Chapter 46: The Campus Heartthrob, Mu Zuocheng

Bang!

As the page loaded on the boy's computer, the screen suddenly froze and turned blue. Gu Wenxuan felt her flickering hope extinguish in an instant, frustration bubbling over as she directed her anger at the boy in glasses. "What's going on?"

"I've been infected by a stubborn Trojan virus. The system has crashed," he lamented, staring at his unresponsive screen. The realization hit him hard—who was this opponent that could overpower him, the top student in computer science, with such ease?

Meanwhile, in the adjacent classroom, Gu Yining finished entering her final command. A string of code appeared on her screen, and a smile crept onto her face. The earlier battle of wits had indeed been exhilarating, and she recognized the skill of her rival. However, compared to her—someone who had undergone professional training with a hacker group—this opponent was not even close.

After twenty minutes of intense typing, Gu Yining felt a slight strain in her arms. She stretched out her hands, letting out a big yawn. On her desk, a bottle of lemon soda sat, glistening with condensation, clearly taken straight from the fridge.

Suddenly, a clear and pleasant voice broke through her concentration. "Still coding at midday? Ling University really has an abundance of talent. Here, this is for you." 

Following the sound, Gu Yining looked up to meet the gaze of a boy standing in the bright afternoon light. His dark, sparkling eyes were like a pool of stars, clear and mesmerizing.

Mu Zuocheng.

It was him—voted the number one campus heartthrob and the most popular boy in school. He embodied nearly every girl's dream of a perfect first love. There was simply no flaw in him.

Whenever he smiled, he revealed two charming dimples that seemed to illuminate the entire cosmos around him. Gu Yining had rarely spoken to him, but she remembered how he had always stood up for her when others were unkind. Yet, every time he defended her, it only attracted the wrath of those rabid girls who were even more intent on retaliation.

Exhausted from dealing with such harassment, she recalled the day before her expulsion. She had taken him to the rooftop and said, "Please don't stand up for me anymore. I beg you. Every time you speak up for me, it only brings me more harm."

He had promised he wouldn't.

So when she was thrust into the spotlight of rumors, he didn't intervene. 

Gu Yining stared at him blankly. "No thanks, you can drink it yourself." She pushed the bottle back towards him.

Mu Zuocheng's smile faltered, a hint of disappointment crossing his features. "You're blaming me, aren't you? If I hadn't listened to you that day and hadn't promised to stay out of your affairs, you wouldn't have been expelled. My father is a school board member, and the principal is my uncle. It wouldn't have been hard to protect you."

"No, I want to thank you. If I hadn't gone through that experience, I wouldn't be who I am today. Mu Zuocheng, I've returned now, haven't I?" Gu Yining turned her gaze to him, a newfound resolve in her voice.

Returning to this place and encountering him again filled her with a sense of liberation. She wouldn't fear anyone anymore. Perhaps this version of herself was finally worthy of being friends with Mu Zuocheng.

"I'm really glad you're back. Can you tell me how you managed to return? Uncle, the principal, is quite stubborn. Once he makes a decision to expel someone, even if it's a misunderstanding, he wouldn't retract it."

Mu Zuocheng knew his uncle well, being his nephew. The principal's steadfastness was infamous in their school, and it took more than mere persuasion to change his mind. Gu Yining paused for a moment, contemplating how much to reveal about her journey back.

"I had to fight hard for it, but in the end, it was worth it. I've changed, Mu Zuocheng, and I'm determined to make the most of my second chance."

Their eyes locked, and an unspoken understanding passed between them. In this moment, Gu Yining felt a flicker of hope. Perhaps with Mu Zuocheng by her side, she could navigate the challenges that lay ahead.