Sweet Temptation: After Rebirth, The Campus Heartthrob Can’t Hide His Feelings Anymore - Chapter 80

Sun Xiuya had confirmed her attendance at Jing University’s anniversary celebration.

When Xu Zhizhi heard the news, she felt a little dazed.

Perhaps it was because Shen Yu had been frequently disappearing lately and was unreachable, so Sun Xiuya had deliberately seized this opportunity to fly over?

In preparation for the grand celebration, the academic advisor specially called Xu Zhizhi and Cheng Xiaoxin into the office.

“Zhizhi, Xiaoxin, since you’re both from Nancheng, the college has assigned you the task of receiving the alumni from Nancheng,” the advisor said, handing the documents to Xu Zhizhi.

“This time, there are only two invited alumni from Nancheng. One is the entrepreneur Mr. Lu Huaibei, who was named one of the Top Ten Outstanding Young Entrepreneurs last year. He is the executive president of the Lu Group in Nancheng and also an alumnus of the School of Economics.”

Xu Zhizhi glanced at Lu Huaibei’s profile.

It was the Mr. Lu she was familiar with.

“The other alumnus is a bit special, an older senior named Sun Xiuya. She majored in ballet in the School of Arts.”

“This senior of ours is incredibly accomplished. At just sixteen, she performed on international stages, won numerous awards, and achieved remarkable success. International art troupes extended invitations to her three times, but she politely declined each time.”

“Unfortunately, as they say, heaven envies true talent. Over a decade ago, she was in a severe car accident that left her legs paralyzed, making it impossible for her to dance again. So, when you receive her, you must be very careful and avoid causing any unnecessary conflicts.”

“Understood?” The advisor entrusted the two with this important responsibility. “You are top students in the School of Arts, and your usual conduct is excellent. That’s why, after careful consideration, the college has decided to assign this task to you. Xu Zhizhi and Cheng Xiaoxin exchanged a glance, nodded in tacit understanding, and replied in unison, “Understood.””

After leaving the office, Cheng Xiaoxin linked arms with Xu Zhizhi as they walked. “I’ll go receive Sun Xiuya alone.”

Xu Zhizhi shook her head. “No, I’ll go with you.”

“Are you sure?” Cheng Xiaoxin asked worriedly.

“Absolutely,” Xu Zhizhi said with a firm nod. “You can’t live your whole life in fear.”

She gave Cheng Xiaoxin a relieved smile. “Don’t worry, I’m not afraid of her anymore.”

“At the New Year’s Eve dinner last time, she pretended to be kind and served me food, but I didn’t eat a single bite,” Xu Zhizhi said, lifting her chin proudly. “I’ve got guts now.”

Cheng Xiaoxin laughed and reached out to stroke Xu Zhizhi’s chin. “Look at you, all grown up. Zhou Xuci has spoiled you rotten.”

Xu Zhizhi pretended to be haughty. “Spoiled me into a badass.”

The atmosphere instantly lightened.

Xu Zhizhi held onto Cheng Xiaoxin’s arm as they walked along the long campus path.

Cheng Xiaoxin flipped through the documents in her hand and said quietly, “I never expected she was a ballet major.”

“No wonder, even though she seems a bit unhinged, her posture and demeanor are so graceful. Turns out she studied dance.”

“To reject international art troupes three times, she really was exceptional. It’s such a shame her legs were ruined.”

As a dancer herself, Cheng Xiaoxin could empathize with Sun Xiuya.

Xu Zhizhi also felt a pang of regret. “I lived in the Shen family for ten years, and I only found out recently.”

“But no matter what, that’s no excuse for her to mistreat you,” Cheng Xiaoxin said soberly. “Forcing your own suffering onto an innocent person, that’s the act of a monster.”

No matter how tragic her story is, she doesn’t deserve any sympathy.

“Sympathy is the emotion of a kind-hearted person who can feel others’ pain,” Cheng Xiaoxin said seriously, holding Xu Zhizhi’s hand. “Zhizhi, you are kind, but I won’t allow you to forgive her evil deeds out of sympathy. She doesn’t deserve your forgiveness.”

Those scars covering her body were Sun Xiuya’s crimes and sins.

Cheng Xiaoxin applied medicine to Xu Zhizhi’s wounds over and over again, old scars and new injuries, she remembered every single one.

Xu Zhizhi relaxed her brows and gazed deeply at Cheng Xiaoxin. “Xinxin, I never said I would forgive her.”

“I’m no longer afraid of her, and I do sympathize with her suffering, but forgiveness isn’t that easy for me. Compared to sympathy, what I feel for her is mostly disgust,” Xu Zhizhi said with relief.

“I believe that heaven should be fair. It gave us the right to love someone, so it should also grant us the right to hate someone. At least until I can let go, I will continue to despise her.”

Xu Zhizhi looked up at the boundless sky. The weather was bright, just like her life, full of brilliance.

“I will carry this hatred for her and climb higher and higher, walking a better and better path, making her, confined to a wheelchair, look up to me.”

I want her to know that the little girl she once pinned under her wheelchair has grown up, her wings have fully developed, and she can soar to great heights.

Cheng Xiaoxin glanced sideways, her eyes fixed on Xu Zhizhi’s profile.

The evening glow illuminated Xu Zhizhi, bathing her in warm light until she gradually became a part of that radiance.

At that moment, she shone brighter than anyone else.

“Xinxin, you should head back to the dorm first,” Xu Zhizhi said, checking the time. “I still need to go to the art corridor to work on the mural.”

“Don’t stay too late,” Cheng Xiaoxin frowned slightly. “They’re treating people like beasts, you’ve been painting for over two months already.”

“I’m the lead artist; I have to review everything,” Xu Zhizhi replied with a bright smile. “Whenever I think about contributing to the school and leaving my work here, I feel so proud and happy.”

To celebrate its 120th anniversary, Jing University’s College of Arts had initiated a mural project in the teaching building’s corridor.

Xu Zhizhi was fortunate enough to be entrusted with the responsibility of being the lead artist for the mural.

The 1,800-meter-long corridor would be completed over three months by students majoring in fine arts, marking a historic creation.

From the moment she accepted the task, Xu Zhizhi spent a month immersed in the overall mural design. After finalizing the main plan, she attended countless meetings with professors to iron out every detail.

She was incredibly responsible, staying up late to gather materials, going on field trips for inspiration, and using a timeline to weave Jing University’s entire history into the corridor, laying out the university’s legends one by one.

With the anniversary approaching, the mural project couldn’t afford any mistakes, so Xu Zhizhi spent most of her time in the corridor, painting.

Perched on a wooden ladder, Xu Zhizhi held a palette in one hand and a brush in the other, adding color to the mural and meticulously filling in the details.

Her classmates, who had been painting for over two months straight, were at their breaking point.

“Xu Zhizhi! When is your boyfriend coming?”

“Yeah! Where’s Zhou Xuci? Even I, as a guy, miss him to death!”

“If Zhou Xuci doesn’t show up soon, I’ll be nothing but a corpse, wailing in despair!”

“Who understands? Here I am, in Jing University’s art corridor, missing Zhou Xuci so much!”

Xu Zhizhi couldn’t stop grinning, replying with proud affection, “That’s my boyfriend, none of you are allowed to think about him!!!”

As soon as the words left her mouth, Zhou Xuci’s voice cut through the air, “Zhou Xuci has arrived!”

The reason they thought of Zhou Xuci was that whenever he brought snacks for Xu Zhizhi, he’d always spare a bite for them too!

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