Chapter 80
Zhao Yanzi, who had been eating a steak absent-mindedly, suddenly became alert.
Zhao Guang and Zhao Hongyu, who had been talking and laughing with Hao Ren's parents also became serious.
Sensing the change in the atmosphere, Hao Ren explained in a hurry, "Mom, she is our Cla.s.s President."
"Cla.s.s President?" Yue Yang didn't believe him, "I saw you holding her hand."
"No, I didn't! Mom, stop it!" Hao Ren was anxious and tried to explain, "She… she just dragged me in there to find seats!"
Hao Ren's face was turning red from the anxiety, but Yue Yang, who was oblivious to the situation, thought Hao Ren was shy. She laughed, "Hehe, don't hide it from Mom. I won't object to it, and your grandma will be happy for you as well. Besides, that girl is very pretty and warm-hearted. You father thinks well of the girl, too."
Biting her lips, Zhao Yanzi's expression had been changing while her parents' expression turned from astonished to unreadable.
"Ren, is she really your girlfriend?" Grandma asked.
"No, she isn't. She is really just the Cla.s.s President. We only went to the lectures together!" Hao Ren explained while sweat began to form on his forehead.
Although there was nothing yet between Zhao Yanzi and himself, he was at least her fiancé in name. Besides, there was nothing between him and Xie Yujia; he wouldn't take the blame for things he didn't do.
However, his explanation only convinced his parents that something was going on. Seeing his mother's interest, Hao Zhonghua warmed up to this topic and added, "Ren, although I only had a glimpse of her, I think she is a good girl. She was good to you, I won't object if you go out with her. If she is not your girlfriend yet, you can pursue her since she looks like a fine and considerate girl. I'm sure your Grandma will like her as well."
He had angered his mother with his lateness, and now he wanted to cheer her up with her favorite topic.
However, they didn't know they were making the matter worse in the eyes of the potential in-laws sitting across the table.
Due to Zhao Yanzi's young age, they had never thought of pairing Hao Ren and Zhao Yanzi together.
Seeing Hao Ren's recent good mood, Grandma thought that he had a girlfriend. Now with her guess confirmed by Hao Zhonghua and Yue Yang, her face lit up. "Ren, don't hide it from us. Find some time and bring the girl back to visit me!" she said cheerfully.
After all, making Zhao Yanzi her granddaughter-in-law was just her wishful thinking, and she would be happy if
Zhao Yanzi couldn't listen to it anymore. With a snort, she stood up abruptly and left their compartment.
"Zi!" Zhao Hongyu called after her, but Zhao Yanzi didn't look back.
Frustrated, Hao Ren hurriedly stood up and followed her out of the compartment.
Seeing Hao Ren following her, Zhao Yanzi quickened her steps and ran toward the stairs. However, how could she outrun Hao Ren?
Hao Ren rushed up and grabbed her wrist.
"The Cla.s.s President is not my girlfriend!" Hao Ren told her in earnest.
Zhao Yanzi snorted and shrugged away from his hand. "You don't have to give me an explanation!" she yelled.
Hao Ren looked at her and asked, "Are you angry?"
"I have nothing to be angry about since I don't like you. I don't care who your girlfriend is," Zhao Yanzi said stiffly.
"Ok, I will explain it to you anyway. That day, the Cla.s.s President wanted to go to the lecture. Since no one wanted to go with her, she asked me. Later during the book signing event, since one student could only get one signature, she dragged me there to get one extra signed book for her…"
Hao Ren explained in earnest, but Zhao Yanzi put her hands on her ears, refusing to listen to him.
"This silly girl…" Hao Ren took her right hand away from her ear and said, "You must listen to me…"
"No! No! No…" Zhao Yanzi kept shaking her head.
Helpless, Hao Ren grabbed her hand and began to drag her back to their compartment.
"Let me go! I won't go back!" Zhao Yanzi hit Hao Ren's arm with her left hand.
Determined, Hao Ren bent over abruptly and carried her in his arms before walking back to their compartment.
"You jerk!" Zhao Yanzi cursed at him while hitting Hao Ren's shoulders and chest with both of her fists and kicking around above his arm with her feet.
However, her feeble struggle was nothing to Hao Ren who was now on the second level of the Spirit Concentration Scroll.
"Don't kick, or your skirt will slide up," with Zhao Yanzi in his arms, Hao Ren warned her.
"You…jerk!" she turned her head abruptly and bit Hao Ren's arm.
"Ouch!" Hao Ren yelled but didn't put her down. "Are you a dog?" he asked.
Fortunately, he had reached the second level of the Spirit Concentration Scroll, and his arm muscles were as hard as rocks; that was why Zhao Yanzi's teeth didn't injure him.
"I'm a dragon!" Zhao Yanzi retorted indignantly.
Hao Ren put the red-faced Zhao Yanzi down at the door of their compartment. She turned around and tried to escape, but Hao Ren caught her by the shoulders and turned her around. He took her hand before pus.h.i.+ng the door open and walking in.
"What happened?" Hao Zhonghua asked in bafflement.
"Something came up, and Zi had to run out to deal with it," Hao Ren said.
With doubt on his face, Hao Zhonghua asked again, "Then… the matter is taken care of?"
"Yes, it's done." Hao Ren nodded.
He grabbed onto Zhao Yanzi's hand a little tighter and tried to prevent her from running out again.
"Come back to your seats," Hao Zhonghua said.
Looking at Zhao Yanzi's red face, Zhao Hongyu didn't know what had happened. But seeing Hao Ren rus.h.i.+ng out in concern and returning hand in hand with Zi, she thought it was a good sign.
"You two sit together," she said as she looked at them.
Zhao Yanzi didn't want to sit next to Hao Ren, but she couldn't get her hand free from his grip. Besides, she didn't want to appear willful and poor-mannered in front of Grandma and Hao Ren's parents.
"That girl really is not your girlfriend?" Yue Yang resumed the topic after seeing Hao Ren returning while holding Zi's hand; she found it weird.
"Mom, just believe me when I say she's not my girlfriend!" Hao Ren said helplessly. The words were for his mom and Zhao Hongyu.
"Well. I thought you had finally got yourself a girlfriend," after hearing Hao Ren's answer, Grandma was a little disappointed.
"In the old times, a man could have three to four wives. However, our Ren doesn't even have one…" Grandma lamented.
Hao Ren began to sweat at his Grandma's ancient thoughts...
"Auntie, what do you think of our Zi?" seeing Zhao Yanzi and Hao Ren wrestling under the table, Zhao Hongyu asked.
"Smart, lively, cute… I like her a lot," Grandma answered.
"What do Mr. and Mrs. Hao think?" Zhao Hongyu turned the question to Hao Zhonghua and Yue Yang.
"Our impressions of her are excellent. She's pretty and clever," Yue Yang said, and Hao Zhonghua, who was sitting next to her, nodded in agreement.
Sensing the direction of the conversation, Zhao Yanzi and Hao Ren stopped their attacks and defenses under the table simultaneously and turned their eyes to the elders at the table.
After observing and pondering for a few seconds, Zhao Hongyu asked Grandma, "Auntie, do you want Zi to become your granddaughter-in-law?"