"Because you both reminded me before to talk about this, and honestly, today’s situation was bound to happen sooner or later. So to me, it’s not that sudden."

Lin Xiaoli sighed—Zhengran was just... Zhengran.

His thought process was on a completely different track from normal people.

She sat up straighter than usual, expression serious. “So, Zhengran, you’re really sure about this? You're really going to date four girlfriends at the same time? Be with all of them together?”

His father, Lin Yingjun, didn’t even dare speak from behind.

Because this whole thing today had totally blindsided him as a dad.

When his wife first told him their son had four girlfriends, it had left him so shocked he didn’t recover for a solid half-hour.

Stuff like this was something you'd only hear about in rumors.

Seeing it play out in real life—with your own son as the main character—was a whole different matter.

He couldn’t even begin to imagine how to explain this if word got out.

Lin Zhengran knew his mom was being dead serious today, so he answered just as seriously, “Yeah. I’m sure.”

Lin Xiaoli frowned and looked toward the four girls sitting beside him.

“Xiao Qingqing, Wenwen, Lili, and Xiaojingshi—you four all know about this, right? And you all agreed? You’re really okay with Zhengran being this... this much of a flirt?”

All four girls blushed and nodded slowly, staying quiet.

Lin Yingjun was in awe of just how much charm his son must have…

Especially considering one of them—Jiang Jingshi—was the Eldest Miss of the Jiang family, the goddess in the eyes of countless young men.

And yet... even a high-and-mighty girl like that was letting his son pull this off?

Lin Xiaoli’s expression grew more serious. She exchanged a look with her husband, then said:

“Zhengran, you’re not a kid anymore. In fact, in a lot of ways, you probably understand things better than your dad and me. You’ve already built a career at a young age.

But when it comes to girls, you can’t treat them like this. If they’re your girlfriends, you’re supposed to be loyal and devoted to just one.”

Lin Zhengran responded, “Mom, I really am sincere toward each of them. Ever since we made things official, I’ve taken the relationship seriously. I’m not being half-hearted, and I never had the thought of abandoning anyone.”

The four girls nodded again.

Lin Xiaoli was confused. “You’ve got four girlfriends and you still dare say you’re not being half-hearted? And they’re actually nodding their heads!”

She looked even more shocked. “Besides, a person can only love one person! That’s just human nature! Modern society doesn’t allow this!”

“I know that’s how it usually works,” he said. “But maybe I’m just different in this area. I really do love more than one person. And it's not illegal or anything—it just means I can’t legally get a marriage certificate. But we can still be together.”

“Not being able to get a marriage certificate—how is that not a huge deal?!”

She turned again to the girls:

“So fine, maybe I can accept that Zhengran’s got this kind of... player mindset. But why can you girls go along with it too?! Like it’s nothing? Isn’t that emotional betrayal?

You won’t even be able to get married in the future!”

Little He Qing looked up sweetly and said, “Auntie... Lin Zhengran has never lied to us. He’s always been honest with all of us.”

The other three girls nodded.

Han Wenwen added,

“And we all feel like a marriage certificate is just a piece of paper. Real love between people doesn’t depend on that. And staying together doesn’t need it either. So it’s not important. Even without it, Brother Zhengran can still be our husband.”

Lin Xiaoli was growing more and more baffled.

“Huh? Wait, wait, wait!” She waved her hands. “Let’s not talk about marriage certificates for now!

Xiao Qingqing, what did you just mean? Are you saying Zhengran told you from the very beginning he wanted to date more than one person?

When you say he didn’t lie—do you mean he was upfront about this from the start?”

Little He Qing blushed and said, “Mmhm, he told me directly...

Back when we were about to start dating, he asked if it’d be okay to be with two people, since he also liked Lili.

He asked if the two of us could be together, and that’s how he confessed. I agreed.”

“Huh? I don’t get it.”

Jiang Xueli clenched her hand in her usual tsundere way and confirmed,

“He Qing’s telling the truth. That’s how it happened.

Zhengran asked me before we officially got together if I’d be okay with dating two people at once. I said yes. So we started dating.”

Even Lin Yingjun was stunned. He jumped in to help his wife ask,

“Then what about you, Wenwen? You too?”

Han Wenwen smiled, “Uncle, Auntie—by the time I started dating Brother Zhengran, he was already with Xiao Qingqing and Lili.

So I knew about it from the beginning.”

Jiang Jingshi also spoke up:

“I’m the same. Zhengzheng asked me directly if I was okay with him being with all four of us at once. I said yes.”

Lin Xiaoli was speechless.

“No, hold on a second... Am I just getting too old for this?

Auntie honestly doesn’t understand how you girls think.

If you really all like Zhengzheng, then logically, wouldn’t that mean you wouldn’t want him to like anyone else too?

Isn’t that how it should be? Don’t romantic rivals usually never get along?!”

Han Wenwen bit her lip and smiled,

“Actually, Uncle, Auntie—at first, we did all want Brother Zhengran to ourselves.

None of us were okay with it right away. But… we’ve been through so much together.

It just naturally evolved into what we have now.”

Jiang Xueli clenched her little fists.

“It’s not like we just nodded and agreed without thinking!

We all knew how serious this was.

That’s why we thought it through for a long time before coming to this decision.

Even though dumb*ss Zhengran is super flirty, we’re still willing to be his girlfriends—together!”

Then she mumbled softly,

“And as for getting along... sure, we still get jealous sometimes.

But even if Zhengran only had one girlfriend, there’d still be jealousy, right?”

Hearing that, Lin Xiaoli suddenly stood up,

Speaking from the adult world’s perspective:

“You girls are such idiots! Xiao Qingqing, Wenwen, Lili—Auntie watched you grow up.

And Xiaojingshi—even though we’ve only just gotten to know each other, Auntie already likes you too.

That’s exactly why I care about your futures!”

She clutched her chest and spoke firmly:

“As Zhengran’s mom, I probably shouldn’t doubt him...

But can you really trust he’ll take full responsibility for all of you for the rest of your lives—without a marriage certificate?

Can you really trust him unconditionally like that?!”

The four girls looked at Auntie Lin, then glanced at each other.

Then they all stood up together.

Little He Qing: “I trust Lin Zhengran. I’ve trusted him since we were kids.”

Jiang Xueli: “I trust Zhengran too. I don’t think there’s anyone more dependable in this world.

If I can’t trust him, then how could a piece of paper—some marriage certificate—mean anything?”

Han Wenwen: “Zhengran is the only one in this world Wenwen has never doubted.”

Jiang Jingshi: “Auntie, if I had ever doubted him in the past, there’s no way Zhengzheng and I could’ve made it to this point.

Not just romantically—even Zhengshi Company wouldn’t exist.

Anything built on doubt would’ve fallen apart long ago.”

The resolute looks in their eyes left Lin Xiaoli momentarily at a loss for words.

Lin Zhengran also stood up, positioning himself in front of the girls like a pillar of support:

“Mom, Dad—I know this isn’t something you can accept easily.

But I haven’t just known them for a day or two. Even Jingshi and I have known each other for nearly four years now.

You both should be able to see it too—

If what the five of us have was truly wrong, if we really doubted each other’s feelings,

we would’ve gone our separate ways a long time ago.

We wouldn’t still be standing together like this—today.”