No? Can I read the mind of my mortal enemy?

good question.

Pei Jingnian looked hurt. "We've already gained our families' approval."

"Besides, our rooms are only separated by a wall, so it doesn't matter where we sleep, right?"

"That won't do either. After all, we're just boyfriend and girlfriend now. If our elders see us like this... it would be so inappropriate."

Shi Qiao was inexplicably a bit old-fashioned in this regard. She blushed, picked up the gift, and said, "You need to learn to sleep alone."

"Besides, putting everything else aside, my bed is quite small, just right for one person. If you were added, it would be too cramped."

Don't you know your own limitations?

Of course, it wasn't entirely a matter of bed size; Pei Jingnian had his eye on where she was positioned.

Even in the port city, the two of us slept on about a third of the 2-meter-wide bed.

Upon hearing this, Pei Jingnian's heart shattered into two pieces, and he hugged Shi Qiao with a pitiful expression.

"It's not that I don't want to marry you, it's just that the law of the country won't allow it."

"If all else fails, we can change our household registration and get married in the port city."

Shi Qiao rolled her eyes and pried apart Pei Jingnian's limbs, which were no different from those of an octopus's suction force. "Stop saying such unrealistic things."

She ran quickly to the stairwell, saying, "Anyway, I'll leave this gift in your room."

Pei Jingnian watched Shi Qiao run upstairs and fell into deep thought.

Ok……

He had to contact someone to smash down the wall in the middle.

Oh well, I wasn't planning on staying here for long anyway.

Pei Jingnian took out his phone and opened the friend request that had just been accepted.

Oh, and my wife can hear my thoughts.

I need to be careful these next few days, and I also need to keep things bottled up inside.

*

When Shi Qiao finished putting the gifts away and went downstairs, Bai Shuwen and Lin Ya Hui had already come home.

As for Pei's father and Shi's father, they had already made plans to go fishing again.

Shi Qiao hurriedly distributed all the remaining gifts.

The family sat happily chatting in the living room.

Of course, there was one person who wasn't happy.

Pei Jingnian sipped his coffee with a resentful look, staring at Shi Qiao, who was surrounded by Bai Shuwen and Lin Yahui.

[A world for two...my world for two.]

[Wasn't this a business dinner? Why couldn't we just stay until the 31st and then come back?]

Honey, honey, stop chatting with them and come keep me company.

[Ugh...so annoying...all you do is ask, ask, ask.]

Shi Qiao could barely contain her smile; she really hoped that the God of Love would grant Pei Jingnian some special privileges.

That way, she could curse Pei Jingnian in her heart.

"Small and delicate." Lin Ya Hui stroked Shi Qiao's hand and slightly pulled her sleeve to cover her entire hand.

Shi Qiao looked bewildered. "What's wrong, Aunt Lin?"

Suddenly, Shi Qiao felt a sharp pain in her hand bones, and then a crystal-clear glass-like jadeite was placed on her hand.

Before I could react, another heavy gold bracelet was hung up.

Because the close-fitting sleeves reduced friction, Lin Ya-hui put them on very quickly.

Looking up, it seemed she wasn't finished yet; Lin Ya-hui was still rummaging around.

Bai Shuwen was startled. "Aya, when did you buy this? Didn't I already tell you? We're family, what are you doing? This is so distant!"

She grabbed Lin Ya-hui and pressed her down. "No, no! Aya! What era are we living in?! I'm not selling my daughter!"

Lin Ya-hui slapped Bai Shu-wen away, "What are you saying!"

"I bought it for my own daughter!" Lin Ya-hui stubbornly resisted. "It's just a small gift, it's not worth much!"

She clutched her bag tightly, not giving Bai Shuwen any opportunity, while shouting:

"Little Qiao! This is a little something from your auntie as a token of respect for changing your address to her. From now on, your auntie is your mother too!"

"Auntie doesn't know what style you like, like necklaces or earrings, so I haven't bought any yet."

"Go to the jewelry store with Pei Jingnian in a couple of days. If you see something you like, just buy it and swipe his card."

This endless war seems to have no end.

Lin Ya Hui then precisely tossed her bag to Shi Qiao's side, revealing a corner of four stacks of red envelopes thicker than bricks, along with a black card and a note attached to it.

The neat handwriting reads:

[A small gift for my precious daughter~]

"Xiaoqiao, this is definitely not a dowry."

"It's just because I'm happy. You can treat it as your allowance and use it to buy something you like."

Bai Shuwen was stopped by Lin Yahui, and in her anxiety, she could only slap the sofa, "Oh dear, we're all family, and our businesses are all together."

He had the air of someone eager to pay the bill at a drinking party.

Shi Qiao was caught in a dilemma, "This..."

She looked at Pei Jingnian for help.

Quietly escaping the battlefield, he crept up to Pei Jingnian and sat down next to him.

"Pei Jingnian, could you please try to persuade Aunt Lin? I really can't accept it." She tried hard to push the bracelet away, but she couldn't seem to get it out, perhaps because she wasn't doing something right.

"On this point, my mother and I agree," he said softly. "It's all yours, honey, don't be shy."

Shi Qiao frowned and muttered softly, "This is unnecessary."

"Although my mom usually sends me my living expenses directly, I've been living at your house for many years."

She reached out to take off the bracelet on her wrist, "There's no need for any 'change of address fee'."

"I originally considered Aunt Lin as my own mother, but I was just too embarrassed to call her that."

Pei Jingnian pressed down on her wrist and gently shook his head.

He leaned closer, his lips almost touching Shi Qiao's earlobe, "There's no reason to take back what's given away. Keep it."

Shi Qiao wanted to say something more, "But..."

Pei Jingnian hugged her tighter. "There are no 'buts'."

"Wife, returning it is like you don't want to marry me anymore." He gently held Shi Qiao's hand and lightly brushed his nose against hers.

"You'll have to get used to it slowly; everything I have is yours."

Shi Qiao's palms were filled with his warm breath, and her cheeks turned bright red.

"I...I understand, then..."

She paused.

It feels like the background noise of the intense argument in my ears has disappeared.

She turned her head and found that Lin Ya Hui and Bai Shu Wen had stopped arguing and fighting, and were now resting their chins on their hands, staring at her and Pei Jing Nian with happy expressions.

"It's okay, it's alright." Lin Ya-hui smiled broadly.

"Let's pretend we don't exist, hehe." Bai Shuwen winked.

Shi Qiao: !!!

She hurriedly pushed Pei Jingnian away, waving her hands repeatedly, "No, it's not..."

Lin Ya Hui stepped forward and grabbed Shi Qiao's hand tightly, her face full of expectation.

"Seeing you two so happy makes me so happy, sob sob." She said, her eyes reddening.

Shi Qiao hurriedly tried to comfort her, "Aunt Lin, I..."

Hearing what she said, Lin Ya Hui's eyes inexplicably reddened even more. She looked at Shi Qiao with a bitter expression and hopeful eyes.

Seeing that Shi Qiao didn't react, she blinked hard again, and a few tears fell directly down her cheeks.

hiss.

That move looks so familiar.

But what are you trying to do?

She wants you to call her Mom.

Pei Jingnian stood to the side, speechless.

Shi Qiao suddenly realized what was happening, and after hesitating for a while, she finally spoke awkwardly:

"Mom...Mom, okay, calm down a bit."

Lin Ya-hui immediately stopped crying, "Ah-Wen, did you hear that? Waaaaah, Xiao-qiao is calling me Mom too! Waaaaah!"

"Xiaoqiao, although my son wasn't exactly lovable from birth."

Pei Jingnian: ?

"She has a bad personality and a sharp tongue."

Pei Jingnian: ? ?

"And he always acts arrogantly."

Pei Jingnian: ? ? ?

"return……"

"Enough, Mom." Pei Jingnian said with a dark expression, "What exactly are you trying to say?"

Lin Ya-hui coughed lightly, composing herself:

"I want to say, from now on, I'm entrusting my son to you!"

Shi Qiao swallowed:

"Ah, okay... Lin..."

Lin Ya Hui squinted, her brows furrowed.

Shi Qiao silently slapped herself in the face.

"Okay, Mom."

Shi Qiao used to think that Pei Jingnian and Aunt Lin were not alike at all.

Now let's take a look...

They truly are mother and son.