging Lu Huaibei into an all-night conversation.

Lu Huaibei’s face was dark, his resentment thicker than a ghost’s.

He had wanted to sleep, but the firecrackers were too loud, so he went downstairs for a glass of water, only to be ambushed by the clingy Zhou Xuci.

Lu Huaibei glanced at Zhou Xuci, who was grinning like an idiot.

The first day of the new year, and his bad luck had already begun.

Zhou Xuci beamed and said, “Lu Huaibei, let me tell you…”

“Don’t. I don’t want to hear it,” Lu Huaibei immediately refused.

He wanted to escape, but his legs were too slow, no match for Zhou Xuci’s relentless chatter.

Zhou Xuci, like a puppy who’d just gotten a bone, bubbled with happiness.

“I hugged her again today!”

“She looks so pretty when she smiles!”

“I really, really like her!”

“…” Lu Huaibei looked utterly defeated. He shook his head, “Zhou Xuci, even a zombie would spit out your brain if it took a bite.”

Zhou Xuci asked innocently, “Huh? Why?”

“Because they’d puke from all that lovesick mush,” Lu Huaibei said, exasperated. “And you? You’ve got a whole brain full of it!”

Truly, a disgrace to the family!

Zhou Xuci: “…” So cruel, saying things that could kill a man.

Lu Huaibei made his escape, leaving Zhou Xuci alone with his idiotic grin.

Similarly, the Shen household was also lit up all night.

Shen Yu was dead drunk.

Sun Xiuya wheeled herself into the room, frowning at the empty liquor bottles scattered everywhere.

“A-Yu, you’ve gone too far,” Sun Xiuya said coldly, staring at Shen Yu sprawled on the sofa. “All these years, no matter how much you acted out, I indulged you.”

“But things are different now. You’re grown up. The family business will eventually fall to you, you need to settle down and learn how to manage it properly.”

Crash! A bottle shattered on the floor, shards flying.

“Why should I listen to you? What right do you have to order me around?” Shen Yu let out a sharp laugh. “I wasn’t like this before. It’s you, you’re the one who turned me into this disgusting mess.”

Xu Zhizhi hates me.

She thinks I’m filthy.

“A-Yu, everything I’ve done was for your own good. Do you really think your father-”

“Shut up!” Shen Yu roared, tears brimming in his eyes as he glared at Sun Xiuya. “You forced all your pain onto me, then hid behind ‘for your own good’ to escape reality.”

He shook his head in despair. “Why are you so cruel? You live in the abyss, yet you drag me down with you, why should I suffer with you? Why?”

Sun Xiuya clenched her fists, her eyes darkening with malice. “It’s because of Xu Zhizhi, isn’t it?”

Shen Yu took another heavy swig of alcohol, his gaze growing colder as he looked at her.

He remained silent.

His silence shattered Sun Xiuya’s composure. Like a vengeful ghost at midnight, her face twisted into something ugly and terrifying. “I told you, you can’t harbor even a shred of hope for her, not even a shred! Shen Yu, do you hear me?”

“Get out. Get the hell out!”

Shen Yu turned his face away, unwilling to look at the madwoman. He slumped onto the sofa, murmuring drunkenly.

“I was wrong.”

“Don’t stop liking me.”

“Zhizhi…”

…