They nestled together under the blanket, leaning against the bed as they chatted.
"You two get along well too. I see you and your brother interact nicely," Xu Nianhua said, noticing the sadness in her eyes and trying to comfort her.
"But my dad and my brother start fighting as soon as they meet," Pei Yining blurted out, then quickly added, "My dad and my brother have a little misunderstanding about my mom’s matter, so they don’t get along well. You know how my brother is, he can’t stand even a speck of sand in his eye."
"My brother is very good to me. If anyone dares to bully me, he would be the first to disagree," Pei Yining spoke of Pei Yicheng with heartfelt warmth, explaining, "My brother doesn’t talk much usually, but his legs were injured while saving someone."
Pei Yining said these things because she wanted Xu Nianhua to have a better impression of her brother.
"I heard from Cheng Hao, don’t worry, I believe your brother’s legs can definitely be healed."
Xu Nianhua comforted her, chatting with Pei Yining about everything under the sun as the candlelight flickered, bringing the two closer.
"Yaru, why did you change your watch?"
Luo Yufeng noticed the pink watch on her daughter’s wrist, which was clearly different from the previous one.
"Mom," Zou Yaru instinctively tried to hide her hand behind her back.
Luo Yufeng stood up and scrutinized her, suspiciously asking, "Who were you just with?"
"It was just Yashi," Zou Yaru, not good at lying, said this and immediately appeared guilty, nervously clasping her hands together.
Luo Yufeng drew out her words, knowing her daughter’s lying habits well, she sat down and said sternly, "Then I’ll ask Yashi tomorrow why she asked you out tonight."
"Mom, we just had dinner together," Zou Yaru said, which was true—they had indeed started dinner together, but Zou Yashi had to leave halfway through, and then she had met Cheng Hao.
"What about the watch then?"
Luo Yufeng stared intensely at her, saying, "Yaru, you’re not young anymore, not some naive girl. You should know that one should not take what cannot be reciprocated."
"Mom," Zou Yaru replied, feeling both ashamed and angry, "Am I that kind of person?"
Being accused like that by her own mother, Zou Yaru felt so embarrassed she could hardly show her face, stammering an explanation about Cheng Hao and the watch, which she had planned to return the next day.
But the watch was truly beautiful and unavailable in South City, which tempted her to wear it for a while.
Luo Yufeng, furious and in pain, had only suspected, but hearing Zou Yaru admit to the relationship with Cheng Hao outraged her even more. She yelled her full name, declaring, "Zou Yaru, whoever Cheng Hao or Li Hao may be, you are not permitted to be with him."
Zou Yaru was stunned by the scolding.
"Yaru, do you remember Gu Junhe? Your cousin? He really likes you. Think about it, if you could marry him, our future would be much improved," Luo Yufeng, frustrated, looked at Zou Yaru wishing she could delve into her mind to see what was there.
Could Cheng Hao or Li Hao be better than Gu Junhe?
"Mom, he’s just my cousin, and we’re not even that close. Plus, I don’t like him," Zou Yaru said, her brow furrowing instantly at the mention of Gu Junhe, a playboy whose gaze always made her uncomfortable.