Psst! We're moving!
She said I didn’t treat her well before.
Then, I’ll treat her better from now on.
— Zhang Lurang
His face was still buried in the crook of Su Zaizai’s neck; his scorching breaths came out irregularly.
The cold wind attacked from all directions, forming a stark contrast with the warmth on her neck.
The chill made Su Zaizai regain some clarity.
Suddenly feeling somewhat baffled, she tilted her head and whispered into his ear: “Which one are you talking about? I haven’t been close to anyone.”
Before Zhang Lurang could answer, Su Zaizai immediately thought of an answer: “The minister?”
Upon hearing this, Zhang Lurang raised his head and looked down at her.
His lips were pressed tightly together, his brows furrowed, clearly showing his displeasure.
“Are you jealous of him?” Su Zaizai licked the corner of her mouth and muttered softly, “It might not even be you who’s jealous.”
Zhang Lurang didn’t hear clearly, his voice still a bit heavy: “What?”
Su Zaizai didn’t continue on this topic and suddenly brought up another matter.
“My roommate told me that when she went to the library before, she saw some girls asking for your contact information.”
Zhang Lurang nodded. After thinking for a moment, he honestly replied: “Every day.”
“…”
Su Zaizai fell silent for a moment, staring unblinkingly at him.
Soon, she spoke, her voice faint.
“Why did you emphasize ‘every day’ to me?”
Zhang Lurang froze for a moment and seriously said: “I didn’t give it.”
Su Zaizai, whose sense of crisis had instantly exploded, immediately felt possessed by jealousy.
“So how did you respond?”
“I can’t.”
“You just said ‘can’t’?”
“Mm.”
Su Zaizai didn’t speak further, lowering her head, lost in thought.
After a while, she curiously asked: “Do you remember how you rejected me back then?”
Hearing this, Zhang Lurang’s expression stiffened, and he didn’t answer.
“You lied and said you didn’t have WeChat back then.”
“…”
Thinking about this, Su Zaizai completely forgot about being upset over others asking him for his WeChat: “You only knew how to reject me back then, thinking about rejecting me all day long.”
Zhang Lurang’s lips moved slightly, but he still didn’t say anything.
“Sigh, because of you, I secretly cried thousands of times.”
This time, Zhang Lurang couldn’t help but ask, puzzled: “Did I really treat you that badly before?”
Hearing this question, Su Zaizai admitted shamelessly without any guilt: “Yeah.”
Her expression made it seem as if he had committed some grave mistake. After a pause, she added:
“Go reflect on it properly when you get back.”
Zhang Lurang: “….”
________________________________________
After returning to the dormitory, Su Zaizai hung the scarf she had carried all the way on the hook of the wardrobe.
She couldn’t help but touch her neck; the lingering warmth hadn’t dissipated yet, leaving a burning sensation.
The sensation he left behind could still be vividly felt.
Fortunately, she hadn’t put on the scarf after leaving the grilled fish shop. Su Zaizai smiled as she thought about it.
Su Zaizai quickly took a shower, opened her suitcase, and organized its contents.
Cui Yuxuan sat on the chair, watching Su Zaizai pack her things.
After a while, she remembered something: “Oh, right, Zaizai, have you written your social practice report?”
“Ah, I’ve written it.”
Su Zaizai placed the computer from her suitcase on the desk and pressed the power button. A notification showed insufficient battery. Just as she was about to plug it in, the previously bright dormitory suddenly turned pitch black.
Several girls instinctively let out a cry.
Then, Su Zaizai turned on the flashlight on her phone and asked: “Is the power out?”
“Let me check.” Lin Ke opened the dormitory door and peeked at other dormitories, “It seems like it’s just our dorm….”
Cui Yuxuan exclaimed: “Ah,” recalling something, “Maybe we didn’t pay the electricity bill.”
Su Zaizai watched gloomily as the computer screen plunged into darkness. She illuminated her phone and asked: “When is the deadline for submitting the social practice report?”
“By midnight tonight, I think.”
Su Zaizai nodded and sent Zhang Lurang a message on WeChat.
— Rang Rang, I’ll use your computer and also help you submit the social practice report.
Zhang Lurang quickly replied: Mm, it’s in the folder on the desktop.
Su Zaizai set her own computer aside and placed Zhang Lurang’s computer on the desk.
She plugged the USB interface of the desk lamp into a power bank and turned it on. The dormitory immediately became bright.
Su Zaizai took her USB drive from her backpack and inserted it into the computer.
While waiting for the computer to read it, she glanced at the desktop and clicked on the only folder there.
Inside were dozens of Word documents and Excel spreadsheets. Su Zaizai scanned them briefly and found Zhang Lurang’s social practice report in the second-to-last row.
Just as she was about to open it to confirm, she noticed another document below.
The document was titled: UCL University Application Form.
Su Zaizai froze for a moment. She licked her lips and instinctively clicked on it to take a look.
After entering, she suddenly felt it wasn’t right and was about to close it and directly ask Zhang Lurang when she saw the applicant’s name.
“Zhang Luli”
She stared at the name two or three times, confirming repeatedly that it wasn’t Zhang Lurang, before finally letting out a sigh of relief.
Su Zaizai scanned through it and moved the mouse to the upper right corner. Her eyes suddenly stopped on the application for a graduate degree.
Her gaze slowly shifted downward.
Date of birth: September 1997.
Her pupils trembled.
Younger brother, 19 years old, graduate student.
— My parents don’t like me.
Su Zaizai lowered her eyes, lost in thought.
Soon, she lifted her head again and quietly closed the document.
A few seconds later, she hesitated and reopened it.
Clicking on File, opening the recently used documents, and deleting the record.
________________________________________
By the end of April, the temperature gradually rose.
The weather was gloomy, often drizzling with fine, slanted rain.
The withered branches and rotten leaves were replaced by green leaves, appearing vibrant and full of life.
The semester was already halfway over, and various clubs began preparing for their leadership transition meetings.
At the beginning of the semester during a department meeting, Xie Linnan also brought up the topic of electing a new minister among the members.
Su Zaizai had no interest in running for minister or continuing to stay on.
Her attention was completely focused on the department trip.
...How to tell Zhang Lurang.
As for collective activities, Su Zaizai didn’t want to decline them entirely.
If everyone thought about avoiding them, then the meaning of collective activities would be lost.
Su Zaizai stood on the small path outside the library, waiting for him to come out, pondering how to phrase what she wanted to say.
Annoyed, she kicked a small pebble in front of her with the tip of her shoe.
It rolled forward with a gurgle, just hitting someone’s shoe.
Instinctively looking up, ready to apologize, she saw Zhang Lurang’s face.
The word “sorry” on her lips instantly went back down her throat.
Without stopping his steps, he came over, took her hand, and started walking towards the cafeteria.
After a few steps, Su Zaizai suddenly called out to him: “Rang Rang.”
“Mm.”
“You look really handsome today!”
Upon hearing this, Zhang Lurang turned to look at her, his expression somewhat puzzled.
“…Alright, you look handsome every day,” she said weakly.
Noticing her conflicted expression, Zhang Lurang softly asked: “What do you want to say?”
Su Zaizai scratched her head and decided to just blurt it out: “Isn’t Labor Day coming up? The department said they’re going to W City for a two-day-one-night trip during the holiday.”
Silence for a moment.
The quietness made Su Zaizai feel anxious and restless.
Soon, Zhang Lurang nodded, his expression unchanged: “Then go.”
Not getting a strong objection from him, Su Zaizai felt somehow unbalanced.
“How…” her words weren’t finished.
The next second, he calmly said: “I also have something to do in W City.”
After saying this, Zhang Lurang calmly touched his neck without changing his expression.
This time, Su Zaizai fell silent.
Soon, she licked the corner of her mouth and pushed her luck: “If you’re going with me, we have to stay in the same hotel room.”
Zhang Lurang’s expression stiffened, and he looked at her incredulously.
Su Zaizai raised her head, threatening: “Otherwise, no deal.”