"Alright, I'll tell you what kind of guy Xinxin likes."
Su Lexuan looped her arm through Shen Lang's as they walked through the bustling night market.
After thinking it over, Su Lexuan decided to share Xinxin's secret with her boyfriend and made him promise.
"But you can't tell anyone else, and definitely don't let Xinxin know I told you. This is our secret."
"Come on, am I really the type to blab? Let's hear it. Who knows, maybe I have a friend who fits her ideal type."
Shen Lang wasn't too concerned. It's pretty normal for a girlfriend to share details about her best friend's preferences with her boyfriend, either out of kindness or to make sure he doesn't get any wrong ideas.
From Su Lexuan's uneasy expression, Shen Lang guessed that Xinxin's standards might be a bit unusual.
"Xinxin likes older guys."
Su Lexuan whispered, glancing around to make sure no one was listening.
"What's so weird about that?"
Shen Lang was puzzled. "It's pretty normal for girls to like older guys. Lots of guys like older women too."
In today's world, with so much pressure on young people, many prefer dating someone older who has a more mature outlook. Shen Lang himself felt a connection to older people when he met the landlord's wife, who was divorced with a kid.
Older partners often bring stability, life experience, and financial security that younger people might not have.
"Xinxin doesn't just like older guys; she likes older... men."
Su Lexuan corrected him quietly. "Like, guys who are ten or twenty years older."
"Wow, really?"
Shen Lang was taken aback. That was definitely an unexpected preference.
But given his experiences over the past six months, he figured it might not be such a big deal. Older guys do have certain advantages—maturity, life experience, and financial stability.
"She must not have had a great family situation, right? Or maybe her parents' relationship is pretty bad?"
Shen Lang asked cautiously.
"Yeah, her relationship with her dad is really bad."
Su Lexuan said, clearly upset. "When I first met Xinxin, I'd often see her dad yelling at her mom and sometimes even hitting her!"
"Seriously? And he's still not divorced?"
"Yeah, that's what I asked. Xinxin often tells her mom to just divorce that jerk."
Su Lexuan sighed in frustration. "But her mom refuses, saying it's all for Xinxin's sake. She thinks it's embarrassing and that Xinxin will be without a dad."
Shen Lang couldn't help but shake his head. "And what about reporting the abuse?"
"We've reported it, but it doesn't help. Since they're not divorced, the police just arrest him for a few days. When he's back, he just takes his anger out on Xinxin's mom even more."
Su Lexuan explained anxiously. "The police have tried to convince her mom to divorce him, but she just won't. No one really understands why."
"Got it."
Shen Lang pondered. He understood now why Xinxin might be drawn to older men. Her difficult family background made her crave the fatherly care she missed out on.
It's similar to how Li Liusi's troubled childhood made her seek love and attention.
Xinxin's family seems okay, but her poor relationship with her dad made her prefer older men to fill that void.
"I don't have anyone like that to introduce her to."
Shen Lang shrugged. "My dad is great, but I'm not about to break up my parents' marriage for her. My mom would kill me."
"Gross! How shameless!"
Su Lexuan playfully pinched Shen Lang's arm and then sighed in resignation.
"Marriage is something you really need to think carefully about. They say marriage is the graveyard of love. Marrying the wrong person can lead to lifelong regret."
"Yeah, I completely agree!"
Shen Lang was inwardly pleased and firmly agreed.
"Once you're married, there are too many restrictions. As long as you love each other, whether or not you get married doesn't matter."
"That's not always the case. Not all love stories are so bleak."
Su Lexuan said, lifting her chin with a hint of pride. "As long as both people love each other, meet all the right conditions, and both families are supportive, marriage can be a wonderful extension of love."
"I think..."
"What, Shen Pig?"
Su Lexuan's lips pursed, her eyes sparkling with a mix of pride and curiosity. "Don't you think so?"
"Yeah, you're right."
Shen Lang romantically dreamed aloud. "If you find the right person and both are willing, marriage can be quite beautiful."
As he spoke, he instinctively wrapped his arm around Su Lexuan's waist, not wanting to push the topic further. He was worried his clever girlfriend might notice something.
"Hmm~"
Su Lexuan finally smiled, pleased with his response.
Though they hadn't directly discussed their future together, their conversation circled around the topic, revealing their feelings.
Su Lexuan imagined a future where they were married, living in the same city, and spending holidays traveling together. It sounded perfect.
But Su Lexuan had her own demands.
If Shen Lang didn't propose or give her a romantic wedding, if he just made a half-hearted declaration, she wouldn't easily commit to him for life.
Even though she liked Shen Lang a lot.
After all, she was still a girl who dreamed of romance and beautiful things.