Forced into a romantic relationship.

"Strange... I remember you weren't interested before." Mo Yixia scrutinized him for a moment before saying, "But there are indeed people living around here. What are you planning to do?"

Han Zhou's eyes lit up, and he asked urgently, "Which one?"

Mo Yixia silently distanced herself from him: "Your expression is disgusting."

Han Zhou shrugged: "Disgusting is disgusting, but how could you understand my heartache? Tell me, who lives around here?"

Mo Yixia thought for a moment and then didn't hide anything: "It's the girl who took the initiative to add you on Fetion. She lives nearby."

"Oh, it's her." Han Zhou recalled for a moment, nodded with satisfaction, and smiled, "Not bad, not bad, she seems quite easy to talk to."

"Your expression is even more disgusting now."

Seeing his smiling face, Mo Yixia seemed to know what he was planning and reminded him, "If you want to get close to them, remember not to say you know me."

"Row."

Han Zhou readily agreed. He didn't actually want to get close to Mo Yixia's friends; he was just preparing in advance, since he would come here occasionally to try his luck, and he might need help sometime.

This is called being prepared for a rainy day.

"Your current..."

"Alright, alright, I know I look disgusting right now, you don't need to keep nagging." Han Zhou was in a good mood and didn't want to argue with this guy.

"No, it's not disgusting."

Mo Yixia shook her head slightly and corrected, "You're acting like a fickle, unfaithful man right now."

Han Zhou was drinking water when he heard this and almost spat it out. He thought to himself, "Why is this guy acting so dramatic today?" He said irritably, "It's true that I like new things, but I don't hate the old."

Mo Yixia wholeheartedly agreed and corrected, "Loving the new but not the old, that's what a scumbag is like, two-timing?"

"I suddenly feel like you have a lot of problems with Chinese. Do you want me to tutor you?"

"..."

The two took a taxi again and headed to Huadu Residential Area.

On the bus, Han Zhou easily won Mo Yixia's ten "likes" by talking about singing. However, making her laugh was extremely difficult. Considering that they were about to part ways, he had no choice but to use today's request to make her laugh ten times.

Mo Yixia obediently did as she was told, then asked in confusion, "Last time you asked me to laugh ten times, and these past few days you've been telling me corny jokes to make me laugh. Does this have some special meaning to you?"

Her eyes were exceptionally deep.

"It has no meaning."

Han Zhou's heart tightened, but he said perfunctorily, "It's just that you have a very beautiful smile, and I wanted to look at it more. Also, those weren't lame jokes; it's just that your sense of humor is too high."

"You seem like a smooth-talking scumbag right now."

Han Zhou couldn't take it anymore and decided to ask this guy why he suddenly labeled him a scumbag and if he could just talk properly.

But just then, the taxi arrived at the entrance of Huadu Residential Area, so he had to change his mind and say, "Wait in the car for a while, I'll be right back."

"Ah."

Han Zhou got out of the car and hurriedly ran to Gu Zheng's apartment building. Fortunately, the elevator didn't have any problems this time. He knocked on Gu Zheng's door, and she quickly opened it, carrying a large box in her hands.

She said irritably, "All my high school notes are in here... Why are you in such a hurry?"

"Huff...huff...because something urgent happened."

Gu Zheng looked sullen: "You clearly said yesterday that you would have dinner at my house, and dinner was almost ready, but now you suddenly say you have something urgent to do, and all the extra food will go to waste."

No, it's not wasteful. I'm sure you can finish it...

Han Zhou was inwardly cursing when he noticed the other person was wearing an apron. He said apologetically, "I'm sorry, it was indeed my fault this time, but it happened so suddenly. I'll treat you to a meal next time."

Gu Zheng was waiting for these words, and trying to sound casual, she said, "Don't always say 'next time,' let's do it this Saturday."

"But I have to teach..."

"You're free this afternoon and evening!" Gu Zheng stopped pretending and glared fiercely at Han Zhou.

Han Zhou didn't expect her to be so excited, and quickly said, "Okay, Saturday it is."

Gu Zheng's expression softened a bit.

Is this guy on his period? Han Zhou hesitated for a moment, then tentatively asked, "I'm leaving soon, can you say 'I'm scared' ten times?"

Gu Zheng paused for a moment, then asked, "What do you mean?"

"The literal meaning."

"Get out of here!"

Han Zhou knew it wouldn't work, and sighed, "Then I'll be leaving. I'll return these notes to you at the end of summer vacation."

He then took the cardboard box.

Gu Zheng let go of the zither and slammed the door shut.

Why is everyone so temperamental...?

Han Zhou had stated his purpose before coming, saying that these notes would be used to tutor Mo Yixia, which is why Gu Zheng had organized and packed the notes in advance.

However, the moment he took the cardboard box, his upper body suddenly slumped, his face contorted, and he nearly broke his back.

The box was ridiculously heavy, but he couldn't possibly change his status just to move it. So it took him a long time to stagger back to the taxi, where he slumped in the back seat like a dead dog, his face full of grief and indignation.

Guzheng was definitely doing this on purpose; this guy must have been taking notes with a brick!

I suffered a huge loss today. I'm exhausted and I lost two points. It hurts to even think about it.

Seeing Mo Yixia looking at him, he thought to himself that this guy was at least half responsible for this outcome, so he panted and reminded her again:

"Remember...remember, you must protect me..."

The driver was amazed, thinking to himself that young couples these days are really something else. They can hug each other whenever they want, but why do they act like they're saying their last words?

Chapter 29 I Will Protect You

Han Zhou originally planned to drop Mo Yixia off at the entrance of the residential area and then leave. However, the box containing the notebook was too heavy, and Mo Yixia, with her thin arms and legs, definitely couldn't carry it. So he had to change his mind and take her home first.

Of course, while others might say he's skinny, he himself isn't much better. His stamina is a mere three points, the same as Lin Youya, who's about to start junior high. Although he's definitely a bit stronger than the latter, the difference is still limited.

The journey was incredibly arduous. After a long and exhausting ordeal, Han Zhou finally arrived downstairs, feeling his hands were about to give way. To his surprise, Mo Yixia didn't say anything nice. Instead, she suddenly remarked, "You don't look like someone who can throw with great force at all."

"It's easy for you to talk when you're not the one suffering... The heaviest thing on your body is probably that hat on your head, of course you can say it so easily..."

Exhausted, Han Zhou leaned against the wall, panting heavily, and retorted, "You don't act like the owner of this neighborhood at all. Someone as rich as you should normally have several people treating you like a princess, ready to serve you at any time, right?"

Mo Yixia thought for a moment and said, "It's not that there aren't people like that. Usually, I just ask the property management to help me move heavy things."

Han Zhou's eyes widened: "Why didn't you say so earlier?"

"You didn't ask."

The elevator doors opened, and Mo Yixia walked in unhurriedly, turning around to continue admiring the other person's sweaty appearance. "And it seems you quite enjoy this feeling of sweating it out."

Han Zhou's lips twitched. Dragging his tired body, he carried the box up to the elevator and said irritably, "You try throwing one yourself."

Mo Yixia didn't reply, staring at him for a long time before shaking her head and saying, "No, your physical strength is fluctuating too much, which is very abnormal, and your face looks paler than last night..."

Upon hearing this, Han Zhou immediately felt a little nervous, and at the same time, he secretly became alert. This guy was too perceptive. In order to find out his true purpose for approaching him, the other party would probably observe him even more carefully in the future, so he had to be careful.

The existence of the status bar must never be revealed.

He was about to speak when he saw Mo Yixia suddenly realize something, her gaze becoming slightly strange, seemingly mixed with some disdain.

Yes, I dislike it.

"Have you been indulging in excessive sexual activity?"

Han Zhou was struck dumb, finally understanding where this disdain came from. He couldn't bear it any longer and asked, "Why have you been maliciously slandering me all day?"

He thought back and realized that the guy had been perfectly fine until he left the house today, and his attitude had even been quite good because he needed his help. The sudden change in attitude only happened after he left...

Thinking about it more carefully, the reason this guy suddenly started calling him a scumbag and mocking him for being fickle seems to be after he delivered water to the other person's friend...

Could it be...?

Han Zhou's expression changed slightly. Just as he was about to ask a question, Mo Yixia reminded him, "Remember to lower your head before you start saying stupid things. There are surveillance cameras in the elevator. My mom might watch."

Han Zhou readily agreed, obediently lowering his head and asking suspiciously, "You wouldn't be trying to prevent me from getting involved with your friend, would you?"

“You can be bolder, even if you shamelessly use the word ‘jealousy’ is fine, I won’t say you’re being presumptuous.”

Han Zhou sighed: "I never thought you would be jealous. In this respect, you are just being presumptuous."

Mo Yixia pretended not to hear and said calmly, "But you're right, I really don't want you to get involved with them, because as your relationship deepens, you will inevitably mention me in your future conversations, which is something I don't want to see."

"Moreover, I still can't figure out why you approached me, and now you're planning to approach them without any reason. This has something to do with me, and I should be worried about their situation."

"What's there to worry about?" Han Zhou said helplessly. "Don't think of me as some kind of thug. Besides, I won't have much interaction with them. At most, I'll chat with them when necessary."

"Use it and then discard it..."

Mo Yixia clicked her tongue and asked, "For what?"

"Private matter."

Han Zhou certainly wouldn't tell Mo Yixia it was for another girl, otherwise he could easily imagine how this guy would answer—

"Starting with one girl, you get to know other girls through her network, using them and then discarding them, but your ultimate goal is to make your eyes on another girl. Do you still dare to say you're not a scumbag?"

The elevator slowly ascended, and the numbers on the display screen kept changing, indicating that it was about to reach the thirty-second floor.

Seeing that Han Zhou didn't want to explain further, Mo Yixia didn't press him. She simply said calmly, "You can leave the box at the door later."

"Don't you need me to help you carry it in?"

"My mom is back. Believe me, you don't want to see her like this."

Do you have nightmares?

Han Zhou inwardly complained, not expecting things to be so serious. After a moment's hesitation, he asked, "Wouldn't I look like I'm fleeing from justice?"

Mo Yixia glanced at him sideways: "It's better than being executed on the spot."

What kind of hellish place is your home...?

Han Zhou was horrified and immediately abandoned his plan to explain to Jiang Baiqian in person, fearing that he would see three hundred axemen lying in ambush as soon as he entered the door. He thought that Mo Yixia would not lie to him about this.

In this light, all the previous preparations were probably meaningless. Now, Jiang Baiqian probably only sees one thing – her daughter, who was supposed to stay at home, has run away and has been gone for more than an hour.