She is in debt again
An autumn breeze blew up the fallen leaves. Lao Zuo looked up at the gloomy sky and said, "It's going to rain. Don't delay."
Zuo Xiao, leaning on a crutch, followed slowly behind: "You're the one dragging your feet. I'm only going there to give you face. We must explain things to them face to face today, okay?"
The two of them boarded a taxi at the entrance of the residential complex. About half an hour later, the taxi stopped in front of a three-story villa.
Lao Zuo was slightly stunned, and said as he took out his phone, "Is this the address?"
"That's it, there's no mistake!" The taxi driver spoke in a bad tone, and it was obvious that he wanted to drive the passenger away.
Zuo Xiao thought it wasn't surprising that the man who ran a drugstore lived in a villa, so he scanned the code to pay and urged Lao Zuo to get out of the car quickly.
A misty drizzle fell from the sky. Lao Zuo, carrying a lot of bags, rang the doorbell at the gate. A few moments later, Dr. Hu hurried out, holding two umbrellas.
He swiftly took the things from his right-hand man and handed him an umbrella. He then opened another one and placed it over Zuo Xiao's head.
After walking a few steps, he heard a crisp greeting: "Oh, Teacher Zuo is here! Welcome, welcome, come in!" Old Zuo raised his eyes and saw the couple standing at the door.
Dr. Hu's mother, Liu Juanjuan, warmly welcomed him in and introduced him: "Teacher Zuo, this is our Lao Hu. Like you, he's also a teacher."
After a while, Zuo Xiao and Dr. Hu also came in.
As everyone exchanged pleasantries, Zuo Xiao realized that Dr. Hu's honesty and taciturnity were inherited from his father. Professor Hu was incredibly frugal with his words, but he didn't seem to be deliberately putting on airs.
During the conversation, Zuo Xiao winked at his father three times, signaling him to "come clean with the guy!" But Old Zuo didn't know whether his eyesight was bad or he was deliberately ignoring him, and he didn't say what he should have said.
Before long, the aroma of food wafted from the kitchen, and Liu Juanjuan said, "Dinner will be served in a quarter of an hour. Lao Hu, you take Teacher Zuo on a tour, Junxi, you stay and have a good chat with Xiaoxiao. I'll go to the kitchen." With just one sentence, she made everything clear for everyone.
Lao Zuo followed Professor Hu around the villa. He was a serious university professor, teaching Chinese language and literature, and his books alone took up two rooms at home. He also had a large collection of calligraphy and paintings by famous contemporary artists. He would explain to Lao Zuo the artist's work and the beauty of each. Despite his conciseness, Lao Zuo could still sense a hint of boasting. Although he disliked such displays, he couldn't help but feel a little jealous.
Zuo Xiao and Dr. Hu stared at each other. She didn't mean to give him the cold shoulder, but she was afraid that if they were too close, it would create more expectations and make it even more awkward to refuse him later.
Seeing Dr. Hu holding back for a long time, he finally managed to say, "Do you work in Beijing?" Zuo Xiao couldn't help but chuckle, "I think I mentioned that last time."
Dr. Hu blushed and said, "I've already said that... So what are your plans next? Continue in Beijing, or return to your hometown to develop your career?"
Zuo Xiao rolled his eyes and said deliberately, "I want to stay in Beijing for a long time."
The other party was stunned for a moment, then said, "I... can also go to Beijing."
Oh my god... Zuo Xiao scratched his head: "Will your parents agree? You are their only precious son."
Dr. Hu looked embarrassed and said, "My mother might have some objections, but...it's not unreasonable."
Zuo Xiao was afraid that if the conversation continued, the other party would start discussing marriage with her, so she quickly asked, "Where is the bathroom?"
She stayed in the bathroom for a full five minutes before coming out. Dr. Hu came up to her and said, "Shall I show you around?" Zuo Xiao was more than happy to do so, and followed him around the first floor of the villa.
Finally, it’s time for dinner.
The Hu family prepared a table full of dishes, including everything from the air and the earth to the sea, and they were all delicious and tasty. In comparison, the meal Lao Zuo had prepared a few days ago seemed like child's play.
Zuo Xiao knew his father very well. He knew that although he didn't say it, he was secretly comparing himself with others in his heart. He couldn't help but feel a headache: he had already been crushed in all aspects, and now he would have to confront others and apologize. Where would Old Zuo put his face?
The father and daughter found the meal bland, and Zuo Xiao internally resented Lao Zuo for not coming clean as soon as he entered the house. Then she headed home, not needing to stay for the meal at all.
After dinner, she saw that Lao Zuo was only chatting with Liu Juanjuan and had no intention of revealing his true colors. She kept winking at him, but he ignored her.
Good job, Dad. It turns out you were just trying to trick me after all this time... Zuo Xiao curled his lips and thought to himself: Then let me do it.
She cleared her throat and said, "Aunt Liu, this is what I came here to apologize for."
Old Zuo's eyes suddenly widened, and he winked at her anxiously. It was Zuo Xiao's turn to pretend she hadn't noticed. She said, "I got a boyfriend in Beijing a while ago, and I hadn't had time to tell my dad yet. He rushed to help me out, and it ended up causing such a mess... I'm so embarrassed."
Liu Juanjuan's face looked extremely grim, but she was a businesswoman after all, so she said, "So that's how it is." She smiled coldly, "It's okay, it's good for you young people to make friends."
Zuo Xiao glanced at the father and son. One was frowning, the other was dumbfounded, as if his heart was broken. Then he looked at his own father, whose face was as gloomy as the sky before a thunderstorm.
"I'm so sorry..." Old Zuo said awkwardly, "My girl is so clueless that she made such a mistake..."
The father and daughter stood up to say goodbye. Liu Juanjuan did not try to keep them and said lightly, "Hu Junxi, see you off."
When we got to the door, we noticed the rain had gotten heavier. Dr. Hu grabbed two umbrellas and gave one to Lao Zuo as usual. He waved his hand, "It's okay."
Zuo Xiaobai glanced at him, took the umbrella, and said, "Thank you."
Dr. Hu, holding his other umbrella, asked, "Did you take a taxi?"
"I called." Zuo Xiao looked down at his phone, "It'll be there in two minutes. Don't send me off, let's go by ourselves." After saying that, he put the phone back into his bag, opened the umbrella, and handed it to Lao Zuo.
The father and daughter walked into the rain. The umbrella was not big enough to cover two adults, and Zuo Xiao's arms quickly got wet.
At this moment, she heard hurried footsteps behind her. It was Dr. Hu rushing over, holding an umbrella to shield half of her body.
Zuo Xiao stopped and turned his head to see that the man was still soaked in the rain. He felt a little sorry and said, "Don't see me off."
Dr. Hu looked at her blankly and said, "It's okay." He turned and looked outside the courtyard, "The car seems to be coming. Go quickly."
She no longer refused and was escorted out of the courtyard and into the car. After the car drove more than ten meters away, she looked back and saw that the man was still standing there.
Zuo Xiao felt heavy-hearted. She felt that Dr. Hu was an honest man, and she had not only betrayed his sincerity but also embarrassed his parents.
In fact, this is all Lao Zuo's fault! If he hadn't been so reckless and deliberately concealed the truth, how could this situation have happened?
The two returned home in a state of disarray. Unexpectedly, before she could even start a fight, the other party took the initiative.
"You're making a fuss!" Old Zuo, sitting on the sofa, scolded with a sullen face, "The adults haven't said anything, and you're talking nonsense without any sense of the matter. What nonsense!"
"It's obviously you who didn't keep your word." Zuo Xiao put down his crutch and sat down at the dining table. "Didn't you agree to explain everything to them as soon as we got home? And you're still blaming them and refusing to leave... What's the matter? Just because you see them living in a big villa, you want to sell your daughter?"
These words infuriated Lao Zuo so much that he slammed the armrest of the sofa and said excitedly, "Your conscience has been eaten by a dog! If it weren't for you, would I have to worry about this and abandon this person?!"
He grew angrier and angrier as he spoke, his eyelids twitching. "You marry into a good family, and you're the one who lives a good life. What good will that get me? You're even selling my daughter... Do I have to accept a sky-high bride price? Or can I just live in their villa? Tell me, what good will that get me?!"
"I told you to stay out of my business!" Zuo Xiao raised his voice. "I've told you countless times, I have a boyfriend, stay out of my business! You're the one who's being so overbearing and pretentious, and you deserve the setback you got today!"
"How can I not care?!" Lao Zuo's face flushed with excitement. "Don't think I don't know what kind of person that little bastard you found is! That guy surnamed Lu..." He was so angry that his teeth were itching. "Humph, he has some dirty money at home, right? He's out having sex with women every day! Do you know all this?"
Zuo Xiao was surprised: "Did you check him?"
"Do you even need to look it up? A Baidu search will reveal everything!" Old Zuo stared at her with a burning gaze, his eyes gradually revealing contempt. "I was wondering why you're so stubborn... Are you trying to imitate others and marry into a wealthy family? I urge you to wake up! Is being a wealthy wife that easy? Don't you think you're that good? With your limited skills, you'll be eaten to pieces!"
Zuo Xiao felt as if cold water had been poured over his head. He said disappointedly, "Is this who I am in your mind? Selling myself out for a few filthy bucks, right?"
"I don't know." Lao Zuo's momentum weakened. "I only know that a dragon is paired with a dragon, and the wind is paired with the phoenix. If they are not a good match, they won't last long."
Zuo Xiao sneered, and after a moment he said, "Even if I die outside, it's none of your business."
The word "die" made Lao Zuo so angry that his lips trembled and he shouted, "I don't care, who cares? Does your mother care? Ah? Your mother——"
"I don't need you to meddle in my affairs!" Zuo Xiao interrupted him. "Isn't it good for everyone to live their own lives? Did I care about your smoking and drinking? Did I care about your bragging outside? Why is it that you are the only one who can't sit still and insist on meddling in other people's business? And you dare to mention my mom? If you had half her intelligence, you wouldn't argue with me every time!"
Old Zuo, initially on edge, deflated at the last word. He scoffed, his eyes behind the glasses once again revealing contempt, tinged with sadness.
"Your mother is indeed smart and wise, otherwise she wouldn't have abandoned you and wandered the world on her own..." He smiled bitterly, "You are the same as her... the same... Go ahead, go wherever you want, find whoever you want, I don't care anymore."
Zuo Xiao immediately packed her bags and bought a plane ticket for the evening. Old Zuo locked himself in his room and never came out again. When she left, neither of them even said goodbye.
The plane left the runway in the drizzle. Zuo Xiao looked at the crooked water marks on the window and felt his heart wet.
Over the years, the father and daughter had quarreled countless times. She tried to put herself in Lao Zuo's shoes and wonder why he was such a "father".
He was born into a scholarly family and worked as a teacher for decades. Although he didn't make much money, it was at least respectable enough. Being called "teacher" by everyone, it was inevitable that he took himself too seriously.
He was used to considering himself a cultured person. In Nanjing, where everyday conversations often began with "D" and ended with "B," he almost never swore. He was also more concerned with appearances than most people, never showing weakness in front of others, and would occasionally brag about his profound background or his ability to raise his daughter.
If there was one "disgraceful" thing in his life, it was his divorce. More than a decade later, he still hadn't truly let it go, constantly making innuendos and insulting comments about his ex-wife.
Fortunately, Ms. Dai concealed the real reason for the divorce, saying only that they were incompatible, and Zuo Xiao pretended to be ignorant. She felt that if people knew that Zuo was "divorced" because of his sexual frigidity and impotence, he would probably have a mental breakdown.
He was such an arrogant and weak man who could not stand the questioning and provocation of others. In this acquaintance society, the only one who would question and provoke him was his daughter.
Although she tried hard to restrain herself, she would still be irritated by his arrogance and narrow-mindedness from time to time, and couldn't help but argue with him. But when she thought about it carefully, among all kinds of fathers, Lao Zuo, if not excellent, was at least average.
Being contented is the key to happiness, so she wouldn't really argue with him. After all, he would just grumble a few words and irritate her with his pungent fatherly air, but he couldn't do anything about her. Where she went or who she dated was none of his business.
Arriving at the hall, Zuo Xiao saw a head of red hair at first glance.
In the afternoon, Zhuang Jinghao asked her when she would return to Beijing. She said tonight, but she insisted on coming to the airport to pick her up, saying it was to repay her hospitality in Nanjing. She had no choice but to go along with her.
Zhuang Jinghao ran over and took off the backpack from her shoulders: "Are you hungry? Let's go eat something first, okay?"
Before Zuo Xiao could say anything, Zhuang Yu'an had already stepped forward and taken the bag. Seeing him, Zuo Xiao suddenly thought of Dr. Hu, and of him standing in the rain and watching her go away.
For a moment, I felt apologetic: I seemed to have owed a lot of debts of love. What should I do?
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