Living Only For Myself: Make Those Who Hate Me Regret It-Chapter 117: Love Brain Acting Up Again?

By the time Xu Su finished the last question on her test paper, it was already 10:30 PM. The classroom was more than half empty. The day students had all gone home, and some of the boarders had also returned to their dorms. The remaining students were still battling a sea of practice problems.

Wu Qianqian had also returned to her dorm. At some point, Xi Zirong had sat down in her seat, watching Xu Su work and waiting to walk back to the dorms with her.

Her neck was sore from keeping her head down for so long, and Xu Su couldn’t help but stretch it. The next second, a hand appeared on the back of her neck and began to massage it.

Xu Su turned her head to look at the hand’s owner and couldn’t help but smile at him. "Aren’t you thoughtful?"

Xi Zirong watched her with his lips pressed into a thin line, not saying a word, but his hands never stopped their massage.

She let him massage her neck for a while. Once it felt a bit better, she packed up her desk and stood up. "Let’s go."

On the way back to the dorms, the boy was completely silent, a dark cloud hanging over him.

Xu Su sighed. "If you really don’t want to tutor Wu Qianqian, then I’ll just teach her tomorrow."

’He looked so aggrieved.’ Xu Su felt a headache coming on.

Xi Zirong reached out and took her hand, speaking softly. "I only want to study with you, just the two of us. I don’t want anyone else there, and I don’t want to tutor anyone else."

’Did that mean I wasn’t allowed to teach anyone else either? That I could only study with him?’

Xu Su said helplessly, "But Qianqian’s grades are unstable. I’m her deskmate and we’re very close. If I don’t help her, who will?"

She hadn’t had any friends in her past life, so now that she had the chance to be back in school, Xu Su cherished every friend who came into her life.

She was closest with Huang Feng and Qian Jia, but her deskmates over the past year—Chen Huiyu and Wu Qianqian—were also two of her few friends.

She didn’t want to just stand by and watch her friend leave the Rocket Class because of bad grades.

Xu Su said, "The final exams are coming up soon, so the study group won’t even last that long. C’mon, just explain the problems to her, Xi Zirong. I promise I won’t get mad."

His grip on her hand tightened unconsciously.

Xi Zirong stopped walking, looking down at her. In the dim light, his expression was unreadable.

Xu Su furrowed her brow at him. "What’s wrong?"

"If another guy were tutoring you, or if you were tutoring any other guy, I’d get angry." Xi Zirong’s voice was deep and low. He asked, "Xu Su, do you understand what I mean?"

"..." Xu Su was silent for a moment, completely unable to understand what went on in his head. ’Is his love-addled brain acting up again?’

Her right hand was in his. Xu Su gave his hand a gentle squeeze back and said with a smile, "You can be petty if you want, but you can’t expect me to be petty too, Xi Zirong. I’m not as prone to jealousy as you are. You can tutor anyone you like. I promise I won’t get mad about it."

Xi Zirong looked at her silently for a moment, then slowly pulled her into a tight hug. He said, "Okay, I’ll tutor her. But Xu Su, you have to learn to care about me a little more, okay?"

The campus path was deserted at this time of night. Xu Su let him hug her for a moment before pulling away. Speaking in a placating tone, she said, "Alright, I will care about you more and more. Stop looking so aggrieved."

This was the first time Xu Su had let Xi Zirong hug her without any resistance, instantly curing his bad mood. He lowered his head, leaned in, and smiled. "Does this mean we’re dating?"

Xu Su shot him a look but didn’t answer, continuing to walk slowly toward her dorm.

Following alongside her, Xi Zirong kept pressing, "Well, does it? Huh? Xu Su, if you don’t say anything, I’ll take that as a yes."

Xu Su stopped, reached out to take his hand, and let out a laugh of exasperation. "Do you think I’d let just anyone hug me? Or have you seen me coming and going with other male classmates? Or drinking a drink or eating a snack from someone else? Do you really need me to spell it out for you? Xi Zirong!"

The boy’s hands were handsome, his palm dry and warm. The moment she took it, he immediately reversed his grip to clasp her hand tightly. Xi Zirong felt like he’d never been this happy before.

With the girl he liked finally acknowledging he was special to her, his heart was about to overflow with joy. Even Xi Zirong’s voice was a little unsteady. "I didn’t want to have to ask so directly, but Xu Su, you’ve rejected me so many times. I’m just too insecure."

Even though Xu Su had practically admitted she liked him last time, Xi Zirong still couldn’t quite believe it. He was still insecure, still nervous, still afraid of being pushed away again.

In truth, Xi Zirong was just too close to the situation to see clearly. If he had used his brain for just a moment, he would have long since noticed how differently Xu Su treated him.

Ever since enrolling at City No.1 High School, Xu Su had been a fortress against the opposite sex. As the universally acknowledged school beauty, there would have been no shortage of boys trying to win her favor if she’d shown the slightest interest. But her demeanor had always been one of cold, unapproachable indifference, and she kept all her male classmates at a distinct distance.

Never mind being hugged by other boys; outside the classroom, Xu Su wasn’t even familiar with most of her classmates. She might nod and greet the girls, but with the male students, she wasn’t even on nodding terms. She was a total iceberg.

In light of this, it made sense that Qian Jia and Huang Feng assumed he and Xu Su were dating. After all, only friends who were with her day in and day out could truly grasp how different her treatment of Xi Zirong was.

Xu Su reached out and wrapped her arms around his waist. Even through his down jacket, she could feel that his waist was quite slim.

She spoke softly, "Xi Zirong, I’m sure that I like you. Maybe not as much as you like me, but to me, you’re different. Is that okay with you?"

Being hugged by Xu Su of her own accord for the first time, Xi Zirong was pleasantly stunned. He froze for several seconds before reacting, pulling her in tighter, a wide grin spreading across his face. "You finally admitted you like me."

He rested his chin securely on her shoulder. "Susu..."

"Hm?"

Xu Su thought he was about to say something and tried to straighten up to talk properly, but Xi Zirong wouldn’t let go at all. Instead, he held her even tighter and called out again, "Susu..."

"..." Xu Su was speechless for a moment, certain that his love-addled brain was acting up again. She reached out and pushed him back a little, only to see the boy smiling somewhat foolishly.

She turned her head away, unable to bear looking at him, but his smile was infectious, and a small smile touched her own lips. Then she glanced at her watch; it was almost eleven o’clock.

Xu Su swung their joined hands. "I have to go back to my dorm, Xi Zirong. Let go."

With the exception of the seniors, even the most diligent students in the other grades were supposed to be back in their dorms by now. It was almost lights-out.

Xi Zirong hummed in agreement and reluctantly let go of her hand. He said, "Starting tomorrow, let’s eat our meals together, okay? I want to eat with you."

Whenever they were outside the classroom, Xu Su was always with Qian Jia and Huang Feng, chattering away. Most of the time, Xi Zirong couldn’t find a good opportunity to talk to her properly. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

He desperately wanted some time alone with her. Just the two of them.