Chapter 156: Chapter 156: So, Xu Su, You’re Not Going to Consider My Opinion at All?

“…” Xu Su mentally weighed the feasibility of his plan.

Including Xu Ran, that would be four people. Finding a place for them to stay wouldn’t be a problem. After all, houses in the countryside were spacious, and Grandma Xu’s place had four rooms. There would be plenty of space.

Besides, knowing her grandma and uncles, who loved a lively house, they’d be nothing but happy to have so many people over.

But…

Xu Su frowned at Xi Zirong. “Can you really keep your distance from me? You absolutely can’t act like you do now, hugging me all the time. You’ll even have to watch the way you look at me. My grandma can’t be allowed to figure anything out.”

The more Xu Su thought about it, the more she felt he couldn’t do it.

With how clingy Xi Zirong was, his eyes practically glued to her, even a complete novice at love could tell what was on his mind, let alone worldly people like her grandma and uncles.

An idea suddenly occurred to Xu Su, and her eyes lit up. “How about you pretend to be a couple with Fengfeng? That’s the only way my grandma and the others won’t connect the two of us.”

“What a terrible idea.” Xi Zirong’s expression soured. He glared at her and said, “Susu, what on earth is going on in that head of yours?”

“I don’t need to pretend to be a couple with anyone. Trust me. I won’t let your grandma and the others find out.”

Being snapped at by her usually gentle and considerate boyfriend felt strange to Xu Su. She mumbled, “I want to believe you, Xi Zirong, but on this particular matter, your credibility is just not very high.”

“…” Xi Zirong decided to take that as an affirmation of his feelings for her.

He said, “The break won’t be more than five days. I can manage for that long. Susu, just let me go with you all. I can drive us there, which will be more convenient.”

Xu Su’s eyes widened in surprise. “You can drive? But do you have a driver’s license?”

Xi Zirong ruffled the top of her hair, his smile dazzling. “Did you forget I’m a legal adult? Of course I have a license.”

’What kind of prodigy is he?’ she thought. ’How on earth did he find time to get his driver’s license with our heavy high school workload?’

Xu Su relented. She swatted his hand away and warned, “Alright, fine. But let me be clear: if you let my grandma notice anything is off, I’m going to get really mad at you.”

Xi Zirong’s lips thinned, and his expression grew serious. “How mad? Susu, don’t use breaking up as the punishment. That would scare me.”

’That would scare me…’

This guy was nothing if not sincere.

Xu Su was speechless for a moment. She couldn’t come up with a way she’d “get mad” either. It was just an offhand comment, but of course he had to take it so seriously.

Seeing that they were about to be late for the evening self-study session, Xu Su said dismissively, “We’ll figure it out then. Xi Zirong, just be careful, okay?”

Now that it was decided she was bringing friends home for the break, Xu Su called her eldest uncle’s house the next day to give her grandma a heads-up.

Grandma Xu was delighted on the other end of the line, readily agreeing to the plan.

The elderly were always the most hospitable. Ever since her grandchildren had gone off to board at high school, the house had become far too quiet. There was no reason for her to be anything but thrilled that her granddaughter was bringing a few good friends home to visit for a few days.

In mid-June, after the college entrance exams were over, Teacher Wu wasn’t as busy.

Before the evening self-study session began, Xu Su, as the math class representative, went to his office to pick up assignments. Seeing Teacher Wu smiling and in an excellent mood, she couldn’t help but ask tentatively, “Teacher Wu, when does our summer break start for us sophomores?”

Teacher Wu glanced at her and smiled. “Why? Do you have plans for the break?”

Xu Su nodded. “Yes, I want to go back to the countryside for a wedding banquet. My cousin is getting married.”

Qian Jia and the others were right. Teacher Wu was always as warm as a spring breeze with his class representative. If any other student in the class had asked the same question, they probably would have gotten a lecture about focusing on their studies.

But since it was Xu Su asking, Teacher Wu only thought for a moment before saying, “It should be the normal break schedule. You’ll have final exams at the end of June, and the summer break will start on July 1st. It’ll probably be three or four days long.”

He asked, “When is your cousin getting married? If the dates don’t line up, I can approve some time off for you.”

“…” Xu Su was completely floored by his kindness and quickly waved her hands. “It’s fine, it’s perfect timing, actually! My cousin’s wedding is on July 3rd.”

As soon as she learned the dates for the break, she immediately told Qian Jia and Huang Feng, adding that Xi Zirong would be coming along too.

Xu Su looked at Qian Jia. “He said he’s going to invite Xu Ran, too. Otherwise, it would be awkward for him to be the only guy.”

“I know. Xu Ran told me a couple of days ago.” Qian Jia nodded, then gave a wicked grin. “I can’t believe God Xi can’t bear to be apart from you for even a few days. He’s actually following you to the countryside.”

“That level of clinginess is pretty over-the-top…”

Huang Feng rubbed at imaginary goosebumps on her arms. “Considering God Xi’s usual cold, unattainable ’flower on a high peak’ act, you’d never guess he was like this.”

Xu Su shot them a sidelong glance, her tone serious. “When we’re at my grandma’s, you absolutely cannot tease us like that. I don’t want my grandma and uncles to find out I’m dating someone.”

Her two best friends, of course, gave their solemn promise that they absolutely wouldn’t say a word out of line, and so on.

The days passed one by one. Xu Su believed she had arranged everything perfectly and that the trip should go off without a hitch.

Until one day at the end of June, when Xu Su received a text message from Zhou Mochen. He asked how many days she had for her break, adding in a somewhat accusatory tone that since she went to the countryside last summer, she absolutely had to stay in Chang City this time so he could see her properly.

“…!”

They hadn’t seen each other in so long that Xu Su had almost forgotten about Zhou Mochen, whose presence in her life had been minimal recently.

She had barely replied to his messages all semester, but this was one she couldn’t ignore. If she didn’t clearly explain her plans for the break, knowing Zhou Mochen’s temper, he would likely search high and low for her.

After some thought, Xu Su typed with both hands and sent a message: [My cousin is getting married, so I still have to go back to my grandma’s for the break.]

Less than thirty seconds after she sent the message, Zhou Mochen’s call came through.

It was lunchtime, and Xi Zirong was at his desk. Xu Su glanced at him furtively, and once she was sure he hadn’t noticed, she grabbed her incessantly vibrating phone and stepped out of the classroom.

The hallway was quiet, just a little hot.

Xu Su pressed the answer button and held the phone to her ear.

“How many days is the break?” Zhou Mochen’s voice sounded a little displeased. “I haven’t seen you in almost two months, Xu Su. One day is enough time to attend your cousin’s wedding, isn’t it? You can make it a day trip. I’ll drive you.”

’…He’s acting like I’m actually his girlfriend.’

Xu Su was speechless for a moment before saying slowly, “The break is only three days. That’s barely enough time to spend at my grandma’s.”

“So, Xu Su, you’re not going to consider what I want at all?”

Zhou Mochen’s voice grew dark.

Suppressing the part of her that wanted to back down, Xu Su said firmly, “No matter what you say, I’m still going back to my grandma’s for the break.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep