Chapter 3

Chapter 3

During the long break after my major-specific class, I called Zhou Xingzhi again.

He had been ignoring me for the past few days, refusing to answer my calls or reply to my WeChat messages.

The weather was sweltering lately, and I was worried he wasn’t applying his medication on time, which could lead to his wounds getting infected. I called him whenever I had a spare moment.

This time, he actually picked up quite quickly. As soon as the call connected, I anxiously asked about his face and how his wounds were healing.

Zhou Xingzhi’s initial impatient scolding faltered for a moment. After a brief silence, he sent me an address.

“Today is Qixi. Dress up nicely and come out for a date.”

I went back to my dorm and rummaged through my entire closet, but I couldn’t find anything suitable.

Seeing my dejected look, my roommates volunteered to lend me clothes and do my makeup.

“Yuan, you’re so beautiful! You look stunning, like a goddess descended to earth.”

When someone who never dresses up suddenly puts in the effort, the effect is breathtaking.

Stars practically twinkled in my roommates’ eyes as they scrambled to take photos and pose with me.

“Girl, you’re definitely going to drive your boyfriend crazy. If he doesn’t get a nosebleed, I’ll consider it a loss.”

With my roommates’ encouragement, I took a deep breath and headed out.

To avoid messing up my meticulously styled hair, I gave up on the idea of riding a shared bike.

I compared three different apps and, despite the sting to my wallet, chose a ride-hailing service.

By the time I reached the meeting spot, Zhou Xingzhi had clearly been waiting impatiently for a long time.

He was tall and had a great build; even a casual suit looked good on him.

However, when he turned around, the bandages wrapped around his head gave him a somewhat cyberpunk appearance.

As I approached, Zhou Xingzhi stared at me for a long time without saying a word. When he finally found his voice, it was raspy.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen you in makeup. You’re really…”

Before he could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by a high-pitched, delicate voice: “Zhou Xingzhi.”

The two of us turned to see Shen Xiao, dressed in designer labels and high heels.

As Shen Xiao walked over and saw what I was wearing, she began to frown.

“Lin Yuan, I know you’re poor, but you shouldn’t wear knockoffs. This dress is a copy of XX’s latest design, isn’t it?”

This dress was just something my roommate had bought online. How would a college student recognize the difference between haute couture and a replica?

I didn’t feel much of anything when Shen Xiao pointed it out, but Zhou Xingzhi’s expression immediately soured. He shot me a harsh glare before moving to greet her.

“Xiaoxiao, didn’t you say you weren’t coming? I thought you were busy.”

“I was busy at noon, but I’m free now. We’re eating, right? Let’s get it over with quickly; I want to go shopping afterward.”

“Alright. Whatever you want to buy-necklaces or clothes-just use my card.”

Zhou Xingzhi spoke to Shen Xiao in a gentle, soft tone. As they chatted, they completely forgot I existed.

It wasn’t until Shen Xiao impatiently urged him to hurry up that he seemed to remember me.

He gave a dismissive wave without even looking back. “Fine, you can go back now. I won’t see you off.”

I tried to endure it, but in the end, I couldn’t hold back. “Zhou Xingzhi, are you a complete moron?”

My canvas bag contained a power bank and an umbrella, making it quite heavy.

I swung the bag and slammed it into Zhou Xingzhi several times, dazing him completely.

“Why didn’t that car accident just kill you last time?”

I gave him one last hard kick, threw those words at him, and walked away.