Chu Zhi jolted, almost kicking Lu Jiaheng off the bed. She frantically held her phone, hands trembling as she sat up, with cold sweat seeping through her back. Chu Zhi moved the phone away from her ear and mouthed to Lu Jiaheng: “What should we do?”
Lu Jiaheng wiped the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, got up, and walked out of the bedroom.
Little Chrysanthemum was sitting properly in the living room’s old rocking chair, earnestly studying the notes he had taken during Chu Zhi’s tutoring session.
His neat handwriting lined up in rows, numbered 1-2-3-4, with important parts highlighted with fluorescent markers. It looked exactly like an exemplary student’s notebook, the kind that could win competitions in China.
Lu Jiaheng walked over and lightly tapped him from behind the chair.
Little Chrysanthemum was so focused, he didn’t notice at all.
“…”
Lu Jiaheng’s hand came down on his head with a smack.
Little Chrysanthemum yelped, nearly jumping out of the chair, clutching his head as he turned to glare at him, looking almost coquettish: “We’re both Chinese, why are you hitting people without saying anything!?”
Lu Jiaheng rested one hand on his chair back, leaning lazily as he beckoned with his finger.
Little Chrysanthemum watched him warily for a moment but still leaned closer.
Lu Jiaheng curved his lips, saying softly: “Little Chrysanthemum, it’s time to prove your true abilities. Are you confident?”
Little Chrysanthemum wore an “oh shit” expression and warned: “Lu Jiaheng, let me tell you, little sister-in-law can call me Little Chrysanthemum because she’s cute and enthusiastically helps me with love matters. I like her, but if you keep calling me that, I’ll beat your head into a chrysanthemum. You think I have no dignity as a landlord?”
“…”
Lu Jiaheng’s eyes narrowed as he smacked his head again, his tone still casual and gentle: “You dare like just anyone?”
Little Chrysanthemum clutched his head with another yelp, instantly cowed, his landlord dignity completely gone: “Brother Lu, please speak, your humble servant is listening.”
In the bedroom, Lu Jiaheng had walked out and closed the door with a click. Chu Zhi stared in disbelief.
What did this mean???
Was she supposed to handle this herself???
He just ran away like that???
Chu Zhi sat cross-legged on the bed, watching the bedroom door quietly close, feeling she truly had poor judgment to fall in love with such an irresponsible man who runs away from problems, and they’d been dating for two years.
She cleared her throat, one hand anxiously picking at Lu Jiaheng’s bedsheet while nervously, carefully, cautiously speaking: “Dad, why are you calling my colleague?”
Father Chu was cheerful: “Dad just wants to chat with her. It’s your first time traveling alone far away, there might be things you don’t notice, and since Dad and Mom aren’t by your side, how can we not worry?”
Chu Zhi: “Haven’t you and Mom been doing free-range parenting since I started university, traveling everywhere every few days? I was alone then too.”
Father Chu disapproved: “That’s different. When your Mom and I went out, you stayed at home. This time you’re away, so far from home. How can it be the same?”
“…”
Chu Zhi understood – it was like how before high school she couldn’t sleep over at friends’ houses, but friends could stay at their home.
She lowered her head, picking at the bedsheet: “Dad, I’m not even that close with this girl, isn’t it weird to suddenly call her…”
Father Chu was confused: “What’s weird about it? Didn’t you just say you two got along well?”
Chu Zhi: “…”
Chu Zhi struggled desperately: “Dad, you’re acting like I’m still in school. This isn’t my classmate or roommate, and it’s not a school activity where you can just call the counselor to check on things. This is work! Who’s ever heard of parents calling leaders or colleagues halfway through a business trip to check up and give reminders?” Chu Zhi said reluctantly, “You’re making it seem like I can’t take care of myself and haven’t grown up. What will my colleagues think of me?”
After she finished speaking, Father Chu was silent for a long time.
After quite a while, Father Chu sighed softly: “My Chu Zhi has grown up.”
Chu Zhi froze.
An unprecedented feeling of guilt and unease washed over her.
She blinked, suddenly wanting to go home. Even though she was almost twenty, she suddenly wanted to be like when she was little, curling up next to her parents, listening to her father tell fairy tales, acting spoiled with them.
Chu Zhi felt she had committed an unforgivable sin, telling such lies.
She said quietly: “Dad, I’m almost twenty.”
Father Chu’s tone remained gentle, carrying a tender smile: “Even if you’re forty, even after you’re married, to Dad you’ll always be the little princess who fusses about wanting to go play.”
Chu Zhi’s nose stung.
She lowered her eyes and suddenly said: “Dad, I’m sorry.”
Father Chu didn’t understand: “What’s this all of a sudden?”
“Nothing,” she said softly, “Was I very unreasonable before? Did I ever cause trouble?”
Father Chu felt his daughter was the most well-behaved baby in the world. Even though when Chu Zhi was little she had thrown his documents in the toilet, torn her kindergarten teacher’s wig, and dropped soup concentrate in her elementary school deskmate’s chrysanthemum tea, she was still his little angel.
“No, my daughter has always been obedient, there’s no child more well-behaved than my daughter.”
Chu Zhi was about to cry.
So when Lu Jiaheng pulled Little Chrysanthemum to open the door, he saw the young girl sitting on the bed with tears streaming down her face, holding a phone to her ear, crying silently.
Lu Jiaheng’s first thought was – it’s over, everything’s been exposed.
His second thought was – if he took the blame for her now, what were the chances he’d never be allowed in her home again?
Little Chrysanthemum stood behind him, hadn’t entered the room yet and couldn’t see anyone crying inside.
He was already in character, one hand at his throat, grimacing as he spoke in a high, thin voice that was sharp and piercing, like an opera singer: “Chu Zhi! Are you going to take a shower?”
It actually did sound a bit like a girl with a thin voice.
Chu Zhi jolted, her tears almost scared back in.
Father Chu clearly heard it too. His reminiscing interrupted, he was quiet for a moment before asking: “Is that your colleague?”
“…”
Chu Zhi hesitantly made an “mm” sound.
“She’s asking if you’re going to shower? Then hurry and go, don’t keep her waiting.”
Chu Zhi wiped her tears and said goodbye to her father.
As soon as she hung up, Chu Zhi looked at Lu Jiaheng with watery eyes.
Little Chrysanthemum was quite pleased with his performance, bouncing proudly into the room: “Sister-in-law, wasn’t my acting just amazing? Actually, my specialty is Li Yugang’s New Drunken Beauty, especially the opera part—”
Before he could finish, Lu Jiaheng pushed him out by the head and slammed the door shut.
Little Chrysanthemum felt used and discarded, like meeting a scumbag who leaves right after getting what he wants.
He stared at the closed door, hurt and angry for thirty seconds, then remembered the man-killing secrets recorded in his precious notebook and happily went back to studying.
In the bedroom, Lu Jiaheng walked to the bed, looking at the young girl who had finally broken into audible sobs, slightly pressing his lips together.
Her voice wasn’t loud, just quietly sniffling, looking pitiful.
Lu Jiaheng sat beside her, gently pulling her into his arms: “Little crybaby, what’s wrong now?”
Chu Zhi’s small hands wrapped around him too, wiping her tears on his clothes: “Lu Jiaheng, I miss Mom and Dad.”
Lu Jiaheng paused.
He raised his hand, gently rubbing her head, smoothing out her messy ponytail: “Do you want to go home then?”
Chu Zhi didn’t react for a long time. After a while, she slowly shook her head: “I miss my parents, but I also want to stay with you.”
Lu Jiaheng nuzzled her soft hair, thinking of her parents whom he had met once, and said softly: “Uncle and Auntie love you very much.”
“There are no parents in this world who don’t love their children,” Chu Zhi said glumly.
He didn’t speak.
Chu Zhi suddenly remembered his family situation.
Her heart skipped a beat, her small hand anxiously rubbing his waist, pulling back slightly to look up at him.
Lu Jiaheng lowered his eyes too, his index finger curved to wipe away the tears at the corner of her eye.
He didn’t want to break her understanding of certain beautiful things.
She should stay just as she was.
“Mm, there are no parents in this world who don’t love their children,” he said softly with a smile.
Chu Zhi’s heart ached.
She wrinkled her nose, tilting her head up: “Will you say everything I say and do is right?”
Lu Jiaheng lowered his head until their foreheads touched, their noses brushing, their breaths intermingling gently: “Saying a few words is nothing, I’d pluck the stars from the sky for you.”
Chu Zhi’s eyes widened a bit as she looked at him moved: “Really?”
“No, the stars are too big.”
“…”
The spark of emotion Chu Zhi had just felt was completely extinguished. She pouted, about to speak when Little Chrysanthemum knocked on the door three times: “Sister-in-law! Do you want! Apple! Pie! Ah!!!”
“…”
Lu Jiaheng: “No, go away.”
Outside the door, Little Chrysanthemum made an “oh” sound and fell silent.
Chu Zhi actually wanted some, her eyes had already lit up. After he spoke, she bumped her forehead against his in dissatisfaction: “Lu Jiaheng, don’t look at me like that, I’m going cross-eyed.”
Lu Jiaheng made a low “mm” sound but didn’t move, instead leaning even closer: “We were interrupted earlier, shall we continue?”
Chu Zhi’s face reddened as she lowered her head shyly, pushing him without much force: “Study properly, can you be serious? If you keep this up I’m leaving.”
Lu Jiaheng’s dark peach blossom eyes lifted slightly as he said lazily: “How can I be serious with you here?”
As he spoke, he leaned in to kiss her.
Their lips met.
The next second, knocking sounded at the door again.
Little Chrysanthemum called enthusiastically from outside: “Sister-in-law! Do! You! Want! Blueberry—”
Lu Jiaheng opened his eyes, his gaze slightly unfocused as he clicked his tongue impatiently, grabbing a book from the table and throwing it at the door with a “bang”: “Don’t want any, go away!”
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