As soon as Qin Guanglin opened the door, he found He Fang rolling around on the bed. Hearing him come in, she stopped and looked up.
"I didn't know what snacks you'd like, so I just grabbed a variety," he said, showing her the bag.
"Wow, the 'girlfriend privileges' kicked in so quickly?," she replied, taking the bag with a grin. "I thought I'd have to train you slowly, but you're getting smart already."
Was she saying she didn't expect him to know how to treat a girlfriend? Qin Guanglin sat on the bed, feigning offense. "What about boyfriend privileges? Do I get any of those? "
He Fang opened a bag of chips and, hearing him, held a piece up to his mouth. "Here, the first bite's a boyfriend privilege."
He hesitated just a moment before taking the chip. Now that they were officially dating, he figured this wasn't teasing.
"That's it? Just a chip? "He asked, savoring the crisp, savory taste.
"What were you expecting? "She tilted her head, licking a crumb from the corner of her mouth.
Qin Guanglin couldn't help but stare at her lips, remembering the faint orange taste of her lip balm. He licked his own lips, feeling a bit flustered.
"So, is this what you want? "Her eyes gleamed mischievously as she slowly leaned in.
"What are you?" He leaned back, feeling a mixture of excitement and nervousness.
Her warm breath brushed against his face, and just when he thought she might kiss him, she lay back on the bed, laughing as she crunched another chip. "If you want it, come and get it."
Feeling playfully challenged, Qin Guanglin leaned toward her with a determined look. He was her boyfriend now—did she think he'd back down?
But before he could move closer, the door opened, and Qin Ma entered with the kettle. She paused, glanced at the two of them, and then turned away. "Ah, my mistake. The water wasn't even boiling yet. Must be these old eyes," she muttered, closing the door behind her.
Qin Guanglin dropped onto the bed, heart pounding. Just sitting close to He Fang was enough to make him nervous. How was he supposed to handle this?
Are all women such teases?
He Fang watched him with a knowing smile, leaning close to his ear. "I'm pregnant."
"What?! "He jolted upright, looking at her in shock.
"Yup," she said, patting her stomach with a sly smile. "I have a baby."
His lips parted in confusion. "When... did this happen? "
She rolled her eyes, taking his hand and placing it on her belly. "Don't you remember? "
He hesitated, feeling her warmth through his hand. "Um, whose baby is this? "
"Yours, obviously," she replied, her eyes sparkling with laughter.
"Just from a kiss? "He narrowed his eyes, realizing he was being played.
"Of course! ," she said, feigning innocence. "You kissed me, so now I'm having a baby."
"That was you who kissed me! "He retorted, laughing at how easily she'd fooled him. Was she always this ridiculous?
He Fang turned away, pouting in mock offense. "And here I thought I'd scare you a little," she muttered.
She laughed as she crunched more chips, a triumphant smile on her face. Qin Guanglin lay beside her, rolling his eyes, though he couldn't deny he was amused. After a few minutes, she slipped her hand around his waist, making him shiver. He held her hand, feeling warmth settle over him, and closed his eyes to rest.
At some point, he drifted off. When he woke, the room was dim. He reached to the side, but the spot next to him was empty.
Where was she?
Sitting up, he noticed he was covered with a thin blanket, the curtains were half-drawn, and his snacks were arranged neatly on the desk.
Did they already leave?
He got out of bed and went to the living room, where his mom was arranging some old items.
"You're up? "She asked, turning at the sound of his footsteps. "What are you looking for? "
"Oh, nothing…"
"She left a while ago. You really slept in." She gave him a pointed look. "Come sit for a bit."
He checked his watch—it was already past five in the afternoon. "I'll grab a drink first," he said, feeling his throat dry from sleep.
As he took a sip, he caught a faint taste of orange on his cup, and he blinked. She must have left this for him while he was asleep.
"So, are you two official now? "His mom asked, breaking his thoughts.
"You didn't already figure that out this morning? "Qin Guanglin shifted awkwardly, feeling embarrassed that his mom had witnessed his confession.
Qin Ma smiled knowingly. "I had my suspicions, but I didn't actually hear you say it. You just confessed without a single gift. It's a wonder she didn't reject you on the spot."
"She agreed," he mumbled, hoping to avoid further questions.
Noticing his discomfort, Qin Ma couldn't resist teasing. "How did you two meet? "
"We went to the same school." He decided to stick to the simple version of the story. No need for his mom to know about their online chats, her playful teasing, and how she'd "caught" him with her charm.
"When did you start dating? "
"Today," Qin Guanglin shrugged, not seeing the need for details.
"Don't lie. I saw you two go to the movies yesterday! "She folded her arms, clearly relishing her role as a detective.
"That was just..." he tried to explain. "We were getting to know each other. You can't just call it dating because of one movie."
Qin Ma looked at him thoughtfully. "Well, if she's still in school, you'd better behave yourself."
"I know." He sighed. It's not like he'd started dating a middle schooler, after all.
Still, he had to admit, she sometimes made him feel like the younger one in the relationship.
"She's a nice girl," his mom said finally, her expression softening. "Why does she like you? "
"I'm not some defective product, you know," Qin Guanglin replied, heading back to his room.
"Just don't bully her," his mom called after him. "She's welcome here any time."
Back in his room, he flopped onto the bed, thinking over his mom's words. Don't bully her? She was the one always teasing him!
Still, he couldn't help but wonder... Why *did* she choose him?
He couldn't be sure, but he was starting to feel that maybe—just maybe—she might be just as smitten as he was.