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Psst! We're moving!
Time, go a little faster.
Wait for her to grow up.
— Zhang Lurang
When Su Zaizai returned home, it was already around ten o’clock at night.
As soon as Su Mu entered the house, she went to her room to get some clothes and headed to the bathroom to take a shower. Su Fu, on the other hand, sat on the sofa and turned on the TV to watch the Spring Festival Gala.
The living room was instantly filled with laughter from the programs.
Su Zaizai sat directly on a small stool next to the coffee table, sending messages to Zhang Lurang.
— I’m home
— Rang Rang
— Do you want to meet on New Year’s Eve?
— Are you asleep?
Occasionally, when she heard the volume of the TV slightly increase, she instinctively glanced up.
But clearly, none of her attention was on it.
Soon, Su Fu noticed her expression and casually spoke up:
“You’re going out later?”
Su Zaizai looked at her phone screen; he hadn’t replied yet, so she wasn’t sure either.
After thinking for a moment, Su Zaizai vaguely said: “Not sure yet.”
“From today onwards, our house has a curfew. If you’re not back by ten, you’re not allowed to come back.”
Su Zaizai widened her eyes, finally shifting her gaze away from her phone: “Did Mom agree to this?”
The TV volume was a bit loud, so Su Fu picked up the remote to lower it.
“Here’s the deal: give me half of the lucky money you received today, and I’ll cancel the curfew.”
Su Zaizai looked at him incredulously.
Su Fu seemed not to notice her gaze, completely ignoring her.
“Be nice to your dad too. He hasn’t received lucky money in over twenty years.”
At the same time, Su Mu happened to come out of the bathroom.
Su Zaizai immediately whined, shouting at her: “Mom! Dad wants to take my lucky money!”
Just as Su Mu was about to walk into the bedroom, she stopped, turned around, and walked toward the living room.
She sat down next to Su Fu, glanced at him briefly, then quickly turned her attention back to Su Zaizai.
“So, how much lucky money did you receive today?”
Su Zaizai: “….”
Just as Su Fu stood up, preparing to take a shower,
Su Zaizai finally received a reply from Zhang Lurang.
— Not yet
— I just took a bath.
Seeing this, Su Zaizai immediately stood up and cheerfully told her parents: “I’m going out now!”
Seemingly expecting this, neither Su Fu nor Su Mu said anything.
“Mom and Dad, go to bed early, okay.” After thinking for a moment, Su Zaizai shamelessly added, “Your daughter works so hard that you don’t have to lift a finger to get an extremely perfect son-in-law.”
“…”
Su Fu silently walked into the bathroom to take a shower.
Su Mu continued snacking on sunflower seeds, ignoring her.
Feeling somewhat wronged without a response, Su Zaizai put on her coat while saying: “Mom, why are you ignoring me? You just said you’d be very satisfied with him!”
After a long silence, Su Mu calmly opened her mouth.
“I’m dissatisfied with you right now.”
Su Zaizai: “….”
________________________________________
Su Zaizai started replying to Zhang Lurang only after reaching his doorstep.
She sniffled, shivering from the cold.
After typing a few words, she bounced on the spot a couple of times to drive away the chill.
Su Zaizai: Where are you now?
Zhang Lurang: Home.
Su Zaizai: Where in your home?
Zhang Lurang: …
Zhang Lurang: The room.
Upon seeing these two words, Su Zaizai looked up at the house in front of her.
It was a duplex.
Su Zaizai was just about to ask Zhang Lurang whether his room was on the first or second floor.
Before she could start typing, the door in front of her suddenly opened.
With a “click,” accompanied by the tall figure of a man.
Zhang Lurang had just taken a shower; his hair tips were still damp. The screen of the phone in his hand was lit, and upon closer inspection, one could see their chat window.
He wore a dark blue thin sweater and a pair of gray fitted pants, dressed for indoors.
Completely unprepared for the outside temperature of seven or eight degrees Celsius.
Su Zaizai immediately frowned, looking quite unhappy.
“Dry your hair first, put on a coat, and then come out.”
The motion-activated light at the entrance brightened again due to her voice.
The warm yellow light illuminated his face, softening his facial lines.
His gentle and cool demeanor blended seamlessly together.
Zhang Lurang stared at Su Zaizai’s trembling body from the cold, silent for a moment.
Soon, he walked over to her and rubbed her hands to warm them.
Then, he softened his tone for the first time: “Do you want to come in and stay for a while?”
His voice was very gentle, as if he would send her home immediately if she showed any hesitation.
Thinking of how he had previously refused to let her in no matter what, Su Zaizai was truly flattered...
She wanted to agree immediately, but suddenly remembered it was so late, and Zhang Lurang’s uncle must be at home.
Thinking of this, she hesitated a bit.
Su Zaizai hesitated for a moment and honestly said: “Your uncle is here; I’m scared to go in…”
“He’s not here,” Zhang Lurang softly said, “He just left.”
This answer made Su Zaizai relax.
The timid look she had just moments ago vanished without a trace.
“Then let’s go in quickly, no need to waste time.”
“...”
“Rang Rang, the night is short and precious! Do I have to remind you!”
Zhang Lurang remained silent as he took out an unused pair of indoor slippers from the shoe cabinet for her and squatted down to place them in front of her.
Susu spun around excitedly beside them.
Su Zaizai cheerfully bent down to pat its head.
Soon, Zhang Lurang led her toward the living room.
Noticing the direction was towards the bright and spacious living room, Su Zaizai immediately pulled him to stop.
He instinctively turned his head back.
“You want me to stay in the living room?”
“...Yes.”
“Aren’t you afraid your uncle might suddenly come back!”
Zhang Lurang was a bit confused: “Afraid of what?”
He still had the words “and he won’t be back so early” on the tip of his tongue.
Before he could say it, he heard Su Zaizai cautiously say: “Just... just me coming over to your house alone, being with you...”
Upon hearing this, his expression instantly became unnatural.
Zhang Lurang instinctively tightened his other empty hand, opening his mouth slightly.
“Then… I’ll send you back.”
The next second—
“What if your uncle misunderstands that I’m going to do something to you...”
Zhang Lurang: “...”
He lowered his eyes to look at her, staring at her expression.
...She looked very serious.
It seemed like she wasn’t joking at all.
Zhang Lurang paused for a moment, then quietly and compliantly led her upstairs.
Su Zaizai’s tense mood finally relaxed.
She looked up, watching Zhang Lurang’s back, feeling a strange sense of maturity.
Su Zaizai suddenly felt that he was bringing her into his room with a sense of fatalistic resolve.
She licked her lips and couldn’t help but comfort him: “You don’t have to be so scared... I can control myself.”
“...”
Upstairs, Zhang Lurang led her into the second room on the right.
The room was spacious, with an overall cool color tone.
On the desk, the computer and lamp were lit, with a few open books beside them.
Su Zaizai instinctively glanced at them and said: “Were you reading just now?”
Zhang Lurang softly responded, walked to the desk, picked up a bag, and handed it to her.
He lowered his eyes to look at her, the light in his eyes vivid and lively: “Happy New Year.”
Su Zaizai took it, opened it, and peeked inside.
It was a dress, her favorite style too.
Su Zaizai was momentarily stunned and softly asked: “Did you buy it yourself?”
Zhang Lurang licked his lips, his expression resembling a child showing off a treasure.
“Do you like it?”
“I love it! Super nice!”
Zhang Lurang couldn’t help but curve his lips slightly; her words swept away all his gloom.
Soon, Su Zaizai released her grip.
Since she hadn’t taken a bath yet, Su Zaizai sat directly on the carpet by the bed.
Zhang Lurang also instinctively sat beside her.
The door was closed, and outside, Susu whined, pawing at the door.
Su Zaizai stared at it for a while, and seeing Zhang Lurang didn’t move, she didn’t say anything either.
After a long moment, Su Zaizai softly said: “I didn’t get you a New Year’s gift.”
Zhang Lurang didn’t care much, nodding: “Mm.”
The next second, Su Zaizai rummaged through the small bag she brought and pulled out the red envelopes she received today.
More than ten bright red envelopes suddenly fluttered before Zhang Lurang’s eyes.
With pride, she said: “Before leaving home, my parents wanted me to share the lucky money with them, but I firmly refused.”
Zhang Lurang looked at her childish demeanor and suddenly found it amusing.
“Including previous years, I’ve been collecting lucky money for eighteen years,” Su Zaizai counted on her fingers, earnestly saying, “Though it’s all in my bank account.”
Zhang Lurang leaned against the foot of the bed, quietly listening to her next words.
Su Zaizai couldn’t count how much money it was and hesitated: “I feel the amount should be quite substantial...”
He thought her next sentence would be: “Why don’t you help me calculate it!”
After waiting for a while, Zhang Lurang finally heard her speak.
“I haven’t used any of this money. When we graduate from university, I’ll use it to buy a ring.”
Upon hearing this, Zhang Lurang turned his head in astonishment to look at her.
“In that case, you can consider it...” Su Zaizai suddenly felt a bit shy and lowered her eyes. “The purpose of me saving money since childhood has been to marry you.”
Outside the door, Susu had given up scratching and occasionally emitted pitiful whimpers from its nose.
Everything around was quiet, as if one could hear the flow of air.
In the room, at the place where Zhang Lurang fantasized about her yesterday—
The man who once wouldn’t let Su Zaizai enter his house suddenly leaned forward.
Supporting himself with one hand on the ground, he tilted his head and kissed her lips passionately, unable to restrain his emotions.
Su Zaizai instinctively leaned back, but he pressed against her back, holding her still.
His broad palm slowly moved upward, gripping the back of her head.
His lips and tongue delved deeper, claiming her entirely.
For the first time, his kiss carried desire.
Full of possessiveness.
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