It feels a little different.

But this feeling… is just too good.

— Su Zai Zai Fairy’s Diary

—

Su Zai Zai sat down, her face full of melancholy.

“A beauty looks so soft and delicate when she’s sick, it really makes people feel protective of her.”

Jiang Jia: “…Have you settled everything?”

Su Zai Zai nodded, a little worried. “Is the blanket too thin…?”

“Huh? It should be fine. It’s not that cold right now, it should be enough.”

“I don’t know if the water will be too hot for him. I tested it on my hand, and it seemed okay.”

Jiang Jia was still earnestly answering her. “If it feels okay on your hand, it probably won’t be too hot.”

“Did I buy too little medicine? But the pharmacy near school only had those few options.”

“…”

“Should I bring my dormitory blanket for him?”

Jiang Jia couldn’t help but hold her forehead. “Su Zai Zai, Zhang Lu Rang is your son, isn’t he?”

Su Zai Zai widened her eyes. “Of course not.”

Then she continued, “But I could give him a son.”

Jiang Jia: “…”

—

Meanwhile.

Zhang Lu Rang reached out and pinched the note, giving it a slight tug. It slipped between his fingers.

He looked at the words on the note, at a loss for words.

Then, he lowered his head and stared at the small blanket on the chair.

After a moment of hesitation, he picked it up.

Glancing at the clock on the wall, it was already close to 6:30.

Zhang Lu Rang had no choice but to fold the blanket and place it on his lap before sitting down.

He took out his phone from his pocket.

A new message had already arrived.

Su Zai Zai: Did you see it? Did you see it?!

Zhang Lu Rang lowered his head and coughed twice before replying: Mm.

Just as he was about to ask how much the medicine cost—

Su Zai Zai: Don’t talk to Zai Zong about money. Zai Zong has plenty of money.

Su Zai Zai: Zai Zong’s money is yours, don’t be so calculative.

Zhang Lu Rang: “…”

He truly didn’t know how to respond.

After thinking for a long time, Zhang Lu Rang decided not to reply.

Just then, the evening study session bell rang.

He put his phone into the drawer.

A little while later.

He scratched his head, then took his phone out of the drawer again.

Two new messages had arrived.

— Rang Rang.

— Don’t get sick.

Zhang Lu Rang stared at the messages.

Until Zhou Xu Yin patted him on the shoulder, signaling that the teacher had arrived.

Only then did he snap out of it.

He shoved his phone back into the drawer.

Zhang Lu Rang picked up his pen and started on his homework.

But his pen just hovered there, unmoving.

A few minutes later.

He opened the bag again and took out a box of cold medicine.

Using the warm water from the thermos, he took two pills.

After swallowing them, he lit up his phone.

Reply: Mm.

—

Thursday.

Su Zai Zai suddenly realized that walking normally didn’t really hurt anymore.

As long as she didn’t bump her wound into anything, she barely felt it.

That afternoon, as they walked back from the reading room—

Su Zai Zai brought it up directly. “My foot doesn’t hurt anymore.”

Zhang Lu Rang glanced down at her foot and responded, “Mm.”

“So from now on, I’ll just go find you instead.”

Zhang Lu Rang froze for a second, not answering.

Since she didn’t get a response, Su Zai Zai leaned in and shamelessly asked,

“Then can I come to your class to find you?”

Zhang Lu Rang didn’t hesitate much before nodding.

Su Zai Zai was so happy she almost jumped up.

“Anytime?”

Zhang Lu Rang thought for a moment. “Except during class.”

“Since you said that—”

“Mm?”

Su Zai Zai brazenly declared, “Then I also agree that you can come find me.”

But Zhang Lu Rang didn’t seem to think anything was wrong with that.

He seriously responded, “Mm.”

His reaction unexpectedly made Su Zai Zai feel a little embarrassed.

So she changed the subject.

“Earlier, Jiang Jia told me that there are two really good-looking guys in Class One.”

“Mm,” he replied absentmindedly.

“One is you, and the other is Zhou Xu Yin, your deskmate.”

Hearing this, Zhang Lu Rang turned to look at her.

Su Zai Zai didn’t notice his gaze and continued, “I saw him yesterday when I went to bring you something…”

How could he even be compared to you?!

He’s not even as good-looking as a single strand of your hair!

Before she could say these two sentences out loud—

Zhang Lu Rang suddenly said, “Su Zai Zai.”

Caught off guard, Su Zai Zai blinked. “Huh?”

His expression became unreadable. “If your foot isn’t healed, don’t run around.”

For some reason, she was being scolded.

Su Zai Zai innocently replied, “It’s almost healed, though.”

Zhang Lu Rang ran a hand through his hair and lowered his head, lost in thought.

Su Zai Zai grinned cheekily and teased,

“If you don’t want me running around, then you come find me.”

“Okay,” he answered immediately.

Su Zai Zai hadn’t expected such a quick response.

Zhang Lu Rang’s gaze shifted slightly.

He instinctively looked away and asked her, “How are you getting home tomorrow?”

Su Zai Zai’s thoughts were easily redirected.

After thinking for a moment, she answered, “Probably taking a bus with Jiang Jia from Maoye Plaza.”

Zhang Lu Rang turned to look at her and said in a low voice, “Take a taxi home.”

“…Why?”

A taxi costs fifty bucks! Was he crazy?!

“There are too many people. You might get stepped on.”

Su Zai Zai lowered her head and obediently muttered, “Oh.”

Seeing this, Zhang Lu Rang lowered his gaze to her and asked, “Weren’t you going to teach me how to ride a bike?”

Hearing this, Su Zai Zai got excited. “Oh yeah! When?!”

“Then hurry up and get better,” he said.

—

Friday night.

After finishing her English homework, Su Zai Zai sent Zhang Lu Rang a WeChat message.

Su Zai Zai: Rang Rang.

Su Zai Zai: Are you taking Su Su out for a walk tomorrow?

A few minutes later, Zhang Lu Rang finally replied.

Zhang Lu Rang: Mm.

Su Zai Zai: What time?

Zhang Lu Rang: …

She waited for a few minutes but still didn’t get a response.

Su Zai Zai couldn’t believe it.

After all they had been through together,

why was her great beauty’s first reaction always to avoid her?!

Furious, Su Zai Zai threw down the gauntlet:

Su Zai Zai: If you don’t tell me, I’ll go stand outside your house right now and wait.

Su Zai Zai: I’m leaving at 7 AM tomorrow. I’m giving you a chance to “bump into” me.

Zhang Lu Rang: …

Seeing his reaction, Su Zai Zai tossed her phone aside.

She buried herself in the blanket.

She felt like she wasn’t being good at all.

Even more annoying than before.

The moment she was rejected, she wanted to get angry.

But she clearly had no right to be mad at him.

After a while, her phone rang again.

Su Zai Zai slowly moved over and picked up her phone.

A single message lit up on the lock screen.

——Eat breakfast before coming out.

Su Zai Zai rubbed her eyes and slowly replied: There’s nothing to eat at home.

Then, she stared at the message above: “The other party is typing…”

She counted silently.

One, two, three…

Five seconds later.

Her phone pinged.

——I’ll buy it for you.

Su Zai Zai’s bad mood instantly vanished.

Her fingers tapped rapidly on the screen.

Su Zai Zai: I want to eat the red bean bun from the bakery next to Qinghua.

Zhang Lu Rang: Okay.

She couldn’t help rolling around on her bed.

Then she pushed her luck: I want to eat with you.

Zhang Lu Rang replied quickly.

——Okay.

—

The next morning, Su Zai Zai left the house right on time at seven o’clock.

She entered the elevator and sent Zhang Lu Rang a WeChat message.

Su Zai Zai: Rang Rang, where are you?

Zhang Lu Rang: Downstairs at your building.

Su Zai Zai stood there, grinning like an idiot.

It took her a few minutes to realize she hadn’t pressed the floor button.

She blinked and quickly poked the “1” button.

Stepping out of the building’s front door, she saw Zhang Lu Rang standing under the shade of a tree not far away.

One hand held a bag, while the other held a black dog leash.

When he saw her come out, he called toward the distance, “Su Su, come back.”

At the same time, one person and one dog bounced toward him.

Shamelessly, Su Zai Zai called out, “I’m here!”

At her feet, Su Su barked, “Woof!”

Zhang Lu Rang: “……”

He bent down and clipped the leash onto Su Su.

Looking at the fluffy Samoyed that was cute enough to melt hearts, Su Zai Zai asked, “Can I walk him?”

Zhang Lu Rang didn’t hesitate. “No.”

Su Zai Zai froze, thinking she had misheard.

But she still lowered her expectations and asked, “Then can I pet him?”

“No.”

Now she was sure she hadn’t misheard.

Being rejected twice in a row, Su Zai Zai exploded.

“Is your dog a national treasure? I can’t even touch him?!”

Her sudden rise in pitch made Zhang Lu Rang pause for a moment.

Very quickly, he explained, “He’s aggressive toward strangers.”

Su Zai Zai huffed. “Do I look like I’m scared?”

There was a brief silence.

Then Zhang Lu Rang finally spoke, “Yes.”

Su Zai Zai: “……”

“He might bite you.”

“Then forget it, keep him far away from me.”

“……”

Su Zai Zai was still a little scared.

After thinking for a moment, she threatened cautiously,

“If he bites me, I’ll bite you.”

Su Zai Zai didn’t mean anything by it.

She just hadn’t thought of another way to respond.

But for some reason, the tips of Zhang Lu Rang’s ears started to burn.

Like a tiny flicker of fire.