Locking away my heart and love! Going back to 2000 to be a top student again.

After Xi Zirong rode her bicycle away, she packed her clothes and prepared to wash up.

After washing up, it was almost 10 o'clock, and there were still two hours until New Year's Eve.

Xu Su lost interest in studying. It was too cold, so she turned off the living room lights, took out her fully charged phone, grabbed an English book, and curled up on the bed, planning to read for a while before going to sleep.

I hadn't checked my phone all day, and sure enough, there was a text message from Zhou Mochen.

7:15 AM: Are you up yet? Are you spending the Lunar New Year at your own home or at your grandpa's?

Around 1 PM: Have you finished eating? Haven't you checked your phone yet? Xu Su, remember to reply when you see this message.

A message at 6 PM: "So busy today? Haven't checked your phone once all day? Or are you deliberately ignoring me?"

The last message was sent 15 minutes ago: Xu Su, I don't care if you really didn't check your phone or are deliberately ignoring me, if I don't receive your reply by midnight tonight, I guarantee you'll see me tomorrow morning.

Xu Su: ......

Should she admire this person for keeping their promise?

I promised her I wouldn't call, and even though I was so anxious waiting for her reply that I was about to go back to Changshi on New Year's Eve to threaten her, I really kept my word and didn't call her.

Just as I was pondering how to reply.

A phone call came in...

Xu Su pressed the answer button to call an unfamiliar number from Changshi.

The boy's gentle voice, transmitted through the electronic device, was still pleasant to hear: "Xu Su, I'm home."

Xu Su turned a page of the book and casually said, "Okay, I understand."

She asked Xi Zirong to send her a text message when he got home to confirm his safety.

Xi Zirong opened the French windows, went out onto the balcony to enjoy the cool breeze and look at the stars, and heard the girl's voice from the other side and asked, "Are you reading? What book are you reading?"

Xu Su was taken aback; this person had pretty sharp ears: "Textbooks? I don't have that much time to flip through obscure and difficult professional books..."

What book did Xi Zirong buy today? Xu Su glanced at it; it was probably about computers.

A soft laugh came from the other end of the phone: "Xu Su, I'm very happy today."

Xu Su felt inexplicably hot at his laughter, moved the phone away slightly, and put it on speakerphone. "If there's nothing else, let's hang up. I'm going to read for a while and then go to sleep."

Xi Zirong hummed in agreement: "You can read your book. I won't bother you. You can ask me anything you don't understand. Can we stay on the phone?"

"Phone calls are free, Xi Zirong, do you own a bank?"

Xu Su remembers that phone calls were very expensive back then. It cost 30 cents a minute to make a call and the other party would answer. It was cheaper for the person answering the call, but it was still 10 cents a minute.

Xi Zirong paused for a few seconds on the other end of the phone before quickly saying, "I'll go out and pay your phone bill, Xu Su, wait for me."

Wait for me...

Xi Zirong said those three words several times tonight.

Xu Su quickly stopped him: "Don't pay, don't pay! Please don't pay the phone bill for this number!"

Once the phone bill is paid, Zhou Mochen will probably receive a text message immediately.

...Xu Su didn't even dare to imagine that scene.

Xi Zirong was extremely clever; she realized her mistake in less than a second, "This number belongs to that person?"

Xu Su pouted, "Not only the phone number, but even the phone I'm using now was bought by him."

Xi Zirong's voice disappeared for a long time on the other end of the phone, then reappeared in a low voice: "Xu Su, do you know what you're doing?"

This sentence sounds familiar; Teacher Wu asked Xu Su the same question a month or two ago.

Xu Su remained silent for a long time, unsure how to explain her relationship with Zhou Mochen. In Xi Zirong's eyes, her accepting Zhou Mochen's gift was irrefutable proof of their ambiguous relationship.

However, Xi Zirong was unaware of Zhou Mochen's madness, something Xu Su had witnessed and experienced firsthand.

Simply rejecting Zhou Mochen is useless; she was a living example of that in her past life.

Xu Su recalled her past life and felt that it was probably because she rejected Zhou Mochen too obviously and avoided him too obviously after realizing his feelings, that Zhou Mochen lost hope in her 'willingness' and that's why he chose that method.

That's why this time, she tried to be flexible, occasionally pushing the man's limits and giving him a false sense of hope.

Perhaps, as time goes on, that person will feel they can't take it anymore and won't want to bother her anymore?

After all, Xu Su really didn't dare to repeat the mistakes of his previous life.

She really couldn't fight against Zhou Mochen's methods. In her previous life, for more than ten years, there was no person he wanted to deal with or anything he wanted to do that he couldn't do.

On the other end of the phone, Xi Zirong's voice continued: "Xu Su, I can give you anything you want. Right now, I need my parents to do it, but wait for me for a few years, and I will give you the best. You don't want to date now, so let's study together and get into the same university. Please don't accept that person's gifts, okay?"

Xu Su felt a pang of unease. This girl was being mistaken for someone who was vain and couldn't bear to refuse a cell phone.

My heart is aching for no apparent reason...

After calming down, Xu Su suddenly felt that this was fine too. There was no need to explain too much; she couldn't continue to entangle herself with him like this anyway.

Let Xi Zirong misunderstand. A brilliant young student should be looked up to by his classmates.

Instead of, as has happened recently, stepping down from his pedestal to accept the pointing fingers and malicious speculations of his classmates.

How can you bear to watch a boy who only has eyes for you fall deeper and deeper into this relationship?

She clearly couldn't give him any response.

Xu Su heard her own voice, cold and ruthless: "Xi Zirong, you can't give me the best. What he gives will always be better than what you give. Don't be silly, what do you have to compare with him?"

"What makes you so sure he's giving you something better than me!" The boy's voice suddenly grew louder, then he realized his tone was off and softened it: "Xu Su, how will you know if you don't try? I can't give you the best."

Xu Su was taken aback; this was the first time Xi Zirong had raised her voice at her.

Xu Su felt a mix of emotions. She realized that even the warm and patient boy could get angry. "Xi Zirong, you wouldn't understand."

"Then please tell me, Xu Su. Tell me everything I don't understand."

Xu Su remained silent.

On the other end of the phone, Xi Zirong's voice was very soft: "Xu Su, do you know? I really like you. I've never liked anyone else, never felt sorry for anyone else, I've only liked you, and I only want to be good to you."

He knew long ago that the girl he liked had a bad temper, was easily angered, impatient, and would often give him the cold shoulder. Most importantly, she didn't like him; whenever he got close, her eyes clearly showed her avoidance.

But what could he do? He just loved her, loved her so much that he could ignore her rejections, would rush to comfort her, loved her so much that seeing her cry broke his heart all night, loved her so much that he just wanted to hug her in public, disregarding his status and the occasion...

He liked her so much that even knowing she accepted a gift from another man, he only felt guilty for not preparing it for her in advance. He liked her so much that even with a wealth of words in his head, he couldn't fully express his feelings.