Chapter 218: Silly Girl

“She can’t see us?” Ma Chulong realized this quickly.

“It must be due to her previous experiences.” Although it was a guess, Su Yan could say with certainty.

She and Ma Chulong were like passing bystanders.

Ma Chulong relaxed slightly, as long as this illusion wasn't targeting the two of them.

“Luoluo, off to the study again to bring food to Zhensheng?”

The girl had just reached the entrance of the alley when an elderly woman sitting nearby spoke up with a chuckle.

A trace of shy smiling appeared on the face of the girl called Luoluo.

“Is your Zhensheng going away to school this year? Are you going with him, or staying home?” The elderly woman seemed very concerned about her.

“He’s going first,” Zhou Luoluo answered generously.

“Child, don't blame this old woman for being meddlesome. It's better to keep a man close by. If he goes out and sees too many pretty girls out there, what if he doesn't want you anymore?” The elderly woman felt she was a foolish girl.

Not only was she earning money herself to support Liu Zhensheng's studies, but she was also subsidizing his entire large family.

If they were married, it would be expected, but they weren't married yet; they had no official status.

Zhou Luoluo said with a smile, “Auntie, Zhensheng is not that kind of person.”

Seeing this, Su Yan and Ma Chulong seemed to have already guessed what would happen next.

However, when they saw the slogans and era-specific banners printed throughout the streets and alleys, they were both astonished.

“1925? Isn't that over fifty years ago?”

If this Luoluo girl was from that era, she should be in her seventies or eighties by now, yet the Luoluo they saw appeared to be only about twenty-seven or twenty-eight.

Su Yan signaled for him to keep watching.

The scene shifted. Zhou Luoluo arrived at Liu Zhensheng's home, carrying various bags of food.

Not only were Liu Zhensheng's parents still alive, but he also had two younger siblings who were still young.

Upon seeing her arrive, the attitude of Father Liu and Mother Liu was exceptionally warm, and all their attention was focused on the things she had brought.

“Luoluo, we've made you spend money again. It's all because your Uncle Liu and I are unreliable, and Zhensheng still needs to study. We can only make you work hard,” Mother Liu said, letting out a heavy sigh.

Zhou Luoluo dismissed it nonchalantly. “It’s no trouble. It is Luoluo's blessing to be able to take care of you on behalf of Brother Zhensheng. I have long since regarded you as my own parents.”

“This Luoluo is truly too naive, giving so much unconditionally. And Liu Zhensheng's parents are truly pushing selfishness to the extreme,” Ma Chulong said, losing his composure a bit upon seeing this.

Since these people could not see him or Su Yan, nor hear their voices, there was no need for any restraint.

Although Su Yan did not speak, she also expressed her disapproval of Zhou Luoluo's approach.

In a relationship, if only one side gives unconditionally, problems are bound to arise.

Next, they soon met the Liu Zhensheng in question.

His appearance was decent, and while his height and build weren't particularly impressive, he was very upright.

However, the man exuded an air of a bookworm from head to toe.

After the family finished dinner, Mother Liu specifically made space for just Liu Zhensheng and Zhou Luoluo.

Liu Zhensheng walked to the window and glanced at the moon hanging in the sky. “Luoluo, the moonlight is beautiful tonight. Shall we go out and look at it?”

“Okay,” Zhou Luoluo replied bashfully.

The two sat on the ground in the courtyard.

Zhou Luoluo leaned her head toward Liu Zhensheng, cautiously trying to get closer to him.

But Liu Zhensheng's attention was actually entirely on the moon, completely ignoring her little intentions.

“Brother Zhensheng, when you go away to study, you must remember to write to me often. Don't worry about things at home; I will take good care of Uncle and Auntie.” Zhou Luoluo felt both reluctance and anticipation regarding his departure, and even an indescribable sense of pride.

Liu Zhensheng finally withdrew his gaze to look at her. “Luoluo, the happiest thing in my life is meeting such a good girl like you. Don't worry, once I get there, I will study even harder to find a job as soon as possible that can support you and my parents, and then I will bring you all over to enjoy a good life.”

At this moment, his attitude was incredibly sincere.

Zhou Luoluo's face was full of happiness. “Mhm, I know you can do it. But finding a job can wait; studying is the most important thing.”

Moved by her understanding, Liu Zhensheng gently pulled her into his arms.

“Luoluo, you are so good.”

Seeing this, Su Yan's face tightened. She thought of Yuan Jing and Li Rong—was this Liu Zhensheng likely to be a second Yuan Jing?

However, Li Rong was clearly more enlightened and free-spirited than Zhou Luoluo.

Zhou Luoluo had even lost her sense of self, as if she lived solely for Liu Zhensheng.

The scene shifted again; it was now Zhou Luoluo bidding a lingering farewell to Liu Zhensheng at the bus station.

“Luoluo, I have something to give you. But you can only look at it after I leave.”

Zhou Luoluo was clearly obedient to Liu Zhensheng. She took an envelope from his hands and held it tightly against her chest.

After a period of tearful parting, Liu Zhensheng boarded the bus without looking back.

The moment the vehicle started, Zhou Luoluo could no longer control her sorrow of parting, chasing after the bus just to catch one last glimpse of him.

“Brother Zhensheng, remember to write to me often, and remember to come back early!”

“This departure is likely the beginning of a nightmare,” Ma Chulong said bluntly.

Su Yan offered no opinion, watching Zhou Luoluo stare longingly at the receding bus until it completely disappeared from her sight.

After wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes, the first thing Zhou Luoluo did was open the envelope Liu Zhensheng had given her.

Inside was a piece of stationery.

Ma Chulong immediately signaled Su Yan to walk to Zhou Luoluo's side to see what was written on it.

It was actually a marriage contract.

Zhou Luoluo shed tears of happiness and made a vow, “Brother Zhensheng, Luoluo will definitely wait for you to come back.”

Ma Chulong snorted in contempt.

With a marriage contract that had no legal effect, Liu Zhensheng had shackled a girl in the prime of her youth to work like an ox or a horse for his family.

During the first six months after Liu Zhensheng left, Zhou Luoluo could still receive replies from him from time to time.

But the frequency of these replies grew slower and slower.

It went from one letter a month at the beginning, to one every two months, and eventually to three or four months without a single letter being sent back.

Zhou Luoluo treated those letters like treasures, taking them out to read carefully during countless quiet nights.

In the eighth month after Liu Zhensheng left, Father Liu's condition suddenly worsened. Despite being sent to the hospital for half a month of treatment, he passed away.

Father Liu's passing not only cast a shadow over the family but also forced Zhou Luoluo to sell off all the family assets she could to scrape together money for his medical treatment.

Yet, even after her father's death, Liu Zhensheng, who was studying away, still did not return.

(End of Chapter)