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Psst! We're moving!
I don’t want her to see any flaws in me.
— Zhang Lurang
Zhang Lurang’s vacation time was the same as Su Zaizai’s.
The next day at noon, Zhang Lurang returned to City Z.
Walking into the house, he placed his backpack aside and sat down on the step of the entrance.
Hearing the commotion, Susu ran down from upstairs, excitedly burrowing into his arms.
His eyes softened as he rubbed its head.
With the other hand, he took out his phone from his pocket.
After telling Su Zaizai that he had arrived in City Z, Zhang Lurang took out a set of test papers from his backpack.
These were the 2015 Province I Math Liberal Arts College Entrance Exam simulation papers he had just bought at a bookstore near Jinghua.
Zhang Lurang lowered his gaze, reaching out to take out the first set of questions, glancing through them.
Su Zaizai quickly replied to him.
— I’m awake now.
— Where are you? I’ll come find you.
Zhang Lurang moved Susu off him, put the test papers back in his backpack, and went out.
As he walked toward the building where Su Zaizai lived, he typed on his phone.
— You’re downstairs.
Before he reached there,
From afar, Zhang Lurang saw Su Zaizai walking out of the main door of her building.
Looking at Su Zaizai’s figure, he squinted incredulously, trying to confirm whether he was mistaken.
Su Zaizai was wearing a dark purple hooded sweatshirt on top, just covering her hips.
She probably wore tights underneath, but her legs were bare.
She didn’t look like someone living in winter at all.
Zhang Lurang stopped his steps and sent a voice message.
— “Go back and put on some pants before coming down.”
Su Zaizai didn’t check her phone; seeing him, she directly jogged over.
She grinned widely and threw herself into his embrace, hugging his waist.
Zhang Lurang frowned, pulling her hands down and coldly said: “It’s thirteen degrees today.”
“Is that so?” Su Zaizai innocently blinked. “At the moment I saw you, my heart boiled with excitement, and I didn’t feel cold at all.”
He wasn’t moved at all: “Go back and put on more clothes before coming out.”
“No!” Su Zaizai immediately refused. “I’ve already worn thermal underwear and a woolen sweater inside! I don’t feel cold at all. I told you, if you dress warmly on the upper body, you won’t feel cold on the lower body.”
Zhang Lurang stared at her for a few seconds.
Soon, he compromised: “Then let’s go home separately.”
“...Fine, I’ll go back and change.”
________________________________________
When Su Zaizai came down from the building again, it was already ten minutes later.
She reluctantly changed into black pencil pants.
Walking to his side, she didn’t speak.
Zhang Lurang actively held her hand and consoled her: “I’ll treat you to cake.”
Su Zaizai clasped his hand back and didn’t stay upset for long.
Soon, she excitedly said: “Rang Rang, you really feel like a domineering CEO right now.”
“...”
She deliberately lowered her voice, mimicking dramatically: “Woman, you’re not allowed to wear clothes I dislike.”
Zhang Lurang remained silent, holding her hand and walking towards the dessert shop outside.
Not getting a response, Su Zaizai was somewhat puzzled.
“Why aren’t you telling me to act normal?”
Zhang Lurang hesitated and didn’t answer.
“You’re being so aloof now,” Su Zaizai began scolding him.
“...”
“Does becoming a CEO make you feel superior?”
Unable to bear it any longer, Zhang Lurang said: “No, talk properly.”
Su Zaizai paused, blankly saying: “So you really became a CEO behind my back.”
He suddenly felt somewhat speechless.
But strangely, the corners of his mouth curved slightly.
“Silly.”
________________________________________
The two walked into the familiar dessert shop.
Zhang Lurang sat across from her, taking out the set of test papers from his backpack and handing her one set.
“Do this set of problems in two and a half hours.”
Su Zaizai was somewhat dumbfounded.
...She thought they were going out on a date.
Su Zaizai nodded, took the pen he handed her, and lowered her head to look at the questions.
A few seconds later, she asked: “What will you be doing?”
While setting the timer on his phone, Zhang Lurang answered: “I’ll do problems too.”
Su Zaizai didn’t say anything else, earnestly solving the problems.
Unnoticed by her, Zhang Lurang occasionally glanced over.
Two and a half hours later, Zhang Lurang’s phone vibrated on the table.
Su Zaizai obediently stopped writing and handed the test paper to him.
Zhang Lurang checked her answers and marked the questions she got wrong.
Silently calculating the score in his mind, he slowly spoke.
“Probably around 110 points.”
Su Zaizai blinked, surprised: “That high?”
Zhang Lurang sighed and said: “Come sit over here.”
Su Zaizai stood up, walked over, and sat beside him.
Once she was seated, Zhang Lurang placed the test paper in front of her.
His clear, low voice gently entered her ears.
“All the multiple-choice questions are correct, one fill-in-the-blank question is wrong, and all three big questions at the beginning are correct.”
“...”
“This question I previewed beforehand; it’s not easy.”
“Is that so...”
Zhang Lurang turned to look at her and asked: “Have you done this set of test papers before?”
“No.”
After a long silence,
Su Zaizai stared at the test paper and softly said: “The teacher said the first mock exam in City Z is very important. She said this score basically determines the college entrance exam score.”
Zhang Lurang didn’t interrupt her, quietly listening until she finished.
“I want to do better...”
“But when I get anxious, all the answers I calculate turn out wrong.”
“When I do them without pressure on my own, the accuracy rate is higher.”
“If I perform like this during the college entrance exam...”
“I’m afraid it will affect my English and Comprehensive Science scores.”
Seeing that he remained silent, Su Zaizai immediately changed her tone.
“But now it’s much better. It’s just math; I’m not afraid.”
Zhang Lurang lowered his head, looking at her hands on her lap, which were tightly clasped together.
He couldn’t help but reach out and hold them.
“Su Zaizai, I’ll return on the 15th.” Zhang Lurang earnestly said, “Before that, you should do one set of problems every day. I’ll explain all the problem-solving methods to you.”
Su Zaizai blankly looked at him.
“Whatever you don’t know, I’ll teach you everything.”
“So, don’t be afraid.”
Her eyes suddenly felt a bit sour.
Zhang Lurang’s expression began to look unnatural.
But he still forced himself to say: “Didn’t you say you like me?”
Su Zaizai nodded with reddened eyes, like a chick pecking at rice.
“Then you should listen to me.” He said.
— “Don’t be afraid.”
________________________________________
The Spring Festival of 2015 came unusually late.
By the time the second semester of senior year started, it was already almost March.
Only three months remained until the college entrance exam.
On a Saturday afternoon at the end of March,
The school organized the senior students to go to the city central hospital for the college entrance exam physical examination. Once the check-up was completed, they could take their respective rides home.
Because the number of students at Z High School wasn’t small, the Education Bureau only arranged two schools for the physical examination that day.
Su Zaizai specifically chose a less crowded queue and finished all the checks in about an hour and a half.
She had agreed to meet Jiang Jia at the hospital entrance and then take the bus home together.
The two got on the No. 71 bus and sat in the empty seats at the back.
The bus moved forward, and the scenery along the way flashed by.
Su Zaizai placed her hand near the small gap of the window, feeling the cold air from outside.
The announcement sound of the bus station echoed in her ears.
“Dear passengers, we have arrived at City Square. Passengers getting off please exit sequentially from the rear door. Passengers boarding please move inward. Please do not stand at the doorway.”
Su Zaizai instinctively turned her head to remind Jiang Jia.
“The next stop is yours.”
Jiang Jia’s expression was somewhat vacant as she softly said: “I broke up with Guan Han.”
“...What?”
“Sigh, love is really troublesome.”
Su Zaizai was somewhat worried: “Are you okay...”
“I’m fine, I just suddenly realized.”
“The person pursuing you might not treat you better than the person you pursue.”
“In fact, I was quite against you pursuing Zhang Lurang before.”
“I was afraid that you would be looked down upon by Zhang Lurang.”
Su Zaizai licked her lips and cautiously said: “You will meet better people.”
Jiang Jia laughed and raised her eyebrows: “Of course.”
The station announcement sounded again.
Jiang Jia stood up and earnestly said:
“Zaizai, you must be good with Zhang Lurang.”
“If you two break up, then I will truly no longer believe in love.”
________________________________________
After returning home.
Zaizai checked the time; it was already past six o’clock.
Zhang Lurang should have finished class.
Thinking of Jiang Jia’s words.
Su Zaizai held back for a moment but couldn’t resist the impulse to call him.
It only rang once before he picked up.
“Rang Rang, have you finished class?”
“Mm.”
“I’ve finished my physical examination today, and I even had blood drawn; it hurt a little.”
Zhang Lurang chuckled and asked: “Did you cry?”
“No, what’s the point of crying when you’re not here.” Su Zaizai confidently replied.
He didn’t answer.
But Su Zaizai heard his breathless laugh.
Suddenly, she also found herself laughing, seemingly infected.
Then she began sharing what she saw today.
“Let me tell you, I saw your freshman-year deskmate today!”
“...”
“He went to the surgical department for the physical examination with a girl. I was queuing behind them and overheard him saying he weighed sixty-five kilograms, but when he weighed himself, it turned out to be seventy kilograms. Hahaha...”
“...Zhou Xuyin?”
“Yes.”
Mentioning this, Su Zaizai couldn’t help but praise him.
“You’re still the best. Everything about you is good. You’re handsome, your grades are good, and you keep yourself in shape.”
Zhang Lurang’s lips curved slightly.
Su Zaizai walked to the bedside and sat down, hugging her knees with one hand.
“I’m a bit curious, what would you look like if you gained weight?”
There was a moment of silence on the other end.
Zhang Lurang suddenly changed his tone, sternly reminding her.
“Su Zaizai, focus on studying.”
Half an hour later, Zhang Lurang returned home.
Going upstairs, he paused when passing by Zhang Luli’s room.
Zhang Lurang walked in and looked at the weighing scale placed beside the door.
He hesitated for a moment but finally stepped onto it.
Upon seeing the numbers, Zhang Lurang finally sighed in relief.
...Not heavy.
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