Chapter 27: Li Zhi Rejects Fu Tingzhou, Truth Behind the Rescue

Zhou Yufeng was driving.

Fu Tingzhou and Li Zhi sat in the backseat as the three of them went to town and first stopped at a restaurant for a meal.

Li Zhi could feel Fu Tingzhou was being especially attentive to her, and she vaguely sensed something—but wasn’t sure.

Zhou Yufeng went to order dishes with the owner.

The two sat in silence, occasionally glancing at each other. Li Zhi looked at him.

Fu Tingzhou quickly looked away.

The atmosphere was slightly awkward, but also somewhat ambiguous.

Fu Tingzhou broke the silence first. “What are your plans next?”

Li Zhi said, “I plan to focus entirely on preparing for exams. I won’t consider another relationship for the near future, and I definitely won’t consider marriage in the next five years.”

What he felt for her now might just be a fleeting attraction. In a year, he might pass her on the street and not even recognize her.

They weren’t right for each other. Time would wash everything away.

Fu Tingzhou’s lips curled into a faint smile that didn’t reach his eyes. He lightly tapped his fingers on the table, but his heart felt like it had fallen into an icy pit.

Not considering marriage within five years—that was as good as saying we’re not right for each other, completely shutting down what he had been about to say.

Because at 28, he was already considered an older bachelor. He couldn’t afford to wait five years.

He could wait for her—but he wasn’t the type to cling and pester. That would only make her annoyed. Bitterness seeped through every part of him.

Li Zhi noticed Zhou Yufeng was about to pay.

“I’m going over there for a moment, excuse me.” She got up and walked to the counter, taking out a ten-yuan bill. “Boss lady, let me pay.”

“You don’t have to, how could we let a young lady treat us?” Zhou Yufeng glanced at Fu Tingzhou, but seeing no reaction and his heavy expression, felt something must have happened—like the sky had fallen.

He had only been gone for a few minutes.

“You guys helped me a lot today. I should be the one treating you.”

Seeing her insist, Zhou Yufeng didn’t argue.

During the meal, Zhou Yufeng’s cheerful and outgoing personality helped ease the awkward atmosphere between the two.

Fu Tingzhou wasn’t in the mood, though he did say a few words. Rejected before he even confessed—of course his mood was terrible.

Li Zhi got on a bus and chose the window seat, which she liked.

She looked out the window at Fu Tingzhou and Zhou Yufeng, waved goodbye to them, and thought:
Goodbye, Fu Tingzhou. I hope you find true happiness soon.

Zhou Yufeng slung an arm around Fu Tingzhou’s shoulder. “Old Fu, what happened when I was ordering food just now?”

Fu Tingzhou muttered, “She rejected me.”

“Directly or indirectly?”

“Indirectly. She said she wouldn’t consider marriage in the next five years.”

“Why not win her heart first and get married five years later?”

Zhou Yufeng, at 27, still thought of himself as young. What’s wrong with marrying at 30-something?

“I’m 28. Just an old guy—not worthy of her.”

If he were in his early twenties, he’d relentlessly pursue her no matter what.

But now he was 28. Li Zhi was only 19 and still had her college entrance exams ahead.

He didn’t have the nerve to bother her.

“Lu Yanzhi is only a year younger than you. She probably doesn’t care about age.”

Fu Tingzhou pressed his lips together and said nothing.

Zhou Yufeng added, “By the way, I heard from Comrade Li Zhi that the reason she was so devoted to Yanzhi before was because he saved her life. If it had been you who rescued her, you’d have had a much better shot. Honestly, I don’t think she ever really loved Yanzhi—it was more like worship or obsession.”

Fu Tingzhou suddenly grabbed his arm, agitated. “You said Li Zhi was nearly assaulted on the street and Lu Yanzhi saved her? When? Where?”

“On the street. Don’t know exactly where. Just that it was two years ago.”

Fu Tingzhou touched the scar on his arm, recalling a day two years ago.

He and Lu Yanzhi were on a mission and had happened to save a girl who was nearly assaulted by some thugs.

During her struggle, she hit her head on a wall and fainted.

Fu Tingzhou had held her while fighting off the attackers, getting a cut on his arm in the process.

Lu Yanzhi had carried the girl to the hospital. They paid her medical fees and explained the situation to the doctor and nurses before rushing back to the military base to report.

Two years ago. Street. Thugs. Assault. Girl. Lu Yanzhi?

Could it really be a coincidence?

Could Li Zhi have mistaken who saved her?

He wanted to ask her directly.

But just as he stepped forward, the bus started moving.

The faster he ran, the faster the bus drove away. The gap widened, and he couldn’t catch up.

He sprinted down the street, eyes locked on the increasingly distant bus.

Wind rushed down his collar. His chest heaved, the veins on his temples throbbing. Zhou Yufeng chased after him, shouting, “Hey, what are you doing? Are you crazy? Want to get yourself killed? How can two legs outrun a bus?”

Fu Tingzhou had wanted to catch up and ask her about that day.

Not for credit. Not to make her fall in love with him.

But just thinking she might’ve mistaken who saved her, and suffered in a relationship built on a misunderstanding, made his heart twist.

He had seen the hatred in her eyes before—he could guess the pain she’d been through.

If she had married Lu Yanzhi and ended up miserable…

That would mean he had indirectly ruined her whole life.

Fu Tingzhou turned back and ran again, his handsome face cold and taut, veins bulging on his forehead, fists clenched, eyes bloodshot like a beast about to go berserk.

Zhou Yufeng was startled.

“Old Fu, where are you going now?”

He wanted to find Lu Yanzhi and confirm the truth about that day.

“What are you trying to do? Calm down. If you go confront Lu Yanzhi now, it’ll reflect badly on Comrade Li Zhi. She just broke off an engagement. If you go picking a fight over her, what will people say about her?”

Zhou Yufeng held him back, stopping his impulsive rage.

Fu Tingzhou was persuaded and reluctantly held back, deciding not to confront Lu Yanzhi—at least not yet.

When Li Zhi got home, she found that Li Moli had returned.

She was crying and acting spoiled, saying how much she missed their parents.

It was a lie. She just ran out of money.

Yuan Huilan saw Li Zhi and asked with concern, “Zhizhi, you’re back? How did the engagement cancellation go?”

Li Zhi replied, “It’s done. The military issued an official document.”

Li Yongge slapped his thigh. “Well done! Let’s add two dishes tonight and celebrate properly.”

She devoted herself to studying for a month.

On October 1st, the National Day holiday began—seven days off.

Her grades were mid-tier, just enough for an average university. But she wanted a better one, so she had to work harder. The holiday was a good chance to get ahead while others relaxed.

The library was closed on the 1st, so she studied at home.

On the 2nd, the library reopened.

As soon as she arrived at the entrance, two people at a nearby café spotted her through the crowd.

Zhou Yufeng nudged the man beside him. “She’s here, she’s here! Why are you still sitting there? Go talk to her!”

For the past month, Zhou Yufeng had never seen him like this—as if someone had taken his soul. He was constantly distracted in the dorm, always lost in thought.

He’d just started his leave, yet already dragged them to this café again.

There’s no fooling Zhou Yufeng.

“She’s here to study. Let’s wait till noon.”

“You’ve waited a month—what’s half a day more?”

Zhou Yufeng gave him a thumbs up. “Impressive. With patience like yours, you could do anything.”

Zhou Yufeng added, “I won’t be able to accompany you tomorrow. My family arranged another blind date.”

At noon, Li Zhi came out—with a guy next to her. More accurately, a young boy.

Tall and slim, with black-rimmed glasses and clear skin, a backpack on his shoulders—definitely a student.

He was a classmate of Li Zhi’s, from the same school. His grades weren’t great, but he worked hard. He had come to study too.

He immediately recognized Li Zhi and came over to chat, asking her a math question.

Since he was a classmate, Li Zhi helped explain.

Then he pestered her to let him treat her to a meal.

“No need. I live nearby. I’ll eat at home.”

“Then… how about coffee? Let me buy you a cup… You helped me and I wasted your time.”

He’d feel guilty if she didn’t let him treat her.

Li Zhi declined, “Really, no need. We’re classmates—it’s normal to help each other. You’ve helped me too, remember? So we’re even.”

She started to suspect he had other motives, but she really wasn’t into younger boys.

In her past life, she’d lived to 36 and had a 15-year-old son. A 19-year-old boy now was basically the same age as her wolf cub of a son.

Maybe it was due to lacking love growing up—being reunited with her birth parents later in life—she still felt insecure.

So she preferred older, mature, and stable men.

They walked side by side—both attractive and youthful, like a perfect couple.

This scene was once again witnessed by the two in the café across the street.

To Fu Tingzhou, it was an eyesore. His chest felt tight. His hand on his thigh was clenched into a fist.

Zhou Yufeng urged him again, “Old Fu, are you just going to sit here? Careful or someone else will snatch away your gardenia flower—pot and all.”

Fu Tingzhou could no longer sit still. He stood up and walked toward her.