Sweet Temptation: After Rebirth, The Campus Heartthrob Can’t Hide His Feelings Anymore - Chapter 67

Cheng Xiaoxin was accepted into the International Art Troupe!

One of only two spots available.

Cheng Xiaoxin secured one of them.

On the day the announcement was made, Cheng Xiaoxin appeared on the main page of the university’s official website, becoming the center of attention.

The entire dormitory erupted in celebration. Ling Shuang booked a private room, and the girls gathered to pop champagne and toast to the achievement.

Xu Zhizhi was genuinely happy for Cheng Xiaoxin, yet a heavy unease, like a thick fog, enveloped her heart.

Fear of the unknown made her anxious and hesitant.

“Zhizhi, what’s wrong?” Cheng Xiaoxin walked over, leaning against the desk as she cupped Xu Zhizhi’s face. “You look so lost, like a little bitter melon. Are you facing some difficulty?”

Xu Zhizhi shook her head gently and offered a faint smile, her small dimples barely showing. “Xinxin, what does the International Art Troupe mean to you?”

After a moment of thought, Cheng Xiaoxin replied earnestly, “It’s the stage every dancer dreams of standing on in their lifetime. It’s my ultimate goal.”

Dancers are born for the stage.

She was destined to bloom on that stage.

To dance freely, to shine brilliantly, to radiate with passion.

“I feel like I’m a flame,” Cheng Xiaoxin said, her eyes blazing with fervor. “If I were to burn out one day, I’d want to emit my last spark of light on that stage.”

It was the most sincere love for a dream.

Those who chase their dreams always shine so brightly.

Xu Zhizhi had witnessed almost every step of Cheng Xiaoxin’s dance journey. Day after day, in countless unremarkable moments, she had practiced tirelessly.

Sometimes, she would spend an entire month perfecting a single move.

She had cried, been hurt, and even broken down, yet she always stood up again, determined and resolute.

She said that striving for perfection was the greatest respect one could pay to the stage.

Xu Zhizhi deeply understood Cheng Xiaoxin’s longing and anticipation for the stage.

Reaching out, Xu Zhizhi gently stroked Cheng Xiaoxin’s face. “I believe there are two great blessings in life: one is finding someone who resonates with you to walk alongside, and the other is discovering a dream worth giving everything for, to chase it and realize your true self.”

“So… Xinxin, seeing you soar high truly brings me joy.” Xu Zhizhi’s eyes reddened slightly.

The gears of time push us forward step by step, each moment holding its own significance.

The circumstances of this life and the previous one were subtle. In Xu Zhizhi’s world, the presence of Zhou Xuci had disrupted things.

Yet, many events still unfolded as they were meant to.

For example, last month, their sketching teacher got married and took wedding leave.

The same had happened in her previous life.

Another instance: last week, their Maoism teacher accidentally fell down the stairs, sprained her ankle, but persevered and came to class in a cast.

That, too, had occurred in her previous life.

It seemed as though, aside from Xu Zhizhi’s own life, everyone else’s paths followed a pre-written script, largely adhering to the general trajectory of her past life.

As a witness to the plane crash in her previous life, she didn’t dare gamble lightly. But… how could she possibly bring up such an absurd matter?

As for Cheng Xiaoxin’s life, in the previous timeline, she was supposed to become entangled with Shen Yu, but Xu Zhizhi had disrupted that.

Yet, the timing of studying abroad in their second year was so subtle. Xu Zhizhi couldn’t be sure whether the accident would happen or not.

Was it an inevitable, fatal trap?

“You must be reluctant to part with me, right?” Cheng Xiaoxin sensed her melancholy.

Xu Zhizhi nodded, “Yes, I can’t bear to let you go.”

Cheng Xiaoxin gently wiped the corner of Xu Zhizhi’s eyes with her fingertip, comforting her, “Don’t worry, I’ll send you postcards and gifts from every place I visit.”

“I’ll write lots and lots of secrets on the postcards, and you have to read every single one carefully, understand?”

“I’ll also send you photos from my tour performances. I don’t care if you don’t understand them, you still have to praise my dancing…”

Xu Zhizhi pulled Cheng Xiaoxin into a tight embrace, resting her chin on her shoulder and tilting her face slightly upward, gazing at the sky as she fought back tears. “Xiaoxin, you’ve always been the best.”

Cheng Xiaoxin raised her hand and gently ruffled the back of Xu Zhizhi’s head. “Xu Zhizhi, you have to remember, you will always be one of the most important people in my life. No one can ever take your place.”

Xu Zhizhi felt both happy and worried, her emotions tangled. “You are too, in my heart.”

“Of course,” Cheng Xiaoxin said with a hint of pride. “We’ve been through ten whole years together.”

But then she immediately corrected herself, “Wait, no… it’s seven years. We were apart for three years in between. I guess you could say we’re best friends who’ve survived the seven-year itch.”

Those three years apart were because Cheng Xiaoxin had suffered from severe depression and was hospitalized for treatment.

Fortunately, she made it through the darkest times and embraced a new beginning.

Lost in her excitement, Cheng Xiaoxin’s mind was filled with dreams of the future. “Also, if I go abroad and join the art troupe, you can’t get too close to anyone else, or I’ll be furious.”

Xu Zhizhi immediately promised, “Cheng Xiaoxin, you and I are the best of friends.”

As she spoke, Cheng Xiaoxin’s eyes also began to redden. “Zhizhi, I can’t bear to leave you either.”

Now it was Xu Zhizhi’s turn to comfort her, whispering softly, “But we are meant to soar to greater heights.”

“Exactly,” Cheng Xiaoxin said with clarity. “Parting doesn’t mean we become strangers, it’s for the sake of a better reunion someday.”

The future feels distant.

Yet, we are moving toward it every moment.

“Yes, we will definitely meet again,” Xu Zhizhi reassured herself.

Cheng Xiaoxin still carried that relentless drive. “We must both strive to be the best in our own fields.”

“To put it bluntly, if I ever fall on hard times, I’m counting on you to take me in.”

“I’ve seen how some best friends buy cars and houses for each other. Xu Zhizhi, work hard, I want that too someday.”

“Never mind, I won’t pressure you too much. Wait for me to work hard, I’ll buy you a car and a house instead.”

Cheng Xiaoxin chattered on and on, as if sensing Xu Zhizhi’s emotional turmoil, constantly comforting her and offering reassurance.

In their youth, both had endured dark times, and they had leaned on each other, step by step, to make it through.

Cheng Xiaoxin thought to herself: If it weren’t for Xu Zhizhi, her life would have forever remained frozen at age fourteen.

Xu Zhizhi shook her head, her voice choked. “I don’t want a car or a house.”

“Then what do you want?” Cheng Xiaoxin asked with a smile.

Xu Zhizhi buried her face in Cheng Xiaoxin’s shoulder, holding her even tighter. “I want you to have a lifetime of peace and safety.”

Her voice was soft, but every word landed with a resounding echo.

Xiaoxin, what am I supposed to do?

This is a dead end, how do I break through it?

Cheng Xiaoxin looked up with a smile, “Zhizhi, you don’t need to worry. The person I am now values my life dearly.”

That past suicide attempt was already behind her.

…