Liang Sheng meekly followed Lu Ziqing’s parents into the room, standing ramrod straight without even daring to breathe. The scene felt exactly like that of a nervous boyfriend meeting his girlfriend’s parents for the first time.
“Ahem…” Lu Zhen cleared his throat lightly, startling Liang Sheng into standing even straighter.
“Young lady,” Lu Zhen asked curiously, “how does my Ziqing treat you?”
Liang Sheng hemmed and hawed for a moment before lying straight-faced. “Ziqing… she’s been super good to me!”
“And her personality? What do you think of it?”
“Sh-she… uh…” Liang Sheng stumbled over her words. Come on, if she lied any more, would she get struck by lightning? Whatever—she’d been fibbing for years without a bolt coming her way. What was one more time?
“So, so adorable~!” With that, she stealthily wiped the sweat from her forehead.
“How did you two become friends?” Lu Zhen asked on like a curious kid.
Liang Sheng’s expression turned half-crying, half-laughing as she spun a wildly elaborate tale.
“Well, I… um, I saw the Young Miss—no, Ziqing—she’s such a kind and cute girl, you know? I just really wanted to be friends with her. And then… yeah… we became friends!”
Kazuko couldn’t stand listening anymore. “You’re such a dummy!”
Lu Zhen clapped a hand over his mouth.
Liang Sheng’s heart sank. Damn it, she’d gone too overboard and tipped her hand.
“Um, I…” Liang Sheng began explaining, terrified.
“Stop!” he cut her off sharply.
Liang Sheng squeezed her eyes shut. It was over—the big boss was mad.
“Wahhh…”
Huh? Was that crying? Liang Sheng squinted and saw… the big boss crying from what she’d said!
“I knew it—my Ziqing is so cute and kind… she just doesn’t know how to show it! Juan’er, Lu Ziqing’s mother, look at this—it’s a kid with real discernment!” Lu Zhen’s eyes brimmed with hot tears as he spoke.
…?
Liang Sheng was dumbfounded.
“Thank you, young lady. Please be a good friend to Ziqing. She’s… she’s only got you as a friend.” His words carried the weight of an lifelong entrustment.
Liang Sheng nodded in a daze.
“One more question.” Lu Zhen’s face suddenly turned deadly serious.
Liang Sheng’s expression matched his. “Go ahead.”
Lu Zhen sighed. “You know Su Ze, right?”
Liang Sheng nodded quickly, her face turning solemn and her heart growing heavy.
“Sigh. You can tell, can’t you? That silly girl of mine… she likes Su Ze.” Worry etched Lu Zhen’s features.
Liang Sheng didn’t know how to respond and simply listened in silence.
Lu Zhen continued, “That kid—huh—the way he looks at Ziqing isn’t with like or admiration, nor friendship. I can’t quite pin it down, but it feels dangerous.”
Liang Sheng was tongue-tied. As expected of a governor—his powers of observation were sharp!
“Uncle, do you mean… I should keep an eye on her? No—take care of Ziqing a bit?” Liang Sheng ventured delicately.
Lu Zhen nodded solemnly, looking at Liang Sheng with appreciation. “Exactly. You’re a smart one, girl. Ziqing’s lucky to have a friend like you.”
Liang Sheng shook her head. “No, I’m the lucky one to know Ziqing. She’s such a kind and cute kid, but the way she… uh, expresses herself isn’t quite normal. Do you know why?”
Lu Zhen shook his head with a sigh. “I don’t know either. Ziqing only has you as a good friend—treat her well.”
“I will,” Liang Sheng promised Lu Zhen.
As Liang Sheng headed out, she caught sight of Su Ze leaning in to whisper something in Lu Ziqing’s ear. In that instant, certain plot points from the novel flashed through her mind. She stroked her chin thoughtfully and smiled. Finally, she had a possible reason—and a breakthrough.
“Young Miss!” Liang Sheng cried joyfully, lunging into Lu Ziqing’s arms and burying her face there.
Young Miss Lu Ziqing let out a startled yelp, her face flushing as she grumbled, “What was that? You scared me!”
“That’s what good friends do!” Liang Sheng hollered.
Lu Ziqing murmured under her breath as she looked down, “Good friends, huh…”
“Ding~” Favorability increased.
“Lu Ziqing’s Favorability Toward Liang Sheng: 91”
“Young Miss, let’s go play in your room! Good friends do that all the time~” Liang Sheng began wheedling.
Lu Ziqing’s eyes lit up at the word “friends,” and she agreed eagerly.
Grabbing the Young Miss’s hand, Liang Sheng bounded happily upstairs.
Su Ze stood to follow.
Liang Sheng threw out an arm to block his path. “Su Ze, you can’t come! This is girl talk~”
Su Ze’s eyes darkened, his fist clenching. “Mm,” he grunted before sinking back onto the sofa.
“Swoosh~” Favorability decreased.
“Su Ze’s Favorability Toward Liang Sheng: 32”
Hah, a scumbag with ulterior motives for sure. Liang Sheng snorted disdainfully.
The Young Miss’s room was all purple—the bed was purple, and a lavender scent hung in the air. Liang Sheng dove onto the bed with a boisterous flop, making “mmph mmph” sounds of delight that drew a “pfft” of laughter from the Young Miss.
“Hee hee hee.” Liang Sheng grinned goofily. “Young Miss’s bed is so soft~ Way softer than mine!”
Lu Ziqing shot her a playful glare. “Whose bed isn’t soft? You and your nonsense.”
“Right, what did you want to tell me?” The Young Miss tilted her head.
Liang Sheng perked up, scrambling to her knees and taking Lu Ziqing’s hand in her own palm. The gesture made Lu Ziqing blush again, flustered and unsure.
Liang Sheng leaned in close to Lu Ziqing’s face. The Young Miss panicked further, her body tilting back slightly. As the distance shrank, Lu Ziqing’s lashes fluttered, and she closed her eyes—uncertain what Liang Sheng intended, yet harboring a faint expectation.
“Young Miss… I have a question.” The voice came suddenly.
Lu Ziqing opened her eyes to find Liang Sheng sitting straight again. An inexplicable emptiness settled in her heart, leaving her uncomfortable—as if resenting Liang Sheng for not doing… something.
“Um, ask away.” Lu Ziqing’s expression had turned a bit sullen.
Liang Sheng blinked at the sudden mood shift, baffled. What had she done to upset the Young Miss this time? She felt wronged—wahhh.
“Ask already,” Young Miss Lu Ziqing urged impatiently.
“Okay, okay!” Liang Sheng snapped back to attention, turning mysterious.
“Ziqing… do you like Su Ze?”
Lu Ziqing stared at Liang Sheng like she’d seen a ghost. “Didn’t I already tell you I like Su Ze?”
Liang Sheng scratched her head. Right—she was asking the obvious.
“Then… why do you like him?”
Lu Ziqing tilted her head back slightly, pondering.
“Hmm… He understands me. He knows what I’m thinking, knows how to comfort me, how to take care of me, and supports me. Everything he says matches what I feel. Like we were made for each other, right?”
