"Happiness is when others can't keep up with your pace~ Troubles and worries are left far behind you..."
"In your world, do as you please~ As long as you can live as the best version of yourself..."
After leaving school, Li Peifeng humd a tune on his way ho, but as soon as he opened the door and saw the four people in the living room, he froze, and his mood dropped by thirty percent.
"Mom, Dad? Why are you... here?"
Yu Huizhi and Li Qiyuan were sitting in the living room, chatting with the two girls, Xu Manning and Wu Wenyue. When they saw the door open, they all turned their heads.
"We ca to buy you so groceries."
Yu Huizhi smiled kindly: "We're making lunch with your dad, let's eat at ho. What, not welco?"
Definitely not welco!
Li Peifeng surely wanted to reduce the ti the two girls would spend with his parents. Given the current emotional state between the three of them, which was quite contrary to public morals and traditions, any slip-up could make it obvious to the parents, and Li felt his days would beco difficult.
Moreover, if Xu Manning and Wu Wenyue got jealous and caused a scene, Li Peifeng felt things would spiral out of control...
You see, just last night he had promised his parents he wouldn't ss around!
Thoughts raced through his mind as Li Peifeng changed into his slippers, saying, "How could I not welco you? It's just that the whole day today we might be eating out, got so things to handle..."
Then he looked at Wu Wenyue and Xu Manning, trying to convey a ssage with his eyes: "You didn't tell my parents?"
"We did, about the startup." Xu Manning replied casually: "But it's Saturday, and we can't complete the company's registration, so we're just looking for locations, which we can check online and call to inquire about suitable office spaces or storefronts."
"Right." Wu Wenyue nodded in agreent, then grabbed Yu Huizhi's hand, smiling sweetly: "It's been so long since I had Auntie's cooking, I really want to eat that sweet and sour pork, can you make it for ?"
"I can!" Yu Huizhi laughed: "But that dish, your Uncle Li is better at. We'll have him make it then."
"Sure, no problem." Li Qiyuan nodded, getting up and heading to the main bedroom, giving his son a look: "Co with ."
"Ah?"
Li Peifeng's heart tensed up, and he followed.
"Click~"
Once they were in the bedroom, Li Qiyuan closed the door, locked it, then sat down at the computer desk, took a cigarette from his bag, lit it, and began to smoke, his face obscured in the cloud of smoke.
"What's up?"
Li Peifeng was very familiar with his father. This was a questioning stance. He sat on the edge of the bed, pondering what questions his father might ask and preparing his responses... But it didn't make sense, he hadn't even been ho, it was just the two girls. Could Xu and Wu have said sothing they shouldn't have?
"It's nothing serious."
Li Qiyuan squinted: "Open the window first, let out the smoke."
"Oh."
Li Peifeng obligingly went to the window by the bed, pulled open the curtains, opened the window, and was about to return to the bed but was startled when he turned around.
Li Qiyuan was holding a cigarette delicately between the index and middle fingers of his left hand, resting naturally on the chair's armrest, while his right hand was fiddling with a ring, examining it closely...
Huh?
Why is my ring in his hand?!!
I bought three in total, gave one to Xu Manning, one to Wu Wenyue, nad the Trinity series rings, theirs are rose gold, mine is platinum, coupled together...
That's not crucial, it's crucial my ring is in his hand?!!!
Li Peifeng's expression froze, he sat down at the opposite bed silently, finally understanding the situation.
After buying the rings, he didn't wear it, nor planned to, as having all three wearing the rings was too obvious. So, he left the box on the computer desk and went to console Wu Wenyue.
That night, after writing, Li Peifeng finally tried on the ring but found it awkward, affecting daily tasks, and carelessly left it on the desk. The next day, he forgot about it, only putting the box into the drawer, leaving the inconspicuous ring on the cluttered desk...
Not cautious enough!!!
"This ring must be expensive?"
Li Qiyuan asked mildly, spreading two tissues on the desk, pouring so water on them from a cup, and expertly flicking the ashes onto them.
The movent was slight but felt like a stab to Li Peifeng's heart.
"Uh, not expensive, I got it from a street vendor." Li Peifeng still hoped to bluff his way through: "I think I bought it on that trip to Wuzhen, just a few bucks."
Li Qiyuan leaned back in his chair, one hand holding a cigarette, the other holding the ring, calmly watching Li Peifeng, exhaling smoke in silence.
Though flustered inside, Li Peifeng maintained a composed exterior, smilingly making small talk: "Oh right, Dad, did you get your associate professor title? Our dean approached , saying they're going to reserve a spot for a doctoral program and a faculty position at Beihua University, starting straight from associate professor level, you better work hard, or you'll be outdone by !"
Li Qiyuan raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised: "Associate professor? Really?"
"Yes." Li Peifeng nodded repeatedly: "The platinum writer title is more useful than I thought, considering I'm possibly the only one with a traditional literature background doing well in online literature. Might be overhyped, they likely have publication and funding requirents for starting at associate level, but the Beihua faculty position is certain."
"Is that so?"
Li Qiyuan flicked off the ash, gently placing the ring on the desk, and said gloomily: "I'm afraid if you keep fooling around, even getting a diploma will be tough, and you might get expelled from Beihua."
Li Peifeng's eyes widened: "What? What do you an?"
"Enough with the act!"
Li Qiyuan finally lost patience: "If you keep pretending, I'll tell your mom about this, let her know how 'accomplished' her son is, wearing couple rings with two girls!!!"
Li Peifeng imdiately regained his composure with a gloomy face: "Keep your voice down, this is a man-to-man matter, we can settle it internally, no need to alert the judge."
Li Qiyuan snorted: "So you do know fear? Don't worry, your mom isn't aware yet. I was in your room having a smoke saw this ring on the table, looked familiar to what the girls had, so I checked online...well, well, you sly fox, four minus three makes a set for yourself, huh?!"
Li Peifeng, hearing his mom Yu Huizhi was still unaware of the matter, was mostly relieved and kindly reminded: "The ash."
"I know!"
Li Qiyuan extinguished the cigarette on the wet tissue, leaned forward, with elbows resting on knees, frowning: "Spill it, what's going on?"
Li Peifeng hesitated a long ti, finally mumbling: "Actually, I was reluctant at first, then I tried it out, and it's not bad, can't stop catching on..."
"Speak human language!" Li Qiyuan's face turned serious, voice strained with anger: "Don't you realize your mistake? Haven't you grasped the seriousness of this?"
"I've made mistakes for sure."
Li Peifeng said pitifully: "But... I only made a mistake every man on earth might make."
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