Chapter 181

Qi Mo and Mumu were whispering to each other, heads close together. In any other situation, this would not have seemed strange. But in that moment, it took on an entirely different meaning in Shaobai's eyes.

Shaobai's gaze happened to sweep over them. He paused abruptly. The excitement on his face froze, and his back stiffened.

Strange, why are they looking at me?

He quietly withdrew his gaze and continued chatting with his uncle.

After a while, his eyes surreptitiously drifted back over.

Shaobai: ???

Why are they looking at me again?

Could it be my imagination?

Puzzled, he averted his gaze.

Unsure, I'll check again.

After a while...

His eyeballs suddenly darted over for a split second before swiftly retracting.

Just then, Mumu happened to glance up and meet his eyes before lowering her head to continue murmuring with Qi Mo.

Shaobai: "!!!"

So they were looking at me!

What on earth happened?

His mind raced furiously.

Shaobai: Let me think back carefully about what I just did.

Ah!

I accidentally cursed a couple times.

I accepted uncle's gift without their permission.

Crap.

Are they annoyed that I embarrassed myself out there?

Are they secretly discussing how to punish me when we get back?

The more Shaobai pondered, the more uneasy he became. He kept sneaking glances over at them.

Finally, during his eighth furtive attempt at eavesdropping, he heard his father's voice ring out like a judge delivering a verdict.

"Shaobai."

Having his full name called out, Shaobai instantly sat up straight and looked over.

Qi Mo casually jerked his chin towards the door and said naturally:

"I think my car keys fell in the parking lot. Go help me find them."

"Yes, dad." Shaobai got to his feet and also politely said to Cheng Xin, "Uncle, I'll be right back after stepping out for a bit."

Just now, he had been engrossed in conversation with his uncle, who was recounting the time he saw an NBA game and took photos with the Philadelphia 76ers players in Philadelphia.

That was his favorite team! He was eager to return so they could continue their enthusiastic discussion after finding his dad's car keys.

Anxious to get back, Shaobai jogged out of the private room.

It didn't occur to him at all how uncharacteristic it was for his usually meticulous father to have dropped his car keys in the parking lot.

Right after Mumu confirmed that Shaobai had gone far away and was about to properly ask her brother if he was a dream-fulfilling wizard, the private room door was suddenly pushed open.

Cheng Zhuo and Qiao Li appeared at the entrance.

Cheng Zhuo: "Bro, sis, brother-in-law, sorry we're late. I'm terrible at parking so it took me forever to maneuver in."

The three people inside the room simultaneously looked over at the sound.

"Wasn't the parking lot pretty empty?" The words slipped out of Mumu's mouth before she could stop them.

Seeing Cheng Zhuo's expression freeze for an instant, followed by Qiao Li's lowered eyes, Mumu: "......"

What more was there to misunderstand?

She now hated that she couldn't slap herself.

How could she not keep this mouth in check!

Actually pointing out Cheng Zhuo's very obvious lie.

She looked at the two old foxes on either side of her and opposite her.

Sure enough, they were casually yet faintly smiling, evidently having realized Cheng Zhuo was lying.

Only she had stupidly blurted out a retort!

Words spoken could not be taken back. To make up for her lack of perceptiveness in committing a blunder, Mumu could only remedy it herself.

"Um...well...uh, we ordered some dishes, you can take a look at the menu and order more."

Mumu walked to Qiao Li's side and glanced at Cheng Xin. "Li Li, this is my brother, Cheng Xin. Brother, this is Qiao Li, Qi Mo's cousin and also my cousin. We get along very well."

After the introductions, Qiao Li smiled demurely for the first time in a long while.

Revealing the obedient girl persona Mumu had first seen her adopt.

"Pleased to meet you, brother."

A flicker of bewilderment passed through Cheng Xin's brow. He didn't speak right away.

Ever since Cheng Zhuo and Qiao Li entered, he had felt somewhat disoriented.

Although Mumu had gossiped a little about Cheng Zhuo and Qiao Li on the way over, seeing them in person still took some getting used to.

These unfamiliar feelings weren't directed at Qiao Li, but rather Cheng Zhuo.

In his eyes, Cheng Zhuo had always been his immature little brother.

In a blink, here he was standing in front of him with a girl at his side.

It gave him the surreal sense that his child had suddenly grown up.

Both gratification and reluctance that the little brother he had raised with his own hands had finally matured.

Seeing his brother silent, Cheng Zhuo's heart leaped halfway up his throat.

He tugged Qiao Li's sleeve and whispered:

"Li Li, my brother doesn't talk much and looks a bit fierce, but he's actually very nice."

Cheng Zhuo's eyes were full of panic and sincerity.

He couldn't help feeling nervous.

Thoughts flashed back one minute ago—

The parking lot.

Cheng Zhuo coolly swung the steering wheel with one hand and quickly parked.

Qiao Li was about to get out of the car when he called for her to stop.

"Li Li." Qiao Li paused, her hand still on the car door. "Hm?"

Cheng Zhuo: "Actually, there's something I've been wanting to tell you—"

Qiao Li curled her fingers still resting on the door, already guessing what Cheng Zhuo was going to say.

Cheng Zhuo's burning gaze was frank, ardent, intense.

"Before, I kept putting it off because I wasn't sure if my sister and I were blood-related. But now that that's cleared up..."

He broke off, inhaling deeply.

"I really, really, really like you a lot. Will you be my girlfriend?"

The sincere, fervent voice rang out in the tranquil car.

Speaking quickly due to nervousness, Cheng Zhuo held his breath awaiting her response.

Qiao Li was stunned.

In the past, she had encountered many admirers during her years performing with her band at bars.

Most of those guys would repeatedly test the waters in their words, texting her good morning and good night every day, eager to ask her out to meals whenever they had the time.

Yet they would never actually say "I like you."

As if in the adult world, things could only ever be ambiguous, always kept at arm's length. And whoever was the first to utter "I like you" would naturally be at a huge disadvantage in the relationship.

It was very pragmatic, very self-serving.

Not that it was wrong per se...

This was the first time she had seen a guy like Cheng Zhuo.

Direct, earnest, intense.

Before confirming the relationship, he absolutely refused to nudge their interactions toward ambiguity.

Now, in order to break through to an intimate relationship, he straightforwardly confessed.

Qiao Li felt her heart thump heavily.

After thinking for barely three seconds, she coolly tossed her hair and pushed open the car door, throwing over her shoulder:

"Sure."

Cheng Zhuo: "!!!"

Too elated to react, Cheng Zhuo dumbly scrambled to lock the car and hurry after her footsteps.

"Did you just say 'sure'??

"Right??"

"I have very good hearing!"

Qiao Li: "If you keep jabbering I'm taking back what I just said!"

"......"

Thoughts returned to the present. Cheng Zhuo still basked in joy.

At the same time, he was extremely apprehensive that Qiao Li had agreed on a momentary impulse and would get cold feet upon seeing his stern brother, going back on her word...

After quite some time, Cheng Xin finally accepted the "little brother growing up" reality and slowly stood, greeting them very gentlemanly.

"Hello."

Seeing Qiao Li smile, Cheng Zhuo happily made a fist, unable to keep from announcing on the spot:

"Bro, actually, we—"

"Hold on, Cheng Zhuo," Mumu suddenly interjected, hurriedly glancing at her watch.

"I need to confirm something with brother while little Qi isn't back yet. Keep what you want to say bottled up for a few minutes, 'kay? Just a few minutes."

Time was running short.