tkworld Chapter 178: Someone Like That Doesn’t Deserve You
Chapter 178: Someone Like That Doesn’t Deserve You
When she heard the total announced by the scanner, Cao Jiajia’s jaw almost dropped.
’They bought so much stuff!’
"Total for this transaction is one thousand seven hundred and twenty-three yuan."
A few other customers glanced sideways at Ling Anxun’s pile of bags.
Perhaps she was staring too obviously, because Shanshan casually glanced in her direction.
The other girl’s gaze was calm, with no trace of mockery or smugness. It was as ordinary as looking at a regular classmate.
But Cao Jiajia felt a sting, as if she’d been pricked.
She shot back a fierce glare and turned to leave.
Shanshan froze for a moment, not following her immediately.
She watched her sister’s retreating back, her eyes following until the figure disappeared around the street corner before she slowly looked away.
She sighed inwardly, her feelings a mix of helplessness and heartache.
’That girl must not be having an easy time right now.’
’Otherwise, she wouldn’t feel humiliated by a simple glance.’
Liu Yingzi, on the other hand, was perfectly calm, standing where she was and arranging the shopping bags in her hands with a natural expression.
The incident didn’t affect Shanshan’s mood.
She shook her head, casting aside the distracting thoughts.
She paid, humming a tune as usual, and headed home, checking the receipt as she left with a spring in her step.
In the afternoon, Ling Anxun received a sudden assignment. The call came so abruptly that he rushed out without even taking off his jacket.
His car was parked downstairs for less than five minutes before he drove off.
Shanshan was home alone, busying herself with the house: moving chairs to hang pictures, shifting the sofa to arrange decorations.
When Ling Anxun came home after working overtime that night and pushed open the door, he was greeted by soft light.
A faint, fragrant scent from an aromatherapy diffuser drifted through the air, several new decorative paintings hung on the walls, and a potted plant sat in the corner.
He froze for a second, almost thinking he’d walked into the wrong apartment.
"Ta-da! Welcome home, Dad~ Do you like the new vibe?"
Shanshan jumped up from the sofa and bounced over to him.
Although he had hand-picked every item in the house himself, after his daughter’s touch, the entire place immediately felt warm and cozy.
The once cool-toned space now exuded a homey atmosphere, thanks to changes in the rug, throw pillows, and lighting.
"Dad, look at the sofa! I put a new blanket on it. It’s super soft. Quick, sit down and try it out!"
The two of them sat down side-by-side, and Ling Anxun felt the fuzzy fabric under his hand.
"Mm, it is a lot more comfortable."
"See? I told you! My taste is impeccable, isn’t it?"
Shanshan shook her head smugly, her cheeks puffed out slightly, just as she was about to elaborate on the other changes.
For instance, how she’d swapped the curtains for blackout ones and added a photo frame to the coffee table. But her dad’s next words stopped her short.
"It is comfortable, but I’m still not used to it. As soon as you leave, I’m changing it all back."
"Huh? Why?!"
She immediately pouted, leaning against him and tugging on his arm wheedlingly.
"No changing it back! No changing it back! You promised you wouldn’t go back on your word!"
But Ling Anxun acted as if he hadn’t heard her. His face was expressionless, his gaze fixed calmly ahead.
’This was the first time her wheedling wasn’t working.’
In the past, whenever she acted like this, her dad would always give in with a smile.
But today, he was completely unmoved, not even batting an eyelid.
The two argued for a long time, their debate moving from the living room to the bedroom door.
Shanshan would say something, Ling Anxun would retort, and neither would back down.
In the end, it was he who waved the white flag, raising his hands in a gesture of surrender.
"Fine, fine, you win. But if you dare secretly change it back, then I’ll..."
"Then you’ll what?"
He sighed, ruffled her hair with his hand, and nudged her toward her room.
"Go on, back to your room and get some rest."
’This was a military family housing compound; all the neighbors were soldiers’ families.’
’People were always dropping by to discuss things.’
’If everyone saw the house decorated so fancily, there’s no telling what kind of gossip they’d spread behind his back.’
Shanshan, oblivious to all this, thought her dad had really agreed. She cheerfully went out for a stroll.
Wearing slippers and humming a song, she wandered back and forth in the courtyard, taking a moment to look at the flowers and plants on other people’s balconies.
Her little walk, however, ended up attracting the attention of the boy from next door.
He stood in his own doorway, his gaze fixed on her, not flinching or looking away.
He was clearly interested, but she was still completely in the dark.
After wandering around for a bit, she came back and curled up in her room with a book.
As it neared noon, Ling Anxun returned with a lunch box to bring her lunch.
From a distance, he saw a young man pacing back and forth in front of his door.
The young man was wearing a clean white shirt, his hair neatly combed.
Then, the young man actually raised his hand and knocked.
Inside, Shanshan heard the sound and looked up, raising an eyebrow slightly.
Ling Anxun’s heart tightened. He quickened his pace, rushing forward in just a few strides.
He gripped the lunch box in his hand tighter, his knuckles turning white from the force.
He stopped a few steps away from the door.
"Um, Ling Xueshan, I... I’m Yu Han from next door. I’m eighteen, and I just got into university..."
The boy’s voice trembled slightly, and he didn’t dare to look directly at the person inside as he spoke.
Shanshan had been through this kind of scene many times before.
She knew what he was up to the moment he started talking and politely turned him down with a smile.
"Thank you for your interest, but I just want to focus on my studies right now. I’m not thinking about things like that at the moment."
Just as she finished speaking, Ling Anxun appeared at the door, lunch box in hand.
The moment Yu Han saw him, he knew the situation was bad. His face went pale, and he turned and bolted.
"Jeez, Dad, why’d you have to scare him? You had a stone-cold face on, like you were about to pick a fight."
Shanshan complained with a laugh, pushing his body out of the doorway to clear a path.
"Were you scared?"
Ling Anxun asked lightly.
"Of course not. You’re my dad, you wouldn’t hurt me. What’s there to be afraid of?"
As she spoke, she casually closed the door and took the lunch box from him to have a look inside.
"He couldn’t even stand his ground while saying a few words. Scared out of his wits, no backbone at all. A guy like that isn’t good enough for you."
Ling Anxun put his backpack on a chair and undid the straps.
"Oh? Then in my dear father’s opinion, who *is* good enough for me?"
Shanshan tilted her head to look at him, a smile in her eyes.
Ling Anxun froze, his expression changing slightly.
It seemed as if he’d remembered something, and he quickly changed the subject.
Luckily, Shanshan didn’t press the issue and went along with the change in topic.
In truth, while she had been away, quite a few people had already made their way from school to her house to ask about her.
But they found no one home. They were as anxious as ants on a hot pan, afraid someone else would beat them to the punch.
"So what are your real plans, then?"
Ling Anxun casually picked up some vegetables with his chopsticks and placed them in his daughter’s bowl, his eyes filled with a probing look.
He never forced her to choose a certain path or future career.
He knew you can’t force a melon to be sweet, and he also understood his daughter’s stubborn nature.
Once she made a decision, she wouldn’t easily turn back.
Rather than pressure her, it was better to wait for her to bring it up herself.
He knew that Shanshan had always had a mind of her own, even as a child; she wasn’t the type to just go with the flow.
Right now, he, like everyone else, was waiting to hear her decision.
Though his face was expressionless, his fingers holding the chopsticks tightened slightly.
"Well... I actually only just made up my mind in the last day or two."
Shanshan put down her chopsticks, her expression suddenly turning serious.
’She knew it was time to make a decision.’
"I want to study biomedical science. I want to contribute to the country, just like you, Dad."
"Are you being serious? No fluff?"
Ling Anxun’s heart jolted.