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墨書 Inktalez
Yesterday, Old Zhao's words made it clear that I had to go. I took the invitation and decided I would check the time tonight. "Is there anything else?"
The two of them saw me accept the invitation, said they had no further business, and left. They had completed the task that Ouyang Xiong assigned to them, and whether I went or not was entirely my decision. They couldn't just force me to go, could they? The thought of how they usually reacted to Old Zhao's face sent a shiver down my spine.
After they left, I held the invitation in my hand and lay on my bed, deep in thought. Ouyang Zhirou—who cares who she is? I had no particular thoughts about it; when it comes to love, it's all about making your own decisions.
Just as I was lying there mumbling to myself, my phone rang.
"Old Zhao, what's up?"
"Hey kid, there's a banquet tonight. You should have received an invitation too. Remember to come."
"I'm not going. What's the big deal?"
Before I could finish my sentence, I heard the sound of the call being disconnected.
Ahhh! Old Zhao! Are you selling your son? Furious, I threw my phone onto the bed and began to pound on it repeatedly.
All my hopes for the future felt like they had vanished; going or not going seemed equally impossible.
Suddenly, I jumped up from the bed. Hey! If I went tonight pretending to be a fool, wouldn't that completely avoid any conflict between both sides? They wouldn't marry their daughter off to a fool, and if I pretended well enough, Old Zhao would just give me a beating at most. It would be a win-win situation!
Smart! Damn smart! No wonder I'm so clever!
Thinking about this filled the room with my raucous laughter, even Aunt Liu downstairs could hear me.
Aunt Liu looked up at the second floor with a face full of disdain. "This kid needs Chairman Zhao to take him to the hospital for a check-up; he's so young and already like this. What will he be like when he gets older?"
Time quickly passed to half past three in the afternoon, with an hour and a half left before the banquet. Old Zhao and Ke Hong returned.
As soon as Ke Hong came back, she dragged me into the wardrobe and started rummaging through clothes. "Don't wear this! Change it! What are you doing in flip-flops? You idiot, that's not how you wear that outfit! How can you be so stupid? Where did I go wrong raising you?"
Ke Hong anxiously picked out clothes for me but turned around to find me refusing her suggestions. She gave me two light slaps on the head; despite her fussing, she managed to select a suit for me.
"Mom! No way am I wearing that suit! It's uncomfortable!" After saying this, I turned around and picked out a hoodie from the wardrobe. I've never liked wearing suits since I was little; hoodies are much more my style.
Seeing that she couldn't change my mind, Ke Hong threw her hands up in defeat and let me have my way. "But you have to look presentable."
She could say whatever she wanted; whether I listened was up to me. As long as I didn't embarrass Old Zhao too much while pretending to be a fool, I needed to find just the right balance.
After rummaging through clothes for over ten minutes, Ke Hong knocked on the door again. "Xiao Lun! Are you ready? That place is a bit far; we need to head out early."
"Yeah, yeah! Mom, how do I look like this?"
Ke Hong pushed open the door and stared at me, who was adjusting my outfit in front of the full-length mirror. She was momentarily lost in thought, unable to utter a word.
"Mom? Mom!?"
It wasn't until I reached Ke Hong's side that she snapped back to reality, examining me closely. "You look pretty good, Xiao Lun, but this hairstyle doesn't quite fit. You need to style your hair back a bit more, without affecting your looks, of course. Make it look more mature."
As Ke Hong fussed over me, I calmly replied, "Mom, does it really have to be that way? Going through so much just to look like an adult—doesn't that feel exhausting?"
Ke Hong was taken aback by my words; she truly hadn't expected me to say something like that.
"My son," she said gently, "life isn't just about living for yourself. You will grow up eventually, whether early or late. No matter what happens along the way, your dad and I will always be your strongest support. Just focus on growing up."
Hearing her words made my eyes well up with tears. Ke Hong and Old Zhao may not be perfect parents, but they are undoubtedly the ones who love me the most. I stood up and embraced Ke Hong tightly. "I love you, Mom."
Ke Hong returned my hug, gently patting my back. "I love you too."
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