Chapter 11

Cheng Qian had never understood as clearly as he did at that moment that he couldn’t let go of Zheng Xiaorou; he simply couldn’t.

She had been the person he liked since his naive youth, and it had long since become an obsession.

After he had rejected her last time, she hadn’t asked him anything again.

Couldn’t he have any feelings about this?

Anyone would feel unsettled upon hearing that their ex-girlfriend had been seeing someone else during their time apart, right?

When he had said that back then, wasn’t it also a form of jealousy?

He watched their retreating figures, his hands clenched so tightly that it hurt.

A tumult of emotions surged within him—there was a deep well of regret and a flicker of anger. How could Zheng Xiaorou smile at another man so quickly?

He felt a sense of betrayal and hurt.

“Brother Cheng Qian, shall we go?” The girl who had come to watch the movie with him tugged at his sleeve. Cheng Qian looked down at her, trying to remember her name. Oh, right, it was Li Minglan.

He had no intention of pretending to be polite and avoided her hand.

Li Minglan smiled shyly. She had finally managed to have a meal alone with Cheng Qian and watch a movie. If he could take her home afterward, that would be perfect. Just as she was about to speak, Cheng Qian interrupted, “Comrade Li, I’m feeling a bit unwell; I think I’ll just…”

Cheng Qian felt chaotic inside, hastily searching for an excuse to escape. Once outside on the busiest street in the city, he began to daze. He wanted to follow the two of them to see if he would walk her back to Sanzhu Town. Would they linger at the Lovers’ Wall until nine o’clock like other fashionable young people? He also wanted to return home and try again while his parents were still awake.

He glanced in both directions before turning and heading home.

As expected, his parents were still awake. They were surprised to see him with reddened eyes. Cheng Qian had always been the exemplary child among his cousins—obedient, honest, and reliable in everything he did.

“Why do you look like that? Didn’t you go to the movies?” his mother asked, taken aback.

Cheng Qian recalled those days after returning to the city when he had been eagerly anticipating a good opportunity to tell them about his relationship with Zheng Xiaorou, only to have his mother beat him to it.

His mother had said that he needed to be careful in choosing a girlfriend, noting that some girls had been married before and would claim to be single upon returning to the city. “There’s one in your class; what’s her name? It sounds familiar,” she had said, talking to herself as she rummaged through the high school graduation roster. She pointed to Zheng Xiaorou’s name, saying, “Oh, it’s her. Even your sister knows; it’s spreading everywhere.”

Indeed, at that moment, his heart felt like it was breaking.

What made him reject Zheng Xiaorou’s proposal?

It was jealousy!

He didn’t want to admit it; he had worked hard for so long, only to end up as a joke.

Did Zheng Xiaorou really like him?

Why, after he rejected her, did she not try to win him back? Instead, she quickly turned to someone else?

That guy… that guy actually knew she didn’t like orange soda… and he didn’t even know!

Had they already been together?

When Zheng Xiaorou was communicating with him, was she also in contact with that guy?

But soon, he denied that notion.

If Zheng Xiaorou had talked to him, why did she want to establish a relationship with him before?

He had already suffered the consequences of not trusting her once; he couldn’t, absolutely couldn’t, do it again…

Thinking of this, he calmed down and looked into his parents’ eyes, saying, “I don’t like this Li Minglan I met today; I have someone I like. Dad, Mom, I didn’t tell you before, but I was talking with Zheng Xiaorou when I was an educated youth. What my sister said is false.”

His parents’ expressions changed dramatically. “What are you talking about?!”

Cheng Qian didn’t care what they thought; he turned and returned to his room, pulling out those letters again, reading them one by one, just as he had the first time, carefully examining each word.

He didn’t know how many times he had read those letters. As he read them again, he could almost recite them from memory.

A fire burned in his heart; he couldn’t sleep or lie down.

By the time he calmed down, it was already the middle of the night.

—o—o—o—

Meanwhile, Lu Yongzhang and Zheng Xiaorou had returned to their street.

“Don’t you think the alley has been very quiet lately?” Zheng Xiaorou remarked, feeling the light shining from other people’s windows. She looked up at Lu Yongzhang, her gaze landing on his sharp jawline. “There used to be so many people gathered at the entrance of the alley, gossiping.”

After returning to the city many times, the rumors in Sanzhu Town had centered around her, making her especially sensitive and surprised by the sudden disappearance of those idle talks.

“Oh,” Lu Yongzhang replied succinctly, a hint of a smile in his voice. “That’s good.”

The night breeze was cool, carrying the scent of osmanthus. Zheng Xiaorou understood his words and felt even more at ease. “I should thank you; I hope this matter passes quickly so I won’t have to trouble you anymore.”

Lu Yongzhang’s footsteps paused involuntarily. “You don’t need to be so polite. Actually, you’ve helped me more.”

“Why?”

“You’ve blocked a lot of blind date arrangements for me.”

Zheng Xiaorou showed an understanding and knowing expression; with Lu Yongzhang’s conditions, he would have long been introduced to many matches.

Before they reached the Lu family’s door, the elderly woman from next door seemed to have been waiting for a long time. Upon catching sight of Zheng Xiaorou, she opened her door and walked over with small steps.

“Zheng family’s young lady, come here, come here!” she waved at her.

Although they had been neighbors even before the queue-jumping incident, the relationship between their two families had always been tense, and Zheng Xiaorou wasn’t familiar with her.

But hearing her call, Zheng Xiaorou still walked over.

To her surprise, Lu Yongzhang followed closely behind and stepped forward as well.

“Grandma.”

The elderly woman from next door looked at her seriously for a moment, complimenting her without any context. Then, with a peculiar tone meant to flatter, she said, “Indeed, you have such good features, blessed with a nice appearance. What I said before was all nonsense; please don’t take it to heart. I promise I won’t speak carelessly again.”

This was too strange. Just last week, Mother Zheng had spitefully used the pastries sent by Lu Yongzhang to get back at the elderly woman.

Of course, it was all to vent her frustrations; that elderly woman was notoriously chatty in Sanzhu Town, always gossiping.

Seeing the disbelief written all over Zheng Xiaorou’s face, the elderly woman grew anxious and pulled out a small bag she had crocheted from her pants pocket, shoving it toward her. “Young lady, just don’t hold it against this old woman, alright? Take this, and we’ll forget the past.”

Forget what past?

Zheng Xiaorou pushed it away. “Grandma, I really don’t understand what you’re saying.”

The elderly woman saw she was refusing and gritted her teeth to clarify, “I swear to the Chairman, I won’t gossip anymore, and I won’t let anyone speak ill of you! If I don’t keep my word, I’ll cover your family’s boiling water from now on.”

This elderly woman was known far and wide for being stingy; her promise to cover Zheng’s family’s hot water was genuinely out of character for her.

Lu Yongzhang stepped forward, positioning himself protectively in front of Zheng Xiaorou. “You can keep the things; just remember what you said.”

“Oh…” The elderly woman stared blankly as Lu Yongzhang escorted Zheng Xiaorou through the neighboring gate.

Suddenly, she felt that this back view resembled the “ghost” that had appeared in front of her to lecture her earlier that night.

Mother Zheng, who had already heard the commotion from inside, came out to greet them. Upon seeing Lu Yongzhang following her daughter, she looked pleased. “Oh, you’re back! Was the movie good?”

“It was good.” Zheng Xiaorou turned around, about to tell Lu Yongzhang to head back, but then she heard Father Zheng shuffling out in his slippers from inside. “Young Lu, you’re here?”

“Hello, Uncle Zheng. I’m just bringing Xiaorou back,” Lu Yongzhang said, bending slightly in greeting, his back straight and flexible.

“Good, good, good! Oh, Xiaorou, your sister-in-law, came by earlier. She heard you were dating and mentioned that your brother just finished his training. She wanted to ask if you’re free this Sunday; if you are, you should go visit.”

Zheng Xiaorou was taken aback. “Brother’s training is over?”

“It’s over. He came home today, so your sister-in-law came by to check your schedule.” Mother Zheng told her, but her eyes kept darting toward Lu Yongzhang.

Zheng Xiaorou frowned. “Isn’t that unnecessary? Brother’s training is very tiring; he should take this opportunity to spend time with his sister-in-law and the kids. Besides, Lu Yongzhang is quite busy, too.”

She had already troubled him several times, and asking him for more help felt endless.

But Lu Yongzhang took a step forward and said, “I naturally have time. I heard from Xiaorou that you have the best relationship with your brother. I actually wanted to meet him first.”

When had she ever talked about having the best relationship with her brother?

Though it was true, how did he know?

“Well, that’s good! Then you two should go this Sunday; we won’t go,”

Father Zheng said, his face full of smiles, practically brimming with delight. After finishing, as if remembering something, he looked at Lu Yongzhang and added, “Young Lu, Xiaorou’s brother, is now a key technician at the food factory, but his position and salary haven’t improved much. If you have any ideas…”

“Dad!” Zheng Xiaorou interrupted her father, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears under the light, her eyelids slightly red. “What are you talking about?!”

Her anger made her chest rise and fall rapidly.

What did they take her for? Not to mention that Lu Yongzhang wasn’t her boyfriend, but even if he were, how could they think of using his family connections just because they had just started dating?

Mother Zheng tugged at her husband’s sleeve, carefully glancing at her daughter and father-in-law. Father Zheng’s reaction also surprised her, leaving her at a loss for words.

Zheng Xiaorou didn’t have time to look at Lu Yongzhang’s expression; it was simply too embarrassing. She wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole!

A sense of despair washed over her. If it had been Cheng Qian in this situation, she could easily imagine what his mother would say—something along the lines of how their family was selling off their daughter, cruel and heartless.

Did she not need any face?

She had already put aside her pride by accepting the temporary job introduced by the Lu family. Had they owed him a debt from a past life?

Father Zheng hadn’t expected his usually obedient daughter to embarrass him in front of others. For a moment, he found it hard to save face, glaring at her with flaring nostrils as if he wanted to hit her.

“Let’s go. Just pretend you didn’t hear what my dad said!” Zheng Xiaorou said, her eyes reddening as she looked up at Lu Yongzhang.

Seeing her stubborn expression, he suddenly cracked a small smile and then turned to Father Zheng. “Uncle Zheng, let me meet your son first, and then we can discuss this. How does that sound?”

Before Father Zheng could respond, Zheng Xiaorou interrupted, “Let’s go. I can’t stay here a minute longer; I’m afraid I might say something I shouldn’t.”

Once outside, the night breeze blew, helping her calm down.

Standing in the courtyard of his house, she gazed up at the moon, which looked like a silver plate through the thin clouds. Suddenly, she felt a surge of courage. “Lu Yongzhang, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have started thinking that way from the beginning. I shouldn’t have dragged you into this mess. This is it; I can’t keep taking advantage of you.”

—o—o—o—

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