19 1.16

"Ao, drop the act. You're talking too much. Aren't you busy with work nowadays? Where did you find energy to go bully little Qiqi?" Li Jiayun smacked Xu Zheng's face away, averting her gaze from her family members. A light flush was formed on her face. "Let's go in. Are you going to let the princess stand here forever?"

Coughing, she turned around and prepared to drag Xu Zheng away, to which the man resisted.

"Mother is right.. Father, the talk can wait until later, I want to take a bath first.. is that not allowed?" Xu Jiaqi took this opportunity and looked at Xu Zheng with pleading eyes, ones that he couldn't refuse at all.

The combination of his wife and daughter's pleading made it impossible for him to refuse. Xu Zheng mumbled incoherent words as he sighed.

"That... that's true! Qiqi, let's go in. You have to rest, the party must've been tiring, right?" Xu Zheng hurriedly took his daughter's hand and waved for the servants to help out with the chores.

The servants started to move about and approached Xu Jiaqi, some scattering to help take care of her luggage, some off to prepare a nice and warm bath, and the other going around the house to attend to other needs. Xu Zheng and Li Jiayun walked away together, and their dog Rain also followed suit.

Finally, Xu Jiaqi was freed. She went upstairs to her room, and took a long, calming bath. After that, she proceeded to meet with her parents once more to discuss Qin Zicheng's matters.

Xu Zheng and Li Jiayun were sitting together in a long sofa. Xu Zheng had a rocky expression. In his hands was a file comprised of several papers. Xu Jiaqi's eyes were sharp, she quickly noticed what the content was about.

The file was a compilation of Qin Zicheng's information that Xu Zheng was able to gather.

It was very hard to find information about this man. If Xu Zheng could find it, then Qin Zicheng must've allowed access to his own investigation solely because the elder man was Xu Jiaqi's father.

Snickering inside, she sat down beside her father and began talking.

"Father, mother, you two know that if Zicheng ge didn't want you to know something, then you wouldn't be able to find out at all costs, right? That data you have on your hand can't be trusted indeed, but I want to believe what I have experienced firsthand with him. About Zicheng ge, can't you two just trust me? I believe that I will be capable of making a good judgement on my own."

"En. She's absolutely right. Our little princess is growing up. Xu Zheng, she is already an adult, until when are you going to hoard her?" Li Jiayun spoke.

Before Xu Jiaqi arrived, this pair of adults had actually been fervently discussing the topic of Qin Zicheng, a man who Xu Zheng desperately tried to oppose. He dug up information about him, but could only find positive and glorious information.

It was because Qin Zicheng especially prepared these facts for Xu Zheng to obtain, trying to make a good impression to the father of the woman he took an interest to.

On the left side, Xu Jiaqi was talking. On his right, Li Jiayun was also persuading. Sandwiched in the middle of these two, Xu Zheng shook his head.

"I don't mind if Qiqi stays with us forever! What's wrong with not wanting to part with your daughter? Your own flesh and blood? Did the Qin family raise our princess? Did they feed her, change her diapers, or teach them? No! Then, they don't have the right to steal her away! Dream on, I'm never going to let Qiqi go into that- that twisted house!" Xu Zheng hugged Xu Jiaqi, shielding her vision from Li Jiayun, who was beginning to have a migraine from her ridiculous husband's antics.

"Father.. it's not like I won't get to see you two anymore once I marry someone, right? I would still have my freedom, all that would change is that I would have a companion by my side. Father, you love mother. Do you want me to die without love like the one you two have? Wouldn't that be sad?"

"Actually, I'm also curious about this matter. How come you suddenly got along with Qin Zicheng?" Li Jiayun asked, knowing that her daughter had never set her sights on a man other than the one she had been secretly admiring. "What about the other young man? The Zhou company head." she added.

Xu Jiaqi made a troubled face hearing her words.

"Zicheng ge approached me in the party. Today was our first meeting, nothing happened prior to that," Xu Jiaqi said in response. "We just clicked together, and I think we're very suitable. About Zhou Yuan.. I don't think that I will be able to uphold him with the same respect I used to give him in the past. Today... Zhou Yuan approached me, saying that I wronged his woman. Clearly, I am not someone who would do that. People who wrongfully accuse without evidence like him, I quickly lost my good feelings for him."

"Good! Good, very good! I didn't like Zhou Yuan that much, but I just let it slide since I knew that you were happy watching him from the sidelines." Li Jiayun stated, clapping with vigor. "Now that you've opened your eyes to how trashy that man is, I can rest easy!"

Amidst all this, Xu Zheng was the only one confused. "Who.. Zhou Yuan?! What does he have to do with our Qiqi??!" Xu Zheng was kept in the dark about this matter. The perpetrator for his lack of knowledge was actually right beside him.

It was Li Jiayun who first found out about Xu Jiaqi's secret admiration. Wanting to protect her daughter's fragile feelings from Xu Zheng's overbearing love, she then proceeded to cover up Xu Jiaqi's tracks so that her husband wouldn't find out.

Ignoring Xu Zheng's pleas, Li Jiayun continued to speak.

"Hmm.. I have to say, Qin Zicheng is really not a bad man. Especially with the way he treats you... I'd have to say that I can't really find anything I'm dissatisfied with about him. He's better than that Zhou Yuan in every single aspect." Li Jiayun said. "You have a pass from me, you're free to go snatch that man. I will take care of any possible familial conflicts."

Li Jiayun was very frank, she was the type to say whatever was on her mind.

Xu Jiaqi giggled. "Thank you, mother. But... I'm just starting to get to know Zicheng ge, I don't know what will happen in the future yet. I feel assured when I have your support, though."

Li Jiayun nodded before turning to look at Xu Zheng.

"Ah Zheng, just give her the green light. If you don't, won't you be restricting Qiqi from her happiness? You've always spouted things about wanting to make Qiqi happy, were all of those words nothing but lies?" Li Jiayun gave further pressure to the man.

Grumbling, Xu Zheng lowered his gaze for a couple seconds before finally shooting back up and announcing his decision.

"...AHH, forget it! Qiqi, just tell daddy if that bastard causes you any form of discomfort! I will eliminate him for you!!" Xu Zheng said with a large volume, his passion burning.

Although Xu Zheng's claims were actually nonsensical, as not even the Xu family could contend against the Qins, Xu Jiaqi knew that this idiot father of hers would really battle them if she was hurt.

It was rather sweet to know.

Xu Jiaqi: Parents' permissions were obtained!

System: ...Yay!