Chapter 4, Mr. Jiang! Please restrain yourself a little! ...
"I've known her for much longer than you have."
The ambiguous words reached Su Cheng's ears, and a hint of surprise flashed in her round almond-shaped eyes.
Just a few days ago, this person was acting all formal and polite, introducing himself in a serious manner. How come he suddenly seems so familiar with me?
Did he recognize himself?
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Seven years ago, Su Cheng barely squeezed into Linhai No. 1 Middle School with her bottom-ranked entrance exam scores. Her parents didn't have any expectations for her to succeed, and she herself just wanted to be a quiet, unambitious person.
Jiang Muzhou, on the other hand, was always the top student in his grade, a star student in the innovation class, the "other people's child" in the eyes of his parents, and a promising prospect for Tsinghua and Peking Universities in the eyes of his teachers.
When Su Cheng first heard of this person, an image immediately popped into her mind of a bookworm with a buzz cut, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, and who only knew how to study.
But when the bookish nerd she had imagined stood on the podium to speak on behalf of the new students, she realized she was completely wrong.
The boy was tall and slender, his school uniform shirt hanging loosely on his body, revealing a slender wrist at the cuff.
Her fair face was delicate and beautiful, especially her slightly upturned peach blossom eyes, which were like pools of clear spring water rippling in the water, making it impossible for anyone to look away.
"A gentleman of modesty and integrity" is perhaps the most direct way to describe him.
The golden sunrise spreads across the entirety of youth, its light pulsating with inexhaustible vitality, just like the tireless energy of a sixteen or seventeen-year-old.
The morning light, like a veil, outlined the boy's sharply defined profile, and his own radiance was more dazzling and captivating than the rising sun.
Su Cheng stared blankly at his face, secretly marveling at how biased Nuwa was when creating humans, managing to create such a perfect masterpiece with exquisite features, outstanding academic achievements, and even a clear and melodious voice.
He smiled gently, his voice warm and gentle yet each word resounding: "The world is vast, and everyone's light can illuminate a corner of the earth."
Amidst thunderous applause, her heart suddenly skipped a beat.
So this is what it feels like to be moved.
Jiang Muzhou became famous overnight at the opening ceremony, and his name spread to every corner of the school.
Girls from other classes would often pace back and forth in the corridor, pretending to casually pass by his classroom. The older girls even devised all sorts of excuses, from checking eye exercises to compiling club registration forms, just waiting for that handsome figure to glance up by chance, so they could cherish that fleeting glimpse into their youthful memories.
Su Cheng wasn't that bold; she only dared to mingle with the noisy crowd during breaks during the first week of each month, when Jiang Muzhou's seat was moved to the window.
Simply by turning your head casually, you can get a full view of the right side of his face.
Sometimes, when her gaze unexpectedly met his eyes, she would lower her head and flee in panic, like a startled rabbit.
But after escaping back to her seat, she covered her slightly burning cheeks, a sweet feeling quietly welling up inside her.
Perhaps unrequited love is like a game of hide-and-seek: when you can't see someone, you search anxiously, and when you do see them, you run away in a panic.
-
But Jiang Muzhou knew none of this.
Apart from Su Cheng, no one else knew.
Before I could even process what was happening, the Decepticon in the carrier suddenly became agitated, slapping its paw against the wire mesh as if protesting the restriction on its freedom.
Su Cheng snapped out of her reverie and quickly took the flight case from Jiang Muzhou's hands. "Let me settle it in first, wait for me a little while."
She picked up the restless Decepticon and strode towards the pre-prepared isolation room. Rapid scratching sounds came from inside the carrier, and the metal mesh was scraped by the cat's claws, making a harsh noise.
As the door opened, Jiang Muzhou's deep voice unexpectedly came from behind: "Okay, Yuanbao and I will wait for you."
Su Cheng felt her cheeks burning, and she quickly closed the door to shut out the noise.
Jiang Muzhou's voice was as sweet and soft as if it had been soaked in honey; it was a tone she had never heard before.
In high school, Jiang Muzhou's desk drawer was always stuffed with love letters of various colors, and girls would always blush and wait for him to pass by in the corridor. But those courageous confessions were always met with his polite rejections.
He was like the warm sun in winter, radiating a gentle light, yet always hidden behind thick clouds, making it impossible for anyone to touch his warmth.
Now, he seems to have shed his former aloofness, and when he speaks to her, a person who is almost a stranger, he does so with an intimacy that makes one blush and their heart race.
Su Cheng unlocked the flight case, and the Decepticon tentatively stepped out with its front paws.
Its pointed ears are pressed back, resembling "airplane ears," its pupils are constricted to a thin line, and its tail hangs low, parallel to the ground.
After confirming that the surrounding area was safe, it began to move slowly and cautiously, its nose trembling as it sniffed every corner.
After a thorough inspection, Decepticon finally selected the cat's nest in the corner as its favorite. It curled its entire body into a tight arc and cautiously lay down inside.
After observing the situation of the Decepticons, Su Cheng returned to the living room, only to find Jiang Muzhou sitting comfortably on her sofa.
His long legs were naturally crossed, and his arms were casually resting on the armrests, giving him the air of a master.
Lin Yang was still leaning against the wall in the entryway.
Upon seeing Su Cheng emerge, he immediately straightened up, his eyes suddenly lighting up like stars. "Senior, a new hot pot restaurant just opened near the back gate of the school. Want to go try it together?"
Su Cheng turned around, her gaze lingering briefly on the living room. Jiang Muzhou remained in the same posture, seemingly unconcerned about the conversation taking place.
She averted her gaze, forcing a smile: "Not today, I have work to do later."
Lin Yang's gaze shifted between her and Jiang Muzhou, the starlight in her eyes dimming slightly. She raised an eyebrow meaningfully, "It's not just a simple customer, is it?"
Su Cheng smiled, neither confirming nor denying.
“Okay, then I’ll come back to see Decepticons another day~” Lin Yang’s tone rose slightly, carrying the unique vigor of a young man, “Remember to feed it its favorite cat lollipop.”
Jiang Muzhou's gaze swept across the living room furnishings, but paused imperceptibly in front of the TV cabinet, where several sets of photos were neatly arranged, probably taken during Su Cheng's university years. In the very center was a handmade cat photo frame, with a few childish sequins stuck to the crooked cat ears.
His fingers casually fiddled with the watch strap on his wrist. Beneath his seemingly lazy demeanor, his sharp eyes narrowed slightly, and his ears twitched almost imperceptibly, taking in every word of the conversation between the two people in the entryway.
Judging from the term "senior sister," the relationship between the two has not yet made any substantial progress.
In terms of physique, that kid was so thin that a gust of wind could knock him over; in terms of appearance, he didn't even have a third of the charisma of the other.
That cheap, worthless smile infuriated him.
What's most infuriating is that this young man, who is inferior to him in every way, can chat and laugh with Su Cheng.
Could it be that I acted too aloof before? Or does she just like that cheap, worthless smile?
And then there's the "cat lollipop" thing! They actually took advantage of Su Cheng's sympathy for kittens. How despicable!
Noticing that Su Cheng's gaze was still fixed on the doorway, Jiang Muzhou clenched his jaw tightly.
He quietly walked behind her, trying his best to imitate Lin Yang's earlier actions, blinked, and revealed a smile that even he himself found repulsive.
Su Cheng turned around and was startled by Jiang Muzhou, who was standing right in front of her.
He was actually grinning!
Throughout her three years of high school, she saw him smile countless times: the triumphant smile when he won a physics competition, the exhilarating smile when he won a basketball championship, and the polite, distant smile when he rejected other girls' confessions.
But never before have I shown eight perfectly aligned, white teeth like this, as if I were filming a toothpaste commercial.
"Teacher Su, why doesn't our Yuanbao have a cat lollipop?" Seeing that Su Cheng was unmoved, Jiang Muzhou decided to join forces with Lin Yang and imitated the sunny, cheerful feeling of a college student in his tone as cheerful and relaxed as possible.
Su Cheng felt as if she had been struck by lightning. She shrank back, unable to bear looking at Jiang Muzhou like this.
He and Lin Yang were just sneaking around together. Could they have secretly made some strange deal?
I really wanted to reach out and pinch his cheek to see if it was Lin Yang in disguise.
But considering how diligently Yuanbao cooperated with the training, it wouldn't hurt to give the little guy an extra meal.
She pulled her arms back, squeezed past Jiang Muzhou into the living room, and tiptoed to reach a cat-shaped lollipop from the cabinet.
This is a pet treat made from a blend of freeze-dried chicken and cat grass, rich in various vitamins, and is very popular with the cats at the rescue center. It's just unknown whether Yuanbao, this little prince who's used to imported snacks, will like this.
Lin Yang's move was indeed brilliant.
The sound of Yuanbao scratching at the door came from next door again. His little paws kept scratching at the door, making a rustling sound that seemed to urge him on.
A hint of heartache flashed in Jiang Muzhou's eyes. He took three steps in two to reach the door and quickly pressed the fingerprint lock.
Su Cheng followed behind him and heard that familiar electronic female voice again: Welcome home.
Upon seeing its owner return, Yuanbao's drooping tail received the signal, bobbing up high and curving into a question mark.
He wore a brown and beige plaid tie around his neck, looking every bit the young British gentleman.
Jiang Muzhou was still changing his shoes when Yuanbao impatiently came over.
Its fluffy tail wrapped around his legs like vines, and its furry head rubbed back and forth against his trouser leg, as if expressing its deep longing.
The man who had been squatting suddenly stood up, grabbed Yuanbao by the armpits with both hands, and lifted it up to eye level.
He lowered his head slightly and gently touched Yuanbao's wet nose with the tip of his nose. Then he raised the corners of his mouth and his pouting lips left several loud "boob" sounds on Yuanbao's round, chubby face.
Yuanbao raised its two little cat paws, and its soft, elastic paw pads gently pressed against Jiang Muzhou's cheeks, as if protesting, or perhaps being affectionate.
Su Cheng, who was behind him, froze instantly upon seeing this scene.
She immediately identified the root cause of Yuanbao's separation anxiety.
"Mr. Jiang! Please restrain yourself for a moment!"
A note from the author:
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