STT – Chapter 27

Jiang 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 come back, and her grandmother had also come downstairs. Next to Jiang Huaichuan sat a young girl with a delicate appearance.

As soon as Lu Zizheng and Jiang Huaixi stepped into the living room, everyone in the room simultaneously looked up at them. Lu Zizheng felt a bit uneasy for a moment and hurriedly put on a polite smile.

Jiang Huaixi calmly called out, “Dad, Huaichuan, you’re back.” Then, she turned to the girl sitting next to Jiang Huaichuan, smiled kindly, and nodded in greeting. Turning to Lu Zizheng, she introduced, “This is Zizheng.”

She led Lu Zizheng around, introducing her to everyone: “This is my grandmother… This is my father… This is my younger brother Huaichuan, and this is his girlfriend, Qiao Xin…”

Jiang Huaixi introduced each person, and Lu Zizheng greeted each one with a smile: “Hello, Grandma, hello, Uncle…”

When it came to greeting Jiang Huaichuan, Lu Zizheng was momentarily at a loss, not knowing how to address him properly. Jiang Huaichuan seemed to notice and broke into a hearty smile, saying, “Miss Lu, you can call me Huaichuan just like my sister does. You and my sister are the same age, so can I call you Sister Zizheng?”

Looking at Jiang Huaichuan, who was dressed in a suit but smiled charmingly like a big boy, Lu Zizheng couldn’t help but show a sincere smile and replied, “Of course, Huaichuan.”

Then, when it was Qiao Xin’s turn to greet, Qiao Xin also smiled and said first, “Sister Zizheng, you can just call me Xiaoxin.”

Lu Zizheng smiled and agreed.

Jiang Huaixi’s grandmother had a head full of silver hair, looked vigorous, and had a kind and gentle face, appearing very amiable; Father Jiang had an extraordinary demeanor, wearing a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, looking very scholarly but with a touch of seriousness. However, at this moment, both of them were somewhat impolitely staring intently at Lu Zizheng.

Lu Zizheng stood in front of the coffee table in the living room, surrounded by the Jiang family members sitting in a circle. She felt as if their gazes were about to pierce a hole through her, and she subtly bit her lip. This really felt like a trial in a courtroom…

Jiang Huaixi inconspicuously stood in front of Lu Zizheng, blocking their scrutinizing gazes, and tugged Lu Zizheng to sit on the empty sofa to the right, saying, “Let’s sit down for a while, dinner should be ready soon.”

But Father Jiang and grandmother still couldn’t bear to withdraw their gazes locked onto Lu Zizheng. Jiang Huaixi noticed this and felt a bit displeased. She cleared her throat gently, giving a slight cough as a reminder.

Only then did Father Jiang restrain his gaze, smiled slightly, and politely said to Lu Zizheng, “I often hear Huaixi mention you. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you. Uncle sincerely invites you to come over and visit often.”

Grandmother Jiang also chimed in, “Grandma is meeting you for the first time, but for some reason, the more I look at you, the more I like you. Come to our house often, and whenever you and Huaixi have time, come back together so Grandma can see you and keep me company.”

Lu Zizheng replied affirmatively several times in succession.

She gathered all her energy and conversed with the Jiang family. Most of the time, they asked questions, and Lu Zizheng answered. Coming from a family with few relatives, she rarely chatted like this with elders about family matters. She was very cautious and strained, fearing that one improper or impolite response might not meet their approval. Within a few minutes, a thin layer of sweat had formed on her body.

Jiang Huaixi slightly furrowed her brows, turned her head, and asked Qiao Xin, who was sitting idle by the side, “Are you and Huaichuan planning to settle down?”

Qiao Xin glanced at Jiang Huaichuan beside her, blushed, smiled shyly, and lightly nodded.

Jiang Huaixi continued curiously, “Have you two discussed it?”

Qiao Xin looked at Jiang Huaichuan, who answered on her behalf, “Yes, actually, I brought it up with Mom and Dad last week. We plan to get engaged in the second half of this year, but the specifics still need to be discussed.”

Sure enough, everyone’s attention turned to Qiao Xin and Jiang Huaichuan. Father Jiang and Grandmother Jiang then started asking about some of their plans for the future details.

Lu Zizheng breathed a sigh of relief, and Jiang Huaixi curled her lips into a satisfied smile.

The conversation continued for a while. Suddenly, Grandmother Jiang waved her hand, calling Qiao Xin over. She took off a bracelet from her wrist and handed it to Qiao Xin, saying, “This was passed down to me by my mother-in-law when I married your grandfather. It’s been in our Jiang family for generations. Today, I’m passing it on to you. You and Huaichuan must cherish each other. Grandma is looking forward to holding her great-grandchild.”

Qiao Xin did not refuse, accepted it with a blushing face, and softly replied, “Grandma, I will.”

Grandmother Jiang happily patted Qiao Xin’s head and praised her, “Good, good, such a good girl…” Then, changing the topic, she looked at Jiang Huaixi and reminded, “Huaixi, your brother has settled down, so Grandma doesn’t have to worry about him anymore. When will I be able to hand over the other bracelet on my wrist to my good grandson-in-law?” Whether intentionally or unintentionally, Lu Zizheng felt that her gaze lingered on her for a moment.

Lu Zizheng’s heart sank, and she lowered her head, not daring to meet Grandmother Jiang’s eyes.

Jiang Huaixi lightly responded, “Grandma will probably have to keep it safe for me for a few more years…”

Grandmother Jiang, in a tone of exasperation, said, “You should put in more effort!”

Jiang Huaixi smiled but did not respond.

Finally, Mother Jiang came over to announce that dinner was ready, so everyone moved to the dining room.

The dishes were served one by one, each beautifully presented and appealing in color, aroma, and taste. However, there was something strange: some dishes, mostly using the same ingredients, were prepared in two different styles, like a sweet and sour fish alongside a steamed fish…

The last to be served were desserts and fruits. Jiang Huaixi reached out and served a small plate of cake to Lu Zizheng, handing it to her with a smile, “Here, this is the dessert I owed you from last Christmas.”

Jiang Huaichuan saw Jiang Huaixi’s gesture, blinked, and jokingly complained to Jiang Huaixi, “Sis, I’m not happy. You’ve never been this nice to me.”

Jiang Huaixi, without raising her head, said calmly, “I know you don’t like sweets.”

Jiang Huaichuan scoffed and explained to Lu Zizheng, “Sister Zizheng, you don’t know, but actually, none of our family likes sweets. My sister dislikes them the most. But today, she unexpectedly paid attention to the dishes for the dinner and specifically asked for a dessert. I was puzzled at first, but it seems she ordered it especially for you, Sister Zizheng.”

Hearing this, Lu Zizheng looked at Jiang Huaixi in a daze. Jiang Huaixi calmly explained, “I told you, this is to make up for the dessert I owed you from last Christmas.”

Jiang Huaichuan laughed and continued to reveal the truth, asking Lu Zizheng, “Sister Zizheng, do you know why some of the dishes are served in two styles?” Satisfied to see Lu Zizheng shake her head in confusion, he said, “Because our family doesn’t like sweets, we prefer sour flavors and like to eat cilantro and various seasonings. So all the dishes are prepared according to our usual tastes, and the extra dishes are specially supervised by my sister for you.”

Lu Zizheng couldn’t help but be stunned, looking at Jiang Huaixi with a complex expression. Father Jiang, Mother Jiang, and Grandmother Jiang also looked at her and Jiang Huaixi with complex expressions.

Jiang Huaixi was slightly annoyed, frowned, and lightly scolded Jiang Huaichuan, “Didn’t Dad often teach you when you were young to eat more and talk less?”

Jiang Huaichuan playfully tilted his head and replied, “Ah, but now that I am full and don’t need to eat anymore, I can talk more.” Qiao Xin, who was beside him, smiled and handed him a piece of watermelon, teasing him, “Even eating can’t shut your mouth.”

Jiang Huaixi did not respond to Lu Zizheng’s gaze and softly said, “Hurry up and eat the cake.”

So Lu Zizheng lowered her head and silently ate the cake, one bite at a time, while her thoughts drifted off somewhere unknown.

Not long after dinner, the snow had stopped, but Qiao Xin, worried that the snow might continue and make the road difficult to drive on, asked Jiang Huaichuan to take her home. Lu Zizheng also took the opportunity to say she wanted to go back. Grandmother Jiang warmly invited her to stay overnight but, seeing no success, then changed her tone and asked her to remember to come again. Lu Zizheng, feeling a bit guilty about the elder’s enthusiasm, sighed and weakly agreed.

On the way back, the car was unusually quiet. Lu Zizheng was obviously lost in thought, and Jiang Huaixi did not disturb her.

They reached the gate of the residential area in silence. Jiang Huaixi stopped the car, and just as Lu Zizheng was about to get out, Jiang Huaixi suddenly suggested, “Since we just ate, let’s take a walk to help with digestion. I’ll walk you to your building.” She was somewhat worried about Lu Zizheng’s unusual silence and low spirits.

Lu Zizheng did not object and walked slowly alongside Jiang Huaixi. After walking only about ten steps, she suddenly said with sadness, “Huaixi, I don’t know anything about you—what you like to eat, what you don’t like to eat…”

Jiang Huaixi was slightly startled and then smiled gently, “I know, you have a small brain capacity and poor memory. This is a congenital deficiency. I am considerate, gentle, and understanding, fully empathizing with you.”

Lu Zizheng gave a self-deprecating smile and said, “You know that’s not true.”

They had already reached the front of the building. Jiang Huaixi was silent for a moment, then spoke with a voice that was cool yet faintly gentle, “Zizheng, I know. As long as you keep me in your heart, that’s enough. Don’t overthink it.”

Lu Zizheng turned around to face Jiang Huaixi, looking at her intently. For a moment, it seemed as if her entire world consisted only of Jiang Huaixi.

Huaixi, you are so gentle. How can I bear to give up, to refuse?

She thought and thought, her hands at her sides twisting her clothes into knots. Finally, summoning her courage, she looked up and asked Jiang Huaixi, “Can we…”

She had just uttered two words when suddenly, from an unknown balcony above, snow seemed to have melted, and a small string of water droplets fell onto Lu Zizheng’s face, startling her with the unexpected chill.

She wanted to ask Jiang Huaixi, “Can we be together?”

But after being interrupted, she couldn’t bring herself to ask anymore.

Jiang Huaixi immediately reached out her hand, not bothering to take out a tissue, and used her sleeve to wipe the water from Lu Zizheng’s face. However, Lu Zizheng’s expression instantly fell, her eyes reddening slightly. She grabbed Jiang Huaixi’s hand and softly pleaded, “Can I hug you?”

Jiang Huaixi hesitated for a moment, then opened her arms and embraced her.

The cold, wet sensation on her face remained. The terrifying feeling of the water droplets lingering on her face stirred up the fear hidden deep in her heart. In that moment, she almost couldn’t control her entire body from trembling.

When she was in the third year of middle school, her father unexpectedly passed away. On the first day back at school after taking leave, she excused herself from morning exercises, claiming she didn’t feel well. The teacher, considering her situation, didn’t make an issue of it and granted her special permission.

Unexpectedly, Zhou Fangfan, worried about her, skipped morning exercises and came back to check on her.

In the classroom, it was just the two of them. Lu Zizheng had been lying on the desk. Zhou Fangfan sat down beside her and patted her shoulder, prompting her to turn her face to look at Zhou Fangfan.

Zhou Fangfan asked if she was feeling unwell and gently comforted her. She touched Lu Zizheng’s face and said, “Zizheng, don’t be afraid. Uncle has just changed his way and place of loving you. You still have Auntie and me by your side…”

At that moment, the tears Lu Zizheng had been holding back since returning to school finally burst out. She bit her lip and shook her shoulders, crying hard. Zhou Fangfan then opened her arms and embraced her, continuously soothing her in a soft voice, “Zizheng, don’t be afraid. You still have me. I will always be with you…”

At that time, she was extremely fragile, clinging to Zhou Fangfan’s words like a lifeline. She didn’t think it was wrong for a girl to like another girl. Without much thought, she choked up and asked for confirmation, “Even if I like you, like how a boy likes a girl, you wouldn’t be upset, and you would stay with me, never leaving?”

Zhou Fangfan was momentarily stunned, but in the next moment, Lu Zizheng clearly saw the delight in her eyes. Zhou Fangfan’s voice, with its magical power, gradually calmed her uneasy heart, “No, I won’t leave you. I will never leave you, Zizheng…” She lowered her head, planting countless small kisses on Lu Zizheng’s cheeks, nose, and finally, her lips…

However, in the next moment, Lin Wei’s startled and reproachful voice echoed in the classroom, “What are you doing?!”

This startled reprimand marked the beginning of an unending nightmare in Lu Zizheng’s life.

Back in the second year of middle school, Lin Wei had already caused trouble for Lu Zizheng because the boy she liked was interested in Lu Zizheng. Later, Lu Zizheng heard that Lin Wei was slapped by that boy. Since then, Lin Wei had always been at odds with her. Now, she finally had the chance for revenge.

As a result, with Lin Wei’s exaggerated and widespread rumors, the situation escalated, the impact worsened, and Lu Zizheng’s situation became increasingly difficult. At the peak of the controversy, facing the possibility of parental involvement and expulsion, Zhou Fangfan resolutely changed her story, insisting that she only considered Lu Zizheng a good friend and that Lu Zizheng had forcibly kissed her after a rejected confession.

The evening before Lu Zizheng was to meet with the principal and her parents, she cried at her desk all afternoon, being the last to leave the classroom. However, as she was leaving, Lin Wei cornered her, pushed her to the ground. Zhou Fangfan, for some reason, came back and hurriedly ran to help Lu Zizheng up, weakly saying to Lin Wei, “Lin Wei, you can’t go this far.”

Lin Wei sneered and said, “This is too far? I can do worse.” With that, she spat on Lu Zizheng’s face and cursed, “Disgusting pervert.”

She then looked at Zhou Fangfan with a mocking smile and asked, “Protecting her like this? Could it be that it wasn’t just Lu Zizheng’s failed confession, but rather mutual affection between you two?”

Zhou Fangfan was stunned. Then, slowly, she let go of Lu Zizheng’s hand and turned to leave. “How could it be?”

Lin Wei did not let her go and shouted, “I don’t believe you. Prove it to me.” Pointing at Lu Zizheng, she continued, “Spit on her like I did and call her a pervert.”

Zhou Fangfan looked at Lin Wei in disbelief and did not move.

Lin Wei asked, “Do you also want to be called in by the principal and expelled?”

Zhou Fangfan stood there in a daze for a long time before finally turning mechanically. She made a spitting motion towards Lu Zizheng, who was slumped in the corner, and in a barely audible, hoarse voice, muttered, “Pervert…”

At that moment, Lu Zizheng heard the sound of her heart breaking…

The water stains on Lu Zizheng’s face had already been dried by the wind, leaving marks like the traces of tears falling from the corners of her eyes. She stepped back from Jiang Huaixi’s embrace and gently advised, “Go back. Be careful on your way.”

Jiang Huaixi hesitated, wanting to say something, but in the end, she just nodded and turned to leave.

Lu Zizheng watched Jiang Huaixi’s figure fade into the distance, a bitter smile appearing on her lips.

It was probably fate, preventing her from asking that question.

A good friend is just a friend and cannot be possessed.

LP: What the hell Author?! (˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )

I wanna kill this Lin Wei ( „ •` ◠ ´• „ )

Re-translated on August 12, 2024