“I knew from the first ti we t that you’d look beautiful in won’s clothing. And now, seeing you like this, I realize my judgnt was spot-on~”
Zhou Xiaoxiao’s mother, Jiang Yuan, smiled warmly at Ling Ning, her gaze so affectionate that Ling Ning couldn’t help but feel a bit flustered. It was as though Jiang Yuan were looking at her future daughter-in-law.
Zhou Xiaoxiao noticed Ling Ning’s awkwardness and flashed a mischievous smile. Watching Ling Ning interact with her parents was a new experience for her. She loved seeing both the confident, witty Ling Ning and the slightly shy side she rarely showed.
“Mom, stop looking at Ling Ning like that. You’re making her blush~”
Jiang Yuan chuckled. “Alright, alright, I’ll stop staring. But look at you, already so protective of her even though nothing’s official yet.”
Ling Ning laughed awkwardly, unsure how to respond.
But Zhou Xiaoxiao wasn’t fazed. Smiling confidently, she said, “Don’t worry, Mom. It won’t be long before everything’s official~”
As the lively conversation continued, Zhou Xiaoxiao’s father, Zhou Jingshan, cleared his throat. “Are you all done chatting? I’ve been itching to play a ga of chess with Ling Ning.”
“Why the rush? She just got here and hasn’t even finished her tea. Can’t you wait a little longer?” Jiang Yuan chided, her tone firm.
After being scolded, Zhou Jingshan fell silent. He’d t Ling Ning before, during a vacation he’d driven them to, so he wasn’t as animated as his wife.
Still, he felt a twinge of regret. Why did his daughter have to choose a girl? But ultimately, as long as she was happy, he wouldn’t stand in her way. He wasn’t old-fashioned, after all. He’d had his share of unconventional experiences in his youth—though those were better left unsaid.
As the conversation went on, Ling Ning noticed that the atmosphere wasn’t much different from her previous visits. Zhou Xiaoxiao’s parents maintained a friendly, lighthearted vibe, making her feel less out of place.
In this relaxed setting, Ling Ning started to open up. As a professional model with an interest in fashion, she naturally steered the conversation toward topics like clothing and costics. She effortlessly discussed outfit coordination and recomnded various brands, completely captivating Jiang Yuan.
anwhile, Zhou Jingshan sat to the side, feeling utterly out of place. Three won chatting away—it really was like the old saying: “Three won make a drama.”
Fortunately, Ling Ning eventually rembered his presence and shifted the conversation toward Zhou Jingshan, asking about his past.
As expected, the older man couldn’t resist reminiscing. He shared stories about how he and Jiang Yuan had started dating.
However, he conveniently glossed over certain key details, leaving both Ling Ning and Zhou Xiaoxiao intrigued by the possible hidden truths.
After so ti, Zhou Jingshan’s desire to play chess beca too strong to ignore. Ling Ning reluctantly agreed to join him in the yard for a ga.
Sitting across from her, Zhou Jingshan sighed. It had been ages since he’d found soone willing to play chess with him. Most people avoided him because he wasn’t particularly skilled and had a habit of taking back moves. But Ling Ning was one of the rare few who matched his shalessness.
And so, the battle began.
“No, no, you can’t play that piece. Put it back—I need to rethink my move.”
“Uncle, isn’t that a bit much? You’re really going to take back that move?”
“Hah! Like you’re one to talk. Didn’t you take back two moves last ti?”
⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱
Zhou Xiaoxiao watched the match with a blank expression. She could play chess, but there was no way she’d ever play with these two—they were shaless beyond belief. She couldn’t bear to watch any longer.
The ga dragged on until lunch, when Jiang Yuan finally put her foot down and dragged them away from the board to eat.
Ling Ning had offered to help with lunch, but Jiang Yuan wouldn’t hear of it.
During the al, Zhou Jingshan wanted to break out his prized liquor for a drink, but both Jiang Yuan and Zhou Xiaoxiao imdiately shot him down. He sat there sulking, practically radiating resentnt.
After lunch, instead of continuing their chess ga, Ling Ning followed Zhou Xiaoxiao to her room.
As soon as they entered, Ling Ning plopped herself onto the bed and began curiously scanning the surroundings. The room hadn’t changed much since her last visit.
“Xiaoxiao, did you bring here to help you with your studies?”
“How could I? I didn’t even bring my textbooks ho,” Zhou Xiaoxiao replied nonchalantly.
“That’s not good. The college entrance exams are coming up. By the way, which university are you aiming for?” Ling Ning asked curiously. She vaguely rembered Zhou Xiaoxiao ntioning it before but couldn’t recall.
“S University, of course. Wherever you are, that’s where I’ll go.”
Hearing Zhou Xiaoxiao's words, Ling Ning opened her mouth, montarily at a loss for words. Truth be told, with Zhou Xiaoxiao's academic performance, getting into S University would indeed be challenging.
This was a fact. As soone who had tutored Zhou Xiaoxiao before, Ling Ning was well aware of it.
Noticing Ling Ning's expression, Zhou Xiaoxiao pouted and said, "Don't underestimate , okay? My grades might not be amazing, but they're definitely not bad either. Plus, I've been studying hard every day! It's just that today is special, so I wanted to relax a bit."
The "special" Zhou Xiaoxiao ntioned was obvious without her needing to explain.
"In that case, Xiaoxiao, just keep working hard. If there's anything you don't understand, you can always co to ."
With her academic skills, Ling Ning had every right to make such an offer.
"Do you think I’ll hold back? But even if my grades aren’t enough, as long as I have the money, I can still get in. But I don't want to spend money, so I'll stick to taking the exam."
“Ah, the evils of capitalism.”
As if struck by a sudden thought, Zhou Xiaoxiao leaned closer to Ling Ning, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Ling Ning, do you want to join the ranks of evil capitalists?"
"What?"
"It's simple. All you have to do is marry , and you’ll instantly own hundreds of properties. Doesn't that sound amazing?"
Hearing this, Ling Ning rolled her eyes and flicked Zhou Xiaoxiao's smooth forehead without hesitation.
“Ah! Ow!”
Reviews
All reviews (0)