Chapter 173: Chapter 173: His Clinginess… Annoyed Her.

Qian Jia was taken aback. “Susu, aren’t you being a little extreme as a big sister? It’s either no dating at all, or she can get a new boyfriend every month…”

’A new boyfriend every month… What kind of logic is that? And you’d have no objections…’

“Sounds like you’re just exposing your own intentions,” Huang Feng said with a wicked grin and a look that said, ’I’m onto you.’ “If I had your face, I’d get a new boyfriend every week. Gotta give every handsome guy a home, right?”

Chen Ni’s face flushed with embarrassment. “Susu, if you keep talking like that, I’m going to get mad for real.”

Xu Su had no time to soothe her sister. She pointed a trembling finger at Huang Feng. “That’s not it, I didn’t mean that, don’t make things up!”

She scrambled to explain, “I just said it off the cuff! It’s like what our literature teacher always says, right? That you can only date after you get into a good university?”

A certain someone’s gaze from nearby felt almost tangible. Xu Su glared furiously at Huang Feng. ’What does she mean, “exposing my own intentions”?’

’This traitorous best friend!’

’Xi Zirong is right here listening! How dare that silly Fengfeng tease me like that!’

’Does she think my life is too peaceful or something?’

He was already so insecure to begin with. Xu Su could pretty much guess what was going through Xi Zirong’s mind right now…

Sure enough, after lunch, Grandma Xu went to her room for a nap. To avoid disturbing her, the group gathered to study at Uncle Xu’s house, with slices of sweet, thirst-quenching watermelon next to them.

Xu Su had only stepped back for a moment to grab a book when Xi Zirong cornered her in the room.

“Are you still mad about last night?” Worried about upsetting her, he didn’t dare to hug her. He simply lowered his head and asked softly, “Don’t be mad anymore. I won’t do that again, okay?”

Grandma was sleeping in the next room, and Xu Su really didn’t want the two of them to be alone together.

She frowned. “This isn’t the place to talk. Please move.”

She kept her voice down, terrified her grandmother would hear.

Xi Zirong paused, then grabbed her hand. “You’ve been giving me the cold shoulder all day, and it’s making me anxious. Can I just have a hug?”

Xu Su froze for a second. ’He’s so sensitive.’

Although part of it was to avoid raising suspicion, she had, in fact, been more deliberate about keeping her distance from him today compared to yesterday.

So, even this slight change in her behavior was enough for Xi Zirong to notice and become this flustered.

While she was still lost in thought, he pulled her into an embrace.

Xi Zirong took a deep breath, feeling his ever-anxious heart finally begin to calm.

He nuzzled the top of her head. “A new boyfriend every month… Susu, you’re not actually planning on that, are you?”

“…” ’I knew he would take what Huang Feng said to heart.’ Xu Su explained with a sigh, “We’ve been together for almost a year now. If I really planned on doing that, I would have had tons of boyfriends already.”

That explanation was apparently not the best one, because the arm around her waist suddenly tightened, practically crushing her against him.

“Be good. Don’t say things that hurt me,” he stressed. “Not even as a joke.”

Xu Su closed her eyes, exhausted. “Don’t listen to Huang Feng’s nonsense. You’re acting so paranoid. We’ve been together this long; don’t you know if I’ve ever paid the slightest bit of attention to any other guy?”

She was practically a social hermit when it came to other guys. Knowing her boyfriend was a jealous mess, Xu Su had always been mindful of her boundaries. She never gave other male classmates a second glance. For the past year, she had even been trying her hardest to keep her distance from Zhou Mochen.

If it weren’t for her experiences as an Apiao, Xu Su would still be avoiding Zhou Mochen like the plague.

Plans can’t always keep up with reality, let alone something as fickle as the human heart.

’She used to find Zhou Mochen absolutely repulsive. He was so horrible, trapping her through coercion, trying to tame her and make her docile and obedient, and even deluding himself into thinking he could win her true affection…’

’But now, she felt he didn’t deserve such condemnation. Looking back, he had always treated her well. Even when he got angry, his threats were only verbal. She had provoked him to the point of tears several times, yet he never once laid a hand on her.’

’Xu Su had known for a long time that, in front of her, Zhou Mochen was just a paper tiger—all bark and no bite.’

’But she could never bring herself to forgive how their story began. Not until she went back and saw it all again, saw the wretched state he was in… That was the first time Xu Su had ever felt so much pain for a man.’

’Xu Su realized that she couldn’t be as indifferent to Zhou Mochen’s life or death as she’d believed. More than that, she even felt a pang of empathy…’

’Whether it was pity, gratitude, or more likely, a reason she still refused to admit to herself… all in all, Xu Su now truly wanted to be kinder to Zhou Mochen. Kinder still.’

Her mind was completely filled with thoughts of Zhou Mochen, right up until Xi Zirong’s face loomed large before her eyes.

Xu Su jerked her head to the side, dodging his kiss.

Xi Zirong’s expression darkened, his lips landing on her cheek instead. “What are you thinking about? Susu, why do you always space out when I’m holding you?”

“…” Xu Su was at a loss for words.

’Being kinder to Zhou Mochen would first require breaking up with Xi Zirong, so…’

Xu Su looked up at the boy in front of her. He was watching her with a calm, steady gaze. When he saw her look up, he leaned in to kiss her again.

Afraid she would pull away again, Xi Zirong cupped her chin, forcing her lips to part slightly before lowering his head to claim the lips he’d been longing for.

Kissing her in the very room she’d grown up in, pressing her against the door. The boy’s technique had clearly improved; his kiss was gentle but earnest, and Xu Su felt her lips tingling.

She didn’t dare struggle too hard, terrified of waking her grandmother. She couldn’t even let out a whimper, forced to simply tilt her head back and endure the kiss as involuntary tears welled at the corners of her eyes.

Afraid her neck would get sore, he reflexively reached up to massage the nape of her neck as he continued to kiss her passionately. By the time he finished, Xu Su’s legs were so weak she could barely stand, and he had to keep an arm wrapped around her waist to hold her up against the door.

The boy was surprisingly strong. His eyes swam with affection as he moved his lips to the corners of her eyes, kissing away the tears that dampened her lashes.

He was so gentle, yet so domineering. ’How can one person be such a contradiction?’ It was the first time his kiss had made her go weak, and the first time she clearly realized that Xi Zirong had truly changed.

This was no longer the boy whose face and ears would flush red at the drop of a hat. He was now a cheetah—one that looked elegant and satisfied on the surface but was ready to pounce and devour its prey at any moment.

“Are you alright?” Xi Zirong’s voice was a little hoarse, laced with amusement. “You seem a bit unsteady on your feet.”

“…” Despite herself, Xu Su’s face flushed uncontrollably.

’Just who taught him all this?!’

Her flustered, angry expression was breathtaking. Xi Zirong watched her through lowered lids, his jaw tight and his expression strained with restraint.

Xu Su turned her head, avoiding his gaze, and pushed at the hand on her waist. “Can you let go now? I’ve been in here for too long.”

Her voice was unnaturally cold, completely devoid of the intimacy from moments before and betraying no emotion.

Xi Zirong stared down at her for a long moment. When he finally spoke, his voice was tinged with hurt. “Susu, don’t be so cold to me. It hurts my feelings.”

“…This isn’t the place to talk, Xi Zirong. We’ve been gone for way too long. They’re going to notice.” Xu Su was fuming, an uncontrollable irritation rising within her. ’Why is he so damn annoying?’

’So annoying, with absolutely no sense of time or place!’

’Petty and overly sensitive, he’d completely lost the gentle, polite manner of the boy he once was.’

’No matter what she did, he was constantly worried and insecure. His clinginess was… exasperating.’

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep