Forced into a romantic relationship

Chapter 135 Remembering Revenge and Gratitude

Thanks to two consecutive days of heavy rain, the temperature dropped significantly again. The sky was a clear blue, and the distant sunset was dotted with red clouds, like a young girl's slightly flushed cheeks.

The shop didn't have air conditioning, but the fan was blowing loudly, constantly lifting Gu Zheng's hair. She tucked her hair behind her ear with one hand, while the other hand kept picking at food. Her cheeks were bulging, her face was flushed, and a row of fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, clearly indicating that she was suffering from the spiciness.

Han Zhou, who was standing to the side, shook his head and leaned closer to whisper, "Don't eat so fast, no one's going to take it from you."

Gu Zheng glanced at him and said indistinctly, "If neither of you eats, it would be a waste if I don't eat either."

Han Zhou didn't expose her. The reason she ate so enthusiastically was because Xiao Xiaoxiao casually remarked, "Mildly spicy doesn't seem to have much flavor" and "How can it be called spicy hot pot if it's not spicy or numbing?" This seriously aroused Gu Zheng's competitive spirit, and she wanted to use this method to prove her ability to eat spicy food.

But this guy has never been able to handle spicy food. He can tolerate mild spice, but eating it like this while pretending to be nonchalant must be tough.

Fortunately, Han Zhou was a seasoned veteran and had a way of dealing with this. He smiled wryly and said, "It's not that I don't want to eat it, it's just that it's too spicy, so I can only eat it slowly."

"Is that so?" Gu Zheng's movements slowed down, and her cheeks stopped puffing out.

"Otherwise, I'll take a break. Don't eat so fast, leave some for me."

"Okay, if it's spicy, drink more water. I'll go get you a drink."

Guzheng was quite considerate; she got up and walked towards the refrigerator in the store.

Han Zhou suppressed a laugh. This guy clearly couldn't stand it and wanted to drink water, but that was exactly what he wanted. Gu Zheng wasn't that competitive in such trivial matters. She was satisfied as long as she proved that she wasn't the weakest. That's why he had just pretended to be weak.

Xiao Xiaoxiao, sitting across the table, looked puzzled. She only saw the two whisper a few words before Gu Zheng got up and left. She asked, her words muffled, "Where did she go?"

Han Zhou smiled and said, "Go get some water from the refrigerator."

Xiao Xiaoxiao ate exactly like Gu Zheng, both looking like starving ghosts who wouldn't stop until their mouths were full. Hearing this, she asked in confusion, "These aren't spicy at all, why are you bringing water?"

This was something Gu Zheng absolutely couldn't hear, so Han Zhou immediately changed the subject, saying, "I remember you said in class last night that you came from Beicheng?"

Beicheng is a coastal city, far from Lincheng. It is a well-known tourist attraction that draws a large number of visitors almost every year. However, Han Zhou rarely travels far and has never been to Beicheng before, so the possibility of him meeting Xiao Xiaoxiao in Beicheng can be ruled out.

"Yeah, you have a pretty good memory."

"Isn't Beicheng your hometown?"

Xiao Xiaoxiao shook her head: "No, I only stayed there for a while, back home..."

"What happened back home?" Han Zhou asked, perking up his ears.

"Why should I tell you?"

Xiao Xiaoxiao snapped out of her daze, rolled her eyes at him, clearly not wanting to say anything more, and asked instead, "That girl just now..."

"Her name is Guzheng."

"Yes, Guzheng, is Guzheng your girlfriend?" Xiao Xiaoxiao asked with a gossipy expression.

Han Zhou rolled his eyes at her, mimicking her gesture: "Why should I tell you?"

"Tch, I can tell even if you don't say it." Xiao Xiaoxiao pouted. "It's definitely not true. How could you possibly find such a beautiful girlfriend?"

Just then, Guzheng came back with three bottles of orange juice and said, "I forgot to ask Xiaoxiao what she wanted to drink, so I just got what I like."

She drinks everything, but her favorite is orange juice, especially iced orange juice.

Han Zhou raised an eyebrow and said, "You haven't forgotten my taste, have you? Why didn't you get me a Coke?"

Gu Zheng rolled her eyes at him: "You drink cola every day and aren't afraid of getting cavities? I'm already being kind by giving it to you, why are you complaining so much?"

The truth was that there was no Coke left in the refrigerator. Although the store quickly put some Pepsi in, Han Zhou didn't like drinking non-iced beverages on hot days and only liked Coca-Cola, so she simply took orange juice instead.

She kept a lot of Coca-Cola in her refrigerator, but Han Zhou had been unwell for a while, so she didn't dare give him Coca-Cola. She only gave him ice water each time, while she drank Coca-Cola for a long time until her teeth were sore.

"Thank you."

Seeing that Gu Zheng had handed her a bottle of orange juice, Xiao Xiaoxiao thanked her repeatedly, unscrewed the cap, took a sip, and her eyes lit up instantly.

Han Zhou couldn't help but chuckle, then looked at Gu Zheng and asked, "Why aren't you drinking?"

"I'm not thirsty."

Gu Zheng turned her head away guiltily. Of course, she couldn't tell Han Zhou that she had secretly drunk two bottles of mineral water when the two of them weren't paying attention.

Han Zhou didn't say anything, and the group continued eating. Gu Zheng's amazing appetite left Xiao Xiao speechless.

"By the way, did your class elect class officers yesterday?" Han Zhou suddenly asked after eating for a while.

"So, you're asking me if I ran for office?"

"I am indeed quite curious."

Gu Zheng shook her head and said, "I didn't participate. Being a class committee member is too tiring. I plan to try participating in the student council later, and if I have time, I'll join a club."

Han Zhou was taken aback: "You still want to join a club?"

He thought Guzheng would focus most of her energy on studying, but he didn't expect her to also plan to join a club.

"What's wrong with clubs? University is about trying new things and not having any regrets," Xiao Xiaoxiao interjected from across the table. "Anyway, I'm going to join a club."

“You’re right,” Gu Zheng laughed. “I plan to make the most of my strengths and join a suitable sports club. University is a place where you can try things you couldn’t before. I’m not a bookworm.”

Han Zhou breathed a sigh of relief, a relieved smile appearing on his face: "It's good that you think that way."

"Don't act like a doting father." Gu Zheng glared at him, displeased. "And you, are you planning to join the student council?"

"Do not."

"What about the clubs?"

"Do not."

"Then what do you want to do?"

"Find an opportunity to make some money."

Gu Zheng was taken aback, then realized that Han Zhou was different from her. He had no parents to take care of him, and he had to earn his own tuition and living expenses, unlike her who had so much free time.

Xiao Xiaoxiao didn't know Han Zhou's family situation and thought he just wanted to find a part-time job. She cleared her throat and said, "I found a part-time job in the cafeteria. Although the salary is not much, it includes lunch and dinner. I can start working after the military training is over. Do you want to come with me? If you do, I can ask around for you."

She felt the treatment was pretty good; she only worked two hours a day, which didn't take up too much time. It was only because Han Zhou treated her to a meal that she didn't tell anyone about this good thing.

"Thank you," Han Zhou said with a smile, "but never mind, I'm not interested in working part-time in the cafeteria."

His time can't be completely restricted, after all, he still needs to find the guzheng to farm points every day, so choosing lunch or dinner time would be good. He also needs to meet with Zhong Yin from time to time. Speaking of which, the other party hasn't contacted him for the past few days, perhaps he should take the initiative to ask how things are going...

Besides that, Han Zhou wanted a lot of money; the money from part-time jobs clearly didn't meet his expectations. Gu Zheng naturally understood Han Zhou's needs and thought for a moment, "I think it would be great if you opened a window at the cafeteria, or even a restaurant. You cook so well, you'd definitely make money."

Han Zhou smiled wryly and said, "Whether you open a window in the cafeteria or open a restaurant, you need capital, and one person definitely can't handle it. Running a roadside stall is more like it."

He did seriously consider the possibility of opening a restaurant. After all, he possessed the "Master of Cooking" skill and later obtained the "Home Chef" profession. Setting it to professional status would further enhance his cooking skills, allowing him to have culinary skills that rivaled those of a master chef. This level of skill was more than enough to open a restaurant.

As for the shop, he could ask Lin Anyu for help. Lin Anyu's family owns a restaurant. Even if he couldn't get a shop directly for him, he could give him a chance to showcase his culinary skills and maybe even get the chance to be the head chef.

In addition, Han Zhou has another advantage in this regard. You know, the food culture of his previous life is quite different from that of this world. In other words, some of the dishes from his previous life are completely new dishes in this world. It is not difficult to open a specialty restaurant. Who knows, he might even be able to try to go for a high-end route.

This path is actually feasible. Han Zhou thought about it for a long time during the summer vacation and had a relatively mature plan in mind. He even thought about taking action during his freshman year. However, as more and more statuses appeared in the status bar, he realized that he might be able to come up with other tricks, so he did not make a decision for the time being.

While thinking, Guzheng suddenly suggested, "Then open a roadside stall. I've heard it's quite profitable. I can help you."

"help me?"

Han Zhou was just saying it casually and never really thought about opening a roadside stall. He didn't expect Gu Zheng to take it seriously, so he jokingly asked, "What can you do for me?"

Gu Zheng thought for a moment, then said with a smug look, "Putting everything else aside, at least if I'm around, the city management officers definitely won't catch you."

Han Zhou shook his head and chuckled, "Although I trust you a lot, I have no intention of dealing with the city management officers, so let's forget about setting up a stall."

"Alright, are you all full? If you are, it's about time we went to the supermarket."

Gu Zheng finished the rest of the orange juice in one gulp, wiped her mouth with a tissue, and said, "I'm full, but why go to the supermarket?"

"Don't we need to bring gifts when visiting a patient?" Han Zhou said helplessly. "Let's go buy some fruit."

"Are you going to the supermarket too?" Xiao Xiaoxiao patted her bulging belly as she stood up. "That's perfect, I'm going to the supermarket too."

She wasn't just full; she was stuffed.

"Since it's on the way, what are you planning to buy?" Han Zhou asked curiously.

"I want you to take care of it!"

Xiao Xiaoxiao clearly didn't want to answer him.

Han Zhou didn't ask any more questions. After paying, he went to the supermarket with Gu Zheng and Xiao Xiaoxiao and picked out some apples and oranges in the fruit section.

However, considering that Ouyang Lianyu might not be able to peel oranges properly, and might not be able to tolerate eating apples without peeling them, he simply replaced both apples and oranges with grapes.

This thing is the easiest to eat; all you need is a mouth.

Xiao Xiaoxiao had slipped away at some point, probably not wanting him and Gu Zheng to see what she had bought. Han Zhou didn't mind; they were going to the hospital, and it was about time to part ways, so they decided to say goodbye here.

Unfortunately, as he passed a shelf, he turned his head and saw Xiao Xiaoxiao acting suspiciously.

Seeing that the items on the shelf weren't anything private, he immediately felt relieved and went up to ask, "How did you end up here?"

Hearing the voice, Xiao Xiaoxiao jumped and quickly hid the bag behind her back. When she realized it was Han Zhou, she immediately showed a displeased expression: "You scared me to death!"

Han Zhou, with his sharp eyes, noticed that the bag was full of insoles and asked in surprise, "Why did you buy so many insoles?"

Xiao Xiao stammered and hesitated to answer. Seeing that he was staring at her, she reluctantly replied, "You don't have to do military training, so of course you don't know. Standing at attention is exhausting. My feet hurt terribly every time. It's either the soles of my feet or my heels that hurt..."

"So you want to put on more insoles to relieve the pain?" Han Zhou continued her sentence.

"Yes, you disagree?"

"I'm not dissatisfied, I'm just curious what's so great about hiding it, it's not shameful..."

"none of your business!"

Xiao Xiao blushed and remained silent. Should she tell this guy that it was because her feet were too small and she didn't want him to see the size of her insoles?

Han Zhou could tell that the guy was a little embarrassed, so he simply stopped asking and looked at Gu Zheng, asking, "Standing at attention is really tiring. Do you want to buy some more insoles?"

"no need."

Gu Zheng shook her head, looking puzzled, and said, "I don't feel any pain in my feet. The instructor made me do several frog jumps today, and I didn't feel anything."

She was punished for the conflict she had on the playground the day before yesterday, but Liu Qiumin was punished even more severely because the instructors believed she bore primary responsibility for what happened that day.

Seeing Gu Zheng's composure, Xiao Xiaoxiao was filled with respect. She wished she could have such strong physical fitness someday, since none of her roommates ever stopped complaining of pain.

The three of them went to the cashier to pay. Han Zhou stared at Xiao Xiaoxiao for a while and couldn't help but ask, "Xiaoxiao, can you tell me about your past?"

"Why?"

Xiao Xiaoxiao snorted and rolled her eyes so hard they almost reached the sky.

Han Zhou coaxed, "Look, don't we both feel like we've met before? It's probably not a misperception. Don't you want to know when we actually met?"

Not long ago, Gu Zheng once again pointed out in an uncertain tone that she seemed to have some impression of Xiao Xiaoxiao, but couldn't remember what it was. This made Han Zhou feel even more strange and that it was necessary to find out the truth.

Xiao Xiaoxiao's interest was piqued. She was also curious about the truth behind the matter, but her expression clearly showed some hesitation. Suddenly realizing something, she asked warily, "Then why don't you tell me about your past first?"

"Of course I'll also tell you that if we can find any similar place in our experiences, things become very simple."

Xiao Xiaoxiao still hesitated, shaking her head like a rattle drum: "No, I'm not familiar with you, how can I just tell you about my past?"

"Alright then," Han Zhou said with a shrug, not pressing the issue. "Tell me after we've gotten to know each other better."

Xiao Xiao was right. They had only met a few times, and it was indeed not the right time for them to reveal their past to each other. Besides, he didn't like to force others to do things.

The group lined up at the cashier. Xiao Xiaoxiao looked at Han Zhou for a while, then suddenly her eyes lit up and she said, "It's not that I can't tell you now."

Han Zhou was quite familiar with this sentence structure, and sighed, "There's a 'but' at the end, right?"

Xiao Xiaoxiao nodded: "But you have to do me a favor."

"What's the deal?"

"I'm the kind of person who remembers both grudges and kindness. If you can help me get revenge, I'll remember your kindness this time and then tell you about my past."

Han Zhou didn't want to listen to nonsense and went straight to the point: "Just tell me how I can help you, and I'll think about it."

Finding back the memory of their first meeting would be mutually beneficial for both him and Xiao Xiaoxiao, and neither of them would owe the other anything. He wouldn't make things difficult for himself if it was too much trouble.

"It's very simple..."

Xiao Xiaoxiao took a deep breath, her eyes suddenly reddened, and she gritted her teeth, saying, "Just help me find that bastard who stole my takeout!"

(End of this chapter)