If he’s not in front of me, I feel afraid.

Afraid that right now, there’s another girl by his side.

Clinging to him shamelessly, just like I do.

What if he ends up getting entangled with her?

The anxiety of gaining and losing him leaves me restless and uneasy.

— Su Zai Zai Fairy’s Diary

Looking at the words on the screen, Su Zai Zai responded without hesitation, “Okay.”

The air outside was damp and cold, the chill piercing to the bone.

The swing chair swayed, as if inviting the wind.

Her breath turned into white mist, spreading before her eyes.

Almost at the same time, Zhang Lu Rang sent a voice message.

Shivering, Su Zai Zai tapped on the message.

She felt so cold, she just wanted to listen to it and then go back inside.

She brought the phone close to her ear.

The boy’s voice was warm and deep, like a gently flowing stream.

Every word was clear and distinct as it reached her ears.

— “Let’s take the Z University entrance exam together.”

But Su Zai Zai didn’t react right away.

She sniffled, her expression dazed, and played the message again.

This time, she understood.

Zhang Lu Rang said, together.

Suddenly, she felt that this year might turn out to be a beautiful one.

There might not be a moment happier than this.

So this year, she wouldn’t make a wish.

Because she had already received everything she wanted.

She couldn’t be greedy anymore.

---

Zhang Lu Rang returned to his room.

He walked to his desk, picked up his phone, and unplugged his earphones.

Su Zai Zai had sent a few more voice messages.

He tapped on the ones he hadn’t listened to yet.

— “Okay.”

Before he could react, the next messages played automatically.

The sound of the wind could be heard in the background, and the girl’s soft voice carried a slight nasal tone.

— “It’s a promise, okay? We’ll take it together, no backing out.”

— “I think this year is amazing, so I’m not making a wish.”

— “Is there anything you want? You can tell Fairy Zai Zai, and she’ll definitely make your wish come true.”

Zhang Lu Rang lay down on his bed, holding his phone in his right hand, his arm covering his eyes to block out the light.

He suddenly let out a soft chuckle.

Then, he moved his hand away and sent two messages.

— No need.

— Don’t stay outside. Go home quickly.

---

He didn’t know what Su Zai Zai was doing, but she didn’t reply right away.

Zhang Lu Rang got up and sat at his desk.

He placed his phone in the most visible spot. After confirming that she hadn’t sent another message, he finally looked away and picked up his pen.

But before he could start writing, the door opened again.

Zhang Lu Li walked in and sat directly on his bed.

The room remained as quiet as it always was when Zhang Lu Rang was alone.

After a while, Zhang Lu Li hesitated for a long time before finally making up his mind to speak.

“Brother, don’t listen to what Uncle said.”

“Hmm,” Zhang Lu Rang responded.

“I think they’re really annoying too. Seriously messed up.”

“……”

There was a brief silence.

Zhang Lu Li licked his lips and changed the topic. “Brother, is Z City fun?”

Zhang Lu Rang didn’t answer.

“Dad just said that starting next semester, you have to come back here for high school. The college entrance exam papers for Z City and B City are different, and the question formats aren’t the same…”

Zhang Lu Rang’s pen paused slightly. He said indifferently, “Got it.”

“Besides, local students have a lower score requirement for getting into B University. I feel like that would make it easier for you too.”

“……”

“Brother, let me tell you, B University—”

Zhang Lu Rang cut him off. “Stop talking about this.”

“Oh… okay.”

Seeing that he had stopped speaking, Zhang Lu Rang sighed and took the initiative to say something.

“Z City is great.”

Hearing his brother speak first made Zhang Lu Li perk up again.

“I have a classmate whose family is from there. Every time he describes it, I really want to go see it for myself.”

“Hmm.”

“Brother, can I visit you in Z City after school starts?”

“……”

“Are you staying in the dorms? If I come over on the weekend, you can take me around, right?”

Hearing this, Zhang Lu Rang’s thoughts drifted.

He pictured Su Zai Zai’s smiling face, carefree and cheerful.

No matter when, she always laughed like a fool.

He pressed his lips together and gently refused, “No.”

Zhang Lu Li let out a dramatic wail and asked in confusion, “Why not?”

“I don’t have time.”

---

Zhang Lu Rang knocked on the study room door.

After hearing a response, he pushed the door open and entered.

Father Zhang was sitting at his large desk, reviewing documents.

He didn’t look up or say a word.

Zhang Lu Rang also remained silent, standing still and waiting.

After a while, Father Zhang finally looked up at him. His voice was low and stern, tinged with disappointment.

“Have you been studying properly over there?”

Zhang Lu Rang stood straight, not saying a word.

“You’re not just playing around, are you?”

“……”

“Don’t go back next semester. Your uncle is busy—he doesn’t have time to keep an eye on you.”

Hearing this, Zhang Lu Rang finally spoke. “I stay in the dorms. I don’t need Uncle to watch me.”

“Then if you come back in your second year, will you be able to keep up?”

“……”

Father Zhang took his report card from the drawer and sighed.

“Ranked 22nd in your grade. I don’t even know what to say about you.”

Zhang Lu Rang wanted to say—

His first monthly exam, he ranked 32nd.

Midterm exams, he ranked 25th.

This time, he ranked 22nd.

He improved every time.

But what was the point?

No one ever noticed.

“Don’t go to Z City. If you go there, no one will keep an eye on you, and I won’t feel at ease.” Father Zhang tossed the score report into the trash can beside him. “Get up early tomorrow. Your mother found you an English tutor.”

“Can’t I take the college entrance exam in Z City?” he asked softly.

Father Zhang ignored him and simply said, “Go back and study for a while, then get some sleep early.”

---

Zhang Lurang returned to his room.

He didn’t even bother turning on the light, walking straight to the bed and lying down.

He unlocked his phone and opened his chat with Su Zaizai.

She had just replied: Got home.

Su Zai zai: Went to my grandparents’ place for dinner today. Sigh, the elders keep bringing up grades…

Su Zai zai: But luckily, I have the best grades among them, hehe.

Zhang Lurang suddenly wanted to hear her voice.

Lowering his eyes, he slowly typed: Su Zai zai.

Zhang Lurang: Didn’t you say you’d help make my wishes come true?

Su Zaizai: What do you want?

Su Zai zai: If I have it, it’s all yours.

Zhang Lurang’s eyes stung slightly.

His throat tightened, and in a hoarse voice, he said, “Tell me a joke.”

Seeing that he had sent a voice message, Su Zaizai immediately initiated a voice call.

Zhang Lurang was momentarily stunned but instinctively accepted the call.

Once connected, her voice traveled through the current from the other end.

Her tone sounded a little different from usual, but the way she spoke was exactly the same.

“Lurang, can you hear me?”

Zhang Lurang reached for his earphones, pulled them over his ears, and responded, “Mm.”

Su Zaizai seemed a bit troubled and hesitantly spoke.

“You want to hear a joke? But I haven’t come across any funny ones lately.”

“Then forget it.” He had only wanted to hear her voice anyway.

The conversation fell silent for a moment.

Su Zaizai cautiously asked, “Are you feeling down?”

“……”

“Why? It’s New Year’s Eve. You should be happy and collecting red envelopes.”

Zhang Lurang didn’t answer.

Her tone became muffled, a little dejected. “You never say anything.”

Zhang Lurang absentmindedly tapped his fingers against the blanket, seemingly hesitating over how to respond.

Before he could speak, Su Zaizai continued, “Sigh, now I suddenly feel sad too.”

“……”

“Your emotions are contagious, even from a distance.”

“I…”

“Why aren’t you happy?”

After thinking for a moment, Zhang Lurang slowly spoke about one of the smaller reasons for his bad mood.

“I ranked twenty-second in my final exams.”

Hearing this, Su Zaizai immediately blurted out her own score.

“I ranked eight hundred and twenty-third.”

“……”

“We both improved! That’s great!”

Hearing that, Zhang Lurang chuckled.

His mood lifted slightly.

Hearing him laugh, Su Zaizai seized the opportunity and piled on the compliments.

“But you’re better than me. You moved up three places! A whole three places! I only moved up two!”

“Alright.” His voice carried a smile now, no longer as downcast as before.

But Su Zaizai still felt like that wasn’t the real reason behind his mood.

She hesitated for a moment before asking again, “So why are you really upset?”

Zhang Lurang hesitated briefly before deciding to tell the truth.

“My dad wants me to go back to B City to study.”

The other end suddenly fell silent.

Zhang Lurang couldn’t even hear her breathing.

He removed one earphone and lit up the screen to check.

The call was still connected.

Confused, he said, “Hello?”

The call was immediately disconnected.

Zhang Lurang: “……”

---

Su Zaizai’s mood at that moment felt like—On a perfectly sunny day, suddenly struck by lightning, and she was the unlucky one getting hit even though she had just been quietly staying at home.

Her phone vibrated a few times as Zhang Lurang sent messages.

Sitting cross-legged on her bed, she directly set his chat to Do Not Disturb.

She didn’t have the guts to block him.

Nor did she check what he had sent.

Instead, she opened her chat with Jiang Jia.

Su Zaizai: I don’t even know how to describe my feelings right now.

Jiang Jia replied instantly: Are you guys together?

Su Zaizai: Heh.

Su Zaizai: I got dumped.

Jiang Jia: …You weren’t even together. How can you call it getting dumped?

Su Zaizai: He just told me we should take the entrance exam for Z University together. And now he’s telling me he’s going back to B City for high school. Don’t you think he’s playing with me?

Jiang Jia: That’s not contradictory at all…

Jiang Jia: He can still apply to Z University while being in B City.

Su Zaizai: No.

Su Zaizai: If I’m not around to remind him of my existence, he’ll definitely forget me quickly.

Suddenly, Su Zaizai felt like crying.

He was in another province, another city, and she was completely powerless.

The entanglement between them could be so easily erased by distance.

Su Zaizai buried her face in her blanket, letting her tears soak into the fabric, leaving behind darkened spots.

Soon, she lifted her head again.

She searched online for plane tickets from Z City to B City.

But it was pointless.

If it were a few days earlier, maybe she could have done something. But now, with the New Year approaching, there was no way Father Su and Mother Su would let her go.

Frustrated, Su Zaizai opened her chat with Zhang Lurang.

— What’s wrong?

— Say something.

— Su Zaizai.

— I will come back to Z City.

Su Zaizai licked her lips and slowly typed: Really?

Zhang Lurang: Mm.

Su Zaizai: You only say half of what you mean. You scared me to death.

Zhang Lurang: …

Su Zaizai: You should have said, ‘My dad wants me to go back to B City to study, but I don’t agree.’ That’s how you should have phrased it. You totally did that on purpose to scare me.

Su Zaizai: I’m so shaken up, I feel mentally exhausted…

Su Zaizai: I’m going to sleep now.

Zhang Lurang: “……”

---

Su Zai Zai: I’m going to sleep.

Zhang Lu Rang: “…”

---

Despite what his father had said, Zhang Lu Rang still secretly booked a plane ticket.

On the morning of the seventh day of the new year, he returned to Z City.

Zhang Lu Rang unlocked the door and stepped inside.

Susu pounced on him with its front paws, wagging its tail and acting affectionate.

He curved his lips into a smile and rubbed its head.

His uncle, Lin Mao, walked out of the kitchen, holding a glass of milk.

Seeing Zhang Lu Rang back, he wasn’t surprised.

He lifted his chin and lazily said, “After you put your stuff away, give Susu a bath. It stinks.”

Susu stuck out its tongue and barked, “Woof.”

Zhang Lu Rang silently nodded.

“I’ll take you there tomorrow, remember to wake me up.”

“…Mm.”

“Ignore your dad, his brain’s messed up.”

“…”

“Your mom too.”

“…”

Zhang Lu Rang hadn’t brought much back, just a backpack.

He put it away in his room.

Then he went downstairs to bathe Susu and dried it with a hairdryer.

After taking care of everything, Zhang Lu Rang returned to his room. Susu followed him in and lay beside his bed.

The room was quiet.

The person was silent, and so was the dog.

Zhang Lu Rang curved his lips again and sent a message to Su Zai Zai.

——I’m back in Z City.