Pei Yicheng was drying himself off with a towel when he glanced down at the scar on the left side of his stomach and casually replied, "I got hurt when I was a kid."
Xu Nian’an took another look, noticing that the scar, which had aged a bit, was somewhat ugly. He carefully wiped Yicheng’s back and then left.
That scar seemed somewhat familiar.
Xu Nian’an stood at the bathroom doorway, trying hard to recall, but although it felt familiar, he just couldn’t remember.
It was impossible. How could he possibly know about the scars on his body?
"Nian’an, can you get my clothes for me?" Pei Yicheng’s voice came from the bathroom, interrupting Xu Nian’an’s thoughts.
"Nianhua, be honest with mom, how far have you and Yicheng gone?"
Ji Ying had specifically decided to sleep with Xu Nianhua tonight, and right before bedtime, she looked seriously at Xu Nianhua.
"Mom, we’ve just confirmed our relationship," Xu Nianhua said, her ears turning slightly red.
"Nianhua, I’m your mom. You can tell me anything," Ji Ying’s initial joy gradually turned into worry as time passed. She gazed at her daughter, with beautiful features and snow-white delicate skin, thinking not just Pei Yicheng, but even she herself often couldn’t help but feel fortunate about how beautiful her adopted daughter was.
Being of that age, and Pei Yicheng in the prime of youth, it was possible that he couldn’t hold back when faced with his beloved.
Ji Ying was worried. If something unexpected happened, the one who would suffer would be a woman.
"Nianhua, I know when there is mutual love, there’s always a desire to be close," she said.
No sooner had Ji Ying begun to speak, Xu Nianhua’s face turned even redder. She cleared her throat and explained, "Mom, we haven’t gotten to that point yet."
"You’ve grown up, and there are some things I should talk to you about," Ji Ying felt the swift passage of time. She took Xu Nianhua’s hand and said, "Nianhua..."
Ji Ying started but didn’t know how to continue. Topics about men and women, if put bluntly, were a bit hard to articulate; if spoken too obscurely, again she feared her daughter might not understand.
"Mom, rest assured, I definitely won’t get physically intimate with Yicheng before marriage," Xu Nianhua, seeing her mom struggle, decided to say it outright, then paused and added, "engage in physical relations."
Hasn’t eaten pork, but hasn’t seen a pig run?
Xu Nianhua nestled against Ji Ying’s shoulder, saying, "Mom, elder brother already cautioned me, so I understand."
Xu Nianhua’s obedient words made Ji Ying even more sympathetic.
She gently stroked Xu Nianhua’s smooth long hair and said, "If Yicheng ever dares to mistreat you, just tell me, and mom will take care of it for you."
Filling with warmth from her mother’s protective love, Xu Nianhua happily shared, "By the way, Mom, my dorm mates and I started a translation studio. Even though we don’t make much money right now and only take jobs from friends who refer us, I believe we will definitely make money eventually."
"In the future, whatever mom wants to buy, I’ll get it for you. You and dad have worked so hard for so many years, it’s time you enjoyed some peace." Xu Nianhua looked forward to that day eagerly. Once, their whole family hadn’t had a happy ending, and she deeply hoped that the Xu family now could live peacefully until old age.
"Keep the money you earn for yourself, your dad and I have our jobs and can make our own money," Ji Ying, with a smile on her lips, was especially content with their life now. She added, "By the way, we’ve moved to a new house, have you come to see it yet?"