Chapter 19

Next to her, a young man in a floral shirt and bell-bottoms stood, his hair slicked back, his triangular eyes greedily scanning Tong Susu's body. He was the one who had just spoken to her, and he whistled between his thumb and index finger, a sound known locally as a "thug whistle." Clearly, he was a small-time hoodlum. Hearing Tong Susu's words, he began to tease her.

Tong Susu frowned but ignored him.

The slick-haired hoodlum tsked, "Aren't you just lonely? Why pretend to be so proper?"

It wasn't entirely his fault for teasing her. Tong Susu's sexy attire was indeed out of place in the county town, and such clothing was often associated with women of questionable morals.

"Slut, tsk tsk..." The slick-haired hoodlum sneered, about to leave. His voice was loud enough for everyone around to hear. Tong Susu's face turned red, but she didn't know how to react.

Lu Zheng usually wouldn't bother with such a small thug, but hearing those words, if he didn't react while standing next to a woman, it would be a disgrace. Besides, Lu Zheng had a fiery temper.

Lu Zheng could also feel that he was increasingly resembling a young man in his twenties, while his past life seemed like a dream.

Half of an ice cream cone flew over and hit the slick-haired hoodlum squarely on the back of the head. He reached up to touch it, feeling a wet patch, and it took him a while to realize what had hit him, finding it quite disgusting.

Lu Zheng was already striding towards him. The slick-haired hoodlum pointed at Lu Zheng and shouted, "What the hell are you doing?"

"Smack!" Lu Zheng swung his large hand and slapped the back of the hoodlum's head. The hoodlum's half of his face and neck were hit, making him see stars and almost fall over.

"Get lost!" Lu Zheng kicked the hoodlum in the waist, sending him sprawling on the ground.

In front of Lu Zheng, the weak hoodlum was like a straw man. The strength of the blow made the slick-haired hoodlum immediately back down, knowing he was no match. He got up and ran away, and the crowd burst into laughter.

Tong Susu watched Lu Zheng with a smile, and the image of the young boy who used to lead a group of children in fights flashed before her eyes. So many years had passed, and he hadn't changed.

"Commander, are you still as good at fighting?" Tong Susu's big eyes blinked as she whispered to Lu Zheng, who had returned to her side.

Lu Zheng smiled and said, "You flatter me. I've been in the army and carried a gun. Now I work for the police."

Tong Susu giggled and asked, "Really?"

Lu Zheng nodded, "I was transferred to the county bureau. If these little thugs were in the bureau, I'd beat them to a pulp."

Although she felt Lu Zheng was still as rough as ever, the strength and dominance he displayed gave her a sense of security. She really wanted someone to stand up and protect her, and what had just happened made her feel protected.

The minor disturbance was just a small interlude. Since it happened in the shadows, many people didn't know what had happened, and the dance party quickly returned to normal. As the last slow waltz played, more people joined the dance floor, including some brave and fashionable young women. Most of them were dancing for the first time, learning from others.

"Shall we go down and dance too?" Seeing more beginners on the floor, Tong Susu couldn't help but feel excited.

Lu Zheng smiled and said, "Sure." It had been a long time since he had danced, and the soft music made his body itch to move.

When Tong Susu was pulled by Lu Zheng into the dance floor, she was momentarily stunned. But once on the floor, she naturally followed others, placing one hand on Lu Zheng's shoulder. Then, she felt a tight grip around her waist, as the rough hand of the man in front of her wrapped around her.

Tong Susu couldn't help but mock herself. He was indeed a rough man, with a large hand that almost encircled her waist, and it felt rough with calluses, fitting for someone who had carried a gun.

Soon, the two of them were seamlessly integrated into the rotating crowd of dancers.

Initially, Lu Zheng had no other thoughts, but gradually, he began to feel something was off. Tong Susu's delicate face was right in front of him, her breath like a fragrant breeze, and her slender waist swayed gently with him, bringing a deep, irresistible temptation and stimulation. Her soft, smooth hand in his left hand felt like a fish swimming, making his heart tingle and itch.

Lu Zheng's breathing became rapid, and without his control, his strong arms tightened around Tong Susu, pressing her supple abdomen tightly against him, making him feel weak and boneless.

Tong Susu was stunned, then she felt something on her abdomen. By then, Lu Zheng had already realized what was happening and quickly released his arms, saying, "Let's stop dancing, shall we?"

Lu Zheng wanted to slap himself. Had he never seen a woman before in his past life? But in truth, his past self had a very different personality, often living like a monk. Now, he was in his prime, with hormones raging. In this life, he was a virgin, and after years of a dull life, the saying "a monk for three years, a sow is as beautiful as a beauty" certainly applied, especially with such a vivacious and attractive woman in his arms.

Tong Susu was initially angry, but seeing Lu Zheng's awkwardness, her anger dissipated, and she found it amusing. After all, who would want to touch such a rough man? Being in the army was like being in prison, where he hardly saw women, let alone had intimate contact. It would be strange if he didn't lose his composure while dancing closely with her.

Tong Susu was confident in her beauty.

"It's fine, let's dance a bit more," Tong Susu insisted, determined to set an example for her childhood friend, to help him build resistance to the allure of beautiful women. Women were just like that; you could always find one who liked you, and you didn't need to be intimidated by every beautiful woman you saw. That would be too embarrassing.

As a friend of Tong Susu, one should have high standards.

Regarding Lu Zheng, Tong Susu definitely didn't have romantic feelings for him. She didn't like rough men; her ideal partner was someone refined and well-read, and Lu Zheng was far from her ideal type.

But Lu Zheng made her feel especially close, and even when he took advantage of her, she wasn't angry. In fact, she felt warm and cozy thinking about being even more intimate with him. This feeling, she thought, was probably the kind of closeness that goes beyond a romantic relationship, like a best friend.

Lu Zheng had no idea about her thoughts and, out of helplessness, danced another song with her. This time, he kept his eyes on his nose and his nose on his mouth, behaving properly. When the dance ended, the outdoor social dance party was also over.

Coming off the dance floor, the troubles that had been pushed to the back of Tong Susu's mind resurfaced. She sighed softly, looking at the dispersing crowd, lost in thought.

Lu Zheng pushed his bicycle, "Let's go, I'll take you home."

Tong Susu was silent for a moment and said, "I don't want to go back."

"Okay, a walk would be good," Lu Zheng agreed.

As they walked, Tong Susu lifted her face, "Lu Zheng, where do you live? A few days ago, I went to the guesthouse to find you, but you lied. You didn't stay there. When I knocked on the door, a big fat man answered, and it scared me."

Lu Zheng laughed, "I moved. I didn't have time to tell you. I'm renting a place with a colleague."

Tong Susu exclaimed, "Oh," and after a moment, said, "Is there room? Can I stay at your place tonight?"

Lu Zheng was taken aback but then smiled, "Sure, I have new bedding. You can sleep in my room, and I'll sleep with Hu Zi."

Although Lu Zheng shared a place with Xiao Du, if the news of him hosting a beautiful unmarried woman reached Beijing, it would cause a stir at home. But Lu Zheng was always independent and didn't care about the family's many rules, even after two lifetimes, his personality remained the same.

Hearing Lu Zheng agree, Tong Susu couldn't help but cheer and pinched his face, "Good boy, you deserve my care!"

Lu Zheng was puzzled, not knowing that in Tong Susu's mind, he had become her best friend.

Tong Susu didn't know what had come over her. In the past, no matter how close she felt, she would never have made such a gesture towards a male friend. But the loss of her family had put her under immense pressure, and it seemed to have also given her a sense of liberation. If her relatives treated her this way, what could others do that was worse? Now, what did she care about gossip? Was there anyone she could trust in this world? This life was what it was, and what did it matter about family or love? They were all gone to hell.

With mixed emotions, Tong Susu climbed onto the back of Lu Zheng's bicycle. As they sped along, looking at Lu Zheng's back, she felt a faint warmth. Perhaps in this world, he was her only true friend. From childhood to now, it seemed that whenever she faced a precipice, he would always appear by her side.