It's already nerve-wracking to meet the parents for the first time, and with the way they're acting so warmly, Su Lexuan was feeling extra anxious.
Throughout the meal, she barely said a word, responding to questions from Cheng Lijuan with a shyness that was almost palpable, like a bride-to-be.
After a brief chat with the parents, Su Lexuan followed Shen Lang into his room.
She was utterly overwhelmed by Cheng Lijuan's enthusiasm.
"Shen Lang, Shen Lang, I'm so nervous," Su Lexuan said, gripping Shen Lang's hand as soon as they entered his room. "I feel like my heart's going to leap out of my chest."
"Don't be so dramatic," Shen Lang said, handing her a soda he'd grabbed from the fridge. "It's just meeting my family and chatting."
"Well, of course I'm nervous. This is my first time visiting a guy's house," Su Lexuan replied, holding the soda and adding quietly, "And it's to meet my boyfriend's parents. It's totally normal to be nervous."
Shen Lang offered a helpful suggestion, "Well, if you come over more often, you'll get used to it and won't be so nervous."
"Hmph, it's like we're getting married or something," Su Lexuan said with a pout, though she was secretly pleased.
She definitely hoped that her relationship with Shen Lang would eventually lead to marriage, especially since he was her first love.
"So this is your room?" Su Lexuan looked around, noting the cartoon-themed wallpaper and the shelves filled with mechanical models. "I didn't expect you to be so into this stuff."
Shen Lang corrected her seriously, "What do you mean 'into this stuff'? It's called a hobby. You girls wouldn't understand."
"Whatever," Su Lexuan scoffed, still looking around the room with curiosity but not touching anything.
There were some odd-looking figurines that she'd want to check out, but she'd wait for Shen Lang's permission first.
Shen Lang hadn't asked about her family background, but the little things suggested she had good manners.
Su Lexuan tiptoed around, admiring the stuffed toys on the bookshelf.
Watching her, Shen Lang felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
The girl he spent every day with, even kissed, was now in his room?
It felt incredibly strange.
Su Lexuan pointed to a fluffy Pikachu and asked, "Shen Lang, where did you get this Pikachu?"
"I won it from a claw machine a long time ago," Shen Lang said, reaching up to take the Pikachu down and hand it to her. "If you like it, you can keep it. It's just sitting around anyway."
"Really? From a claw machine? Who were you with?" Su Lexuan asked, her eyes narrowing as she waited for an explanation.
"Who else? It was with my sister," Shen Lang said, chuckling. "What, are you jealous of my sister too?"
"Hmph, I might be," Su Lexuan said, lightly tapping Shen Lang with the Pikachu, a satisfied smile on her face.
"But I feel like your two sisters don't really like me, especially the one with the short hair," Su Lexuan said, her mood dipping as she asked, "Did I say something to upset her?"
"Shen Linlin? Why do you think that?" Shen Lang asked, surprised. "You hardly talked to her. It was my mom who was chatting with you. How could you have offended her?"
Su Lexuan said seriously, "Women's intuition!"
Shen Lang laughed, "Then tell me tonight's lottery numbers. I'll go make a fortune!"
"Stop joking, I'm serious," Su Lexuan said with a mix of emotions. "I feel like your sister looks at me differently."
"Don't worry, she's just got a resting bitch face. Her personality is actually pretty sweet," Shen Lang said, rubbing Su Lexuan's cheek and comforting her. "Besides, we're a perfect match. Why would she have a problem with that?"
"Ha, aren't you afraid she'll hear you and give you a beating?" Su Lexuan giggled, then looked out the window at the neighborhood.
"Shen Lang, let's go out. I feel too nervous with your parents around. You said you'd take me to the park, right?"
"Maybe later. It's really hot outside, and my friends are busy. Your roommate probably hasn't come back to school yet either," Shen Lang said, touching her arm. "And you just got your skin to be so nice and pale. Don't you worry about getting tanned again?"
"Oh, it's fine," Su Lexuan said, shaking her head dismissively. She hugged Shen Lang's waist and snuggled against his chest, playfully whining, "Let's go out. It's so boring here. Let's go wander around."
At that moment, Cheng Lijuan entered with a plate of cut fruit.
She saw a beautiful girl clinging to her son, being all cute and affectionate.
Sisters Shen Linlin and Shen Ranran also leaned in like giraffes, staring in shock at the lovey-dovey scene, their hearts skipping a beat.
The sisters had been speculating about the authenticity of their relationship, wondering if Shen Lang had paid Su Lexuan to play the role of a girlfriend.
Cheng Lijuan had been urging Shen Lang to find a partner for a while, especially Shen Linlin, who refused to believe her shy, introverted brother could actually be dating a campus beauty.
Now everything was clear.
Otherwise, Su Lexuan wouldn't be acting so much like a smitten girlfriend.
The room fell silent, a dead silence.
Su Lexuan's face was flushed, her arms suspended in mid-air, unsure whether to let go or keep hugging.
After a few awkward seconds of silent staring, Shen Lang finally broke the tension with a sigh.
"How many times do I have to say it? When you come into my room, can you please knock first? If you see something inappropriate, don't blame me."
"Sorry, sorry. Don't forget to eat the fruit, okay?" Cheng Lijuan said with a beaming smile as she set the fruit on the table, quickly ushering out the curious sisters and closing the door behind her.
"Well, let's go out. Staying home really isn't much fun," Shen Lang said, noticing Su Lexuan's eyes were misty, her face flushed with embarrassment.
"Shen Lang!" Su Lexuan clung tightly to Shen Lang's waist, her neck flushed red. She pressed her face against his chest, both shy and angry as she said, "I can't show my face to anyone anymore. You have to marry me!"