Su Zаi Zаi hаd nо interest in running fоr dераrtmеnt head or соntinuing her pоsition.
Hеr аttеntiоn wаs сomplеtely focused on thе dеpаrtment triр.
...Ноw shоuld she bring it uр with Zhаng Lu Rаng.
Асtuallу, Su Zai Zai didn’t reаllу want tо skip group аctivities.
If еveryоnе triеd tо аvоid thеm, then grouр аctivitiеs wоuld lоse thеir meаning.
Su Zаi Zai stoоd оn the smаll path outsidе the library, wаiting fоr him tо cоme out, cаrеfullу cоnsidеring in hеr hеаrt hоw to bring it uр lаter.
Shе irritablу kicked а small реbblе in front оf hеr with thе tiр of her shoе.
It rolled forward with a сlatter, just bumping intо someоne’s shое.
Su Zai Zаi instinctively looked up, about to apologize, when she saw Zhang Lu Rang’s face.
The “sorry” in her mouth was instantly swallowed back.
His steps didn’t pause at all as he walked over, took her hand, and headed toward the cafeteria.
After walking a few steps, Su Zai Zai suddenly called out to him: “Lùràng.”
“Hmm.”
“You look really handsome today!”
Hearing this, Zhang Lu Rang glanced at her, his expression somewhat puzzled.
“...Alright, you look handsome every day,” she said weakly.
Zhang Lu Rang noticed her conflicted expression and asked softly, “What do you want to say?”
Su Zai Zai scratched her head and decided to just go for it, saying directly, “Isn’t Labor Day coming up? The department said we’re going to W City for the holiday, just for two days and one night, then coming back.”
A moment of silence.
The quiet made Su Zai Zai feel restless and uneasy.
Soon, Zhang Lu Rang nodded, his expression unchanged: “Then go.”
Not getting any strong opposition from him, Su Zai Zai felt a bit unbalanced instead.
“How come you…” she started to say, but before she could finish.
The next second, he said calmly, “I also have something to do in W City.”
After saying that, Zhang Lu Rang calmly and composedly touched his neck.
Now Su Zai Zai fell silent too.
Soon, she licked the corner of her mouth and pushed her luck further: “If you’re going with me, you have to stay in the same hotel room as me.”
Zhang Lu Rang’s expression stiffened, looking at her in disbelief.
Su Zai Zai lifted her chin, threatening, “Otherwise, no deal.”
Chapter 53
When it comes to things about her, if I’m not sure whether it’s right or wrong.
...I’d rather not do it.
—Zhang Lu Rang
As soon as these words were spoken, the scene seemed to fall silent.
Zhang Lu Rang averted his gaze, his dark eyes looking ahead, the outline of his profile as rigid as if carved by a knife.
The grip on Su Zai Zai’s hand tightened slightly, but he didn’t comment on her words at all.
Su Zai Zai wasn’t in a hurry to continue speaking either. She lowered her head and began counting silently in her heart.
One, two, three…
Before she even reached ten seconds, Zhang Lu Rang spoke up.
His voice was light, as if he were casually asking without much thought.
“Has your department booked the hotel and train tickets yet?”
“Not yet,” Su Zai Zai took out her phone to check. “It seems they said we’re taking a bus there. A few people haven’t confirmed yet, but the head said it has to be finalized tonight.”
Zhang Lu Rang pressed his tongue against his cheek, lost in thought.
“If you’re going, we can book the tickets together—there’s a student discount,” Su Zai Zai thought for a moment and continued, “As for the hotel, there are seven girls in our department. Originally, they said three people would share a room, but now that I’m with you, it’ll be fine.”He hesitated for a moment, then said seriously, "Su Zaizai, booking two rooms isn’t that expensive."
Su Zaizai blinked, her eyelashes fluttering as she replied innocently, "I know it’s not expensive."
Seeing her wavering slightly, Zhang Lurang’s expression relaxed, as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
Soon, Su Zaizai spoke again, confidently stating, "But booking one room saves money and lets me sleep with you. Why would I book two?"
Zhang Lurang: "..."
Noticing he didn’t seem opposed, Su Zaizai tapped on her phone and said, "Then I’ll let them know. I’ll check which hotel they’re booking and reserve a room there myself."
After a long silence, Zhang Lurang conceded, "I’ll book the room."
Hearing this, Su Zaizai shifted her gaze from her phone to him and shamelessly insisted, "You’re not going to book two rooms, are you? I won’t stay in one alone! I don’t care! I’m scared of sleeping by myself! You can’t do this to me!"
"...I won’t."
A few days before the May Day holiday, several rain showers washed away some of the summer heat.
When Su Zaizai stepped out, the sky was still overcast, and the ground was damp.
The air felt exceptionally fresh, and the trees along the roadside appeared lush and vibrant, occasionally dripping with accumulated rainwater.
Since they had to catch a bus later, the two left early and stopped by the cafeteria for breakfast first.
Along the way, they were occasionally splashed by raindrops.
Su Zaizai couldn’t help but unzip her bulging backpack and fumble inside for an umbrella, pulling it out. The bag was stuffed with various items, and as she did so, she accidentally knocked something else out.
It fell to the ground with a soft thud.
Zhang Lurang, standing beside her, instinctively bent down to pick it up for her.
It was a small box—a brand commonly found on shelves near supermarket checkout counters.
Realizing what it was, his expression stiffened, and he immediately decided against picking it up.
Su Zaizai shoved the umbrella into his hand and bent down to retrieve it herself.
Her expression turned somewhat furtive as she tried to cover it up, saying, "Just a pack of tissues."
Zhang Lurang stared at her for a moment, remaining silent.
Soon, he extended his hand toward her with a hint of defeat and said coldly, "Hand it over."
Seeing she couldn’t hide it, Su Zaizai decided to come clean and said shamelessly, "Why are you asking me for it? Buy your own."
If she gave it to him, he’d probably toss it in the trash the next second...
Zhang Lurang was momentarily speechless, frowning as he asked, "Who told you to buy this?"
Su Zaizai lowered her eyes, looking pitiful as she said, "You have to have dreams, right? What if they come true?"
Hearing this, Zhang Lurang wanted to say something to completely erase such thoughts from her mind. But before he could speak, she spoke again.
Her voice was soft, tinged with a hint of disappointment.
"Lurang, if you’re not proactive, I don’t feel secure."
His words were instantly stifled by her remark.
Zhang Lurang turned his head to look at her.
Su Zaizai’s head was still lowered, looking somewhat pitiful.
From this angle, he could see her lips pressed together, drooping slightly downward. Her eyelashes trembled lightly, as if she were about to cry at any moment.
Zhang Lurang licked the corner of his mouth and softened his tone. "I understand."
Hearing his response, Su Zaizai’s spirits instantly lifted."Wow! It's settled then! Let's go!"
Zhang Lurang: "..."
Several people in the department had brought their significant others, so Zhang Lurang's presence wasn't particularly out of place.
The group first took a bus from the station outside the school gate to the passenger terminal, then boarded a coach bound for W City.
The journey would take about an hour and a half—just enough time for a nap.
Due to the crowded space and poor air circulation, mixed with various odors, the smell inside the coach wasn't pleasant.
Su Zaizai always prepared disposable masks before taking a coach. Although they couldn't completely block out the smells, they helped reduce them significantly.
She rummaged through her backpack, took out two masks, and handed one to Zhang Lurang.
After he put it on, Su Zaizai took a few photos of him with her phone, then pulled him in for a selfie. Only after having her fun did she wrap her arms around his and drift off to sleep.
Her breathing gradually grew light and even as she sank into a deep slumber.
Zhang Lurang turned his head to look at Su Zaizai's sleeping face, momentarily lost in thought.
He recalled what she had said earlier.
—"Lurang, if you don't take the initiative, I won't feel secure."
The temperature in W City was more comfortable than in Z City—cool and pleasant.
Due to the holiday, the streets were bustling with crowds, pedestrians brushing shoulders as they passed by.
Soon, the group decided to split up and explore separately, planning to regroup for meals.
Zhang Lurang held Su Zaizai's hand as they walked along the cobblestone path.
In the distant lake, a boatman gently rowed an awning boat, stirring ripples across the water.
Street vendors called out their wares, their voices growing louder and more spirited.
Su Zaizai stopped at one of the stalls.
A white cloth was spread over the stall, displaying a variety of crystal bracelets.
Her gaze swept over them before settling on two in particular.
Handwoven cords were each adorned with a dark red bead, engraved with the characters "Li" and "Rang" respectively.
Su Zaizai picked up the one engraved with "Rang" and smiled. "Buy this for me."
Zhang Lurang asked for the price and took out money from his pocket.
He had initially planned to buy both bracelets, intending to give the other one to Zhang Luli.
But noticing Su Zaizai putting the bracelet on her wrist, he paused and dismissed the idea of gifting it to someone else.
With a playful grin, Su Zaizai placed her slender wrist in front of him.
Against her fair, jade-like skin, the dark red bead stood out vividly, making her complexion appear even more alluring.
The character "Rang" engraved on it stirred something in his heart.
On the small bridge, people came and went.
Her smiling face outshone the picturesque scenery behind her.
"You spent money to give yourself to me."
Zhang Lurang couldn't help but smile as well, reaching out to touch the corner of her eye.
"Yes, I'm giving myself to you."
At lunchtime, the group reconvened at a small restaurant.
Since it was a group activity, after the meal, they didn't split up again. Instead, they rented two awning boats by the lake together.
They chatted, took photos, and spent the hour leisurely.
Listening to their conversations, Su Zaizai didn't speak much.
She lowered her head, playing with Zhang Lurang's fingers, occasionally tracing the lines on his palm. Suddenly, she found herself looking forward to the evening.
Beside her, Zhang Lurang had no idea what she was thinking, but his gaze softened as he watched her small gestures.
After disembarking, the group took a bus to the commercial street to buy local specialties.After a day of sightseeing and strolling, a few of the girls were feeling a bit tired and suggested heading back to the hotel to rest.
After some discussion, half of them chose to return to the hotel, while the others split into smaller groups to continue exploring.
Su Zaizai was still full of energy.
Compared to the daytime scenery, she was more eager to see the night view of W City.
The lights along the road reflected on the water, blending seamlessly with its surface. As the ripples shimmered, light and shadow intertwined.
Flickering lights gradually illuminated the deepening night, and the night market slowly came to life.
Su Zaizai’s eyes mirrored the glow, sparkling with tiny fragments of light.
Completely captivated by the view, she was about to take out her phone to snap a photo when she suddenly felt her hand go empty.
Instinctively, Su Zaizai glanced to the side.
She saw Zhang Lurang release her hand, his palm slightly open, sliding upward to grasp her wrist.
He pulled her firmly toward him, lowered his head, and gently brushed his lips against hers.
His voice, low and mellow, carried a lazy, amused tone: "I’ll take the initiative."
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