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Join the ServerMeanwhile, in the dormitory at Jiang University.
After slowly finishing her strawberries, Tang Shu wiped the corners of her mouth clean and leisurely climbed back onto her bed.
The moment she casually picked up her phone, countless notifications flooded the screen.
99+ unread messages.
Every single one of them was from Shi Zhiyu.
There were also several missed voice calls.
Tang Shu looked utterly confused.
What happened?
Why had he sent so many messages?
Her finger scrolled upward through the chat history.
When she saw the half-finished sentence she had sent earlier, she couldn’t help bursting into laughter.
She had actually sent only half a sentence and then disappeared.
No wonder he had panicked so badly.
Both amused and guilty, Tang Shu quickly began typing, finishing the sentence and explaining everything one message at a time.
Shu Shu Has Candy:
“Otherwise, I might fall too deeply into your gentleness and never be able to pull myself out.”
Shu Shu Has Candy:
“That was the second half of the sentence!”
Shu Shu Has Candy:
“Sorry, Gege. I hadn’t finished typing earlier. My roommate suddenly called me to eat strawberries, so I hurriedly put down my phone. I made you worry~”
The corners of Tang Shu’s lips curled upward.
This was the result of half a month’s worth of flirting.
Now he would take the initiative to tell her he loved her.
He would voluntarily share details of his daily life.
And every now and then, he would tempt her with his body.
Hahaha.
Who would’ve thought the benefits of this job would be so good?
Unfortunately…
She could only admire from afar and not actually touch.
Shi Zhiyu was sitting on a bench on campus.
He saw Tang Shu’s messages immediately.
He was both annoyed and amused.
Could she not send everything in one message?
He had almost booked a flight back to China.
He was ready to go directly to her university and find out what had happened.
Fortunately…
It was just a love confession.
He typed a reply.
Fish:
“Were the strawberries good?”
Shu Shu Has Candy:
“Very good. Very sweet~”
Shi Zhiyu licked his dry lips.
Very sweet?
Then…
Wouldn’t her lips be even sweeter?
He wanted a taste.
Fish:
“I want some too.”
Shu Shu Has Candy:
“Don’t they sell strawberries where you are?”
Shi Zhiyu looked up at the sky.
For some reason, he suddenly really wanted strawberries.
May Day holiday arrived as scheduled.
The high-speed rail station in Jiang City was packed with people.
Tang Shu carried a backpack on her shoulders and pulled a lightweight suitcase in one hand.
She stood quietly in a shaded spot near the station entrance, waiting.
The sky was bright and clear today, and a gentle breeze made the weather particularly pleasant.
“Shushu.”
A clear and gentle male voice called from nearby.
Tang Shu looked up at the sound.
A man in a black suit was walking toward her while pushing a black suitcase.
His features were clean and handsome, and his temperament was warm and refined.
It was her cousin—
Tao Hongyi.
Tao Hongyi walked straight up to her.
Naturally, he took the suitcase from her hand.
“Let’s go. I could’ve arrived earlier, but my dad caught me and lectured me for half the morning. Delayed me quite a bit.”
Tang Shu smiled and followed beside him.
“It’s okay. I only got here a little while ago too. I didn’t have to wait long.”
Tao Hongyi was the son of her maternal uncle.
Tang Shu’s mother had been born and raised in Jiang City.
When she was young, she went to Yun City for her studies and met Tang Shu’s father there.
The two fell deeply in love, and she insisted on marrying far from home.
Back then, Tang Shu’s grandparents had strongly opposed it.
They couldn’t bear the thought of their only daughter moving thousands of miles away.
But her mother had made up her mind.
Stubborn and determined.
In the end, the elders could only compromise.
Yet the hardships of marrying far away were always hidden within the countless storms and trivial difficulties of daily life.
During the toughest years, the Tang family suffered a major disaster.
They were swindled out of their money.
Overnight, they became heavily indebted.
A once-comfortable family fell straight into hardship.
Life became a constant struggle.
Tang Shu’s father was stubborn and proud.
He didn’t want the family in Jiang City to worry.
Nor did he want to trouble his wife’s relatives.
So he gritted his teeth and shouldered all the debts and hardships himself.
He refused to let Tang Shu’s mother seek help from her family.
At the time, her mother suffered greatly.
On one side was her struggling household burdened with debt.
On the other side were her loved ones thousands of miles away.
Adding to that, there had been some lingering tension from her decision to marry far from home.
Over time, she gradually drifted apart from her family in Jiang City.
For several years, the two families almost lost contact completely.
Whenever Tang Shu’s mother spoke to her parents, she only shared good news.
She always smiled and pretended everything was fine.
Never mentioning the difficulties they were facing.
As for the relatives on the Tang family’s paternal side…
They were exactly the kind of calculating, troublesome relatives whose values clashed with hers.
People who would only kick someone when they were already down.
They were the people Tang Shu least wanted to see.
The two followed the flow of passengers into the station, passed inspection smoothly, and arrived in the spacious waiting hall.
Tao Hongyi settled her into a seat by the window.
Then he headed to a drink shop inside the station.
A short while later, he returned carrying a warm cup of milk tea and handed it to her.
Sitting beside her, he watched the crowds moving back and forth and spoke softly.
“My dad heard that you’re going back to Yun City for the May Day holiday. He specifically told me to come along and have a look.”
“The last time I went to Yun City was when I was a kid. It’s been so many years that I barely remember what it looks like anymore. This is a good chance to look around during the holiday.”
Holding the warm milk tea, Tang Shu took small sips.
Her eyes curved into crescents as she smiled.
“When my mom heard that Brother Hongyi was coming, she was so happy. She said she’ll treat you well this time and take you everywhere to sightsee.”
Tao Hongyi laughed.
“When I was growing up, I always heard my mom talk about Auntie. She’d tell us that because she married so far away, we should never forget her.”
Tang Shu nodded gently, warmth filling her eyes.
Her grandmother’s family really was wonderful.
Over the past two years in Jiang City, they had invited her to their home countless times.
They regularly brought her gifts as well.
They had even bought her an apartment in a residential complex near Jiang University.
Of course, she refused to accept it.
But they had already registered everything under her name.
The apartment was cleaned regularly.
Whenever she felt unhappy living in the dormitory, she could move there at any time.
When Tang Shu told her mother about it, her mother cried over the phone.
She had been genuinely touched.
And this time…
Tang Shu wasn’t sure whether her mother had accidentally let it slip that she was returning home for the holiday.
As soon as they heard, they arranged for her cousin to accompany her.
The holiday crowds were enormous.
They worried it might be inconvenient for a young woman traveling alone.
Originally, they wanted her to fly.
But Tang Shu had already bought her train ticket.
She didn’t want to refund it.
So Tao Hongyi simply bought a high-speed rail ticket as well.
The two chatted casually while waiting.
Just then—
The phone inside Tang Shu’s bag suddenly rang.
The WeChat voice call interface popped up.
The contact name displayed:
God of Wealth.
Her eyelids twitched.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Almost instinctively, she rejected the call and shoved the phone back into her bag.
It was only ten-thirty in the morning.
Considering the time difference, it should have been the middle of the night in America.
He should have been fast asleep.
Why was he suddenly calling?
Could it be that they also had a holiday and no classes?
What Tang Shu completely forgot was that she had been in such a rush this morning that she hadn’t sent Shi Zhiyu a single message.
Beside her, Tao Hongyi had quietly observed her entire series of actions.
A smile appeared in his eyes.
“Shushu,” he said gently, “are you dating someone?”
Tang Shu instantly froze.
“Huh?”
She looked completely bewildered.
“Brother Hongyi, what makes you think I’m dating?”
“The guilty expression on your face.”
Tao Hongyi smiled warmly.
“It’s written all over you.”
The adventure continues! If you loved this chapter, I Just Wanted An Ordinary Life This Time is a must-read. Click here to start!
Read : I Just Wanted An Ordinary Life This Time
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