Chapter 87 Successors to Socialism

“Damn it, there’s not enough time!”

Stepping out of the e-sports club, Yang Hao checked the time and realized it was almost five in the afternoon. Panic immediately set in.

Zhu Ziyuan looked at him in confusion. “What’s so urgent?”

“Isn’t it obvious? He’s rushing home to cook for his wife,” Zhang Tian revealed the truth.

Hearing Zhang Tian’s words, Zhu Ziyuan and Yao Cheng exchanged a knowing glance and both smiled.

“Enough talk, hurry up and drive me back,” Yang Hao, not in the mood to explain, urged them impatiently. He was visibly anxious.

“What’s the rush? Do you even know what time it is? Even if you head back now, you won’t make it in time,” Zhang Tian couldn’t help but roll his eyes at Yang Hao’s frantic behavior.

“Exactly. If someone didn’t know better, they’d think you were on your period, rushing home to be reincarnated,” Yao Cheng quipped, then laughed. “You can’t spoil women too much. Missing one meal won’t kill her.”

“And that’s probably why you’re still single!”

“Destined for a lifetime of solitude!”

“Hope you never find a wife!”

“Forget it, I just did a fortune reading for you. You’re better off alone this lifetime.”

“Honestly, being alone isn’t so bad!”

Yao Cheng had only made an offhand comment, but was immediately bombarded by the other three, leaving him feeling thoroughly frustrated.

“I was just saying! Do you guys have to go so far?” Yao Cheng grumbled, clearly annoyed.

Calming down, Yang Hao abandoned the idea of rushing home. It was already late. Even if he hurried back, he wouldn’t have time to cook. Besides, there was a match tonight. Going back and forth would waste precious time and might even make him miss the finals.

Knowing that Yao Cheng and Zhu Ziyuan were both eyeing the championship prize for the Battle Royale tournament, Yang Hao, as a brother, didn’t want to be selfish.

He picked up his phone, a look of sorrow on his face.

Alas!

He wouldn’t be able to cook for her tonight. The thought pained him deeply.

It felt like he’d lost a fortune—no, more than that.

Seeing Yang Hao’s expression, Zhang Tian, Yao Cheng, and Zhu Ziyuan all struggled to suppress their laughter.

“Do you need something?”

The call connected, and Lin Zijin’s voice came through the phone.

“Uh…”

Hearing her voice, Yang Hao, who had already planned what to say, suddenly didn’t know how to begin.

“If there’s nothing, I’ll hang up now.” After a brief silence, Lin Zijin spoke softly, not hearing a response from Yang Hao.

Realizing she was about to hang up, Yang Hao quickly said, “Um, I have something going on tonight and won’t be able to come back, so I can’t bring you dinner.”

“All right.”

Lin Zijin’s reply came through the phone.

“Make sure you eat on time. Don’t get so caught up in training that you skip meals,” Yang Hao reminded her, unable to let go.

“Okay.”

Hearing her voice again, Yang Hao felt a bit helpless. Lin Zijin’s reputation as a conversation-ender was well-earned. He’d wanted to talk a bit longer, but now he was at a loss for words.

Nothing for it.

As usual, the conversation ended there. Yang Hao waited for Lin Zijin to hang up. It was a habit of his, perhaps because he didn’t want her to experience the disappointment of being hung up on. Or maybe, he always hoped she’d say a little more, even if just her breathing.

Perhaps this was the ultimate expression of love.

Some people wouldn’t understand, thinking such love was pathetic and undignified.

But love can’t be measured simply by humility or greatness. As for dignity in love, he never felt he’d lost it. Lin Zijin had never trampled on his feelings. She always quietly accepted what he gave, cherishing it in her heart.

He knew she was never one to openly express her emotions. But he could feel it—he knew he mattered to her.

Otherwise, no matter how much he loved her, Yang Hao would never have intruded in her life.

That was his belief.

If you won’t take the initiative, then I will.

In the pursuit of love, someone has to take the first step.

Yang Hao always thought the stupidest man in the world is the one who doesn’t cherish his woman, who doesn’t understand her genuine feelings, who coldly fights with her.

And what if you “win”?

All you’ll do is extinguish her tenderness and destroy your own happiness.

Loving a flower doesn’t mean you have to pick it.

Loving a breeze doesn’t mean you have to make it stay.

Loving a cloud doesn’t mean you have to pull it down from the sky.

Yang Hao loved her, so he understood her, forgave her, supported her, even indulged her.

To love her was to love all of her.

The greater the love, the more humble it could be.

Great or small, isn’t it all just different ways of showing love?

Love isn’t about calculating gains and losses. If you’re always measuring what you get or lose in a relationship, it just means you don’t love her enough.

Not all love is selfless, but you have to give something of yourself.

Seeing Yang Hao standing with his phone, silent for ages, Zhang Tian and Yao Cheng grew puzzled, and Yang Hao himself was baffled. What was going on?

If he couldn’t still faintly sense Lin Zijin’s presence, Yang Hao would have thought she’d forgotten to hang up.

“So, what’s going on tonight?”

Just as Yang Hao was about to ask, Lin Zijin’s voice broke the silence.

He was completely unprepared.

Yang Hao froze, then answered, “Tianhai University is hosting a Battle Royale tournament. I’m here with the guys to play.”

“Don’t come back too late tonight and… be careful on the way.”

Yang Hao was stunned. Lin Zijin’s tone just now sounded exactly like a wife reminding her husband not to stay out too late.

“That’s all, I’m hanging up.”

After a brief pause, Lin Zijin’s last words came through the phone.

Yang Hao was still in a daze, unable to recover.

“Hao!”

“Hao!!”

Finally, the calls of Zhang Tian and the others snapped him back to reality.

He wore a look of pure happiness and contentment.

“Damn, what’s up with you?”

“Don’t tell me you’re in heat?”

“Don’t, not here. There are no sows for you to mount. Better hold it in until you get home.”

“If you really can’t, there’s a restroom inside. Want us to buy you a box of tissues?”

“One box won’t be enough, better make it a whole case!”

“Get lost!”

Listening to Zhang Tian and Yao Cheng’s endless teasing, Yang Hao’s face darkened.

What kind of person do they think I am? Go to the bathroom to take care of it? Why don’t you go yourselves?

With my looks, how could I not have a fema—wait, almost got tricked by these two idiots…

“So you weren’t in heat. Then why the silly grin just now?”

“I thought your mating season had arrived!”

“Well, at least we can save money. A case of tissues isn’t cheap.”

Seeing Yang Hao’s exasperated expression, Zhang Tian and Yao Cheng exchanged glances and launched another round of verbal sparring.

Though Zhu Ziyuan stayed quiet, he couldn’t help but laugh.

To all this, Yang Hao looked at them with utter disdain and sneered,

“I am a proud successor of socialism. How could I let you humiliate me like this?”