The year-end bonus was all the budget she had for buying gifts.
She was keenly aware that each year when she went home, they actually didn’t care whether she returned or not; what they cared about was the money.
After all, she was a financial loss to the family, wasn’t she? So the family should be compensated.
Over the phone, the man’s verbal abuse soon continued.
His tone was high, and his voice was exceptionally loud.
It was always this way, as if by having his voice drown out everyone else’s, he could assert the most authority.
He didn’t need to reason with anyone, nor would he listen to reason.
Your every reasoned rebuttal seemed to him an act of disrespect, a challenge to his paternal authority!
Indeed, if it weren’t for the physical distance at present, what would’ve greeted her was not scolding but possibly a solid slap.
Immediately after came the tired old act.
That woman would come to her defense.
One played the good cop, the other played the bad cop in the family.
The grandparents would watch coldly from the side, murmuring something under their breath.
After all, it was the Lunar New Year, and to have a financial burden like her caused the elders to think it was an unlucky sign for the start of the year.
In the end, the man would often tell the woman protecting her daughter, "If you keep defending her, I’ll beat you as well," which would make Chen Jieyu completely withdraw and immediately give in.
She used to care a lot about her mother; she cared about her mother the most.
But after what happened last time, she suddenly felt that there was nobody left to care about in this family.
At this very moment, Chen Jieyu sat on the sofa, picked up her gold-rimmed glasses, and put them on again.
She resumed searching for gifts that a male college student might like, as a way to distract herself from her emotions.
Just the thought of now having the money to buy something for Cheng Zhu made her feel quite a bit happier.
She hoped that one day she would see Cheng Zhu wearing the sneakers she bought him, or using the wallet...
Just imagining it softened the serious expression on her face.
A few minutes later, Chen Jieyu’s cellphone pinged; she had received a WeChat message from Cheng Zhu.
"Are you in the dorm?" Cheng Zhu asked.
"Good, I’ll be there right away."
Chen Jieyu was momentarily stunned; it was still daylight!
Cheng Zhu usually quietly sneaked upstairs in the dead of night, did his business, and then crept back downstairs.
He had never come during the day before.
But upon reflection, she realized her unease was unnecessary.
"Everyone’s gone home for the New Year; there are hardly any people left in the whole building."
A little while later, to her surprise, Cheng Zhu did not come up.
Knowing this bad student as she did, she had just returned to her room to change into a clean set of underwear, anticipating his single-minded purpose for his visits...
"Come downstairs, I’m waiting in the parking lot," Cheng Zhu sent a WeChat message.
The counselor put on her jacket, grabbed the purse Cheng Zhu had given her, and went downstairs somewhat puzzled.
After getting in the car, he asked her, "Aren’t you going home this year?"
"Mhm," Chen Jieyu nodded, her eyelids slightly drooping, underlined with a trace of gloom.
"Do you feel like you have no home to return to? On New Year’s Eve, with lamps lit in every household, but not a single one belongs to you," Cheng Zhu said, striking a nerve.
Chen Jieyu turned to look at him, her gaze complex beneath the gold-rimmed glasses.
She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but she didn’t know what to say.
Even though the words were hurtful, they were also true.
Cheng Zhu guessed from her expression, "Did they call you again?"
Chen Jieyu nodded slightly.
"But during the New Year, people always need to go home," Cheng Zhu said.
This statement took Chen Jieyu by complete surprise; she could not imagine that Cheng Zhu came to persuade her to go home.
"Even he..." The counselor suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of hopelessness.
However, the next moment,
the bad student looked at her and, keeping in line with his domineering persona of the day, pulled out a card from his pocket.
"I know you have nowhere to go, so let’s go buy one now," he said.
(PS: There’s a slight emergency, so I have to make a minor revision to the content earlier in the text, just one Chapter today. City life, right? It’s normal so don’t worry.
Comfort me with your monthly votes.)