Caught by a Monster

Winter seems to be leaving, but spring is arriving slowly.

Despite the world's cries about the ozone hole, melting Antarctica ice, rising global temperatures, and increasing climate disasters, the people of Junsha just want to say to this cold winter: Damn it!

It was cold, and even more so, damp and chilly. It felt like running a kilometer and then being drenched in sweat, only to have your clothes and socks gradually cool down and stick to your body.

In this kind of weather, waking up, getting dressed, and going out every morning is a struggle.

Zhou Dongdong is an exception; she got up very early in the morning, grabbed a squeaky plastic hen, and went downstairs.

Su Nanxiu once thought that Zhou Dongdong's whole demeanor was blank and silly, and that wasn't entirely unreasonable. After all, Zhou Dongdong's expression often resembled that of the screaming chicken she was holding, with her eyes staring blankly ahead and her mouth wide open.

Because Brother Chang'an woke up earlier than Zhou Dongdong, and was playing a game of fighting fairies with Sister Dan Dan in the living room!

Why are they fighting fairies? Because Sister Dan Dan looks like a fairy! Her hair is just like the fairy hair in the TV shows Zhou Dongdong watched, and it's wrapped around Brother Chang'an.

Chang'an was straining as if he were taking a dump, but stopped when he saw Zhou Dongdong push the door open.

Shangguan Dandan's hair slipped off Liu Chang'an's body and climbed back onto her back, restoring her to the appearance of a normal girl with long, flowing hair.

"Would you like some plum juice?" Shangguan Dandan hadn't had time to boil water yet, so she used the remaining hot water in Liu Chang'an's kettle to make some plum powder.

"Sister Egg, you just turned into a monster?" Zhou Dongdong glanced outside warily and said worriedly, "You have to be careful of Sun Wukong!"

"Aren't you Sun Wukong?" Liu Chang'an asked curiously. Zhou Dongdong had claimed to be Sun Wukong many times, but it turned out she was lying to him. He had believed her after she said it so many times.

"I am... I am the kind of little kid Sun Wukong who doesn't know magic and hasn't grown up yet." Zhou Dongdong pinched the little hen and made two noises to indicate... to indicate... there was no deeper meaning, she was just pinching it casually.

Liu Chang'an nodded in acceptance of her explanation. Zhou Dongdong's statement and Zhu Juntang's explanation that she was a fairy but did not know magic were similar in meaning.

"Sister Egg, can you grab me with your hair too?" Zhou Dongdong noticed that neither Brother Chang'an nor Sister Egg seemed afraid of Sun Wukong, so she forgot her earlier worries and ran over excitedly.

Shangguan Dandan nodded, but instead of using as much hair as before, she used only one strand that snaked over and wrapped around Zhou Dongdong, then grabbed her and threw her onto the sofa.

"Throw me up into the sky!" Zhou Dongdong excitedly requested.

"If you throw it into the sky, can you fly? You don't know magic; you're just a little kid Sun Wukong who hasn't grown up yet," Liu Chang'an asked.

Zhou Dongdong suddenly realized, "Oh right, I'm not only a little kid like Sun Wukong who can't use magic, but I'm also a little airplane that can't fly. If I throw me into the sky, I'll just crash down; I won't fly down."

"Then keep holding me!" Zhou Dongdong lay on the sofa, bound and unable to move, but still found it very fun. She cleverly came up with a good idea. "I need to ask the teacher for leave. I've been captured by the monster sister, so I don't have to go to school today."

"You're already up, so stop dreaming." Liu Chang'an felt ashamed of himself, thinking back on all his years of schooling, he had never used the excuse of being captured by a monster.

"Aww..." Zhou Dongdong could only let out a reluctant howl and give up.

Liu Chang'an went to wash his face and brush his teeth. Just then, the steamed buns were cooked. He put five meat buns into a takeout box, attached a heating pad to the bottom of the box, and set off with a backpack.

"Go and come back soon." Shangguan Dandan looked at her with affection, but when he looked over, she looked away and glanced at the threaded needle in her hand, drawing his attention.

"A mother's thread in her hand, a traveler's clothes on his back." Liu Chang'an nodded calmly. "You've even learned a line of classical poetry, impressive."

"It's good that you know," Shangguan Dandan continued to look at Liu Chang'an with affection.

Liu Chang'an walked away without looking back.

Cloudy, light rain.

The light rain in winter is even more melancholic than the bleak autumn rain. The sky is gloomy, and the boundless fog seems to descend like a giant beast swallowing clouds. It transforms into the indistinct Mount Lu, which is hidden in the fog like a shadow and lingers on the edge of the city.

As Liu Chang'an walked, he passed the subway station, then turned around and walked back in. Today wasn't a day like usual when he could be late for class. The high-speed train wasn't his homeroom teacher or his girlfriend; it didn't listen to explanations and didn't need them. It would just brush past those who were late.

Liu Chang'an arrived at the Juyuan residential area, sent a message to An Nuan, and then waited at her door.

Before long, the door slowly opened, revealing An Nuan's beautiful little face.

She slowly squeezed out, carefully lifted her suitcase out, and gently closed the door. Only after hearing the click of the lock did she seem to relax and pat her chest in relief.

An Nuan's eyes were a little red, but you could see a restless excitement in them. Although An Nuan was not the kind of obedient child who listened to her parents when she was young, she was not exactly rebellious either. At most, she would skip classes. She did not do many things that were too rebellious... and she did not have a decadent and painful youth.

Skipping class to accompany her boyfriend to a city thousands of miles away is a far cry from her previous "naughtiness." Back in the day when Professor Ling chased after her and Han Zhizhi with a chain, even a bicycle chain would have broken.

But she's eighteen, an adult, a mature young woman, and she's been lured away by a boyfriend her mother approves of. It shouldn't be a big deal, right?

Thinking about it, she still felt a little uneasy, but her mind was made up, and An Nuan would never hesitate or go back on her word.

"Why are your eyes so red? Are you feeling the pain of youth, Professor Liu's helplessness, and the growing pains of adulthood?" Liu Chang'an asked with a smile.

"Ugh... I had insomnia last night. I dozed off for a while and then woke up, and then I couldn't fall back asleep. I was waiting for your message." An Nuan was mostly happy, of course. The anticipation of her first trip with her boyfriend far outweighed all other emotions.

Traveling with mom is about seeing the scenery and passing the time, but traveling with boyfriend is what most girls look forward to. The scenery is important, and the trip is also something to enjoy, but more importantly, it's about experiencing sweetness.

They've been together for quite a while now, a typical campus couple, without the dramatic and exciting plots of idol dramas. When you think about it, it's just eating together in the cafeteria, strolling around campus, laughing and joking around. It's simple and not exciting, but An Nuan feels that this is the kind of relationship she wants.

Isn't your partner the most important person in a relationship? Companionship is the key to lasting love, and everything becomes extraordinary when you're with them.

This is the first time we've planned a trip together like other couples would. We'll discover many things we wouldn't normally notice during the trip. We might argue over trivial matters, or find that our interests and hobbies aren't so compatible. Disputes over routes, accommodations, food, and attractions will test our ability to compromise, tolerate, and be understanding of each other.

An Nuan had been thinking about many things, and it wasn't just excitement that kept her awake.

"Your innocent, kidnapped look makes me feel so guilty." Liu Chang'an touched his chest and frowned. "Oh... my conscience, my conscience is about to explode from the pressure of guilt."

"You rascal, I'm not going with you later." An Nuan couldn't help but laugh, giving him a light punch as she spoke, but she took a step forward.