WIFTY - 44

Sometimes, I feel like
I’m dating a man.
— Zhang Lurang

Zhang Lurang’s face was cold as he crumpled the paper in his hand and threw it into the nearby trash can.

He quickly went downstairs and headed to the registrar’s office on the second floor.

Two students were queuing up inside to modify their applications.

Zhang Lurang stopped his steps and waited beside them.

He took out his phone and flipped through the album to find a photo.

It was a picture he had taken after completing the application on the website to show Su Zaizai.

Soon, one of the students finished modifying and walked out with the newly printed paper.

Zhang Lurang stepped forward, watching the teacher open the website for him.

He bent down and slowly entered his admission ticket number and password.

When he pressed Enter, his palms were sweaty with tension, and his Adam’s apple unconsciously rolled.

Login successful; he was in.

Zhang Lurang sighed in relief and quickly modified his application according to the image on his phone.

After filling it out, he patiently checked it two or three times before confirming.

The teacher held the mouse, glanced at it, and asked: “Are you sure this time?”

Zhang Lurang nodded and suddenly asked: “Teacher, after I sign, can I still change my application?”

The teacher was about to help him print out the application form.

Upon hearing this, he immediately stopped his actions, frowned, and said: “Of course not, haven’t you decided yet?”

Hearing the definitive answer, Zhang Lurang finally put his mind at ease and softly thanked him.

“I’ve decided, thank you, teacher.”

After signing, he handed it over to the homeroom teacher.

Zhang Lurang exited the office and stood outside for a while.

After a long moment, he came back to his senses and headed out of the school.

Since there was no time limit for signing, students came sporadically.

B High School was by the sea. Occasionally, a few students walked along the long stone path, their faces beaming with cheerful smiles.

At the end near the railing, the waves below lapped against the stone bridge, making a哗啦哗啦 sound.

Zhang Lurang suddenly stopped, leaning one hand on the railing.

He took out his phone and called Zhang Luli again.

Receiving another call from Zhang Lurang, Zhang Luli’s enthusiasm was still high.

“Hello? Brother! Do you need me to help with anything else?”

Zhang Lurang stared at the waves below, silent for a moment.

He thought for a bit and softly asked: “Did Mom and Dad change your college application?”

Zhang Luli’s voice paused, and he obediently answered.

“My application was filled out by them.”

“...”

“But at that time, I really wanted to choose clinical medicine at T University.” Zhang Luli chuckled. “But they didn’t let me, so I thought, never mind.”

After talking for a while, Zhang Luli suddenly realized: “Brother, did someone change your application?”

Zhang Lurang’s fingertips unconsciously tapped the railing.

Hearing this, he casually responded: “Mm, I’ll hang up first.”

Upon hearing the affirmative response, Zhang Luli’s voice became anxious.

“Did you change it back? Can the school still change it? Wasn’t yesterday the deadline...”

“A Li.” Zhang Lurang curved his lips slightly and slowly said, “I won’t come back to City B anymore.”

The other end fell silent, quickly responding with an “Oh.”

Zhang Lurang hung up the phone.

He spaced out for a moment where he stood, but eventually couldn’t resist calling his mother.

“Hello, Arang?”

Zhang Lurang calmly said: “Did you change my application?”

Zhang Mu seemed to pause for a moment and quickly explained: “University Z is too far from home. When you went to study in City Z during high school, Mom worried every day...”

Zhang Lurang interrupted her.

“I told you, I want to go there.”

Seemingly irritated by his defiance, Zhang Mu’s voice gradually grew stern.

“Think about it yourself. After you graduate from University B, you can directly work at your father’s company. What a great path; we’ve paved it all for you, all for your own good.”

Zhang Lurang seemed to hear nothing.

His eyes were like a stagnant pool, without a ripple.

“I changed it back.”

The breathing on the other end paused.

Suddenly, Zhang Mu’s voice turned sharp: “How did you change it? Wasn’t yesterday the deadline?”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Lurang suddenly understood something.

He felt somewhat relieved, yet self-mockingly asked: “Do you know why I came home?”

Zhang Lurang’s sudden question left Zhang Mu baffled.

“Do you need a reason to come home?”

Zhang Lurang didn’t speak.

Before hanging up, he remembered the fruit platter from yesterday.

Zhang Lurang tightened his grip on the railing, his tone sounding like a child’s.

With a hint of blame and grievance, yet not seeming to care much.

“A Li likes oranges.”

Zhang Lurang stood there for a while.

Taking out the house keys from his pocket, he thoughtfully considered.

He thought for a long time and couldn’t think of any reason to return to that home.

Raising his hand, flipping it, the key dropped into the sea.

Lightly, silently —

Sinking to the deepest depths.

________________________________________

Zhang Lurang never thought that his parents didn’t love him.

It was just that compared to what they gave Zhang Luli, the love they shared with him was less.

But he always believed.

Love was there, just not as much as he wanted.

After getting off the plane, Zhang Lurang walked out of the arrival gate.

He instinctively scanned the surroundings and immediately spotted Su Zaizai waiting outside with her phone in hand.

Zhang Lurang paused for a moment, then strode over.

Su Zaizai also saw him at the same time and excitedly waved at him.

She completely ignored the fact that she had previously asked for his flight number, pretending to give him a surprise.

“Are you moved? I’ve been waiting for so long!”

At that moment, upon seeing her,

Zhang Lurang felt the void in his heart suddenly filled.

Unable to resist, he threw the bag in his hand to the ground, bent down, and pulled her into his arms.

His cheek pressed against the crook of her neck, his warm breath irregular.

Su Zaizai felt a bit ticklish and couldn’t help but squirm, only to be immediately pulled back by him.

She suddenly felt a little flustered and pushed him away.

“Let me see first if I recognized the right person.”

Zhang Lurang: “...”

Feeling the sudden pause in the rise and fall of his chest, Su Zaizai quickly smiled mischievously: “How could I possibly mistake you? You’re so easy to fool.”

The air filled with pink bubbles was instantly blown away by her words.

He let go of her, lifted his head, and looked down at her.

Zhang Lurang’s eyes were somewhat heavy, and for some reason, he looked a bit aggrieved.

Unable to control her impulse, Su Zaizai reached out and poked his cheek.

After staring at him for a while, she earnestly said: “What a beautiful maiden.”

Zhang Lurang silently picked up the luggage from the ground and pulled her along to walk out.

After walking halfway, Su Zaizai asked again: “You haven’t told me if you’re moved yet.”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Lurang turned his head to look at her.

The corners of his mouth suddenly curved, and he earnestly and obediently said: “Very moved.”

After walking a short distance,

Zhang Lurang suddenly spoke, as if casually saying it.

“In the future, I’ll stay in City Z and won’t go back.”

Before Su Zaizai could say anything, she heard him continue: “My parents don’t like me.”

If the love they gave came at the cost of binding his freedom,

Then Zhang Lurang would rather do without it.

Su Zaizai instinctively looked at him, gripping his hand tighter.

She didn’t know what to say.

Home was a very beautiful word to her.

Because Su Zaizai’s family was very happy; her parents were loving and affectionate, and they doted on her.

So she had never worried about such matters.

Beside her, Zhang Lurang suddenly earnestly said: “When we graduate from university, I’ll propose to you, okay?”

Then, they could create another home together.

A home that belonged only to the two of them, one that could fill the love he lacked.

Su Zaizai’s breath caught, and a feeling of being overly favored instantly rose from the bottom of her heart.

But she instinctively refused: “No.”

Zhang Lurang was stunned, suddenly recalling the words Su Zaizai had said to him before.

— “Are you trying to toy with me?”

Thinking of this, his expression instantly turned very unpleasant.

Zhang Lurang gritted his teeth, recalling the romantic lines he had seen on Weibo.

Just as he was about to recite them one by one to please her, he heard her say:

“This kind of thing, let me do it.”

“...”

One sentence stuffed all the romantic lines he was about to say back down his throat.