Be Passionately In Love

It really was. Chen Luzhou withdrew his hand from the back of Xu Zhi’s chair, pretending nonchalance as he slipped it into his pocket. When he turned to look at her again, she had already quietly started reading, no longer leaning against him. Sometimes, Xu Zhi gave him the impression of being like a robot—teasing him a couple of words anytime, anywhere, yet able to cool down instantly. He still remembered their first kiss at his place, when she sat on his lap and kissed him, yet afterward, she could still recall what the movie was about.

Still the same old dog behavior, just messing with his head.

Li Ke didn’t catch much else, but the moment he heard the words "girlfriend," his brain completely shut down. Yet, stuck in the library, it was like swallowing a silent thunderbolt—exploding over and over in his heart while he could only ask with forced calm, "So… you’re officially together?"

Chen Luzhou gave an absentminded hum, flipping through the Marxist philosophy book spread open in front of him. Relieved to find he’d already read the first few chapters, he casually draped his arm over the back of Xu Zhi’s chair again—a seemingly relaxed gesture that somehow carried an unspoken possessiveness, deterring others from approaching. He even sighed theatrically, "Yeah, she’s pretty clingy. Insisted on coming to the library with me to study."

Before Li Ke could respond, Xu Zhi, busy solving a calculus problem with her pen scratching nonstop, called out softly without looking up, "Chen Luzhou."

"Hmm?" He turned to her.

Xu Zhi said, "Stop bragging. Midterms are coming up. If you blow all your nonsense into the sky, what am I supposed to use to patch up your brain?"

Chen Luzhou: "..."

Li Ke had been about to get up and leave—studying with a couple was already a test of willpower—but hearing Xu Zhi’s remark, he settled back down securely. Leaning in, he whispered, "This is why the dark horse is the dark horse. She’s just on another level compared to you. But am I the first to know?"

Chen Luzhou gave a disinterested hum, then suddenly remembered, "Oh, second. Right after we made it official yesterday, I called Zhu Yangqi."

Li Ke immediately caught on, eyes glinting mischievously. "Oh? Wasn’t Zhu Yangqi sharing a hotel room with you? Why call?"

"What, can’t I have extra phone credit?" Chen Luzhou shot him a sidelong glance.

Li Ke let out a knowing "Oh," aware that if he pushed further, this young master might actually lose his temper. But then a wave of melancholy hit him—his good buddy was taken, and now there’d be no one left to compete with. The thought left him feeling hollow, so he couldn’t help but add, "Just don’t let it affect your studies, though. A University is easy to get into but hard to graduate from. Everyone’s still grinding—that top scorer from H Province asked me yesterday what your college entrance math score was. He knew you won first prize in the national math and physics competition, said he’d seen your name on the honor roll before. People are watching you."

Chen Luzhou sighed, then smugly tilted his chin toward the other side. In just that short time, Xu Zhi had already filled her scratch paper with calculus formulas. "Haven’t you noticed? My girlfriend’s even more of a grind than I am."

At that moment, Li Ke had only one thought: There was a reason Xu Zhi had managed to win over Chen Luzhou. A girl like that—who wouldn’t be dazzled?Monday and Tuesday were packed with classes, and with the midterm exams looming on Wednesday, the campus atmosphere grew noticeably tenser than usual. Students hurried along, rarely pausing to admire the scenery. A University had an artificial lake where students often strolled, but these days it seemed rather deserted, with only a few plump white geese lounging by the water, basking lazily in the sun.

After the midterms, everyone anxiously awaited the results, but before the grades were even posted, a juicy piece of gossip began spreading like wildfire across the campus.

"Breaking news—the epitome of abstinence and the department flower of architecture might be dating!"

"Where? Where?"

"The library! Campus heartthrob is accompanying his girlfriend while she studies again."

"Actually, it's the other way around—Xu Zhi is being forced by the heartthrob to stay in the library and study with him."

"I’m not even surprised anymore. During Professor Wang’s class, they sit together every time. The heartthrob’s been chasing Xu Zhi for a while now."

"How is Jiang Yu so lame? He’s been pursuing her for ages, yet the heartthrob swooped in and won her over in just a month."

"Well, you can’t compare. It’s the heartthrob we’re talking about. If he wanted to pursue me—never mind, I shouldn’t even dream."

"Damn, we lost the heartthrob."

"Damn, we lost the beauty."

"That heartthrob is such a dog. During Professor Wang’s class, he clipped a hairpin on Xu Zhi—a tiny grass stalk. Himself. Haha."

"Latest update: the heartthrob and Xu Zhi had a fight because she glanced at a hot guy from the art school in the cafeteria."

"Can they just get it together? Is this huge campus not enough for their drama? How has no one seen them making out yet?"

Author’s Note: Announcement:

Apologies, I couldn’t write much today because I’ve been vomiting all day. I’ve been suffering from heatstroke daily lately, with constant nausea and diarrhea. Staying up late to write has left me physically drained, and my condition isn’t great. I went to the hospital today and found out there might be some health issues. I might need to take a break for a few days (I’ll update everyone tomorrow after my follow-up with the doctor). Aside from a few unresolved plot points, there are still a couple of personal secrets to uncover before everything’s laid bare. But there won’t be any major upheavals between the two leads anymore. There are only a few tens of thousands of words left until the end, and their relationship won’t be stuck in any frustrating spots.

I’m truly sorry. I’ve been quite satisfied with how this book has turned out overall, and I’ll be polishing some details in the coming days. I don’t want to rush the ending—I’d rather adjust my health and give it a proper conclusion. Those who can’t wait can come back after it’s finished.

I’ll send red envelopes to everyone who comments on this chapter. Thank you all.