Can We Get Married First?  25

Chapter 25

The shopping spree continued. Lou Lixing, his hands full of shopping bags, struggled to keep up. Chi Lin offered to help.

“No, no, you girls enjoy yourselves,” he said, beaming.

Chi Lin insisted, and they ended up having a tug-of-war over the bags.

Lou Mi, exasperated by their antics, grabbed a few bags and said to Lou Lixing, “Give her some. Can’t you see she’s… determined? Don’t make a scene in public.” She almost slipped and called Chi Lin “little brat.”

Peng Ziyuan also took some bags. Lou Lixing, finally relenting, gave Chi Lin the two lightest bags. “Alright, alright,” he said to Lou Mi. “Whatever you say.”

In the Lou family, Lou Mi had always been in charge, especially after her mother’s death. Lou Lixing, around her, was more of a doting companion than an authoritative father.

Peng Ziyuan stopped in front of a store filled with frilly, princess-style dresses, her eyes sparkling.

Chi Lin thought those dresses were more suitable for junior high students. Did Peng Ziyuan actually like them?

“Do you think these dresses are pretty?” Peng Ziyuan asked excitedly.

Chi Lin’s eyes were assaulted by a barrage of pink, baby blue, and Barbie pink.

But Peng Ziyuan had been so generous tonight. She couldn’t dampen her enthusiasm.

“They’re pretty,” she said.

“Let’s go inside!”

Lou Lixing, noticing a store selling health products for seniors across the aisle, said to Peng Ziyuan, “Let’s get something for Mimi’s grandparents. We’ll meet up later.”

“Okay!”

Inside the store, Peng Ziyuan picked up a dress and held it against Chi Lin.

“Beautiful! It’s perfect for you!”

“Wait,” Chi Lin said, alarmed. “Aren’t you choosing a dress for yourself?”

Peng Ziyuan giggled. “I’m too old for these dresses. I’ve always wanted to see you in a cute dress, but you always refused…”

Chi Lin stared at the pink, frilly dress with a giant bow, her heart sinking.

“I still don’t…”

Peng Ziyuan put on a pleading expression. “Please?”

“Who’s the mother here?” Chi Lin muttered.

Unable to resist her mother’s puppy-dog eyes, Chi Lin relented.

Dress after dress, Chi Lin transformed into a living doll.

Peng Ziyuan even put her hair in pigtails.

Chi Lin stood before the mirror, her face expressionless, her soul having departed her body.

If the people of Dayuan could see their fearless General Chi, dressed in a frilly pink dress, being praised for her cuteness, they would be horrified.

Your Majesty, please save me…

After choosing five dresses, all in varying shades of pink and adorned with bows and frills, Peng Ziyuan, finally satisfied, led Chi Lin out of the store, her arm around Chi Lin’s shoulder.

“Hey… isn’t that someone from our school?”

Two girls from South Lake Third High had spotted them.

They were Liu Huixin’s friends, the ones who had gossiped about Chi Lin at the Cultural Festival and had been reprimanded by Lou Mi.

Xu Yifang, the taller one with long hair, and Jiao Minxuan, the shorter one with short hair, recognized the school uniform.

They quickly realized it was Chi Lin.

“It’s Chi Lin…”

“Why do we always run into her? So annoying.”

“Who’s that with her? She’s hugging her. Is that…?”

They both said simultaneously, “The sworn sister!”

They had been curious about Chi Lin’s “sworn sister,” eager to meet the person Liu Huixin had described.

Liu Huixin had been acting strangely lately, ever since her seat change. She had become quiet and withdrawn.

Without Liu Huixin’s gossip, Xu Yifang and Jiao Minxuan were bored.

And now, they had stumbled upon a potential scandal.

Chi Lin and her “sworn sister” walked quickly. Xu Yifang and Jiao Minxuan, eager to see the woman’s face, followed them.

They caught a glimpse of her profile. She looked like she was in her thirties… more like an aunt than a sister.

“Wow, that’s quite an age gap.”

“And look, she’s hugging her. This ‘sworn sister’ is probably a ‘sugar mommy.’”

“She just pinched her cheek!”

“OMG, PDA! I’m posting this on the forum!”

“Idiot, take pictures first! We need proof! Pictures!”

“Right!”

As they were about to take pictures, Chi Lin and Peng Ziyuan turned a corner and disappeared.

They followed, but Chi Lin and Peng Ziyuan had entered the elevator, about to turn around.

If they turned, they would be face to face!

Jiao Minxuan grabbed Xu Yifang, pulling her back behind a wall.

“Almost got caught…” Xu Yifang said, her heart pounding.

“Did you get any pictures?!”

“No…”

Jiao Minxuan groaned. “You’re so useless!”

“You didn’t get any either,” Xu Yifang retorted.

Chi Lin and Peng Ziyuan met up with Lou Mi and Lou Lixing, and they all went down to the parking garage.

Lou Lixing and Lou Mi had both driven. Chi Lin wasn’t sure whose car to get into.

“Chi Lin?” Lou Mi called out, standing by her car, the ring on her finger glinting in the light.

“What are you waiting for?” she asked. “Don’t you want to be a third wheel?”

Peng Ziyuan, used to Lou Mi’s bluntness, said to Chi Lin, “You can ride with whoever you want.”

Chi Lin was more comfortable with Lou Mi.

And honestly, Peng Ziyuan was a bit scary.

“What’s wrong?” Lou Mi teased. “Too much motherly love? Shell-shocked?”

She had noticed Chi Lin’s apprehension throughout the evening.

Chi Lin wanted to ask if Peng Ziyuan was always like this.

This intense affection was overwhelming.

“I just don’t like her extravagant spending,” she said.

“That’s not like you. You usually go crazy when we go shopping, like you’re trying to bankrupt your mom.”

“Really…” Chi Lin thought about the original owner’s Weibo posts, her attempts to secure her mother’s love through material possessions.

The more her mother spent on her, the more loved she felt.

Children were the same in every era.

Lost in thought, she barely responded to Lou Mi’s attempts at conversation. Lou Mi, however, interpreted her silence as sulking.

We’re alone in the car, and she’s giving me the silent treatment?

After that secret library rendezvous and now this… how dare she?

Lou Mi decided to be angry first, mirroring Chi Lin’s silent treatment, but with extra coldness.

She put on a sullen expression and reached for her access crystals, intending to ignore Chi Lin and play games.

Chi Lin, noticing the glint of the ring on her finger, said softly, “I’m sorry about the ring. It must be uncomfortable for you.”

“If you don’t like it, I can take it off,” Lou Mi replied, surprised by her apologetic tone.

“No, it suits you,” Chi Lin said. “It’s just… my mother can be a bit overbearing. She didn’t even ask you if you liked it.”

“She didn’t ask me either. Do you like it?”

Chi Lin looked at the rose gold ring on her finger. “I do.”

“Do you like me wearing it?”

Chi Lin sensed an underlying meaning, unsure what Lou Mi was trying to ascertain, but she knew there was no malice.

And since Lou Mi hadn’t taken the ring off, she must have liked it.

“Yes,” she replied.

Lou Mi cursed internally.

Why is she so damn cute?

She wanted to hug her.

Her anger dissipated in an instant.

That little brat is surprisingly perceptive. She knew I was angry and immediately apologized, subtly and effectively. Well played.

Lou Mi put away her access crystals and chatted with Chi Lin all the way home.

Chi Lin, oblivious to Lou Mi’s internal turmoil, had no idea she had inadvertently appeased her.

They arrived home, parking their cars in the garage. The X-H system, anticipating Lou Lixing and Peng Ziyuan’s return, had prepared their usual bedtime wine and filled their bathtub with hot water and bath salts.

Their month-long trip had indeed been partly business, followed by a two-week vacation.

Finally home, they said goodnight to their daughters and retired to their room.

Chi Lin, seeing them go upstairs together, felt relieved.

Thankfully, they weren’t sharing a room. That would have been awkward.

The next day, Monday, Chi Lin woke up early and practiced her martial arts in the courtyard before 6 am.

Peng Ziyuan, waking up at 6:30, went downstairs to prepare breakfast.

She tried to activate the X-H system, but it didn’t respond.

“Hello?”

A figure flashed past the window.

“Who’s there?!” Peng Ziyuan exclaimed.

Lou Mi, yawning, appeared. “It’s just your daughter. Don’t worry.”

“My daughter?”

Lou Mi opened the window, gesturing towards the courtyard.

It was indeed Chi Lin, meditating in the pavilion after her exercises.

Peng Ziyuan, staring at her daughter’s still figure, turned to Lou Mi, bewildered.

Lou Mi added, “She was hanging upside down from a tree the other day. That was more entertaining. Today is pretty normal.”

“So you were telling the truth?” Peng Ziyuan asked, referring to Lou Mi’s messages about Chi Lin’s strange behavior.

Chi Lin had never woken up before 7 am. Waking her up was like trying to move a mountain. And her morning temper was legendary. She would lash out at anyone who dared to disturb her sleep.

Lou Mi: “I thought she was losing it at first, but… close your eyes and picture the old Chi Lin.”

Peng Ziyuan closed her eyes, remembering Chi Lin’s tantrums, her destructive tendencies. She shuddered.

Lou Mi: “Now open your eyes and look at the serene and peaceful Chi Lin before you.”

Peng Ziyuan opened her eyes, seeing her daughter sitting calmly in the pavilion.

“Does it matter if she’s… different?” Lou Mi asked.

“It doesn’t matter!” Peng Ziyuan exclaimed.

“This is the normal Chi Lin,” Lou Mi said. “The other Chi Lin was the problem.”

Peng Ziyuan wasn’t sure what to make of the new Chi Lin, but Lou Mi’s sharp tongue was as sharp as ever.

Peng Ziyuan mentioned the malfunctioning X-H system.

Lou Mi called out, “Teacher,” and the system activated.

“Good morning, Lou Mi. How can I assist you?”

Peng Ziyuan: “Teacher?!”

“Your daughter renamed it,” Lou Mi explained.

“Is my daughter possessed?”

Lou Mi frowned. “Possessed?”

“When I was younger, there were stories about people’s souls traveling through time and inhabiting other bodies, causing personality changes. It sounds like Xiao Lin…”

“Auntie, you have a vivid imagination,” Lou Mi said.