Chapter 43: Passed the Probation Period

Not only did Hao Ren not know what to say, but Zhao Yanzi also looked at her mother dumbfoundedly.

Zhao Hongyu smiled as she explained, "What I meant was, you can sleep on Zi's bedroom floor tonight. Zi's bedroom is big enough. Besides, she also has her own washroom, and it's more convenient."

"Mom!" Zhao Yanzi whined in dissatisfaction. No guy had ever slept over in her bedroom before.

Zhao Hongyu was about to say that Hao Ren wasn't a stranger, but Hao Ren wiped the soup from his lips and said voluntarily, "Zi is a girl after all. It's not convenient for me to sleep in her bedroom. How about I sleep in the living room?"

Zhao Yanzi turned her head around and looked at Hao Ren without saying anything. She initially thought that this "dirty" uncle would seize the chance and sleep in her bedroom to make her feel uncomfortable.

Hao Ren also had his own ideas. On the one hand, he didn't want to provoke Zhao Yanzi too much even with her parents' support. On the other hand, before they properly confirmed their relationship, he should still keep some distance from Zhao Yanzi. Otherwise, he might not be able to be able to get away from her if he wanted to in the future.

Zhao Hongyu looked at them and said, "The first-floor living room is too cold. If you're not sleeping in Zi's bedroom, sleep in my studio in the attic upstairs. The room is a bit small, but it's still pretty warm."

"That sounds good." Hao Ren nodded.

"But Ren still has to take showers in your washroom," Zhao Hongyu turned around, looked at Zhao Yanzi, and said.

Zhao Yanzi bit her lip in a grievance. "Fine," she murmured.

She felt like her territory was being divided up and given to Hao Ren. Even her parents were leaning towards him. This made Zhao Yanzi feel conflicted. Before she made up her mind to "marry" Hao Ren, any sort of contact without her consent was worth fighting for.

This was her little pride, even though she sometimes thought Hao Ren wasn't that bad.

Zhao Hongyu smiled sweetly to soften up the atmosphere. "You guys go up now since you have finished eating. Hao Ren is sleeping here tonight anyway, so we're not worried about the time either. Take a shower first, get comfortable, and help Zi with her school work."

Seeing that Zhao Hongyu was about to stand up, Hao Ren hurried and stood up first as he grabbed some dishes and chopsticks. "Auntie, let me help you clean up."

"Haha, it's fine! Let me do it! You go upstairs and take a shower first," Zhao Hongyu said gently.

Hao Ren insisted for a bit but failed to persuade Zhao Hongyu. He could only thank her for treating him to dinner.

After Hao Ren and Zhao Yanzi went upstairs, Zhao Hongyu, who was cleaning the table, asked Zhao Guang, "What do you think after this period of observation?"

Zhao Guang nodded. "He has a good character, a calm personality, and he's also nice to Zi. Besides, there seemed to be a sign of him breaking through the second level of the Spirit Concentration Scroll. Just like what Elder Lu said, he is a smart and non-ostentatious kid," he said

"Then that means you officially approve of him. In fact, after interacting with him several times, I like him a lot as well," Zhao Hongyu stopped what she was doing and looked at Zhao Guang, "Also...what are you planning to do with West Ocean?" she asked.

"Counter soldiers with generals and cover water with soil(TL: a Chinese idiom which means there's always a solution to a problem). There's no use thinking about this now. We can only make Ren improve his strength as soon as possible," Zhao Guang's face turned solemn as he said calmly.

On the second floor, Hao Ren held the materials for their tutoring session and entered Zhao Yanzi's bedroom as he smelled a light aroma.

Despite the heavy rain outside, it didn't impact the silence of this small world. Hao Ren put down the materials and asked Zhao Yanzi, "Where's the washroom?"

"Humph!" Zhao Yanzi turned her head and didn't answer him.

"I haven't told your parents about you skipping school yesterday," Hao Ren looked at her and said indifferently.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yanzi's ears perked up right away, and her facial expression revealed her anxiousness, "You... How dare you!"

"There isn't anything I can't say. It was a fact that you skipped school," Hao Ren said again indifferently.

"That... that was to watch your competition!" Zhao Yanzi glared at Hao Ren and raised her voice.

"That's weird. I don't remember inviting you. You sneaked out yourself, and you're blaming it on me?" Hao Ren asked.

Zhao Yanzi was speechless. Indeed, skipping school to watch Hao Ren's competition was just a small part; the real reason was that she wanted to see how lively it would be at a university's Athletic Competition.

"Did you see that I got first place yesterday?" Hao Ren asked her again.

"What is there to brag about? Obtaining first place in that kind of trashy competition!" Zhao Yanzi blushed and almost wanted to beat Hao Ren up.

Seeing that she got so anxious, Hao Ren laughed and whispered, "Then why did you come and watch?"

Zhao Yanzi's chest was moving up and down from anger. "This uncle has been going way too far and is getting more and more annoying!" she thought.

It was true that she wanted to see Hao Ren's results of the race, but it really made her angry that she went to watch him but also got mocked by him.

She was in angry and didn't realize that she had done the exact thing to Hao Ren several times before.

"If you don't want me to tell your parents about you skipping school, improve your midterm class ranking of each subject by ten."

"You're threatening me!" Zhao Yanzi showed her teeth and was so eager to bite Hao Ren's ears off.

Hao Ren stuck out a finger and wiggled it. "I'm not threatening you. It's a condition," he said.

"I won't accept it!" Zhao Yanzi grabbed the pillow beside her and threw it at Hao Ren.

Hao Ren avoided it and smiled again. "No rush. I will tell your parents that you skipped class if there isn't any progress on your midterm grades."

"Ahhhhhh..." Zhao Yanzi was very close to going crazy. She had never encountered such an experience when growing up. Especially since her parents, who used to spoil her, seemed to have taken Hao Ren's side now.

"Okay, okay," Hao Ren comforted her when he felt like she was about to explode, "I'll go shower first. Where is the washroom?"

"Over there. Don't you have eyes?" Zhao Yanzi pointed at a white cabinet.

Hao Ren walked over, opened the white cabinet door, and found a well-equipped washroom hidden in there. "What the heck!" he thought. If no one told him about it, how could he find it?

He walked inside and turned on the shower head. Indeed, he wanted to shower because his body was sticky from being soaked in the rain. However, it was his first time showering in a girl's home.

After he took a hot shower and put on a bathrobe, he saw a set of brand new set of black pajamas folded tidily by the door of the washroom, and Zhao Yanzi was nowhere to be found. After he put it on and walked out of the room, he heard Zhao Yanzi's voice in the next room.

Zhao Hongyu probably heard Hao Ren's footsteps and called, "Come in, Ren!"

Hao Ren pushed on the door carefully and entered Zhao Yanzi's parents' bedroom.

It was a bedroom that was way bigger than Zhao Yanzi's, but the design of the bedroom was also very delicate. The presentation of the bedroom gave people an elegant and comfortable feeling.

Zhao Guang and Zhao Hongyu were both wearing comfortable pajamas. They laid on the three-meters-wide bed and faced the fifty-four-inches plasma TV, which was playing an entertainment show. Zhao Yanzi was laying in between her parents and wore a set of pink pajamas. It seemed like she had showered in the bathroom that was connected to this bedroom.

Seeing Hao Ren walk in, Zhao Yanzi, who was giggling just now, suddenly stopped.

When Hao Ren saw that the family of three was having a good time, he felt like he shouldn't have entered.

Zhao Hongyu stood up, "Done showering? Leave your clothes in the washroom. I'll wash them for you, and they should be dry by tomorrow."

"No, it's fine!" Hao Ren rushed to stop her.

"Don't worry. We're a family. You don't need to be shy!" Zhao Hongyu neglected Hao Ren's intent, stepped out of the door, and went to Zhao Yanzi's room to get his clothes.

"Do you want to watch TV?" Zhao Guang asked Hao Ren.

"Uh, no thanks," Hao Ren stood at the doorway and said blankly.

"You're still too tense, Ren," Zhao Guang said to Hao Ren. Then, he patted Zhao Yanzi's shoulder and said, "Go study and don't let your mom down."

Zhao Yanzi stood up from the bed unwillingly, jumped on the rug, and put on a pair of pink cartoon slippers.

Zhao Guang looked at their contrasting figures: tall and short; black and pink as they walked out of the bedroom. His gaze seemed distant as he sighed meaningfully.