Chapter Nineteen

This night was destined to be anything but a peaceful one. Zoe fell asleep, but she had a nightmare in which Nick transformed into a demon with black wings, constantly pushing her towards the edge of a cliff.

She trembled and retreated step by step, with nowhere left to go. With a misstep, she fell into the abyss that awaited her.

She woke up abruptly, grasping the blanket, staring at the dark ceiling, sweat dripping down her forehead, her breath heavy.

After a while, Zoe turned over and could no longer fall asleep.

The next day, Zoe woke up with dark circles under her eyes.

She woke up late, while Luna and Stella had already finished their morning routine. Seeing her still in a daze, they hurriedly urged her.

Zoe then climbed out of bed, hastily got herself ready, and took her books to leave.

Ellie didn't have classes in the morning and was still sleeping soundly.

The three girls didn't dare disturb her and quietly closed the door behind them.

There were quite a few people heading to class in the morning. As soon as they left the dormitory, they encountered three girls from another dormitory, whose eyes seemed to be fixated on Zoe.

It seemed they were wondering what made this girl so special that two senior students fought over her.

Luna sighed, "It's true that good news doesn't travel far, but bad news travels fast. Wherever there are people, there are gossips."

Stella put her arm around Zoe's shoulder and said, "Before a new gossip emerges, Zoe, you might have to be the panda for a while."

Zoe was still groggy, her actions sluggish due to lack of sleep. She glanced at the three girls, who seemed even more interested in her.

She furrowed her brows but didn't have the energy to care about it anymore.

Zoe wasn't in the same major as Luna and Stella, so their courses were completely different.

At the intersection, Zoe had to part ways with them and walk alone towards the multimedia classroom, enduring the stares all the way.

Zoe sighed slightly.

Four years ago, when she pursued Nick, it was like this too.

After the time she gave him roses, she became famous, and people would point and whisper about her wherever she went. Back then, she didn't really mind it, feeling proud that she could pay for her own love.

How foolish she was.

Being stared at wasn't a pleasant feeling at all, it was too uncomfortable.

When Zoe entered the classroom, she immediately heard some students discussing.

"That's her."

"Nick loves her so deeply."

"Yeah, they even fought for her."

"She doesn't seem that pretty, though."

Ignoring the whispers, Zoe took her books, chose a seat, leaned her head on the desk, and soon fell into a daze. Soon after, she felt sleepy and fell asleep right there in class.

This was the first time Zoe had fallen asleep during a lecture. After she fell asleep, the stares on her intensified. Only when the lecturer came onto the stage did they diminish slightly.

By the end of the class, the lecturer marked some points on the board that would be needed for the paper. After that, the lecturer packed up his books and left the classroom.

As he stepped out, he saw that the public lecture in the neighboring Finance Department had just ended as well.

The students were walking out while frequently glancing inside, seemingly looking for someone.

Soon, two boys emerged from the front and back doors respectively. They were exactly the ones the students were staring at.

The lecturer paused and asked, "Nick, where have you been? Why is your lip so bruised?"

A student nearby whispered to the lecturer, "He got into a fight."

"You didn't hear about it, sir?"

The student then started to explain, and the lecturer listened with raised eyebrows. He nodded and said, "Today, there seems to be a female student in our class named Zoe."

The young lecturer also looked at Nick with interest.

Nick and Leo didn't leave together as usual, but instead exited from the front and back doors. Leo had a stern expression, while Nick looked casual, his hands in his pockets. He was about to take out a cigarette, but when he saw the familiar lecturer standing at the classroom door, he paused, took it out, and put it in his mouth without lighting it.

The lecturer stopped Nick and looked at him with a smile.

Nick stood lazily, "What's up, teacher?"

"Can't I just look at your pig face?"

The lecturer chuckled.

Nick raised his eyebrows but didn't take it seriously. His gaze wandered lazily and suddenly, through the window, he caught sight of a face sleeping on the desk facing outwards.

He narrowed his eyes, "Are you done with your lecture, teacher?"

"Yes," the lecturer nodded, glanced back, and saw Zoe sleeping. He immediately understood why Nick suddenly became so animated.

Nick said, "Oh, that's good."

With that, he stepped past the lecturer and headed into the classroom.

There were still a few students sitting in the classroom. When they saw Nick, they were slightly surprised.

Nick quickened his pace, stepped up the stairs, and came to the row where Zoe was sitting.

Zoe's seat was by the window, with only two seats. Next to Zoe was another student who was busy organizing his notes.

Suddenly, a shadow fell over him, and he looked up to see Nick.

Nick tapped the table with his fingertips, his gaze scanning the student indifferently.

The student, seeing Zoe still sleeping beside him, trembled, scattering the books on the table, quickly stood up, and moved to give Nick space.

The student hastily scrambled aside, leaving the seat vacant.

Nick stood there for a moment, then used his long legs to nudge the chair open and sat down. His gaze boldly scanned Zoe's nape. Her hair was a bit messy, probably because she hadn't tied it properly. Many strands were stuck in her collar, giving a messy appearance, but the dark hair contrasted sharply with the whiteness of her neck.

It was like a piece of jade, tempting one to reach out and touch it.

Nick tapped his fingertips, and a fleeting desire flashed in his eyes. Last night, she had struggled fiercely, and his lips had been bitten through. Not only was his lip bruised from the fight, but there were also wounds from her bites.

She was like a porcupine, occasionally letting out a sharp prick or two.

Such moments of her being harmless, like now when she was asleep, were too rare.

He reached out, his hand moving towards her neck, his eyes filled with hidden madness. His fingertips were almost touching that pale skin.

Zoe, who was sleeping face down, moved slightly. Nick's hand paused in mid-air. For about a second, it seemed Zoe wanted to lift her head and sit up, but Nick quickly reached out, covering her eyes with both hands.

He leaned closer and whispered, "Sleep a little longer."

Zoe, who had been half-asleep and groggy, immediately woke up fully upon hearing his voice. She pushed his hands away and turned her head to look at him.

Nick, with an unlit cigarette dangling from his mouth, looked at her lazily.

Zoe's eyes immediately filled with terror—unabashed terror.

Nick: "..."

So, is she afraid of me now?

"Zoe!"

Luna, who had just finished her class, called Zoe but got no answer. Worried that something might have happened to her, she immediately ran to Zoe's classroom. As soon as she entered, she saw the scene before her. She quickly climbed up the stairs and shouted loudly.

Zoe immediately stood up, feeling like she had been saved.

Nick leaned his face on his hand, staring at her with his long legs stretched out, showing no sign of moving aside.

Zoe said, "Move."

"You deleted me from your friends list." Nick raised his eyebrows, his narrow eyes filled with amusement as he watched Zoe like a prey.

Those lips he had tasted were indeed very sweet.

Zoe bit her lower lip, "So what?" As soon as she said it, she was frightened again. Her words seemed to be provoking him again.

Last night, she had made a decision not to provoke him anymore. She would avoid him as much as possible to prevent him from acting crazily like last night.

"Nothing much, just add me back." Nick pushed the phone on the table towards Zoe and raised his chin as a gesture.

Zoe: "..."

Luna was watching anxiously from outside, but Nick was in the best position. If he didn't let her, Zoe really couldn't get out.

Luna furrowed her brows.

Indeed.

Her guess was right.

Once Nick started, Zoe would probably find it difficult to resist. Or she might not be able to handle Nick at all.

Zoe stubbornly stood in place, while Nick sat down. The two of them, one standing and one sitting, stared at each other with intense gazes.

Suddenly, Zoe's eyes reddened. Nick, with his cigarette dangling from his mouth, waited lazily with a mischievous smile.

As soon as she reddened, it was very obvious.

He paused for a moment with the cigarette at the corner of his mouth.

Nick instinctively softened his voice and asked, "Are you going to cry?"

Zoe didn't want to show him that she was about to cry. She reached out and wiped the corner of her eye, shaking her head.

The sunlight outside the window fell on Zoe, enveloping her entire figure. When she wiped her eyes, she looked even more pitiful, making Nick's throat tighten.

He stared at her intently.

Zoe wasn't crying; she really didn't want to. She felt coerced and didn't want to show it in front of him, but her tears were uncontrollable.

Yes.

After the last time, she had reddened her eyes for Nick again.

The people watching around also looked at Zoe, wondering if she would cry and what Nick would do. Would he give way or continue to refuse to budget?

And then, just at that moment.

Nick stood up and approached Zoe. Zoe was frightened and leaned back, her head resting against the window. Nick put his hand on the window railing and leaned down, their breaths so close that Zoe was panicked. Nick's lips curved into a smile as he said, "Cry, I quite want to see you cry..."

His voice was low, only audible to the two of them.

Zoe: "..."

After the bell rang, they left the classroom.

Zoe looked somewhat dejected, while Luna held her hand and patted it reassuringly.

Everyone around was staring at them brazenly.

Back in the dormitory, Zoe looked at the newly added WeChat friend.

Nick.

And it was even on top of her contacts list.

Zoe closed her eyes for a moment.

Luna came out after washing her hands and saw her staring at her phone. She said, "If you want to delete him, just do it again."

Zoe threw the phone aside and said, "I won't fall asleep outside again."

To avoid giving Nick any more chances, Luna nodded, "That's for sure. He's in his third year now, and he won't be in school much during the second half of his fourth year. You won't have much contact with him either."

Zoe: "..."

She thought of Shengding Law Firm.

It was right across from Nick's company.

Luna sat down, her hand resting on the armrest, and asked, "Do you really not like him anymore?"

Zoe looked up at Luna with a blank expression. After a moment, she neither nodded nor shook her head. She just said, "Everything has exceeded my expectations."

Luna patted Zoe's cheek as a way of comfort.

In the boys' dormitory on the sixth floor.

Nick emerged from the shower, sat down at his computer desk, and picked up his phone while drying his hair.

He clicked on Zoe's profile and sent her a WeChat message.

After sending it, Ethan called him from the balcony.

Nick hung the towel and went to the balcony.

When he came back, he casually picked up his phone and looked at it with lowered eyes.

Zoe had replied to him.

Zoe: "I really hate you a lot."

Nick: "..."

Damn.

Didn't she like him before?