Chapter 83: Repeating Her Actions
Su Zhaozhao nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard what Xie Huaizheng said.
"Last night, I... slept with you?"
’I slept with Xie Huaizheng last night?’
’That doesn’t make any sense, does it?’
’She hadn’t experienced any of the full-body soreness described in novels, that feeling of being run over by a truck!’
’She’d better not scare herself.’
Xie Huaizheng hadn’t expected that to be Su Zhaozhao’s first question. The stern expression he’d been wearing, ready to teach her a lesson, instantly became a complex and fascinating picture.
’Should he find her foolishness endearing?’
He couldn’t help but let out a low chuckle as he grabbed her wrist.
His brow furrowed when he saw the wound on Su Zhaozhao’s palm.
"How did it get worse?"
Last night it was just a small scrape, but today, it was much more abraded, the cut larger than before.
"How did this happen?" Xie Huaizheng’s hand gently caressed her palm.
"I did it by accident," Su Zhaozhao said. "I wasn’t paying attention when I got up this morning."
’In reality, it was because the heavy things she’d carried to the cafeteria had dug into her hand.’
’She had planned to soak it in some spiritual spring water, but Xie Huaizheng had startled her so much that she’d completely forgotten about it.’
"That’s not right..." Xie Huaizheng frowned, his dark eyes fixed on her, staring intently.
"You’re lying."
"This here looks like it was caused by carrying something heavy..." Xie Huaizheng’s long, slender fingers brushed across Su Zhaozhao’s palm.
The touch wasn’t heavy, but it sent a tingling, ticklish sensation through her.
It made Su Zhaozhao feel as if her hand had become something strange.
She couldn’t help but pull her hand away. "I’m fine."
"Su Zhaozhao, you’re hiding something from me." Xie Huaizheng’s thin lips pressed together as he thought about her appearing at the military district elementary school today, dressed all in black.
’He didn’t know what she was up to, but of course, if he really wanted to know, a simple investigation would clear it all up.’
’But he wouldn’t do something like that.’
’He trusted Su Zhaozhao now, so he wouldn’t deliberately pry into her private affairs.’
’It was just... she had hurt herself...’
Su Zhaozhao felt a chill run through her as she met Xie Huaizheng’s gaze, which held a mix of coldness and hostility.
"I’m not..."
"I saw you. Coming out of the elementary school cafeteria on the military base."
’He really did see me! Even if it was just my back.’
’But she couldn’t tell Xie Huaizheng what she had been doing.’
"I... okay, fine, I’ll tell you. I was just trying to earn a little money. I carried something heavy and accidentally hurt my hand, but it’s not that serious."
Su Zhaozhao glanced at the wound on her palm. It looked alarming, but it didn’t really hurt anymore.
’She wasn’t some delicate, pampered young lady. What was a small wound like this?’
Xie Huaizheng’s thin lips tightened. He took her hand and pulled her into the room.
He found some medicine and began to treat her wound.
Xie Huaizheng’s movements were clean and efficient as he applied the medicine.
But the air around him was heavy with displeasure, making Su Zhaozhao feel incredibly uneasy.
’Why did it feel like she was the one who had hurt him?’
Seeing that he didn’t stop tending to her hand, Su Zhaozhao knew she didn’t have to be too afraid.
With that thought, she couldn’t resist looking up at Xie Huaizheng.
The man was leaning slightly toward her, one hand holding hers, the other applying the medicine.
His eyes were downcast as he carefully cradled her hand, spreading the ointment evenly.
Since his attention wasn’t on her face, Su Zhaozhao boldly admired Xie Huaizheng’s features.
’This man was truly handsome, a far cry from the pretty boys popular in modern times.’
’Xie Huaizheng was the rugged, iron-willed type—tall and powerfully built, with deep-set, sharp features, distinct angles, and eyes as dark as ink.’
"Enjoying the view?" The man stared at her, his tone laced with teasing.
Caught staring by Xie Huaizheng, Su Zhaozhao rubbed her nose and pulled her hand back. "Yes, you’re very handsome. You’re the most handsome man in the world."
’He is the male lead of the novel, after all. How could he not be handsome?’
’Then again, Lin Shumo was also very handsome, but he had a completely different vibe from Xie Huaizheng.’
Xie Huaizheng let out a scornful laugh at her words, then reached out and pinched Su Zhaozhao’s cheek.
He used a bit of force, making Su Zhaozhao gasp in pain.
"Don’t pinch me like that! A girl’s face is precious. If you disfigure me, I’m done for."
"What are you afraid of? It’s not like I’ve ever seen you care much about your face."
It was true. Xie Huaizheng had never seen Su Zhaozhao do any sort of skincare routine.
He had even worried that her skin would get dry and chapped from the sun here, so he had bought her some cold cream.
But Su Zhaozhao had just left the cream on her desk, seemingly untouched.
The packaging still looked brand new.
’He really had no idea how she kept her skin in such good condition; in fact, it seemed to be growing even fairer and more delicate.’
"Of course I care," Su Zhaozhao said. "I haven’t eaten yet, and I’m starving. Let’s go get some food."
But Xie Huaizheng stopped her. "Not so fast. Have you forgotten what we were talking about in the beginning?"
Su Zhaozhao knew she couldn’t escape it. But she didn’t dare to imagine what she could have possibly done to Xie Huaizheng last night to make him demand she take responsibility!
’She had offered to take responsibility for him before, and he had been completely dismissive.’
"What... what did I do to you last night?"
"Are you going to deny what you did?"
An image of a drunk Su Zhaozhao from last night surfaced in Xie Huaizheng’s mind.
She was completely different from the calm person before him now. Back then, she had been like a little kitten, clinging to his side and refusing to leave.
She had hugged him, kissed him...
But then, right after teasing him, she had fallen asleep, leaving him alone to smoke more than half a pack of cigarettes without managing to calm down.
In the end, he had to take a half-hour cold shower to finally wash away the heat coursing through him.
"I really forgot! Do I do crazy things when I’m drunk?" Su Zhaozhao asked, staring at Xie Huaizheng with a guilty conscience.
’She had never been drunk before, so she naturally had no idea what she was like when she was.’
"Last night, you kept hugging me and wouldn’t let me go," Xie Huaizheng said.
"I... I really did that?" Su Zhaozhao’s heart hammered in her chest.
’Could it be that they really...’
’But she didn’t feel anything!’
Xie Huaizheng simply sat down in a nearby chair, stretching out his long legs lazily.
With a swift motion of his long arm, he pulled Su Zhaozhao to stand between his legs.
Before Su Zhaozhao could react, Xie Huaizheng had placed her hands on his neck.
Wrapping them around it.
Su Zhaozhao was so shocked her pupils constricted. ’No way, what is Xie Huaizheng trying to make her do in broad daylight?’
The man’s clean scent, tinged with a faint smell of tobacco, nearly made her stop breathing.
The next moment, Xie Huaizheng suddenly cupped her face, leaned in, and planted a kiss on her cheek.
"Last night, this is how you hugged me and kissed me."
The man’s low, husky voice poured into Su Zhaozhao’s ear.