Chapter 3
“What did you say?”
Zou Shuqing was shaking with anger.
“Auntie, even when you’re angry, you look beautiful.”
“You… you… you bastard!” Zou Shuqing clutched her chest, gasping for breath in her rage, her beautiful eyes wide with fury.
The System told him to be bolder. If he wanted to complete the task, he had to be shameless.
Zou Mengmeng? You dumped me for a better life and called me a loser. Fine, I can ask your mom out for the System’s task, too!
He took a deep breath, looked Zou Shuqing straight in the eye, and said seriously, “Auntie, actually…
Actually, I want to say thank you for the warmth last night. I’ve given up on Zou Mengmeng. I won’t bother her again.”
“I don’t care about your business, but you need to leave right now! Zou Mengmeng could be back any moment – how am I supposed to explain you being in my bedroom?”
Zou Shuqing was clearly anxious.
“Auntie, can I ask you out? Your scent made me sleep so peacefully.”
When Wang Ming said this, Zou Shuqing’s expression shifted from anxious to furious and incredulous.
“Wang Ming, are you insane? Do you know what you’re saying?
I’m your ex-girlfriend’s mother!
Get those crazy thoughts out of your head! This is completely absurd!”
“It’s not absurd at all. You’ve always been single; the only relationship you had was in college, and it lasted less than two weeks. Your boyfriend broke up with you because you wouldn’t let him kiss you.
You’ve been single all this time – don’t you ever long for love?”
Wang Ming gritted his teeth, completely casting aside his shame, and went on:
“Who can really say how feelings work? It’s over between Mengmeng and me.
Now, looking at you – mature, beautiful, full of charm – I can’t control my feelings. Give me a chance, will you?”
That’s right – be thick-skinned. No – don’t feel ashamed!
Zou Shuqing was so angry she got out of bed, pointed at the door, and shouted:
“I’ve always seen you as a child. How can you have such outrageous thoughts? Get out, right now!”
So being direct doesn’t work – maybe try a gradual approach?
Thinking of the Heart’s Flower Bouquet from the System’s gift pack, he activated the System in his mind and retrieved the gift.
A bouquet of roses appeared in Wang Ming’s hands.
“I’m not a child, and don’t think I’ll agree to go out with you just because you did a magic trick!”
Zou Shuqing folded her arms over her chest and glared at Wang Ming, completely uninterested in the bouquet that suddenly appeared.
Because Wang Ming had worked manual jobs during winter and summer breaks in college, he was quite muscular.
Now, the muscles exposed by his tank top made Zou Shuqing avert her eyes.
She muttered to herself that she should have noticed last night how solid the arm holding her had been.
Wang Ming took a few steps forward and offered the flowers to Zou Shuqing. If she accepted them, his Infatuation Level would increase by 30 points, greatly improving his chances of getting her to agree to a date.
Zou Shuqing took two steps back, realizing she was still in shorts and a tank top, her curvy legs and full figure completely exposed to Wang Ming’s gaze.
“You brat, I don’t want your flowers. At my age, what magic trick haven’t I seen?”
As she spoke, she quickly grabbed a blanket from the bed to cover herself. Her pajamas were nothing special – young girls outside wore much more revealing clothes – but she was just too conservative.
Wang Ming smiled and shrugged.
“You said it yourself: if Zou Mengmeng comes back and sees me in your room, how will you explain it? Take the flowers, and I’ll leave.”
“Fine, I’ll take them.”
Zou Shuqing reached out to take the bouquet, but as she did, one side of her blanket slipped, and Wang Ming instinctively glanced at her bare shoulder.
Zou Shuqing noticed Wang Ming staring and quickly covered herself up again, her face flushing. “You… you should go…”
“Bye, Auntie… I’ll ask you out.”
Wang Ming tossed Zou Mengmeng’s keys onto the bed, then walked out of the bedroom.
The System interface displayed: Zou Shuqing’s Infatuation Level has reached 35.
Inside the bedroom, Zou Shuqing smelled the bouquet of roses, her gaze following Wang Ming as he walked toward the entryway outside the bedroom.
“This kid… could he really be falling for me? These flowers smell so nice… Such big muscles…
Agh! Old Pervert! What are you thinking! That’s too much, he’s my daughter’s ex-boyfriend!”
Zou Shuqing shook her head furiously, trying to get herself back to normal.
Wang Ming bent down at the entryway to change his shoes. Just as he finished, the door opened and Zou Mengmeng walked in. He jerked his head up, and their eyes met.
There were several holes in Zou Mengmeng’s black stockings, and she was only just coming home in the morning. A pang shot through Wang Ming’s heart.
This bitch, just throw away the stockings if they’re torn! No, she had to wear them home so I could see and stab me in the heart again.
Zou Mengmeng widened her eyes in anger. “Wang Ming? What are you doing in my house?”
Wang Ming tensed up, his brain racing.
Before he could speak, Zou Shuqing came out of the bedroom. “He came to bring you your keys.”
“Ah… right! I gave the keys to your mom, I’m leaving now.”
“Stop right there!” Zou Mengmeng shouted angrily.
She glared fiercely at Wang Ming. “You’re too much! I already told you not to bother me anymore. Don’t you have any shame? You even came to my house.”
Wang Ming’s brows drew together, and he said through clenched teeth, “Zou Mengmeng, I will never bother you again. You’d better remember not to look for me, either. From now on, you’re you, I’m me.”
“Heh, me look for you? Dream on, you Old Turtle King! Get lost!”
Wang Ming slammed the door as he left. This bitch has no sense of the past, her words so harsh.
He had been feeling a bit guilty for spending the night with her mom and even wanting to ask Auntie out.
But now, there’s nothing to feel conflicted about. Just go for it! Do it!
“Mom, if he comes again, don’t let him in!” Zou Mengmeng took off her shoes and yawned.
Zou Shuqing steadied her emotions and walked calmly to the living room. “The keys have all been returned; he can’t get into the complex. Besides, he already said he won’t bother you again.”
“This guy is so weird. Yesterday he was crying and begging, and today he’s all nonchalant.” Zou Mengmeng was puzzled.
Zou Shuqing knew very well that Wang Ming was turning his attention to her now.
She noticed two big holes in Zou Mengmeng’s stockings and frowned slightly.
“Daughter, how did your stockings get this torn? Why didn’t you come home last night? Did you go to a nightclub again?”
“Even though you’re an adult, you still have to follow house rules! You must be home before eleven! It’s for your own good.” Zou Shuqing scolded in a gentle voice.
Zou Mengmeng felt guilty, her voice lowering a little.
“Oh, Mom, there are a lot of company socials. The company held a celebration party, I drank too much and just crashed at a coworker’s place! It was a girl!”
“How did your stockings get ripped? Did you spend the night at your new boyfriend’s place?”
Even though Zou Shuqing hadn’t experienced such things herself, at her age she understood plenty.
Zou Mengmeng didn’t seem to notice the tear on the side of her calf and muttered in confusion, “Huh, I drank so much last night I didn’t even notice. What a pain…”
“Ah! Mom, it must have gotten snagged from all the fun singing at KTV last night.”
She laughed it off and ran into Zou Shuqing’s bedroom. “Mom, lend me a pair of your stockings, I’ve torn all of mine.”
Zou Mengmeng opened Zou Shuqing’s wardrobe and found a pair of Lace-Trimmed Black Stockings.
She took off her own and put them on.
She noticed a bouquet of roses on the bed and frowned, shouting toward the living room: “Mom, what’s up with these flowers?
Hey? Isn’t this Wang Ming’s jacket? Why is it on your bed?”