CHAPTER 141: 139, I CAN’T KEEP KISSING AFTER CONVINCING MY PARENTS

"Uncle, it’s our first meeting, so I wasn’t sure what you’d like. I just bought a few things," Luofeng said.

"Young man, you shouldn’t have, but thank you. Why don’t you chat with Ruoxi’s Dad? I’m going to start cooking." Lin Ruoxi’s mother smiled; for some reason, the more she looked at him, the more she liked him.

They’re holding hands and look so sweet together, she thought. This young man, despite his wealth, must have genuinely touched our daughter’s heart. We also hope she marries well. But those playboys who toy with feelings and then just pay for an abortion are definitely unacceptable. For someone with his looks to win over our daughter, he must have done many things to move her. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have stood a chance.

Luofeng was also rather speechless. It’s my first time visiting as a less-than-handsome boyfriend, yet I’ve somehow gained the girl’s parents’ approval. Truly bizarre. But being able to see their desire list, Luofeng understood far too much about their thoughts.

"Young man, I hear your family is quite wealthy?" Lin Wangshu initiated the conversation. He’s unattractive, and my analysis is just an analysis, but I can’t be completely at ease yet, he thought, beginning to probe gently.

"Not really. My father is just a junior executive in his company..." Luofeng said modestly and respectfully, though, in reality, his father held a very impressive position.

"Have you graduated from college yet?"

"I’m just in my freshman year," Luofeng said.

"You’re only a freshman?" Lin Wangshu sounded surprised.

"Yes, I’ll be a sophomore soon. I’m 21," Luofeng replied.

"Oh, I see." He doesn’t look the part, and he’s young. That makes him even less likely to be one of those playboys, Lin Wangshu mused.

"How are your grades?" Lin Wangshu continued.

"I started my own business while in college, so my grades are just average, I suppose."

"Entrepreneurship? What kind of business?" Lin Wangshu asked.

"Stock trading. Also, I recently partnered with a friend to set up an investment firm overseas," Luofeng explained. "I’m about to establish my own investment company here in China too; preparations are already underway."

"Not bad at all! Young and promising." Lin Wangshu’s smile gradually widened.

"By the way, Little Luo, may I call you that?"

"Of course."

"So, how did you manage to win over my daughter?" Lin Wangshu joked. "This precious daughter of mine, I know her well—she’s not easy to woo, is she?"

Lin Ruoxi tensed up when she heard this. Dad is clearly fishing for information! We didn’t prepare for this. If Luofeng says we met at the gym... that would be disastrous. Meeting at a gym sounds exactly like something a playboy would do!

"We met in a library, I believe. Although Ruoxi is a fitness instructor, she might have inherited your artistic sensibilities," Luofeng said with a laugh. "As for how I won her over..." He gave a shy smile and rubbed his nose. "Well, it was mostly through relentless persistence... You know, I’m not exactly handsome, so Ruoxi wasn’t interested in me at first."

"HAHAHA! Yes, that’s right, young man! As the saying goes, ’Persistence wears down a beauty’s defenses!’" Lin Wangshu laughed heartily. Just as I guessed. It must have been his relentless persistence and genuine feelings that moved my daughter. Otherwise, with his looks, he wouldn’t have stood a chance.

「About half an hour later」

Dinner was almost on the table when Luofeng’s phone buzzed.

It was a text message from Zhang Lan, the gym owner: *The situation has been handled.*

Luofeng replied: *Thank you, Sister Lan.*

Zhang Lan texted back: *No worries, Mr. Luo. If you and Ruoxi really end up together, I’ll give you a big red envelope then.*

Zhang Lan was also quite exasperated by the situation. Doing something like this out of jealousy for Lin Ruoxi? Slandering Luofeng? What’s the point of it all?

Of course, Zhang Lan had done what Luofeng asked: she had gone to find Aunt Yang. As the saying goes, "The one who tied the bell is the one to untie it." As long as that was settled, everything else would fall into place.

"Excuse me, Uncle," Luofeng said, apologizing as he took a call during dinner.

"It’s alright, work matters, I understand," Lin Wangshu replied cheerfully, pleased by Luofeng’s politeness.

However, deep down, Lin Wangshu still wasn’t entirely at ease. If I get the chance, I must go to Shanghai and find out more about this Luofeng. Only then can I feel secure entrusting my daughter to him.

Just then, Mother Lin’s phone rang. After a quick greeting, she went to the balcony to take the call.

A few minutes later, when Mother Lin returned to the dining table, the way she looked at Luofeng was exactly like a mother-in-law beaming at her son-in-law.

"Dear, let me tell you..." Mother Lin immediately and eagerly told Lin Wangshu what she had learned.

Lin Wangshu’s expression changed dramatically, finally settling into one of pure joy.

"Mom, Dad, what are you two whispering about in riddles?" Lin Ruoxi asked, curious.

"HAHAHA, my dear daughter, it’s nothing much. Your Aunt Yang just called me," Lin Wangshu laughed happily. "Honey," he said to his wife, "go get a bottle of wine. I feel like having a drink today."

"Huh?" Lin Ruoxi asked, confused. "What did she say?"

"Little Luo, I am so sorry. We were deceived too," Lin Wangshu said apologetically to Luofeng. "That Aunt Yang, it turns out she was bribed by Xu Li. Xu Li was jealous that our Ruoxi found a boyfriend with a good family background, so she got someone we trusted to slander you, hoping to break you two up. Everything’s clear now."

Mother Lin quickly fetched a bottle of wine. Lin Wangshu opened it and poured Luofeng a full glass, then one for himself. "Little Luo, I owe you an apology. To be honest, at first... at first, I even called you a beast."

Luofeng was truly speechless. How badly must I have been slandered for him to call me a beast? he wondered, but still managed a smile. "It’s okay, Uncle. It was all someone else’s scheme."

"Let’s not dwell on it. It’s all in the wine," Lin Wangshu declared. "We’re not saying we give our absolute approval for your relationship with Ruoxi yet, but for now, we’re satisfied..."

Seemingly feeling guilty towards Luofeng, Lin Ruoxi’s father didn’t mention any further scrutiny.

Lin Ruoxi blushed and said, "Dad, I told you Luofeng isn’t like that, but you wouldn’t believe me!"

"I believe you, I believe you now," Lin Wangshu said, a little awkwardly.

「Around eight-thirty in the evening」

Lin Wangshu had drunk quite a bit. Mother Lin helped him to his room to rest. Seeing Luofeng and Lin Ruoxi whispering on the couch, she coughed and said, "Little Luo, I’ve prepared a guest room for you. Why don’t you stay over? No need to spend money on a hotel."

It was evident that Mother Lin hadn’t been so dramatic as to prepare one room for the two of them; she had arranged a separate guest room.

"Thank you for the kind offer, Auntie, but there’s really no need," Luofeng declined, shaking his head.

Lin Ruoxi, also not wanting Luofeng to stay since they weren’t a real couple, quickly added, "Alright then, Luofeng, I’ll take you to your hotel."

"You silly girl! Where are your manners, rushing a guest out like that?" Mother Lin chided.

"Mom~" Lin Ruoxi was exasperated. Is she already taking his side?

Afterward, Luofeng bid farewell to Lin Ruoxi’s parents, and he and Lin Ruoxi left the apartment.

Once they were out of Lin Ruoxi’s apartment building, Lin Ruoxi breathed a sigh of relief. "Finally, that’s settled..."

"Yeah, our friendship is safe for now," Luofeng huffed. "With your dad’s temper, if I hadn’t come to sort this out, he probably would have forced you to delete me as a friend and never contact me again, right?"

"Exactly! That’s why I asked if you still valued our friendship. You said yes, so I asked for your help," Lin Ruoxi replied.

Though she kept mentioning "friendship," both of them knew the unspoken truth between them. They were merely waiting for the right moment.

"So, should we perhaps elevate our friendship?" Luofeng suggested.

Seeing that the area downstairs by her building was deserted, he took the initiative and wrapped his arm around her slim waist.

Lin Ruoxi shivered and quickly glanced around. Seeing no one, she didn’t push his hand away. Blushing, she protested, "No way! Isn’t being friends good enough?"

Luofeng chuckled. Women are certainly reserved. Getting them to just say ’Yes, I’ll be your girlfriend’ is so difficult. In reality, in a relationship, as long as the man does everything a boyfriend would do, her explicit agreement isn’t always necessary. It’s more like a tacit understanding.

"Being friends is good, but there are many things that aren’t quite appropriate for ’just friends’ to do," Luofeng said.

"Like what?" Lin Ruoxi asked, feigning ignorance.

"Like this, of course," Luofeng said, pulling her closer, right into his embrace.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Lin Ruoxi yelped softly, looking up at Luofeng’s face. "Please, if you’re going to kiss me... I really can’t stand your hairstyle."