[Absolute Heartthrob] Chapter 1

A love-hate relationship means there’s always endless chatter and bickering, yet it doesn’t stop them from liking each other.
— Prologue

When Yan Xi received the pregnancy test report, she had just finished packing her luggage. Her fingers gripped the edge of the report, creasing it as she stood frozen in place for a long time.

The door swung open, and Jiang Chizhou walked in holding a thermos, an irritated expression on his face.

Yan Xi lifted the thin piece of paper and looked up, meeting his unsatisfied gaze. “I’m pregnant.”

Jiang Chizhou: “Whose?”

Yan Xi: “…”

Jiang Chizhou: “Keep it, I’ll take care of it.”

Hearing his infuriating tone, Yan Xi grabbed a nearby pillow and threw it at him. “Jiang Chizhou, are you a drama king or what?”

**Flashback to Childhood**

It had been raining frequently in C City, and by mid-September, the weather was starting to cool down. Once the sun came out, more people began gathering in the streets and parks.

A gust of wind swept the ground as a group of five or six boys on skateboards zoomed across the wide road, stopping at a designated spot.

“Like we said earlier, the loser has to face the punishment!”

“Who was the last one to arrive?”

“It’s Jiang Chizhou!”

Everyone’s eyes turned to the small boy wearing a deep blue helmet.

Jiang Chizhou had just joined the group and was the youngest. Even though he had only been skateboarding for a few days, he could already keep up with their speed, showing promising talent.

Standing on his skateboard, he wiped the thin layer of sweat off his forehead and unbuckled his helmet, revealing sharp features.

His brown eyes gleamed, and a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. At just nine years old, he appeared more reckless and cocky than the others.

“I lost, I’ll accept the punishment. So, what do I have to do?”

These boys, all around the same age, weren’t interested in anything serious. Their goal was just to have fun and make trouble.

The tallest boy, He Xincheng, scanned the area before locking his gaze on something. “Look over there!”

He pointed toward a large tree.

Beneath the tree, a little girl around six or seven sat on a stone bench, her feet swinging back and forth. Her pigtails swayed with the movement.

The girl had a small, delicate face with a beauty mark beside her nose. Her fair hands held a small bottle of Yakult, from which she sipped every now and then, resembling a cute little hamster.

The boys knew her well; they all lived in the same neighborhood. Her name was Yan Xi, the most spoiled girl in the area.

He Xincheng remembered the last time he tugged at her pigtails, and Yan Xi immediately ran to complain to her parents. As a result, he was scolded and had his allowance and snacks taken away for a week.

Now that he had another chance, he was determined to get back at her!

Excited, He Xincheng grinned mischievously. “See that girl?”

Jiang Chizhou tilted his head slightly. “And?”

He Xincheng smirked, his eyes gleaming with mischief. “Knock over her Yakult bottle and show her how cruel the world is!”

Two minutes later—

“Waaahh…”

The little girl under the tree let out a piercing wail. The group of troublemaking boys quickly grabbed their skateboards and bolted, leaving Jiang Chizhou behind.

“My Yakult!” Yan Xi stared in disbelief at the handsome boy standing before her. She recognized him as the new neighbor who had just moved in, Jiang Chizhou.

She had thought he came to befriend her, but out of nowhere, he muttered, “This is to show you how cruel the world is,” and then knocked over her beloved Yakult!

As the other boys ran off, Jiang Chizhou felt he had fulfilled his bet. He casually clapped his hands. “Don’t cry, I’ll buy you a new one.”

Something about his serious expression made Yan Xi stop crying. She lowered her hands from her eyes, revealing her clear, tearless eyes.

They went to the nearby convenience store, where Jiang Chizhou asked the shopkeeper for a bottle of Yakult.

Feeling Yan Xi’s intense gaze on him, Jiang Chizhou turned slightly and saw the little girl staring longingly at the Yakult. Without hesitation, he handed it to her.

Just as he was about to pay, he suddenly realized that he had changed clothes before leaving home and had no money on him.

In a flash, he snatched the Yakult from her hands just as she was about to insert the straw. “Don’t drink it yet, I forgot to bring money.”

Yan Xi, now holding nothing but air, widened her eyes in shock, feeling utterly deceived.

The shopkeeper refused to let them buy on credit, so Jiang Chizhou had no choice but to tell her to wait while he ran home to get money.

But Yan Xi, no longer trusting him, stormed off angrily.

Jiang Chizhou chased after her, trying to explain, but accidentally tugged too hard on one of her pigtails, causing a bead decoration to fall off.

“You’re a bad guy!” Yan Xi cried out in horror and finally managed to squeeze out a couple of real tears.

In an instant, Jiang Chizhou was at a loss. Yan Xi pushed him away and ran home, deeply upset.

The front door was slightly ajar, and Yan Xi flung it open, shutting it loudly behind her. She hurried into the living room, where her father was kneeling on a washboard, head held high in defiance.

Wiping away her tears from the lost Yakult, Yan Xi walked curiously toward her father. “Dad, what are you doing?”

“Shh!” Her father raised a finger to his lips, signaling her to keep quiet.

Captivated by her father’s expression, Yan Xi nodded and leaned closer, whispering, “Dad, what are you doing?”

“I made your mom angry, so I’m being punished.” He then called toward the kitchen, “Honey, our daughter is back. How about letting me get up and play with her?”

Her mother’s angry voice echoed from the kitchen. “Don’t use our daughter as an excuse! You’re not getting up until I say so! We still have unfinished business!”

Yan Xi’s father could only follow orders.

Witnessing her parents’ dynamic, Yan Xi clenched her little fists, and a plan for revenge began to take root in her heart.

—

Yan Xi was not one to be trifled with, and from then on, she made sure Jiang Chizhou learned what it meant to endure the consequences of spilling a bottle of Yakult!

From that day forward, Yan Xi had her sights set on Jiang Chizhou.

Although they were in different grades, they attended the same school and lived nearby, which only helped their “relationship” grow. She schemed to make Jiang Chizhou suffer, and he countered her moves, occasionally even launching a few counterattacks of his own.

Yan Xi’s stubbornness clashed with Jiang Chizhou’s refusal to back down, and soon enough, they became rivals.

Even the onlookers couldn’t help but comment, “These two together are pure chaos.”

But what puzzled everyone the most was Yan Xi constantly declaring she would marry Jiang Chizhou one day.

When they were in third grade, a friend, unable to hold back their curiosity, asked her, “Why do you keep saying you’ll marry Jiang Chizhou when you fight with him every day?”

Yan Xi raised her hand and pretended to stroke an imaginary beard, then asked a completely unrelated question, “Do you know why my dad listens to my mom so well?”

The friend, confused, shook their head. “No, why?”

“Because my mom is his wife!” Yan Xi said confidently, taking a big gulp of her Yakult.

The friend was even more confused. “But what does that have to do with Jiang Chizhou?”

“Of course it’s related!” Yan Xi slammed her small hand onto the table, raising her chin proudly. “I’m going to marry Jiang Chizhou so he’ll know how harsh the world can be!”

—

When Jiang Chizhou graduated from elementary school a year ahead of Yan Xi, he finally enjoyed two peaceful semesters in middle school, surrounded by his friends and living carefree.

But on the first day of school the following September, Yan Xi appeared at the entrance of his classroom, waving at him with a sly smile, like a fox that had just pulled off a trick.

That cunning smile made Jiang Chizhou grit his teeth so hard they almost shattered.

They spent the next two years battling wits and strength.

When Jiang Chizhou graduated from middle school, he bought two bottles of Yakult, drank them both in front of Yan Xi, and, with a satisfied grin, clinked the empty bottles together and waved. “Goodbye, Yan Xi.”

He thought he’d finally rid himself of the troublesome little devil once he started high school.

Yan Xi glared at the empty bottles, engraving Jiang Chizhou’s smug expression deep into her heart. She clenched her fists once more.

She was sure he had done it to show off and offend her!

From that day forward, Yan Xi’s mother noticed her daughter studying more seriously than ever, and by her third year, her grades soared to new heights.

The following summer, with her acceptance letter in hand, Yan Xi knocked on Jiang Chizhou’s door.

With a click, the door unlocked, and Jiang Chizhou appeared.

Taking advantage of his surprise, Yan Xi swiftly smacked the acceptance letter onto his face, flashing a bright, victorious smile. “Jiang Chizhou, surprised? Shocked?”

As he stared at the name of the school on the acceptance letter, Jiang Chizhou felt the blood in his veins start to boil.