After parting ways, Zheng Yang returned home.
Zheng Shiqiang naturally asked her, “Did you have a good time?”
Zheng Yang still had the lingering shock from Wu Chun’s words, so she wasn’t feeling very lighthearted.
She just smiled, nodded, and hummed in agreement.
Zheng Shiqiang, however, wasn’t planning to let it go so easily.
He probed further, “Did you have a fight?”
“Ah, no, no!”
“Then you didn’t have much fun.”
+Zheng Shiqiang chuckled.
“Did you find Wu Chun childish? Couldn’t really play along?”
Zheng Yang sighed.
“Dad, nothing gets past you…”
“In the end, she’s just a little girl. What could she possibly hide?”
A little girl?
If that were really the case, then of course she couldn’t hide anything.
But my essence is that of a 38-year-old.
Sigh, why keep fixating on being 38? Especially after Wu Chun pointed it out…
“But Dad, thinking she was childish was only at the beginning. Later, I felt that Chun Chun, this kid, seems simple on the surface, but she’s actually really not simple.”
“‘Chun Chun, this kid’?”
Zheng Shiqiang laughed at her “little adult” tone.
“When will you truly realize that you yourself are also a child?”
“I…”
Zheng Yang blushed, realizing she had too many habits that needed changing.
“Alright, then tell me, where is she not simple?”
Zheng Yang hesitated for a moment, but still told Zheng Shiqiang about Wu Chun’s assessment of her.
Zheng Shiqiang was also somewhat surprised, but then laughed.
“Hmm, unexpected, but also not unexpected. Wu Chun’s father, your principal, is my best friend. Although he’s several years younger than me, he’s a very thoughtful person… I think calling him an educator isn’t an exaggeration. It’s quite reasonable that he raised a daughter with such depth.”
“Yeah, anyway, I won’t underestimate Chun Chun from now on.”
Zheng Shiqiang said, “I have a feeling you two will become lifelong friends, just like her father and your dad here.”
Hearing this, Zheng Yang felt a warmth in her heart.
Old Zheng’s words carried a sense of inheritance, as if she, Zheng Yang, could truly act as his biological daughter and, together with Wu Chun, carry on the deep friendship of their fathers’ generation.
Awareness was one thing, but when Wu Chun came to find Zheng Yang again the next day, thinking of those little girls’ games, especially the “dance machine,” she instinctively wanted to shrink back.
Let me recover, let me recover a bit…
So today, Zheng Yang planned to feign illness.
After welcoming Wu Chun inside, she grabbed a cushion, poured a cup of hot water, and leaned back on the sofa, sipping it noisily.
“Chun Chun, sorry, I’m not feeling too well today. A bit dizzy, and it gets worse when I walk. How about we just play at home?”
“Sure, that’s fine!”
“Perfect! That new anime season you mentioned yesterday? Let’s watch it together!”
Wu Chun clapped her hands happily, looking like it suited her just fine.
But Zheng Yang had miscalculated again.
She had been at Zheng Shiqiang’s house for some days now but had hardly ever watched TV—that 38-year-old soul had long lost interest in current television.
So when she searched for the anime, everything required a VIP membership to watch.
The VIP cost 360 yuan, and the pocket money Zheng Shiqiang had given her was exactly 330 yuan short—all because she had insisted on paying the bill yesterday.
She knew Wu Chun had pocket money, but how could she bring herself to ask for it?
She had no choice but to put on an act and go over to Zheng Shiqiang.
“Dad, didn’t you buy a TV VIP membership?”
This look of wanting something but being too embarrassed to say it outright always amused Zheng Shiqiang.
Zheng Shiqiang didn’t say anything either.
He just went to the TV, scanned the code, and made the payment.
Zheng Yang still wanted to explain that she had 330 yuan and he didn’t need to pay the full amount, when she heard Wu Chun sweetly call out, “Thank you, Uncle!”
“Don’t stand on ceremony with your uncle!” Zheng Shiqiang said, then threw Zheng Yang a meaningful glance.
With Zheng Yang’s life experience, she naturally understood.
That look was saying, “Look at how Chun Chun does it. Learn from her!”
While watching TV, Wu Chun kept holding Zheng Yang’s arm, clasping her hand.
During funny parts, she would often laugh and rest her head on Zheng Yang’s shoulder.
Just like his wife Bai Jie did in the first year of their marriage, but never again from the second year onward.
She wasn’t very interested in the anime on TV.
However, Wu Chun’s small hands and arms were soft and carried a faint scent of shower gel…
Spending a whole day stuck to such a beautiful girl was actually quite worthwhile.
At noon, Zheng Shiqiang cooked for his two “daughters.”
Zheng Yang wanted to help, but Zheng Shiqiang swatted her bottom and shooed her out.
Rubbing her bottom, Zheng Yang returned to Wu Chun’s side.
Wu Chun giggled and pulled her close again, then just called out towards the kitchen, “Thanks for your hard work, Uncle!” This made Zheng Shiqiang so happy he practically bounced, cooking with even more gusto.
Watching Zheng Shiqiang’s happy expression, Zheng Yang had to admit that there were many things about Wu Chun she should learn.
When you give someone a rose, your hand retains its fragrance; when you receive a rose, your heart retains its echo.
Being able to happily and generously accept the kindness of others—isn’t that also a form of fulfillment?
She understood this principle, but she had never been able to do it.
Maybe from now on, she should start to change.
That day, Zheng Yang also began to actively hold Wu Chun’s hand, just like she had seen countless times with two inseparable girls.
When Wu Chun was about to leave in the afternoon, Zheng Yang mustered her courage and said, “Chun Chun, let’s swap the rings from yesterday. I’ll wear your name, and you wear mine. That’s called ‘mutually possessing each other’!”
To her, not only were such words unbearably cheesy, but she also mocked herself inwardly: a 38-year-old man having to muster courage to say this to a 15-year-old girl…
Yet for some unclear reason, she still wanted to say it.
Moreover, she was afraid Wu Chun would refuse.
She hoped she would agree…
She knew Wu Chun would probably agree, but even if there was only a one-in-a-thousand chance of rejection, in the past, she wouldn’t have dared to try.
What she didn’t expect was that her line, which she thought was the cheesiest—”mutually possessing each other”—seemed to perfectly hit Wu Chun’s girlish heart.
Wu Chun agreed with delight and even hugged and kissed her.
Oh, heavens…
In that moment, Zheng Yang felt her bones were about to melt.
Just as Zheng Yang was beginning to look forward to Wu Chun’s next visit, Wu Chun called to say she had gotten her period, was feeling very uncomfortable, and would come find her again once she felt better.
At home, Zheng Yang skillfully picked up the mop to clean the floor, an uncontrollable sense of loss rising in her heart.
Is a period that uncomfortable?
So bad you can’t leave the house? It can’t be that serious…
Could it be she thinks I’m not enthusiastic enough, so she’s starting to cool off towards me too? That shouldn’t be the case, after all, she was so happy exchanging rings yesterday…
What’s wrong with me…
She’s just a little girl.
Is she really worth making me feel like this?
Come to think of it, I haven’t had my period yet…
Could there be something wrong with this body? My chest is already this big, and still no period…
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