Chapter 156

Chapter 156: Lu Shuci's Confession to Ruan Chutang Ruan Chutang might genuinely not remember who Lu Shuci was, but Jiang Shixu would find it hard to forget even if he tried. Lu Shuci was in the same year as Ruan Chutang. When he was a freshman, Jiang Shixu was already a graduate student. Logically speaking, Lu Shuci was a few years behind Jiang Shixu and attended a different school, so the two should have had no connection whatsoever. But because one was the most handsome campus heartthrob in the history of Jiangcheng University, and the other was the best-looking campus heartthrob Jiangcheng University of Political Science and Law had seen in nearly a decade, both were celebrities at their respective schools, often compared to each other for their outstanding looks. That alone wouldn't have mattered. Jiang Shixu wasn't interested in such things. What made him remember Lu Shuci was that confession. Lu Shuci's confession to Ruan Chutang. Jiang Shixu remembered it clearly. In December of Chutang's freshman year, on Christmas—a holiday perfectly suited for confessions—Lu Shuci made a grand spectacle of it, arranging roses into a heart shape on the track field of Jiangcheng University. He was dressed as flamboyantly as a peacock spreading its feathers, strumming his battered guitar and singing love songs right there. Jiang Shixu had pursued his master's degree at Jiangcheng University as well. Back then, he had a habit of running at night. That day, he went to the track as usual, only to find the center of the field noisy and crowded. "Wow, did you hear? The heartthrob from the neighboring political science and law university came to our school to confess!" A passing girl's gossipy voice reached Jiang Shixu's ears. He paid it no mind. Things like this happened from time to time on campus. Nothing special, and he wasn't interested. Jiang Shixu began his slow jog. Bits of gossip drifted into his ears one after another. "The heartthrob from the political science and law university? You mean Lu Shuci?" "Yeah! I just saw him holding a guitar, arranging roses into a heart in the middle of the track. And honestly, Lu Shuci really lives up to the title of campus heartthrob—his looks are no joke. He's genuinely handsome!" "Wow, even the heartthrob from the political science and law university came all the way to our school to confess. I have to go check this out." "Wait for me, I'm coming too." "Oh my god, no way! Lu Shuci has someone he likes? How many girls are going to be quietly heartbroken tonight?" "Ahh, I just saw Lu Shuci in person. He's so much more handsome than his photos—he's truly worthy of being the heartthrob of the political science and law university!" Some girls even cried at the sight of Lu Shuci about to confess, heartbroken. The track was dimly lit at night, and few people noticed that Jiang Shixu, their own campus heartthrob, was also running there at that moment. But some of Jiang Shixu's admirers who knew his habits knew he would come running at this time, so one or two girls would always trail behind him. Occasionally, a girl would offer him water, but he never accepted a single bottle. Initially, Jiang Shixu had zero interest in this confession. That was until he heard a familiar name. Around his second lap, he vaguely heard someone shout Ruan Chutang's name from the crowd of onlookers. Jiang Shixu gradually slowed his pace, and the gossip came through clearly. "So the person Lu Shuci likes is Ruan Chutang, our school's beauty queen? Then I'll give up. Losing to the campus beauty isn't embarrassing." "To be fair, Lu Shuci and Ruan Chutang really are a perfect match—one campus heartthrob, one campus beauty. Standing together, they're a match made in heaven. I approve of this union!" "But I really like Lu Shuci, sob sob sob. Can Ruan the beauty queen please reject him..." Jiang Shixu changed direction and walked toward the center of the track. Lu Shuci stood surrounded by the crowd. He wore a light camel-colored coat over a white turtleneck sweater, looking refined and elegant, his eyes brimming with smiles so gentle that one couldn't help but want to drown in them. His fingertips plucked the strings of his guitar, accompanying himself. Lu Shuci sang a popular love song from that time. He had a beautiful voice, hitting every note with perfect precision—warm, deep, and textured, captivating a large number of girls. When the love song ended, someone brought Ruan Chutang before Lu Shuci. Jiang Shixu stood cold-faced among the watching crowd, observing this farce of a confession. Lu Shuci held roses in his hands and offered them to the girl before him, his voice exceedingly gentle: "Ruan Chutang, I like you. Will you go out with me?" After a wave of jeering and cheering, the scene fell into absolute silence. Everyone was waiting for Ruan Chutang's reply. It was a winter night, with fine snowflakes drifting through the air—light, graceful, and breathtakingly beautiful, creating a romantic atmosphere for the confession. It seemed even heaven itself was helping. Lu Shuci stood tall and handsome in the center of the crowd, roses in hand, flawless in appearance, the focus of all attention. Lu Shuci was not only exceptionally good-looking, but also an excellent student of high moral character, and came from a wealthy family—the sole heir of the Lu family, one of Jiangcheng's prominent clans. A handsome man and a beautiful woman—a match made in heaven. The answer seemed beyond doubt. Jiang Shixu forgot to breathe, his fingertips tightening bit by bit, his chest aching with a dull pressure. And yet. Ruan Chutang's answer surprised everyone. "Sorry, classmate, but I can't accept." The smile at the corners of Lu Shuci's lips faded. The night wind tousled his jet-black hair, and the dim lamplight failed to illuminate the desolation on his face. "May I ask why?" His mood seemed somewhat low, his voice even trembling slightly. The girl pressed her lips together, her expression cold and aloof, her tone betraying not a trace of emotion. "Because I'm not interested in dating right now, and I don't have time for it. So I'm sorry, but I can't accept your confession." The crowd erupted into commotion once again. Jiang Shixu raised an eyebrow, a smile curving at the corners of his lips. He was quite satisfied with this answer. Ruan Chutang turned and left after speaking, never once accepting the bouquet of roses from start to finish. Jiang Shixu knew that Chutang had many suitors during her university years. Confessions like this—she probably rejected them a dozen times a year, so it was only natural that she couldn't remember what each confessor looked like. But Jiang Shixu remembered every single person who had confessed to Ruan Chutang—their names, their faces. That was why, when he saw Lu Shuci with Ruan Chutang at the restaurant on Valentine's Day that year, he felt a genuine sense of crisis. Recalling this, Jiang Shixu's eyes darkened. "I never thought that after all these years, you still haven't given up." Lu Shuci smiled, his demeanor composed and unhurried. "I have to thank President Jiang for giving me the opportunity." Jiang Shixu narrowed his eyes at him warily. "Stay away from her." Lu Shuci's brow arched slightly. "What right does President Jiang have to say such a thing to me?" Jiang Shixu snorted coldly. "You'll never have a chance. Tangtang's heart belongs only to me." Lu Shuci didn't take offense, maintaining that gentle, jade-like demeanor. "Then let's wait and see." ... That night, Chutang had a nightmare. In the dream, she was running across a desolate, boundless wasteland. Behind her were vicious, ruthless criminals. She ran forward with all her might, when suddenly the scene shifted—her neck was seized, and Fu Yuanzhou's face suddenly loomed large before her eyes. The man's smile was chilling and sinister, like a vengeful ghost from hell coming to claim her life. Her breathing grew increasingly difficult. Just as she felt she was about to die, the scene changed again. She saw her younger sister Ruan Jiaojiao bound to a chair, and Fu Yuanzhou was smiling as he poured gasoline over Ruan Jiaojiao's body. "No! Don't!" Ruan Chutang screamed hoarsely. "Don't touch her! Stop!" Suddenly, Fu Yuanzhou's face began to contort and twist, transforming into that bespectacled man. "Go to hell—" The bespectacled man's face twisted grotesquely as he splashed concentrated sulfuric acid at her. "Ah—" Ruan Chutang screamed as she jolted awake from the nightmare, sitting up abruptly, her entire body drenched in cold sweat. The night was silent and still. In the darkness, the woman's rapid breathing was especially clear. It took a long while before Ruan Chutang finally came back to her senses. The phone screen lit up. Ruan Chutang picked up her phone and glanced at it. 3:30 in the morning. She had received an anonymous text message. 【If you want your sister to live, do exactly as I say.】