You didn’t accept my confession, why are you crying because I changed my mind?

Chapter 16: What a Coincidence, Buying a Big Butterfly?

“As long as it’s a girl.”

What a tolerant requirement.

Jiang Zhou looked at his mom’s expression, smiling stiffly.

“Son, do you feel like that’s still too hard?”

“Actually… as long as they look like a girl, that works too.”

…Heh.

Jiang Zhou gave up arguing and silently took out his phone.

He typed a string of numbers into the QQ friend search bar: 702*335**

A 9-digit QQ number.

The owner of this number was the girl he had been longing for.

In his past life, he had long since memorized this number by heart.

But ever since being reborn, he hadn’t dared to add her.

Because he remembered a very classic line: The right person should never appear at the wrong time.

To ensure his love would unfold smoothly this time around, Jiang Zhou decided not to disturb the timeline.

He would meet her when he was supposed to.

That was the safest route.

—

One month later, August 30th.

Only two days remained until freshman registration.

At the 20-meter Bridge Carrefour Mall, Jiang Zhou and Guo Wei were shopping for college supplies.

After walking around a few times, their shopping cart was nearly full.

But Guo Wei kept his distance from Jiang Zhou, as if the two didn’t even know each other.

And there was a slight hint of disgust in his gaze.

Jiang Zhou frowned, “Why are you walking so slowly? What’s with you?”

Guo Wei hesitated before speaking, “Old Jiang… do you have some kind of fetish?”

“…Fetish? What the hell?”

“That thing you bought… only girls use it. Why did you get it?” Guo Wei pointed at the pack of Sofy sanitary pads in Jiang Zhou’s cart.

Jiang Zhou finally got it.

Guo Wei thought he was a perv.

He was afraid of being stared at weirdly during checkout, which was why he kept his distance like a stranger.

“You idiot, this thing’s got a real use, alright?”

Guo Wei swallowed nervously, “Wait… you… you get your period too?”

Jiang Zhou nearly lost it. “Period your ass! That’s not what it’s for!”

“Then what’s it for?”

“College starts with military training, you know that?”

Guo Wei nodded, “Yeah, I heard it lasts like two weeks.”

“In the middle of summer, running outdoors all day, your feet get sticky and break out in rashes!”

“…So?”

“Put this thing in your shoes. Super soft, absorbs sweat. Total game-changer.

“I don’t tell just anyone this.”

Guo Wei’s eyes lit up like he’d found a secret treasure.

“Dude! This is a pro tip!”

“You have no idea. Only those who try it know how amazing it is.”

“I’m going to grab a few packs too!”

Guo Wei turned to push the cart back, but stopped mid-step.

Jiang Zhou looked at him. “What now? Feeling shy?”

Guo Wei nodded, “I just… I can’t do it. I’m not like you. No shame at all.”

“……”

“Forget it. I’ll go grab it for you. Wait by the checkout.”

“Thanks, Big Bro Jiang! Much appreciated!”

Jiang Zhou waved him off and headed to the feminine products aisle.

But just as he arrived, he saw a familiar figure in front of the shelf.

School goddess Chu Yuwei.

She was wearing black ultra-short shorts, her pale legs fully on display.

Her long hair, usually down, was tied into a ponytail.

A red string with a peach pit charm dangled from her wrist like jade.

Her appearance immediately drew the attention of several men.

That aisle became a magnet for wandering eyes.

“Hey Classmate Chu, fancy seeing you here. Got your period?”

Chu Yuwei turned and saw it was Jiang Zhou. Her face instantly flushed red.

“You— Why are you here? This is the girls’ section!”

Jiang Zhou casually tossed a pack into his cart.

“Same as you. Buying big butterflies(slang for pads).”

“Pervert! What do you even need those for?!”

“They’re useful.”

“You— you— you! Shameless!!”

Jiang Zhou just smiled and didn’t explain further.

He turned to walk away.

But Chu Yuwei quickly called after him, “Wait, Jiang Zhou!”

“What?” She tilted her head and looked at him.

“Is what my dad said true? That you got into Shangjing University?”

Jiang Zhou felt a little shaken inside.

He remembered his parents asking him to look after her.

Wait… could Officer Chu have gotten her into Shangjing too?

“Why aren’t you answering?”

He cleared his throat. “You didn’t get into Shangjing too, right?”

Chu Yuwei hesitated.

“No, I got into Qingbei— right across from Shangjing.”

“Oh, oh— good, that’s good!”

“…You’re happy we’re not at the same school?”

Jiang Zhou quickly covered up, “No no, I was just using my smile to hide the pain.”

“Really?”

“Pfft, and you bought that dumb excuse?”

“You!”

Chu Yuwei stomped her foot. “Why do you hate me so much?!”

Jiang Zhou sighed. “It’s not that I hate you. It’s because I already like someone else.”

“…What did you say?”

“I said I already have someone I like. I’ll introduce you to her someday.”

Chu Yuwei looked like she was about to cry.

“So when you confessed to me… none of it was real?”

“Some of it was.”

“Which part?”

“My name is really Jiang Zhou.”

“……”

Chu Yuwei bit her lip, her eyes turning red.

So this was what it felt like being rejected coldly.

She wanted to hate him, but she just couldn’t.

After all, she had treated him the same way before.

Just then, someone else pushed a shopping cart over.

The moment he saw Chu Yuwei, his eyes lit up.

“Yuwei! What a coincidence, you’re shopping too?”

Both Jiang Zhou and Chu Yuwei turned to look.

It was their class president, Zheng Yu.

Chu Yuwei paused, then quickly hid her pads in Jiang Zhou’s cart.

Zheng Yu looked at them. “You two… came together?”

Jiang Zhou was just about to explain when Chu Yuwei cut in, “Yeah, we planned to shop for school stuff together.”

“Oh. I can give you a ride home later?”

“No need, we don’t live in the same direction.”

“That’s okay, I can drop you off first.”

“Really, no need.”

“It’s not safe for girls to walk alone at night.”

“My place is just next door. It’s safe.”