Teasing

Just like that, Qin Lin enjoyed a lively lunch at the Xu family's home.

At the table, Qin Lin and the Xu family's patriarch also chatted about a few things.

By the afternoon, it was time for Qin Lin to leave, and Xu Qing naturally had to go with her.

"Sister Xin, I'm off," Xu Qing called as he got into the car and waved to Xu Xin at the door.

Xu Xin waved back. "Listen to Teacher Qin, and don't forget to come home and visit."

"Don't worry, I will. I'll visit you at the Alliance Mall often," Xu Qing said with a nod.

"That's more like it. Teacher Qin, I'll leave Xiao Qing in your hands," Xu Xin said.

"Don't worry, I'll take good care of him," Qin Lin replied with a radiant smile.

As Xu Xin watched the off-road vehicle drive away, she felt as if she'd lost something. It was just like someone digging up the cabbage she'd painstakingly raised.

"My silly little brother really has grown up," Xu Xin said with a smile. Perhaps this was how parents felt.

Xu Gang came out and looked at his sister. "Can't bear to see him go?"

"A little. I've had him by my side since we were kids, so it'll take some getting used to having him gone all of a sudden. Big brother, Xiao Qing already has a girlfriend. What about you?" Xu Xin teased, looking at her elder brother.

"Ahem, how did we suddenly get onto the subject of me? I'm in no hurry. It'll happen sooner or later," Xu Gang said with a light cough.

After a pause, he asked, "What about you, little sister? That young master from the Wang family is keeping a close eye on you, and Guo Hai from the Thunder Martial Arts Hall likes you too. And then there's your old classmate Luo Feng. Which one do you like?"

Xu Xin glanced sideways at him. "If you're not in a hurry, why should I be?"

With that, she turned and went inside.

"Uh... I suppose whoever it is will have to get past Xiao Qing first," Xu Gang mused.

Xu Xin and Xu Qing were so close that he was bound to have a say in his sister's boyfriend.

"With Xu Qing around, my sister can have whichever boyfriend she wants," Xu Gang said with a smile.

Back at their place, Qin Lin removed her makeup and changed clothes.

She rarely dressed so glamorously. She'd only done so to make a good impression on Xu Qing's elders.

She'd already passed the most important hurdle. Everything else would be much easier.

"Linlin, what do you think of this picture?" Xu Qing asked, showing her a photo he'd taken on his phone. It was of her in the long dress she'd worn that day, looking cool and alluring.

Qin Lin glanced at it. "It's all right."

"Then I'll use it as my wallpaper," Xu Qing said with a smile as he set it as his screen background.

"I want a picture of you too. Just a close-up," Qin Lin said, pointing her phone at Xu Qing. She snapped a picture, capturing his whole face.

When she saw the photo, Qin Lin smiled. Whenever Xu Qing's face appeared in a picture, he had a goofy, adorable look.

Unless he smiled, he always looked that way, no matter how she took the picture.

"Xiao Qing, give me a smile," Qin Lin prompted.

Xu Qing smiled at her. The picture looked completely different once she took it. It was bursting with cuteness, almost as if it might spill right off the screen.

Qin Lin took more than a dozen pictures and saved them all, planning to rotate through them each day.

In the middle of the night, Xu Qing got up to use the bathroom, still half-asleep. Qin Lin happened to wake up too and got up for a drink of water.

Then Qin Lin saw Xu Qing come out of the bathroom, notice that a bedroom door was open, and walk inside without realizing he'd gone into the wrong room.

Qin Lin stood there dumbfounded for a few seconds before going into her room. Xu Qing was already lying in her spot.

"Xiao Qing..." Qin Lin didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Hadn't he noticed that he'd gotten into the wrong bed?

He was still half-asleep and hadn't noticed a thing.

Qin Lin stood by the bed, wondering whether to wake him or go sleep in his room instead.

Wait, wasn't this an opportunity he'd handed me himself? Why should I be so proper? Qin Lin suddenly realized.

Xu Qing was an adult, and they were boyfriend and girlfriend. What was wrong with sleeping together? Nothing at all.

Once she'd thought it through, Qin Lin climbed right into bed. She was a little nervous, but also excited. Their relationship had just taken another step forward.

When Xu Qing realized what had happened the next morning, he wouldn't have a leg to stand on. He'd brought it on himself.

Yes, that's it, Qin Lin thought, already preparing her explanation.

Morning.

Xu Qing slowly opened his eyes. His pillow felt different somehow. It was much bigger and heavier, making it impossible for him to turn over.

It took him a while to make out what he was seeing.

"Pillow? How did it turn into Linlin?!" Only then did Xu Qing realize that what he was holding wasn't a pillow at all. It was Qin Lin.

His whole body was pressed against her, and he'd practically become the pillow himself.

Am I dreaming? No, wait... Xu Qing was completely baffled. Could someone tell him what had happened? Why was he sleeping with Qin Lin?

Had they been drinking last night? No, that couldn't be it. Xu Qing didn't drink.

Besides, he couldn't remember anything at all.

Oh no, did I really turn into a ravenous wolf?! Xu Qing's eyes widened. He'd only said that as a joke. He'd never imagined it would actually happen.

I'm done for. I did something awful. Will Linlin be angry? I'm not that kind of person! Xu Qing panicked.

How was he supposed to explain this to Qin Lin?

What if she woke up, found out what had happened, and broke up with him?

Xu Qing's mind raced as he tried to think of a solution. After a few seconds, he came up with one: play dumb.

He had no idea how this had happened anyway, and there was no point trying to explain. He might as well keep pretending he didn't know. Maybe he'd still have a chance to salvage things.

First, I'll pretend to be asleep and wait for Linlin to wake up. Then I'll act like she woke me. That way, I'll have the upper hand. Yes, that's it. It's the only way I can save myself, Xu Qing muttered to himself.

Little did he know, Qin Lin had been awake for a while.

Hearing Xu Qing muttering to himself, Qin Lin nearly burst out laughing, but managed to hold it in.

This little goofball—what on earth goes on in his head? He's hilarious, Qin Lin thought, secretly amused.

Xu Qing immediately pretended to be asleep, closed his eyes, and began his performance.

To tease him properly, Qin Lin deliberately rolled over and pinned him down.

"Mm..."

Xu Qing suddenly couldn't see a thing. His face was buried, but he still didn't dare move.

One minute... two minutes... five minutes...

Finally, Xu Qing couldn't hold his breath any longer. Forgetting all about pretending to sleep, he immediately pushed Qin Lin off him.

"Hahahaha..."

Seeing Xu Qing's face turn bright red, Qin Lin couldn't hold back her laughter any longer. She laughed so hard her body shook.

At that, Xu Qing finally realized he'd been tricked.

"Ah, I'll fight you!" Xu Qing's face turned scarlet with embarrassment and frustration. He rolled over and sat on top of her, then tickled her with all his might.