Chapter Twelve: Iron Resolve and Tenderness Intertwined at the Fingertips (12)

Moreover, describing Chen Chuchu’s personality as simply having a strong sense of pride isn’t quite accurate. If she truly had such pride, why wouldn’t she take up tutoring during winter or summer breaks? Why not work part-time or apply for financial aid? The truth was, she cared too much about appearances—her clothes and shoes had to be good, and she refused to be outshone in what she wore or ate. She was also afraid others would find out she was just an ordinary girl from a rural family.

Gao Dingzhong could never understand this mindset. What was there to be ashamed of in being from the countryside? He could never grasp Chen Chuchu’s thought process.

He now thought very simply—if they had nothing in common, best not to associate at all anymore, not even meet. Let each live their own life.

“Forget it, let’s not talk about her,” Fan Sijin frowned. “Mentioning her is such a downer. Fortunately, this exchange program only lasts one semester. She’ll be gone next semester.”

Gao Dingzhong nodded and sighed, feeling a bit of lingering fear. “Luckily, it’s just one semester. If she stayed any longer, I might develop phone anxiety—every time the phone rings, I’d worry it’s her.”

Fan Sijin burst out laughing. This wild girl could eat three big bowls of plain rice at every meal, snore so loudly while sleeping it shook the room, and study English until her head spun—but she had never been so evasive and awkward as she was now. Fan Sijin really wanted to laugh.

Right now, Chen Chuchu just had a filter for Gao Dingzhong. If they lived together, it would surely be chaotic. Gao Dingzhong wasn’t the gentle, considerate type like the senior. His clueless, domineering, and rough nature would definitely be unbearable to Chen Chuchu. She might even accuse him of destroying her ideal of love and hit him hard with alimony and a divorce.

In fact, the more one thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.

Gao Dingzhong’s face darkened. Although he didn’t know what Fan Sijin was thinking, the smile in her eyes and her occasional glances made it clear it wasn’t anything good.

Seizing a moment, he pulled her into his arms and rubbed his stubbly face against hers. Fan Sijin begged for mercy as the rough stubble felt like sandpaper—she really couldn’t stand his coarse beard.

While the two of them were teasing each other, Chen Chuchu, having no other choice, went to see the senior.

Without beating around the bush, Chen Chuchu hinted at her money troubles. When the senior remained unmoved, she bit her lip and blurted out, “Senior, can you… lend me some money?”

The senior put on an exaggerated look of surprise. “Lend money? Why? You’re out of money?”

Hearing Chen Chuchu ask to borrow money so directly, the senior feigned shock but secretly sneered. Just as rumored, Chen Chuchu was nothing but a selfish, scheming woman who knew how to play the game. And he had liked her for so many years? Was he deluded?

“Um…” Chen Chuchu’s face flushed with embarrassment.

“It’s like this. My family forgot to send me money this month, so… I promise to pay you back next month! Senior, can you help me out?”

The senior chuckled lightly, “Sure, of course I’ll help you.” A gleam flashed in his eyes.

Chen Chuchu successfully borrowed a thousand yuan from the senior. She hadn’t intended to ask for so much, but he insisted. To maintain a dignified image in front of him, she voluntarily wrote an IOU.

In her heart, she thought this: the senior liked her so much this lifetime, so this thousand yuan was practically a gift. What kind of relationship did they really have? Besides, she never planned to pay it back—whoever repays is a fool! He owed her!

In the previous life, how many grievances had she endured in his home? After their divorce, she was cast out, and he said nothing, only coldly blaming her for everything.

Ha, it was always her fault.

Chen Chuchu forgot that this wasn’t her past life, and the senior wasn’t her husband now. They weren’t even a couple.

So when the senior asked for repayment on the first of the next month, Chen Chuchu was completely stunned—more than stunned, she was dumbfounded!

She had no money to pay back! In fact, she never planned to repay it! Her living situation was dire again this month. Where would she get the money?

Seeing Chen Chuchu’s face alternately pale and flushed, the senior smugly pretended to suggest, “How about this, Chuchu—why don’t you accept my invitation tonight as compensation? What do you say?”

Although Chen Chuchu resented the senior in her heart, thinking it was cheap for him to ask her for money like this, she still suppressed her dissatisfaction and proudly said, “Alright.”

She had expected a Western-style dinner or a proper date, but the senior took her to a karaoke bar instead.

In the previous life, Chen Chuchu had enjoyed hanging out in bars, but this time, it had been a long while. She felt a rare rush of excitement.

However, the senior hadn’t invited just her—several other exchange students arrived one after another.

They were all from the same hometown and had gotten along fairly well before. But recently, because Chen Chuchu had gained favor from their mentor, they subtly excluded her behind her back. Still, since they were classmates and the senior was present, they dared not treat her too harshly.

Chen Chuchu was overly confident and proud. She believed she was favored by destiny, an invincible reborn soul who could avoid all hardships.

But reality was different. If she had changed or improved, things might have turned out differently. Yet she was no different from her past self—indeed, even more extreme and selfish, obsessed only with money and fame. To her, wealth and status were just numbers.

Everyone sang and played in the private room. The senior thoughtfully handed Chen Chuchu a glass of juice and watched with a meaningful smile as she drank it.

He had invested a lot of money in her. How could he let it go to waste? No matter what, he wanted to show her some power.

At first, he was rational, knowing it was illegal and only intending to get some favors. But unexpectedly, he fell so quickly. Chen Chuchu was already beautiful and well-shaped, and once it started, it didn’t stop. The senior ultimately lost control.

The next day, Chen Chuchu woke up to find marks on her body and went insane—kicking and hitting the senior, crying and making a scene.

In the previous life, they had also been intimate after drinking, but back then, they loved each other. This time, they each harbored their own schemes.