"Twenty, huh..." Su Yuze murmured softly. "So young."
Jiang Ling was puzzled. "What do you mean?"
"You're only twenty. You've just lived one-fifth of your life. And at your age, you're just the kind of person who likes new and exciting things. How strong can your feelings for Xiaorou be?" Jiang Ling was twenty, while he was already twenty-five. Jiang Ling had met Su Rou when he was seventeen, but he had known her since they were both infants. Jiang Ling had liked Su Rou for two years, while he had loved her for eighteen.
Jiang Ling was still young. He would surely meet all kinds of women in the world. But in Su Yuze's world, there was only Su Rou. He could be devoted to her forever, but Jiang Ling might not.
"You doubt my feelings for Xiaorou?" Jiang Ling frowned. "I'm truly in love with Xiaorou."
"Truly in love?" Su Yuze smiled faintly. "Are you willing to stay chaste for Xiaorou?"
Desire was a man's nature. When one was lonely for too long, they would naturally want to relieve themselves. At that moment, they might not even care if the woman was the one they loved. Could Jiang Ling do it?
"I..."
"As far as I know, you had a casual relationship with two women in the US. My Xiaorou deserves a whole and undivided heart, not a broken one."
"You..." How did Su Yuze know about this? He was a grown man. It was only natural for him to have such needs. Those two women were just a matter of mutual benefit. "You can't deny my feelings for Xiaorou... Fine. If this is your test for me, from now on, I'm willing to stay chaste for Xiaorou!"
Su Yuze shook his head gently. "You're no longer chaste."
"But I still like Xiaorou. You can't stop me." Jiang Ling said excitedly.
"I'm not stopping you. I'm just stating a fact."
"..." Jiang Ling swallowed hard. His expression was determined. "I like Xiaorou. I'm truly in love with her. I'll prove it to you."
"Not to me." He wasn't gay.
"Prove it to Xiaorou?" Wasn't it Su Yuze who was testing him? As long as he was determined, Su Yuze would surely hand his sister over to him with confidence.
Su Yuze looked into his eyes. Compared to him, Jiang Ling was still just a child. His feelings for Su Rou were probably just a case of "the grass is always greener on the other side." "If you can make Xiaorou fall in love with you."
"I..."
"Don't answer. Show me with your actions."
After saying that, Su Yuze left. Jiang Ling was left standing there, staring blankly at Su Yuze's back.
Su Rou was sitting outside, playing a mobile game. When she saw Su Yuze coming out, she walked up to him. "Ze-gege, what did you two talk about for so long?"
"Nothing much." Su Yuze ruffled her hair. "Come on, let's go home."
"Okay." Since Su Yuze said it was nothing, then it must be nothing. She trusted Su Yuze. "But I want to eat out."
"Sure."
...
Su Rou had taken a leave of absence from school. She heard that Dean hadn't been to school this week either. She wondered if he was repenting. But in the evening, Jiang Ling sent her a text message: Dean and his dad came to apologize to me today. His dad even slapped Dean twice in front of me.
Su Rou: Only two slaps?
Jiang Ling: It was just for show... I know it was all your brother's doing. Thank him for me.
Su Rou: Okay (smile).
It took a while before another message came: Xiaorou, are you leaving tomorrow?
Su Rou: Yes.
Jiang Ling: I want to see you off, but the nurse won't let me out of bed.
Just thinking about this made Jiang Ling feel annoyed. He was already mostly recovered, but the doctors and nurses seemed to be taking too good care of him. They just wouldn't let him move around.
Su Rou: Don't bother. Just focus on getting better.
Su Yuze walked over. Seeing that she was chatting happily with Jiang Ling, he immediately took the phone out of her hand. "Go take a shower and go to bed. Your flight is tomorrow noon."
"Okay."
The next day
Su Rou dragged her small suitcase and followed Su Yuze to the airport. Looking at the bustling airport lobby, Su Rou couldn't help but feel a bit emotional. Four months ago, she was forcibly brought here by Wen Haotian. She never thought it was for her liver. After experiencing such "family affection," Su Rou had grown to hate this place, the US.
Four months later, she was finally going back to China. But it seemed that life wouldn't be any easier there either!
"Xiaorou, let's go."
Su Yuze had gotten the tickets and was about to go through the security check when suddenly a shout came from behind. "Xiaorou!"
Hearing her name, Su Rou turned around and saw Jiang Ling limping towards them. Su Rou frowned slightly. Didn't she tell him not to come? Judging from his limping gait, he must have sneaked out of the hospital.
Jiang Ling walked up to Su Rou. There were a lot of people around, all looking at them. They were probably thinking about this delicate love triangle in their minds.
"Why did you come?"
Su Yuze stood by without saying a word, but his big hand possessively rested on Su Rou's shoulder.
"I came to see you off." Jiang Ling showed a smile. "Also, I have something to say to you." As he said this, he looked at Su Yuze, clearly indicating that he wanted to talk to Su Rou alone.
Su Rou felt the pressure on her shoulder getting heavier. So she said to Jiang Ling, "Just say it here."
Jiang Ling glanced at Su Yuze. "Okay... Xiaorou, I want to say, please wait for me for four years. I'll definitely come back to find you in China after four years!" He had to be firm in his belief.
Hearing this, Su Rou looked up at Su Yuze instead. What on earth did he say to Jiang Ling? "I have a boyfriend."
"I know." Jiang Ling said seriously. "I don't care." So what if she had a boyfriend? They weren't married yet. Even if they were married... couldn't they still get divorced?
"..."
Su Rou was speechless. Su Yuze put his arm around her. "Let's go."
"Goodbye, Jiang Ling."
"Goodbye... Xiaorou, wait for me!" He waved at Su Rou's back. He had made up his mind. He was going to win Su Rou's heart!
When going through the security check, Su Yuze couldn't help but ask, "What did you say to him?"
"Just made him face reality." But how long could Jiang Ling's promise last? No one knew!
"You shouldn't have said those things to him." Now it was embarrassing. People might even think she was a bad woman. "You've ruined my image."
"Anyway, they don't know you." Besides, wasn't it Jiang Ling who made the confession? It was his image that was ruined, right?
Just as they were going through the security check, no one noticed that in a corner of the airport lobby, there stood a gentle woman. She watched Su Rou from afar, with a relieved and loving look on her face.
"Xiaorou, goodbye."