Then, she tiptoed and pushed open the door, which made a slight creaking sound.
Su Yuzhen froze on the spot, her heart almost stopping.
After waiting for a while and making sure she hadn't disturbed anyone, she continued her actions and slipped out of the room.
The moonlight is very bright tonight, shining clearly into the courtyard.
Su Yuzhen moved close to the wall, avoiding the window of her father's room.
Su Jianguo's snoring was so loud that it could be heard even through the door.
The front door was locked, and the key was in the father's room.
Su Yuzhen had planned it all out long ago. She easily found her way to the storage room and brought out the wooden ladder she used for picking dates.
The ladder wasn't heavy, but it wasn't easy for a sixteen-year-old girl either.
She gritted her teeth and moved the ladder step by step to the east wall, which was the furthest from her father's room.
Sweat trickled down her temples, not from exhaustion, but from nervousness.
Finally, the ladder was pushed against the wall.
Su Yuzhen began to squat down and wait.
About half an hour later.
Suddenly, a dog barked outside the courtyard wall.
"Woof! Woof woof!"
Su Yuzhen's heart skipped a beat.
They immediately realized what was happening.
This was the secret code that Zhang Qiang and she had agreed upon beforehand.
If you can't find him, come to her house at midnight and bark like a dog outside her wall. If she hears you, she will definitely come out to see you.
The dog barked three times, meaning he was already waiting outside the wall.
Su Yuzhen covered her mouth, almost bursting out laughing.
Zhang Qiang's imitation of a dog's bark was so realistic that if she hadn't known beforehand, she would have definitely thought it was a real stray dog.
Thinking of this, she felt a pang of heartache.
Qiang waited outside for her in the middle of the night, even barking like a dog. It wasn't easy for him.
She quickly climbed the ladder, moving much more nimbly than usual.
As her little head peeked over the wall, Zhang Qiang was leaning against the poplar tree opposite, smoking in the moonlight.
The red glow of the cigarette butt flickered in the darkness, illuminating his sharply defined profile.
Zhang Qiang seemed to sense her gaze and turned his head.
He wore a brand new floral shirt today, which was particularly eye-catching even at night.
Upon seeing Su Yuzhen on the wall, he immediately struck what he thought was a very cool pose.
With his left hand in his pocket and a cigarette between his right fingers, his head tilted slightly, a roguish smile playing on his lips.
"Hey, little beauty."
He lowered his voice, his tone slick and oily.
"I've been waiting for you for so long."
Su Yuzhen's face flushed red.
In her eyes, Zhang Qiang looked incredibly handsome, even more stylish than movie stars.
His casual yet unruly demeanor was completely different from the dull and nerdy boys in school.
"Brother Qiang."
She responded softly.
"I'll be right down."
Zhang Qiang blew a smoke ring and squinted as he sized her up.
"Wait, don't fall. It'll break my heart if you get hurt."
With that, Zhang Qiang strode over to the wall, patted his muscular shoulders,
"Baby, come on, step on me to get down."
Su Yuzhen bit her lower lip, deeply moved.
She carefully slipped one foot down, and the moment the sole of her sandal touched Zhang Qiang's shoulder, his warm, large hand immediately grasped her ankle.
"Don't be afraid, I'll catch you."
Zhang Qiang's voice was tinged with laughter, and the warmth of his hands emanated through his thin socks.
When Su Yuzhen fell into Zhang Qiang's arms, she smelled a faint tobacco scent on him.
His chest was broader than she had imagined, and her heartbeat, strong and powerful, came through his shirt.
"Brother Qiang, I miss you so much!"
Su Yuzhen buried her face in his chest, her voice muffled.
She felt Zhang Qiang's arms tighten a little, and his chin gently rubbed against the top of her head.
"I miss you too."
Zhang Qiang's fingers ran through her hair.
"What's wrong? Has that old man been giving you a hard time these past few days? You haven't been going out at all?"
This statement was like opening a floodgate.
Su Yuzhen looked up abruptly, tears streaming down her face.
"Waaaaah, Brother Qiang, my dad said... he said if he sees me looking for you again, he'll break my legs!"
She clutched her tightly clenched clothes.
"He even locked me up at home and wouldn't let me go to school!"
Zhang Qiang's eyes instantly darkened.
He cupped Su Yuzhen's face in his hands and said angrily.
"That old bastard dares to treat you like this?"
He gritted his teeth.
"If he weren't your father, I'd jump in and break his legs right now!"
Su Yuzhen was frightened by his ruthlessness and shrank back for a moment, but then her heart raced because of his courage to "stand up for her".
Zhang Qiang keenly noticed her reaction and immediately softened his tone.
"Honey, this can't go on."
He put his arm around Su Yuzhen and walked to the shade under the tree, whispering to her.
"Your dad's trying to lock you up until you die."
Su Yuzhen's shoulders slumped.
"What can I do? My older sister watches me every day, she even follows me to the bathroom..."
Zhang Qiang suddenly turned her shoulder and said with a serious expression.
"Why don't we run away?"
He said excitedly.
"Elope! To the South! A buddy of mine runs a video arcade in Hong Kong and they're short-staffed!"
"Elopement...?"
Su Yuzhen's eyes widened, and her lips trembled.
She had only ever seen this word in Qiong Yao's novels; it was so romantic it made her heart flutter, but reality made her feel cold to the bone.
She recalled the tragic scene of her second brother being kicked out of the house.
She looked haggard like a ghost after just one night.
Zhang Qiang noticed her hesitation, and his eyes immediately turned cold.
"What, you don't want to?"
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