’Save me...’

Xu Su’s heart tightened. She snapped her head up and met Xi Zirong’s handsome face, just inches away.

A kiss fell in an instant.

It was a fierce kiss, without a trace of hesitation.

This time, it wasn’t just a light touch. His hand clamped tightly around the back of her neck. He showed a rare dominance, giving her no room to escape.

As the kiss deepened, Xi Zirong pushed himself up and knelt with one knee on the edge of her chair. He completely shielded her from view. From above, he held her chin with one hand, pressing her against the back of the chair as he continued to kiss her.

When Sika came in, all she could see was the back of the boy who was with Jiang Chusheng. Xu Su was trapped in the chair, with only one hand visible, gripping its side.

Xu Su was gripping it so hard her knuckles had turned white. Xi Zirong’s fingers slowly pried hers open, one by one, and slid in between them. Soon, their fingers were interlaced.

Besides the sound of their kiss, the only other thing in the air was the girl’s whimpering.

It was enough to make anyone blush...

Sika reflexively glanced at Jiang Chusheng beside her, only to see him avert his gaze.

"..." Sika hesitated for a moment before backing out of the room...

She had only come because she was a little cold in her short-sleeved shirt and wanted to tell Xu Su she was going back to get a jacket.

Who knew things had already progressed this far inside...

Xu Su hadn’t expected it either. How had things progressed this far?

’How... did we end up kissing?’

’And this kind of semi-forced kiss, too...’

Her hand was held too tightly; Xu Su couldn’t push him away.

Xi Zirong’s whole body was burning up, his breathing ragged. He could sense someone had entered, but he couldn’t stop. He didn’t want to. The moment he let go, this girl would run away again.

Fortunately, Jiang Chusheng also left soon after.

The kiss lasted so long that by the time Xi Zirong was willing to let go, Xu Su was completely dazed.

She stared with wide, dazed eyes, having no idea what to do.

’Should I hit him, or yell at him?’

Seeing her like this, Xi Zirong couldn’t help but chuckle. "Susu, see? You don’t reject my kisses at all. So why don’t you break up with him? I promise I’ll never make you cry. I’ll listen to whatever you say. If you tell me to go east, I won’t go west. How about it?"

’Break up with him, I promise I’ll never make you cry...’

"...I can’t," Xu Su blinked. She couldn’t bring herself to curse him with the same words she would use for Shen Chen. After a long pause, she said, "Xi Zirong, stop thinking about me. You don’t know how powerful Zhou Mochen is. He could completely crush you without anyone ever knowing."

"Is he that powerful?" Xi Zirong smiled, his lips pressed together. "What tricks does he have up his sleeve? I’m not in business, and I don’t need money. I only have one path planned for my future: academic research. I don’t need to ask for favors; everything depends on my own abilities."

He was actually taking this seriously...

Xu Su thought about it seriously and really couldn’t figure out how Zhou Mochen could get to him.

Schemes and frame-ups, in the end, only work against common people with no backing. Although Xi Zirong’s family wasn’t as powerful or influential as the Zhou family, they were still a respected family of scholars. His father, in particular, was a prominent figure in the country’s academic circles.

Anyone who reaches the top of their field is never short on money, let alone a scholar. He probably held countless patents.

Xi Zirong lacked nothing. As long as his abilities were clear on paper, and he truly had the talent to make a name for himself, Zhou Mochen couldn’t touch him with underhanded schemes.

Back when Xu Su was with him, she had been prepared to face Zhou Mochen’s insane retaliation alongside him. After learning about Xi Zirong’s family situation, she had thought it through. Unless Zhou Mochen actually went as far as hiring a hitman, they really had nothing else to worry about.

But then again, if Xu Su really did leave Zhou Mochen for Xi Zirong... forget hiring a hitman, it wasn’t impossible that Zhou Mochen would do the deed himself.

Whoever dared to take her from him was asking for his life.

If he could control his murderous intent toward an enemy who threatened his very being, then he wouldn’t be Zhou Mochen.

It was a dead end...

...

Xu Su shook her head violently!

’Hey!’

’Wait a minute!’

’What am I thinking?!’

’I’m not planning to break up with him!’

It dawned on Xu Su that she had almost been led into a trap by Xi Zirong...

Her eyes widened as she stressed, "I have never thought about breaking up with Zhou Mochen. You should give up now."

"Why should I give up?" Xi Zirong’s eyes were half-lidded. "It’s not like you have zero feelings for me. Why must I be the one to give up?"

Xu Su fell silent for a moment, her head starting to ache from his stubbornness. She had already thrown so many harsh words at him, but nothing worked.

She furrowed her brow, conflicted for a long time, unable to think of a solution that would satisfy everyone.

In the end, it was Xi Zirong who couldn’t bear to see her struggle. He chuckled and said, "Forget it. Don’t look so tortured. You’re treating me like a leech you can’t shake off."

Xu Su looked up at him...

Xi Zirong met her gaze, his smile relaxed. He coaxed her like a friendly older brother from next door. "A debt of affection is a heavy burden to bear, isn’t it?"

"..." Xu Su nodded.

"Since you know it’s a heavy burden, you should provoke others less. Understand?"

Xu Su’s pupils dilated. ’He knows about Shen Chen...’

Before she could speak, the smile vanished from Xi Zirong’s face, inch by inch. His tone became indifferent. "That Si Xuan... his feelings for you are plain as day. Can’t you see it?"

’So he was talking about Si Xuan...’

Over the past few days, many people had told Xu Su about Si Xuan’s feelings for her, but she truly hadn’t noticed them herself.

But now even Xi Zirong, who had only just met him, was saying it...

Besides, thinking back on it now, Si Xuan’s attitude when he tried to stop them tonight really was a bit strange...

Especially when she decided to leave with Xi Zirong, a clear and discernible flash of anger and anxiety had appeared on Si Xuan’s perpetually indifferent face.

Thinking of this, Xu Su nodded. "I’ll try my best to talk to him less."

"Not ’try your best’," Xi Zirong corrected. "You *must* keep your distance from him. Don’t give people unrealistic fantasies."

"...What kind of unrealistic fantasies?"

"You give him an inch, and he’ll take a mile."

Xi Zirong paused, then said, "I’m a man. I know better than you how persistent men can be about a girl they truly like. Just listen to me."

Xu Su was a little stunned...

’The boy who used to blush to the tips of his ears just from making eye contact would one day actually say to me, ’I’m a man. I know better than you about men...’’

’Has that sixteen-year-old boy really grown into a man?’

"What are you thinking about?" Xi Zirong frowned. "Are you spacing out again?"

"..." Xu Su looked at him. It had been so long. He seemed to have grown a little taller, and his once thin, slender shoulders were now broader.

But why did he also look thinner? So thin that even his once-gentle jawline now seemed much sharper.

Still, he had definitely grown up.

She could even faintly sense an explosive power in him, like a cheetah that had been gathering its strength for a long time, sharpening its claws in a corner while staring at its prey...