Chapter 12 (2/2)

He Luo chased Zhang Yuan around the court for that comment. He was laughing heartily, easily jumping over the flower beds. A person who was walking out of the cla.s.ses building nearly crashed into him.

“Ah, sorry teacher,” Zhang Yuan immediately apologised.

He Luo’s surprised voice came from behind him. “Dad…”

At home, Mom kept on nagging. “Even if you’re revising at school, you have to give us a call. Do you know how worried we are? Just see, you have completely changed.”

She glanced at Dad but he only ate his dinner quietly.

He Luo turned on table lamp and placed her books neatly on the surface. Dad sat on the sofa behind her, holding a newspaper.

“Don’t disturb your daughter doing her revision,” Mom said. “Help clean the dishes.”

“I’m checking Luo Luo’s cla.s.swork.” Dad put aside the newspaper and walked in front of the table, flipping the books on it.

He Luo looked up and quietly said, “Dad, this is chemistry, can you understand it?”

Dad turned around and sat back down on the sofa. He didn’t say anything, only staring straight at his daughter.

“Dad, do you have something to say?” He Luo sighed to herself. Why are all men like this, always hiding their thoughts in their heart? Fair enough that Zhang Yuan that narcissist is like this, but dad is that legendary speaker from the history department. When he is debating with someone, he is able to quote anyone.

“Was that him?” Dad asked.

“En.”

“He’s quite tall.”

“En.”

Silence, and more silence.

“I don’t know how to put this.” Dad ma.s.saged his hands, loosening the strained muscles. “I have never dealt with such things before. Before I could prepare myself, you’ve already grown up.”

“Haven’t you and mom made your decision?” He Luo snorted.

“We want you to go to America not because you’re in a relations.h.i.+p with him but because we truly thinking of your wellbeing. It just so happens the two things happen at the same time,” Dad explained. “Wellesley was brought up by your uncle. Your mom and I didn’t have any prior knowledge.”

“But you two looked at my diary!” The second she thought about it, she felt wronged.

“We didn’t do it on purpose. Your desk is so messy, that’s why your mom went and cleaned it. But you both are still being responsible and didn’t do anything that isn’t appropriate.”

“We’re responsible, but what about you?” He Luo retorted angrily. “You still won’t admit that you’ve made a mistake?”

Dad frowned. “We apologise. We really did violate your privacy. But nowadays you won’t tell us anything. For instance, the reason why you transferred to the science stream. It’s such a huge issue but you just lied to us like that.”

“I know that even if I tell you, you would’ve disagreed! Fine. I’ll tell you my opinion now. You have to promise me you’ll listen to me until the end calmly.” She called her mother over so they can listen together.

Mom shook her head. “Never mind. I’m a neutral party, I don’t want to partic.i.p.ate.”

“After you missed this conversation, you won’t hear this from me anymore. I’ll only say this once,” He Luo said. “You all treat me like a child. Can you just listen to me patiently for once, and not become impatient halfway through and call me naïve?”

“You kept on saying you’re doing this for me, kept on saying a parent won’t harm his own child. But have you considered what I truly want? I want to attend Wellesley, that’s true. But I won’t be upset even if I can’t go. After all it’s such a faraway dream.” He Luo felt a little uncomfortable, but persisted. “You like to say that I shouldn’t date this early, that I will find someone even better in the future. But why don’t you consider my feelings? Have you experienced the feeling of really liking someone in your youth? I feel like that he’s the best person for me. I don’t think I’ll find someone better in the future either. And I know, if I separate with him now, I won’t be happy in the coming years.”

“You kept saying that dating early would affect my studies. But just look at my science subjects, I have been doing progressively well, isn’t that right? It’s only this time that I did poorly but that’s because we’re about to be separated. If you insist on sending me to America, whether there will be even more serious matters, I can’t say.”

Mom was both angry and amused. “Are you threatening us, Luo Luo?”

“I know you want to laugh. Go ahead,” she said. “Why do you have to learn my thoughts from my diary? There are many things that I don’t tell you because those are things that are private to me. Even if I say it out loud, not only will there not be any support, you will even laugh at me!”

Mom and Dad exchanged glances.

“There won’t be any parents who would agree with this,” Dad said. “How is it possible that we support you?”

“Just wait for my final exams!” He Luo said. “I will prove it to you that my decision to transfer to the science stream is not wrong. And that us being together will not have impact on my studies.”

“Okay. You promised.” Dad smiled. “From now onwards, you can only improve in ranking and cannot fall. Even if you drop one ranking, there is no need for there to discuss about going overseas anymore.”

Then that means there is still room for negotiation now? He Luo couldn’t help smiling through her tears. She couldn’t wait to call Zhang Yuan and tell him the good news. “If I knew this earlier, I would have started from the bottom ranking. Then I can improve my ranking each time for sure.”

Returning to their bedroom, Mom lamented, “Why did you gave her hope?”

“I went to the school today and met Teacher Lin. She said Zhang Yuan is a good child, very smart and sensible,” Dad said. “Further she said something that made me felt emotional. She said a relations.h.i.+p established at this age, if it continues until the end, is something that is very rare. It is also something that very blissful.”

“This Teacher Lin is such a hopeless romantic,” Mom complained.

“You’ve really forgotten after you’re gotten old.” Dad patted his wife’s hand. “We both seemed to be junior high school mates.”

“Who’s together with you during junior high school?” Mom smiled. “Back then you’re not even as tall as I am!” She then asked, “Then what about going overseas?”

“Let’s see how it goes. Luo Luo has been quite obedient this past two years but her stubbornness knows no bounds. Things that she insists on she will persist until the very end,” Dad said. “We can only support her and not block her path. What if one day she runs away from home, it would be too late for us to regret by then.”

Mom also became worried over that prospect.

When He Luo was still young and unwilling to go to kindergarten, standing in front of the door, she held onto her mother’s s.h.i.+rt and refused to let go. Seeing that they were about to be late and potentially ruin their perfect attendance record, Mom pulled her daughter and shoved her to the teacher. Little He Luo didn’t say anything and waved at her from behind the fence. She said, “You have to come earlier and pick me up. I’ll obediently wait for you.”

An hour had barely pa.s.sed before the kindergarten teacher made a frantic call to their home, saying that He Luo had gone missing. They went searching for her throughout the entire street, even mobilising the neighbourhood’s committee members. At the end, it was Grandma living in the suburbs sending Uncle into the city to explain that He Luo has ran to them and refused to go home.

When Mom saw He Luo again, first she wept and then spanked He Luo. He Luo pressed her lips tightly together, refusing to make any noise. When she found the opportunity, she continued to run. Even the kindergarten teacher was used to it. Often the teacher would get into her car and yell after He Luo: “Luo Luo, come back, today you don’t have to nap anymore!”

“Who did she inherit this nasty temper from?” Mom asked worriedly. “It’s not good for a girl to have such a strong personality. I’m always worried that she would be disadvantaged in the future.”

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