When he got home, he saw his timid stepmother stand up as soon as she saw him.
" Xiao Ze's back, are you hungry?"
"I'm not hungry. Buy me a motorcycle tomorrow." Zhang Ze is 20 years old in this world.
"Motorcycles... also require a driver's license. Xiao Ze, how about considering driving a car? It's safer."
"I don't need the car, thank you for your trouble. Also, please don't keep your head down when you're with people." Zhang Ze had almost used up all the patience he had for dealing with anyone other than Huo Cifeng that day.
Stepmother Wu Yun nodded, giving an awkward smile. " Xiao Ze, have dinner first. Your father probably won't be back tonight..."
Zhang Ze's lips curled up, but the smile wasn't friendly. He tried to remain patient. "If he doesn't come back, why don't you call him and tell him to get back? And don't stay home and do housework anymore. What's the point of keeping a housekeeper? She'll just be a decoration. If you have nothing to do, go out and spend his money."
Wu Yun was stunned. Her stepson had always had a problem with her. Although he and Zhang Ze's father met through a blind date, Zhang Ze was still very distant from him.
But in the last few days, Zhang Ze has changed completely. Ever since the day he returned home bleeding and limping, she knew that Zhang Ze had changed. He had become just like her boss: authoritative, fierce, and sharp-tongued.
But since it was all for her own good, her smile became even more genuine. "Okay, Xiao Ze, let's eat first."
Zhang Ze frowned and threw his schoolbag onto the sofa. In his previous life, his mother had also died early, but he did not have a stepmother.
They also don't know how to get along with each other.
But he knew that to survive in this world, he couldn't avoid interacting with other people.
In his eyes, Zhang's father was a complete workaholic and a social maniac. He had a wide network of connections, but he rarely used them.
So it wasn't difficult for him to make a phone call and get some leverage over the Song Family. Although he was only a sophomore in college, it was still easier for an adult to solve problems.
After dinner
Zhang Ze opened the school forum. His computer skills were superb, which was also the reason why he was able to hide many things in his previous life.
If he hadn't exposed himself, no one could have done anything to him.
He opened the campus forum of Blue Sky University and found that everyone on the forum said he was a complete madman.
He smirked. He really was insane. Why shouldn't others say so? If he wasn't insane, how could his future actions possibly be reasonable...?
As long as Xiao Feng stops hating him, he'd be willing to die again. No, if he died, he wouldn't be able to see Xiao Feng again...
The Huo residence in the northern district
Everyone at the dinner table was looking at him. Huo Cifeng didn't want to talk; lately, he felt like coughing whenever he spoke. He picked up the goji berries in the thermos, which were still warm, and slowly took a sip.
" Huo Cifeng, do you have any manners?" Second Uncle Huo, the uninvited guest in the house, shouted angrily at him.
He slowly put the water cup down and said gently, "I'm always polite to people. Sister-in-law Wang, if they're not eating, just throw these dishes away. I don't have much of an appetite anyway."
Sister-in-law Wang nodded. "Yes."
Second Uncle Huo was so angry he jumped up and down. He couldn't do anything about his nephew who completely ignored him!
" Xiao Feng, what will you do all by yourself? Your mother is seriously ill in the hospital, how can your father manage on his own? Why don't you talk to him and ask him to transfer your second uncle back to headquarters?"
Huo Cifeng: "As you can see, I have nothing, just an empty shell, and I could die at any moment, cough cough cough...!"
Second Uncle Huo was so frightened that he immediately stood up, causing the white chair behind him to fall over with a "thud".
Huo Cifeng wasn't acting; he was born sickly.
"Cough cough cough...! Pfft..."
Upon seeing this, the butler immediately came over, took a handkerchief, and skillfully wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
The food on the table was also splattered with blood, a truly spectacular sight.
Several relatives turned pale with fright.
"Hey, Xiao Feng, you should get some rest. Haha, your second uncle's leaving."
"Auntie has left too."
"Haha, Auntie's leaving first too..."
Soon, he was the only one left at the table. He calmly took the water glass handed to him by the butler, took a sip, and then spat it out with a "glug" sound. The smell was very fishy, Huo Cifeng frowned slightly.
Butler: "Young Master, you haven't coughed up blood in a long time. Have you encountered something unpleasant lately?"
Huo Cifeng slowly stood up, placing his hand on the butler's. "No, help me back to rest."
His face was deathly pale, showing his exhaustion. He was very tired and weak. After taking the elevator back to his room upstairs, the medical team rushed over.
The beeping of medical equipment filled the room, sounding quite loud from the outside.
The next morning
Looking around the lecture hall and not seeing Huo Cifeng, Zhang Ze walked over and asked Lu Qingyan, "Where's Cifeng?"
Lu Qingyan turned her head fiercely. " Zhang Ze, who do you think you are?"
Ignoring his useless words, Zhang Ze repeated, "Where is he?"
Lu Qingyan was so angry she was about to explode, "You son of a bitch, can't you listen to what other people say?!"
Zhang Ze remained unfazed. "I thought I was Zhang Ze, okay? Please continue, or you won't be speaking all day."
Seeing that his expression didn't seem like a joke, Lu Qingyan reluctantly said, "I don't know. I heard his illness has relapsed, but the Huo Family isn't a place you can just walk into. I advise you not to try anything with him again."
Zhang Ze scoffed, "Aren't you childhood friends? Your relationship is so casual, yet you can't get in?"
Lu Qingyan's face flushed red from the veiled sarcasm. He finally understood why Song Ziming hadn't been able to resist beating him up under the surveillance camera.
Zhang Ze is a man whose words are never worth listening to.
A day passed
When Huo Cifeng woke up, it was already dark.
He slowly raised his hand; it was pale and thin, but there were still needle marks on his bluish-purple hand.
Aside from appearance, this body is completely different from the previous one. Due to illness, this body is shorter than the one in the previous life.
" Xiao Feng." A hoarse, deep voice rang out in the quiet room.
Why are you here?
He slowly turned his head and saw Zhang Ze's face, feeling a sense of unreality.
Yes, there is Zhang Ze in this world, but why is it always Zhang Ze?
He spoke weakly, "You should leave before I call my bodyguards."
Zhang Ze walked to his bedside and knelt down on one knee. " Xiao Feng, don't be angry. I only realized today that your body is more fragile than I thought. I've been waiting for you to wake up on your balcony so as not to disturb you. Also, did I upset you yesterday?"
Huo Cifeng didn't have the energy to argue with him. "If I said yes, would you want to come and take my life every day? So I said no."
Zhang Ze chuckled softly, " Xiao Feng, you've changed. You've become so adorable."
He gently brushed the bangs from the forehead of the sickly, pale boy on the bed, and said almost obsessively, " Xiao Feng, I was really blind before. It's understandable that you ignored me."