While her mother and boyfriend were chatting like two long-lost relatives, Long Jinjing tried to focus all her attention on her food. They were right. She needed to eat because it was going to be another busy day at work. If she didn't eat, she wouldn't have the energy to last the whole day. However, it was a struggle to swallow the food because her mind was in total chaos.
The man sitting beside her didn't feel like her boyfriend at all. It was bothering her so much that she could barely taste the food her mother cooked for her despite them being all her favourite breakfast dishes.
Sometime during the meal, her mother finally started asking them questions about their relationship. Since Long Jinjing was too preoccupied with her confusion about Lu Zihao's current out-of-character behaviour, he was the one who answered all of her mother's questions.
Sun Jingfei noticed her daughter's distracted state and sighed out loud while shaking her head. "This child…tsk tsk. Jing'er, your behaviour right now is very disgraceful. I taught you better manners than that."
Lu Zihao immediately defended Long Jinjing. "Please don't scold your daughter too much, Auntie. Jinjing is just too tired from work while also making sure to spend enough time with me." Then he turned his head towards Long Jinjing and gave the gentlest smile ever before removing a grain of rice stuck on the corner of her mouth. "Don't eat too fast, babe. I don't want you to have indigestion later at work."
Once again, Long Jinjing felt goosebumps popping up all over her skin. She was starting to feel scared of Lu Zihao now. This wasn't like him. To her, his gentle smile was like a stranger's. She preferred his devilish smile and felt more comfortable with it.
It was laughable how she asked him earlier to be mindful while talking to her mother because her mother might get a heart attack due to his intense personality. She was worried that he might say something too shocking that would scandalize her mother. In a way, he was pretty similar to her younger sister, the new Xiulan after waking up from coma. Both could be too straightforward sometimes.
But now that he actually listened to her request and was being mindful—no, his current behaviour was going beyond mindful. He was basically charming the heart out of her mother to the point that her mother was almost ready to adopt him as her own son. If things continued like this, he might become her mother's new favourite child before the day was over.
She was worried about her mother getting a heart attack earlier and yet now, it seemed like she would be the one to get a heart attack especially if he kept on creeping her out by calling her "babe", acting too charming, and just giving her the overall impression that her boyfriend had turned into a completely different person.
His personality had become too bright, carefree and charming all of a sudden which was the total opposite of what she knew to be his real character. This wasn't the Lu Zihao—no, the Nikolai that she knew.
Breakfast ended but Long Jinjing's chaotic mind only worsened. Her stomach was tied in knots. Lu Zihao might be right that she would suffer from indigestion today.
"Are you available tonight, Zihao?" Sun Jingfei asked. "I was hoping that the three of us can eat dinner together later. We don't have much time to chat this morning because Jing'er needs to get ready for work. I want to have a longer talk with the two of you when nobody is in a hurry to leave."
"Mom, let's talk about this another—"
"Yes, Auntie," Lu Zihao interrupted. "I'm available tonight."
Sun Jingfei smiled at him. "We can eat here or maybe go out, whichever the two of you prefer. If you want to stay here at home, I'll go grocery shopping and start cooking in the afternoon."
"No need to tire yourself cooking for us again, Auntie," he said. "I'll book a restaurant instead so that all you two ladies need to do is dress up and be ready. I'll pick up Jinjing at work later and then we'll pick up Auntie afterwards. Then all of us can head to the restaurant together."
Sun Jingfei clapped her hands. "That's wonderful, Zihao! You're such a thoughtful gentleman." Then she turned to her daughter. "That's our plan for tonight, Jing'er. Are you paying attention? Now stop dazing around. Off you go, young lady. Hurry up and get ready or you'll be late for work."
Long Jinjing glanced at the wall clock and yelped at the time. She left the table and ran straight to the bathroom.
"Oh, that child!" Sun Jingfei shook her hand once again. "Please excuse my daughter, Zihao. She's not always so absent-minded like that."
Lu Zihao flashed a dazzling, carefree smile. "I know, Auntie. She's just feeling too shocked because you walked in on us. You know how shy she is."
"Ah, you're right." Sun Jingfei gave a soft a smile. "You understand her well. I'm glad." Then her expression turned serious when she looked at him straight in the eyes. "To be honest, I'm also still feeling very shocked walking in on the two of you earlier. I still don't know how I feel right now, mainly because I'm Jing'er's mother and it's hard for a parent to witness her child in such an awkward situation like that."
"I understand, Auntie."
"I'm just glad that it's you that I found with her today. Sir Lu Jianhong, your grandfather, mentored Jing'er and Fei'er a bit when they started working at Orchidia Beauty with Xiulan. Your grandfather is a force to be reckoned with. I have a feeling that he'll beat you up if you hurt my daughter."
Lu Zihao gave a sheepish chuckle. "That's true. Grandpa will most certainly beat me up if I hurt any of his beloved new granddaughters." Then his expression turned serious, too. "And don't worry, Auntie. Jinjing is my girlfriend. Rest assured that I'll give her the respect that she deserves."
Sun Jingfei beamed. "Thank you."