“Meiqiu.”

Cheng Wanyue walked to the bedside, first closing the tablet, then picking up the cat.

“You’ve already watched two episodes today. You can’t watch anymore. Watching too much screen time is bad for little cats’ eyes.”

Meiqiu grabbed at her clothes, pulling her nightgown neckline very low.

Cheng Wanyue swatted away its paw. “Go learn how to catch mice. A cat with only cuteness and no skills will be laughed at when it goes out to play.”

Meiqiu jumped down to the floor, circling Qing Hang’s feet, letting out two soft meows.

Usually at times like this, he would scoop Meiqiu up with one hand, but today he didn’t. Meiqiu’s attempt at being cute was ineffective this time.

Cheng Wanyue initially thought Qing Hang had improved by not giving her the “lenient father, strict mother” routine. She sat on the carpet playing with the cat for a while before realizing his attention wasn’t on Meiqiu at all.

He was looking at the lost and found earring.

The earring Zhou Yu gave her and the one Qing Hang gave her were very similar. That day, he had tried hard to find a similar one, but they weren’t identical. If you looked closely, you could tell the difference between the two.

“Chi Yue found it,” Cheng Wanyue explained casually. “When I asked him to help, he returned it to me at the same time.”

“Where did he find it?”

“It was caught on him.”

“How did your thing get caught on him?”

“It was the day Zhi Zhi returned to China. Before I went to find you at the hospital, I was harassed by a creepy guy. Chi Yue happened to be passing by and helped me. He had a car, so he also drove me to the police station to file a report.”

Cheng Wanyue had mentioned this incident to Qing Hang, but she had omitted many details. On the way back to pack her things, she had been talking to him about Huo Zhi and Cheng Yanqing. He didn’t know Huo Zhi, so she was introducing her in advance so it wouldn’t be awkward when they met.

The next day, Qing Hang woke up early and searched for a long time at the place where the earring was lost. But since the earring had caught on Chi Yue, he wouldn’t have been able to find it even if he’d counted every ant in that area.

“You didn’t tell me the person who took you to the police station was Chi Yue.”

“Because he wasn’t important.”

Before today, Cheng Wanyue had hardly any interaction with Chi Yue. She didn’t even remember meeting him at the bar.

She had asked Chi Yue to help at the wedding because he didn’t have that kind of unpleasant, sleazy attitude. Although he played in a band, he respected people and understood etiquette. Those overly individualistic types might cause trouble at a wedding.

Cheng Yuzhou had prepared for this wedding for so long; it couldn’t have any flaws.

“We didn’t have each other’s contact information. He sent me a private message on Weibo, and I only saw it the day before yesterday. You don’t think I deliberately sent you to look for my earring in a place where it wasn’t, do you?”

Cheng Wanyue wouldn’t have played such a trick on him even when she was little. “What decent person would do such a terrible thing? Qing Hang, am I that bad in your eyes?”

“No, I didn’t think that way,” Qing Hang placed Meiqiu to the side. “Don’t be angry. I just found it surprising. It’s good that something you liked has been found again.”

He knelt on the fluffy carpet, one hand pressing on the white fluff, slowly moving forward, first touching her fingertips, then gently caressing her index finger, and finally slipping between her fingers.

He touched her forehead, kissed the tip of her nose.

He had brushed his teeth twice, so the smell of alcohol was very faint, not enough to bother her.

Seeing her furrowed brow relax, he pulled her onto his lap. Her nightgown was thin, and her soft body pressed against his chest. Her hands were a bit cold, so she slipped them under his shirt. Meiqiu squeezed through the gap between his lower back and the bed, its tail brushing against her arm. She was ticklish, which finally made her laugh.

Qing Hang naturally changed the subject. “How will Uncle Cheng react tomorrow when he sobers up?”

Cheng Wanyue deliberately sighed, putting on a troubled expression. “Not listening to him is dangerous for you.”

Qing Hang said, “The balconies are too far apart.”

“You were thinking of climbing across balconies?” Cheng Wanyue widened her eyes in surprise. “Why is it like we’re having an affair?”

She had guessed that Qing Hang wouldn’t honestly stay in the guest room tonight, so she hadn’t locked her door.

“We’re aboveboard, so I just came through the front door. Climbing across balconies is too dangerous. If you fell, you probably wouldn’t die, but you’d be bedridden for at least half a month. Then Cheng Yanqing would hold it over you forever.”

“It’s me who holds things over him.”

Cheng Wanyue raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

Qing Hang couldn’t help but laugh. “When I was about to climb, he had already jumped to Huo Zhi’s balcony. I only had the intention, but he had already carried it out.”

Cheng Wanyue: “…”

Well done.

“So are you feeling better now? My dad isn’t targeting you specifically; he treats Cheng Yanqing the same way. Even though Zhi Zhi is practically the Cheng family’s daughter-in-law, they haven’t officially gotten married yet. Every time Zhi Zhi visits our home, my dad doesn’t allow them to share a room. My dad is quite traditional in this regard.”

She had been used to having her freedom since she was young and had never followed rules.

“It’s fine. Where there’s a policy above, there’s a countermeasure below. But don’t learn from Cheng Yanqing. He climbs across balconies because Huo Zhi won’t open the door for him. I leave the door unlocked for you. Two knocks mean goodnight, three knocks mean you want to come in. I’ll understand as soon as I hear it.”

Qing Hang pressed his chin against the crook of her neck, muffling his laugh. “Mm.”

Cheng Wanyue felt his abs. When he sat like this, the contours were more pronounced. “Mom has already been won over by me. As for my dad, whether you’re a son-in-law or a godson, you’d both call him Dad. Once he sobers up and thinks it through, it’ll be fine.”

“Son-in-law…” Qing Hang repeated these words softly.

“Ahem,” Cheng Wanyue pretended to cough, her hand wandering upward inside his shirt.

Just as she touched that spot, before she could tease him further, he grabbed her arm and pulled it out. He leaned forward, forcing her to lean back until her back rested against the sofa.

The strap of her nightgown had already slipped off her shoulder.

Qing Hang nudged Meiqiu to the other side with one hand while supporting Cheng Wanyue’s waist with the other. As he lowered his head, his first kiss landed on her abdomen through the silk fabric.

His short hair tickled her skin.

Cheng Wanyue raised her leg to kick him, but he caught her ankle, pulling her around to change her position so he was hugging her from behind.

From this angle, they could see the moon outside the window.

The city lights were bright, making stars rare.

Cheng Wanyue thought about how he had worked overtime yesterday, then gotten up early to catch a flight today, and had even been drinking tonight. He must be very tired.

“We’ve hugged, we’ve kissed, now go back to your room and sleep well.”

“Mm.”

Five minutes later.

Cheng Wanyue looked down at the arm wrapped around her waist. “If you don’t leave, I might get some other ideas. Did you bring condoms with you?”

Qing Hang knew she was joking. “I did.”

“Where are they hidden?” Cheng Wanyue patted him perfunctorily. “You’re lying. Let’s go to sleep.”

Qing Hang was pulled to his feet and then pushed out of the room.

He stood outside the door, waiting for her to close it.

Cheng Wanyue handed Meiqiu to him, letting the cat sleep with him.

After closing the door, she heard two very soft knocks from the outside.

She also raised her hand and knocked twice.

Goodnight, goodnight.