Chapter 28: Confession – Willingly Letting You Use Me

Fu Tingzhou walked toward her. “Li Zhi.”

Li Zhi turned around, surprised. “Why are you here?”

“Are you Li Zhi’s older brother?”

The male classmate mistook Fu Tingzhou for Li Zhi’s real brother. Feeling a little awkward and formal, he reached out to shake hands. “Bro, Brother Li, hello. I’m Ying Yao.”

Fu Tingzhou’s lips parted slightly, his tone indifferent. “I’m not her brother. I’m her friend.”

He liked her and wanted to be her man — not her brother.

“Sorry, my mistake.”

“No worries.” Fu Tingzhou then turned to Li Zhi. “Li Zhi, I have something I want to tell you. Do you have a moment?”

“I’m free,” Li Zhi nodded. “Ying Yao, thanks for your kind offer earlier. I’m leaving now.”

Ying Yao dumbly nodded. “Oh, okay.”

He was full of confusion — just what was the relationship between them?

It was undeniable that Fu Tingzhou was mature and attractive. Judging by the military uniform, he was a regimental commander. With a solid career, he was the type most women would be drawn to.

But he had youth on his side.

He and Li Zhi were about the same age. His family background wasn’t bad either. He was working hard to keep up with her, even aiming for the same university — wasn’t that a better match, a bigger chance?

With that thought, he regained confidence, looked away, and went home for lunch, planning to come back in the afternoon.

His house was spacious and even had a study room. He’d purposely come to the library just to exchange a few words with Li Zhi.

He wasn’t going to give up so easily.

Fu Tingzhou didn’t bring Li Zhi back inside the café but led her to the courtyard in the back.

It was lunchtime now, so few people were around for coffee.

The courtyard was completely empty.

Earlier, when he saw her with that young boy, a wave of inferiority had hit him. After being provoked by Zhou Yufeng, he finally summoned the courage to take this step.

No matter what the outcome, as long as he gave it his all, he wouldn’t regret it. If he missed this chance, he would always look back on this moment of cowardice with shame.

Fu Tingzhou took a deep breath, gathered his courage, and said,
“Li Zhi, I like you. Will you give me a chance to pursue you?”

Li Zhi had suspected he might have feelings for her but hadn’t expected a sudden confession.

A ripple stirred the usually calm surface of her heart, but she quickly suppressed it.

She forced herself to stay composed and asked, “What do you like about me?”

“You’re beautiful, decisive, and strong. I like your radiant smile — I like everything about you. Seeing you cry makes my heart ache. I want to protect you for a lifetime.”

Fu Tingzhou’s narrow phoenix eyes gazed affectionately into her clear almond-shaped ones. His voice was low, hoarse, magnetic — enough to make her ears tingle.

During their month apart, she had constantly filled his thoughts.

He thought time would make him forget her, but he couldn’t. Watching her with another boy made him feel jealous, bitter — even envious.

Envious that they were the same age, that they had shared topics, shared dreams, and that vibrant energy unique to youth.

All things he didn’t have — and all reasons he had hesitated.

Seeing her not respond, Fu Tingzhou feared she might reject him then and there, so he added,
“You don’t need to answer right away. Think it over. I like you and want to pursue you — that’s my decision. You don’t have to feel pressured. If you don’t like me and want to reject me, I’ll do my best not to interfere in your life.”

Li Zhi looked at the man who considered her in every step.

She asked, “I just broke off my engagement with Lu Yanzhi. You’re his commanding officer. Aren’t you afraid I might use you to get back at him — just treat you like a tool for revenge?”

She had, at best, a mild fondness for Fu Tingzhou. Nothing as deep as love.

But after how miserable her past life was, her hatred for Lu Yanzhi ran deep.

She wanted to see him regret it — to suffer — to see what would become of him and Lin Xuewei, and to add fuel to the fire when the time came.

“If I’m of any use to you, then I’m willing — I’ll gladly be your tool for revenge,” Fu Tingzhou said. “I’ll be the best ally in slapping him in the face. Want to give it a try?”

His voice was clean, gentle — yet dangerously tempting.

He knew his behavior might seem inappropriate, even impulsive. But this was one of the rare chances he had.

If he didn’t act boldly now, he might regret it for the rest of his life.

As long as Li Zhi gave him a chance, he had the confidence he could make her fall in love with him.

He instinctively felt she would say yes, and he was so excited he reached out and held her hand — wanting to never let go.

Li Zhi glanced at his hand holding hers, raised an eyebrow, and looked at him. “At this point, do I still have a chance to back out?”

Fu Tingzhou realized and quickly let go. “Sorry. I was too eager.”

“It’s fine.”

“Li Zhi, I don’t mind if you use me. And if, while I’m pursuing you, you meet someone better, someone more suitable, just let me know — I’ll back off,” Fu Tingzhou said sincerely, always placing her comfort above his own. He didn’t want to push her.

Li Zhi chuckled. “Does Captain Fu really have so little confidence in himself? You’re mature, independent, responsible, handsome, fit — exactly the type most women would go for.”

In her past life, Li Zhi had lived to be thirty-six.

Fu Tingzhou was only twenty-eight.

Psychologically, she was eight years older than him.

Suddenly, Fu Tingzhou spoke a line that came to his mind:
“It’s not that I don’t have confidence — it’s just… from love comes worry, from love comes fear.”