Chapter 12 Damn, This Person Is Toxic!

After Pei Zhou left, Lin Chuge went to the bathroom and used the damp towel he gave her to wipe the dried soup off her legs. She then lifted her wet clothes to check her stomach. The place where the meatball soup had splashed was clearly red. She carefully wiped again, washed the towel clean, and left the bathroom to return to the living room.

Although she had come here unexpectedly, Pei Zhou’s apartment was spotless and tidy everywhere.

Her clothes were still dirty, so instead of sitting on the sofa, Lin Chuge sat cross-legged on the floor.

On the coffee table were the pickled beef noodles, skewers, iron-plate tofu, and other food they had bought at the food street… Lin Chuge didn’t have much appetite anymore, but since Pei Zhou had paid for it, she felt she shouldn’t waste it.

So, the pickled beef noodles were finished.

The iron-plate tofu was finished.

There were many skewers. She ate a few, but some were left over.

But Pei Zhou, who had promised to return quickly, still hadn’t come back. So Lin Chuge tidied up the trash on the table.

Even after that, he still didn’t return.

She continued to sit on the floor, playing with her phone while waiting.

At least half an hour passed before she heard the sound of the door opening at the entrance. Lin Chuge quickly stood up and walked over. She saw Pei Zhou coming in with a few paper bags. While changing his shoes, he handed them to her. “Change out of those dirty clothes, and put some burn ointment on.”

Lin Chuge took the bags, opened them, and saw a few brand-new clothes inside.

So… Pei Zhou had gone to buy her clothes.

Her nose suddenly stung.

She pouted slightly. Pei Zhou happened to glance at her and said, “It was five thousand total. Transfer me the money later.”

Lin Chuge immediately nodded. “Okay, I’ll transfer it right now.”

After a pause of a few seconds, she looked at him sincerely, eyes shining. “Thank you so much.”

Pei Zhou looked impatient. “Don’t drag it out.”

“The bathroom is over there.”

He pointed in a direction. Seeing that she didn’t move, his tone grew sharper. “Want me to go with you?” Without waiting for an answer, he had already walked over and turned on the hot water for her before leaving the bathroom.

Not knowing what style she liked, he had bought three outfits.

A white dress, a white shirt with a plaid skirt, and jeans with a white short T-shirt.

Lin Chuge touched her nose, then decided on the dress, considering her stomach injury.

After washing up a little, applying ointment, and changing, she came out of the bathroom.

Pei Zhou, who was sitting on the sofa playing on his phone, looked up. “Done?”

She tugged at her skirt. “Mm.”

He stood up. “Let’s go. I’ll take you home.”

“Back to the commercial street.”

She walked into the living room again. “Uncle Wu is still waiting for me there. I came out in the family car.”

Pei Zhou nodded. “Alright.”

They soon left the apartment one after another.

Lin Chuge carried the paper bags, walking quietly beside him. Later, Pei Zhou answered a phone call and fell behind. She wanted to wait, but he gestured for her not to. So she walked ahead.

Honestly—

When she had come out of the bathroom wearing the dress, she had secretly looked forward to his reaction.

After all, he had gone to buy it for her.

She thought he would at least take another look, to see if it suited her.

But he hadn’t.

His face showed no special expression at all, like he didn’t care.

Strange.

She looked down again at the white dress she was wearing. Was it that she didn’t look good in it?

Only Pei Zhou knew that she looked very good in it.

So good that he didn’t dare openly stare at her.

Now walking behind her, talking on the phone, he still glanced at her from time to time. The dress he had hurriedly picked turned out to fit perfectly. Even her back looked attractive. The off-shoulder design revealed her slender neck, the fabric outlined her slim waist, and below the skirt were her long, fair legs.

The dress was white, but her skin was even whiter.

The contrast made her seem pure and obedient.

Made him want to reach out… and rua her.

The distance wasn’t far, and they soon returned to the commercial street.

Lin Chuge called Uncle Wu, then told Pei Zhou, “I’m going home now. You should go back too.”

He nodded.

She smiled. “And thank you again for treating me to dinner.”

Pei Zhou curled his lip. “I only did it because you looked pitiful.”

She just smiled without answering. When she saw Uncle Wu’s car arrive, she said goodbye and left with him.

Only after watching her get into the car did Pei Zhou leave the street.

On his way back, he realized something wasn’t right.

Why had he called Lin Chuge out tonight?

How had it ended up with him running around buying her dinner, clothes, and ointment?

Absurd. Ridiculous.

Forget it… Pei Zhou thought. He’d just treat it as doing a good deed for the day.

Meanwhile, Lin Chuge was in a great mood on the way home.

She felt it was worth meeting Pei Zhou tonight, especially after seeing his gentle, thoughtful side firsthand.

Only after experiencing it could she be sure—he really wasn’t the terrifying thug others thought he was.

And she had even considered giving up on him earlier today?

She thought that had been going too far.

How could she abandon him when he most needed help?

Thinking of how she herself used to dislike studying, she knew this couldn’t be rushed. Just like Song Bonian had said, Pei Zhou had to figure out what he wanted, only then could he work toward it. But fighting was no good.

Starting tomorrow…

She resolved to work harder at building a connection with him!

Now that they were in the same class, she could chase after him every day to make him teach her problems. Even if she only learned a couple more questions, that was something!

With renewed determination, Lin Chuge returned home happily. When Chi Haiyin and Lin Yuqing asked, she briefly explained that she had accidentally dirtied her clothes while out, then went upstairs to rest.

The other two outfits Pei Zhou had bought, she hung in her walk-in closet.

Not in the mood to study, she decided to sleep early. After washing up, however, she faced a new problem.

Because of the bruise on her back, she had been sleeping on her stomach. Now her stomach was burned too…

How was she supposed to sleep tonight?

·

The next day at school.

Carrying her bag, Lin Chuge got out of the car and happened to see Pei Zhou. She immediately smiled brightly and greeted him.

“Good morning, Pei Zhou!”

He looked over at her and gave a faint nod. “Morning.”

Seeing that he responded, she cheerfully walked beside him. She pulled a box of milk and a sandwich from her bag and shoved them into his hands. “A thank-you gift for yesterday. I made them myself. Please accept them.”

Afraid he’d refuse, she quickly walked ahead after saying that.

Pei Zhou looked down at what he was holding. With a straight face, he didn’t return to the classroom but found a spot to eat breakfast.

A few minutes later—

He stared at the sandwich in disbelief, doubting his taste buds.

Wasn’t this flavor a little too… complicated?

One bite, and he could taste ketchup, mayonnaise, cumin, black pepper, peanut butter, chili… all of them.

Incredulous, he took another bite and began to question life itself.

What the hell kind of cooking was this?

How could a sandwich taste this bad? Was Lin Chuge actually trying to poison him?

He finished the box of milk.

Then tossed the carton and the sandwich—after only two bites—into the trash.

On his way to class, Pei Zhou thought—

Tch, whoever ends up marrying Lin Chuge someday, having her cook would probably be no different from suicide.

Lin Cooking-Killer Chuge had no idea he had judged her so harshly. She was in class reviewing vocabulary while waiting for him to return. But he didn’t come until the bell rang. Then during breaks, she had no chance to catch him.

Her little plans failed.

Finally, she decided to corner him during lunch in the cafeteria.

“Chuchu, there are free seats here, where are you going?”

Xu Luoluo called out, carrying a tray, when she saw Lin Chuge walking elsewhere. But Lin Chuge didn’t stop.

She turned back. “I’m going to find Pei Zhou.”

Xu Luoluo: “?” Why suddenly insist on eating with that fierce guy?

Even though she didn’t know what had happened between them, Xu Luoluo, being a loyal friend, thought she couldn’t let Chuchu face him alone. So she followed, and together they found Pei Zhou in the cafeteria.

“Classmate, could you give me this seat?”

Seeing Pei Zhou’s table full, Lin Chuge looked hopefully at their classmates Xiong Tao and Qiu Tianqi.

The two were quick-witted, immediately getting up and moving to another table.

After thanking them, Lin Chuge sat down across from Pei Zhou. Since Xu Luoluo had followed, she invited her to sit too.

Pei Zhou lifted his eyelids slightly, and suddenly his food lost all appeal.

He thought of that sandwich from the morning.

Lin Chuge got straight to the point. “Pei Zhou, after lunch, can you teach me a couple of problems?”

Xu Luoluo dropped her spoon with a clatter.

What the hell???

Had she misheard??? Xu Luoluo stared at her in shock. “Chuchu, what did you just say?”

Lin Chuge replied matter-of-factly, “I’m asking Pei Zhou to teach me.”

Xu Luoluo choked.

Lin Chuge continued, “He’s really good, you know.”

“If you don’t believe me, just watch. The questions I ask, he’ll definitely be able to do them.”

Xu Luoluo asked curiously, “Chuchu, how do you know that?”

Smiling, she said, “Because I’ve asked him before, and he solved them.”

Pei Zhou, feeling like he was being publicly executed: “…”

He took two bites of food, then sneered at her coldly. “I don’t have time.”

Lin Chuge smiled. “Yes, you do.”

Pei Zhou: “…”

Lin Chuge hinted crazily: “Jin.”

Pei Zhou: “…”

Lin Chuge: “Guang.”

Pei Zhou: “…”

Lin Chuge: “You must eat properly.”

Pei Zhou: “…”

Xiong Tao and Qiu Tianqi had been listening intently the whole time, but they still didn’t understand what this “jin” and “guang” stuff was about. In their minds, no one could ever threaten Pei Zhou. And then they saw him obediently sit back down and continue eating.

Xiong Tao and Qiu Tianqi: “???”

Seeing him sit and eat, Lin Chuge finally let out a sigh of relief and happily dug into her own food.