Chapter 36: Living Together?

Cheng Xi was dazed by Cai Yi's sudden news. "Really?" She was somewhat frantic. "I thought I'd explained things very clearly to his family that time."

Because the principal was waiting for Cai Yi, Cheng Xi couldn't explain to her what had transpired in detail. "Professor, please help me and clearly tell them what's going on. This is all a misunderstanding."

Cai Yi tutted, pointing her finger at her forehead. "Silly girl, you must be stuck in Lu Chenzhou's trap." Upon seeing Cheng Xi's dazed expression, she even smiled innocently. "But if you really don't feel particularly strongly about love, then marrying him isn't a bad idea."

"…What do you mean, Professor?" Cheng Xi couldn't understand her professor's words one bit!

Unfortunately, Cai Yi didn't explain. Cheng Xi tried to chase her down and ask her a few more questions, but all she got in response was, "Actually, I'm just guessing. Don't ask me now, as that might affect your diagnosis of his condition. But you don't need to worry. If you really want to break off the contract, then I'll make him give you a discount."

"…Should I thank you for that, professor?"

Cai Yi laughed heartily, and then headed into the principal's office. 

Cheng Xi went to teach even as her face was 囧囧囧. As class was being let out, she received a call from Cheng Yang. She didn't answer it then,so he texted her instead. "I'm here with Mom to see you, so come home quickly after work."

Seeing this, Cheng Xi jumped up in fright. Lu Chenzhou was still sleeping over at her place; who knew if he had left yet? If he hadn't, then with the circumstances combined with his direct style of communication, Cheng Xi could only feel her head go numb.

She quickly called Cheng Yang. "You guys are here?"

"Yep."

"Just you and mom?"

"Who else would be here?"

"It's nothing." Cheng Xi rubbed her forehead as she replied, "A friend's resting over at my place, and I'm not sure if my friend left yet or not."

"A friend? Who? Male or female?"

"…Female."

Cheng Yang chuckled. "Then no."

Cheng Xi let out a breath of relief. She had originally wanted to go back to the hospital, but since her mother and brother were here, then she could only go back home first.

When she got back, the first thing she saw was her mother, her brother, and Lu Chenzhou sitting in a triangle in the living room, the atmosphere awkward beyond description.

More importantly, Lu Chenzhou was naked! He was solely draped in a blanket, coolly looking back at Cheng Xi's mother's and brother's glares.

Cheng Xi entered, and the trio's gazes landed on her immediately. Her mother was very polite as she asked, "You're back?"

Her voice was warm enough to make Cheng Xi tremble.

And then Lu Chenzhou also said, "You're back?" But then he quickly followed it up with, "I don't have any clothes to wear anymore."

Cheng Xi and her family were momentarily stunned and couldn't even think of a response.

Her mother was the first to become furious, and threw a fierce "Get over here!" at her, before entering her room.

Lu Chenzhou looked at Cheng Xi with a dignified and noble air, his expression seemingly stating, "Your mother's mad, but it's got nothing to do with me." It made Cheng Xi desperately want to hit him.

Cheng Xi shifted her gaze to Cheng Yang, who shrugged his shoulders at her, as if he had no part in all this.

As Cheng Xi walked over into her room, she leaned down and whispered to him, "Didn't you say there wasn't anyone else home?"

Cheng Yang innocently replied, "Yes, but you only asked about females."

"..."

She wanted to keep arguing, but her mother was already shouting for her. "You're still not coming?"

Cheng Xi could only reply, "I'm coming."

As she entered the room, she saw her mother with hands on her hips, rotating on the spot.

Cheng Xi closed the door gently, and obediently called out, "Ma…"

"Not even calling out for your ancestors will save you now!" Her mother looked at her with a fierce expression. "That man outside, is he really your boyfriend?"

"Aaa~~"

"Stop aaa-ing at me!" Cheng Xi's mother was furious. "What sort of eyes do you have? How could you find such a…" Glancing outside, she lowered her voice even more as she angrily whispered, "Do you know what he was doing when we entered? He was eating while naked! He frightened me so much, but he didn't even care, and continued to slowly eat his fill before draping himself in a blanket. When I asked who he was, he said that he was your boyfriend… Oh my goodness, my heart!"

Cheng Xi quickly rubbed her mother's chest, and helped her sit down on the bed. "Don't be too agitated. Speak slowly!"

"How can I not be agitated? That behavior of his, I feel upset just looking at him! Daughter, are you looking for a boyfriend or a master? And even if it's the latter, can you at least find someone more respectable? Not even putting on clothes when his elders are here, could he act any more disrespectfully? Just like a hoodlum... Stop smiling!"

Cheng Xi really couldn't help herself from smiling, because her mother's choice of words were just too incompatible with Lu Chenzhou.

Seeing her heartless behavior, Cheng Xi's mother became even more agitated. "Can you take this a bit more seriously?!"

Cheng Xi nodded. "Why are the two of you here today?" Her parents were usually taking care of the shop and were generally very busy. Under normal conditions, they wouldn't go anywhere else.

"It's all your brother's fault. He said he heard from your classmates that you had a boyfriend? Naturally, I came over to ask about your situation... When we ask you about such things, you always say you're not in a rush. But who knew that you could act so quickly when you wanted to—you're already living together with him!"

"..."

Cheng Xi really felt maligned! She already told her friends not to spread the word, but they'd still done so. Even worse, news had even somehow gotten into her mother's ears.

Cheng Xi could only imagine her life getting even more complicated from here on out, so she decisively chose not to explain the situation. Instead, she waited patiently as her mother nagged at her, and at the end, she promised once again, "I'll break up with him for sure, Mom. Don't worry."

Seeing her compliant behavior, Cheng Xi's mother was finally satisfied. However, she couldn't help but warn her one last time. "Remember to be kind, and don't hurt his feelings... he seems a bit dazed in the head, so don't offend him."

Cheng Xi couldn't help but laugh again. What she had taken to be a blunt personality was, in her mother's eyes, a person dazed in the head.

Even though Cheng Xi's mother disparaged Lu Chenzhou, she still made a sumptuous dinner for everyone—she was primarily trying to take care of her daughter, who seemed to have gotten even skinnier since the last time they had met.

Being a doctor was tiring.

While making dinner, Cheng Xi's mother didn't let Cheng Xi help. Instead, she got Cheng Yang to buy Lu Chenzhou a new set of clothes. While Cheng Xi was pouring water to drink, she heard her mother instruct Cheng Yang, "Buy something nicer and treat it as your sister's fee for breaking up with him."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Xi was rendered speechless. She returned to the sofa in the living room, sat down, and then noticed that Lu Chenzhou's whole body was curled up under the blanket as he calmly looked at his phone.

She glanced over at it, seeing that he was sending an e-mail in English.

When he finished, Cheng Xi asked, "If you didn't have any clothes to wear, why didn't you just stay in the room?"

With a very righteous tone, Lu Chenzhou instead asked her, "If my wife's mother is here, shouldn't I go and meet her?"