Chapter 601

After a moment of silence, Zhou Shihe spoke with a gentle, watery tone: "You can write wildly, you can write carelessly, or you can write sincerely. But you have only one chance—live your life according to what you write on this paper. Be sure to mean every word."

Li Heng listened and nearly passed out.

What does "write wildly" mean?

What does "write sincerely" mean?

What does "live your life according to what you write" mean?

This—this—isn't this covert coercion?

Isn't this silent pressure?

With what just happened as precedent, could he dare write wildly?

Could he write wildly?

Besides, writing wildly isn't his style anyway.

If he wrote sincerely, revealing his true feelings, it would be fine if she didn't care.

But if she did care, wouldn't she later use this note as evidence to show it to his other women at a critical moment?

Wouldn't that be a pure, ticking time bomb?

Wouldn't that be a landmine?

He felt this girl was setting a trap for him—no matter how he wrote, the outcome was a no-win situation.

The problem was, he had to walk into it—otherwise, how could he explain kissing her today? Would he not become a degenerate?

Others called him amorous—he accepted it. Because it was true.

But if someone called him lewd, irresponsible—pfft! He wouldn't carry that blame. It didn't match his character.

Damn it!

This is a textbook yangmou—pure and simple.

An unsolvable yangmou.

How did that saying go again? There's no such thing as a free lunch—fate's gifts are already marked with hidden prices.

He saw again the terrifying power of Fudan Wang—in this rushed moment, she merely moved slightly and pinned him to the pillar of shame, leaving him utterly motionless.

They sat across from each other in silence for a while, then Li Heng exhaled slowly.

It's not like I'm the only one writing, right?

She has to write too, doesn't she?

Changing perspective, his heart instantly opened up, and he felt suddenly energized.

Li Heng picked up his pen and glanced at her.

Seeing this, Zhou Shihe, as if reading his mind, picked up her fountain pen and began writing, head bowed.

Li Heng followed the rules—he didn't peek at what she wrote.

Well, even if he wanted to, he couldn't—she turned half her body, blocking his view.

After half a minute, she seemed done. She put down her pen and began folding the white paper.

Li Heng was startled and couldn't help asking: "Already?"

Zhou Shihe stared coldly into his eyes, silent.

Fine—this girl held serious resentment toward him now, enough to want to slap him again.

Li Heng wisely said no more. After a moment of thought, he too lowered his head and began writing.

When he finished, he folded the paper three times, then pushed his corner toward the center of the table first.

Zhou Shihe's gaze fell on the paper, then she set her own note down and picked up his.

She opened it immediately—written on it: "Shihe, I've fallen for you."

This was what Li Heng had written to Zhou Shihe.

It was his honest, unvarnished truth—no pretense, no flowery language, just raw sincerity.

He felt excessive artifice was ugly, beneath him—simple was best.

Her eyes traced each word, reading slowly.

After reading, she scanned it again—eight characters total.

Then she refolded the paper, tucked it into her pocket, and lifted her head.

At that moment, her face showed no joy, no sorrow—no color, no ripple—purely, "Guess what?"

Li Heng watched her closely, but caught no clue on her face—disappointed.

But now wasn't the time for disappointment. Under her gaze, he forced calmness—and eagerly opened her note.

Result…

Result—he froze. The paper was blank.

The paper was completely blank!

Not a single character. Not even a pen mark.

I've been had!

Li Heng stared, bewildered. After a long pause, he muttered bitterly: "You're fishing like Jiang Taigong—zero cost, and you've made me dance like a fool?"

Zhou Shihe said nothing.

Li Heng grew more frustrated, shaking the blank paper: "What's this supposed to mean? How is this not breaking your word?"

Zhou Shihe still didn't answer—but her eyes mocked him mercilessly: You've spent your life among women—haven't you learned yet that "women's words cannot be fully trusted"?

She'd tricked him.

He kissed her. She slapped him—and gave him a brutal lesson.

The cost of this lesson was high.

High enough that Li Heng had just handed her his own weakness.

If used well, this note would become her trump card.

Holding this trump card was like possessing a nuclear arsenal—she could advance or retreat at will.

Advance: use the note to attack Li Heng, or his other lovers.

Retreat: warn Li Heng—stay away from me, we keep our distance. Otherwise, I'll make you lose face.

Whether she'd choose to advance or retreat—Li Heng was deeply uneasy, unable to fathom her mind.

But analyzing their year-and-a-half of interaction, Li Heng believed Zhou Shihe leaned toward retreat.

Reason? Today she slapped him—hard. His right cheek still throbbed painfully.

He was right.

Zhou Shihe had many reservations now—she disliked his flirtatiousness, couldn't accept his feelings, didn't see him as her lifelong partner.

In other words: she had no intention of entering his private affairs, nor did she want him to keep pursuing her. Holding this note was like holding a get-out-of-jail-free card.

It was her lifeline.

A card that made Li Heng hesitate to act.

Watching her effortlessly make him suffer such a loss, Li Heng muttered in dissatisfaction: "Hey, this isn't like you. Totally different from the you I know."

Zhou Shihe paused, then asked: "What do you think I'm like?"

Li Heng said: "Quiet, refined, upright."

Zhou Shihe remained unmoved—but her pure, clear eyes seemed to say: Precisely because I was too upright, too forgiving of you before, did this happen.

Their eyes met. Li Heng seemed to understand. He drooped his head, instantly deflated.

For the next while, both fell silent.

Zhou Shihe had somehow stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing down at all of Singapore.

Li Heng, meanwhile, curled up on the living room sofa, reflecting.

He wondered: Why could he control himself around Yu Laoshi, but with Zhou Shihe, his emotions surged uncontrollably?

Wei Xiaozhu is beautiful, isn't she? That youthful, first-love face has captivated countless men.

He enjoyed seeing Xiaozhu—loved seeing her face every morning during his run. It lifted his mood—but didn't stir any urge.

What about Zhao Wanqing from Xi'an's Wild Goose Pagoda? Her aura—lotus petals curled by the western breeze—was stunning. Men who met her for the first time held their breath, afraid to disturb her. Li Heng's heart skipped—but he never pursued her.

Even Wu Siyao from nearby Tongji University—beautiful, persistent in chasing him—still couldn't move his heart.

But Zhou Shihe—

To be honest, the moment he first saw her, his heart stirred deeply. Had he not been reborn twice and thus calm, he would've broken down right then—just like any other boy, unable to tear his eyes from her.