Yu Na froze in place, staring blankly at him.
Xiao Chen turned on the speakerphone, and Xiao's Mother was on the other end of the phone, silent for a full five seconds. Finally—
"Stop kidding around, son," Xiao's Mother seemed to have heard something preposterous, "You don't have a single girl in your social circle, how could you possibly find a partner yourself? Who would even look twice at you?"
"......" Xiao Chen: ?
"Mrs. Qiao—" He was provoked by his mother's last sentence and laughed angrily, "I am your son, right?"
Xiao's Mother sighed, "I really wish you weren't my son, so I wouldn't have to worry along with you."
"......"
Xiao's Mother: "You're almost thirty, it's time to settle down. I heard from Qiao Rui that you don't even have a girl with long hair around you. I went through all this trouble to arrange blind dates for you, and every time the girl was interested, you just wouldn't go. I see you're deliberately—"
Xiao Chen impatiently interrupted: "Mrs. Qiao, if you have time, why don't you dress up nicely and go out for afternoon tea with your friends."
"I don't drink tea!" She returned to the previous topic: "Have you really found a daughter-in-law for your mother?"
"Yes."
"What girl's family would be willing to put up with you? Always lacking proper form."
Yu Na turned away, biting her lip to keep from laughing.
The warmth from the intimate moment just now still lingered on her lips.
Xiao Chen walked up behind Yu Na and hugged her, resting his hands on her waist, wandering restlessly as he spoke into the phone: "So it was your so-called useless son who pursued her."
"......Not useless to that extent," Xiao's Mother perfunctorily defended him, then asked: "So who is the girl? How did you get to know each other? How long have you been dating? Where is her family from? What does she do?"
A barrage of questions pelted down like raindrops, clattering away.
Xiao Chen knitted his brows: "Checking our household registrations?"
"I'm seeing if she's good enough for you."
"......"
Xiao Chen gave a cold snort, "Then I'll bring her home to meet you and dad, how about that?"
There was silence on the phone for a few seconds before she responded: "Alright."
"Wait," as he was about to hang up, Xiao's Mother hurriedly called out to him: "You have to treat her well, son. You're almost thirty, you can't toy with relationships. If you date, you should date properly, you know?"
Xiao Chen rolled his eyes: "Your son, although a useless person in your eyes, is at least a useless person with a conscience, ok?"
......
After hanging up the phone, Yu Na eagerly grabbed his arm and asked: "Your mom wants to arrange blind dates for you?"
"Yeah, but she won't anymore in the future." He ruffled her hair into a mess and spoke slickly: "After all, my girlfriend is so pretty, she'll love you to death."
"......"
Yu Na's eyelid twitched. She didn't respond to this nonsense. After a daze, she asked again: "You want to take me to meet your mom?"
"Hm?" Xiao Chen asked back: "What else? We can't just suddenly tell them we're getting married, right?"
He looked completely natural, as if after just getting together, he had already included marriage in his plans.
"But......"
"Don't worry, they're very easy to get along with," Xiao Chen thought she was afraid his parents would be difficult, "Watch less family ethics dramas. My mom isn't that kind of evil mother-in-law."
"I know," she could already feel Xiao's Mother's enthusiasm even through the phone. "I'm just...nervous, what if she doesn't like me..."
"Are you silly?" Seeing her apprehensive, Xiao Chen couldn't help but laugh: "Didn't you hear it just now? Her words were all about insulting me."
That was true.
"Why is that?"
"Because she always wanted a daughter, but unfortunately I was born a boy. And her health wasn't very good then, so I was the only child."
Yu Na smiled and poked his forehead with her forefinger: "Your mom practically engraved 'You're almost thirty' onto your forehead!"
Xiao Chen grabbed her hand, "Tsk, she's berated me until I'm numb to it. So what are you still afraid of?"
She cautiously asked: "In the future, you'll definitely meet my dad, aren't you afraid?"
"Afraid?" Xiao Chen scoffed, his narcissism acting up again: "What have I ever been afraid of doing?"
Yu Na thought for a moment before answering earnestly, with a sincere expression: "Watching horror movies...probably."
Xiao Chen: "......"
The topic was suddenly steered off course.
The embarrassment from being put on the spot came over Xiao Chen again.
He pinched her chin, his interest rekindled, the corners of his eyes upturned roguishly as he asked: "You want me to continue my revenge? Hm?"
Yu Na quickly conceded defeat and dodged away, shutting herself in the bedroom, relishing the lingering feelings of intimacy and heat from earlier, as well as the force with which he wanted to pull her into his embrace.
She pressed her lips together, her cheeks flushed with two spots of faint red, her eyes bright and shiny.
Yu Na opened the bedroom door, leaving just a tiny crack. Some sounds could be heard from the kitchen—Xiao Chen was cooking.
She quietly walked to the kitchen and hugged him from behind while he was washing tomatoes.
Xiao Chen's movements washing tomatoes paused briefly, and he turned his head: "What's up?"
"Helping you cook."
"Don't need your help," he acted petulantly, "You didn't let me get revenge, go away."
"......" Yu Na's heart was melting. Not only did she not let go, she tightened her grip, "Let me make it up to you, okay?"
The person in front paused again.
Yu Na released him and walked to stand in the small space between him and the kitchen counter. His scent wrapped tightly around her.
"Xiao Chen," she murmured softly, repeating again: "I'll let you get revenge..."
Xiao Chen's gaze was deep, like surging flames rolling in the dark valley.
......
The moment the kitchen light was switched off, Xiao Chen suddenly blocked her lips.
Although Yu Na was fully mentally prepared, she still couldn't match his strength. Clutching his shoulders, she tilted her head back, enduring passively, emitting soft, stifled moans from her throat.
The tiny space she occupied became even narrower as Xiao Chen took another step forward. She tiptoed, too shy to open her eyes.
Xiao Chen bent down to hug her waist, seeming to use all his strength.
They kissed intensely, exploring, entwining, chasing.
The ambiguous sounds of kissing, heavy breathing, became increasingly clear and audible in the dim, quiet surroundings, the slightest sound amplified.
Yu Na's hands that were hugging his shoulders started to slide inward, finally stopping at his Adam's apple.
Her cool fingertips gently caressed his fiery Adam's apple. Xiao Chen's heart pounded nonstop, like bursts of firecrackers crackling open.
Pop pop pop.
Only he could hear it.
Yu Na's kisses gradually moved downward, finally landing on his Adam's apple, giving it a light nip. She naughtily traced a circle around the protruding Adam's apple.
Xiao Chen's body stiffened, not daring to move at all: "......"
One hand held her waist, the other braced against the kitchen counter in front. He felt the soft, tender sensation on his Adam's apple.