"......"
"Yоu'rе nоt сoming homе fоr Nеw Yеаr's, and your mоm hаs callеd me manу timеs tо sсоld mе."
Heаring this, Zhang Lurang couldn't hold baсk: "Whу is she sсolding уоu?"
"Аh, I didn't listеn cаrеfullу."
"......"
"Rоughlу saуing I'm too indulgent with уоu, that I'm intеrfering too muсh?"
After sаying this, Lin Mао suddеnlу undеrstооd something: "Nо wоnder уоu'rе not аnswering hеr сalls."
Zhang Lurаng аte silеntly without spеaking.
Lin Maо suddеnlу sighed аnd stoppеd jоking.
"Givе them а саll lаtеr."
Zhаng Lurang раused his сhoрsticks, his eхprеssiоn sоmewhаt unwilling.
Sееing Lin Мao's eхpression, he finallу comprоmised and nоdded: "Gоt it."
Аfter thе meal, Zhang Lurang returned to his room.
His phone rang just then—it was A Li calling.
Zhang Lurang swiped the screen to answer and put the phone to his ear.
Zhang Luli's bright voice came through: "Brother! Happy New Year!"
Infected by his tone, Zhang Lurang curved his lips slightly: "Happy New Year."
After that, both sides fell silent simultaneously.
Soon, Zhang Luli spoke timidly: "Are you really not coming back for New Year?"
"Mm."
"Mom and Dad have been arguing a lot lately..."
"I think after New Year's, Mom might go to Z City to find you."
"Maybe you should call her. At tonight's New Year's Eve dinner, I saw she didn't eat much..."
"Brother, don't be too..." Zhang Luli seemed unable to continue, his voice suddenly becoming muffled, "You can't just decide not to come back without a word..."
Zhang Lurang stared blankly at the lines on his palm: "I know."
Before hanging up, he heard Zhang Luli speak again, his voice carrying a hint of caution.
"Brother, I want to apply for graduate school at Z University..."
Zhang Lurang didn't pay much attention, replying calmly: "That's your decision to make."
Zhang Lurang hesitated for a moment, then quickly dialed Mother Zhang's number.
It rang only once before she answered, but didn't speak immediately.
Both sides seemed to be in a stalemate, a silent tug-of-war.
Finally, Mother Zhang couldn't hold back, her voice sharp with anger: "Zhang Lurang, do you still consider me your mother? You don't answer my calls normally, and now you won't even come home for New Year's?"
Zhang Lurang remained silent.
Soon, her voice lowered, as if trying to restrain her anger.
"Changing your college application was wrong of your father and me. If you want to study computer science, then study it well. During university, I won't interfere with you so much."
Zhang Lurang's brow relaxed slightly, but the relief in his heart didn't last long.
The next moment, he heard Mother Zhang continue: "You must come home for holidays! Have you been with your uncle too long? Do you no longer have any regard for me and your father?"
Zhang Lurang pressed his lips together and said softly: "I..."
Mother Zhang grew angrier as she spoke, cutting him off directly: "I'm your mother, would I harm you? Isn't B University's finance department good? Isn't it good to join the family company right after graduation? And you won't have to put up with others' attitudes!"
"......"
"Why didn't your brother cause so much trouble? In junior high, you insisted on transferring schools; even with different exams, you insisted on attending high school in Z City for a year; you filled out your college application without discussing it with us at all. Do you think that's right?"Zhang Lurang rarely saw Mother Zhang so furious.
Suddenly, the urge to argue he had felt moments ago vanished, replaced by an overwhelming ache in his eyes.
A profound sense of helplessness washed over him, pulling him into its depths with no escape.
After a long pause, Zhang Lurang inexplicably brought up Su Zaizai.
“There’s a girl I really like.”
Hearing this, Mother Zhang was taken aback, her voice sinking low again. “You…”
Zhang Lurang suddenly flared up, raising his voice like a child to cut her off.
“Every time she mentions her parents, her eyes shine with pride. No matter what she does, she’s fearless. Because she has parents who are wonderful and treat her wonderfully.”
His voice softened, dropping to a murmur.
His words seemed tinged with tears.
“…I envy that.”
On the other end of the phone, Mother Zhang seemed choked into silence by his words.
Zhang Lurang zoned out for a moment, then quickly snapped back to reality and hung up.
Lowering his gaze, he scrolled through his phone and saw a WeChat message from Su Zaizai sent a few minutes earlier.
—Hahahaha I told my mom today!
—I mentioned you to her!!
—She said since I like you so much, she’s sure she’ll be very satisfied with you too hehehe
Zhang Lurang tugged at the corner of his mouth and slowly replied.
—That’s good.
Chapter 49
Time, please move faster.
Wait for her to grow up.
—Zhang Lurang
By the time Su Zaizai returned home, it was almost 10 p.m.
Mother Su went straight to her room to grab a change of clothes and headed to the bathroom for a shower, while Father Su sat on the sofa and turned on the TV to watch the Spring Festival Gala.
The living room instantly filled with the cheerful sounds of the program.
Su Zaizai sat directly on the small stool beside the coffee table, texting Zhang Lurang.
—I’m home now
—Lùràng
—Do you want to meet up on New Year’s Eve?
—Are you asleep?
Occasionally, when the TV volume spiked, she’d instinctively glance up.
But her attention clearly wasn’t on it at all.
Soon, Father Su noticed her expression and casually spoke up.
“Are you going out later?”
Su Zaizai looked at her phone screen; he hadn’t replied yet, so she wasn’t sure.
After a moment’s thought, she answered vaguely, “Not necessarily.”
“Our house now has a curfew starting today. If you’re not back by 10 p.m., you’re not allowed back in.”
Su Zaizai widened her eyes, finally looking away from her phone. “Did Mom agree to this?”
The TV was a bit loud, so Father Su used the remote to lower the volume.
“Here’s the deal: give me half of the lucky money you received today, and the curfew is canceled.”
Su Zaizai stared at him in disbelief.
Father Su acted as if he didn’t notice her gaze, avoiding eye contact entirely.
“Be a little nicer to your dad. He hasn’t received lucky money in over twenty years.”
Just then, Mother Su happened to emerge from the bathroom.
Su Zaizai immediately let out a dramatic wail and called out to her, “Mom! Dad’s trying to steal my lucky money.”
Mother Su, who had been about to head to her room, stopped and changed direction, walking toward the living room.
She sat right next to Father Su, glanced at him briefly, then quickly turned her attention to Su Zaizai.
“So, how much lucky money did you get today?”
Su Zaizai: “…”
Just as Father Su stood up to go take a shower,
Su Zaizai finally received Zhang Lurang’s reply.
—Not yet
—I was just showering.Seeing this, Su Zaizai immediately stood up and said to the two elders with a grin, "I'm heading out now!"
As if they had expected it long ago, Father and Mother Su didn't say anything.
"Mom, Dad, go to bed early, okay?" Su Zaizai thought for a moment and shamelessly added, "Your daughter is so diligent, effortlessly securing you an absolutely perfect son-in-law."
"..."
Father Su silently walked into the bathroom to take a shower.
Mother Su cracked sunflower seeds, ignoring her.
Not receiving a response, Su Zaizai felt a bit wronged. As she put on her coat, she said, "Mom, why aren't you talking to me? You just said you'd be very satisfied with him!"
After a long silence, Mother Su spoke calmly.
"Right now, I'm dissatisfied with you."
Su Zaizai: "..."
Su Zaizai only started replying to Zhang Lurang when she reached his doorstep.
She sniffled, shivering from the cold.
After typing a few words, she hopped in place a couple of times to drive away some of the chill.
Su Zaizai: So where are you now?
Zhang Lurang: At home.
Su Zaizai: Where at home?
Zhang Lurang: ...
Zhang Lurang: My room.
Seeing these two words, Su Zaizai looked up at the house in front of her.
A duplex apartment.
Su Zaizai was 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," the tall, imposing figure of a man appeared.
Zhang Lurang had just taken a shower, and the tips of his hair were still damp. The screen of the phone in his hand was lit up, and upon closer inspection, it showed his chat window with her.
He was wearing a dark blue thin sweater and a pair of gray slim-fit pants—clearly indoor attire.
Completely unable to withstand the seven or eight degrees Celsius temperature outside.
Su Zaizai’s brows immediately furrowed, her face full of displeasure.
"Dry your hair first and put on a coat before coming out."
The motion-sensor light at the door lit up again at the sound of her voice.
The warm yellow light fell on his face, softening the lines of his features.
His gentle and aloof demeanor blended together seamlessly.
Zhang Lurang stared at Su Zaizai’s shivering body, silent for a moment.
Soon, he walked toward her, took her hand, and rubbed it gently a couple of times.
Then, for the first time, he relented: "Do you want to come in for a bit?"
His tone was gentle, as if he would send her home immediately if she showed any hesitation.
Remembering how he had stubbornly refused to let her in before, Su Zaizai was truly overwhelmed by this unexpected favor...
She was about to agree immediately but suddenly remembered how late it was—Zhang Lurang’s uncle was surely at home.
At this thought, she still felt a bit hesitant.
Su Zaizai hesitated for a moment and said honestly, "Your uncle is there, I don’t dare go in..."
"He’s not here," Zhang Lurang said softly. "He just went out."
This answer made Su Zaizai sigh in relief.
Her earlier timid demeanor vanished without a trace.
"Then let’s go in quickly, no time to waste."
"..."
"Lùràng, spring nights are short! Do I need to remind you?"
Zhang Lurang remained silent, took a pair of unworn indoor slippers from the shoe cabinet, crouched down, and placed them in front of her.
Su Su excitedly circled around the two of them.
Su Zaizai grinned, bent down, and patted its head.
Soon, Zhang Lurang led her into the living room.Noticing the direction led to the bright and spacious living room, Su Zai Zai immediately tugged at him, halting their steps.
He instinctively turned to look back.
"You want me to stay in the living room?"
"...Yeah."
"Aren't you afraid your uncle might suddenly come back?"
Zhang Lu Rang was a bit confused. "Afraid of what?"
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