"Take it, silly girl. It means my parents approve of you."
Wang Xiaoliang's words reassured Wei Zijin. A smile spread across her face, and she nodded.
Looking at how sweet she was, Wang Xiaoliang felt a rush of warmth and leaned over to peck her on the lips.
"I'll sleep here tonight. My bed doesn't make any strange noises..." He kept his voice very low, a mischievous smile on his face.
Wei Zijin's face instantly turned scarlet. She hurriedly pressed her hands against his chest and pushed him away.
"No!"
"Your mom arranged for me to sleep in this room alone." She was adamant.
"Oh, come on, we're practically an old married couple." Unwilling to give up, Wang Xiaoliang tightened his grip, trying to pull her into his arms.
"Absolutely not!" Wei Zijin was genuinely getting a little anxious now, and her voice rose slightly. "Don't ruin the good impression your parents just got of me."
Seeing how serious Wei Zijin looked, with no sign of joking, Wang Xiaoliang could only raise his hands in surrender.
"Okay, okay, okay. Don't get angry." He pursed his lips, still a little reluctant. "I'll go reason with my mom! This arrangement of hers is inhumane!"
With that, he got up to find Zhao Xiuqin.
Wang Keqin wasn't in the living room. He was probably practicing calligraphy in the study, as he always did before bed.
Zhao Xiuqin was sitting on the sofa watching television, though her mind wasn't on it at all. Her ears were pricked for any sounds from the bedroom.
When she saw Wang Xiaoliang emerge looking dejected, she knew what had happened.
"Why did you come out? Aren't you staying in there with Zijin?"
Wang Xiaoliang plopped onto the sofa, picked up an apple, and took a bite as if