Chapter 15 The tumultuous events of my teenage years...
At first, Su Cheng didn't understand what Jiang Muzhou meant by "I will take responsibility".
One day after dinner, he followed her downstairs to throw out the cat litter and begged her to take him for a walk on the community's path.
Su Cheng is someone who gets tired very easily; she will never sit if she can lie down, and she will never stand if she can sit.
Jiang Muzhou said this was a sign of insufficient qi and blood. He started preparing iron-rich foods such as red dates and pork liver every day and insisted on following the health concept of "walking a hundred steps after meals and living to ninety-nine".
Even after the sun has set, the summer night is still quite sultry, and even the wind carries a hint of heat.
Su Cheng leaned against the horizontal bar, fanning herself with her hand, and said, "There's a stray cat adoption event at the rescue station this Saturday. I might be busy until very late, so don't wait for me to eat."
Jiang Muzhou thought of Lin Yang and asked calmly, "Where is she?"
"Huiju Mall." Su Cheng blinked, her delicate eyelashes fluttering slightly. "You're planning to adopt a second child?"
He narrowed his eyes slightly. "Let's see if there's anyone we click with."
"Can't it be square?" Su Cheng tilted her head and grinned at him. "Last time I rescued a litter of long-haired silver shaded dogs, and their little square heads looked like TVs."
Seeing her smiling happily, Jiang Muzhou felt that the distance between them had narrowed a bit.
He laughed along, mimicking her earlier tone and jokingly saying, "Phonetic puns will get you fined."
Su Cheng tilted her head back, leaning lazily against the single bar, and rubbed her aching thighs intermittently.
She has always disliked the heat, so she doesn't have a good impression of the sweltering summer.
If there's one good thing about summer, it's probably that the sky is clear and the stars shine even brighter after nightfall.
People often say that the departed will transform into stars in the sky, gazing upon the world's lingering affections with gentle eyes.
What about the kittens? They're so small, if they turned into stars too, would she be able to see them?
After Little Fold's ear left, she secretly went to the rooftop to look at the stars, hoping to find Little Fold's shadow in the boundless Milky Way.
That night, a sudden downpour occurred, and in the rain she discovered a kitten that was barely alive, and immediately took it to a veterinary hospital.
She had saved up her allowance for a long time, but it wasn't enough to cover all the medical expenses. Fortunately, a kind person adopted the kitten the next day and covered all the costs.
She thought that perhaps the little folded ear was guiding her in some mysterious way, helping its kind.
"Let's go." Jiang Muzhou stood a few steps away, the evening breeze ruffling his bangs and revealing his smiling eyes. "What happened to our promise of a hundred steps after dinner?"
"What do you mean by 'a hundred steps'!" Su Cheng pouted and complained, "I've clearly walked almost a thousand steps."
She clung to the pole like a koala clinging to a tree trunk, refusing to let go.
Wanting to slack off a little longer, a sprightly grandmother with gray hair walked towards the horizontal bar.
Su Cheng subconsciously stepped aside, and saw the old man easily jump up, grab the bar, and do five standard pull-ups in a row.
"How many can you make?" Jiang Muzhou asked, suppressing a laugh, as he nudged her lightly with his elbow.
Su Cheng's eyes widened in shock. She spread her hands and said, "I can only hang on it."
To avoid the tragedy of not being able to buy eggs at the supermarket when she gets old, Su Cheng reluctantly agreed to continue her walking tour.
She recalled her high school physical education class, where the whole grade lined up to jog around the track. Her class was right behind Jiang Muzhou's class, and she practically stomped her legs out to get closer to him.
Now, walking alongside him, I realize that walking side by side is such an ordinary little thing.
Sometimes, when I reminisce about my youth, it's not because of any particular person, but because I miss the simple version of myself that would run with all my might for a simple moment of walking side by side.
"Do you think we should change the name of the Decepticons?" Jiang Muzhou asked thoughtfully.
Su Cheng turned her head, her high ponytail swaying with her movement. "What brilliant ideas does the photographer from Jiang University have?"
Under her influence, Decepticon has transformed from a domineering and aloof kitten into a well-behaved kitten who can be petted, cuddled, and kissed—a model of cat behavior. Every day, it sleeps at her feet like a guardian angel, and meows softly, begging for a pat.
Jiang Muzhou rested his chin on his hand and pondered for a moment.
"I've got it!" Su Cheng had a flash of inspiration. Her eyelashes fluttered twice, and the dim streetlights shone on her amber pupils, making them look clear. "How about taking my surname and being named Su Hu?"
After she finished speaking, she couldn't hold back anymore and burst into laughter.
“Then you might as well take my surname.” Jiang Muzhou suppressed a laugh. “It’s called ‘Jianghu’ (江湖), which has a lot of poetic meaning.”
"Who do you think you are, trying to steal my surname!" Su Cheng put her hands on her hips, wrinkled her nose slightly, and said seriously, "When others hear this, they'll think it's 'paste'."
She lowered her head and pondered, "I'll think about it carefully..."
Just as Su Cheng turned around and took half a step, she was suddenly pulled back by a force.
His warm palm gripped her wrist, and with a gentle pull, she fell straight into his arms.
What are you doing?
A refreshing minty scent wafted over, causing Su Cheng's chest to heave violently, her entire being filled with utter bewilderment.
Is this a case of resorting to seduction and selling one's looks to secure the Decepticons' right to bear their surname?
Confused, her eyelashes trembled frantically. She held her breath slightly, but her heart continued to race uncontrollably.
"Don't move." Jiang Muzhou placed his hand on her waist, blocking her retreat.
His warm breath brushed against her face, and his voice was low, "Do me a favor."
Near the entrance of the residential area, pedestrians come and go in an endless stream.
Su Cheng was practically pressed against Jiang Muzhou's body, and through the thin fabric, she could clearly feel that his body temperature was slightly higher than hers.
Her mind went blank for a moment, and in a daze, she seemed to hear someone calling his name in the distance.
Her tall figure completely blocked the light from the street lamp, and her body was shrouded in shadow.
The close proximity made her afraid to look up, her gaze forced to be fixed on his lips, which were slightly parted and glistening like a grapefruit.
Su Cheng bit her lower lip hard, trying to suppress the turmoil in her heart with the brief pain.
Her fingers suddenly tightened, gripping the hem of her T-shirt tightly, and a thin layer of sweat appeared on her palms.
Between their intermittent breaths, Jiang Muzhou suddenly leaned down, his hand on the back of her head applying slight pressure, his nose almost touching hers, their hot breaths mingling in the small space.
She was forced to crane her neck, and as their eyes met, she clearly saw her own panicked reflection in his clear pupils.
I don't know how much time passed, maybe half a minute, or maybe just a few seconds. Time seemed to have been slowed down, becoming immeasurable.
Jiang Muzhou's gaze lingered on her shoulder for a moment before he finally released his grip on her waist.
He took a half step back to create some distance, his knuckles clenched so tightly at his sides that they turned white. "Sorry."
“Zhang Xiwen was over there just now.” He lowered his eyes, his gaze sweeping over her still-blushing cheeks before quickly looking away. “She’s been coming to see me a lot lately.”
He thought she might not remember who Zhang Xiwen was, so he added, "She used to go to the same high school as us."
Su Cheng realized that his intimate actions just now were an act for Zhang Xiwen.
"So you're using me as a shield?" She turned away with a hint of regret and walked home, her words carrying a touch of defiance. "Isn't it nice to see an old friend?"
“We’re not exactly old friends,” Jiang Muzhou said solemnly. “I’m not familiar with her.”
Although Su Cheng always found various high-sounding reasons to justify her attraction to Jiang Muzhou—role models who inspired her studies, the instinct of attraction between the sexes, and the most common excuse she used to justify herself—each reason was respectable enough, rational enough, and enough to allow her to maintain a composed facade in front of Jiang Muzhou.
But just now, their hearts resonated at the same frequency across their chests, and a powerful surge of emotion returned. She belatedly realized that the aftershocks of that tumultuous experience from her teenage years were still lingering.
"I heard she's pursuing you." Su Cheng pursed her lips, tasting the metallic flavor of blood seeping from her lower lip.
She took a deep breath and tried to keep her tone calm. "Her family seems to own a media company, which should be helpful to your career."
"You think I'm incapable of making money?" Jiang Muzhou slowed his pace, a look of doubt on his face. "You want to climb the social ladder by relying on women?"
"That's not what I meant." She looked down and twisted her fingers, looking busy, but it was unclear what she was busy with. "Isn't that how it's always portrayed in TV dramas? Wealthy families exchange benefits through marriage, forming powerful alliances to monopolize resources."
"Where did you hear that from?" He chuckled. "I don't know about others, but at least I can control my own marriage."
Having built up the conversation to this point, Su Cheng wanted to press further: since he had no feelings for Zhang Xiwen, what type of girl did he like?
But she felt she had no right to ask these questions, so she remained silent.
Summer nights are really strange. Just a few minutes ago it was unbearably hot, but now she felt a little cool.
Noticing her hesitation, Jiang Muzhou asked her, "What do you want to say?"
"What's your short video account called again?" Su Cheng suppressed her troubled thoughts and casually changed the subject. "I'll follow you to help your career."
He paused, then asked confirming, "Account?"
Su Cheng blinked blankly: "Yeah, weren't we supposed to release a documentary about the Decepticons?"
Jiang Muzhou choked. He probably really wasn't good at guessing what girls were thinking. She had clearly saved his photos and left him comments, so why was she acting like she knew nothing about it now?
He suppressed his inner doubts and replied in a deep voice, "I'll let you know when it's sent."
After returning home, Jiang Muzhou sat alone in front of the computer screen.
He doesn't like to daydream.
That state of complete mental relaxation and complete mental stillness has never been a part of him.
He is more accustomed to keeping his nerves on edge, drawing his consciousness to its fullest extent, systematically clarifying all aspects of the situation, and skillfully managing the overall situation.
But when faced with Su Cheng, he was unusually at a loss for words.
He and she weren't exactly close; he could only use their thin connection as neighbors to gradually find out her preferences and learn about her life.
As if sensing his thoughts, Yuanbao jumped onto his lap after a long time, rubbing its warm head against his palms, and finally rolled over, revealing its soft belly.
He gently tapped Yuanbao's damp nose with his index finger, his voice filled with unconcealed disappointment: "When do you think she'll remember us?"
A note from the author:
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