After leaving home, Zhuang Jianguo was filled with remorse and said to Zhuang Zi'ang, "Zi'ang, Grandpa didn't take good care of you. You've suffered too much."

  Zhuang Zi'ang shook his head. "Grandpa, I'm fine. I'm living alone now, and it's very free and happy." He looked at the old man's head full of white hair, and his heart ached. His grandparents worked hard on the farm in the tryside, scrimping and saving to support his education. He might never have a ce to repay their immense kindness.

  Zhuang Jianguo suddenly smiled and said, "Zi'ang, is that girl in the video, the one you were eating with, yirlfriend?"

  Zhuang Zi'ang blushed. "No, she's a good friend of mine. Her niame is Little Butterfly."

  "Little Butterfly? What a cute name." Zhuang Jianguo could guess what he was thinking just by looking at his expression. eions are often more open-minded about young people dating. After all, it wasn't unon for people in rural areas to get married ie teens. Zhuang Zi'ang was already an adult, and it was natural for him to have a girl he liked.

  Zhuang Jianguo put aside the unpleasantness and ged the subject. "If you like the girl, you should spend more time with her. When I was young and c yrandma, her father chased me all over the vilge with a bamboo carrying pole. But with my thick skin, I finally won her hand."

  ...

  Zhuang Zi'ang listened quietly, but his heart was filled with sorrow. With only three months left to live, he didn't have the right to pursue the girl he loved.

  Passing by a mobile phoore, Zhuang Zi'ang pulled Zhuang Jianguo inside. "Grandpa, let me buy you a pho'll be easier for us to keep in touch."

  Zhuang Jianguo thought for a moment and then nodded. "Alright."

  They had talked about buying him a phone before, but the old man was relut to spend money on monthly pn fees, saying the ndli home was suffit. After this i, he finally ged his mind. Being able to tact Zhuang Zi'ang anytime, anywhere, would ease his worries.

  Ihe store, following the salesperson's reendation, they chose the cheapest senior-friendly pho had a rge s, rge buttons, and a loud speaker. The phone, along with the SIM card, only cost a little over two hundred yuan.

  Zhuang Jianguo wao pay for it himself, but Zhuang Zi'ang insisted on paying, sing the QR code to plete the transa. Although most of his money came from his grandfather, he had very few opportuo do something for him in the limited time he had left.

  Sitting on a bench outside the phoore, Zhuang Zi'ang taught his grandfather how to use the phone. He saved his own number in the tacts list, which could be accessed by pressing the menu button oht. Then, pressing the green call button would make the call. There were only two steps, easy to remember.

  When I was young, you taught me how to use chopsticks and tie my shoeces. Now that you're old, I'm teag you how to use a phone.

  Zhuang Jianguo didn't want to take up any more of Zhuang Zi'ang's study time and said he wao go back to the tryside. Zhuang Zi'ang saw him off at the bus stop.

  "Zi'ang, it's almost summer vacatiht? Just three more months?" Zhuang Jianguo asked with a smile.

  "Three months!" A wave of fear washed over him. He was now very sensitive to this timeframe.

  Zhuang Jianguo, unaware of his grandson's thoughts, tinued, "Yrandma has been raising some chis. She keeps talking about how when you e home for summer vacation, the chis will be big enough to make you some chi soup."

  Hearing this, tears welled up in Zhuang Zi'ang's eyes once more. What if his grandparents found out...?

  "That Little Butterfly, if you really like her, you o be proactive as a guy. When summer vacation starts, brio the tryside to visit. It'll make yrandma happy. I'm not getting any younger, but I still want to live to see you get married and hold my great-grandchild."

  ...

  Every gentle word from the old ma like a knife pierg Zhuang Zi'ang's heart. Zhuang Zi'ang covered his mouth, desperately trying to suppress his sobs.

  Seeing this, Zhuang Jianguo thought his grandson was just sad to see him go and offered more words of fort. It's not like it was goodbye forever.

  Finally, the bus arrived.

  Zhuang Zi'ang said, tears streaming down his face, "Grandpa, you and Grandma take care of yourselves."

  Zhuang Jianguo smiled ????ly. "Okay, e home early when summer vacation starts in three months!"

  After the bus drove away, Zhuang Zi'ang sat at the bus stop for a long time. His mind was filled with images of his grandparents learning the devastating news and g insobly.

  It was too cruel.

  I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.

  Zhuang Zi'ang walked back to school like a lost soul. Passing by the guardhouse, he suddenly remembered something. He stuck his head in and said to the security guard on duty, "Uncle, when my grandpa came this m, you were able to find my css by looking up my name, right?"

  The guard nodded. "Yes, the puter system has information on every student."

  "Could you help me find someone? Her name is Su Yudiel," Zhuang Zi'ang requested.

  The guard nodded and turo operate the puter. After a moment, fe characters appeared on the s:

  No such person found!

  Zhuang Zi'ang's eyes widened in disbelief. How could this be?

  After thanking the guard, he left the guardhouse and walked towards the . His mind was rag with questions. Finally, he cocted a pusible expnation.

  She probably has two names. Just like Li Huangxuan, who said he was called Li Chao when he was a child, but ter ged his name because he thought it was too on. Now, even at his age the elders in his family still call him Chaochao. Su Yudiel must have been her childhood name. She must have ged it.

  Yes, that must be it. There had to be another expnation! What else could it be?

  When Zhuang Zi'auro the , the first afternoon css had already started. Zhang Zhiyuan had already informed all his teachers about Zhuang Zi'ang's family situation, so the teacher didn't ask any questions a him return to his seat.

  "Dude, where did you run off to?" Li Huangxuan whispered.

  "My grandpa came from the tryside," Zhuang Zi'ang replied briefly.

  "Your Little Butterfly came looking for you, but you weren't here. The guys in our css are practically green with envy."

  Not just the uys, even Li Huangxuan himself was a little jealous. To be missed by such a beautiful girl was truly a blessing.

  Zhuang Zi'ang took out his phone and typed uhe desk: "What did she want? Why didn't she call?"

  Soon, his phone vibrated with a new message from Little Butterfly.

  "Nothing special, just wao see you."

  Zhuang Zi'ang quickly replied: "Meet me by the flower bed after css?"

  Little Butterfly: "Okay."

  As soon as the bell rang, Zhuang Zi'ang dashed out of the . The teacher was dumbfounded. I hadn't even dismissed the css yet! I nning to hold you back for a couple more minutes!

  By the flower bed filled with hyaths and wisteria sat the girl who was always immacutely . The peach blossom tucked behind her ear looked like a wisp of pink cloud.

  When Su Yudiel saw Zhuang Zi'ang, she immediately stood up and handed him an ice cream.

  Zhuang Zi'ang was even more puzzled. Css 9 was on the sed floor, and Su Yudiel said her was on the fifth floor. He had left as soon as the bell rang. How did she have time to buy ice cream?

  "Zhuang Zi'a it quickly before it melts."

  "Little Butterfly, do you have some kind of secret that you 't tell me?"