You didn’t accept my confession, why are you crying because I changed my mind?
Chapter 75

Chapter 75: Feng Siruo Tricks Jiang Zhou for the First Time

The National Day holiday ended in a flash.

On the morning they left home, a gentle rain fell from the sky, matching the mood perfectly.

Yuan Youqin held Han Rou’s hand, tears falling uncontrollably.

She had finally gotten a daughter, only to have her stay for just six days.

How could she not be heartbroken?

Chen Wanying also held Chu Yuwei, crying along for a while.

She reminded her that if there was ever trouble, she must listen to Jiang Zhou.

Jiang Hongshan and Chu Xiong stood to the side, holding umbrellas for the two mother-daughter pairs.

In the middle of it all, Jiang Zhou and Guo Wei stood in the rain, drenched and foolish-looking — like total outsiders.

Truly, born the wrong gender in this era. Discrimination against boys was too real.

After the farewells, everyone got into the car.

The return trip to Shangjing was smooth. There were no traffic jams, no more rain.

Upon arrival, everyone said their goodbyes and returned to their respective schools.

Jiang Zhou headed straight to Ganfanren.

Then, in a flurry of action, he turned on his computer and posted recruitment ads through every available campus channel:

Hiring part-time riders to deliver food after class

Hiring two part-time writers to update site content

Hiring several marketing negotiators to expand into the university district

Hiring one financial manager to calculate wages and commissions

Watching Jiang Zhou work so quickly, carefully, and methodically, Su Nan was quite pleased.

She slowly moved the paper cutter away from his neck.

“You little girl. If you had something to say, why not just say it nicely? Can’t you be ladylike?”

“Sure. Next time I’ll wave my pinky and call you ‘big bro’ while I stab you!”

Jiang Zhou gulped. “No need to go that far…”

Su Nan snorted. “I was so stupid before. I worked myself to tears and didn’t even quit.”

“Employees who talk about quitting too often tend to get blacklisted by their bosses.”

“You and this sorry ‘Seven-Nine-Zero’ company — run by one guy doing the job of eight — quitting would hardly be a loss.”

Jiang Zhou quickly tried to soothe her, “Well, I’ve got help coming now. Be good, don’t be mad.”

Su Nan took a deep breath. “I really want to quit, just to see whether you’d miss me more, or I’d miss you more.”

“No contest. Of course I’d miss you.”

“Good answer.”

Seeing the atmosphere soften, Jiang Zhou began to plan the next steps.

With more staff, he’d need a bigger place.

Maybe he could talk to Yan Weimin about borrowing a large classroom.

To reduce delivery wait times, he also wanted to custom-build food delivery racks to place under each dorm building.

That way, riders could come and go quickly, just dropping orders on the rack.

“Hey, Su Nan, don’t we need more desks?”

Su Nan nodded. “Yeah, we’ve only got three computers and three desks. It’s barely enough for three people.”

“Right. The finance role needs a computer, and so do your two new assistants.”

Su Nan’s eyes sparkled. “So I don’t have to work anymore?”

Jiang Zhou sneered. “Keep dreaming.”

“So what then?”

“Well… if you run out of space, you can sit on my lap to work.”

Su Nan rolled her eyes. “Why not just say you want to hold me?”

“Sounds good. How about I hold you while you work?”

“If you’re holding me, why would I still be working? Are you even human!?”

“You can’t just quit working and try to become the boss’s wife!”

“Scumbag. Shit!”

“Enough. Let’s not argue about this. Dance me some otaku moves.”

Su Nan huffed, turned around, and put on her cat ears.

She had gotten fiercer lately, but her dances were still flawless.

Jiang Zhou reclined on the couch, watching her with admiration.

But halfway through the dance, Su Nan suddenly stopped.

“The rest of the content requires payment.”

“How much?”

“Six hundred yuan. Cash only.”

Jiang Zhou’s eyes widened. “It was only five hundred last time! You’re inflating faster than pork prices!”

Su Nan took off the ears. “Fine, don’t watch. Price goes up to seven hundred tomorrow.”

“I’m the one who scams people. Nobody scams me!”

“But this kind of thing… needs to be viewed with the curtains closed, you know?”

Jiang Zhou gritted his teeth. “Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, when practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, clearly saw that all five aggregates are empty, thus overcoming all suffering and distress…”

Su Nan smirked and returned to her seat.

She hadn’t actually prepared anything that required curtains.

She just said that to mess with him.

For a whole month, she had been the only one working.

This boss is even worse than an exploitative landlord.

Let’s see if he dares mess around again.

—

Soon, it was dinnertime.

Jiang Zhou woke from the couch and saw Su Nan was already gone.

He locked the door and casually strolled toward the campus main road.

Most students weren’t back from break yet, so it was pretty quiet.

Still, in the grove nearby, a few couples strolled. And as they strolled, their mouths… got busy.

Ah, college life really was something.

Jiang Zhou lit a cigarette and headed toward the cafeteria.

In one corner, a girl in a hoodie was quietly eating noodles.

She had her hood up, hiding her face completely.

Jiang Zhou walked over and tugged the hood down.

A delicate little face looked up in surprise, then softened into a sweet smile before going back to her noodles.

“Seven days apart. Did you miss me?”

Feng Siruo thought for a moment, didn’t speak, just nodded.

Jiang Zhou sat next to her. “Still playing QQ Speed?”

“No computer…”

“Good. I don’t want a gaming-addicted girl as my wife.”

Feng Siruo looked at him, then pulled out a milk candy. “Here.”

Jiang Zhou unwrapped it without looking and popped it into his mouth, only to be met with an icy, bitter flavor.

“Pleh! A rock!?”

Feng Siruo burst out laughing.

Yiyi had taught her that trick.

She couldn’t believe it actually worked. It was her first successful prank.

The gaming girl looked so proud and happy.

Jiang Zhou rinsed his mouth. “This is revenge for stealing your game account to get married?”

“Mhm!”

“Then be careful.”

She blinked in confusion, until Jiang Zhou suddenly snatched her chopsticks and licked them.

“…”

Three seconds later, her face turned bright red.

She had already used those chopsticks. Her saliva was on them!

“I… I’m not eating anymore.”

“Wasting food isn’t okay. Keep eating.”

“But you said you wouldn’t bully me…” she said, feeling wronged.

Jiang Zhou pinched her cheek. “You tricked me first, so that was punishment. Will you do it again?”

“No…”

“You’re even cuter when you’re a little afraid of me. Looks like I’ll have to bully you more.”

Feng Siruo pulled her hands back in alarm. “You can’t bully me!”

Jiang Zhou pretended to sigh. “But I like bullying you. What can I do?”

“You’re the worst!”

“You only just realized that?”

Feng Siruo pouted and turned away, planning to ignore him.

Just then, Ding Yue appeared with a lunch tray and sat across from them, grumbling, “That lunch lady’s out of line. Her right hand shook more than my phone on vibrate. If she’s got Parkinson’s, go to a hospital, not work!”

Feng Siruo glanced at her tray. “Potatoes and quail eggs?”

Ding Yue sighed. “It was supposed to be braised pork. The meat shook off. Only potatoes and eggs left. I bet she kept the meat for herself.”

Jiang Zhou looked at her. “Serves you right. Still eating meat? You’ll die fat.”

“Jiang Zhou? What are you doing here?”

“We’re married. From now on, wherever my wife goes, I go.”

Ding Yue glanced at Feng Siruo. “Did he bully you again?”

Feng Siruo immediately nodded, looking very innocent.

Jiang Zhou said, “Ding Yue, who chases girls the way you think I should? Siruo’s pretty gutsy. She almost knocked out my tooth!”

Ding Yue was shocked. “What are you talking about?”

Jiang Zhou picked up the small stone he had spat out earlier. “This was wrapped in candy paper by your ‘timid’ Siruo and given to me. I nearly shattered my molars.”

Ding Yue’s eyes widened in disbelief.

In her mind, Feng Siruo wasn’t just someone who wouldn’t play pranks. She wouldn’t even joke. But somehow, after knowing Jiang Zhou for only a month, she was already acting like this?

“Siruo, is what he said true?” Ding Yue asked.

Feng Siruo blushed and nodded. “Yes.”

Ding Yue was dumbfounded. “Wait… was that flirting?!”

Jiang Zhou gave her a thumbs-up. “Ding Yue, this is the first time you’ve said something sensible in all the years I’ve known you.”

“You’re the one who doesn’t say anything sensible! Ugh!”

“Alright, eat your food. Stop getting in the way of me chatting with my wife.”

“Who needs your permission?! Siruo, I’m using your chopsticks.” Ding Yue rolled her eyes and picked up a piece of potato.

But as soon as she did, both girls froze.

“What? Why are you two looking at me like that?”

Feng Siruo bit her lip. “Those chopsticks… have his saliva on them…”

Ding Yue was stunned again. “You two are already at the point of sharing chopsticks?!”

“No!” Siruo quickly said.

“Then how does his saliva end up on them?”

Feng Siruo couldn’t come up with an answer and just sat there in stunned silence.

Jiang Zhou sighed. “I worked hard to lick those chopsticks, and now you’ve gone and used them.”

“You’re disgusting!!” Ding Yue dropped the chopsticks and bolted to rinse her mouth at the nearest sink.

After a while, she returned with a new pair of chopsticks. “Jiang Zhou, did you take a girl home during the break?”

Jiang Zhou’s heart skipped a beat. “Don’t talk nonsense! I took two guys and a girl. It’s just carpooling, nothing more!”

Ding Yue sneered. “Relax, I was bluffing. No need to panic.”

“Don’t joke like that! What if I’m not good at lying?!”

“Then don’t do shady things to begin with. Don’t hurt Siruo.”

Feng Siruo widened her eyes and shook her head frantically.

We’re not even a couple yet! What is she talking about?

Even Jiang Zhou was puzzled. “Didn’t you used to oppose me liking her?”

Ding Yue took a bite of her potato. “After that day at the lakeside, I changed my mind. I think you might actually like her.”

“What lakeside? When?”

“You sang that song for her — The Whale That Became an Island.”

Jiang Zhou and Feng Siruo exchanged startled looks.

But… they had checked the whole area that night. There was no one else!

“You didn’t think you were alone, did you?” Ding Yue asked.

“Of course we did! I looked around multiple times. No way anyone was nearby!”

“There were more than a hundred of us, crouched together, watching from beginning to end.”

“Where were you?!”

“Behind the fake mountain, just half a meter from the road.”

Jiang Zhou mentally replayed the location and suddenly his eyes widened. “That bush that said it wanted to marry me. Was that you?!”

Ding Yue coughed. “Nope, that was some other girl I didn’t recognize.”

“Damn! I’ve been traumatized for days. I thought something in the bushes had come to life!”

“You’re such a coward for a guy. Siruo, don’t marry him. He won’t be able to protect you.”

Feng Siruo lowered her head. “We’re not getting married…”

Ding Yue nodded in satisfaction. “Listen to me. It’s the best advice you’ll ever get.”

“You dare not marry me? I’ll bully you every day!” Jiang Zhou said, pinching Feng Siruo’s cheeks. “You hear me?”

Feng Siruo nodded reluctantly, her face full of grievance.

“Alright, enough playing around. I have to head back and unpack,” Jiang Zhou said.

“You just got back to school?” Ding Yue asked.

“I’ve been back a while, just had some business stuff to handle.”

After saying that, Jiang Zhou left the cafeteria.

On his way back, he recalled that Gao Wenkai and Zhang Guangfa were supposed to arrive tonight.

Xu Haodong had returned in the morning and was probably in the dorm now.

When Jiang Zhou opened the dorm door, he instantly felt a chill run down his spine. His scalp went numb.

Xu Haodong was sitting on a chair… painting his fingernails bright red.

“Haodong, what… what’s going on?” Jiang Zhou asked cautiously.

Xu Haodong looked at his hand and smiled sweetly. “Old Jiang, don’t you think my girlfriend is pretty?”

Jiang Zhou’s hairs stood on end. “Don’t scare me. Are there really spirits on campus?!”

Xu Haodong sighed. “Fine, I’ll be honest. I got dumped.”

“…You mean Li Yifei?”

“Yeah.”

Jiang Zhou finally relaxed a little. “How did it happen?”

Xu Haodong let out a long sigh. “Before the break, I went to Qingbei University to find her.”

“And?”

“When we met, she acted like she didn’t even know me. But it was her who liked me first! Why else would she have gotten your help to contact me?”

Jiang Zhou felt a pang of guilt. “And what did she say?”

Xu Haodong blew on his nails. “She said she might’ve added the wrong person and apologized. Hah, do you think I’d believe that?”

“Maybe she really did…”

“She called me Haodong gege! You don’t mistake someone you call gege! She just changed her heart!”

Jiang Zhou felt more and more ashamed.

Li Yifei clearly didn’t want the truth coming out, because being a manipulative flirt would destroy her reputation.

But Jiang Zhou hadn’t expected Haodong to be so sincere.

If he had known earlier, he would’ve let Zhang Guangfa handle her from the start.

“So what now?”

“I’m getting back with my old love,” Xu Haodong said as he resumed painting his nails.

Jiang Zhou inhaled sharply.

Is this guy having a mental breakdown? Wasn’t he looking for a girlfriend before?

Maybe… maybe I could set him up with Ding Yue?

Just then, the dorm door was suddenly kicked open.

Gao Wenkai and Zhang Guangfa had returned, hauling bags and grinning.

But the moment they stepped inside and saw Haodong painting his nails, they froze and immediately backed up three steps.

“What the hell happened to him?” Zhang Guangfa whispered.

Jiang Zhou lit a cigarette. “Got dumped.”

Zhang Guangfa’s eyes bulged. “And painting your nails is what heartbroken people do now?!”

“He says he’s going back to his first love.”

Gao Wenkai swallowed hard. “Haodong… you still recognize me, right? I’m Wenkai.”

Xu Haodong looked up. “I’m heartbroken, not brain-dead!”