Chapter 629
Unbreakable Ties
After only a fraction of a second of thought, Han Zhou realized that this question was meant to be used as a pretext for finding fault.
Whether it's good or bad, it's not the right answer, but he can't not answer.
His gaze swept quickly across Ouyang Lianyu and Zhong Yin's faces. His thoughts raced. The events at the sports meet, even if they aroused Uncle Gu and Sister Miao's suspicion, were not enough to make them doubt him so much.
There must be another reason behind this.
He hadn't figured out the specific reason yet, but he already knew how to answer the question.
Before he could speak, he heard the soft sound of the kitchen door opening and closing, followed by Gu Lang's anxious shouts: "Gu Zheng, what happened to you! You're covered in blood!"
The sound was heart-wrenching, instantly gripping everyone's hearts. Miao Yan'er's smile vanished in an instant, and she rushed towards the door.
Han Zhou was even faster, rushing into the living room almost the instant the sound rang out. Gu Zheng's battered figure immediately came into view—
This is of course impossible.
In the living room, Guzheng stood unharmed at the door, holding a large down jacket in her arms, her body covered with fine snowflakes.
She looked at her unreliable father with a speechless expression and said irritably, "Dad, what are you yelling about? You're scaring my friend."
"Just kidding to lighten the mood," Gu Lang chuckled awkwardly.
Han Zhou subconsciously turned his head to look at the balcony, only to find that it had started snowing again outside.
So it was snow... He secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but when his gaze fell on the down jacket in Gu Zheng's arms, his heart jumped again.
Clearly, Guzheng had already visited his home.
His new home has a layout where you can see the balcony as soon as you open the door. Since you went to his home, it was impossible not to see that cat-ear pajamas.
Gu Zheng brushed the snow off her body, looked up and met Han Zhou's gaze. She seemed to be stunned for a moment, then looked away and tossed the clothes in her arms to him: "Here, I've searched the entire wardrobe, this is the thickest one."
Perhaps it was because it was too cold outside, which made her voice sound a little muffled, but otherwise there was nothing unusual.
But Han Zhou knew she was angry.
Gu Zheng has never been one to hide her feelings, so the fact that she could forcibly suppress her emotions can only mean one thing—
She was so angry that she didn't know whether she should be angry or not.
Han Zhou's heart raced. He forced himself to accept the down jacket and said, "Thank you."
Gu Lang also noticed something amiss. He narrowed his eyes and glanced at Han Zhou, asking casually, "Gu Zheng, did you just go to that kid's house?"
"Ah."
Gu Zheng took off her coat and sat on the sofa. Without even washing her hands, she picked up an apple from the fruit plate and started munching on it, as if she was venting something.
What are you going to his house for?
"Could you please get my clothes?"
What clothes should I get?
"Didn't you see it? It's a down jacket."
"But didn't this kid go home this morning?" Gu Lang looked at Han Zhou suspiciously. "Don't tell me you didn't even know how to change your clothes when you went home, and that Gu Zheng had to help you carry them."
Han Zhou looked embarrassed: "I went to the hospital to take care of my friend last night, and I thought I wouldn't have time to go home, so I asked Gu Zheng to go to my house to help me get a thick coat."
"Which friend are you taking care of?" Guzheng suddenly asked.
Because of Gu Lang's recent wail, everyone was gathered in the living room, with Miao Yan'er standing right behind Han Zhou, ready to make a move at any moment.
As Gu Zheng asked the question, everyone's eyes fell on Han Zhou. He was nervous, but he could only force himself to remain calm: "Lin Anyu."
Gu Zheng said "Oh," and continued eating her apple. After a few seconds of silence, she looked up again: "Are you sure you were taking care of Lin Anyu at the hospital last night?"
Upon hearing this, the living room fell silent. Even the most oblivious bell could hear the unspoken meaning—Guzheng was clearly questioning Han Zhou's whereabouts last night.
“I’m sure,” Han Zhou replied.
Guzheng didn't speak again, only letting out an "oh," the chewing sound particularly jarring in the silence. "Guzheng... what's wrong?"
Wang Runxue, who was next to her, asked quietly, and suddenly felt that she should not have come to eat this meal today.
Guzheng shook her head and did not respond.
Seeing that the atmosphere was getting tense, Gu Lang quickly tried to smooth things over: "I went to the hospital this morning and saw that the kid named Lin Anyu is indeed lying on the hospital bed. The doctor said he needs to rest for a few more days before he can be discharged."
Although he had some doubts about Han Zhou, he mainly wanted to give him a warning so that the young man wouldn't let Gu Zheng down, after all, he had gone through the same thing back then.
He had no evidence, nor did he intend to find concrete evidence of the boy's womanizing, and he didn't want Guzheng to be upset. Seeing that the two seemed to be having a disagreement, he became the peacemaker.
Since it's true that the kid named Lin Anyu was hospitalized last night, it's probably true that Han Zhou took care of him all night.
Miao Yan'er also said with a smile, "Xiao Zheng, don't forget what day it is today. Friends have come to visit, so you must entertain them well."
Since Guzheng will be participating in the New Year's Eve party on the 30th, and may stay at school on New Year's Day instead of going home, today is considered an early celebration. Even if the decorations are a bit early, there should still be a festive atmosphere.
"And Han Zhou, what are you standing there for? Go back to the kitchen and continue cooking. Xiao Zheng has been praising your cooking skills lately, and I haven't even tasted them yet."
Han Zhou looked at the guzheng on the sofa, opened his mouth as if to say something, but was interrupted by Zhong Yin behind him: "Go back to the kitchen."
Seeing that he was standing still, Zhong Yin frowned slightly, forcibly grabbed his arm, and dragged him back into the kitchen.
Before Miao Yan'er and Ouyang Lianyu entered the room, she lowered her voice and asked Han Zhou in his ear, "Tell me honestly, where did you go last night?"
A rich aroma of meat wafted to his nose, seemingly mixed with a faint scent of hair, but Han Zhou paid no attention to discern it: "I..."
"Forget it, I don't want to hear it."
Zhong Yin's expression turned slightly cold. As soon as she saw Han Zhou's expression, she knew that he must not have been in the hospital last night. She had a vague idea of what was going on, so she decided not to ask any more questions. However, a trace of annoyance welled up in her eyes.
"You brought this on yourself," she said coldly, returning to the cutting board to continue chopping vegetables.
"Ah... Sister Miao, here are some gifts that everyone prepared. Would you like to take a look?"
Ouyang Lianyu's voice could be heard from outside the door from time to time. She seemed to be deliberately stalling for time, which is why Miao Yan'er did not enter the kitchen for a long time.
The only sounds in the kitchen were the chopping of knives and the running of water.
Zhong Yin was chopping vegetables, but her eyes kept glancing at Han Zhou out of the corner of her eye. She thought that the other party would shamelessly ask her for help as before, but to her surprise, he just walked to the gas stove, lifted the pot lid, ladled a bowl of pork rib soup into a small bowl, took a sip, and ate the pork rib in the bowl as well.
He had a resigned look on his face, as if he'd rather die a full-fledged ghost than die a dead man.
Zhong Yin held the knife steadily, and as the blade fell, she neatly sliced the carrot into thin slices, but her gaze was not on the dish.
She turned to the side, frowning as she looked at Han Zhou.
Watching him lift the lid of another pot, watching the steam rise and blur his expression, watching him scoop out a tender piece of braised pork with a spoon, put it in a small bowl to savor, and then add salt to the pot.
He just accepted it like that?
A nameless anger suddenly surged up, stuck in her chest, and burned her throat. The "tap, tap, tap" sound of chopping vegetables suddenly became rapid and forceful. She looked away, forcing herself not to look at that good-for-nothing guy.
"hiss!"
The next second, a sharp chill ran through my fingertips.
She snapped back to reality, the blade already slicing through the pad of her left index finger. Blood gushed out instantly, dripping onto the edge of the white porcelain plate, its red color glaringly bright.
With a "clang," the pot lid was put back on the pot, sealing the pot full of braised pork tightly on the stove.
But some things can't be hidden, such as the fragrance and white mist that keep escaping from the exhaust vents, or a kind of panic that can't be concealed no matter what.
After replenishing the seasonings, Han Zhou seemed to intend to return to the pool to continue washing vegetables.
Zhong Yin hurriedly withdrew her hand, trying to hide it behind her back, but the next second, her wrist was tightly grabbed by a large hand.
Han Zhou's helpless sigh rang in my ears.
"Sister Yin, what did I tell you? I told you you'd cut your hand." (End of Chapter)