Forced into a romantic relationship

Chapter 119 A broken bone on the first day of school
"Then could you tell me... what acupoints are on your thigh?"

As the zither began to tremble slightly, Han Zhou was startled and quickly looked down at his hands.

He was dumbfounded when he saw that his right hand had somehow ended up on the girl's thigh, while she was stiffly trying to hold down the hem of her skirt.

Who, who is manipulating my body?

He coughed twice, not answering immediately, but instead supporting the guzheng's leg with one hand and taking out his phone from his pocket with the other, saying in a deep voice, "Wait a minute, I need to reply to a message."

Gu Zheng didn't speak, just stared straight at him, a faint blush remaining on her face.

Han Zhou pretended to look at his phone and even typed a few words, seemingly replying to a message, saying, "There are many acupoints on the thigh, mainly including Futu, Yinshi, Liangqiu, Jimen, Xuehai, Chengfu, Yinmen, Fuxi, Fengshi, Zhongdu, Yinbao, Bai..."

Are you sure you didn't just find these online?

Guzheng interrupted him, clearly having seen through his attempt to bluff his way out of the situation.

Han Zhou replied without changing his expression, "Of course not."

"Then let me see your phone."

"No, a cell phone is a matter of personal privacy; you can't just let anyone see it," Han Zhou said righteously.

"I'll just take a look, I won't rummage through it."

"That's not OK."

"Just take a look!"

"No."

Gu Zheng looked displeased and stared at Han Zhou for a while, but in the end she gave up the idea of ​​snatching the phone from him. She knew that this guy's phone was brand new and that he had learned his lesson and specially put on a tempered glass screen protector. He treasured it all the time and was afraid that she would accidentally break it.

"If you don't want to give it, then don't. How stingy."

She pouted and turned her head away in a huff, seemingly not intending to pursue the matter of her thigh being touched earlier.

This made Han Zhou a little embarrassed. He really didn't expect that his usually imposing image would collapse like this today. But it couldn't be entirely his fault. He was mainly distracted while chatting with Guzheng, and his hands were acting purely on instinct...

That's right, this has nothing to do with him.

Although he was trying his best to defend himself, Han Zhou decided to apologize properly. To be honest, it was only because of Gu Zheng that he was being treated this way. If it were anyone else, they probably wouldn't have given him a chance to apologize at all, and might have already called the police.

However, Guzheng seemed unconcerned. She stared out the window for a while, then suddenly glanced at him and asked casually, "How...how is it?"

"How about what?"

"my leg……"

Han Zhou seemed to have asked a similar question before. He paused for a moment, then carefully put the girl's right leg down and replied, "It should be almost healed. Try moving it around and see if it still hurts."

Seeing that Gu Zheng's expression wasn't good, he raised an eyebrow and asked anxiously, "What's wrong? Does it still hurt a lot?"

Although it was just a minor sprain, the treatment cost a full eight points, so it should have been quite effective. He still had some confidence in his status bar.

Seeing that this guy was pretending to be stupid again, Guzheng was furious. She took a deep breath and gritted her teeth, saying, "It doesn't hurt!"

Han Zhou was bewildered for a moment, then asked in confusion, "If it doesn't hurt you, why are you angry?"

"I'm not asking about my ankle, I'm asking about my leg, my thigh! Understand?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the car fell silent.

Han Zhou paused for a few seconds, then asked uncertainly, "Do you mean you want me to comment on the feel of the hand?"

Gu Zheng didn't say anything, but just glared at him angrily, but her meaning was already self-evident.

Han Zhou was stunned for a moment, wondering how he could possibly comment on this... Just as he was about to speak, a classic line from a movie in his past life suddenly popped into his mind, and he curled his lips into a wicked smile.

"Very smooth."

Very...very moisturizing?
Gu Zheng's face instantly turned bright red.

She regretted asking the question as soon as she finished, as if she enjoyed being touched by this guy. Who knew Han Zhou would give such a reply and smile so lewdly? If it were someone else sitting in front of her, she might have punched them already.

Looking at the blushing girl in front of him, Han Zhou laughed heartily, and took a quick photo with his phone before she could react, saying, "Didn't someone say they weren't shy?"

Gu Zheng felt a little embarrassed and annoyed upon hearing this. Realizing her loss of composure, she pretended to be calm and said, "I'm not embarrassed! It's not like I haven't let you touch my thigh before, what's there to be embarrassed about?"

Han Zhou thought for a moment: "Are you referring to the time you carried me in the princess carry?"

He was referring to the time he played games at Lin Youya's house.

"Yeah, it's not the first time, there's nothing to be ashamed of."

"But you blushed terribly back then too."

"That's because it's hot!"

"Really? But didn't both of these times have air conditioning?"

"you are annoying!"

"..."

Gu Zheng punched Han Zhou.

Looking at the sullen girl so close to him, Han Zhou suddenly lost his composure.

He knew very well that the only girl who could be so tolerant of him was Guzheng. She wouldn't get angry even if her thigh was touched, but would instead pretend to be generous and let him give his opinion.

He could tell that Guzheng liked him a little. This guy's feelings were written all over his face, it was hard not to see it. When he wasn't being competitive, he was just adorably straightforward.

And what about me? What do I think?
Since learning that he has a terminal illness, Han Zhou has rarely faced his own feelings and has subconsciously suppressed his emotions. Perhaps because he has been given a second chance at life, he has more concerns than before, worrying about burdening others and always subconsciously considering the more distant future.

If the future is uncertain, then he will not respond.

However, the future seems to be gradually becoming clearer now. Although it is still full of uncertainties, it is not completely unpredictable.

Should he then confront his own conscience from now on?

Seeing Han Zhou staring at her, Gu Zheng felt a little uncomfortable and snorted, "Why are you staring at me like that?"

Han Zhou pulled himself out of his complicated thoughts and suddenly laughed, "I was wondering whether you're more like a boy or a girl."

Gu Zheng was lost in thought for a moment, then suddenly became nervous. She silently straightened her posture, placed her hands folded on her lap, and, looking somewhat ladylike, asked casually, "Really? So, what have you thought about it?"

There's a reason she's been practicing her cooking skills like crazy lately. It's just because her mother mentioned that girls who can cook are more feminine, which is why she's become interested in cooking.

Even though she later found out that her mother had only said that to trick her into cooking, she still cared a lot. After all, Han Zhou's cooking was delicious, and what if she couldn't cook as well as him?
Moreover, Han Zhou has rarely commented on her. Although she doesn't care much about it, she still wants to know Han Zhou's opinion when she occasionally thinks about other people's evaluations of her, but she has never been able to find an opportunity to ask.

How does this guy really see himself?
If it's a potential romantic relationship in the future, then he would definitely treat her as a girl, but if he treats her as a boy... Thinking of all the possible answers, Guzheng became increasingly nervous, her heart raced uncontrollably, and she unconsciously gripped the hem of her skirt.

She could be seen as a "bullet-headed girl" by anyone, but she didn't want Han Zhou to see her that way.

Seeing Gu Zheng's increasingly tense gaze, Han Zhou smiled without saying a word, simply placing the photos he had just taken in front of her.

The girl in the photo has a flushed face, like a ripe apple, but she tries to appear calm and composed, her gaze drifting out the window as if she doesn't care at all.

That's so stupid...

Seeing how embarrassing she looked in the photo, Gu Zheng resisted the urge to snatch the phone and delete it, and angrily asked, "What do you mean?"

She knew Han Zhou wouldn't say anything nice, but she never expected him to use an unflattering photo to mock her.

She swore that if this guy didn't give her a proper explanation, she would...

No, I'll ignore this guy for two...one day!

Isn't my meaning obvious?

Han Zhou smiled, and although his tone sounded like he was joking, Gu Zheng could tell that he was serious.

"She's so cute when she's shy, of course she's a girl."

Taking advantage of the moment when he wasn't looking, Han Zhou raised his hand and took another picture.

The girl in the photo is somewhat lost in thought, looking down at her toes, her hands clutching the hem of her skirt, a blush spreading from her face all the way to her ears, but she is completely unaware of it.

"Nonsense...nonsense..."

It was the answer she most wanted to hear, but Guzheng continued to play steadily, turning her head slightly and muttering a rebuttal.

She felt her face getting hot, and her heart seemed to be beating faster, pounding loudly. She wondered if anyone could hear her.

Despite her heart beating so fast, she no longer felt nervous.

Because she could see very clearly that Han Zhou's ears had turned slightly red.

Although it's only a little bit, it's still considered a bit of fame.

This guy is clearly the one who's shy!
……

September 2nd, sunny.

As the most prestigious key university in Lincheng, Lincheng University, despite bearing the name "Lincheng," is located on the outskirts of Lincheng, bordering several cities. Every year, students apply from all over the country, making the enrollment season exceptionally lively.

Today marks the start of the freshman year at Lincheng University.

Near the main gate, a group of second-year male students were carefully "inspecting" this year's freshmen.

A tall male student was very satisfied and eager to try, saying, "The quality of this year's freshmen is very high. I just saw no less than ten pretty female freshmen. Now that I'm in the student council, I can act like a senior. I wonder if I'll have the chance to meet a few pretty female freshmen this year."

"There are plenty of pretty female freshmen, but there are also many handsome male freshmen, and they're all quite good." A thin boy pushed up his glasses, a reserved smile on his face. "I really like him."

"Whether the junior is handsome or not is none of your business! Are you gay?!" The people around were shocked and took several steps back.

"Vulgar." The bespectacled boy sneered, "I just have eyes that appreciate beauty, unlike you guys who only know how to be lustful."

"Hehe, it's a shame that someone with eyes that appreciate beauty could develop 500 degrees of myopia. It's like the heavens are jealous of talent."

"I heard this guy became nearsighted because he watched too many action movies, right?"

"No, is the action movie you're talking about the one I'm thinking of?"

"..."

As the group chatted idly, a burly boy walked over, panting, looking at them with a disappointed expression. He said earnestly, "The weak are dreaming, the strong have already started taking action. Look at Lao Liu and the others, they've been waiting at the school gate since early this morning to help the female students move their things. You guys, looking like this, still want to find a girlfriend?"

The bespectacled boy looked at him with pity: "I remember you also started helping the female students move things early this morning, right? So, have you gotten even a single teleport signal yet?"

The burly man looked a little awkward and quickly explained, "What do you know? I'm playing the long game, trying to make a good impression first. Do you know what happened to those idiots, Lao Liu and his gang, who asked for flight signals after helping people move their stuff? They've been posted on the confession wall and are being called 'low-headed men'."

Seemingly feeling that his explanation was not convincing enough, he added, "Besides, the female students I met didn't have much to carry, so they probably don't understand how hard I worked."

"is it?"

The bespectacled boy gave a perfunctory reply, not wanting to say anything more, but suddenly his eyes lit up, and he pointed in the direction of the school gate and said, "That's perfect, your chance has come. That junior girl looks like she has a lot of things to move, and she's not bad looking either. If you go and help her, you might get a lot out of her."

The burly boy thought he was being tricked and looked over suspiciously, then froze on the spot.

Not only him, but almost everyone gathered at the school gate was startled by the short-haired girl carrying large and small bags who appeared outside the school gate.

The girl was dragging three suitcases, with a huge backpack slung over each shoulder. They were bulging and looked heavy. Several small bags were placed on the suitcases around her neck, and another bag was hanging around her neck. If you looked at her from a distance, you might not even see her slender figure. You would just think that a bunch of luggage had come to life and was moving on its own.

The girl didn't care about the stares of others. Since she couldn't use her hands, she tilted her head and held the phone between her left cheek and shoulder, as if she was on the phone with someone.

The burly boy stared wide-eyed. It was the first time he had ever seen a female freshman carrying so much luggage all by herself. The key was that this freshman was very beautiful and was clearly a strong contender for the title of "Most Beautiful Freshman". Seeing that some people around him were already eager to make their move, he immediately took a step forward and rushed over, arriving in front of the girl before everyone else.

"Yes, there was a bit of an accident. Han Zhou injured his hand. Senior Zhong Ling has already taken him to the hospital. I'll take my things to school first, and then I'll go to the hospital later."

"It's not serious, but he probably won't be able to move for a while. It's okay, I'll take care of him... Feeding him? It's not impossible, but you're supposed to be my own mother, right? How can you expect me to serve someone like this? Doesn't your conscience hurt?"

"Nonsense, what do you mean by raising me as a son-in-law? I've never even thought about such a thing. That guy is incredibly stupid."

"Really, there's no need to worry. There's no need to make a special trip. Everything will be fine."

Gu Zheng was reporting the day's unexpected events to Miao Yan'er when she suddenly noticed that the light in front of her had dimmed considerably, as if someone was blocking it. She glanced up and saw a burly young man standing in front of her with a big smile on his face.

"Is something the matter?" Gu Zheng asked, puzzled.

The burly, handsome man laughed heartily, trying to produce his loudest laugh, and said, "Haha, you must be a freshman, right? I see you're carrying so much luggage by yourself, it's not very convenient. Do you need any help?"

"I do not need it, thank you."

Gu Zheng refused directly, continuing to speak into the phone as she walked, "It's nothing. A senior wanted to help me carry some things, but of course I disagreed. Some of these things belong to Han Zhou and my senior, and it wouldn't be good if they got lost. I feel more at ease carrying them myself."

"It's not heavy, it's just a bit too heavy for my hands. I plan to register first and leave all my things in my dorm room..."

Seeing the short-haired female student walk past him with her luggage, the burly boy's smile froze, and he felt utterly hopeless.

This marks the sixth time today that he has been refused help after trying to offer assistance.

He'd rather carry all that luggage himself than ask him to help with any of it. What a failure!
However, he quickly regained his confidence because he was not alone in trying to strike up a conversation with this female student and help her with her luggage. There were even some kind-hearted girls, but they were all rejected by her.

She simply asked someone about the registration location, and then disappeared with a pile of luggage.

This part should logically be the transitional content before university, but I accidentally went off-topic, so I won't continue writing it. If needed, the class reunion part will be written as a side story or interlude later.

The phrase "Update first, then revise" is always deleted the next day because I feel it needs further revision. In fact, I quickly revise it again that night, around 2 AM. Due to the time constraints, I make about two more adjustments the next day, especially for important dialogue. Only then am I considered it finished and delete that line. It's not that I'm slacking off; if people think it's strange at first, they can take a look again later.
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(End of this chapter)