Sweet Temptation: After Rebirth, The Campus Heartthrob Can’t Hide His Feelings Anymore - Chapter 55

Xu Zhizhi and Zhou Xuci were deeply in love.

Zhou Xuci was a 24/7 boyfriend, attending to Xu Zhizhi’s every need with meticulous care.

Whenever he had a spare moment, he would dash to the art studio, wishing he could spend every second by Xu Zhizhi’s side.

Her roommates remarked that Zhou Xuci was like a well-behaved golden retriever.

A canine-style boyfriend… check!

“Zhou Xuci.” Xu Zhizhi gently nudged his waist with her elbow as a reminder. “We’ve been hugging for a long time.”

Zhou Xuci had his arms wrapped around her from behind, his face buried in her shoulder, breathing in her unique fragrance as if intoxicated.

“Just a little longer,” Zhou Xuci murmured, unwilling to let go.

Xu Zhizhi smiled, her dimples deepening as she reached up to stroke his hair, much like petting a big dog. “Aren’t you being a bit too clingy?”

“Only to you,” Zhou Xuci corrected earnestly.

“With you running to the studio every other day,” Xu Zhizhi frowned slightly, gazing worriedly at the unfinished painting on her easel, “when will I ever finish this major assignment?”

Seriously.

He was constantly distracting her!

All the hugging, snuggling, and kissing!

But she couldn’t deny it, her willpower was weak!

Zhou Xuci gently kissed behind her ear, his tone tinged with grievance. “I have to attend a tech conference out of town tomorrow. We won’t see each other for three hundred million years.”

“It’s three days,” Xu Zhizhi couldn’t help but laugh. “Why are you exaggerating so much?”

Zhou Xuci tightened his arms around her waist and pouted. “It’s not an exaggeration at all.”

“We’ll video call every day,” Xu Zhizhi coaxed her golden retriever. “I’ll stay on the line with you all night if you want.”

Zhou Xuci lifted his head, kissed her cheek, and was easily comforted. “Okay.”

Cupping his face, Xu Zhizhi studied him seriously and sighed. “Zhou Xuci, you’re so handsome and outstanding. How did you end up with such a love-struck brain?”

“Isn’t it said,” Zhou Xuci’s eyes brimmed with deep affection, “that a love-struck brain is a man’s best dowry?”

“I think I’m perfectly fine like this,” he declared, feeling quite pleased with himself.

Xu Zhizhi burst out laughing, utterly unable to refute him.

Zhou Xuci took his phone from his pocket, unlocked it with his fingerprint, and handed it to Xu Zhizhi. “Here.”

Puzzled, Xu Zhizhi didn’t understand this love-struck behavior. “What’s this for?”

“Zhizhi, we’ve been dating for a week now.”

“I know.”

“Don’t you think you’re too trusting of me?” Zhou Xuci frowned slightly.

Xu Zhizhi blinked her almond-shaped eyes and countered, “Shouldn’t I trust you?”

Isn’t trust the foundation of a relationship?

“No, you need to check up on me,” Zhou Xuci insisted, pressing the phone into her hand while muttering under his breath, “Checking up is a girlfriend’s exclusive right.”

Xu Zhizhi nearly died laughing and whispered, “Zhou Xuci, you’re such a child.”

Zhou Xuci snorted proudly, feeling somewhat neglected. “Xu Zhizhi, I’m quite popular, you know. You should have a bit of a sense of crisis.”

“I know, the top male idol voted on the school forum. Even the ants crawling on the ground look up at you twice.”

Xu Zhizhi took Zhou Xuci’s phone and, seeing how open he was, decided to give it a polite glance.

Just to reassure him.

The first thing that caught her eye was his phone’s wallpaper, accompanied by text:

She Came to My Concert.

A masterpiece from some talented user on the school forum.

It was a photo from the school’s New Year’s Eve party, Zhou Xuci playing the piano on stage, while Xu Zhizhi stood in the crowd holding a bouquet of flowers, gazing intently at him.

The perfectly edited image seamlessly blended the two of them, enhanced with a filter that exuded just the right amount of atmosphere and subtle romance.

This picture had gained quite a bit of attention.

The campus heartthrob paired with the radiant belle of the arts department, many remarked how well-suited they were.

What no one expected was that Zhou Xuci would use it as his phone wallpaper.

His photo gallery was filled with pictures of Xu Zhizhi.

Every angle was flawless, not a single unflattering shot.

As Xu Zhizhi flipped through the album, she couldn’t help but marvel, “Your photography skills surpass 99.99% of other people’s boyfriends!”

No tacky, straight-guy aesthetic here!

“Of course,” Zhou Xuci replied, looking proud and eager for praise. “I specifically took a photography course from the School of Media.”

Xu Zhizhi chuckled and opened his WeChat contact list.

Only three people were pinned at the top:

[Baby] – That was Xu Zhizhi.

[Old Rascal] – That was Lu Changfeng.

[Ms. Zhou] – That was Zhou Xin.

Curious, Xu Zhizhi scrolled a bit and asked, “What about your brother? Not pinning him?”

Zhou Xuci said flatly, “He doesn’t deserve it.”

Then she spotted a particularly eye-catching contact name: [That Jerk].

She burst out laughing. “Does Mr. Lu know about this?”

Zhou Xuci raised an eyebrow dismissively. “His nickname for me is [Lackey]. We’re equally matched, neither of us has room to judge.”

Those two brothers were truly a pair of bickering soulmates!

Having completed her “inspection,” Xu Zhizhi handed the phone back. “Here you go.”

Zhou Xuci took it, opened the fingerprint settings, and gently guided her hand to register her fingerprint.

His openness struck her, and she felt a sweet warmth spread through her heart.

Zhou Xuci really knew how to do relationships right!

“Will you see me off at the airport tomorrow?” he asked.

Xu Zhizhi agreed.

Zhou Xuci cupped her face and, unable to resist, kissed the small dimple on her cheek.

Then, with restraint, he let her go and settled quietly beside her, patiently waiting while she painted.

He never grew impatient, all his gentleness was reserved for her.

In the past, Xu Zhizhi preferred to paint alone in a quiet corner, fully immersed and undisturbed.

But now, she had grown completely accustomed to Zhou Xuci’s presence.

With him around, her heart felt more at ease.

The next day, Xu Zhizhi went to the airport to see Zhou Xuci off.

As soon as his senior and junior classmates spotted her, they let out a collective “Wow!”

“Damn, the arts department belle is even prettier in person, way too sweet!”

“Zhou Xuci is one lucky guy.”

“The world really can’t do without adorable girls like her!”

“My heart’s racing too, but there’s no competing with that Zhou guy.”

Feeling a bit shy, Xu Zhizhi hid behind Zhou Xuci, peeking out like a little kitten to greet everyone politely.

Suddenly, a deep, middle-aged voice called out.

“Isn’t this the arts department’s little belle?” Professor Lin, the group leader, smiled warmly at Xu Zhizhi.

Surprised, Xu Zhizhi replied politely, “Hello, Professor.”

Professor Lin’s eyes held a gentle, scholarly kindness. “My daughter went to the art exhibition last month and loved your painting. She wanted to buy it, but it was already reserved.”

“So today, I thought I’d take advantage of my connection with Xiao Zhou and shamelessly ask, could I pull some strings and reserve your next piece?”

“Next month is my daughter’s birthday, and I’d like to give this to her.”

After the initial surprise, Xu Zhizhi nodded eagerly, her dimples deepening with a radiant smile. “Thank her for her fondness.”

Zhou Xuci gently stroked her hair and murmured softly, “See? Our little courtyard flower is just as remarkable.”

Yes, her brilliance was growing ever more luminous.

…