NOVEL NEXT Chapter 119 - Returning Home
Going home for a few days didn’t require packing much—everything she needed was already there.
Tang Yuan refused Jiang Zi’s offer to drive her and chose to drive herself instead.
As she navigated familiar roads toward the parking lot, a sense of nostalgia washed over her, as if everything had changed in the blink of an eye.
After parking, she got out of the car and walked toward the front door.
A boy standing by the door brightened noticeably at the sight of Tang Yuan approaching.
Tang Su naturally stepped forward and took his sister’s bag. “Sis, you finally decided to come home.”
“Ah, it’s Sunday—perfect for coming home.” Tang Yuan smiled, ruffling his hair as she glanced around. “Brother’s not home, right?”
“He’s home—upstairs, working like always.” Tang Su lowered his voice in mock complaint, careful not to let Tang Gu know—after all, his allowance came from his big brother.
Tang Yuan paused, her mind drifting to Jiang Zi. she’d been working non-stop lately, even on weekends. It seemed like she was busier than Tang Gu, who was notorious for being a workaholic. She didn’t remember Jiang Zi being this busy before.
Tang Su’s voice pulled her back. “Sis, how long are you staying? Ever since you started dating, you barely come home.”
The excitement he’d once felt about his sister’s relationship had long faded, replaced by the disappointment of her constant absence.
“I’ll stay until the Mid-Autumn Festival—about a week.” Tang Yuan pulled her phone from the bag he was holding and gestured for him to hang it up. “What’s wrong? Miss me?”
Tang Su’s smile disappeared as he began his grievances. “You still have the nerve to ask? These days, the only way I can see you is on TV.”
Tang Yuan ignored his indignation, her tone light. “Isn’t that because you’re at school? Our brother meets up with me all the time for dinner.”
As a high school senior, Tang Su: …
“You’re going back to school tomorrow. Study hard, okay?”
Tang Su’s shoulders slumped, his desire to continue the conversation completely extinguished.
“I want to apply for off-campus housing.”
Tang Yuan shrugged and sat down on the sofa. “Talk to our brother—I can’t make that decision. Get me a glass of water.”
Tang Su had only started living on campus in his second year of high school. Before that, he’d always lived at home, attending private tutoring sessions and learning various skills. He’d asked to move to the dorms himself, wanting to bond with classmates.
But now, after a year, he wanted to move back—something was definitely up.
Tang Yuan sipped her water, glancing at him as he sat down beside her, waiting quietly like a parent ready to hear his explanation.
Tang Su hesitated, scratching his head. “It’s just… a waste of time. They’re teaching things I already know—it’s inefficient.”
He frowned, visibly troubled. “Plus… the endless love letters… it’s so annoying.”
Tang Yuan: …
Her gaze drifted to his face—alright, he did look somewhat like her. The Tang family genes were strong—they both turned out good-looking.
“Talk to our brother. He’ll understand.”
“Understand what?” Tang Su glanced nervously toward the staircase, only relaxing when he saw no one there. “He’s never even been in a relationship—what would he understand?”
“What wouldn’t I understand?”
Tang Su’s words caught in his throat. He spun around in horror—Tang Gu had appeared out of nowhere.
Tang Gu glanced at Tang Yuan, who looked perfectly innocent slouched on the couch, before fixing his cold gaze on Tang Su. “You have three minutes.”
Tang Yuan subtly shifted to the far end of the sofa, distancing herself from the battlefield.
Tang Su mustered his courage and rattled off his request, fully expecting to be rejected. When he finished, he hung his head, resigned to his fate.
After a long pause, Tang Gu said, “Okay.”
Without thinking, Tang Su automatically responded, “Oh.”
A second later, his head snapped up. “Wait—what? You agree?”
“You’re old enough to make your own decisions. As long as you’re responsible for your choices.”
Tang Yuan couldn’t help but marvel. Their brother was actually easy to talk to—he just came off distant after playing the role of the family’s head for so long.
Tang Su’s earlier observation rang true—Tang Gu had never been in a relationship. His life revolved around work, leaving it monotonous and devoid of warmth.
Curiosity got the better of Tang Yuan. “Brother, do you have anyone you’re interested in?”
“No. Why?”
“You’re always alone—don’t you want to date someone?”
Tang Gu’s eyes narrowed, his voice laced with disdain. “What’s the point of dating? So I can turn into a love-struck fool like you?”
Tang Yuan choked, glaring at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He didn’t answer, simply returning to the previous topic. “I’m fine on my own.”
“Hmph, wait until Mom and Dad get back—they’ll definitely set you up on blind dates.”
Tang Su silently pulled out his phone, pretending to play a game. He knew better than to get involved. Whenever those two started bickering, any interjection would only result in him becoming collateral damage.
With Tang Yuan home, the house grew livelier—even the auntie cooked a few extra dishes.
Two days later, their parents returned.
They arrived at six-thirty in the morning, surprising everyone by not giving prior notice—hoping to wake their children up with a prank.
Instead, they found Tang Gu already making coffee.
Tang Gu’s brows lifted in mild surprise. “Dad, Mom—why didn’t you tell me? I would have picked you up.”
Their middle-aged parents were all smiles, radiating the vitality of their travels. Mrs. Shi, dressed casually, looked especially youthful.
“Up so early—off to work again?”
Mr. Tang chimed in, “Taking it easy won’t bankrupt the company, you know. Stop pushing yourself so hard.”
“Exactly.” Mrs. Shi snatched the coffee cup from his hands. “Coffee’s bad for your stomach this early.”
She took a sip herself, wincing at the bitterness. “Ugh—disgusting.”
“If you love bitterness so much, why not taste the bitterness of love?”
Tang Gu’s mouth twitched, quickly changing the subject. “Tang Su’s already up for school. Tang Yuan’s still asleep—you can still prank her.”
Mrs. Shi’s eyes lit up. “Right! My darling daughter, here I come.”
Mr. Tang followed her up the stairs, leaving Tang Gu to watch their retreating figures. The moment they disappeared, he slipped out the door.
Work really was busy lately.
With the Mid-Autumn Festival coming up, he had two days off—but today, there was still much to be done. Better to skip the family chaos altogether.