Living Only For Myself: Make Those Who Hate Me Regret It-Chapter 49 - 48: "You Seem to Know a Lot?

Xu Su’s things were all neatly organized. Her test papers for math, physics, and chemistry alone amounted to several dozen sheets. She handed the thick stack of exams to him. "It’s these three subjects. I can’t seem to find a way to improve. Could you take a look for me?"

Xi Zirong had the air of a natural teacher. He took the papers and sat right down next to Xu Su, beginning to look them over.

The two of them sat together, under the watchful eyes of their classmates.

Xu Su felt unavoidably awkward. She stood up, grabbed her cup to get some water, then hesitated. Looking down, she asked, "I’m going to get some water. Do you want me to get you some too?"

Xi Zirong’s head shot up to look at her. Their eyes met for a moment before he quickly looked away. "I’ll go."

He turned his face away, but as Xu Su looked at his profile, she noticed his ears had turned red again.

’This is the first time I’ve ever met a boy who blushes so easily.’ Xu Su’s feelings were a little complicated. Without a word, she took both water cups and went to fill them.

As she walked past one surprised face after another, she could already predict that after today, the rumors about the two of them would take a new turn.

The rumor would shift from ’God Xi from the honors class is chasing Xu Su,’ to ’Have you heard? Our school’s God Xi and the school beauty are already together!’

’But it doesn’t matter,’ Xu Su thought. ’This is all for the sake of my studies.’

A part of her also wondered what would happen if Zhou Mochen found out.

The thought flashed through her mind and was just as quickly dismissed.

’What could he do, anyway? It’s all for my grades. It’s not like we’re dating.’

Only when Chen Huiyu arrived did Xi Zirong take Xu Su’s test papers and return to his own seat.

The news of Xu Su getting water for Xi Zirong spread throughout the entire honors class in a single afternoon and was beginning to leak out to the rest of the school.

During the break between classes, all the girls she was even remotely friendly with came over to ask about it out of curiosity.

When they couldn’t get anything out of Xu Su, they went after her best friends instead.

At dinner, Huang Feng and Qian Jia complained about how many people had been pestering them all day, asking if Xu Su and Xi Zirong were together.

Huang Feng was easygoing and had always been popular in class, so even though she was incredibly annoyed, she couldn’t just give her classmates the cold shoulder.

In the end, Xi Zirong must have said something to the boys in their class, because by the time they returned to the classroom, no one was actively asking Xu Su about the situation anymore.

Before evening self-study began, the classroom was already mostly full.

Xi Zirong walked into the classroom holding a freshly printed test packet. He stopped by Xu Su’s desk and handed it to her. "I wrote these problems myself and got them printed at the shop by the school gate. You can start on these."

Xu Su accepted the packet and glanced over it, realizing it was mostly filled with the types of problems she had frequently gotten wrong lately.

Xi Zirong was already back in his seat. Xu Su turned to look at him. "How much did the printing cost? I’ll pay you for it."

Class hadn’t started yet, and students were chatting in small groups. Aside from a few classmates in nearby seats who had pricked up their ears to eavesdrop, everyone else was minding their own business.

"I’m the one who offered to tutor you; I couldn’t let you pay for it." Xi Zirong smiled and said in a low voice, "How about this? Once your grades really improve, you can treat me to a meal. How does that sound?"

Remembering the way she had counted her money last time, Xi Zirong quickly added, "Just in the cafeteria is fine. I’m not picky."

Xu Su glanced at him but didn’t say anything. It wasn’t until after evening self-study ended that she finally replied with a simple, "Okay."

The weather was getting colder. Xu Su hunched her shoulders against the chill as she walked out of the school gates. She had to walk another hundred meters or so before she finally saw Zhou Mochen’s car.

She had been the one to request he park in a more secluded spot; the pick-ups and drop-offs could not happen in front of her schoolmates.

Gossip spreading within the school was one thing, but Xu Su had no desire to be the subject of any scandalous rumors outside of it.

As soon as she got in, she noticed the heat in the car was just right this time. Although her face, flushed red from the cold, was still unavoidably itchy, it was much better than it had been that morning.

Zhou Mochen was in the driver’s seat. When he saw her get in, he gestured with his chin toward a blanket he had already laid out beside her. "Cover up."

Then he handed her a thermos. "Want some?"

Xu Su was never one to make things difficult for herself. She did as he suggested, draping the blanket over her legs. After hesitating for two seconds, she took the thermos and had a couple of sips.

Mmm...

It was brown sugar ginger tea...

Watching her obediently drink the tea, Zhou Mochen felt an itch in his hand. He started to raise it, then pulled it back and chuckled softly. "So well-behaved today?"

Xu Su screwed the lid back on the thermos, ignoring his comment. "Just drive. I’m tired."

She had gotten less than five hours of sleep last night and had been using her brain all day; her head was starting to throb with a dull ache.

The car started up as requested. Less than ten minutes later, just as Xu Su had instructed, it pulled over at the bus stop next to the Hongde Textile Factory.

As she was about to get out, Zhou Mochen handed her a shopping bag.

Xu Su looked up at him.

"It’s a scarf and gloves. Susu, if you don’t start keeping your hands warm, they’re going to crack."

Xu Su glared at him. "Don’t call me that. I can buy my own scarf and gloves."

Zhou Mochen watched her, a flicker in his eyes. "Are you sure you want to discuss this with me right here?"

She could never exchange more than a few normal sentences with him. Xu Su felt her anger rising again. "Can you stop being so controlling all the time? If you want to give me something, do I not even have the right to refuse?"

He sighed. "You can refuse. But Xu Su, can you please not be so resistant to me? I don’t recall doing anything wrong."

Zhou Mochen was genuinely distressed. He truly didn’t know what he had done to make this girl so guarded. From the moment they first met until now, no matter how he acted, the girl he liked was always prickly and defensive toward him.

Xu Su’s feelings were complicated.

Admittedly, in this lifetime, Zhou Mochen had been relatively normal so far. But Xu Su had her memories from a past life, and to her, the mistakes he had committed in that life were still mistakes.

"I’m still a minor. For you to express your feelings for me is, in itself, wrong," Xu Su said slowly. "You monitor my life and you threaten me. Don’t deny it. Did you not threaten me this very morning?"

The retort on the tip of Zhou Mochen’s tongue died before it could escape.

He had, in fact, emphasized his ’bottom line.’ From Xu Su’s perspective, that was definitely a threat.

Since there was no avoiding him, come what may, Xu Su patiently tried to teach him a lesson.

"Zhou Mochen, you need to learn how to like someone in a normal way. No girl likes being coerced and threatened."

Xu Su felt she was being painstakingly patient with her advice. In her past life, when Zhou Mochen eventually came to regret his actions, he had even apologized to her with red-rimmed eyes.

’Not that he deserved an ounce of pity. He got what was coming to him.’

’But now, none of that has happened yet. I’m still perfectly fine, and I don’t want to walk down the same path as my past life. Teaching him now is my way of saving myself.’

Unexpectedly, Zhou Mochen’s expression slowly darkened. He stared at her, his eyes growing stormy and filled with scrutiny. "You sound pretty experienced, don’t you?"

’From the look on his face, I can tell he’s already jumped to some ridiculous conclusion.’

Stifling her frustration and feeling utterly helpless, Xu Su glanced at the time. It wasn’t even ten o’clock yet. She decided she could spare a few more words.