The Hot-tempered Young Master and His Village Flower Child Bride - Chapter 48

Chapter 48: Smart Is the New S*xy

Chu Zhi Lu always prioritized sun protection over wearing makeup when going out. However, since it was her first gathering with Zhao Xunyu’s dorm mates’ girlfriends, she decided to wear makeup as a sign of respect.

Although she had never formally learned makeup techniques, Chu Zhi Lu’s innate beauty served as a solid foundation. Her keen sense of color and ability to sculpt her features ensured that, no matter the application order or how lightly she touched her face, the final result was always flawless.

It was simply a matter of natural talent—something others could only envy.

The entire makeup process took just over ten minutes, yet the result was perfect and polished.

Zhao Xunyu watched the whole process. “You can do a full face of makeup that fast and that well?!”

Chu Zhi Lu tilted her head, raised an eyebrow, and asked, “What’s the big deal?”

That one look, full of dominant energy, made Zhao Xunyu’s heart tremble. He reached out, wanting to cup her jaw and kiss her fiercely. But Chu Zhi Lu caught his hand and warned him with a cool glare, “Don’t move.”

Seizing the opportunity, Zhao Xunyu pulled her close, trapping her in his arms for a deep, passionate kiss. Her lipstick smeared, adding a touch of disheveled beauty to her noble, aloof demeanor. She glared at him, her expression vivid and alluring.

Zhao Xunyu, fearless, leaned in and planted another loud ‘mwah!’ on her. Then he sighed with emotion, “To die beneath the peony flowers—what a romantic end for a ghost!”

Chu Zhi Lu struggled against his demonic grip, trying to escape, but he only tightened his hold. “Peony, my little peony, where are you off to? Come on, let’s get romantic with your master.“

His ridiculous antics disgusted Chu Zhi Lu, making her feel as if she were facing a truly sleazy man. Her struggles intensified. “Let me go!”

“Peony, peony, this master’s little peony~“

“Shut up!”

***

By the time the four couples had successfully reunited, it was nearly noon. At first, the girls were friendly but slightly reserved. The guys mainly drove the atmosphere. It wasn’t until the men left to start the fire and prepare the barbecue ingredients that the women gradually warmed up to each other. Their common ground was their boyfriends, so their conversations naturally revolved around relationships. After they had complained about their partners, their interactions became more genuine and heartfelt.

However, Chu Zhi Lu remained mostly silent, only speaking when directly addressed.

Bai Shu, Yang Xiuzhu’s girlfriend, had heard Chu Zhi Lu mentioned several times by Yang Xiuzhu.  In short, Yang Xiuzhu had said that his dorm mate had gotten incredibly lucky, finding a girlfriend who was rich, academically brilliant, and stunningly beautiful. His subtly envious tone had annoyed Bai Shu, but this morning, he didn’t impatiently urge her to hurry with her makeup. Instead, he kindly asked if she needed help.

‘So, he’s afraid I’ll embarrass him?’

The others had eagerly shared complaints about their boyfriends, but Chu Zhi Lu remained silent. Bai Shu asked her deliberately, “Someone as beautiful and academically accomplished as you must have your boyfriend wrapped around your finger. He probably never makes you angry, right?”

Honestly, her boyfriend didn’t seem very patient. He looked like the type who wouldn’t stay faithful to just one woman.

Chu Zhi Lu sensed Bai Shu’s hostility and replied, “He indulges me, but I have a bad temper and throw tantrums.”

Well, that lukewarm remark completely stumped Bai Shu. She swallowed her question, ‘What do you usually get angry about?’

This woman never smiled, and her temper did seem rather volatile.

She also didn’t seem like someone who would spare anyone’s feelings.

Bai Shu fell silent, but the girlfriends of the other two dorm mates chimed in.

“But you’re so beautiful, yet you’re still willing to be with him! Getting you angry is his blessing. If you ignored him completely, he’d really have something to cry about.”

“Exactly! If I had your looks, making me walk on the ground would be a capital offense!”

Bai Shu: “… “

Truthfully, all three girls were pretty, but compared to Chu Zhi Lu, there was a clear difference.

Bai Shu mainly wanted to find some balance by pointing out Chu Zhi Lu’s poor choice in men. What good was it to be so perfect? She was still blinded by love and ruined by a terrible man.

Fortunately, Bai Shu wasn’t a truly malicious villainess. She only harbored a secret desire to give Chu Zhi Lu a minor heart attack. When that failed, she didn’t cause any further trouble. After all, Chu Zhi Lu hadn’t stolen her boyfriend, and he didn’t have any romantic interest in her.

The farm had beautiful scenery and various recreational facilities.

After grilling the first batch of barbecue, the guys called the girls over to eat while they sat down to start a game of mahjong. The girls gathered around the mahjong table with their bowls and occasionally fed their boyfriends a bite.

Yang Xiuzhu’s mahjong skills were terrible. Bai Shu couldn’t resist offering unsolicited advice, and the other two dorm mates’ girlfriends secretly wished they could take their places.

Only Chu Zhi Lu sat quietly beside her boyfriend, saying nothing.

Zhao Xunyu had the worst luck of all. His tile draws were terrible, and he had barely won two rounds the entire time. But he took it in stride, not minding at all. Often, he would draw a completely mismatched hand, then dramatically slide his palm across the tiles from one end to the other as if unveiling a grand treasure. He would ask in a dramatic voice, “Chu Zhizhi, tell me—is this hand a winner or what?”

Chu Zhi Lu would silently feed him a bite, then watch coldly as he still managed to draw the winning tile for someone else.

“Do you even know how to play? Why did you discard the five bamboo?” Bai Shu snapped, visibly frustrated. Yang Xiuzhu, tired of her constant pointers, finally finished the round and ‘abdicated his throne,’ letting her take over. Seeing this, the other two women quickly shooed their boyfriends away and took their seats at the table.

Zhao Xunyu tilted his head. “Zhizhi, do you want to give it a try?”

Chu Zhi Lu paused for two seconds, recalling her hideously ugly tiles. “Mm,” she agreed. Although she only knew the rules and had never played a real game before, she showed no hesitation.

She remained calm and composed, as if she held a winning hand. In reality, her hand was just as bad as Zhao Xunyu’s.

Zhao Xunyu wanted to laugh. It looks like the feng shui of this seat isn’t going to change after all. Yet, despite their equally poor starting hands, Chu Zhi Lu somehow transformed dross into gold. Though a novice, she played remarkably skillfully, turning a hopeless hand into a winning strategy.

With her back straight, her eyes focused, and her slender, pale fingers deftly manipulating the tiles, she transformed her chaotic hand into a pure all-pairs hand. Her aura blazed with beauty and fierce determination, leaving Zhao Xunyu utterly mesmerized.

She wasn’t just playing mahjong—she was playing with Zhao Xunyu’s heart. He felt himself shamelessly hardening…

Smart is the new s*xy.

He quietly sucked in a breath. As soon as Chu Zhi Lu won the round, Zhao Xunyu excused himself to the restroom.