1
When Xu Zhi said, "Let's date," Zhou Ji felt like he was about to lose his mind.
He stared at her, over and over again.
His heart was pounding so wildly it almost jumped out of his chest, but he forced himself to act calm and took out his phone.
But his hands were really useless; they shook so much that he couldn't find the recording feature.
Instead, he accidentally opened their chat interface.
He didn't know what he said. His mind was bursting with fireworks.
He was in a daze, right up until Xu Zhi stood on her tiptoes and kissed him.
In that instant, his ears went deaf, and the whole world paused.
The fresh scent of the girl, mixed with a faint whiff of alcohol, wrapped around him in a way that was both domineering and playful.
Her lips were soft and tender.
Her eyes were big and bright, and when she blinked, her long eyelashes brushed against his eyelids.
It felt like they brushed against his heart, itching and tickling.
Xu Zhi had kissed him.
She kissed him?
Xu Zhi kissed him!
Zhou Ji felt like he was floating, like he could lift off at any second.
That night, when he got back home, he sent a message to his friend Zeng Kang, who had moved to another city for school: 【She said I was cute today.】
Zeng Kang was the only one who knew he had a crush on Xu Zhi.
Zeng Kang: 【Okay. Want to play a game?】
Zhou Ji: 【She drank some alcohol today.】
Zeng Kang: 【Okay, hurry up and log in.】
Zhou Ji: 【She said, Puppy Zhou, let's date.】
Zeng Kang: 【Log in, log in!】
Zeng Kang: 【???】
Zhou Ji: 【She kissed me.】
【Her lips were sweet, so soft, I'm done for.】
Zeng Kang: 【...】
【Get lost!!!】
【You damn love brains!】
2
He first heard the name "Xu Zhi" back in middle school.
She was the perennial runner-up.
Whenever classmates mentioned her, they would first bring up another name: Xu Xing Zhan.
This made Zhou Ji initially think they were in a relationship.
After getting into Jiang High School, Zhou Ji heard those two names again. He joked to Zeng Kang at the time, "Look at those two lovebirds, they're going to dominate first and second place again."
Zeng Kang replied, "If you're jealous, just say so."
"I'm not jealous. If I had that kind of energy, I'd rather go home and play a few more rounds of games."
At first, Zhou Ji had only seen Xu Zhi on the honor roll.
She wore the school's blue and white uniform, had fine bangs, and tied her hair in a ponytail.
A small, oval face with big, round eyes.
Zhou Ji thought to himself, "So Xu Zhi is actually pretty cute."
Then he glanced at the cold-faced Xu Xing Zhan standing beside her.
What did he ever do to deserve her?
The first time he met Xu Zhi in person was after the National Day holiday in his first year of high school, on the bus back to school.
He and Zeng Kang were munching on bread while hastily finishing their English homework, scribbling answers as they went.
The bus came to a sudden stop, and a girl in the Jiang High School uniform standing beside them lurched forward.
Instinctively, Zhou Ji grabbed her backpack.
The girl clutched her chest, turned around, and thanked him.
Her voice was cool, not as sweet as her appearance suggested.
He immediately recognized her—it was Xu Zhi.
The girl glanced at the English test paper in his hand.
For some reason, Zhou Ji reflexively tucked the paper behind his back, his face reddening as he stood up and offered his seat.
"Here, you can sit."
Xu Zhi didn't decline. She turned and said something to Xu Xing Zhan, who was also standing, then came over and sat down.
Zhou Ji clung to the handrail as Zeng Kang urged him to hurry up with the homework.
He kicked Zeng Kang to get him to quiet down.
"I noticed that your class's English homework looks the same as ours. Want to check our answers together?"
Xu Zhi held a stack of test papers and tapped his arm.
She put it politely, but she was clearly offering to let him copy.
Zeng Kang gratefully took the papers. "You're a lifesaver! We'll return them as soon as we get off!"
That homework, Zhou Ji copied with an anxious heart.
From that point on, Xu Zhi seemed to appear everywhere in his field of vision.
There she was, on the honor roll.
There she was, giving a speech as an outstanding student under the national flag.
There she was, eating in the cafeteria.
There she was, in PE class...
Often, his eyes seemed to have a GPS, constantly locking onto a target named "Xu Zhi."
Every time he passed by her, the pounding of his heart made it clear: he liked Xu Zhi.
As for exactly when he started liking her, even Zhou Ji himself wasn't sure.
Maybe it was the first time he saw her on the honor roll. Maybe it was on the bus. Or maybe it was all those times he pretended to run into her by chance afterward.
His affection was cautious and restrained.
She didn't remember him.
In their second year, they were both selected to give a speech as student representatives.
In the broadcast room, Zhou Ji repeatedly smoothed out the crease on the corner of his speech draft.
Xu Zhi whispered, "Could you pass me the water? I'm a bit nervous and want a sip."
He met her calm yet slightly apologetic gaze.
Xu Zhi was trying to comfort him.
Afterward, Zhou Ji walked a half step behind her.
"Thank you."
Xu Zhi looked surprised. "Huh? I should be the one thanking you."
She smiled, her lips curving slightly, her eyes fixed on him with sincerity and warmth.
Who could resist Xu Zhi when she was like this?
Well, he certainly couldn't.
As for that Xu Xing Zhan, damn him.
YOU ARE READING
Gardenia Blossom Season
RomanceThe childhood friend who had grown up with me was being pinned against the wall by the new transfer art student. She asked him what his relationship with me was. Xu Xing Zhan replied coldly, "Just neighbors." The girl giggled and kissed him. He imme...
