CH 89

Pei You originally wanted to stop Pei Zi from talking, but he didn’t expect Zhou Qingbo to indulge her. He was so shocked by the term “husband” that he couldn’t react for a while, missing the perfect opportunity to retort. By the time he wanted to speak, it was already too late.

However, Pei You wasn’t as thick-skinned as Zhou Qingbo. He had been thoroughly taken advantage of last night, and his waist was still sore. He couldn’t bring himself to say “wife” to Zhou Qingbo now. So, he remained silent, his face turning into a solid wooden block.

Fortunately, Pei Zi didn’t care about his reaction. She had already brightened up when Zhou Qingbo spoke and seemed to want to giggle but held back. One hand clutching a roll of sushi and the other covering her face, she looked like she had just experienced something delightful.

“Your sister is quite lively.” Zhou Qingbo chuckled, leaning toward Pei You’s ear and whispering, “Why doesn’t she resemble you at all?”

“I don’t know.” Pei You said, “Maybe Pei Zi is more like my mom.”

Implicitly, he meant that he himself must have taken after his biological father.

Thinking about this, Zhou Qingbo suddenly realized that his knowledge about Pei You’s family was limited to his mother who arranged numerous blind dates for her son at Zhongshan Park. He had never heard anything about Pei You’s father.

Zhou Qingbo wanted to ask, but he also feared that there might be some sensitive wounds related to the topic. So, he thought for a moment and asked indirectly, “By the way, do your parents… not live together?”

“Yes.” Pei You didn’t catch onto his caution, just nodded and said, “My dad doesn’t like the city, so he stays in our hometown. He listens to the radio and goes fishing during his free time. He only comes over for family gatherings during festivals and important occasions.”

I see, Zhou Qingbo breathed a sigh of relief. He thought that Pei You’s personality was indeed more similar to his father’s.

As they spoke, Pei Zi had hopped over from the other side of the fruit counter. She was even more like He Ping, lively and agile. She then took Zhou Qingbo’s hand without hesitation, looking him up and down with great interest.

“This is great, sister-in-law.” Pei Zi said with a smile,“My brother has been keeping you well hidden. He never introduced us to you before. I’ve finally caught you this time. Let’s see where he’ll hide you now—”

“Pei Zi.” Pei You lowered his voice and called her name, “Stop it.”

Pei Zi, intoxicated by her victory, was interrupted by Pei You. She stuck her tongue out at him apologetically and fell silent.

“I was busy with something earlier, so it got delayed.” Zhou Qingbo smiled and tried to defuse the situation, saying, “I just got back from a business trip yesterday.”

“Oh, no wonder.” Pei Zi blinked her eyes, suddenly clapped her hands, and said, “Then there’s no time like the present. Mom’s home today. You two can come back home so you can meet her.”

Zhou Qingbo: “…”

Pei You: “…”

Zhou Qingbo had considered picking an appropriate time to meet Pei You’s parents, but he had imagined it to be a formal occasion. He’d bring carefully chosen gifts and visit, to show his seriousness and respect. But now, Pei Zi had suddenly thrown out the invitation, leaving Zhou Qingbo in a dilemma. He felt that accepting it would seem too casual, while refusing seemed impolite.

He didn’t really want their first meeting to be in such a rushed and casual setting. However, he thought that Pei Zi’s invitation might have come from He Ping herself. it might seem impolite turning it down.

Caught in a dilemma, Zhou Qingbo turned his head slightly toward Pei You, a pleading look for help, to hear his opinion.

“Actually… if you don’t mind, we can go right now.” Pei You thought for a moment and said, “Don’t feel any pressure. My mom isn’t that old-fashioned. She just wants to meet you and is curious about what kind of partner I’ve found.”

“Of course, if you’re not ready, you can decline.” Pei You said seriously, “It’s okay.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to.” Zhou Qingbo smiled and said, “I just feel that it might be too casual.”

“Oh, don’t worry.” Pei Zi saw a chance and quickly seized it, urging, “When strangers meet for the first time, it will always be a bit awkward. There’s always a first time. We’re all family, so there’s no need to be so formal.”

She used Zhou Qingbo’s words against him, and after thinking it over, he agreed that since they had come this far, rejecting the invitation might appear overly deliberate. So, he smiled and nodded.

“Then let’s go check out first,” Pei You said, “We can buy snacks and fresh items tomorrow.”

The checkout area was downstairs, and Pei Zi had already picked up the items she wanted to buy. So, they walked side by side, engaging in casual conversation along the way.

Although it had been several years since Zhou Qingbo started working, he was still playful and knowledgeable about games, movies, and urban legends. In just a few words, he amazed Pei Zi with his wide range of interests, playfully calling her “sister-in-law.”

During the time it took to walk downstairs, they had transitioned from discussing Resident Evil to Detroit: Become Human. Since Pei You wasn’t well-versed in gaming, he didn’t force himself into the conversation, simply listening while pushing the shopping cart, and occasionally observing Zhou Qingbo.

Zhou Qingbo seemed to have embraced the role of “sister-in-law” quite well. He had naturally assumed the position of a respectable elder sibling to Pei Zi as well, appearing both kind and affectionate. He chatted with Pei Zi as if they were old friends, offering advice and encouragement. He advised her to focus on studies and play less games.

Pei You observed Zhou Qingbo closely, impressed by how naturally he was fitting into the role. Zhou Qingbo caught on to Pei You’s gaze and casually draped his arm over his shoulder, sharing a knowing smile.

“Your brother thinks I’m neglecting him,” Zhou Qingbo teased, playfully mocking, “Let’s change the topic to something he likes and understands too.”

Pei You remained silent, unfairly accused without reason. He opened his mouth, about to explain, but he didn’t know what to say. He ended up closing his mouth and gave a gentle cough.

Seeing his reaction, Zhou Qingbo smirked and lightly tugged at the sleeve of Pei You’s shirt.

“Alright, alright, I won’t say anything,” Zhou Qingbo whispered into his ear, biting his earlobe playfully. “I just love teasing you.”

Pei You couldn’t bring himself to resist Zhou Qingbo’s playfulness. He just made a soft affirmative sound, tacitly agreeing.

Their interactions were carefree, as if they were alone in their own world. Meanwhile, Pei Zi, not knowing what was going on, looked at them with concern and nervously played with the plastic bag in her hand.

As they approached the checkout area, they saw long lines at each cash register due to the ongoing discount. Zhou Qingbo took the items that Pei Zi had bought and placed them in the shopping cart, intending to pay for them together later.

“You don’t have to,” Pei Zi hesitated, trying to take back her items, “I brought money, sister-in-law.”

“You’re already calling me sister-in-law, so I can’t let you pay on our first meeting,” Zhou Qingbo said with a smile, “Consider it my treat, on your brother’s behalf.”

In both words and actions, he was addressing Pei You. It was evident to anyone that their relationship was quite good. Pei Zi blinked her eyes, hesitated for a moment, then pulled at Zhou Qingbo’s sleeve, indicating that they should step aside for a moment.

The checkout area was crowded, and Pei You was busy looking at supermarket promotional items on nearby shelves. Taking advantage of his distraction, Zhou Qingbo moved closer to where Pei Zi was pulling him and asked her what was going on.

“My brother…” Pei Zi hesitated, seemingly unsure of how to phrase it, but stammered, “Sometimes he can be a bit serious. Sister-in-law, don’t take it to heart.”

“Hmm?” Zhou Qingbo hadn’t figured out why Pei Zi suddenly brought this up, so he tilted his head and wondered, “Is that a bad thing?”

“It’s not really bad,” Pei Zi hesitated for a moment before speaking softly, “It’s just that he can be very strict and rigid sometimes, both with himself and with others—he’s like that with family too. If he does something that upsets you, please don’t be angry with him. It’s not intentional.”

Ah… it finally dawned on Zhou Qingbo. Most likely, Pei Zi had overheard his teasing remarks to Pei You earlier, and now she had run over to defend her brother.

Suppressing a laugh, Zhou Qingbo thought that Pei Zi really didn’t understand her brother. When it came to romance, Pei You wasn’t strict at all; in fact, he didn’t have any boundaries. Fortunately, he was dealing with him; if it were someone else, he would have been taken advantage of and manipulated.

However, even though he inwardly chuckled, Zhou Qingbo decided to maintain Pei You’s “tall and imposing image.” He cast his eyes downward, stifled his laughter, and nodded slightly.

“It’s fine, don’t worry,” Zhou Qingbo spoke gently, as if he were a well-behaved sister-in-law. “In our home, your brother’s word is law. I wouldn’t dare argue with him.”