175 - I Don’t Want to Be Turned Into the Female Protagonist by the System

浙江市 Amidst the lush green trees, rows of luxurious villas stand nestled against the mountains, exuding an exquisite rural charm. In this serene and tranquil setting—one particular villa seems charged with tension. "Can't you speak nicely to the kids? Must you always bark orders?" The speaker was a graceful woman clad in a blue dress. Her beauty was inherent, perhaps not the youthful freshness of a young girl, but elegantly maintained, she was still captivating. One could easily imagine that in her youth, she must have been a stunning beauty indeed. They say a charming appearance can sometimes quell anger. Su Lu Jun, initially agitated, found his anger waning as he noticed the furrowed brows and playful pout of Lu Ran. Su Lu Jun found it strange; despite his advancing age, how could Lu Ran, just two years younger, still look like she was in her thirties? But then, who wouldn’t want their wife to remain forever youthful? He reached out, wanting to embrace his wife's soft waist under the blue dress's hem. Unexpectedly, his hand was swatted away by Lu Ran with a fly swatter. Gazing into his wife's alluring peach blossom eyes fixed on him, Su Lu Jun could only respond to her previous question: "They’re just boys, why all the fuss? If you don’t give him an order, he'd just drag things out indefinitely!" Lu Ran rubbed her forehead, feeling slightly exasperated. Su Lu Jun was good to her in every way, leaving nothing to be desired. She felt quite fortunate. However, when it came to the kids, he acted like a stepfather, with a hint of male chauvinism. She gently reminded him, "Communication, you know? The kids are grown now. Things should be discussed and decided together!" Whenever Su Lu Jun thought of the kids, he remembered the video of Su Qi dressed in women's clothes dancing earlier that morning. He felt a deep sense of failure towards the Su family ancestors. The mere thought sent his blood pressure soaring. He wanted to say, “Communication? My foot.” But seeing Lu Ran’s stern gaze, he held his tongue. However, he tightened his grip on the Seven Wolves brand belt in his hand. He planned that when Su Qi got home, he must let him taste this belt’s sting, teach him what male dignity means. Yet, he softened his tone and said, "Yes, you're right, wifey. But don’t you miss the child? Didn't that brat Su Qi say he’d come home last year? Then he just dragged it on until he never did!" Lu Ran’s anger flared at this reminder, "Wasn't it you who threatened him last year, saying if he came back, he'd go to the military? Who could blame him for not returning?" Despite her words, Lu Ran felt this situation couldn't drag on. Considering her husband's temperament and Su Qi’s stubbornness, if the phone was fixed tomorrow, and this issue wasn’t resolved, he might not return home again. Reflecting on last year’s incidents, Lu Ran decided to call Su Qi. Meanwhile, Su Qi was just about to greet his brother and Officer Zhang Ru when his phone vibrated. Seeing it was his mother calling, he hesitated. Recalling the generous gift from his mother earlier that morning, it seemed she had probably seen his appearance by now. Was he going to get scolded? Would she be disappointed? Despite his worries, he longed to hear his mother's voice. At this moment, Su Qi felt anxious, more so than checking his exam results, and could even hear his own heartbeat as he slowly swiped the green answer button. "Hello, is this Mom?" Su Qi, too nervous to disguise his voice, asked after picking up the call. "Is that Xiao Qi?" On the other side, Lu Ran replied uncertainly, then checked the phone again. It was indeed Su Qi’s number, but why did it sound like a girl’s voice? Wait, this voice sounded familiar, almost identical to the ethereal voice from the dancing video. Lu Ran recalled the video’s comments, where many speculated Su Qi was a girl. How could she, as a mother, not know Su Qi's gender? But now, while speaking with Su Qi, she suddenly felt uncertain, as if Su Qi might actually be a girl. Although online rumors create wild stories, Lu Ran didn't pay them much heed. But remembering all the so-called evidence, especially what was shared on Su University's forums, made her suddenly doubt whether she truly knew if Su Qi was a boy or a girl. Thinking back, she hadn't bathed this little guy since he was five. Could she really have been mistaken all those years ago? Realizing the slip in his voice, Su Qi hurriedly croaked, "Mom, it's me. You saw that video, huh?" "Of course, I did. Didn’t I even send you a gift?" Lu Ran replied with a chuckle, but then smoothly changed the topic, "You danced so well—I almost thought you were a girl." Her intent was to subtly explore whether Su Qi was a boy or girl, but Su Qi misinterpreted it as a comment on his cross-dressing. Surely, his mother was mad! Certainly, seeing her son suddenly become a daughter might infuriate anyone! Su Qi could accept his father's disdainful looks, but the thought of that gentle, warm-hearted mother, who’d always been so kind, looking at him with the same disdain chilled him to the bone. He previously believed he could nonchalantly tell his mom he was a girl, but making this call made him realize he lacked the courage. He feared disappointing his mother, feared she’d find his transformation disgusting, feared she’d look at him like a stranger. He dreaded the thought of his gentle, serene mother ignoring him, so he changed the subject, saying, "Mom, why did you send so much money? The platform’s going to take a cut!" Even with a croaked voice, the faint sadness in his tone was evident to Lu Ran. No one knows a child better than their parent. Hearing Su Qi’s attempt to divert the conversation, Lu Ran felt her little son slipping farther away. If so, might he not return? That would be unacceptable! Should he not return this time, it might be two years before seeing him again. No, she wouldn’t allow it. Her mind raced for a way to convince Su Qi to come home. Suddenly, she noticed Su Lu Jun sitting on the sofa, his eyes wide with anger. An idea sprang to mind! After chatting a bit more with Su Qi and preparing herself emotionally, she said, "Xiao Qi, are you free tomorrow? Can you come home?" Hearing the slightly tearful tone in his mother’s voice, Su Qi quickly asked what was wrong. Then, looking at the spirited Su Lu Jun glaring at her like a bull, Lu Ran gestured for him to keep quiet. She then replied to Su Qi, "Your dad got into an argument and his lungs nearly burst! I can’t manage alone. I thought to ask your third brother, but he's gone to Hainan. Just tried your fourth brother, but his agent answered and said he has an important event tomorrow night. It's crucial for his career. Don’t tell your brother and worry him, okay? Boo hoo.” What Lu Ran really feared was Su Qi telling on her to Su Si Yang! Meanwhile, Su Qi was left spinning from the revelation: Dad blew up? Warm Reminder: For easy book selection, our website’s "Rankings" page has been optimized. Feel free to check it out! Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter Contact Us | Settings | Report an Error