Chapter 555 - 234: I’ll Wait for You Until 35
The sight of those two, so youthful and intimate, was like a piercing ray of light, instantly shattering the hazy image in his memory of his daughter still wearing pigtails.
Then he saw the caption Shen Yuan had posted.
—If you love someone, don't make her wait until she's 35.
'And Shen Guohao, you dog, you actually liked it!'
"Hff…"
Old Li unconsciously sucked in a breath, as if something was caught in his throat. The knuckles of the hand gripping his phone were turning white.
The light from the screen illuminated the taut muscles of his face. His eyes, which normally held a touch of authority, were now wide and round, the two young faces clearly reflected in his pupils.
"This… this kid…"
A strong, bittersweet pang swelled within him.
Old Li felt a tightness in his chest, along with a complex, indescribable feeling.
He unconsciously ground his molars.
'No! I have to see what my daughter posted!'
Old Li reacted almost instantly. His fingers flew as he switched back to his own social media feed, anxiously swiping to refresh.
At that very moment, a new post appeared at the very top.
The same nine-panel layout! The same centerpiece photo of them making a heart with their hands and gazing at each other!
The surrounding goofy and formal photos were all the same, too!
His gaze locked onto the caption like a hawk.
—I'll wait for you until I'm 35.
Just a few words, but they were clear and resolute. Like a small seal—gentle, yet with a hint of foolish stubbornness—they were stamped heavily upon his heart, Old Shen's heart, and the hearts of everyone who could see the post.
The air seemed to freeze.
Old Li stared at the line of text, stunned for a full three seconds.
'Did he expect his daughter to post some sappy, lovey-dovey message?'
She hadn't.
'Something subtle? A complaint? Or maybe no caption at all?'
It was none of those either.
Instead, it was this sentence…
Shen Yuan had said, "Don't make her wait," and his little girl had said, "I will wait."
Old Li let out a heavy huff.
As a father, he instinctively wanted to pull the corners of his mouth down in disapproval or disdain, but his tightly pursed lips twitched uncontrollably upward instead.
He brought the phone closer, unable to resist taking another long, careful look at the photo of them making a heart and gazing at each other, and then at the phrase, "I'll wait for you until I'm 35."
In the face of such a powerful contrast and his daughter's unabashed declaration, the churning bitterness and tightness in his chest strangely began to dissipate.
In the end, all his complex emotions, tinged with a hint of resignation, coalesced into a long sigh.
He firmly locked his phone and tossed it onto the desk.
The father sank deep into the back of his large chair. He closed his eyes and raised a hand to rub the bridge of his nose, which was starting to ache.
"Oh, Zhizhi… you really are…"
Old Li mumbled under his breath, the rest of his words dissolving into a nearly inaudible sigh. But the tense line of his jaw finally relaxed.
A moment later, the faint, almost imperceptible curve at the corner of his mouth could no longer be suppressed, settling into a resigned expression that was equal parts exasperation and acceptance.
"…That kid is getting off easy."
he murmured, as if to himself, or perhaps to the winter night's wind.
"But if he really makes Zhizhi wait until she's 35, I'll break his damn legs!"
The faint glow of the computer screen illuminated the father's complex expression. It was a mixture of the sour feeling that his precious daughter had truly been stolen away, and a hidden trace of pride in seeing his child all grown up.
In the end, all his emotions melted into a resigned little huff, though the corner of his mouth couldn't help but twitch upward.
...
During the break between evening study hall classes, the chill in Classroom 305 of the Science Building felt even more pronounced. Only the buzz of the fluorescent lights overhead and the rustle of turning pages broke the silence.
Li Zhi was curled up in her oversized down jacket, trying to shrink her entire body into the radiant warmth of the human furnace beside her.
Shen Yuan's arm was pressed against her sleeve, feeling like a giant heating pad that radiated a constant, steady warmth.
—The 50% boost to his Yang Qi was on full display.
Li Zhi stretched her stiff neck and unconsciously unlocked her phone. The cool, white light illuminated her sleepy face.
Her thumb swiped idly through her social media feed, curious to see how the commotion from their relationship announcement had settled.
The post was flooded with comments and likes, mostly good-natured teasing and congratulations from their classmates. He Zhiyu, in particular, had posted several gushing mini-essays, her words practically dancing with glee at having personally captured such "prime shipping material."
Her gaze swept lazily over the rows of familiar profile pictures and names, until—
Li Zhi's breath hitched.
A 'like' notification was clearly visible on the screen.
The profile picture of the person who'd liked it was a familiar one.
Old Li…
"Ack?!"
A short gasp escaped her throat, as if it had been lightly squeezed.
Her previously sleepy eyes snapped into focus, her eyelashes fluttering wildly like the wings of a startled butterfly.
The finger that had been casually scrolling the screen froze in place. Her fingertips instinctively tightened around the phone's cold frame, knuckles turning white.
Her chest tightened as if squeezed by an invisible hand.
A wave of disbelief rushed to her head. She felt her cheeks heat up rapidly, and even her earlobes began to burn.
"What's wrong, Li Bao?"
Shen Yuan, sitting beside her, immediately sensed her breath catch and her body go rigid.
Li Zhi didn't say a word, but her movements were shockingly fast.
On pure instinct, she jabbed her elbow into Shen Yuan's side—not too hard, not too soft, but with a flustered urgency. With her other hand, she forcefully shoved the phone screen right in front of his face.