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Psst! We're moving!
When he’s not in front of me, I’m afraid.
I’m afraid that maybe there’s another girl around him now.
Someone who clings to him as shamelessly as I do.
What if he gets entangled by her?
Anxiously losing and gaining until it becomes unsettling fear.
—From the Diary of Fairy Su Zaizai
Looking at the sentence on the screen, Su Zaizai immediately replied without hesitation: “Okay.”
The air outside was wet and cold; the chill seemed to pierce into her bones.
The swing chair swayed, as if inviting the wind.
Her exhaled breath turned into white mist, spreading out before her eyes.
Almost simultaneously, Zhang Lurang sent a voice message.
Shivering, Su Zaizai tapped on the voice message.
She felt very cold and just wanted to listen to it and then go back inside.
Su Zaizai brought the phone’s speaker close to her ear.
The young man’s voice was warm and mellow, like flowing water.
Each word, clear and distinct, entered her ears.
— “Together, let’s apply to Z University.”
But Su Zaizai didn’t quite grasp it.
She sniffed and looked somewhat dazed, so she replayed it.
This time she understood.
Zhang Lurang said, together.
She suddenly felt that this year might be a wonderful one.
Perhaps there wouldn’t be a happier moment than this instant.
So, she wouldn’t make any wishes this year.
Because, everything she wanted had already been obtained.
She couldn’t be greedy anymore.
________________________________________
Zhang Lurang returned to his room.
He walked over to the desk, picked up his phone, and unplugged the headphones.
Su Zaizai had sent several more voice messages.
Zhang Lurang opened the voice message he hadn’t listened to earlier.
— “Okay.”
Before he could react, the next voice message played automatically.
From the other end came the sound of the wind whistling, and the soft, slightly nasal voice of the girl.
— “It’s settled, we’ll take the exams together, don’t go back on your word.”
— “I feel this year is particularly great, so I won’t make any wishes.”
— “Do you have anything you want? You can tell Fairy Zaizai, and she will definitely help you fulfill your wish.”
Zhang Lurang lay down on the bed, holding the phone in his right hand, placing his arm over his eyes to block out the light.
He suddenly chuckled softly.
Then, he moved his hand away and sent two messages.
— No need.
— Don’t stay outside, go home quickly.
________________________________________
It was unclear what Su Zaizai was doing; she didn’t reply immediately.
Zhang Lurang stood up and walked to the desk to sit down.
He placed the phone in the most visible spot and confirmed that the other party hadn’t sent any new messages.
Only then did Zhang Lurang shift his gaze and pick up a pen.
Before he could start writing, the door opened again.
Zhang Luli walked in and directly sat on his bed.
The room remained as quiet as when only Zhang Lurang was there.
After a while, Zhang Luli seemed to hesitate for a long time but finally made up his mind to speak.
“Brother, don’t pay attention to what Uncle and others said.”
“Mm.” Zhang Lurang responded.
“I also think they’re really annoying, sickening.”
“...”
Silence for a moment.
Zhang Luli licked the corner of his mouth and changed the subject: “Brother, is City Z fun?”
Zhang Lurang didn’t answer.
“Just now, Dad said that starting next semester, you should study high school here. The college entrance exam papers in City Z and City B are different, and the question types are also different...”
Zhang Lurang paused his pen tip and calmly said: “I know.”
“And local students applying to B University have lower score lines. I feel that this way, it will be easier for you too.”
“...”
“Brother, let me tell you, B University...”
Zhang Lurang interrupted him: “Don’t talk about these things.”
“Oh... alright.”
Seeing that he stopped talking, Zhang Lurang sighed and initiated the conversation.
“City Z is great.”
Zhang Lurang’s initiation made Zhang Luli excited again.
“One of my classmates lives there. Every time he describes it, I want to go and see it.”
“Mm.”
“Brother, can I go to City Z to find you after school starts?”
“...”
“Do you live in a dormitory? Then I’ll come over on weekends, and you can show me around.”
Hearing this, Zhang Lurang became distracted.
The image of Su Zaizai’s smiling face appeared in his mind, carefree.
At any time, she laughed like a fool.
He pursed his lips and softly declined: “No.”
Zhang Luli groaned and asked confusedly: “Why?”
“I’m busy.”
________________________________________
Zhang Lurang knocked on the study room door.
After hearing a response, he pushed the door open and went in.
Father Zhang was sitting in front of the large desk reading documents.
He didn’t look up or speak.
Zhang Lurang also didn’t initiate any sound, quietly standing in place and waiting.
After a while.
Father Zhang looked up at him, his voice low, stern, and tinged with frustration.
“Are you studying hard there?”
Zhang Lurang stood straight, not speaking.
“Are you only playing around there?”
“...”
“Don’t go there next semester. Your uncle is also busy; how does he have time to watch over you?”
Upon hearing this, Zhang Lurang finally spoke: “I live in a dormitory; I don’t need Uncle to watch over me.”
“Then can you catch up with the progress when you return in your second year of high school?”
“...”
Father Zhang took out his report card from the drawer and sighed.
“Ranked 22nd in the grade, I don’t even know what to say to you.”
Zhang Lurang wanted to say:
In his first monthly exam, he ranked 32nd in the grade.
In the mid-term exam, he ranked 25th.
This time, he ranked 22nd.
He had been improving every time.
But what was the use? No one noticed.
“Don’t go to City Z anymore. Over there, no one will keep an eye on you, and I won’t feel at ease.” Father Zhang threw the report card into the nearby trash can. “Get up early tomorrow; your mother has found you an English tutor.”
“Can’t I take the college entrance exam in City Z?” he softly asked.
Father Zhang ignored him and simply said: “Go back and read for a while, then sleep early.”
________________________________________
Zhang Lurang returned to his room.
He didn’t even bother to turn on the light, walking straight to the bed and lying down.
He lit up his phone and opened the chat window with Su Zaizai.
She had just replied: I’m home.
Su Zaizai: Today, we went to my grandparents’ house for dinner. Sigh, the elders always bring up grades...
Su Zaizai: But luckily, I have the best grades among them, hehehe.
Zhang Lurang suddenly wanted to hear her voice.
He lowered his eyes and slowly typed: Su Zaizai.
Zhang Lurang: Didn’t you say you would help me fulfill a wish?
Su Zaizai: What do you want?
Su Zaizai: If I have it, I’ll give it all to you.
Zhang Lurang’s eyes felt a bit sore.
His throat tightened, and he hoarsely said: “Tell me a joke.”
Seeing that he sent a voice message, Su Zaizai directly pressed for a voice call.
Zhang Lurang was momentarily stunned and instinctively pressed accept.
After connecting, Su Zaizai’s voice came through the current from the other end.
Her tone sounded different from usual, but her manner of speaking was exactly the same.
“Rang Rang, can you hear me?”
Zhang Lurang pulled the earphones over and put them on: “Mm.”
Su Zaizai seemed somewhat troubled, hesitating before speaking.
“You want to hear a joke? But I haven’t seen anything funny lately.”
“Then forget it.” He just wanted to hear her voice anyway.
A moment of silence.
Su Zaizai cautiously spoke: “Are you feeling down?”
“...”
“It’s New Year’s Eve; you should be happily receiving red envelopes.”
Zhang Lurang didn’t answer.
Her tone became dejected, slightly discouraged: “You never say anything.”
Zhang Lurang’s fingertips unconsciously tapped on the quilt.
It seemed like he was hesitating about how to start.
Before he could speak, Su Zaizai continued: “Sigh, suddenly I feel sad too.”
“...”
“Your emotions have infected me across the distance.”
“I...”
“Why are you unhappy?”
Zhang Lurang thought for a moment and slowly revealed one of the smaller reasons affecting his mood.
“I ranked 22nd in the final exams.”
Upon hearing this, Su Zaizai immediately blurted out her own results.
“I scored 823 points.”
“...”
“We both improved, isn’t that great?”
Hearing this, Zhang Lurang chuckled.
His mood instantly lifted a bit.
Hearing him laugh, Su Zaizai pressed on, wildly flattering him.
“But you’re a bit better than me; you improved by three ranks. Three whole ranks! I only improved by two!”
“That’s enough.” His voice carried laughter, no longer sounding as low as before.
But Su Zaizai still felt this wasn’t the reason.
After some internal struggle, she decided to ask again: “So why are you unhappy?”
Zhang Lurang hesitated and finally decided to tell the truth.
“My dad wants me to go back to City B to study.”
The other end immediately fell silent.
Zhang Lurang couldn’t even hear her breathing.
He removed one earphone, lit up the screen, and checked.
She hadn’t hung up.
Zhang Lurang puzzledly said, “Hello?”
The other side immediately hung up.
Zhang Lurang: “...”
________________________________________
Su Zaizai’s current mood felt like:
A beautiful sunny day, suddenly thunder struck, and it hit her, who was obediently staying at home without going out.
Her phone vibrated several times; Zhang Lurang had sent a message.
Su Zaizai sat cross-legged on the bed and directly set his messages to “Do Not Disturb.”
She didn’t dare to block him.
She also didn’t look at what Zhang Lurang had sent.
She opened the chat window with Jiang Jia.
Su Zaizai: My current mood... is indescribable.
Jiang Jia replied instantly: Are you together?
Su Zaizai: Haha.
Su Zaizai: Dumped.
Jiang Jia: ... You were never together, so how can you talk about being dumped.
Su Zaizai: He just told me we’d take the exams for Z University together, and now he says he’s going back to City B to study high school. Do you think he’s playing with me?
Jiang Jia: These two aren’t contradictory...
Jiang Jia: Even if he’s in City B, he can still take the exams for Z University with you.
Su Zaizai: No.
Su Zaizai: If I don’t find ways to make him notice me, he’ll surely forget about me soon.
Su Zaizai suddenly felt like crying.
He was in another province, another city; she was helpless.
Those entanglements could be easily defeated by distance.
Su Zaizai buried her face in the blanket, and her tears were absorbed by the quilt.
Dark spots appeared one by one.
Soon, she raised her head.
She searched online for flight tickets from City Z to City B.
But it was useless.
It would have been fine a few days ago, but now it’s the New Year; her parents definitely wouldn’t let her go.
Su Zaizai reluctantly opened the chat window with Zhang Lurang.
— What’s wrong?
— Talk to me.
— Su Zaizai.
— I will return to City Z.
Su Zaizai licked her lips and typed slowly: Really?
Zhang Lurang: Mm.
Su Zaizai: You only say half of what you mean, you scared me to death.
Zhang Lurang: ...
Su Zaizai: You should have said, “My dad wants me to go back to City B to study, but I disagree.” That’s how you should talk. You definitely scared me on purpose.
Su Zaizai: You scared me so much that I’m mentally exhausted...
Su Zaizai: I’m going to sleep.
Zhang Lurang: “...”
________________________________________
Despite what Father Zhang had said, Zhang Lurang still privately booked a flight ticket.
Early in the morning on the seventh day of the New Year, he returned to City Z.
Zhang Lurang opened the combination lock and entered the house.
Susu’s front paws jumped onto him, wagging its tail affectionately.
He curved his lips and rubbed its head.
Uncle Lin Mao walked out from the kitchen, holding a glass of milk and drinking it.
Seeing Zhang Lurang return, he wasn’t surprised.
He lifted his chin lazily and said: “After you finish unpacking, help give Susu a bath, it stinks.”
Susu stuck out its tongue and barked.
Zhang Lurang silently nodded.
“I’ll send you tomorrow, remember to wake me up.”
“...Mm.”
“Don’t mind your dad; he’s got issues.”
“...”
“Your mom too.”
“...”
Zhang Lurang didn’t bring much back, just a backpack.
He put it in his room.
Then he went downstairs to bathe Susu and dry it with a hairdryer.
After finishing a series of tasks,
Zhang Lurang returned to his room, and Susu followed him in, lying beside his bed.
The room was silent.
Both the person and the dog were quiet.
Zhang Lurang curved his lips again and sent a message to Su Zaizai.
— I’m back in City Z.
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