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

# Chapter 292: Returning to Zhe City, Becoming the Center of Attention (Fourth Part) In the villa district of Zhe City. "Stop pacing back and forth already!" Lu Ran, who was cooking, looked at her husband, who had been walking back and forth in front of her while frequently glancing out the window. Although it annoyed her a bit, it also amused her. The annoyance stemmed from the fact that this had been going on since 4 PM, even though Su Santai had mentioned that Su Qi would be home around 7 PM. It was now past 6 o'clock, and Lu Ran had watched her husband circle around for over two hours. The amusement, however, came from observing the changes in her husband over the past month. Ever since returning from Su City, Su Lujun's voice had softened, his temper had mellowed, and even his personality seemed to have changed. At least, in the past month, there had been no violent disputes during his chess games with old Zhao. Lu Ran attributed this transformation to the calls Su Lujun made to their daughter every couple of days. If his voice ever got a little too loud, she'd inform their daughter, so he became this way to avoid complaints. Now, when Lu Ran looked at Su Lujun, all she saw was his tough-looking face that resembled a blooming chrysanthemum, almost as if the words "daughter's slave" were engraved on it. But Lu Ran could understand. After all, it wasn't just Su Lujun who owed their daughter too much; she did as well. This time, she intended to shower her daughter with love and had prepared ten of her best dishes. The last time her daughter didn't get to try them, it left her regretting for a long time. As her last dish was about to be served, Lu Ran heard her husband exclaim, "She's back, she's back." He immediately walked out of the room. Watching her husband's excited but trying-to-appear-calm demeanor amused her. He hadn't been this happy even when he was promoted from deputy commander to commander. Due to the dishes needing attention, Lu Ran didn't go out to greet them. Su Qi, who had been absorbed in her stock trading manual II for over five hours in the car, jumped out and stretched, feeling all her joints gently crack. The movement left her body relaxed. After completing her stretches, she noticed her dad with his arms open, in an exaggerated posture, as if asking for a hug. Su Lujun was a bit embarrassed. After seeing his daughter get out of the car, he'd opened his arms, expecting her to run into him for a hug like the time she boarded the train. But it turned out she was just stretching, leaving him unsure where to place his face. Seeing her father's awkward expression, Su Qi recalled how her mother had mentioned during a call that her dad loved her hugs. With a slight blush, she prepared to go hug him. Just then, Su Santai saw his father's posture and, having not seen him in a while, granted him a bear hug, leaving both Su Qi and Su Lujun stunned. The atmosphere fell silent, and two seconds later, Su Lujun took the suitcase from his son's hands. Seeing her old suitcase with a slightly malfunctioning wheel filled him with guilt. He felt he'd let her down, not even having paid for her college tuition or a new suitcase. Unaware of her father's thoughts, Su Qi simply felt that her dad had become more gentle this time. The aroma of food wafting from the house made Su Qi touch her tummy, reminding her of her hunger. Su Santai, noticing his sister's little gesture, teasingly reached to pat her adorable head. But before his hand could touch her, it was stopped by their dad. Looking at his son's dirty hands, Su Lujun scolded, "Why are your hands so dirty, yet you still want to touch your sister?" Feeling wronged by his father's words, Su Santai explained as he entered the house, "Dad, I just got tanned in Sanya; I'm not dirty at all." Su Qi, hearing their conversation, glanced at Su Santai's hands and thought his pudgy hands and dark skin did seem a bit greasy. Grateful to her dad, as she had just showered the night before, Su Qi didn't want another one today, especially with her long hair being a hassle to dry. By the time Lu Ran finished making the tenth dish and set it on the table, her husband had already entered the house with their daughter and son. Seeing Su Qi in her uniform, her face brimming with a smile that reached her eyes, melted Lu Ran's heart. She hurried to embrace her fragrant, tender daughter tightly. Su Qi was now accustomed to her mother's hugs, having spent nights with her in Zhe City. Hugging her mother back, Su Qi finally felt a sense of homecoming. Standing beside, Su Lujun felt unjust and a bit angry at his enthusiastic son for interrupting his daughter's embrace. After all, hugging a soft, fragrant daughter was far better than hugging a smelly son! Su Santai shuddered, feeling his father's glare. Wasn't he supposedly more mild-tempered now, according to Mom? Why did he seem even scarier? However, when he noticed the absence of his father's old "Seven Wolves" belt, he sighed in relief. With his current robustness, his father, without his trusted belt, couldn't really harm him. After soaking in enough of his daughter's affection, Lu Ran turned to see her son, whom she hadn't seen in half a year. But the moment she laid eyes on him, she couldn't help but feel he'd gained two more layers of fat. Unlike his previous chubby look, Su Santai now looked rather plump and dark-skinned. Honestly, at a glance, how could one put it? Emmm... he seemed a bit greasy. Seeing her dull, greasy son stretching his arms out for a hug, Lu Ran silently took her daughter's smooth hand and said, "Come on, Xiao Qi, let's see what Mom's cooked for you!" Leaving behind the neglected and hurt Su Santai, standing alone. This time, the family meal filled Su Qi with a warm, long-lost family warmth. The food her mom prepared was incredibly delicious, unlike the usual salty flavor. This time, Lu Ran had made many sweet dishes, especially the sweet and sour cherry pork, which made Su Qi squint with delight. The only thing lacking was the presence of her fourth brother. If he were here, the family would be truly complete. With this meal, Su Qi's summer vacation in Zhe City began. Unlike every other summer and winter vacation during her childhood, this holiday gave Su Qi an immediate sensation of becoming the "center of attention." Every day after work, her second brother from the hospital would come to see her, often with interesting stories to share. Her chubby third brother had a lot of free time lately and often shared snacks with her. Although her fourth brother, Su Siyang, wasn't back, he called almost every three days. Her fifth brother, Su Wujun, was in the army but also called to check in. Her sixth brother, Su Liuyun, came over daily to grab a meal, and as a food vlogger, he often brought tasty treats for her. Beyond her gaggle of brothers, her uncle Su Haijun and her younger uncle Su Kongjun also visited to see her. Even her aunts would drop by, bringing all sorts of foods due to their close proximity. At one point, Su Qi thought she might just burst into a little piggy with all the care she received. But nobody doted on Su Qi more than Su Lujun and Lu Ran. Whenever Su Qi was studying stock trading manuals, her dad would constantly top up her water—did he really need to do it five times an hour? Her mom, Lu Ran, would peel fruit and bring it directly to her lips. Moreover, if she studied for more than two hours, she would be forced to take a break. In this over-the-top pampering, Su Qi found herself thinking maybe it wasn't all that bad!