The unintentionally discovered truth plunged Zhou Zixiao into a towering rage of betrayal.
He hated Gu Huo the most. Qiao Sheng clearly knew this, had even told him she hated Gu Huo too, and had even said Gu Huo was her dog…
So why were they getting along so well in private?
He had been completely unaware!
So her hatred for Gu Huo was all an act, wasn’t it?
Zhou Zixiao was furious. Did that mean he, or they, had been fooled by her all along?!
No.
Zhou Zixiao came from a wealthy family. Since childhood, his parents had taken him out to gain experience, attending various events and meeting all kinds of people. He had honed his ability to read people from a young age.
He quickly recalled and could confirm that Qiao Sheng’s infatuation with him in the past had been genuine.
But he also realized that her indifference toward him at the school gate that day had shown no signs of being feigned either…
But after liking him for so long, chasing after him all day, would she suddenly stop liking him just because he threw away her gift?
Zhou Zixiao didn’t believe it.
If she had any self-respect, would she have disregarded others’ disdain and contempt, eagerly attaching herself to him, allowing him to summon or dismiss her at will, willingly lowering herself to be his lapdog?
Zhou Zixiao clenched and unclenched his fist.
A cold mockery surfaced in his eyes.
Fine.
Qiao Sheng, you played this move well. I admit you’ve achieved your goal of making me see you differently.
But I won’t be fooled by you again.
You’ve gone too far this time, and I’ll soon make you regret it bitterly.
When that day comes, even if you cry and beg me to look at you again, I won’t soften.
At home, Qiao Sheng suddenly sneezed.
She rubbed her nose and continued combing her hair while sitting on the worn-out sofa in the living room.
Gu Huo, who had handed her a dry towel before going inside earlier, appeared at the doorway, looking at her with concern. “Did you catch a cold?”
Qiao Sheng denied it. “No, no, my nose just suddenly felt a little itchy.”
It couldn’t be that unlucky, it just couldn’t. Otherwise, what was the point of enduring three days of cold? Was she just bored and looking for trouble?
She silently prayed, “Dear body, you have to hold up. Don’t cause me any trouble during the New Year. Causing trouble for me means causing trouble for the male lead again. I don’t want to follow the original owner’s path and become a burden to the male lead.”
At the same time, she smiled at Gu Huo and joked half-heartedly, “Maybe someone’s thinking about me.”
After saying that, she fell silent.
She really was a clever one.
In the opposite sense.
The original owner had no family in this world, nor any close friends. Apart from the male lead, she had nothing.
So, even though there were billions of people in the world, not a single one would miss or think of her.
It was more likely they were cursing or mocking her behind her back.
Qiao Sheng smiled bitterly in her heart.
To put it bluntly, if it weren’t for her kind-hearted grandmother who took in the male lead to shelter her from the storm, the original owner, with no one to rely on, might not have even grown up safely. She could have died alone at home one day without anyone knowing.
Seeing her remain silent long after her joke, Gu Huo guessed the reason for her quietness. He glanced at her without a word and brought over a hairdryer.
“Dry your hair. Sleeping with wet hair can make you sick.”
Qiao Sheng snapped out of her thoughts, said “Oh,” and reached out to take it.
She had originally planned to comb her hair smoother before drying it, as drying it without combing could easily cause tangles.
Taking this opportunity, she secretly glanced at Gu Huo.
She wondered if her earlier words might have made him overthink his own situation.
The male lead had a pretty rough start, but for his entire life, the early hardships were akin to trials—after weathering the storms, he would welcome rainbows and his own brilliant, dazzling future.
Speaking of which, the female lead would appear soon…
She would come to redeem Gu Huo. When others bullied him, she would step forward without hesitation, wholeheartedly treating him well. From then on, Gu Huo would never be alone again.
Qiao Sheng’s outstretched hand froze mid-air.
She stared in astonishment at Gu Huo, who had dodged her, utterly confused.
Didn’t he personally hand her the hairdryer and ask her to dry her hair?
Why wouldn’t he let her use it now?
Gu Huo avoided her puzzled gaze, bent down to plug the hairdryer into the socket, and stood behind Qiao Sheng. “I’ll help you dry it.”
Qiao Sheng: “…??”
Then she remembered that the original host used to order Gu Huo to dry her hair every few days.
Was this a conditioned reflex?
Qiao Sheng found it both amusing and heartbreaking.
Sigh, the aloof and solitary top student in everyone’s eyes—what had the original host done to him?
She quickly said, “No need, no need. I can do it myself.”
If not for the original host’s tyranny and his promise to his grandmother, Gu Huo would never have willingly served her. Qiao Sheng thought he would hand her the hairdryer now, but instead, he tightened his grip on the handle, lowered his eyes without looking at her, and insisted, “It’s inconvenient for you. Let me help.”
Qiao Sheng: “…”
She had always dried her own hair—it was quite convenient.
In the original plot, the male lead always saw serving the original host as an unavoidable task. Apart from buying groceries, cooking, and doing chores, any personal service was only at the original host’s request—he never took the initiative.
So why, tonight, despite her clear and polite refusal, was he still insisting on serving her?
Qiao Sheng paused for a moment, then quickly understood.
That jacket.
It must still be about that jacket.
Gu Huo appeared aloof and distant on the surface, but in reality, he was sensitive and meticulous. He yearned for attention but feared getting hurt, which was why he wore a mask of cold detachment, pushing others away.
Thus, when the gentle, sun-like female lead appeared, she would slowly illuminate his lost and confused heart with her meticulous care and understanding companionship…
Since transmigrating into this book, Qiao Sheng had immediately distanced herself from the original host, stopping all self-destructive behavior. Out of genuine sympathy for Gu Huo, she had even spent a “fortune” to buy him a jacket. But she didn’t naively think she could replace the female lead because of this.
Self-awareness was a virtue.
Although her transmigration had brought some changes to this novel’s world, the power of the plot was strong.
The male lead was destined for the female lead. The antagonist would openly oppose the male lead for her sake, and during this time, the female lead would win everyone over with her personal charm, becoming the beloved center of attention.
Besides, Gu Huo had lived with the original host for years. He already had a clear definition of what kind of person she was. Even if her efforts had slightly improved his opinion of her, that was all… Maybe in the future, when he became successful, he could increase her monthly allowance from one million to five million?
Hehehe, that wouldn’t be bad either…
Stop, stop, stop. It’s nighttime—save the daydreaming for daylight.
Qiao Sheng quickly stopped herself and was about to say something when Gu Huo suddenly placed the hairdryer beside her hand. “Then you can dry it yourself. Remember, you can only go to sleep once your hair is completely dry.”