"Yaru, do you really want to go to South City?" Cheng Hao, embracing Zou Yaru and inhaling her faint fragrance, felt an urge to hold her until the end of time.
Zou Yaru nestled quietly in his arms. After meeting his friends, she felt a vague unease. What if, just what if...
"My parents have been urging me to go to South City, I have already delayed it by more than ten days," Zou Yaru responded with downcast eyes. She should have gone to her parent’s place in South City after the holiday, but she had been putting it off because of Cheng Hao. Now that she had met his friends, it was time to go.
If she didn’t leave for South City soon, and by chance her parents came back to find her, everything would be over.
"Yaru," Cheng Hao, holding her shoulders and gazing straight into her eyes, suggested, "How about I come with you to meet your uncle and aunt? What do they like?"
Zou Yaru hastily refused upon hearing this.
A look of sorrow flashed through Cheng Hao’s eyes as he pressed his lips together and said, "Yaru, am I really so unacceptable?"
"It’s not that, I just..."
Zou Yaru stammered, at a loss for words on how to explain. It might be easy to explain to her father but her mother had always wanted her to marry into the Gu Family. If her mother learned that she was dating someone, she’d probably go ballistic.
"I am capable of giving you happiness," Cheng Hao’s grip tightened as he explained, "Even though my home is in Ningbei, I’m willing to settle here for you. Otherwise, South City is fine too. We can buy a house in the county or South City. I’m currently delivering goods at the factory and earn five hundred a month. I can afford to give you a good life."
Five hundred yuan, a sum that a regular family might not earn in a whole year, yet he made it in a month.
And this was the off-season, summer. In the peak seasons, spring or winter, he could earn over a thousand in his best month.
"Yaru, I’m also good-looking. I believe your uncle and aunt would be pleased with me," Cheng Hao’s affectionate gaze left Zou Yaru even more at a loss for words.
Five hundred yuan, a house; these would indeed mean a lot for the average family, but for the Zou Family, such a salary was actually negligible.
Zou Yaru flung herself into his arms and said, "Give me a little time. When the right moment comes, I will tell my parents. Otherwise, they will surely worry, right?"
Cheng Hao’s hand stroked her hair. After a long while, he finally said, "Okay, but don’t make me wait too long."
"Definitely, don’t be sad now, smile for me, will you?" Zou Yaru tilted her head up and rubbed her forehead against his chin. His short stubble felt itchy.
"Then kiss me," Cheng Hao said with a grin, bending his head and closing his eyes, leaning his face forward.
Zou Yaru, blushing, amid Cheng Hao’s urging, inched closer, when suddenly, Cheng Hao turned his head.
Zou Yaru, covering her mouth, looked at Cheng Hao with eyes full of reproach for his trickery.
Cheng Hao’s laughter carried far and wide.
"It’s getting late, I should be heading back. You should go to bed early. I’ll come and pick you up tomorrow and take you to South City."
Cheng Hao hurriedly left before Zou Yaru could get angry.
Stepping out the gate, Cheng Hao carefully checked the door several times, ensuring everything was locked before he stopped and looked up at her room with the lights on. He touched his lips and smiled foolishly to himself.
"Nianhua, what do you think of Zou Yaru?" Xu Nian’an suddenly asked.
Having had a little to drink, Xu Nian’an was a bit dizzy but not drunk. Catching the question unexpectedly, he paused and said, "What do you mean?"