Chapter 11 11 “Lighters are something only bad students have…
Her heartbeat was pounding like a dense drumbeat, her fingers clinging to the edge of the table shrank slightly, and she almost drowned in his eyes.
Chen Zan dodged and looked away.
Noticing her uneasiness, He Jing chuckled softly and curled his lips. He played with the lighter, twisting it with his bony fingers, casually and effortlessly.
The style of the lighter was floating in the corner of her eyes. Although she lowered her eyes, Chen Zan could still feel the burning gaze above her head, which made her scalp numb.
"Don't you dare answer?" Even the questioning voice was very soft, but too soft, it became superficial. "Are you feeling guilty?"
"No." Chen Zan shook his head mechanically, looking a little dull. "I didn't mean to take your lighter."
He Jingsui raised his eyebrows slightly, his dark eyes sparkling, as if he was very interested in listening to her next explanation.
But...how to explain this.
Chen Zhan's head was tense, he swallowed hard, and made up an excuse, "I just saw it and was a little curious."
"Curiosity killed the cat, Chen. There are some things you should keep your distance from."
For example, the lighter in his hand.
He Jingsui skillfully used his thumb to open the lid of the lighter. With a "click", a cluster of blue flames lit up.
Reflected in her pupils, beautiful, yet dangerous.
It would be fine if others said this, but He Jingsui also said the same thing as them. He was obviously the most flamboyant and had a wild nature in his bones. Even if it was as dangerous as blood on the tip of a knife, he would want to have a taste of it, let alone persuade others. He didn't even care about anyone except himself.
"W-why?"
"Because you're a good student," He Jingsui said with a "click" sound, and the fire went out, the blue flame dissipating in the air. He put the lighter in his pocket, directly extinguishing Chen Zan's curiosity. "Lighters are something only bad students have."
Suddenly waking up from this sweet dream, Chen Zhan had an epiphany.
yes.
Just like good students and bad students.
They are not the same kind of people.
…
Because of Lou Yan’s phone call, Chen Zan had to go back home during the seven-day National Day holiday.
She had planned to go back on the first day of the holiday. Firstly, she wanted to take better care of He Shiyi in the hospital, and secondly, she wanted to reduce the time she spent with Lou Yan as much as possible. After all, the mother and daughter had never had a long conversation, and the conversation would run out in a few words.
But all these plans were interrupted by a sudden phone call.
It was Jiang Yu calling.
When Chen Zan received his call, he was sitting beside the bed peeling oranges for He Shiyi.
She walked to the window to answer the phone and saw the warm, dry wind swaying the treetops. Jiang Yu's soft and clear voice came from the phone, with a smile, "Zhanzhan."
"Brother Jiang Yu." Chen Zan's face was not surprised, but there was a hint of joy on the corner of his lips. "Why did you call me?"
"Can't I call you?" Jiang Yu teased her with a smile on the other end of the phone, "Or maybe our Zhanzhan has almost forgotten her brother."
"No," Chen Zhan said with a smile, "That's not what I meant."
She was just a little surprised.
Jiang Yu is her neighbor, a few years older than her. He went abroad as an exchange student in his junior year and has been away for so many years. She heard that he was doing research abroad and was very busy with work, so they had not been in touch much over the years. If he had not suddenly returned to China this time, she might have really told him that she was about to forget him.
"Forget it, I won't tease you anymore. How have you been lately?"
Chen Zhan said: "Life is going well and I am in a good mood."
"It seems you are much better than I thought."
Chen Zhan didn't understand this sentence.
Until Jiang Yu said again: "I heard from my mother that you changed your college entrance examination application to a fine arts college, and Aunt Lou got angry with you because of this."
Chen Zhan knew how this news reached their family's ears. She frowned slightly and simply explained, "This is my own choice, Brother Jiang Yu, please don't ask any more questions."
Her voice was no longer as cheerful and cheerful as before, but low and deep.
"I'm not asking, I'm just worried about you. Did you suffer a lot during those two months of summer vacation?"
Chen Zan lowered his eyes and agreed.
Chen Zan had a really hard time during the two months of summer vacation after the college entrance examination. Lou Yan punished and scolded her all day long, locked her up at home and never had a good face.
She also knew that this was wrong and that she shouldn't joke about her future, but she just wanted to give it a try, to try to live a life that was not arranged by Lou Yan.
"It's all in the past."
"But Aunt Lou did it for you, Zhanzhan. I won't question your choice, but it was definitely wrong of you to change your application without Aunt Lou's knowledge," the voice on the phone said, gradually becoming more serious. "Aunt Lou has been very strict with you since you were a child because you're her only child. She loves you, so she's so strict with you. Don't blame her."
"I never blamed her." Chen Zan stammered, feeling aggrieved. "I also know she did all this for my own good."
But the method is wrong, it will only hurt her heart over and over again.
"In that case, go home early."
"No, Brother Jiang Yu." Chen Zan refused without thinking, "I'll go back tomorrow morning."
After that phone call, the atmosphere between her and Lou Yan had not yet eased. She would be left out in the cold if she went back, and might even be nagged and lectured by her again.
If that's the case, she might as well go back later.
Jiang Yu understood her plan after hearing a word. He smiled on the other end of the phone and advised sincerely, "I know what you are thinking. Aunt Lou has a sharp tongue but a soft heart. Zhanzhan, you don't want to keep this kind of no-contact relationship with her, do you?"
Chen Zhan felt a little bit relieved, but he was afraid that it was just wishful thinking. His rebellious spirit took over and he said, "She is the one who has been brooding over it and angry with me. This is clearly her own problem."
It was the first time he heard her speak to him in such a tone. Jiang Yu was amused and catered to her temper, continuing her words: "So, our Zhanzhan should be more magnanimous and not make a fuss about her, right?"
She didn't care much about it, she just hoped that one day in the future, Lou Yan would understand her feelings and stop forcing her to do things she didn't like.
Things had come to this point, and Chen Zhan had no choice but to agree.
Jiang Yu told her that he was coming to pick her up, and they agreed on a meeting place, then hung up the phone.
After explaining the situation to He Shiyi, she mercifully let him go. "Then go home quickly. You don't have to worry about me here."
"Okay, I'm leaving now. If you need anything, just call me."
Chen Zan packed up his things, waved goodbye to her, and left the ward.
With one less person in the ward, it was much quieter. He Shiyi leaned back on the bed, her arms folded across her chest, pretending to be lost in thought as she pondered the phone call Chen Zan had just made. She accidentally overheard their conversation, not much, but she managed to make out a few things.
Chen Zan called the person on the phone "brother".
It's a man.
Judging from the tone of her voice just now, it seemed quite intimate.
This is...something's going on.
He Shiyi's eyes suddenly lit up, as if he had discovered a new world.
But the next second, someone tapped his forehead with a finger.
"Ah." Her thoughts were interrupted. She came back to her senses and raised her hand to cover her mouth. She also looked up and saw He Jingsui standing in front of her. "Brother? Why are you here?"
She frowned slightly, and her pitiful expression was quite rich. He Jingsui slowly raised the corner of his lips and teased her, "Why, did I disturb your daydream with the handsome guy?"
He replaced the gentian in the glass bottle standing at the head of the bed with a new one, with crystal clear water droplets still remaining on the petals.
He Shiyi looked at the flower and smiled. Her favorite was Platycodon grandiflorum. She didn't respond to his joke. Suddenly she realized why he came here, "So you brought me flowers."
Her eyes were curved with a smile, and her face was bright and lively.
Just as he was about to say "thank you, brother", He Jingsui blocked his gratitude with one sentence, "Jiang Qiannan bought it for you."
"Jiang Qiannan?" He Shiyi was so surprised that she didn't react. She blinked blankly.
He Jing turned his head and met her almost dumbfounded eyes, "You're not calling me brother anymore?"
This is not the point. He Shiyi was a little confused. "Why did he buy me flowers?"
"I guess it's because they have too much money and nowhere to spend it."
“…”
He Shiyi didn't think too much about why Jiang Qiannan bought her flowers. Compared to that, she was very curious now, and she didn't care who the person was, so she pulled He Jingsui to share everything.
"Brother, I discovered something."
He Jingsui sat on the bench next to the bed. His phone rang, and he pulled it out to reply. Unsure of what she was trying to say, He Jingsui paid some attention and asked, "What's going on?"
"Zhanzhan seems to be secretly in love."
He Jing paused typing and looked up at her. His sharp eyes seemed to be testing the truthfulness of her words, but they softened in a moment.
Then he lowered his eyes and continued typing back to the message on his phone, looking nonchalant and saying, "Other people's business, what does it have to do with you?"
"Of course this has something to do with me," He Shiyi said, "She is my best friend."
She looked at He Jingsui, who hadn't changed at all because of this, and was even indifferent. Her gossiping thoughts died down, and her desires shrank by more than half. She lost her mood and said, "Forget it, you probably don't like to hear this either. I'll find someone else."
As He Shiyi spoke, he took out his cell phone from beside his pillow and chatted with others typing with a smile.
She was chatting seriously and didn't notice He Jingsui's glance towards her at all.
…
Chen Zan and Jiang Yu agreed to meet near the hospital. When she arrived there, Jiang Yu had already arrived.
While she was still looking around for someone, Jiang Yu was the first to see her and waved to her, "Zhanzhan!"
Hearing the sound, Chen Zan saw a man in a black car on the side of the road. His impression of Jiang Yu was still stuck in a few years ago. The young man was tall and graceful, gentle and bright, and his smile was always like a spring breeze. But now, he has shed his youthfulness and is adorned with maturity, becoming a steady adult.
She walked over with a smile and greeted him, "Brother Jiang Yu."
Jiang Yu got out of the car and went to meet him. He was wearing an ordinary white shirt with his cuffs rolled up to his elbows. His collar had two buttons undone, revealing his collarbone.
He is still the handsome young man in my memory.
"haven't seen you for a long time."
Jiang Yu smiled, and his gentle eyes were filled with warm sunshine, falling into her eyes.
Chen Zhan joked with him, "It's been a long time indeed."
"You have no conscience," Jiang Yu raised his hand to scratch her nose and said it deliberately for her to hear, "In all these years, you haven't even called your brother, and you haven't even read or replied to the emails I sent you."
Chen Zhan raised his hand and touched his nose, explaining, "I'm just worried you'll be busy. Besides, I was really busy with school when you left. I wanted to reply to your email, but you know my mom is very strict about keeping me from using electronic devices."
Jiang Yu said it with a bit of grievance, and smiled softly.
Then the two got in the car.
On the way, Jiang Yu asked her about her college life and how she was not used to studying at the beginning of college. Chen Zan answered all his questions one by one.
Thinking of their meeting place, Jiang Yu asked again: "Why did you arrange to meet near the hospital? Are you not feeling well?"
Chen Zan said, "It's not me, it's my roommate. She has acute appendicitis. I was planning to go home tomorrow, so I'll spend more time with her today."
"Aren't there any family members here?" he asked casually.
Chen Zhan was stunned for a moment, but didn't hide it. "...Yes, I have a brother."
"Then don't worry anymore, Zhanzhan," Jiang Yu turned to look at her, "Your roommate has a brother here, so it's not convenient for you to stay there."
The implication is that she is an outsider.
Chen Zan felt a little sad, with his eyelashes drooping slightly and in a low mood.
Jiang Yu was right. If it weren't for her roommate, she would have no relationship with the brother and sister.
The car drove into a villa park. Jiang Yu sent Chen Zan to the door of her home. She got out of the car and waved goodbye to Jiang Yu.
"Come in quickly and have a good chat with Aunt Lou."
"Um."
The car window was slowly rolled up to block out the view, and the car started and drove away.
After watching the car drive away, Chen Zhan withdrew her gaze and turned to look at her home. Standing there, she felt a little hesitant. After some mental preparation, she walked in.
Lou Yan is a high school math teacher. She didn’t have any classes in the afternoon, so she went home early.
On a leisurely afternoon, she was sitting on the sofa in the living room looking at the lesson plan. She heard some noise at the door and subconsciously looked up.
Chen Zan walked in from the entrance.
Perhaps he hadn't expected her to be at home. When he met her eyes, which were as calm as water, Chen Zhan was obviously startled and called her softly, "Mom..."
"Didn't you say you'd be back tomorrow?" Lou Yan turned a page of the lesson plan in her hand. She pushed the gold-rimmed glasses on the bridge of her nose, and her voice was indifferent and emotionless, as if she was just asking casually.
Their communication has always been like this.
There is very little emotion involved, and Chen Zan has long been accustomed to it.
As usual, she replied: "Brother Jiang Yu called me and asked me to come back early so that I could have a good chat with you."
They both knew what they wanted to talk about.
But Lou Yan directly rejected this request. "At this point, there is nothing more to talk about. All you can do now is to finish your university studies well. I will find a way to arrange for you to go abroad later."
She hasn't given up on letting her study abroad.
Chen Zhan frowned, feeling unhappy and furious. Even the raised tone of his voice was a little anxious. "Mom, I said I won't go abroad. Why do you always like to make decisions for me without my permission?"
"From childhood to adulthood, you have always controlled me. I never had the right to choose." Chen Zhan became more and more anxious. "I understand your painstaking efforts, but I am grown up now. I can take responsibility for myself and for my future..."
“Bang!”
She slammed the closed book onto the coffee table with a loud bang, interrupting Chen Zan's voice.
The heart that wanted to break free from her restraints was beating hotly. She looked at Lou Yan, whose face was extremely bad, with a look of sorrow in her eyes, and listened to her say: "So, I have been taking care of you for so many years, or is it my fault?"
Chen Zhan opened his lips to explain, but then he heard her say, "I've worked so hard to train you, to make you outstanding, because I hope that others will look up to you when you enter society. Is that wrong?"
"No, I didn't..." Chen Zhan shook his head, "Mom, that's not what I meant..."
"I taught you step by step, but what about you? How did you repay me? You suddenly changed your application to the Art Academy without telling me. Didn't I tell you a long time ago that art wasn't the path for you?" She became more and more angry as she spoke, even a little overwhelmed. "What's wrong with Jingbei University? It's a top-notch institution! It's hundreds and thousands of times better than that art academy of yours. I really don't know what's going on in your head! You've persisted for so many years, Chen Zan, why did you choose to give up at the last step?"
She felt more aggrieved than ever before, her eyes were full of tears and her throat was choked.
Even though he was so sad that he could hardly speak, Chen Zhan still stubbornly raised his wet eyes and told her with a trembling voice, "Because I want to make a choice for myself."
Even if the final result is not what she wants, she still wants to make a choice for herself.
The author has something to say:
----------------------
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
