Chapter 85: Don’t Stay Up Late

The words just spoken had exhausted all the courage Liang Zhirou had accumulated over the years. She couldn’t say anything else, only burying her face in Chen Lu’s clothes, sobbing uncontrollably.

Time flies, leaving no trace.

So many years have passed, it feels like everything has changed, yet nothing has changed at all.

The little girl who used to hide in the corner of the park and cry silently grew up, still crying in front of that boy.

The difference is that she grew up, and he grew up too.

Although the little girl still cries, she has become the sole pillar of support for her family, and the little boy has worked hard to the point where he can shoulder the future of this girl.

“Little crybaby.”

After a long silence, Chen Lu said with a smile, his tone full of pampering and unsuppressed joy.

“Of course it’s good, but why do you think you’re a burden?”

Liang Zhirou seemed to not react for a while, then said timidly after a moment: “Because I’m useless, and I have to take care of my mom…”

“These are not things you should bear.”

Chen Lu was stunned. What kind of girlfriend is this?

“Can I turn around?” he asked softly.

“No, no…”

Liang Zhirou thought to herself that she looked like a little cat now, crying, and if Chen Lu saw her, she might as well be dead.

Chen Lu shrugged helplessly, his two hands moving restlessly, not sure what he was fiddling with.

“Why do I call you silly?”

“You’re saying I’m…” Liang Zhirou whispered, her voice full of grievance.

Although she still hasn’t accepted reality, hearing Chen Lu’s agreement, she hugged him a little tighter, her cheek pressed tightly against his back.

Chen Lu took a deep breath, continuing to fiddle with something in his hands while saying seriously: “I have the ability to take care of your future, you’re not heavy enough to be my burden.”

He never worried that Liang Zhirou would be too self-conscious or hesitant to accept his confession because of her family background, because he had proven to himself that he had the ability.

All he had been worried about was whether Liang Zhirou liked him.

Now, that problem has been solved, because the answer is obvious –

She likes him.

This silly girl even didn’t know how much courage she used to take the initiative to confess.

“No… Those are all my own things.”

Liang Zhirou really didn’t want Chen Lu to spend a dime on her family’s affairs. Just as she was anxiously trying to stick to her little stubbornness, Chen Lu suddenly turned around.

Then, under the girl’s bewildered gaze, he knelt down on one knee.

“Liang Zhirou, I like you, even more than you like me.”

He held the ring he had just folded from the hotel receipt in his hand, his voice gentle.

“Will you be my girlfriend?”

Chen Lu had a faint smile on his face, his breath inevitably carrying a hint of alcohol.

This paper-folded ring was his response to the silly girl’s initiative to confess. He really didn’t expect that the one who had been blushing and stammering all along was Liang Zhirou, and in the end, it was this silly girl who confessed first.

It was like he had been controlling the ball all along, but in the end, Liang Zhirou scored a goal against him.

Being confessed to by a girl who usually doesn’t dare to say a few words, how could he face people outside?

While Chen Lu’s thoughts were flying, Liang Zhirou was still standing there in a daze.

At first, she could still see the paper-folded ring in Chen Lu’s hand under the light of the street lamp in the distance, but now she couldn’t see it at all.

Her vision was completely obscured by mist, blurry.

“I’m tired this way, you know.”

After an unknown amount of time again, Chen Lu said with a light laugh.

Liang Zhirou finally reacted and quickly pulled Chen Lu up with both hands, responding softly in a crying voice:

“Okay.”

Chen Lu gently pulled up the girl’s left hand and put the ring on her left middle finger.

“Tsk, it’s a bit big.” Chen Lu was a little dissatisfied, “It’s all your fault for not holding my hand.”

“……You’re a hooligan.” The girl’s eyes curved, and her dimples followed suit.

Tears, however, never stopped, occasionally sliding down her delicate cheeks.

“You just confessed to a hooligan.” Chen Lu said triumphantly, his left hand tightly holding the girl’s left hand, his right hand wiping her tears.

It was then that he noticed the bracelet on Liang Zhirou’s wrist, and curiously asked: “How did this thing get to you?”

Hearing this, the girl sniffed, wiped away her tears, and her face was filled with a joyful smile.

“Because it’s mine.”

“You… yours?”

At first, Chen Lu thought he had mistaken or seen a similar one, but after a few seconds, he finally understood.

He stared blankly at the girl’s face, looking left and right, “Is it really you?”

His memory of the little girl back then was already blurry, he only remembered that the girl was cute, helpless and strong, making him feel sorry for her.

Everything matched, from the ridiculous bubble machine avatar this silly girl used to the same bracelet he saw at Liang Zhirou’s house, all confirmed this fact.

These things together couldn’t make Chen Lu guess the truth, but now everything seemed so natural.

“It’s really me.” Liang Zhirou quickly wiped away the tears that were flowing again, raising the corners of her lips slightly, “Thank you.”

“Thank you, both then and now.”

Thank you for holding my hand when I was most helpless.

Thank you for coming back to me that night when I was bullied.

“I should thank you too… Forget it, let’s not talk about this.” Chen Lu gently pulled the girl’s hands, “You’ve worked hard all these years, let’s walk together from now on.”

After a long time.

Chen Mo sat on the sofa, happily scrolling through short videos.

Hearing the sound of the door opening, she quickly put away her phone and took out her English textbook.

“Abandon.”

“Stop pretending, it’s me.” Chen Lu said speechlessly.

Chen Mo immediately threw the English book a few meters away, “You should have said so earlier.”

Only then did she see Liang Zhirou standing timidly behind Chen Lu.

“Sister Zhirou! You’re back!” Chen Mo spread her arms and ran to hug her.

“Call her sister-in-law from now on.” Chen Lu’s lips curled up slightly, saying calmly.

?????

Chen Mo instantly froze there, still maintaining the posture of spreading her arms.

“What did you say?!”

“She just said she was going out for a while, how come she’s my sister-in-law when she comes back?!”

……

Early morning.

After sobering up a little, Chen Lu suddenly woke up from bed, his right hand supporting his forehead, thinking constantly.

Damn, was it a dream or not…

He couldn’t tell for a moment whether what happened just now was a dream or reality, and he took out his phone to send Liang Zhirou a message.

He typed a few words before remembering the time.

Three in the morning.

What kind of message would he send at this time.

Chen Lu shook his head, mentally complaining to himself.

Just then, his phone suddenly vibrated.

It was a message from Liang Zhirou.

“Why aren’t you talking?”

?????

Chen Lu was startled and looked around for a surveillance camera, only to remember that this silly girl might have seen him typing.

He looked at the screen in shock and continued to send a message.

Chen Lu: Why aren’t you asleep yet?

The other side didn’t respond for a long time.

Chen Lu: Why aren’t you talking?

Liang Zhirou: I’m sorry to say…

Chen Lu: What the hell?

After a few more minutes.

Liang Zhirou: I’m so happy I haven’t been able to sleep…

Chen Lu: I thought I was dreaming just now.

Liang Zhirou: I still feel that way now.

Chen Lu couldn’t help but smile, pressing the voice button, “Go to sleep, good night, my dear girlfriend.”

One hour later.

Chen Lu looked at the hazy lights outside the window and sighed deeply.

Go to sleep, my ass.