Forced into a romantic relationship

Chapter 366 Not Afraid at All

"What's wrong with you?"

Xiao Xiaoxiao looked at Han Zhou, who had returned to the living room, with a suspicious expression. Seeing that he looked dazed and gloomy, she couldn't help but wonder, "Did you see a ghost too?"

Han Zhou shook his head and pressed his shoulder, which was still throbbing slightly: "Gu Zheng just asked me whether she and Yi Xia are 'Zheng Xia Liu' or 'Xia Zheng Liu'."

He sat down on the sofa, sighed, and said, "It means who's better between the two."

Xiao Xiaoxiao was stunned for a moment, then said with schadenfreude, "Tsk, that really was a death trap question... And then, how did you answer it?"

She picked up the cup on the table, gently blew on the hot coffee inside, and took a sip.

The bitter taste spread across her tongue, causing her to frown slightly.

It's so bitter, I really don't understand why anyone would like to drink this kind of stuff...

"I said I'm rather vulgar."

"puff!"

Xiao Xiaoxiao spat out all the coffee she had just drunk.

"Cough cough cough! What did you say?"

Han Zhou did not answer. After a moment of silence, he sighed expressionlessly: "Xiao Xiao, I have a favor to ask of you."

"What...what happened?"

Han Zhou wiped his face hard, took a deep breath, and said with a look of utter despair, "Could you please stop drinking when you're listening to me talk in the future?"

This wasn't the first time he'd been sprayed with water by this guy.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to, I'll wipe it for you!"

Xiao Xiaoxiao blushed slightly and quickly pulled out a tissue to help wipe the coffee stains off the other person's body.

"No need, I can do it myself."

Han Zhou stopped the flustered girl, took the tissue from her, and while wiping his face, glanced at the remaining coffee in her cup and asked curiously, "Why are you suddenly drinking coffee?"

He remembered that Xiao Xiaoxiao, like him, didn't like coffee. It was just too bitter, and even with sugar, it didn't taste any better.

"Because I need to stay alert." Perhaps feeling apologetic, Xiao Xiaoxiao patiently replied, "I'm a little sleepy, but I don't want to go to bed so early."

She picked up the cup on the coffee table, intending to take another sip of coffee, but quickly remembered Han Zhou's "request" and put the cup down again.

"It's already past ten o'clock, which isn't early. If you're sleepy but not going to sleep, what are you planning to do?" Han Zhou asked suspiciously.

"I don't know, but I don't want to go to bed early."

"why?"

"We just finished eating, shouldn't we wait a while for it to digest before going to sleep?"

Xiao Xiao rested her chin on her hands and said seriously, "Besides, I can only stay in this villa for two days. I may never have the chance to live in such a big villa again in my life, so I must enjoy the feeling of living in a villa as much as possible and not waste time sleeping."

She kept her eyes downcast, and although she kept talking about the villa, her eyes were fixed on Han Zhou's face through the coffee table.

"You're really quite frugal..."

Han Zhou didn't notice Xiao Xiaoxiao spying on him. He chuckled and shook his head, then suddenly thought of something and said worriedly, "But what if you don't sleep and end up summoning the 'ghost' again?"

"So what if you confess? Didn't you always say you never had a chance to see that so-called 'ghost' with your own eyes?"

Xiao Xiaoxiao yawned, rested her chin on her hands, and looked out the window, seemingly unconcerned. "Isn't this a perfect opportunity?"

Han Zhou was stunned. He had indeed been looking for an opportunity to see the "ghost" that Xiao Xiaoxiao had summoned, but the problem was that he wasn't alone in the villa. There were also Gu Zheng, Mo Yixia, and others. Even if the "ghost" was likely harmless, he was worried that it might put them in danger.

After a moment's hesitation, he said cautiously, "I need to discuss this with everyone."

"up to you."

Xiao Xiaoxiao nodded, then thought for a moment and reminded him, "By the way, there's also the matter of Wang Lengqiu. Everyone seems to be very concerned about what kind of relationship you two have. Have you thought about how to explain it?"

She gave Han Zhou a disdainful look.

"What's that look in your eyes?"

"Of course, it's a suspicious look," the girl said irritably. "You scumbag, you can even fool someone with a guzheng, who knows if you can fool others too?"

"Don't talk nonsense." Han Zhou was a little guilty. "I had no choice..."

"Tch, you'd better think about how you're going to explain this first."

Xiao Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes, stopped talking, and gulped down her coffee.

Wang Lengqiu...

Han Zhou smiled bitterly, having already made his decision.

There's no need to hide Wang Lengqiu's story from everyone. After all, it happened many years ago, so long ago that his memory of it is somewhat hazy. Now, it might just be a childhood memory worth cherishing.

Although he didn't know why Wang Lengqiu could remember so clearly, and even seemed to be bound by that past, he couldn't let the other person's bound past bind his present.

People always have to look forward.

Of course, if he is truly the one causing the other person's inner conflict, then as the one who started it, he will not choose to run away, but will try to help the other person get out of the conflict.

In short, it's best to face this kind of thing calmly. Besides, he also needs to confirm the truthfulness of what Xia Qing said from Wang Lengqiu.

I just don't know if everyone can accept the "childhood sweetheart" setting...

Thinking of this, Han Zhou looked at the status bar and found the side quest related to Wang Lengqiu.

[Side quest unlocked: Target character Wang Lengqiu is trapped in the past and has isolated himself in a unique way. Please help him break free from any state. Completing the quest will earn you 80 points and allow you to extract one enhancement skill from the target.]

Dwelling on the past... This task description might corroborate the truth of what Xia Qing said to some extent. As for the unique way of self-isolation... could it be referring to "stick figures"?
He pondered for a moment, then looked around and asked, "Where is Senior Sister?"

"Here."

Xiao Xiaoxiao was shoveling coffee into her mouth with a bitter expression when she heard this and pointed with her chin toward the study.

Looking at the girl with her brows furrowed in apparent distress, Han Zhou's lips twitched: "You really aren't planning on sleeping tonight..."

"I want you to take care of it!"

The study was next to the living room. It was a small space with a simple bookshelf, but no books were on it, so Zhong Ling obviously wasn't there to read.

As soon as Han Zhou entered, he saw Zhong Ling standing by the window. The girl looked serene, as if she was gazing at the torrential rain outside. One hand was on the small cloth bag at her waist, and it was unclear what she was thinking.

He initially wanted to knock, but after thinking about it, he decided it would be better to remain quiet. So he tiptoed to a spot behind the other person to avoid disturbing their thoughts.

"Junior, you're here."

However, just as he reached the window, he heard the soft and gentle sound of bells.

Like the living room, the view from the study window was equally dark, with a hazy mist covering the glass. The reflection in the glass showed the interior of the study, including the two figures. No wonder they were spotted as soon as they entered…

Han Zhou gave a wry smile: "Sorry, senior, did I bother you?"

"No."

Zhong Ling shook her head gently, a faint smile appearing on her face. Perhaps worried that the other party wouldn't believe her, she emphasized again, "Really, no."

"It's fine if you don't."

Han Zhou smiled, leaned closer to her, looked outside, and asked curiously, "Senior, what are you looking at?"

We can't see anything outside right now, so the senior student can't possibly be looking at herself in the mirror by the window, can she?

“I’m watching the rain,” Zhong Ling said softly.

"rain?"

"Well, I didn't really like rainy days before, especially heavy rain like this. It easily reminds me of some unhappy things." Zhong Ling tugged at the small cloth bag at her waist, looking somewhat uneasy.

Han Zhou suppressed his smile. He understood the reason behind it. Ever since Zhong Ling's parents died unexpectedly in the rainstorm, she had been traumatized by such weather.

After a moment of silence, he cautiously probed, "What I meant by 'I didn't like it before' was..."

"Actually, I don't like it now either." Zhong Ling lowered her head somewhat shyly, "But I have to try to accept it, so I can't always make my sister worry."

A blinding white light suddenly tore through the sky, and deafening thunder roared outside the window. She instinctively wanted to back away, but she forced herself to.

Han Zhou pretended not to see it and said thoughtfully, "So you're trying to make yourself able to withstand the downpour this way?"

He suddenly remembered the torrential rain not long ago, the day he went to the zoo with Mo Yixia and Zhong Ling. The rain that day was even heavier than tonight, but Zhong Ling often stood by the hotel window and looked into the distance.

It turns out that she had already started trying to bravely face the rainstorm back then.

"Hmm, though I don't know if it will work."

“It will definitely be useful,” Han Zhou smiled. “But why did you specifically come to the study?”

Zhong Ling smiled and shook her head: "With Xiao Xiao in the living room, the effect might not be very good."

"Does that mean it works better when one person is involved?"

"Ah."

"It seems I have indeed bothered you after all."

Han Zhou sighed softly and turned to leave.

"No, no, no...that's not it!"

Zhong Ling froze for a moment, then quickly turned around and grabbed him, saying nervously, "That's not what I meant..."

"I know I know."

Han Zhou was surprised by the strong reaction and felt a little embarrassed. He quickly explained, "Don't get excited, senior. I was just joking."

"Really...really?"

"Really, I promise I won't make that kind of joke again next time, don't be angry," Han Zhou assured him.

Zhong Ling is a very serious girl, and she often takes jokes seriously. He needs to be more careful in the future.

"No, I'm not angry. It's just that people rarely joke with me before, and sometimes I don't quite understand... but I really don't mind."

Zhong Ling shook her head, clutching her small cloth bag, and explained somewhat anxiously, "I've always enjoyed watching you chat with Yixia and Guzheng. It's really interesting to watch you talk. Actually, I'd love to chat with you like they do, but I don't seem to have the talent for it. I've told my sister a few jokes, but she always says they're lame..."

She lowered her head somewhat embarrassed.

Given how much Yin-jie dotes on her senior, even she can find it lame, so the senior's joke must really be lame...

Han Zhou sighed inwardly, then said helplessly, "What's the big deal? Everyone always says my jokes are lame."

Zhong Ling paused, seemingly puzzled, and hesitated before saying, "But I've always found my junior's jokes very funny..."

"Really?" Han Zhou's eyes lit up.

"Yes what's the matter?"

"Senior, you have excellent taste!"

Han Zhou was deeply moved. In all this time, Zhong Ling was the first person to say that his jokes weren't funny. After confirming that she was telling the truth, he felt like he had met a kindred spirit and immediately told a joke that he thought was very funny.

Zhong Ling waited silently for two seconds, then asked timidly, "Um... is it over?"

"Yes, it's over." Han Zhou looked at her expectantly. "Senior, what do you think?"

Zhong Ling hesitated for a moment, then cautiously replied, "My sister said that being able to tell a joke in a lame way is a skill, so we don't need to turn on the air conditioner in the summer..."

Han Zhou felt as if he had been stabbed in the heart.

Zhong Ling's meaning was quite clear: she thought the joke was lame.

"Junior, are you alright?"

"It's nothing, I just feel like Sister Yin's jokes aren't really that heartwarming..."

Han Zhou said sourly, then casually changed the subject, "Speaking of which, senior, aren't you afraid of seeing that 'ghost' that Teacher Ouyang mentioned when you're all alone here?"

Zhong Ling first shook her head, then nodded slightly, and said somewhat embarrassedly, "I am indeed a little scared. I am actually very timid, but I don't believe there are ghosts in this world."

At this point, her eyes dimmed for a moment, but quickly returned to normal, and a faint smile appeared on her face.

Because if ghosts really exist, then you can see your parents, right...?

Han Zhou sighed inwardly, but didn't ask the question aloud. He simply stood quietly beside the girl, watching the heavy rain outside the window with her.

However, the sky was dark at this time, and nothing could be seen outside the window. It was more like listening to the rain than watching it.

"really weird."

Zhong Ling suddenly spoke, as if she were talking to herself.

"What?" he asked.

"nothing."

Zhong Ling smiled faintly and shook her head, only uttering the question that puzzled her in her heart—

Why am I not scared at all when I'm with my junior classmates?

Is it because the other person is a boy?

(End of this chapter)