Forced into a romantic relationship

Public telephone booth.

With his photographic memory, Han Zhou was typing in a phone number.

This call was made to Ouyang Lianyu.

Of all the people he knew, only two people might have a cell phone at this point in time, and only these two people had the mental capacity to discuss topics like time paradoxes with him.

But now that they are still strangers, perhaps only Teacher Ouyang would have the patience to talk to him about this kind of thing.

Whether Teacher Ouyang would consider him a lunatic or whether he would be willing to chat with him is actually not important.

Han Zhou's lack was not the determination to make a decision. The feeling of being drained of his body by the system reminded him of the days when he was suffering from a terminal illness. During that time, he did not want to be a burden to others, so he had to give up many things. Now that he has a status bar, he will not give up anything.

Wang Lengqiu was his friend, a friend who had waited for him for nearly ten years.

His previous confusion stemmed from the fear that continuing the relationship would harm everyone, but attempting to change the past and sever the relationship would only harm Wang Lengqiu.

Even if she will no longer know.

From a rational perspective, Han Zhou certainly knew what choice to make, but Yi Xia was right; he had always been a greedy person.

Whether it was fate or not, he would not disappear from Wang Lengqiu's world forever.

Even if they ultimately have to choose different futures, before that, he should at least say sorry to this girl.

Han Zhou had already made up his mind. He made the call simply to hear the voice of a familiar person from the distant past and to see if destiny really existed.

Of course, some advice would be even better.

"Beep-beep-beep-"

The phone rang for a long time before it was finally answered.

"Hello, who is this?"

However, the person who answered the phone was not Ouyang Lianyu, but a man speaking in a dialect. He clearly stated that he was the owner of the number and asked Han Zhou if he had dialed the wrong number.

Han Zhou didn't say anything, but silently hung up the phone, feeling somewhat disappointed.

It seems that Teacher Ouyang became the owner of this number later, and at such an unfamiliar time, in just thirty days, unless he used the status bar, it was obviously impossible for him to contact her.

...How about we try calling Sister Yin?

Han Zhou thought of another candidate: Zhong Yin should be a high school student at this time, and probably has a cell phone. He just didn't know if Zhong Yin would mistake him for a scammer and give him a good scolding over the phone.

However, my senior said that Sister Yin was very gentle when she was young, so she should still be quite easy to talk to now, right?
After a moment's hesitation, with a mix of trepidation and anticipation, Han Zhou dialed Zhong Yin's number.

If the number is correct, then we might be able to hear the voice of my older sister from when we were little—at this time, she hadn't been affected by the later accident and could still speak at a normal volume.

But... was it an accident?

Thinking of the accident that left the Zhong sisters, one "half-deaf" and the other "half-mute," Han Zhou's mind suddenly became active—

Now that you've decided to change the past, why not try to change even more?

Going back in time to change a predetermined tragedy is a plot device found in many novels and TV dramas, and he now has just such an opportunity.

Although it wasn't the right time, if we had intervened earlier, there was a possibility that the original tragedy could have taken a different turn.

He thought of the guzheng and Mo Yixia from his childhood, of the Zhong sisters' parents who passed away a few years later, and of his childhood...

Little?

Strange, why did I suddenly think of Xiaoxiao?

Han Zhou was lost in thought for a moment, feeling as if something very important had just surfaced in his mind, but he couldn't recall it no matter what he did.

However, speaking of Xiaoxiao, there is also an unknown entanglement between them. Could it also stem from a time-traveling encounter?
While he was pondering, "Zhong Yin's" call went through, but unfortunately, the person who answered was still not the right person. Han Zhou hung up the phone, feeling disappointed, and temporarily gave up the idea of ​​trying to save Zhong Ling and her sister's parents.

The problem remains: his early intervention might not necessarily change the tragedy, and could even become the trigger for it, so he dares not try it lightly.

However, this idea was still etched into his mind.

Unlike Ouyang Lianyu, even if he couldn't get through on the phone, he knew where to look for Zhong Ling's family. Not to mention, he had seen a family photo before, and if necessary, he could even use "There Will Be a Response" to directly reach their location.

He may only have one chance to go back to the past. He can do a lot in a month, but he must think things through before taking action. If the future can really be changed, then he should be even more careful to avoid creating something even worse.

But if the future is fixed, then it seems meaningless what he does.

Han Zhou was already feeling down, and thinking about this complicated problem made his thoughts even more chaotic. Unfortunately, both Ouyang Lianyu's and Zhong Yin's phone numbers were wrong, and he couldn't think of anyone else to talk to, so he had no choice but to turn around and leave the phone booth.

However, after taking only two steps, he suddenly thought of another number—

At this time, Gu Zheng and Mo Yixia were still in elementary school and naturally didn't have cell phones, but their parents did. Why didn't he try calling Uncle Gu and Sister Miao?

Although the two didn't know him at this time, it was a good opportunity for him to pretend to be a fortune teller and reveal some things about the future, while also taking the opportunity to insure himself as a two-timing scumbag.

After considering it for a moment, Han Zhou felt that the call shouldn't affect his future, so he returned to the phone booth and dialed Uncle Gu's number.

"Hey?"

The call was quickly connected, and a woman's voice came from the other end of the line.

Han Zhou thought he had dialed the wrong number again, but he quickly realized that it was Sister Miao's voice. Overjoyed, he coughed and changed his tone, saying, "Hello, are you Guzheng's parents? My surname is Zhang, and I am Guzheng's teacher."

He ultimately did not claim to be a fortune teller, but instead chose an identity that currently seems more credible.

Miao Yan'er believed her and immediately asked, "Hello, Teacher Zhang, what happened to Xiao Zheng?"

Gu Zheng is still studying at her maternal grandmother's house in her hometown. Miao Yan'er and Gu Lang both work in other places and can't keep up with the situation at home. They thought something had happened to their daughter.

"Of course not," Han Zhou said with a smile. "Gu Zheng is very good."

"So she's caused trouble at school again?"

again?
Han Zhou raised an eyebrow and smiled, "No, Guzheng is a well-behaved child."

"Clever……"

Miao Yan'er was stunned. Although Xiao Zheng never caused trouble, her personality was definitely not obedient. She was the type who would definitely retaliate if someone dared to mess with her.

However, since the teacher had said her daughter was well-behaved, she naturally wouldn't deny it, so she tentatively asked, "What about Xiaozheng...?"

"Ms. Miao, don't worry, there's nothing wrong with the guzheng. I just wanted to make a home visit by phone to ask about the child's recent situation at home."

"Um... I'm sorry, Xiaozheng's father and I both live in other places, and my mother has been taking care of her at home."

Han Zhou knew about this, of course. Gu Zheng was a left-behind child who grew up with her grandmother. It was because of her grandmother's influence that Gu Zheng developed a competitive personality.

He said with a smile, "It's precisely because you two are often away from home that I made this special call to you."

He paused for a moment, then suddenly asked, "How long has it been since either of you had a heart-to-heart talk with the guzheng?"

Miao Yan'er paused for a moment, then hesitated and said, "It's probably been three or four months."

She and Gu Lang often call home, but like most parents, they are mainly concerned about their child's physical health and studies, and rarely have heart-to-heart talks.

Besides, it seems unnecessary to have a heart-to-heart talk with a child of this age. "That won't do. Children are very sensitive. Since you can't be with Guzheng for long periods of time, you should pay more attention to her mental health."

Han Zhou spoke seriously, but inwardly he was amazed. He never thought he would have a day when he would teach Sister Miao a lesson. It was quite a rare experience.

"Teacher Zhang, what does 'mental health problem' mean?"

The next second, a tense male voice came from the other end of the phone. It was Gu Lang's voice; he had been listening the whole time.

Han Zhou was both amused and exasperated: "I'm not saying that Gu Zheng has any psychological problems, but I'm just reminding you to take this seriously."

"We understand."

Gu Lang breathed a sigh of relief and immediately assured her, "We will definitely talk to that girl more often in the future to prevent her from having mental health problems."

Han Zhou wasn't sure if being competitive was a psychological problem, but in his opinion it shouldn't be. So he said, "Children of this age will have some thoughts that are not understood. If you notice them, there's no need to worry too much. You don't need to treat it as a psychological problem."

"Teacher Zhang, what do you mean by that?" Gu Lang's heart immediately jumped again.

“I’m not talking about the guzheng, but a common phenomenon, Mr. Gu, you’re too nervous.”

"I'm sorry, I did get a little flustered."

Gu Lang said "I'm sorry" but didn't seem embarrassed at all. He smiled and said, "I only have one daughter, so of course I can't help but worry about her. We will pay attention to the issues you mentioned in the future."

"understand."

Han Zhou knew, of course, how much Uncle Gu and Sister Miao doted on Gu Zheng. Like most parents, they would want to be with their child every day if they weren't forced to.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but think of another pair of parents—Wang Lengqiu's parents.

If Gu Zheng's parents are the typical type who work hard to provide a better life for their children, then Wang Lengqiu's parents are the epitome of irresponsibility.

If Guzheng were to encounter the same problems Wang Lengqiu faced as a child, Uncle Gu and Sister Miao would definitely not let it go. They might even buy train tickets and pack their bags to go home that very day, instead of calling to scold Guzheng for causing trouble.

Recalling the girl who had given him cookies not long ago, Han Zhou's mood grew heavy. He lost interest in continuing the small talk and, too lazy to waste time, went straight to the question he cared about most—

"Gentlemen, suppose, I mean suppose, suppose Guzheng falls in love one day, what kind of person would you hope her boyfriend would be?"

Gu Lang and Miao Yan'er on the other end of the phone were visibly taken aback. After a couple of seconds, the latter hesitated before saying, "Teacher Zhang, Xiao Zheng is still in elementary school. Isn't it a bit too early to be thinking about this now..."

Gu Lang was more direct. Based on the previous questions, he had already guessed what was going on. He asked in an incredulous tone, "Teacher Zhang, you're not calling to tell us that Gu Zheng is in a relationship? Which brat is it?!"

"of course not!"

Han Zhou also felt that the question was too abrupt, and it was not surprising that the two would react this way, so he quickly explained, "You two misunderstood. The purpose of this phone home visit was mainly to talk to the parents about a few issues that are worth paying attention to in their children recently, and then just to have a simple chat and see the parent-child interaction patterns of different families. That was a question that I was personally curious about."

Gu Lang paused for a few seconds, then asked suspiciously, "Teacher Zhang, why are you curious about this?"

"Well, I think parents' views on love will influence their children's views on love to some extent, and now early dating is definitely a very serious problem, so I want to do a small survey," Han Zhou said, forcing himself to speak.

Gu Lang hesitated for a moment: "...So Gu Zheng really is in a relationship, right?"

"No, I've asked every single parent this question, you really don't need to be so nervous..."

Gu Lang wanted to say something more, but Miao Yan'er snatched the phone away and said, "Teacher Zhang, my husband and I do not support our child dating too early. As for Xiao Zheng's future boyfriend, I only have three requirements."

What are the three requirements?

"First, Xiaozheng genuinely likes him; second, I genuinely like Xiaozheng; third, I treat Xiaozheng well—my requirements are that simple."

"Oh, right, there's something even more important."

As if suddenly remembering something, she glanced at her husband beside her and added, "We can't be half-hearted."

Gu Lang chuckled awkwardly and added earnestly, "Also, the age difference can't be too great."

These were all perfectly normal and simple requests, and Han Zhou was too embarrassed to ask the two to lower their standards. The words he had prepared suddenly fell silent, leaving him with only a deep sense of guilt.

He couldn't even fulfill such a simple request, and he didn't know how he should face Uncle Gu and Sister Miao when he returned to the "present".

"Teacher Zhang?"

"Teacher Zhang?"

"Teacher Zhang, are you still there?"

"Sorry, I was just spacing out."

Han Zhou snapped out of his thoughts and said with a wry smile, "Thank you both for your cooperation. I've asked all the questions I wanted to ask."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "Also, regarding the guzheng, I need to apologize to both of you. I failed to take good care of her."

"Teacher Zhang, what do you mean by that...?"

"I mean nothing by this. I assure you both that the guzheng will never be wronged in the future."

After saying that, Han Zhou hung up the phone without waiting for the two of them to speak.

Gu Lang and Miao Yan'er exchanged glances on the other end of the phone, and after a long while, they asked at the same time, "What do you think?"

Gu Lang's expression darkened slightly as he answered first, "This call came from a public phone. I don't think it was from the guzheng teacher. A teacher wouldn't need to be so secretive. Besides, the guzheng teacher's surname is Li, not Zhang."

Miao Yan'er nodded, then asked in confusion, "But he really cares about Xiao Zheng, especially the tone of his apology, it came from the bottom of his heart, as if he really did something to wrong our family... Just who is he?"

"Who else could it be?"

Gu Lang gritted his teeth and said, "It must be some blond-haired guy who's got his eye on Gu Zheng. Otherwise, why would he have asked that kind of question? No, I have to call Gu Zheng back and tell her to stay away from these blond-haired guys!"

Miao Yan'er rolled her eyes at him: "Isn't your sense of crisis a bit too much? That person is at least ten years older than Xiao Zheng, how could he possibly like Xiao Zheng?"

"What do you know? You know there's a kind of scum called pedophiles? And some blond guys are good at sweet talk, easily bewitching innocent kids." Gu Lang's expression was solemn.

"Is Xiaozheng really as immature as you say?"

"Guzheng is certainly sensible, but she lacks the company of me and you, so she inevitably feels a lack of love. She has no resistance to this kind of blond guy."

Gu Lang felt something was wrong the more he thought about it. "No, we have to go back and be with Gu Zheng as soon as possible. We'll quit our jobs next year, find some work in Lincheng, and take Gu Zheng to Lincheng for junior high school!"

Meanwhile, Han Zhou, whom Gu Lang called "Yellow Hair," was entering the last string of numbers—the phone number for Mo Yixia's mother, Jiang Baiqian.

Although Jiang Baiqian is not a very good mother and is too extreme, she absolutely loves her daughter. Therefore, Han Zhou will need to gain her approval in the future.

Of course, he wasn't calling now to arrange insurance in advance; he realized that was pointless. The call wasn't to change anything, but rather to make a statement.

Imagine if Yixia, with her keen senses, were to find out someday that he had traveled back in time, she would surely try to figure out the whole story. If she found out that he called Guzheng's parents but not her mother, she would probably feel a little resentful.

Thinking of this, Han Zhou suddenly missed Mo Yixia. If anyone could give him the most useful advice at this moment, it would definitely be Yixia. It's just a pity that Yixia is still young and might still be playing with Barbie dolls. She wouldn't know anything about time travel and the butterfly effect.

Even if she really understood, she couldn't contact her now. It was obvious to anyone that Jiang Baiqian would never let her answer the phone, much less allow her to chat with a stranger.

While I was thinking, the call connected, and a clear child's voice came from the other end.

"who are you?"

(End of this chapter)