Chapter 97: Parting With You

Chen Mo’s beautiful fantasy was completely shattered, and he slumped on the table like a withered flower.

This sister-in-law was perfect in every way, except she refused to “join him in his depravity.”

Why waste time tutoring him when she could be flirting with his brother and enjoying her youth?

At the dinner table, Chen Lu subtly guided the conversation, easing Liang Zhirou’s nervousness.

Chen Lu’s care was always so quiet and unspoken.

After dinner, Liang Zhirou intended to wash the dishes, but Wang Xiaoxia snatched the task away.

Chen Guanglin followed her into the kitchen, and the two chatted about something.

“Um, I want to see your photos,” Liang Zhirou sat on the sofa, asking tentatively.

After all, childhood photos were a near-black history for most people, and she didn’t have high expectations that Chen Lu would let her see them.

Chen Lu didn’t mind, “Come to my room and look.”

Curiosity ultimately conquered the fear of being a lamb led to the slaughter, prompting the girl to nod.

Then, they both went into Chen Lu’s bedroom.

Liang Zhirou sat obediently on the edge of the bed, watching Chen Lu rummage through his things.

Soon, Chen Lu found a slightly yellowed photo album with a somewhat worn-out cover.

“This is it, my photo album from one hundred days old to twelve years old.”

Girls seem to be interested in their boyfriends’ childhood photos, and Liang Zhirou was enjoying it, at least.

Except for a slight blush when she saw Chen Lu’s naked photo from when he was one hundred days old.

Soon, she saw photos of Chen Lu when he was a bit older.

The boy with a faint smile in the picture was indeed the one she remembered.

“I was as tall as you back then.”

Liang Zhirou said proudly, a faint joy blooming on her face.

Even if Chen Lu wasn’t that little boy, she still liked him.

But the feeling of fate made her feel a kind of predestined happiness.

She was a girl too, and although she wouldn’t actively pursue it, she still liked romantic things.

“Don’t brag about your past glory, why don’t you talk about now?”

Chen Lu teased the girl as he tidied up the room.

Liang Zhirou seemed to want to make up for what she hadn’t witnessed firsthand, flipping through the album tirelessly from beginning to end.

As she flipped, the subject of the album suddenly changed from Chen Lu to herself.

This surprised her and made her feel touched.

Chen Lu had every photo he had taken of her developed and even specially marked the dates.

Now, seeing herself in the clothes of the drama club, standing there shyly with her face turned sideways, she felt a mixture of emotions.

Back then, she didn’t know how to smile, and she never thought she would become Chen Lu’s girlfriend.

It was like a dream.

Finally, she found an A4 paper in the album.

It was a charcoal drawing of a girl holding a bag, half of her body drenched in rain, as if waiting for someone.

She didn’t understand art and couldn’t tell how skilled the drawing was, but she thought it was beautiful, and she could tell that the girl was her.

Liang Zhirou stared blankly at the drawing, her eyes blinking.

She felt that Chen Lu was always like this, usually ordinary in their interactions, but then he would give her a big surprise, romantic enough to make her want to pack herself up and give him to him.

Chen Lu, who had finished tidying the room, also came over, “I drew this when I couldn’t sleep.”

Liang Zhirou looked up at him, “When?”

“The day you first texted me saying you wanted to see me.”

“You were the one who asked…” Liang Zhirou mumbled softly.

Chen Lu said proudly, “But you said it too.”

The girl didn’t say anything. She had wanted to dig a hole and bury herself after saying that, and now knowing that Chen Lu still remembered made her even more embarrassed.

“Your face is so red.”

Chen Lu leaned closer, smiling mischievously.

“My cheeks are thin-skinned, they get a little red when I’m hot.”

“Really? I don’t believe you. Unless…”

“You want to kiss me.” Liang Zhirou stared at him warily.

“Yes, I do.”

“You just want to…”

Liang Zhirou was completely caught off guard, not expecting Chen Lu to be so straightforward.

The girl rolled around on the bed, moving to the other side, burying her face in the blanket, revealing only a small part of her face and one eye, which blinked at him.

Chen Lu smiled, no longer teasing her, and handed the charcoal drawing to Liang Zhirou, “Here you go. To put it grandly, this scene is the beginning of our love.”

He wasn’t in a hurry, anyway, the whole girl was his.

“I was so middle school back then.” Chen Lu looked at a photo of himself as a child holding a sword, with a look of disgust.

Subway grandpa’s phone.jpg

“After all, you were the Flame Dragon Warrior.” Liang Zhirou responded with a light laugh.

Chen Lu was so embarrassed, “Can you forget that line?”

The girl giggled, “No way.”

“Actually, I think Xing Tian is cooler, and Xi Wang is okay too.”

Chen Lu muttered to himself.

“Speaking of which, haven’t you changed your profile picture yet?”

Liang Zhirou lay on the bed sideways, looking at him, “This one is good, it’s the first thing you gave me, it’s very meaningful.”

She had cried for a long time when it was broken by a naughty kid from her relatives’ house.

Chen Lu sat beside her, pinching her cheek, “What else is in your brain besides me?”

The girl rubbed against his hand like a cat, her eyes narrowed, “You.”

Chen Lu was stunned, “You silly goose.”

She was so cute.

……

Perhaps because she was afraid of being misunderstood, Liang Zhirou didn’t stay in Chen Lu’s room for long.

“Mom, I’ll take her home.” Chen Lu called out.

Wang Xiaoxia and Chen Guanglin came over when they heard him.

“Although it was a bit rushed this time, the custom in our hometown is that when a son brings his girlfriend home, he has to give her a red envelope.”

Chen Guanglin held a red envelope in his hand, thin and delicately packaged.

It was clearly prepared in advance.

Seeing Liang Zhirou a little flustered, he smiled again:

“Just a few hundred yuan, a little token of our appreciation, take it. It’s our affirmation of you.”

“Thank you, Uncle.”

Liang Zhirou nervously took the red envelope with both hands, tears welling up in her eyes.

She had never experienced this feeling of being accepted before.

Especially since this relationship was so important.

As soon as they reached the door, Liang Zhirou gently pulled on Chen Lu’s sleeve.

“What’s wrong?” Chen Lu asked.

“I feel a little sorry for Uncle and Aunt.” Liang Zhirou said, twisting her fingers.

“Ah? What are you sorry for?”

“Uncle and Aunt are so nice to me, and I… I’m still… still flirting with you.”

The girl’s voice grew quieter and quieter, it was unclear whether she knew how strange her thought process was.

This silly goose was so insecure that she still felt like she was a burden to Chen Lu.

In Chen Lu’s opinion, or any other guy, they would probably feel like they were the ones who had gotten the better deal.

But Liang Zhirou actually felt like she was the one who had gained something.

“What’s wrong with that, I’m flirting with you, so I’m flirting with you.”

Chen Lu was disdainful.

“You’ll just give them a grandson or granddaughter later.”

……

Because he had some things to discuss with Jiang Chao, Chen Lu went back to school after dropping off Liang Zhirou.

As he reached the dormitory door, he saw Mo Yuqing waiting there.

He sighed deeply, speaking slowly under the cold white light, “Don’t waste your time on me anymore, I’m with Liang Zhirou.”

“Since you didn’t respond before, why be tormented by this belated love? Look ahead, the past is the past.”

Chen Lu’s tone was heavy, and saying this was the most he could do for her.

Mo Yuqing was momentarily stunned, “……What are you saying?”