Fang Ming trembled, his lips pressed tightly together, and he dared not utter a sound.
After regaining his composure, Mr. Fang sighed deeply.
He glanced at Fang Ming, who was kneeling dejectedly, and his mind raced.
He only has this one son; he can't just let him die.
I've worked so hard all these years, all for this son.
He was just venting his frustrations verbally.
"Get up!" Mr. Fang's voice was stern. "Now, immediately! Get yourself ready! Come with me to Beicheng University to find Zhu Hao!"
Fang Ming's eyes lit up, and he quickly stood up. "I understand, Dad!"
His legs went numb from kneeling for so long, and he limped upstairs.
Mr. Fang rubbed his temples, his face gloomy, staring at the withered tree outside the window, lost in thought.
Ring ring.
The phone ringing in the empty living room sounded particularly abrupt.
Mr. Fang took out his phone and glanced at the caller ID; it was Mrs. Fang calling.
"Hey, what's wrong?"
Fang's mother's sobbing came through the phone, "Xiaoling... Xiaoling... is awake... sob sob sob..."
"What?!" Mr. Fang jumped up. "I'm coming right away. Let the doctor examine you first!"
"good……"
*
The living room of the large single-level apartment.
Zhu Hao and Zhu Hong were sitting on the sofa, making dumplings while watching TV.
Zhu's father and mother were busy in the kitchen.
Today, the whole family has some free time, so Mother Zhu said she'd make mutton soup and some dumplings for a family reunion.
"Sister!" Zhu Hong lowered his voice, leaned closer to Zhu Hao's wrist, and pointed to the sandalwood bracelet on her wrist, "What's this? I've never seen you wear it before?"
Zhu Hao paused in her dumpling-making, then, without changing her expression, pushed the person away slightly, placed the finished dumplings on a plate, and said, "Never mind."
Zhu Hong glanced at her sideways, "You're not the type to wear these kinds of accessories, who gave them to you?"
Zhu Hao pursed her lips, picked up a cookie with her flour-covered hands, and shoved it into his mouth. "Eat more and talk less."
Although the voice was soft and harmless, Zhu Hong detected a hint of warning in it.
He glanced at Zhu Hao strangely, muttering to himself as he ate a cookie, "How odd... Could it be a gift from that old man Tang Song?"
"No," Zhu Hao replied firmly.
"What do you mean 'not'?" Zhu's mother came out of the kitchen, placed the mutton soup she was carrying on the table, wiped the water off her hands, and walked up to the two of them. "What are you talking about?"
Zhu Hao wiped her hands with a handkerchief, glaring at Zhu Hong as she did so.
Zhu Hong's lips twitched, and she pouted, "No, I just said the dumplings are ready, why isn't President Tang here yet?"
"That's right!" Mrs. Zhu glanced at the clock on the wall; it was already six in the afternoon. "Send Mr. Tang a message and ask if he's off work yet."
Zhu Hao nodded, "I understand..."
She put down the handkerchief in her hand, pulled down her sleeve to cover the sandalwood bracelet on her wrist, and picked up her phone.
Zhu Hong picked up the handkerchief she had just used to wipe her hands, wiped them haphazardly, got up to go to the bathroom, washed the handkerchief, cleaned the table, and then sat down.
Best wishes, still typing.
He couldn't resist moving closer and secretly watching her screen.
Zhu Hao immediately turned off his phone, "I can't look!"
"Okay." Zhu Hong shrank back dejectedly, glanced at his parents in the kitchen, and asked in a low, hesitant voice, "Sis, are you and that person dating?"
"It's hard to talk to my parents, but I can at least talk to them, right?"
Zhu Hao paused, raised her hand to touch the rope hidden on her wrist, as well as the sandalwood bracelet, and nodded hesitantly.
It should be... sort of.
Tang Song has already acknowledged to Song Shang that they will become partners in five years.
They are... in talks right now, right?
Seeing her hesitant look, Zhu Hong frowned instantly. "Sister! You don't seem sure."
Did he confess his feelings?
After a moment's thought, I nodded hesitantly.
There should be some, right?
Tang Song tells her every day that he likes her and loves her.
"Sis!" Zhu Hong realized something was wrong and was about to explode. "With your attitude, could it be that he has never told you he likes you or wants you to be his girlfriend?"
Zhu Hao paused, taken aback.
I've never actually said "be my girlfriend."
But aren't they talking about it right now?
Isn't that so?
Seeing her reaction, how could Zhu Hong not understand?
Tang Song is keeping his sister on a string!
He doesn't give her a formal title or make things clear, but he's incredibly generous to her sister, showering her with money and taking care of her family members perfectly.
Isn't this blatantly a case of a sugar daddy keeping a college girl?!
He suddenly stood up, his neck turning red with anger.
The commotion was so loud that Zhu Hao was startled, and even her parents in the kitchen were frightened.
They all looked at Zhu Hong.
Mother Zhu asked, puzzled, "What's wrong?"
Zhu Hong opened his mouth, about to speak up for Zhu Hao, but after catching a glimpse of Zhu Hao's bewildered face, he swallowed his words.
"It's nothing!" The two words were almost squeezed out through clenched teeth, sounding extremely stiff.
He sat down abruptly, his dark eyes fixed on Zhu Hao.
Zhu Hao had never seen him look so serious before, and asked silently, "What's wrong?"
Zhu Hong opened his lips, then closed them tightly, and quickly gestured with his hand.
"Did you tell that older man you liked him? Did you say you wanted to be his girlfriend? Did he say yes?"
Zhu Hao's face instantly turned red, even her ears turned pink.
She shook her head repeatedly.
Thump!
Zhu Hong slammed his fist on the sofa in a huff, the sound muffled but still intimidating.
Zhu Hao blinked, puzzled, and poked his forearm, which was bulging with veins, silently gesturing, "What's wrong?"
Zhu Hong looked at Zhu Hao with a mixture of disappointment and exasperation, unable to bring himself to say that she had been treated like a toy. He hesitated, then stopped himself in his tracks, "What are you doing...?"
Before he could finish speaking, the doorbell rang, and the door lock flashed a red light.
Zhu Hao's eyes lit up, "Tang Song is here!"
She quickly got up and walked towards the door, exclaiming, "Mom and Dad! He's here!"
Tang Song knew the door code, but ever since the Zhu family moved in, he would ring the doorbell every time.
Thanks to Zhu's father's modifications, now every lock in the house emits light when it is struck, serving as a reminder to Zhu.
She skipped excitedly to the door, flung it open, and was met with Tang Song's serious face. "You're here!"
Tang Song's cold and stern expression softened, replaced by tenderness. He raised his hand to tidy Zhu Hao'e's messy bangs and replied softly, "Yeah, I was a bit busy at work today and got back a little late. Are you hungry?"
Zhu Hao shook her head repeatedly, took out a pair of matching slippers from the entryway, and placed them in front of him.
This was something Tang Song insisted on buying when she and Tang Song were still living here.
Zhu Hong was in the living room, watching the two of them's intimate physical actions, and he gritted his teeth in frustration.
Looking at the blissful smile on Zhu Hao's face, he really wished he could tear that old man Tang Song to shreds and throw him far away.
This old man is a complete liar, taking advantage of his sister's naive personality to deceive her feelings!
Zhu Hao led Tang Song through the door and pulled him to the dining table.
Tang Song keenly sensed an unfriendly gaze from the living room.
He looked up and met Zhu Hong's murderous gaze, a question lingering in his mind.
What's wrong with this brat now? He was so nice to me before, why is he acting like a hedgehog now? What did I do?
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