Chapter Nineteenth: New Year

  On the day of winter break, our entire dormitory got up early...

  "Zi Chuan, you've been distancing yourself from our dorm lately." This was said by Zhang Ran, and both Xiao Fei and Yang Tian nodded in agreement. I thought about it carefully, and indeed, before I got together with Zhang Ting, I was almost always hanging out with them. After being with Zhang Ting, I gradually drifted away from them, not to mention after what happened.

  "Uh, isn't it just a bit busy? Let's get together properly when school starts," I said apologetically to them, carrying my luggage downstairs to wait for Zhang Ting.

  "Zi Chuan, don't forget, you said you'd come find me during winter break!" I sent Zhang Ting off to the car, and just as I was about to leave, she reminded me of this.

  "Uh-huh! Of course, I won't forget!" Zhang Ting heard my affirmative answer and didn't say anything else. I saw the car she was in slowly driving away, and I turned around to buy a ticket and headed home.

  It's been months since I went back...I guess my parents are worried sick about me.

  My home is in a coastal city in Fujian, and returning home still has that familiar warmth.

  "Zihe, slow down!" My mom reminded me as she saw me wolfing down her dish. This can't be helped, the school food isn't bad, but it's just so boring! But my mom's cooking is always delicious and never gets old!

  "Come on, come on, Zikawa, today we'll have a couple of drinks."

  "You're also telling the kid to drink! You old thing." My mom heard my dad was also urging me to drink and didn't give him a good face.

  "Come on, come on, our son is already so big, you're still controlling him like this. In a few more years, he'll be getting married." My dad said with a flattering smile to my mom, I have no choice, my mom holds the dominant position at home, both my dad and I have to watch her mood.

  "Son, this year mom will arrange a blind date for you."

  I almost spit it out when I heard my mom say that.

  "Mom... I'm only 21! You don't want me to get married as soon as I graduate, do you?!"

  "Is that so? Otherwise when do you plan on getting married?"

  "About 28..." I said weakly, already guessing the outcome, and indeed...

  "You dare to play like this, let's see if I won't hit you!"

  I'm an only child and my parents have spoiled me since I was young, especially my mom who wants to hold her grandchild as soon as possible. So every time she hears me say that I'll get married around 28 years old, she gets angry and jumps up.

  "What do you want to eat tomorrow?" My mom always asks me what I want to eat or if I want any snacks every time she sees me come home... still treating me like a kid, in their eyes I'm just a child who never grows up, and I don't want to grow up either, I wish our family could stay like this forever.

  "Whatever, mom." I suddenly thought of Zhang Ting and wanted to tell them about it since my parents aren't that conservative. "Right, I've found a daughter-in-law for you guys."

  "Where is that girl from?"

  "The city next to us."

  "Oh, take care of yourself, university is just a game, it's best if you can make it to the end." My dad said this to me, I think he's quite fashionable and understanding.

  As for me having a girlfriend, they won't oppose me on anything, it's all up to myself.

  Days passed quickly, and soon it was the Spring Festival. During this time, I called Zhang Ting many times, and she would often remind me not to forget to visit her. Moreover, I felt that if I didn't hear her voice, I couldn't bear it - is this being overly sentimental?

  Of course, I also didn't forget to give Zehong a call.

  "Zihe, what's wrong?"

  When I heard Ze Heng's voice, I felt like he seemed a bit troubled.

  "Haha, Zehong, Happy New Year!"

  "Ah, same to you."

  "Huh? What's wrong with you? You seem unhappy." I felt like something was wrong with him.

  "Ah, we've had some trouble recently with our store closing." I heard a sigh on the other end of the phone from Ze Heng. I quickly asked him, "What's wrong?"

  "Never mind, our master suddenly said he wanted to go to Miaojiang and left without saying goodbye or leaving any instructions. Now that Master Guan is not here, many people who like to cause trouble for us have come to our school to stir up trouble."

  "Now we brothers are preparing to temporarily elect a leader to stabilize the situation... Ah, alright Zi Chuan, let's not talk about it anymore, we need to discuss this first."

  Zehong hung up the phone, what was his master doing in Miaojiang? Forget it, I shouldn't be thinking about this either. When he mentioned his master, I also thought of that old man, my own master... It's been almost three months since I last saw him, he said it would take a few months or maybe even years if everything went smoothly...

  Where did he go! Master, looking at the New Year's atmosphere, all relatives in the family have arrived, I feel that two people are still missing, they are my master and Zhang Ting.

  On the first day of the Lunar New Year, according to our local custom, we can't stay at home and have to go out and play. I remembered that I had an appointment with Zhang Ting, so I told my parents that I was going to meet their daughter-in-law, and they agreed. Then I set off towards Zhang Ting's house.

  Zhang Ting's home is not far from mine, I went to the train station early and bought a ticket to her house, after getting on the train I estimated it would take more than an hour to get there so I took a short nap.

  When I woke up, the bus had already arrived at the station, and the driver woke me up and urged me to get off the bus.

  Arriving in an unfamiliar city, looking at people of all shapes and sizes on the street, and still someone asks me where I'm going... Are they trying to kidnap me?

  I gave Zhang Ting a call, and it was clear that she had no idea I'd arrived already, since I hadn't told her beforehand. I wanted to surprise her, and sure enough, she let out an excited shout on the other end of the phone.

  "Zi Chuan, wait for me at the station, I'll take a car to pick you up right away."

  "No need, you give me your address and I'll take a ride over." When I heard that Zhang Ting was coming to pick me up, I didn't want to, these days there are all kinds of people, I'm afraid something might happen to Zhang Ting.

  "Hey, okay, you take a taxi to People's Square and I'll pick you up when you arrive."

  I hung up the phone and took a taxi over, after arriving I met Zhang Ting at the square landmark to wait for her. I stood in front of the landmark for a while looking around, although it was already past 10 o'clock there were still many middle-aged women dancing gracefully in front of me...

  They were divided into many factions... On one side, they were dancing in the square, on the other side, they were dancing ballroom dance, I was completely absorbed.

  One hand was already holding mine, no need to guess, it must be Zhang Ting.

  "Ting Ting..." I turned my head to look, but it wasn't Zhang Ting, it was a girl I didn't know, and she suddenly appeared holding my hand, which scared me. I saw Zhang Ting smiling at me from not far away.

  "This is my sister, Zhang Yuxin." Zhang Ting walked over, still smiling, I felt like she was playing me.

  "My brother-in-law is great~~~~". Zhang Yuxin pulled her hand out and laughed, calling me "brother-in-law" in a way that made me feel extremely satisfied. But I have to say, the sisters look equally beautiful when they smile.

  "She's gone! Let's go home and have dinner." Go home? No way, Zhang Ting just said that to me a moment ago. She walked over, took my hand, and pulled me along as we left.

  "Huh? Going home?"

  "Yes, going home, my mom is cooking now, I told my parents that there are guests coming today."

  "Ah!! Are your parents so understanding?!" I was secretly delighted, but then...

  "Don't even think about it, I just told them we're classmates, didn't say boyfriend."

  My fantasy was shattered. Zhang Ting and I said that their home is not far from here, on the way, Zhang Yuxin kept calling me "sister-in-law", I almost couldn't bear it.

  I took a look at this little aunt of mine in the future... somehow it feels like calling her "little aunt" is a bit off.

  Age and Zhang Ting are not much different, both are that lovely type, ah, giving me a kind of illusion, all look good...

  Arrived at Zhang Ting's home entrance, which is located in a residential area.

  "Mom, I'm back."

  "Mom, sister brought her boyfriend back." I heard Zhang Ting say this sentence, and Yu Xin shouted out. Embarrassing me.

  "Yu Xin, you're going to die!" Zhang Ting glared at Yu Xin, but Yu Xin didn't care and ran into the kitchen...

  I stood at the door in a daze, this this this... how can I appear more stable? Let them have a better impression of me?

  "What's wrong with you, standing there dazed? Come on in."

  "Uh." I felt like my legs were trembling when I stepped into the house...

  Zhang Ting's home is still a building within a building...

  "Zhang Ting, your boyfriend is here." I saw a middle-aged woman walking out of the kitchen, this was too much. I saw that apart from her, no need to think about it, she must be my future mother-in-law.

  "Mom... don't talk nonsense..." I saw Zhang Ting's face turn red as she lowered her head and said to her mother.

  "Shh... okay, you know your mom, I can accept this, but don't let your dad know, he's very fierce." I saw Zhang Ting's mother telling Zhang Ting to keep her voice down, then smiled at me.

  The three girls in their family have a signature laugh...

  "Come on in, take a seat." Zhang Ting's mother invited me to sit on the sofa and watch TV for a while. I felt a bit uneasy sitting on the sofa, afraid of sitting too loosely... stiffening my waist...

  "Come on, stop pretending." I saw Zhang Ting sitting next to me.

  "Eh, Tingting, where's your dad?"

  "My dad is still working and will be back soon." Hearing Zhang Ting say that her dad hadn't come back yet, I relaxed and leaned against the sofa. But then I sat up straight again...

  "Go ahead, just sit comfortably, don't be too restrained." I lay down and saw Zhang Ting's mother bringing a fruit platter in front of me, my conditioned reflex made me sit up straight, and as a result, they all laughed...

  "Brother-in-law... how did you and my sister get together?" Rain was staring at me with wide eyes.

  "What's with all the questions? You're still young." Zhang Ting answered for me before I could even speak.

  "Sister, it's not fair for you to say that! I'm only a few months younger than you. Why can't I ask?!"

  I saw them two sandwiching me in the middle while quarreling, I was also drunk...

  I just heard the door suddenly open.