516 Sneaking into her house?
Click...
"Don't make too much noise; mom and dad are also in the house. They must be deep in their sleep."
Murong Jinxiang gingerly opened the door, her movements feather-light to avoid any sound.
Zhang Wei caught a glimpse of her tiptoeing into her own apartment, his expression twitching slightly. 'Does she even understand the sheer scale of misunderstandings she might stir up?' he mused, his smile tinged with irony.
Of course, Murong Jinxiang was acutely aware of the game she was playing!
Indeed, she regretted it deeply!
But commitments had been made, and retreating now was beyond consideration.
Moreover, the clock had already swept past midnight. Typically, she and Qi Xiang managed their own comings and goings, meals, and rest. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
Qi Xiang's elderly parents had only recently taken up residence with them, adhering to a strict bedtime of 10:00 PM.
Murong Jinxiang's plan was simple: furnish Zhang Wei with a fresh set of clothes and swiftly shoo him out.
Having reached her sanctuary, Murong Jinxiang flicked on the lights, eased the door shut with a soft click, and released a long, relieving sigh.
Zhang Wei surveyed the room; it was tastefully understated rather than extravagant.
A cozy bed nestled against the right wall, while to the left, a study table and chair sat neatly aligned.
Wardrobes stood sentinel adjacent to the bed, and directly ahead, an attached balcony beckoned with a sweeping sea view.
The room felt surprisingly spacious, enhanced by an additional set of table and chairs positioned for leisurely moments near the balcony.
The entrance to the balcony guarded by lofty ceiling-to-floor glass windows draped in ethereal white curtains filled the room with a soft, diffused light.
After sliding open the balcony door, Murong Jinxiang noticed Zhang Wei's dazed expression as he scrutinized her room, and she pressed her lips together in mild amusement.
Zhang Wei's expression changed.
He couldn't understand why Qi Xiang's parents would be knocking at this late hour, especially with their daughter-in-law in the room.
However, if they found him naked in the room, he knew all explanations would be futile.
Even if it were Qi Xiang himself, it would be difficult to explain, let alone to his parents.
Opening the bathroom door, he re-entered the bedroom in his naked state and immediately looked for a place to hide. Glancing left and right in a hush, he finally dove under the bed.
As Zhang Wei squeezed his body under the bed, the door outside was pushed open, and laughter filled the room as three figures entered, chatting amiably.
'It's just my luck, why did Qi Xiang's old parents have to come now?' Zhang Wei lamented silently from his cramped hideout.
Lying there, he felt a wave of irritation wash over him; he had only intended to tease Murong Jinxiang a bit before making a swift exit, but now he was forced into this awkward situation.
'If Qi Xiang's parents catch me like this, there's no way to explain it away,' he thought, a resigned shrug accompanying his thoughts.
He didn't worry much for himself, but the implications for Murong Jinxiang were another story. She would definitely struggle to handle the scandal.
Shaking his head ruefully, he acknowledged the futility of the situation.
Naked and hidden, any attempt at explanation would likely fall on deaf ears, possibly even prompting a midnight chase or worse, a beating.
Just then, amidst his growing despair, another voice resonated through the room.
Murong Jinxiang sounded flustered as she addressed her in-laws in the bedroom, "Mom~ Can I help you hang these clothes? Your eyes aren't very good, and it's already night, so let me do it!"
Her eyes darted anxiously around the room. The bathroom door was open, the wardrobe doors swung open, and even the balcony door was left half-open to invite a fresh breeze inside.
Clearly unaware of Zhang Wei's exact hiding spot, Murong Jinxiang's immediate goal was to usher Qi Xiang's parents out as swiftly as possible, hoping to maintain the delicate facade of normalcy in the chaos.
After all, once Qi Xiang's parents discovered another naked man in room, Murong Jinxiang would not be able to wash it out even if she jumped into the Yellow River.