Zhou's Father and Zhou's Mother pondered for a moment upon hearing this, remaining silent for a while.
"The girl’s been found, so why the long faces? Let’s eat first!" Chen's Father chimed in, breaking the tension. Bai Yuyou, who had been starving for a while—especially given her impressive appetite—started eating daintily like an adorable little hamster after Ye Shuang served her some food.
Zhou's Father and Zhou's Mother watched their daughter with rapt attention, her eating mannerisms so heartwarming that the atmosphere gradually softened.
Outside, the rain began to lighten. The salted egg (a pet name?) standing by the front door suddenly barked, then trotted back inside with its tongue lolling.
"Sweetie, try this grouper—it’s delicious." Zhou's Mother leaned forward tentatively, scooping a piece of fish onto Bai Yuyou’s plate with a spoon. The girl didn’t refuse, eating it along with her rice.
The fish, mixed with shredded scallions and the sweetness of soy sauce, paired perfectly with the rice—a harmony of savory and sweet.
"Thank you…" Bai Yuyou murmured softly.
Zhou's Mother brightened instantly. She exchanged a glance with Zhou's Father, and soon, the two took turns serving Bai Yuyou more dishes.
In the blink of an eye, the girl’s bowl was piled high like a small mountain.
Bai Yuyou accepted it all without hesitation, cleaning her plate thoroughly.
"Hey now, don’t keep piling food on her—people might think she doesn’t have hands," Chen's Father interjected when he noticed the couple’s enthusiasm. Only then did Zhou's parents snap out of it, sheepishly setting down their chopsticks.
The meal finally came to an end. Though Ye Shuang had clashed with Zhou's parents earlier, it wasn’t anything irreparable.
Afterward, Ye Shuang gave Bai Yuyou some time alone with Zhou's Father and Zhou's Mother. The girl, having warmed up slightly over dinner, was less resistant now.
Less than half an hour later, Bai Yuyou returned to Ye Shuang’s side.
"What did they ask you?"
Bai Yuyou answered quietly, "They asked what I usually do… and if I wanted to go back…"
"I said no…"
Ye Shuang smiled. "Anything else?"
The girl thought for a moment, her expressionless face briefly flickering with confusion. "Nothing else."
Then, as if remembering something, she added, "Oh…"
"What?"
"They asked about bathing… what Ye Shuang does…"
Ye Shuang’s lips twitched. "And what did you say?"
Bai Yuyou paused. "Ye Shuang makes me wear a swimsuit… or else we can’t bathe together…"
Hearing this, Ye Shuang finally exhaled in relief—at least that sounded somewhat normal and wouldn’t make Aunt Xian and the others think he was a creep.
But then Bai Yuyou continued, "Before, when I didn’t wear a swimsuit… Ye Shuang helped me rub soap bubbles…"
Ye Shuang: "…"
Forget it. Just end me now.
"Did I say it wrong?" Bai Yuyou tilted her head, noticing Ye Shuang’s drained expression.
"It’s fine." Ye Shuang simply pinched her cheek lightly.
Fortunately, Zhou's parents didn’t seek him out. The two sets of elders continued chatting in the living room for a long while before finally telling Ye Shuang and the others to rest for the night and discuss things tomorrow.
Looks like they wouldn’t be returning to the apartment tonight. Ye Shuang headed to the room to shower.
"Why did I lose control earlier?"
"That wasn’t how I originally intended to act…"
Steam filled the bathroom as Ye Shuang stood under the shower, hot water cascading over him. He closed his eyes, lost in thought for several minutes before slicking his hair back and rinsing off.
Drying his hair with a towel, he studied his reflection in the foggy mirror, his mind still preoccupied with Bai Yuyou’s situation.
After wrapping a towel around his waist, he stepped out.
"Want me to dry your hair?" A voice came from the side. Startled, Ye Shuang turned to see a figure in a black lace nightgown sitting on the bed, leaning against the headboard with one leg crossed over the other, a book in hand.
Chen Qin had apparently showered earlier. Her hair draped loosely, and without makeup, her face looked even more delicate and youthful.
Her slender legs, flushed from the warmth, peeked out from under the nightgown, completely unbothered by Ye Shuang’s gaze.
Then Chen Qin glanced up, noticing Ye Shuang’s half-naked state.
"Nice muscles… Why aren’t you wearing pajamas?" She lowered her eyes, pretending to focus on her book, though her cheeks were already burning.
Ye Shuang looked down at his "single-pack" abs. With a little flexing, he could still summon a faint six-pack.
"Guys don’t always dress up after a shower," he said before retreating to the bathroom to change. When he returned, Chen Qin unceremoniously plopped her legs onto his lap.
"Massage my legs. I did bail you out tonight, after all."
Ye Shuang obliged, cupping her foot and applying pressure. "How’s the pressure, Miss Chen?"
"Ow, ow, ow—!"
Despite her protests, she didn’t pull away, only swatting his shoulder. "Ease up!"
"Pain means it’s working."
He lightened his touch slightly before sighing. "I think I messed up tonight."
"Yeah, you kinda went off the rails," Chen Qin agreed, then added, "Just like when you confessed to Zhao Mengyao back then."
Ye Shuang chuckled dryly. "Don’t bring that up."
"From what I overheard, Daddy and the others were discussing an engagement," Chen Qin said. "Aunt Xian is traditional. Since you and Bai Yuyou are so close, they’ll probably push for it—it’s about their daughter’s reputation."
She continued, "But Daddy and the others won’t agree. They’ve always wanted us to get married."
"Ye Shuang, what do you think?"
Chen Qin’s gaze fixed on him.
"About what?" He played dumb.
"If you had to choose one, who would it be?" she pressed bluntly.
Ye Shuang hesitated, but before he could answer, Chen Qin suddenly sat up. "Wait—don’t tell me yet!"
"Huh?"
"No, I don’t want your answer right now." In one swift motion, she shoved Ye Shuang onto his back and pinned him down. Leaning close, she brushed a few strands of hair against his cheek, grinning mischievously.
"For me, the answer isn’t that important. I just want you."
"Come on, say it—tell me you adore me and want to marry me!"
The thin fabric of her nightgown did nothing to mask her warmth or softness. Ye Shuang stared at her face, mere inches away, then abruptly smacked her backside.
SMACK!
The crisp sound echoed, the bounce far more impressive than his previous two attempts.
Ye Shuang sat up, rolling his shoulders. "You’re pushing it, Miss Chen."
But the moment the words left his mouth, Chen Qin’s eyes welled up. In an instant, fat tears rolled down her cheeks.
"I just love you, okay?! What’s so wrong with that?!"
"What do they have that I don’t?!"
"You jerk, I liked you first!"