Slowly, Wu Ping's emotions began to stabilize, though her eyes still held a trace of confusion.

  After a while, she slowly turned her head to look at Su Yuan, "Cssmate, are you done with the restroom?"

  The two exchanged gnces, feeling a chill run through their bodies.

  Song Xiaoxia tentatively asked, "Auntie, what were we talking about just now?"

  "Huh?" Wu Ping appeared thoughtful, "I think I asked you, isn't today the weekend? I remember your school is very strict, how did you manage to get out?"

  Seeing the two of them staring at her without saying a word, Wu Ping asked again in confusion, "Is something wrong?"

  Song Xiaoxia took a deep breath, then smiled and said, "It's nothing, Auntie. We just found an excuse to sneak out."

  "Oh..." Wu Ping nodded, seeming not quite back to her senses, and said nothing more.

  At this moment, the two dared not provoke Wu Ping any further.

  The strange scene just now was still vivid in their minds, and if they continued, something terrifying might happen!

  After calming Wu Ping a bit more, they prepared to leave.

  "Are you leaving already? Would you like to stay for a meal?" Wu Ping asked.

  Song Xiaoxia smiled, "No need, Auntie. We're leaving now. I'll come to see you next time."

  Their purpose for coming had been achieved, but they felt uneasy and didn't pn to stay any longer.

  Seeing this, Wu Ping didn't insist, "Alright, be careful on your way."

  After saying that, she continued to stare bnkly at the TV.

  Before leaving, Su Yuan opened Mao Houwang’s room again.

  The fluorescent light no longer flickered, and nothing unusual happened in the room.

  Only then did he feel relieved and left Mao Houwang’s house with Song Xiaoxia.

  Just as they stepped out, Song Xiaoxia softly called, "Su Yuan..."

  "It was my fault," Su Yuan said guiltily, "We shouldn't have come. It didn't help our situation and almost put us in danger."

  "You did nothing wrong!" Song Xiaoxia quickly said, "Why would you think that? Besides, we didn't come away empty-handed. I just..."

  As they talked while descending the stairs, they didn't notice a middle-aged woman walking towards them.

  "Xiaoxia? Why are you back?"

  The voice almost scared the soul out of Song Xiaoxia. She looked at the middle-aged woman in front of her and excimed, "Mom?"

  "You know I'm your mom. Anyone else would think you've seen a ghost!" Song Xiaoxia's mother, Xia Dong, was displeased with her daughter's startled reaction.

  Then, she gnced at Su Yuan in his school uniform and asked, "Is this your cssmate?"

  "Yes, hello Auntie," Su Yuan greeted with a smile.

  "Hello."

  Sensing her mother's inquisitive gaze, Song Xiaoxia quickly expined, "I brought my cssmate back to get some study materials."

  Xia Dong was not easily fooled. She frowned deeply, her expression somewhat strange as she looked at her daughter, "Study materials?"

  "Then why aren't you going in?" Xia Dong asked again.

  "Didn't bring the key," Song Xiaoxia replied.

  "Knock on the door, your sister is home."

  "I knocked, but my sister didn't hear!" Song Xiaoxia said without a hint of embarrassment.

  "That silly girl!" Xia Dong took out her key and opened the door.

  Once inside, Xia Dong called out to the living room, "Xiaodong, why didn't you open the door for your sister?"

  The living room was lit with warm lights, and a little girl, looking only five or six years old, was sitting on the floor pying with building blocks while Tom and Jerry pyed on the TV.

  Song Xiaodong gnced at the three entering, her clear, bright eyes filled with confusion.

  "I didn't hear..." she said in a soft, sticky voice.

  Although she hadn't heard anything, she knew her sister wouldn't lie.

  Song Xiaoxia walked over to her sister and gently pinched her round cheek, "It's okay, sister forgives you."

  "Thank you, sister," Song Xiaodong said in her soft voice.

  Xia Dong folded her arms and walked over to Song Xiaoxia, "Weren't you here to get study materials? Go get them."

  "Oh... okay!" Song Xiaoxia hurriedly ran to her room.

  Xia Dong turned to Su Yuan with a smile, "Cssmate, have a seat. Xiaoxia might take a while to find them."

  "Okay." Su Yuan didn't stand on ceremony and sat on the sofa after politely responding.

  Xia Dong gently tapped Song Xiaodong's little bottom with her foot, "Have you greeted your brother?"

  Song Xiaodong looked up, scratched her bottom, and called out in a crisp, childish voice, "Brother!"

  Su Yuan, having little experience with children, could only mimic Song Xiaoxia and pinch her cheek, "Hello."

  His action made Song Xiaodong giggle.

  "Cssmate, sit here for a bit. I'll go help Xiaoxia find the study materials." Xia Dong opened the fridge and pced a can of co in front of Su Yuan.

  "Thank you, Auntie."

  Su Yuan thought that Song Xiaoxia's mom wasn't as scary as she had said.

  At least she seemed quite kind, with the demeanor of a well-bred dy.

  Who would have thought, as soon as Xia Dong entered Song Xiaoxia's room, she heard her urgent voice, "You silly girl, you have some nerve, having a puppy love is one thing, but bringing him home to meet the parents!"

  "Cough, cough, cough..." Su Yuan choked on his co.

  Song Xiaodong wobbled up, toddled over to the coffee table, and handed Su Yuan a tissue.

  "Thank you." Su Yuan was charmed by her cuteness and couldn't resist pinching her cheek.

  Song Xiaodong bent down, picked up a block, and handed it to Su Yuan.

  "Do you want me to py with you?" Su Yuan pointed at himself and asked.

  The little one nodded, looking up at him expectantly.

  Her sister squatted beside her, pretending to be fierce, "What are you looking at, little one? He's my brother, not yours."

  ...

  In the room.

  "Mom, what are you talking about? I told you I'm just here to get study materials!" A blush rose on Song Xiaoxia's pretty face.

  "Keep making it up!" Xia Dong looked disdainful, not giving her daughter any face.

  "You think your mom is as dumb as your sister? Study materials... Don't say you're getting them, do you even have any? You’re pretending to study, give me a break."

  "Why can't I study?" Song Xiaoxia retorted.

  "I'm your mom, don't I know you?" Xia Dong shook her head and continued, "You're still young, having a puppy love will affect your studies..."

  "Mom! I told you it's not like that!" Song Xiaoxia stomped her foot lightly, her face red.

  In the living room, Su Yuan, who was building blocks, heard this and thought the mother and daughter were about to argue, so he stood up, ready to expin.

  Unexpectedly, Xia Dong suddenly changed her tone, "But then again, you're not cut out for studying anyway, so dating isn't a big deal."

  Su Yuan sat back down.

  "High school first love is the most beautiful. By college, it’s not the same. It'd be a shame not to have a puppy love. Besides, that boy is quite handsome, comparable to my first love. Back in the day..." Xia Dong's face showed a nostalgic expression.

  "Oh, I won't talk to you about it anymore. If you say so, then it is..." Song Xiaoxia, unable to expin, decided to do nothing.

  "Hmph, you think you can fool your mom's fiery eyes?" Xia Dong said smugly.

  ...

  After a while, Song Xiaoxia and Xia Dong came out together.

  In the living room, a big and a small person were sitting on the floor building blocks.

  "Cssmate, what's your name?" Xia Dong walked over to Su Yuan and asked with a smile.

  "My name is Su Yuan, Auntie." Su Yuan looked up and smiled politely.

  Song Xiaoxia, unaware that Su Yuan had overheard their conversation, worried he might notice something, quickly said, "I found the book. Let's go, Su Yuan."