Online Dating Fiasco with the Campus Heartthrob (DATING)
Ji Su felt both ashamed and panicked. Seeing Gu Zhao stop, he immediately tried to pull his leg back.
The next second, that scorching hand gripped his calf and firmly pressed the leg back down.
Gu Zhao spoke with his voice low and hoarse. "What are you hiding from?"
"I…" Ji Su shivered in the heat and whispered, "Can I put it on myself?"
Gu Zhao’s eyes lowered, and the hand gripping his calf tightened until the veins on the back of his hand bulged.
Ji Su let out a soft cry. "Ah!"
Gu Zhao’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and he finally released his grip.
He set the socked leg down before he stood up and turned away to close his eyes and steady his breathing.
Ji Su, completely unaware of his turmoil, put on the other sock at record speed and stood up. "I’m done."
Gu Zhao turned back. His gaze lingering on the thighs now encased in the socks while the look in his dark eyes growing even more inscrutable.
Ji Su stared at his toes and asked softly, "Is this okay?"
Gu Zhao didn’t respond as his gaze slowly traveled upward.
Like a cold, slithering snake, it coiled tightly around those beautiful legs.
Ji Su mustered his courage and looked directly at him. "Do I look weird in a skirt?"
Aside from having long legs, his hair was short and his chest was flat—he was just an ordinary guy.
No straight guy would enjoy seeing an unremarkable guy in a skirt, right?
Gu Zhao’s gaze settled on his face, and he let out an ambiguous hum.
Ji Su pressed on. "Did it completely shatter your image of Meng Meng?"
Gu Zhao’s eyes narrowed slightly, and he replied indifferently, "It’s not quite what I imagined."
"Great." Ji Su visibly relaxed but his fingers kept tugging at the hem of the skirt again. "Can I take it off now?"
Gu Zhao: "No."
Ji Su was stunned. "Why?"
"You haven’t recreated the poses from the photos you sent me," Gu Zhao said while crossing his arms. "Only by seeing the same poses can I fully connect you to Meng Meng."
His tone was completely serious, as if discussing an academic study or presenting evidence in court.
Ji Su’s mind flashed back to the photo he had sent G—lying on his side on the bed with his butt almost exposed.
G had even sent him a voice message, telling him not to be so provocative…
Gu Zhao’s gaze lingered on his reddened earlobes. "What are you thinking about?"
Ji Su snapped out of it. "I don’t think we need to go that far…"
Gu Zhao stepped closer. "I think we do."
Ji Su was forced to keep stepping back until he fell onto the edge of the bed again.
Gu Zhao looked down at him with his voice as smooth as a demon’s whisper. "Do you need me to help you pose?"
"No!" Ji Su bit his lower lip and compromised. "I’ll do it myself…"
Gu Zhao stopped. "Fine."
Ji Su hesitated. "You’re not going to take pictures, are you?"
Would Gu Zhao take full-body photos of him and use them as blackmail?
Gu Zhao said coldly, "Is that what you think of me?"
Ji Su didn’t dare admit it. "No, I was just asking…"
"I’m not a lawbreaker," Gu Zhao said with a mocking smile tugging at his lips. "I wouldn’t use private photos to threaten someone."
Ji Su apologized. "I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that…"
Sitting on the bed in the sailor uniform and his black hair slightly disheveled, Ji Su’s beautiful face looked pitiful.
His red lips parted as if pleading for the other not to do anything too extreme, which only made him more tempting to mistreat.
Gu Zhao clenched his jaw until the veins at his temples throbbing as he suppressed the sudden urge to dominate.
Just as Ji Su was about to lie down, there was a knock at the door, followed by a series of questions. "Gu? Are you in there? Why’s the door locked?"
Ji Su jumped and instinctively shrank back into the bed. "Wh-what do we do?"
Gu Zhao remained calm. "Go change in the bathroom."
Ji Su snapped out of it and immediately ran toward the bathroom, he even stumbled in his haste.
"Slow down," Gu Zhao said while ignoring the increasingly urgent knocking. Once the bathroom door closed, he walked over to the door.
As soon as he opened it, Wang Mingzhe’s face appeared. "Gu, why’d you lock the door when you’re alone?"
Gu Zhao said expressionlessly, "Didn’t I tell you to come back later?"
Wang Mingzhe pointed at his watch. "It’s almost 8 PM. Isn’t that late enough?"
Zhou Yang explained, "Wang Mingzhe’s foot just healed. He can’t do any strenuous activity, so he just sat there watching me play basketball. He couldn’t sit still."
Gu Zhao didn’t say anything else and walked back inside.
Wang Mingzhe followed him into the dorm while muttering, "I need to use the bathroom. I’m about to burst."
"Wait." Gu Zhao raised his hand to stop him. "There's someone inside."
Wang Mingzhe asked in confusion, "Who? Isn't it just the three of us in our dorm?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the bathroom door opened, and Ji Su walked out.
"Ji Su?" Wang Mingzhe's face lit up with surprise. "What are you doing in our dorm?"
Ji Su replied awkwardly, "I came to borrow the bathroom."
"Really?" Wang Mingzhe widened his eyes. "I remember the architecture department dorms are quite far from our law department dorms. Why did you come all the way here to use the bathroom?"
Gu Zhao interjected, "Is that not allowed?"
Wang Mingzhe quickly said, "Of course it's allowed! No problem at all!"
"Um..." Ji Su walked to the table and picked up his backpack. "I should head back to my dorm now."
Zhou Yang tried to persuade him, "Since you're already here, why not stay a bit longer?"
Ji Su politely declined, "It's getting late, and I still have homework to finish."
Gu Zhao said, "I'll walk you back."
Ji Su wanted to refuse, but when he met those deep, dark eyes, he silently nodded. "Alright, thank you."
The two walked out of the dorm with one after the other and headed toward the staircase.
In the hallway, many shirtless boys couldn't help but stare at Ji Su, but a cold glance from Gu Zhao quickly made them look away.
Once they stepped out of the law department dorm building, Ji Su stopped and said, "I can go back by myself."
Gu Zhao took the lead down the steps. "I'll walk you to your dorm."
Ji Su had no choice but to follow and continue walking.
After a few steps, Gu Zhao suddenly asked, "You said you've been playing the piano since you were a child. Is that true?"
Ji Su nodded slightly. "Yes, that's true."
Gu Zhao glanced at him. "Then why did you switch to architecture?"
"When I was young, I learned the piano because..." Ji Su paused, "because I didn't have much else to do. It was just a way to pass the time. I'm far from being a professional."
Gu Zhao complimented him, "You play the piano very well."
"It's just that one piece. I've played it countless times since I was a child." Ji Su smiled faintly. "It's quite a coincidence that you like that piece too."
Gu Zhao fell silent, and the two didn't speak for the rest of the walk. Only their shadows occasionally overlapped and separated.
After about ten minutes, Ji Su stopped. "I'm here."
Gu Zhao also stopped and suddenly raised a hand.
Ji Su instinctively flinched and closed his eyes.
Gu Zhao's hand froze mid-air. "Did you think I was going to hit you?"
"No, of course not..." Ji Su opened his eyes and softly denied it. "It's just a natural reaction, nothing more."
His long, thick eyelashes fluttered nervously that cast a shadow under his eyes that made one's heart itch.
Gu Zhao's raised hand moved down to flip out the collar of Ji Su's white shirt to meticulously straighten it.
Ji Su stood still with his back noticeably stiff.
"Done." Gu Zhao withdrew his hand. "Go on up."
"Goodnight." Ji Su seemed to have received some kind of pardon because after saying that, he quickly walked toward the dorm entrance.
Gu Zhao stood in place while watching the slender, upright figure disappear from sight before turning to leave.
............
Ji Su returned to his dorm. He leaned against the door after closing it and felt his heart still pounding wildly.
"Susu, you're back!" Qiao Jin rolled over and jumped down from the bed. "I sent you messages, but you didn't reply. I was so worried!"
"It's fine." Ji Su looked up. "I didn't check my phone. Sorry for making you worry."
Qiao Jin looked him up and down. "My worry is secondary. Did Gu Zhao do anything to you?"
Ji Su thought of what had just happened in the dorm, and his cheeks warmed slightly. "Nothing much..."
"Wait, there must be something!" Qiao Jin urged. "Tell me, what did he make you do?"
Ji Su's voice grew softer. "He made me put on a sailor uniform for him to see."
"Holy crap!" Qiao Jin exclaimed. "That intense?"
Ji Su: "..."
Qiao Jin's tone was complicated. "This Gu Zhao really knows how to enjoy himself. Seeing cute photos wasn't enough; he had to see the real thing, huh?"
"It's not like that, Xiao Qiao." Ji Su defended Gu Zhao. "He wanted to see me in a skirt to completely rid himself of his feelings for Meng Meng."
Qiao Jin didn't understand. "What do you mean?"
"In Gu Zhao's mind, the upper body and face that Meng Meng never revealed must have been very beautiful." Ji Su analyzed seriously. "But when he saw me in the sailor uniform, he was disillusioned."
Qiao Jin leaned back dramatically. "Are you sure?"
Ji Su nodded. "Yes."
Qiao Jin's expression was hard to describe. "Did he say that to you directly?"
Ji Su thought for a moment. "More or less."
"Alright." Qiao Jin said half-believingly. "Then maybe it's because... Gu Zhao is severely homophobic?"
Unless he was a hardcore homophobe, Qiao Jin couldn't believe anyone would feel disillusioned after seeing Su Su in women's clothing.
That slim waist, those long legs, that shy yet alluring demeanor—even he, a staunch zero (bottom), couldn't help but want to pounce...
"Anyway, Gu Zhao isn't as scary as we imagined." Ji Su straightened up and walked to the desk.
Qiao Jin pouted. "Isn't that because of what Zhou Yang said earlier?"
"Zhou Yang also said Gu Zhao is a good person." Ji Su sighed lightly. "I hurt a good person."
"Ah, Susu, don't overthink it." Qiao Jin hugged his arm and shook it. "I think Gu Zhao is doing fine, and you're already trying to make up for it, right?"
"I know." Ji Su smiled. "Let's just pray that Gu Zhao can forgive me soon."
Qiao Jin affirmed, "He will. Who could really stay mad at our precious Susu?"
Ji Su pulled his arm back. "Alright, go play."
A moment later, he took out his phone from his pocket.
He opened his WeChat, and sent a message to Gu Zhao.
Ji Su: [Are you back at your dorm?]
Gu Zhao: [Just got back.]
Ji Su: [Okay, good.]
Ji Su: [Get some rest early. Goodnight.]
Gu Zhao: [Why aren't you sending stickers anymore?]
Ji Su: "..."
After a moment of thought, he tentatively sent a message.
Ji Su: [Do you... want me to add you back using Meng Meng's account?]
Gu Zhao: [No need.]
Ji Su felt a bit annoyed.
Knowing that Meng Meng was a big liar, adding Gu Zhao back would just be rubbing salt in the wound.
Ji Su: [I'm sorry.]
Gu Zhao: [I told you, stop apologizing all the time.]
Ji Su bit his lip and was about to reply, when a new message popped up in the chat box.
Gu Zhao: [The person wearing the dress I gave you that day was the senior who got scammed?]
Ji Su's heart skipped a beat and was once again startled by the other's sharp intuition.
Ji Su: [Yes...]
Ji Su: [But it has nothing to do with the senior. It's all my fault.]
Gu Zhao: [What's your relationship with her?]
Ji Su: [Senior and junior.]
Gu Zhao: [Do you like her?]
Ji Su: [How could I?]
Ji Su: [We went to the same high school. She took care of me, so I wanted to help her, but I ended up making things worse...]
Gu Zhao: [Hmm.]
Ji Su wasn't sure what he meant, but then another new message appeared.
Gu Zhao: [Have her compile all the relevant information about that guy into a document and send it to you then forward it to me.]
Ji Su was stunned for a few seconds but quickly understood.
Ji Su: [Are you going to help the senior expose the scumbag?]
Gu Zhao: [Do you think I'll let the person who framed me off the hook so easily?]
A chill ran down Ji Su's back, and he couldn't help but shiver.
Maybe Zhou Yang was right.
If you offend Gu Zhao, he'll dig three feet underground to find you and settle the score.
Looking at it this way, Gu Zhao must have gone easy on him... right?
Ji Su: [Okay, I understand.]
Ji Su: [I'll contact the senior right away.]
Gu Zhao: [This isn't entirely your fault. You don't need to take responsibility for others' mistakes.]
Ji Su held his phone, and was almost unable to believe his eyes.
Was Gu Zhao forgiving him?
Gu Zhao: [However, you're the one who deceived my feelings, so you still have to take responsibility for me.]
The warmth Ji Su had felt in his heart instantly dissipated.
Ji Su: [Yes, I know.]
..........
Ji Su didn't know what method Gu Zhao used, but two days later, he received the scumbag's personal information.
The information was extremely detailed: name, age, height, weight, ID number, contact information, school, major, class, and even the specific house number of the scumbag's home.
Ji Su said thank you and forwarded the scumbag's information to the senior.
As for how the senior would handle it, he didn't want to interfere anymore.
Gu Zhao sat across from him. "Just a simple thank you?"
Ji Su was slightly taken aback. "What?"
Gu Zhao rephrased his question. "How do you plan to thank me?"
Ji Su softly asked in return, "How would you like me to thank you?"
He had almost forgotten that Gu Zhao's style was never to do favors for free.
"Let's put it on hold for now." Gu Zhao changed the subject. "You haven't completed the last task."
"Last task—" Ji Su stopped mid-sentence when understanding dawning on him. His ears turned red. "I thought that was over..."
"Who said it was over?" Gu Zhao's dark eyes stared at him. "Did I say it was over?"
Ji Su pursed his lips and didn't speak.
"I dreamed of Meng Meng last night." Gu Zhao's deep, magnetic voice spoke slowly. "In the dream, he kept calling me 'senior' and 'brother'—"
Ji Su gritted his teeth and agreed. "Fine, when is it convenient for you?"
It seemed Gu Zhao still hadn't moved on from Meng Meng.
He needed to administer a strong dose of medicine.
Gu Zhao: "Tonight."
"Tonight?" Ji Su hesitated. "Won't there be others in your dorm tonight?"
Gu Zhao's tone was calm. "We'll go to my place."
"Huh?" Ji Su's eyes widened slightly. "Your place?"
"What?" Gu Zhao tilted his chin slightly. "Or would you prefer a hotel?"
Ji Su: "..."
Could he choose neither?
Gu Zhao added an extra explanation, which was rare for him. "I have a place near the school. I live alone."
Unfortunately, this didn't comfort Ji Su because being alone with the other seemed even more terrifying.
Gu Zhao stood up. "Let's go."
Ji Su resignedly got up and followed him out.
Gu Zhao had arranged for a car, which was parked at the school gate.
Ji Su initially wanted to open the back door but hesitated and obediently sat in the passenger seat.
Although he didn't want to sit next to Gu Zhao, treating him like a driver would be impolite.
This was the first time he had seen Gu Zhao drive.
His long, strong fingers rested on the steering wheel with his posture casual but the car moved swiftly and steadily.
Soon, the car entered a high-end residential area and drove straight into the underground parking garage.
After getting out of the car, the two took the elevator upstairs.
Gu Zhao stood at the door and entered a six-digit code. "The password is my birthday."
Ji Su wasn't paying attention and casually replied, "Oh."
Gu Zhao glanced at him. "Repeat it."
Ji Su: "..."
After being forced to memorize the password to Gu Zhao's apartment, Ji Su officially stepped inside.
As an architecture student, he instinctively assessed the layout and decor of the apartment.
The space was very spacious with a four-bedroom, two-living-room layout.
The base color scheme was black and gray, and all the furniture was in the same cool tones. The overall style was cold, hard, and somber, much like Gu Zhao himself.
Ji Su couldn't help but ask, "Did you decorate this place yourself?"
"Yes." Gu Zhao replied. "Everything that belongs to me must pass through my own hands."
Ji Su nodded then changed into slippers, and walked into the living room. Suddenly, he remembered an important question. "Wait, I didn't bring any dresses."
"No need." Gu Zhao walked past him. "I've prepared them."
Ji Su: "..."
Was this guy so confident that he would follow him home?
Gu Zhao walked into the open kitchen. "What do you want for dinner?"
"It's fine, I'm not hungry." Ji Su wanted to get this over with quickly. "Maybe... I should just complete the task first."
Gu Zhao turned back. "In such a hurry?"
Ji Su didn't know how to respond and could only smile awkwardly.
"Alright." Gu Zhao turned and walked toward the bedroom. "Come here."
Ji Su took a deep breath and followed.
Gu Zhao stopped at the bedroom door then turned the knob, and pushed the door open.
Ji Su looked into the bedroom and was once again stunned.
In the center of the bedroom was an oversized, luxurious bed, and spread across it were various dresses.
Ji Su opened his mouth but was momentarily speechless.
These dresses looked very familiar. It was almost identical to the ones he had received before...
"I bought these dresses—for Meng Meng—one by one, with my own hands." Gu Zhao's eyes were dark with his tone cold. "Since you gave them away to someone else, I had to pick them out again."
Ji Su unconsciously took a step back, but a scorching hand pressed against his back to steady him.
Gu Zhao said coldly, "Trying to run again?"
"No..." Ji Su's throat felt dry and his words came out haltingly. "There's... too many..."
"Too many, what?" Gu Zhao sneered. "I'm not making you wear all of them."
A glimmer of hope sparked in Ji Su's heart. "Can I choose which one to wear?"
Gu Zhao granted him mercy. "You may."
Ji Su breathed a small sigh of relief and walked with heavy steps toward the bed. He picked out a long dress. "Is this one okay?"
Gu Zhao sneered. "Did Meng Meng ever wear a long dress?"
Ji Su: "No..."
Gu Zhao: "Pick again."
Ji Su closed his eyes then steeled his heart, and randomly grabbed one from the bed. "How about this one?"
Gu Zhao's gaze fell on the red strapless dress, and his eyes darkened further. "That will do."
Ji Su unfolded the dress and finally saw its design.
His brain buzzed.
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