A Love Confession - Chapter 7

Chapter 7 - He Is Already Your Friend, Come Chat Now!

Xu Sui ultimately agreed to become Sheng Jiajia's tutor. When tutoring on the weekend, she dressed up specifically, wearing a white halter-neck knit cropped top paired with blue jeans that accentuated the curve of her hips, looking youthful and radiant. As she combed her hair in front of the mirror, a sliver of her waistline was exposed.

"Wow, Suisui, you are literally the epitome of a pure, innocent maiden—I want to hit on you," Hu Xixi said, lunging forward to tackle her.

Xu Sui had tied her hair into a high topknot, her forehead full and rounded, while the outer corners of her eyes slanted slightly upward, radiating a pretty and alluring curve. Tidying up her things, she dodged Hu Xixi's pursuit.

"Sure, but then you'd have to choose between me and your idol," Xu Sui laughed.

"Well, I still only want to simp for my idol," Hu Xixi gave a decisive reply.

After finishing her banter with Hu Xixi, Xu Sui packed her things and headed out. Having learned her lesson this time, she bought motion sickness patches in advance, applied them behind her ears, and arrived at Number 79 Amber Lane after transferring across three buses.

Upon reaching Sheng Jiajia's home, the curly-haired little boy was still playing video games. Seeing the teacher arrive and fearing she would tell on him, Sheng Jiajia reluctantly put down his game controller.

Unexpectedly, throughout the one-hour lesson, Sheng Jiajia's cooperation level was fairly high. Xu Sui first took out a test paper to evaluate his foundation, then taught him in a targeted manner based on his weak points.

He cooperated decently enough and didn't act up, but when the second lesson began and it was time to work on a practice test, Sheng Jiajia started sighing heavily, his focus visibly drifting. So that was where the problem lay.

Gently tapping the little curly head with the test paper, Xu Sui said, "How old are you even, starting to sigh like that? Hurry up and do the problems."

"Teacher Little Xu, you don't get it. Our generation is filled with studying all day long. Adults have no idea where our childhoods went," Sheng Jiajia said with a mature air beyond his years.

Xu Sui asked him, "Then where is your childhood?"

"In Hyrule, in Westworld, and places like that," the little curly head replied without a moment's hesitation.

...

Glancing at the time, Xu Sui spoke up: "If you can manage to compress a test paper that usually takes an hour down to within forty minutes, I can accompany you to play twenty minutes of video games."

"I'll carry you through to victory," Xu Sui added.

"Tsh, when it comes to the absolute best video game players in this world, the only person I admire is my Brother Jingze," the little boy said with an unconvinced look on his face.

Completely unfazed by the provocation, Xu Sui spoke in a level tone: "Is that so? Then starting today, you have a second person to admire."

Sheng Jiajia, however, was successfully motivated. Forcing himself to concentrate, he rapidly finished the test paper and looked up with a provocative tone: "How's that? Teacher, want to play a match?"

"Kiddo, it's not class-dismissed time yet. I promised you game time, but not right now," Xu Sui stated.

The little curly head instantly slumped down in dejection. Xu Sui promptly graded his test, explained the problem-solving methods to him, and circled the key points.

Clearly, Xu Sui was well-versed in the strategy of quenching thirst with the thought of plums; she first offered a promising reward and then drove Sheng Jiajia forward. Sure enough, after two hours, Sheng Jiajia felt as though he had thoroughly digested all those previously incomprehensible knowledge points.

He couldn't help but feel a shred of admiration for Xu Sui.

"Teacher, it's time to honor your promise," Sheng Jiajia said, his mind fixated entirely on his game.

Opening his Nintendo Switch immediately and projecting the screen, Sheng Jiajia handed a controller to Xu Sui and asked with the remote in hand, "Teacher, what game are you playing?"

"Super Smash Bros," Xu Sui said, her throat parched from teaching and her voice devoid of energy. "Could you pour your teacher a glass of water, please?"

Being an unusually considerate little boy, Sheng Jiajia fetched an entire basket of snacks directly. Xu Sui picked out a carton of milk and a sea salt cheese bread to line her stomach.

Sitting together on the soft carpet, the two of them embarked on their gaming journey. Barely ten minutes into the match, Xu Sui guided him smoothly all the way through a maze exploration, prompting Sheng Jiajia to drop a single word of surrender: "Respected."

Midway through the game, gripping her controller and staring at the screen, Xu Sui asked as if casually inquiring, "How come I haven't seen your older brother?"

Turning his head sharply, Sheng Jiajia asked with vigilance, "Which brother are you asking about?"

Xu Sui's heartbeat skipped a beat, but she gazed straight ahead, feigning composure: "Oh, I'm just asking about either of them."

"Dunno about them. My real brother comes back pretty often, but Brother Jingze isn't always around. He rarely visits if he's currently in a relationship, and only drops by more frequently when he's single," Sheng Jiajia answered.

Xu Sui sighed inwardly.

Xu Sui was formidable, leading Sheng Jiajia through adventures to clear the stages completely. Since Sheng Jiajia loved playing video games by hitching a ride on someone else's coattails, he excitedly high-fived Xu Sui the moment the game screen flashed "Victory."

Feeling starved, she quickly took a bite of bread.

As Sheng Jiajia clicked away with the remote, preparing to enter the next round, a knock sounded at the door. Without turning his head, he called out, "Come in."

Sheng Nanzhou pushed the door open and walked in, accompanied by Zhou Jingze, who stood beside him with both hands buried in his pockets.

"Bro!" Tossing his game controller aside, Sheng Jiajia hurried toward the doorway.

Turning her head with a look of absolute shock, Xu Sui realized—at that exact moment—she was sitting cross-legged on the carpet, biting into a carton of milk with her lips smeared in breadcrumbs, her dignity completely shattered.

Sheng Nanzhou opened his arms wide, but Sheng Jiajia bypassed him entirely to fling himself toward Zhou Jingze instead. The former let out a dry laugh: "You might as well change your last name."

"Bro, you have no idea how awesome Teacher Little Xu is—she flies through video games, an absolute Super Smash Bros queen," Sheng Jiajia began sharing their battle achievements.

Looking astonished, Sheng Nanzhou remarked, "Little sister, I wouldn't have guessed it. Someone as well-behaved as you is actually a gamer."

Lifting his eyelids to glance over, Zhou Jingze spoke with his customary casual drawl: "Like playing games?"

From the second he walked through the door, Xu Sui's expression grew somewhat flustered. She frantically wiped her mouth clean with the back of her hand, and feeling at a loss over what to do with the heavily nibbled piece of bread sitting by the table, she simply gripped it tightly and hid it behind her back.

"Just when study pressure gets high, playing helps relieve stress," Xu Sui tried her utmost to maintain surface-level composure, her eyelashes curling upward naturally. "You guys can find me if you ever want to play."

The moment the words left her mouth, instant regret flooded Xu Sui. What on earth was she saying?

"Teacher, you're playing favorites!" Sheng Jiajia protested indignantly.

Sheng Nanzhou gave Sheng Jiajia a light smack: "Well duh, everyone in this room except you is free from entrance exam pressure."

Left completely speechless by the retort, Xu Sui felt her face flush hot with embarrassment at having made such a fool of herself here, prompting her to hurriedly pack up her things to leave.

Clutching her textbooks, Xu Sui rushed downstairs. Stepping out the main entrance, she spotted Aunt Sheng and called out, "Aunt Sheng, the lesson's over, I'll be heading out first."

Beaming with smiles, Aunt Sheng said, "Stay for dinner, won't you?"

"No, I—" Xu Sui instinctively refused.

As it turned out, Aunt Sheng might have been slender, but she possessed surprising strength, directly pushing Xu Sui back into the courtyard with an enthusiastic hospitality she was utterly powerless to resist.

And so Xu Sui ended up staying for dinner. Since Sheng Father was still handling important matters at the company and needed to work overtime, he didn't return for the meal. Aside from Zhou Jingze, the dinner table featured the two pairs of troublemaking brothers from the Sheng family.

By the time dinner concluded, it was already past eight o'clock. Once again thanking Aunt Sheng, Xu Sui prepared to head back. Glancing at the pitch-black sky outside, Aunt Sheng remarked, "It's gotten this late just from eating, and I wouldn't feel easy letting you walk back all by yourself. Nanzhou, escort Teacher Little Xu back."

Reaching up to scratch the back of his head, Sheng Nanzhou replied, "But my motorcycle is at the repair shop."

Looking flustered and wanting to say "There's no need," Xu Sui watched as Zhou Jingze bent down to scoop up the car keys from the table, lifting his eyelids lazily: "Let's go, I'll drop her off."

"Look at my memory, I completely forgot that you two and Teacher Little Xu go to schools right next to each other. From now on, whenever you head home for the weekends, you can give her a ride," Aunt Sheng patted her own head, instructing, "You brat, make sure you deliver her safely back to her school."

With both hands shoved deep into his trouser pockets, Zhou Jingze walked ahead without looking back, freeing up one hand to toss an OK gesture. There was no telling which request he was actually acknowledging.

Clutching her books, Xu Sui trailed closely behind him step by step, only to realize that Zhou Jingze's home happened to be right next door to Sheng Nanzhou's—Number 80 Amber Lane.

Compared to the brightly lit, radiant residence of the Sheng family, Zhou Jingze's imposing and spacious villa didn't have a single light turned on, looking terrifyingly quiet, desolate, and lonely.

A black motorcycle was parked right at his front gate. Walking over, Zhou Jingze tossed a blue helmet toward her. Catching it with both hands, Xu Sui was almost knocked over by the weight.

Struggling to undo the strap and putting it on, she found the helmet so oversized that it completely obscured her entire face, leaving even her eyes hidden from view.

Watching from the side, Zhou Jingze found it immensely amusing and reached out to lift the helmet up from her head. Xu Sui's face was flushed red from the stuffiness inside, and she stood there panting heavily with puffed-up cheeks.

"Wait here a second," Zhou Jingze dropped those words.

Stepping inside his front door, the voice-activated lights clicked on, and it wasn't long before he reappeared carrying a bright yellow helmet.

"Try this one," Zhou Jingze handed the headgear over.

This helmet was visibly a size smaller, and it fit Xu Sui perfectly once she put it on. Wearing the bright yellow helmet, her doe-like eyes looked crystal-clear, topped off ironically with a prominent Marvel superhero pattern.

For someone as naturally obedient as her, it gave off a somewhat fierce yet adorable vibe.

Glancing at her, Zhou Jingze couldn't hold back the smile spreading across his face. Feeling a bit perplexed, Xu Sui asked, "Is something wrong with it?"

"This helmet is Sheng Jiajia's size. He bought it back when he was in the sixth grade because he was a massive Marvel fan back then," Zhou Jingze said in a low, laughter-laced voice.

"I'm one meter sixty-five," Xu Sui defended herself in a soft voice.

Just as Zhou Jingze was about to straddle his bike and leave, he noticed something tugging at his trouser leg, turning around to discover that his German Shepherd had somehow slipped out along with them.

"Mind if I smoke a cigarette?" Zhou Jingze asked.

Xu Sui nodded. She watched as Zhou Jingze walked over to the base of the courtyard wall, fished a cigarette out of his pack, tapped it against the box to level the end, and bit down on it. Lowering his head and cupping his hands around a flame, he drew in, and smoke rolled out from his thin lips.

The German Shepherd lay obediently at Zhou Jingze's feet. Removing the cigarette from his mouth, he squatted down and gave its head a few strokes with his large palm, prompting the dog to lick his knuckles in return.

Under the dim streetlamps, Zhou Jingze wore a relaxed expression. For a fleeting moment, the defiant, unruly edge entirely vanished from his features, leaving Xu Sui to witness a rare gentleness on his face.

"What's its name?" Xu Sui couldn't help asking.

"Kratos, one of the ancient Greek gods of war," Zhou Jingze said with a cigarette between his lips, a scattering of ash dropping beside his feet as he chuckled.

Yet this lighthearted atmosphere didn't persist for long. The phone in Zhou Jingze's trouser pocket began vibrating; pulling it out to take a look, his expression twisted instantly.

When he refused to answer, the call rang relentlessly. Tapping to accept the call without bothering with any polite pleasantries, Zhou Jingze asked with an icy tone, "What is it?"

Taken aback by the cold reception, Zhou Father grew somewhat dissatisfied, suppressing his rising anger as he said, "Come back for dinner next week. It's my birthday, so the whole family can get together happily—"

Hearing the phrase "the whole family," a flash of gloomy darkness crossed Zhou Jingze's expression, his brows and eyes radiating hostility as he cut him off flatly: "I'm busy. Save your 'paternal kindness and filial piety' routine for your actual son."

Without waiting for a reply, Zhou Jingze hung up straight away. Waving his hand to signal the dog to head back inside, he stood back up. The cigarette butt was tossed to the ground and crushed ruthlessly beneath his sole until the last lingering spark went out entirely.

Zhou Jingze drove Xu Sui back to campus on the motorcycle.

With his mood visibly sour and the wind rushing past forcefully, Xu Sui sat on the back. Even though she couldn't see Zhou Jingze's facial expression, she could clearly tell his entire being radiated "unhappy."

Driving at high speed, Zhou Jingze accelerated the entire way. The fierce gale rushed against her face at double speed, and the scenery on both sides retreated rapidly like a fast-forwarded movie.

Her heart leaped straight into her throat; having never ridden in a speeding vehicle before, she felt a mixture of nervousness and terror as he pushed faster and faster, blurring everything in her line of sight.

Knowing Zhou Jingze was venting his frustrations, she could only silently grip the side safety bars tightly.

Finally releasing some of his pent-up emotions, Zhou Jingze suddenly sensed how rigid the person sitting behind him had become. Glancing back over his shoulder while wearing his helmet, he saw Xu Sui's fingertips turned stark white from clinging so hard to the bars.

His heart stirred, feeling as though it had been pricked by something.

Unconsciously, Zhou Jingze eased off the accelerator and slowed his pace. Without even realizing it himself, this was an inadvertent compromise on his part.

As the vehicle's speed suddenly decelerated, Xu Sui felt the hostile aura surrounding him gradually dissipate, returning him to his usual nonchalant state. Summer had actually passed long ago, and while the evening breeze felt slightly chilly, it was exceptionally comfortable.

With most of the journey completed and his speed now reduced, he could still sense Xu Sui's awkward tension. Accompanied by the whistling wind, Zhou Jingze's deep voice drifted backward: "Scared of me?"

"Ah, no," Xu Sui hurried to reply.

It's just that being around you makes me too nervous, always wanting to say something yet afraid you won't like it, Xu Sui thought to herself.

"Then why are you stiff as a board?" Zhou Jingze asked without much emotion, narrowing his eyes as he looked ahead. "We're hitting a downward slope, hold on tight."

That was his favorite stretch of road, always giving him the sensation that life was accelerating while remaining entirely his own to command.

Stretching out her hands, Xu Sui grabbed onto the edge of his jacket with cautious care. As Zhou Jingze banked downwards carrying her, his broad back—with the distinct outline of his hunched shoulder blades—was right before her. Xu Sui caught the scent of cigarette smoke mixed with a subtle, bitter hint of basil clinging to him, crisp and unique, filling her senses completely.

A gust of evening wind swept by, disheveling Xu Sui's hair so that a stray strand brushed against the back of his neck, feeling both intimate and entirely uncontrolled.

Staring at the pale cyan vein on the back of his neck, Xu Sui reached out and very gingerly hooked the hair away, though her fingertip accidentally brushed against his skin before she hastily withdrew her hand.

He probably didn't notice.

A light brush, feeling much like the touch of a feather. Gripping the motorcycle handlebars and staring straight ahead, Zhou Jingze blinked once.

At the moment they descended the slope, to Xu Sui's amazement, the streetlamps on both sides of the road flickered to life one after another as if responding to a sensor, their floating illumination resembling a starry river suddenly ignited in the universe.

The cosmic river was breathtakingly beautiful, and she stood in its exact center right alongside the boy she secretly loved.

Suddenly, hitting a sloping turn, Xu Sui was thrown forward by momentum, crashing directly against his back and pressing her entire body flush against him. At that split second, Zhou Jingze stiffened atop the motorcycle. He felt the soft contour of Xu Sui's cheek pressed against his spine, alongside the soft, rounded swell of a young woman's chest.

A sudden itch flared up in the back of Zhou Jingze's throat.

Straightening her posture immediately, Xu Sui panicked and blurted out: "Sorry."

Without answering right away, Zhou Jingze pressed the tip of his tongue against his lower jaw and chuckled lazily: "You really are well-behaved, Xu Sui. I'm the one taking advantage of you, so why are you the one apologizing?"

"Then are you going to apologize to me?"

Letting out a soft scoff, Zhou Jingze didn't answer and continued driving forward.

Arriving outside the school gates, Xu Sui dismounted, removed the helmet to return it to him, and looked at him: "Thank you."

Remaining astride the motorcycle, Zhou Jingze fished out his phone, checked his notifications to find a flood of messages from Aunt Sheng expressing concern for Xu Sui, and lifted his eyelids as if recalling something: "Right, you can look for me for weekend rides from now on. If I'm heading back when you are, I can give you a lift."

"Okay," Xu Sui's eyes brightened as she asked, "Which class are you in at the Flight Department? I'll come look for you sometime..."

Unlocking his phone, Zhou Jingze handed it over with a casual tone: "To save the hassle, add my WeChat."

Walking back toward the dorms, Xu Sui felt as though she were living inside a dream—she had actually managed to add Zhou Jingze on WeChat. Back in high school, their class had a QQ group where people added each other in batches, and though she had managed to sneak in and add Zhou Jingze back then, they had never once exchanged a word.

He rarely posted updates, but Xu Sui never missed checking them. Later on, when WeChat emerged during their senior year, Zhou Jingze abandoned QQ entirely except for gaming purposes, causing Xu Sui to lose touch with his updates completely.

Walking into the dormitory gates with a buoyant, elated mood, she suddenly spotted the orange tabby cat darting out from the bushes, meowing at her. Knowing it was hungry again, Xu Sui ran over to the sundry shop to buy a ham sausage and milk.

As the little cat crouched in Xu Sui's palm eating the sausage, it blinked its amber eyes and gave her palm a grateful little lick upon finishing. Smiling with her eyes curved into crescents, she took out her phone to snap a photo of its tiny paw.

Returning to the dorm, Xu Sui took a quick shower, brushed her teeth, and hopped onto her bed with her phone in hand. Lying beneath the covers, she opened WeChat and found Zhou Jingze sitting right there in her contact list.

His avatar was his German Shepherd. Tapping into his Moments, the updates were sparse, with the few visible entries consisting solely of scenery photos.

The screen reflected a conflicted face. Xu Sui typed in "Zhou Jingze" as a remark name, frowned because it felt too glaringly obvious and worried others might see it, and ultimately changed it to: zjz.

Zjz—this way nobody else would know; it was a secret belonging solely to her.

Repeatedly staring at Zhou Jingze's chat box, she noticed a system notification displayed above.

"He is already your friend, come chat now!"

"He is already your friend, come chat now!"

Xu Sui's heart accelerated abnormally, terrified that a message might pop up on screen the very next second. She typed "Good night" into the input box, deleted it, and re-edited: "I've arrived safely, thanks for tonight." Realizing Zhou Jingze hadn't told her to message him upon arrival, she deleted that too.

Ultimately, Xu Sui published a Moments post featuring a photo she had taken downstairs of the cat's tiny paw, accompanied by the simple caption: Hi~

After posting, Xu Sui exited WeChat to check the next day's schedule, but upon seeing a notification from the class group chat, she tapped in and noticed a red notification badge glowing on her Moments.

Tapping it open, her breath froze. Opening her eyes slightly wider to confirm, she found it almost unbelievable.

Five minutes ago, Zhou Jingze had liked her Moments post.