Chapter Twelve

Zoe walked into the living room and asked Nick, "Did you take your medicine?"

Nick shook his head lazily and yawned, "No, I'm waiting for you to serve me?"

Fine.

She owed him.

She found the medicine box, placed it on the coffee table, and squatted down to search for the thermometer.

Nick looked up from his phone and gazed at the squatting girl.

Her hair was usually tied into a long ponytail that hung behind her. Today, she wore a shirt, with her arms rolled up revealing delicate and pale skin. Her neck was even whiter, and under the light, one could see fine fuzz, as well as her long eyelashes.

Her waist was slender, and her hips were lifted.

She looked very gentle, but somehow, she was like a porcupine.

His eyes darkened, and he shifted his gaze back to his phone.

Zoe handed him the thermometer, "Check your temperature."

Nick arched his eyebrows and looked at her.

After a moment, he asked, "Where should I put it?"

Zoe: "Put it in your mouth."

Nick smirked mischievously, raising his eyebrows, "Put it in my mouth?"

Zoe was serious and was startled by his question, blushing intensely after a second. She gritted her teeth, "Or you can hold it between your cheeks. It's getting late. Once you know your temperature and take the medicine, I'll go back."

Nick leaned back and tapped his forehead.

"You can just touch it with your palm, can't you?"

Zoe: "..."

She threw the thermometer aside and said, "Suit yourself."

Then she broke the fever medicine and poured some hot water, placing it in front of him.

Zoe's tone was firm, "Take it."

Nick looked up at her, and after a moment, he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and chuckled quietly, "Alright, I'll take it."

Zoe watched him take the medicine and drink the hot water, feeling a sense of relief.

She said, "Now we're even."

Nick's face turned cold, and he kicked the medicine box, "Say that again?"

Zoe: "Sorry, I said what I was thinking. It's late, and I have to go back now."

After saying that, she picked up her small bag and walked towards the door.

Nick: "..."

Damn.

After Zoe agreed to Leo's request, she had to attend rehearsals in the dance studio of the Art Department whenever she didn't have classes.

The dance was of an ancient style, choreographed by a senior from the Art Department in her fourth year.

The lead dancer was a freshman from the Art Department, very beautiful and classically elegant.

The other eight dancers were from various colleges among the freshman class.

Zoe was a bit special, as she was both a self-study student and the last one to join.

The other seven freshmen liked to call Zoe "sister."

In everyone's impression, self-study students were usually older.

The senior from the fourth year, presumably instructed by Leo, took good care of Zoe, spending an extra class to guide her.

She pressed her hand on Zoe's waist and smiled, "It's quite soft."

"No wonder Leo picked you."

The words were quite ambiguous, but Zoe smiled and didn't respond. Everyone probably knew how she got into this dance team—through the backdoor.

Plus, Leo often came to the dance studio to check on the progress, looking very professional but actually finding opportunities to talk to Zoe every time.

So, rumors of Leo, the Publicity President of the Student Council, pursuing Zoe spread quickly.

Zoe: "..."

She glanced at Leo who just entered through the main door, grabbed a towel, and quickly left through the back door.

Behind her, Leo's voice rang out with a smile, "Where's Yi Yi?"

Zoe felt a chill on her scalp and hurried down the stairs, taking two steps at a time. When she reached the first floor, she bumped into Nick who was on the phone. He turned his head to look at her, his gaze falling on her feet.

Zoe had been practicing dance, and her forehead was covered in sweat, beads rolling down. She panted and paused, "What do you want for dinner?"

Since that night when he had a fever, the two of them hadn't seen each other for a week because he had sent her a message the next day saying he had to go away for a week.

It just happened that he came back this morning.

Nick narrowed his eyes and said indifferently, "Pepper and salt shrimp."

"Alright."

Zoe nodded and turned to leave, still holding her shoes in her hand.

Nick put down his phone and watched her back. He realized that even her feet were so white...

Just then, Leo came down from the upstairs and ran into Nick. Leo's eyes lit up, "You're back?"

Nick nodded and put a cigarette in his mouth. He looked around, "What are you looking for?"

Leo smiled, "Did you just see Zoe?"

Nick's lips curved into a sneer, "No."

Then he turned and walked away.

Leo called out, "Hey, can I have dinner with you tonight?"

"I have plans tonight."

Nick rejected him without hesitation.

The two walked towards the Student Council, one in front and one behind. After a few steps, Nick suddenly stopped. He lowered his gaze and played with his cigarette, lazily asking, "Leo, are you pursuing Zoe?"

Leo paused and tilted his head, smiling, "I haven't started yet..."

"Oh?"

The rumor had already spread throughout the Student Council.

Not started yet?

Soon, the Welcome Party arrived.

This year's Welcome Party had been postponed for over a month. It was now November, and the weather in Haishi, a city in the south, still didn't feel like winter.

Everyone was still wearing short-sleeved shirts.

Because of the good weather, more people participated in the Welcome Party.

Zoe had been busy between the classroom, dance studio, dormitory, and Nick's house during this time, and hadn't noticed the changes in the school. Now she realized that the party was surprisingly grand. The sponsor was a well-known real estate developer in Haishi, known for its wealth. She heard about it while getting her makeup done in the background.

Nick had secured the sponsor.

The female students participating in the program in the background all mentioned Nick with shyness and embarrassment, blushing.

"Is Nick single now?"

"I heard he dated a department flower before, but they broke up. He should be single now."

"What's the relationship between Ivy from the Student Council and Nick?"

"She's apparently Nick's ex-girlfriend's close friend."

During this period, Zoe had heard a lot of rumors about Nick and knew that he had dated a girlfriend before. She had always assumed that the girlfriend still existed, but in reality, they had already broken up and the girl had gone abroad.

And now, he was single.

So there were many girls in the school who were like moths to a flame, confessing and pursuing him.

Recently, from other people's mouths, another name had emerged: Ivy, Nick's ex-girlfriend's close friend.

"Are you all ready?"

The freshman representative and small host came in and asked with a smile, and the chattering freshmen immediately shut up. The lead dancer, a petite beauty, turned to the host and asked, "Are we almost up?"

"There are only two more programs before you, so it won't be long. You're the grand finale."

The petite beauty smiled, revealing her pearly white teeth, and nodded, "Okay."

The red curtain was lowered, and the people in the makeup room became busy again.

Luna put earrings on Zoe and patted her shoulder with a smile, "Don't be nervous."

Zoe glanced at her in the mirror and smiled.

Halfway through the Welcome Party, Nick and Leo finally finished their tasks and came to the front row. Ethang offered them their seats and clapped, "Here, I've saved you some seats."

Leo winked and smiled mischievously, resting his chin on his hand, "They haven't started yet, right?"

Ethan glanced at Leo and pursed his lips, "Not yet."

He knew who Leo meant by "them," referring to Zoe.

Every year, there was a Welcome Party, and as third-year seniors, they had already seen enough.

They had witnessed all kinds of beautiful girls and exciting programs, so there was nothing special about it anymore.

Since last year, Leo, Nick, and Noah basically didn't come to watch the performances live.

They would stay in the background and keep an eye on the younger students.

These front row seats had always been reserved.

This year, however, both of them had shown up.

Ethan looked at Leo with anticipation and then glanced to the side. Nick was sitting there with his long legs crossed, lazily leaning against the chair back, playing with his phone, his eyes lowered, exuding a casual aura.

Who would have thought that the Student Council President would also show up tonight?

Ethan clicked his tongue, wondering if he was also here to watch Zoe.

Behind them, the group of younger students were extremely excited to see Nick and even took sneaky photos with their phones.

A top post suddenly appeared on the Haicheng University forum.

[Shocking! Nick's presence at the Welcome Party tonight! Attached with sneaky photos]

Soon, the second-to-last program, a comedy skit, ended perfectly.

The host came on stage and announced the next program.

"The grand finale tonight is performed by the most beautiful freshman at Haicheng University - The Sorrow of a Beautiful Woman."

As soon as the announcement was made, a flash of red appeared on stage. The lead dancer, accompanied by eight other dancers, gracefully walked onto the stage wearing bright red ancient-style dance dresses.

Zoe stood at the end, with bells tied to her feet, making a tinkling sound with every step she took.

The skirt was split at the sides, with a strip hanging down from each side, allowing the soft fabric to cling to her slender white legs.

Her white legs were faintly visible, and her waist was tightly cinched.

Holding a red ribbon in her hand, as the music started, Zoe raised her arm, and the skirt sleeve slid down, revealing her pale arm. The ribbon wrapped around her arm, bright and vibrant, adding a visual contrast.

She had applied eye makeup, with her eyes slightly raised, captivating the audience's souls.

She kicked the skirt with her feet, and her white toes, incredibly enticing.

She stood slightly to the right, but those in the front row could see her clearly, especially those who wanted to see her.

Leo couldn't contain himself, "Damn, she's so beautiful?"

Nick pressed his thin lips against the mineral water bottle, his gaze heavily fixed on her kicking legs...