STT – Chapter 27
by Little PandaJiang Huaixi, Let’s Be Together
When Lu Zizheng and Jiang Huaixi returned to the living room, it was already full of people.
Jiang Huaixi’s father and younger brother had already returned, and Grandmother had also come downstairs. Sitting beside Jiang Huaichuan was a beautiful young woman.
The moment Lu Zizheng and Jiang Huaixi stepped into the living room, every eye turned to them in unison. Lu Zizheng felt a sudden wave of awkwardness, hastily putting on a polite smile to cover her unease.
Jiang Huaixi called out calmly, “Dad, Huaichuan, you’re back.” She then smiled and nodded in greeting to the girl beside Jiang Huaichuan before turning to Lu Zizheng. “This is Zizheng.”
She led Lu Zizheng to meet everyone one by one. “This is my grandmother… this is my dad… this is my younger brother, Huaichuan, and this is his girlfriend, Qiao Xin…”
As Jiang Huaixi introduced each person, Lu Zizheng smiled and greeted them, “Hello, Grandmother. Hello, Uncle…”
When it came to greeting Jiang Huaichuan, Lu Zizheng hesitated, unsure of the appropriate way to address him. Sensing her dilemma, Jiang Huaichuan grinned warmly. “Miss Lu, you can just call me Huaichuan like my sister does. Since you’re the same age as my sister, would it be alright if I called you Zizheng-jie?”
Looking at Jiang Huaichuan, who was dressed in a sharp suit yet smiled with the charm of a big boy, Lu Zizheng could not help but smile genuinely in return. “Of course, Huaichuan.”
When it was Qiao Xin’s turn, she also smiled and greeted her first. “Zizheng-jie, you can just call me Xiao Xin.”
Lu Zizheng smiled and agreed.
Jiang Huaixi’s grandmother had a full head of silver hair, looking spirited, kindly, and very amiable. Father Jiang was distinguished, wearing a pair of gold-rimmed glasses that gave him an elegant, scholarly appearance, though he carried a hint of sternness. At this moment, however, both of them were staring at Lu Zizheng with a directness that bordered on impolite.
Standing before the living room coffee table with the Jiang family seated in a circle around her, Lu Zizheng felt as if their gazes were about to bore a hole through her. She bit her lip almost imperceptibly. This really felt like standing trial before a joint tribunal…
Jiang Huaixi stepped unobtrusively in front of Lu Zizheng, shielding her from their scrutinizing gazes. She gently pulled Lu Zizheng toward an empty sofa on the right. “Let’s sit down first. Dinner should be ready in a moment.”
Yet Father Jiang and Grandmother Jiang still seemed reluctant to avert their eyes from Lu Zizheng. Sensing this, Jiang Huaixi felt a touch of displeasure and cleared her throat softly to remind them.
Only then did Father Jiang pull back his gaze. He offered a slight smile and said politely to Lu Zizheng, “I often hear Huaixi speak of you, and today we have finally gotten our wish. I sincerely invite you to come over and visit often in the future.”
Grandmother Jiang chimed in, “This is Grandmother’s first time meeting you, but for some reason, the more I look at you, the more I like you, child. Come visit us more often in the future. Whenever you and Huaixi have time, come back together so Grandmother can see you and you can keep me company.”
Lu Zizheng, of course, quickly agreed in a flurry of polite assents.
She summoned every ounce of her concentration to converse with the Jiang family, mostly answering their questions. With few relatives of her own, she rarely engaged in this kind of casual family small talk with elders. Handling it required immense caution and effort, as she feared any response might be improper, impolite, or displeasing. Within a few short minutes, a thin layer of sweat broke out across her body.
Jiang Huaixi frowned slightly and turned to Qiao Xin, who was sitting quietly nearby. “Are you and Huaichuan planning to settle down?”
Qiao Xin glanced at Jiang Huaichuan beside her, smiled shyly, and nodded.
Jiang Huaixi probed with mild curiosity, “Have the two of you discussed it yet?”
Qiao Xin looked at Jiang Huaichuan, who answered on her behalf, “Yes. Actually, I already brought it up with Mom and Dad last week. We plan to get engaged in the second half of this year. We still need to discuss the specific details.”
As expected, everyone’s attention shifted to Qiao Xin and Jiang Huaichuan. Father Jiang and Grandmother Jiang chimed in, asking about their plans and details.
Lu Zizheng let out a quiet sigh of relief, while Jiang Huaixi curled her lips into a satisfied, subtle smile.
The conversation continued for a while before Grandmother Jiang suddenly waved Qiao Xin over. She slid a bracelet off her own wrist and handed it to Qiao Xin. “When I married his grandfather, my mother-in-law passed this down to me, saying it was an ancestral heirloom of the Jiang family. Today, I’m passing this one to you. You and Huaichuan must take good care of each other. I’m waiting to hold my great-grandchildren.”
Qiao Xin did not refuse. Blushing, she accepted it and whispered, “I will, Grandmother.”
Grandmother Jiang happily patted Qiao Xin’s head and praised her, “Good girl, so sweet…” Then, her tone shifted as she looked over at Jiang Huaixi, teasingly reminding her, “Huaixi, now that your brother is settling down, I don’t have to worry about him. But when will I be able to pass the other bracelet on my wrist to my dear grandson-in-law?” Whether intentional or not, Lu Zizheng felt the elderly woman’s gaze sweep briefly over her.
Lu Zizheng’s heart sank. She lowered her head, not daring to meet Grandmother Jiang’s gaze.
Jiang Huaixi deflected the comment effortlessly. “Grandmother, you’ll probably have to keep that one safe for me for a few more years…”
Grandmother Jiang said in exasperated frustration, “You really need to put some effort into this!”
Jiang Huaixi simply smiled, offering no reply.
Mother Jiang finally came over to announce that dinner was served, and everyone moved to the dining room.
The dishes were served one by one, each beautifully presented and appealing in color, aroma, and taste. Curiously, however, some dishes featured nearly identical ingredients yet were served in pairs. For instance, a plate of sweet and sour fish was served right alongside a plate of steamed fish…
Finally, the desserts and fruits were served. Jiang Huaixi reached out, picked up a small plate of cake for Lu Zizheng, and handed it to her with a smile. “Here, the dessert I owed you from last Christmas.”
Seeing her gesture, Jiang Huaichuan blinked and complained to Jiang Huaixi with a grin, “Jie, I’m jealous. You’ve never been this nice to me.”
Without even raising her head, Jiang Huaixi replied flatly, “I know you don’t like sweets.”
Jiang Huaichuan scoffed and explained to Lu Zizheng, “Zizheng-jie, you have no idea. Actually, no one in our family likes sweets, and my sister is the absolute worst when it comes to that. Yet today, she paid extraordinary attention to the dinner menu and specifically requested a dessert. I thought it was strange at first, but now it seems she ordered it just for you.”
Hearing this, Lu Zizheng looked at Jiang Huaixi in a daze, and Jiang Huaixi explained calmly, “I told you, it’s to make up for what I owed you from Christmas.”
Jiang Huaichuan chuckled and continued to expose her, asking Lu Zizheng, “Zizheng-jie, do you know why some dishes were served in two different styles?” Satisfied to see Lu Zizheng shake her head in bewilderment, he explained, “Because our family dislikes sweet things, loves sour flavors, and enjoys cilantro and all kinds of heavy seasonings. So, while one set of dishes was cooked to our usual tastes, the duplicate dishes were specially prepared under my sister’s direct supervision, customized just for you.”
Lu Zizheng was utterly stunned. She looked at Jiang Huaixi with complex emotions, while Father Jiang, Mother Jiang, and Grandmother Jiang watched the two of them with equally complicated expressions.
Slightly vexed, Jiang Huaixi frowned and scolded Jiang Huaichuan softly, “Didn’t Dad always teach you when we were kids to eat more and speak less?”
Jiang Huaichuan tilted his head playfully and replied, “Ah, but I’m full now, so I’m done eating. That means I can talk more.” Beside him, Qiao Xin smiled and fed him a piece of watermelon, teasing, “Can’t even food keep your mouth shut?”
Jiang Huaixi did not meet Lu Zizheng’s gaze. Keeping her head lowered, she said softly, “Hurry up and eat your cake.”
Lu Zizheng lowered her head and silently ate her cake, bite by bite, though her thoughts had drifted who-knows-where.
Not long after dinner, the snow stopped. However, Qiao Xin was worried that if it started snowing again, the roads would become too thick with snow to drive safely, so she asked Jiang Huaichuan to take her home. Lu Zizheng took the opportunity to say she should head back as well. When Grandmother Jiang’s warm invitation for her to stay overnight bore no fruit, she changed her tune and insisted Lu Zizheng must come visit again. Feeling a bit guilty in the face of the elderly woman’s warmth, Lu Zizheng sighed and weakly agreed.
On the drive back, the inside of the car was exceptionally quiet. Lu Zizheng was clearly lost in thought, and Jiang Huaixi did not disturb her.
They reached the entrance of the residential complex in silence. As Jiang Huaixi parked the car and Lu Zizheng prepared to step out, Jiang Huaixi suddenly suggested, “Since we just ate, a short walk might help with digestion. Let me walk you to your building.” She felt uneasy about Lu Zizheng’s unusual silence and low spirits.
Lu Zizheng did not object. She walked slowly, side by side with Jiang Huaixi. After barely a dozen paces, she suddenly spoke up in a low, dejected voice, “Huaixi, I don’t know anything. I don’t know what you like to eat, or what you don’t…”
Jiang Huaixi paused slightly, then laughed softly. “I know. Your brain capacity is small, and your memory is terrible—it’s a congenital defect. Since I’m so caring, gentle, and understanding, I completely make allowances for you.”
Lu Zizheng let out a self-deprecating laugh. “You know that isn’t it.”
By the time they reached the front of her building, Jiang Huaixi was quiet for a moment. When she spoke, her cool voice carried a faint trace of tenderness. “Zizheng, I know. As long as you keep me in your heart, that’s enough. Don’t overthink things.”
Lu Zizheng turned around to face Jiang Huaixi, gazing at her intently. In that instant, it felt as though Jiang Huaixi was her entire world.
Huaixi, you’re so gentle. How could I ever bear to let you go, or find the heart to turn you away?
She turned the thought over and over in her mind, her hands clenched at her sides, twisting her clothes into knots. Finally gathering her courage, she looked up at Jiang Huaixi and asked, “Could we…”
Just as those two words left her lips, snow from a balcony somewhere above must have melted, letting loose a small stream of water droplets that splashed right onto Lu Zizheng’s face. The sudden, freezing sensation startled her.
She had wanted to ask Jiang Huaixi: Let’s be together, okay?
But once the moment was broken, she could no longer bring herself to say it.
Jiang Huaixi immediately reached out. Without stopping to search for a tissue, she used her own sleeve to wipe the water from Lu Zizheng’s face. But Lu Zizheng’s expression had already collapsed into utter defeat. Her eyes rimmed with red, she caught Jiang Huaixi’s hand and pleaded in a low voice, “Can I hold you?”
Jiang Huaixi hesitated for a brief second, then opened her arms and drew her into an embrace.
The cold, wet sensation on her face lingered. The terrifying feeling left by those droplets instantly dredged up the deep-seated fear buried in the depths of her heart. In that moment, she could barely stop her entire body from trembling.
Back in her third year of middle school, after her father passed away in an accident, she returned to school after taking some time off. On her first day back, she claimed she was not feeling well to skip the morning exercises. Considering her circumstances, the teacher had let it slide and specially excused her.
Unexpectedly, because Zhou Fangfan was worried about her, she sneaked away from the morning exercises and returned to the classroom.
The classroom was completely empty except for the two of them. Lu Zizheng had been resting her head on her desk. When Zhou Fangfan sat down next to her and patted her shoulder, she turned her head to look at her.
Zhou Fangfan asked if she was feeling unwell and comforted her in a soft, gentle voice. Touching Lu Zizheng’s cheek, she told her, “Zizheng, don’t be afraid. Your dad has only changed form and gone to a different place to keep loving you. You still have your mom beside you, and you have me…”
At that moment, the tears Lu Zizheng had been holding back ever since she stepped back onto campus finally burst forth. She bit her lip, her shoulders shaking violently as she wept. Zhou Fangfan opened her arms to hold her close, continuously soothing her in a gentle, quiet voice: “Zizheng, don’t be afraid. You still have me. I’ll always be with you…”
She had been incredibly vulnerable back then, clinging to Zhou Fangfan’s words like a lifeline. She didn’t think there was anything wrong with a girl liking another girl. Without a second thought, she choked out, seeking confirmation, “Even if I like you—the way a boy likes a girl—you won’t be upset? You’ll still stay by my side and never leave me?”
Zhou Fangfan was stunned for a brief moment, but in the next second, the joy in her eyes was unmistakable to Lu Zizheng. Zhou Fangfan’s voice carried a magical power that gradually calmed her restless heart. “No, I won’t leave you. I definitely won’t, Zizheng…” She leaned in, raining soft, delicate kisses onto Lu Zizheng’s cheeks, the tip of her nose, and finally, her lips…
But in the very next instant, Lin Wei’s shocked, accusatory shout echoed through the classroom: “What are you two doing?!”
And that single, startled shout marked the beginning of an endless nightmare in Lu Zizheng’s life.
During their second year of middle school, Lin Wei had already targeted Lu Zizheng because the boy she liked was interested in Lu Zizheng instead. Later, Lu Zizheng heard that the boy had slapped Lin Wei because of it. Ever since then, Lin Wei had held a bitter grudge against her. Now, she finally had her chance for revenge.
With Lin Wei’s wild rumors and exaggerated storytelling, the matter escalated rapidly, its fallout growing worse by the day. Lu Zizheng’s situation became increasingly desperate. Facing the looming threat of her mother being summoned to the school and potential expulsion, Zhou Fangfan decisively changed her story. She adamantly claimed that she only saw Lu Zizheng as a good friend, and that Lu Zizheng had forced a kiss on her after being rejected.
On the evening before the principal was scheduled to call her mother, Lu Zizheng spent the entire afternoon weeping over her desk, leaving the classroom last. As she was leaving, however, Lin Wei cornered her against the wall and shoved her to the floor. For some reason, Zhou Fangfan had returned as well. She rushed over to Lu Zizheng, trying to pull her up, and weakly told Lin Wei, “Lin Wei, you can’t be this cruel.”
Lin Wei sneered maliciously. “This is cruel? I can do much worse.” With that, she opened her mouth and actually spat right on Lu Zizheng’s face, sneering, “Disgusting pervert.”
She looked at Zhou Fangfan with a mock smile and asked, “Protecting her like this? Don’t tell me it wasn’t just Lu Zizheng’s unrequited confession, but that the two of you are actually in love?”
Zhou Fangfan froze. Then, she slowly let go of Lu Zizheng’s hand and turned to leave. “How could that be?”
But Lin Wei would not let her off. She called out to stop her, saying, “I don’t believe you. Prove it to me.” Pointing at Lu Zizheng, she added, “Spit on her just like I did, and call her a pervert…”
Zhou Fangfan stared at Lin Wei in disbelief, making no move.
Lin Wei asked, “Or do you want your parents called and to get expelled too?”
Zhou Fangfan stood frozen for a long time. Finally, she turned around mechanically. Facing Lu Zizheng, who was slumped in the corner, she made a spitting motion and muttered in a low, barely audible voice, “Pervert…”
In that instant, Lu Zizheng heard the sound of her own heart dying…
The water on Lu Zizheng’s face had already been dried by the wind, leaving behind dried streaks that looked like tear stains pathing down from the corners of her eyes. She pulled back from Jiang Huaixi’s embrace and urged her softly, “Go on back. Drive safely.”
Jiang Huaixi opened her mouth as if to speak, but in the end, she only nodded and turned to leave.
Lu Zizheng watched Jiang Huaixi’s retreating figure, a bitter smile touching her lips.
Perhaps it was heaven’s will, preventing her from ever asking that question.
A close friend was just a friend, never to be possessed.
Author is going wild on the tear inducing stuff
Author is going wild on the tear inducing stuff
Indeed. Title is clickbait! *flips table *
Indeed. Title is clickbait! *flips table *
I thought…hayss
I thought…hayss
Me thinking the chapter title was a little spoiler when actually it was just a huge bait 💀
Me thinking the chapter title was a little spoiler when actually it was just a huge bait 💀