33: Chapter 33 Inside the Ice is Blazing Heat

"Living alone is so good. I feel like being alone is quite free now; I can do whatever I want."

Although Zhao Xiaoshuai had a high school crush with a friends-with-benefits relationship, was pursuing a university fitness coach, and had an obedient sub, he knew he was still single.

Even if the King of Heaven himself came down, he was still single.

"I liked you when I was in college, and I still do now."

Saying these words exhausted all the courage Guan Xiaosu had accumulated.

There wasn't much expression on her face, but in reality, she was panicking inside.

In her heart, there had always been regret—regret for why she was so cowardly back then, missing the person she liked the most during the best age and the best time.

If she had been able to express her love earlier, she might have been with Zhao Xiaoshuai, and that subsequent incident wouldn't have happened.

Furthermore, the current Zhao Xiaoshuai wouldn't have experienced the pain of being abandoned by Chu Ziqing.

When he mentioned their breakup, she clearly remembered every single expression of his.

That was a kind of indifference after having one's feelings deeply hurt; she had personally experienced it, so she understood.

Thus, today, she was able to say those words with such courage; this was a confession that was nine years late.

Hearing such an unexpected sentence, Zhao Xiaoshuai smiled slightly, noncommittally.

He picked up a glass of water from the table and took a sip, using it to buy some time to think.

In his memory, Guan Xiaosu was a cold and reticent person, as if she wasn't very interested in anything.

She was an ice beauty who fit the public's impression.

And yet, how could someone like her say such things? This was so unlike her.

Or rather, until now, he had actually never really understood her.

Perhaps beneath her cold exterior, there was actually a burning heart hidden away.

If it were Zhao Xiaoshuai from a few days ago, he would definitely have been at a loss, not knowing how to respond, and would have ended up finding a topic to fob her off.

But now, he was no longer the same person; the shift in his mindset meant he was no longer so coy.

He recalled the exceptionally high favorability rating when he first met Guan Xiaosu, as well as the situation where it had been surging these past few days, and vaguely deduced the truth buried in the years.

He finally checked the system again.

[Favorability/Relationship Value: 363 (Like)], it hadn't been long, yet it had risen so much.

[Fidelity: 8], which already exceeded the vast majority of people.

Although he didn't have any particularly special feelings for her, it was enough if it was just for a friends-with-benefits relationship.

Putting down the water glass, he said calmly, "I won't have just one woman, and I will never get married. If you follow me, there won't be any official status."

Guan Xiaosu quickly said, "Someone like me doesn't dare to hope for any status anyway. I just don't want to spend the rest of my life in regret and loneliness."

She had always carried low self-esteem, so much so that she hadn't dared to contact him for so many years.

Now, like this, she actually felt it was quite suitable.

When a consistently cold person shows shyness and passion, it is exceptionally moving.

Zhao Xiaoshuai wasn't coy either; he stood up, walked directly in front of Guan Xiaosu, and lifted her chin.

Her lips were also slightly cool; it seemed as if her overall body surface temperature was just slightly lower than that of a normal person.

Holding her was like holding a small cooling pillow; if it were a hot summer, that would definitely be a wonderful thing.

He could feel her inexperience; it was a kind of helplessness from having absolutely no experience, just letting him do as he pleased.

He reached out, pulled her up into his arms, held her tightly, and with a turn, placed her on the edge of the table.

She didn't know what to do, didn't even know where to put her hands, but she was responding to him as best she could.

After all, they were at home, and her home was the type where the floor heating was too hot; she was only wearing a loose dress.

Therefore, Zhao Xiaoshuai could very easily feel that inside the ice was burning heat.

People who are focused easily ignore unimportant things around them.

Perhaps it was because of too much force, the half-full water glass on the table was knocked onto the floor with a clatter.

With a click, the bedroom door was pushed open, and Xiao Anan's big, curious eyes blinked and blinked.

The two separated in a hurry; Zhao Xiaoshuai bent down to pick up the water glass and wipe the floor, while Guan Xiaosu didn't even have time to get off the table.

"Are you guys playing a game again? Anan wants to play too."

"Ahem, Anan, Godfather will play with you next time. I have something to do today, so I have to leave first."

Fortunately, it wasn't a glass cup and didn't break. Zhao Xiaoshuai wiped the water stains off the floor and awkwardly fled the scene.

"Anan, have you been playing too much these past few days? Have you finished the homework I assigned you?"

"You took a leave of absence for the first half of the semester due to health issues, but you cannot let your coursework fall behind."

Hearing her mother's slightly cold voice, Xiao Anan skillfully closed the door and locked it from the inside with a click.

...

...

Feeling unsatisfied and restless, Zhao Xiaoshuai was blown by the cold wind and sobered up a bit.

Although it was still early, he didn't have any extra plans, so he simply decided to go to his Sister-in-law's place early to sit for a while.

"Huh, Brother-in-law, why are you off work so early?"

"Nothing much, I slipped out early."

Zhao Xiaoshuai glanced around; many dishes in the kitchen had already been prepped and were just waiting to be cooked. He hadn't expected his Sister-in-law to start preparing so early.

"Xinyi, you said you finished those test papers, so since you don't go out when you're at home, what do you usually do?"

"Reading, of course. I bought several new ones recently."

Zhao Xiaoshuai would give her some pocket money from time to time, but she had never bought snacks or small accessories; she used almost all of it to buy books.

Because her home was far away, this apartment was rented for her by Zhao Xiaoshuai when she first started high school.

Now, there were many, many books piled up in this small room.

"Reading is good. But real life is also important. Is there anything you want to play or do? Why not try it while you're on break?"

Sister-in-law thought for a moment, as if she had thought of something interesting, but then shook her head helplessly.

"Once I start playing, I'll definitely have to show my face. Father Chu has only ever made this one request of me since I was a child, and I don't want to make him sad."

Father Chu's methods, although they allowed the two Chu sisters to grow up smoothly without experiencing too many temptations and troubles, also made them lonely at the same time.

The two independent-minded sisters were treated as weirdos and kept at arm's length during their student days.

Chu Ziqing, a freshman in college, was like a blank slate in terms of interpersonal relationships, and he estimated that Chu Xinyi wasn't much better.

A wave of heartache welled up in his heart, and Zhao Xiaoshuai said with a gentle expression:

"Brother-in-law can play with you. See if there's anything I can participate in."

Chu Xinyi's eyes lit up, "There actually is! Then you can have a snowball fight with me! I saw them playing so happily at school! Let's go right now!"