Living Only For Myself: Make Those Who Hate Me Regret It Chapter 166: At This Moment, Xu Su Had Her First True Though

For a mont, no one in the courtyard made a sound. Everyone, including Grandma Xu, was staring at her.

...Xu Su froze, her hands pausing in the middle of drying her hair. She looked down at herself, wondering what was going on.

"Holy crap, Susu, you’re gorgeous." It was Chen Ni who broke the silence with a cry of astonishnt. "No wonder you’re still a legend at school, even two years after you graduated."

Chen Ni went to Kang County First Middle School, Xu Su’s alma mater. She said proudly, "Right after the school year started, I pointed to your picture on the distinguished alumni board and told everyone, ’That’s my sister.’ I beca an instant celebrity in my class."

"..." Xu Su was speechless.

’With everyone staring at in silence just now, I thought I’d forgotten to put on a bra or sothing...’

Chen Ni, who was sitting on a bamboo bed, scooted over to make room and waved cheerfully at Xu Su. "Susu, co sit with ."

Chen Ni’s outburst snapped everyone back to reality. Huang Feng threw an arm over Xu Su’s shoulder and leaned in close, sighing, "Today, I finally understand what the poet ant by ’a lotus flower rising from clear water, a natural beauty free of adornnt.’"

"We get it, you’re a humanities major, but don’t be so dramatic..." Xu Su’s lip twitched. "It’s not like you’ve never seen like this before."

’We’re roommates,’ she thought. ’Who hasn’t seen the others fresh out of the shower?’ She waved Huang Feng’s hand away in annoyance. "Don’t lean on , my hair’s still wet."

"I’m not being dramatic! At school, by the ti we got back from evening self-study, it was already eleven or twelve at night. We’re all girls, so nobody was paying special attention. But you genuinely stunned today." Huang Feng had the classic look of soone fawning over a pretty face. "If I were a guy, I’d be chasing you for sure. Every extra glance would be a win."

A sudden idea struck her, and her eyes lit up. "Hey, why don’t you be my sister-in-law? You’ve t my brother. He’s a bit older than us, but I guarantee he’s a great guy. What do you say?"

’Huang Feng’s brother...’

Xu Su’s hand paused in the middle of drying her hair. "No, thanks."

’Even if you gave Huang Chao ten tis the nerve, he wouldn’t dare try to make a move on right under Zhou Mochen’s nose.’

Huang Feng was about to say more when she suddenly cried out in pain. She turned to Qian Jia. "Why did you pinch ?"

"You’re lucky I didn’t just smack you," Qian Jia said with a wry laugh. She gestured for Huang Feng to look at the other bamboo bed, where Xi Zirong sat expressionlessly. "Why are you acting like one of those gossipy village won, trying to play matchmaker for your family the second you see a pretty girl?"

The girls’ playful bickering made their aunt laugh and join in the teasing. "Our Susu gets prettier every year. I wonder who the lucky guy will be."

"Don’t tease Susu," Grandma Xu chided her eldest daughter-in-law, though she couldn’t hide the smile in her eyes. "The girl’s still young. She has to go to university, and studying hard is what’s important. She shouldn’t be like Yanzi from her second grand-uncle’s family, who started dating at such a young age she didn’t even finish junior high."

The Yanzi Grandma Xu ntioned was the granddaughter of Xu Su’s maternal grandfather’s cousin, a close enough relation that they were still considered family. She had married at eighteen and had served as a cautionary tale for raising daughters in the village ever since.

Although the preference for sons over daughters was still strong in rural areas, nowadays, few people were willing to let their own seventeen- or eighteen-year-old daughter get a bad reputation and marry so young.

Grandma Xu’s casual remark made Xu Su feel a pang of guilt. She couldn’t help but glance toward Xi Zirong. The two bamboo beds were placed side-by-side, so they weren’t far apart. He was holding a large palm-leaf fan, slowly waving it in her direction, seemingly oblivious to their conversation.

Sensing her gaze, Xi Zirong looked up, his eyes filled with gentle affection. Their gazes locked for a second before she quickly looked away.

Exchanging loving glances right under her family’s noses made Xu Su’s heart race. She was terrified soone would notice.

Especially when his gaze was so blatant. In fact, Xi Zirong probably didn’t even know the aning of the word restraint!

Xu Su was already starting to regret her decision to bring him ho. What would happen if her grandmother found out?

For the rest of the evening, Xu Su didn’t dare look in Xi Zirong’s direction, though she could vaguely feel the constant breeze from the fan he was waving.

Xi Zirong knew how much Xu Su hated mosquitoes, so he fanned her all evening. Between that and the mosquito coil burning under the bamboo bed, the dual-layered protection ensured that not a single mosquito would be able to get a bite of her blood.

People in the countryside went to bed early. Grandma Xu, especially, was getting on in years and went back to her room before nine. The other adults followed suit, one by one.

Chen Ni was reluctant to leave. She hugged Xu Su. "Susu, can I sleep with you tonight? It’s been so long since we’ve had a sleepover."

"..." Xu Su looked at the younger girl’s pouting act, then smiled and pinched her cheek. "But you’re such a restless sleeper. I don’t want to share a bed with you."

’It wasn’t that she snored or ground her teeth,’ Xu Su thought. ’The main problem was that the girl had wandering hands in her sleep, and I have no idea where she picked up a habit like that.’

Chen Ni looked mortified. "I promise I won’t be grabby this ti."

"What?" Xi Zirong, who had been chatting with Xu Ran, seed to have misheard. He suddenly whipped his head around and asked uncertainly, "What did you say?"

His expression was a little intimidating, and Chen Ni jumped. "Nothing."

Xu Su felt a headache coming on. She patted Chen Ni on the shoulder. "Hurry up and go to sleep. I’ll help you study again tomorrow morning."

Once everyone had dispersed, Qian Jia and Huang Feng exchanged a glance and were the first to return to their room. Xu Ran was even more considerate, having disappeared long before.

Xu Su bolted the main gate and turned to find Xi Zirong standing right behind her. She lowered her voice. "What do you want?"

The living room was full of mosquitoes. Without a word, Xi Zirong pulled Xu Su straight into her room and pinned her against the door.

"Where did she touch you?"

He was completely serious, as if this were a question of the utmost importance.

"..." Xu Su’s lip twitched. She reminded him, "That’s my cousin, Xi Zirong. Don’t be so needlessly jealous."

She was genuinely getting annoyed, but she couldn’t lose her temper for fear of waking her grandmother.

"Cousin or not, it’s not okay." Xi Zirong leaned in and hugged her, his voice muffled. "Girls can’t touch you either. Susu, you’re mine."

He pressed his body against hers, his lips trailing slow kisses down her neck, inch by inch, toward her collarbone. She felt too good to resist, and he flicked his tongue out to taste her skin.

As the wet kisses landed on her collarbone, his breathing grew ragged and heavy. Xu Su felt the hem of her shirt lift as Xi Zirong’s hand began to slowly explore her waist.

It felt as if his hand was about to wander higher. Xu Su struggled to stop it, her voice a low, urgent hiss. "Xi Zirong! I’m really getting angry now!"

The boy’s movents froze. He pulled back slightly, staring at her, his eyes still burning with unsated desire.

"I’m sorry, Susu." Xi Zirong gripped her waist, locking her in his embrace. He sighed. "I’m having a hard ti controlling myself. I’m sorry."

What Xi Zirong didn’t know was that in that mont, for the very first ti, Xu Su genuinely considered breaking up with him.