“Don't bother looking for clothes; you look good in anything.”
Li Zi sat to the side, watching helplessly as a frantic Li Zhenting rummaged through his wardrobe.
“Don't worry, my parents don't care about that sort of thing.”
Li Zhenting bit his lip and shot her a glare. “You don't understand!”
At the end of their sophomore year, Li Zhenting had finally succeeded in wearing Li Zi down. Using her signature, he had obtained the catalyst, and the two of them had remained holed up in their room for several days, lost to the world.
Now, Li Zhenting lay sprawled weakly against the duvet. His neck ached so much he could hardly move. In his hazy state of mind, he was still wondering: *Will it work this time? Can we succeed in one go?*
He didn't even dare to change his posture, fearing that he wouldn't fully absorb the catalyst into his cavity.
When Li Zi tried to pull away, he had stubbornly insisted, “Leave me be, just a little longer.”
It was then that Li Zi had suddenly leaned into his ear and mischievously informed him, “My mom knows about us.”
Li Zhenting whipped his head around to look at her, prompting a sharp protest from his stiff joints.
“What?!”
He already knew that Li Zi’s father tacitly approved of their relationship, but he was completely uncertain about her mother’s attitude.
In his impression, Li Shian had always been an Alpha with an incredibly powerful aura—resolute, efficient, and definitely not the type to be friendly to just anyone. Furthermore, she had previously expressed a desire for Li Zi to be with Yuan Ye.
“What did your mother say?” His heart began to drum against his ribs.
“Come here.” Li Zi opened her arms.
Li Zhenting shifted his position and burrowed into her embrace. As they entwined, Li Zi’s leg rested over his, and because they were so close, Li Zhenting had to keep his knees bent to maintain their physical connection.
Li Zi didn't dare use too much force, afraid of overdoing it and hurting him. She simply held his head and peppered him with kisses. “Don't worry. With my dad there, nothing will happen.”
“She’s likely finished throwing her tantrum. She told me to bring you home tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?!” Li Zhenting was shocked. “Then why were you acting so wild today!”
With his body covered in marks—especially the teeth marks on the back of his neck—there was no way they would fade in a single day. How could he face an elder who likely already had a grievance against him looking so... disheveled?
“Who was the one acting wild?” Li Zi teased. “Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.”
Li Zi had tried to stop several times, but a certain someone kept provoking her with comments like “Is that all?”, fearing the effect wouldn't be sufficient. She could have easily endured the final lingering urges of her rut.
And so, the next day, that same someone was clutching his aching waist, searching for clothes that could cover his neck in the middle of summer.
“Enough, just wear this.” Li Zi couldn't take it anymore. She pulled out a set of casual clothes and made the final decision. “I’ll put a medicinal patch on your neck; you have to be careful about inflammation in this heat. Stop trying to cover your tracks; it only makes it more obvious.”
Li Zhenting was currently sore all over and had no strength left to argue, so he simply accepted it.
Standing before the door to Li Zi’s home after so many years, Li Zhenting was so nervous he nearly forgot how to walk. He had passed this place countless times since childhood and climbed over the walls more times than he could count, but he had only ever made one formal visit.
“Ting-ge, are you actually trembling from fear? Is this still our fearless Li Zhenting?” Li Zi took his hand, feeling his palm slick with cold sweat. “If you can't do it, how about next time?” she asked, seemingly considerate of his feelings.
“Who’s afraid! Who says I can't do it! It’s just... meeting the parents.”
The jab hit its mark. The prideful man puffed out his chest and bravely marched past Li Zi into the house. With his slightly fierce expression, he looked more like he was looking for a fight than a family dinner.
However, the person inside had already heard them and opened the door. Yan Yan stood at the entrance, greeting them both.
Li Zhenting’s legs went weak again. He forced his trembling lips into a smile and greeted him politely, “Dr. Yan, h-hello.”
“Still calling me Dr. Yan?” Yan Yan paused, glancing at his daughter.
Li Zi shrugged, indicating there was nothing she could do.
“Come in, quickly. I’ve made dinner for you both. Does Xiao Li have any dietary restrictions?”
“No, no, anything is fine,” Li Zhenting said, shaking his head hurriedly.
Li Zi gave him a gentle push from behind, resting her hand on his back to give him a bit of encouragement. “Let’s go.”
The day’s events were far too stimulating for Li Zhenting. Even after he had climbed into Li Zi’s bed that night, he was still in a daze.
“Your mother just... accepted me like that?” Not only had she shown no dislike, but she had also been extremely warm. He pinched himself, feeling as though he were dreaming.
“I told you not to worry so much.” Li Zi emerged from the bathroom after her shower. Seeing his dazed expression, she tossed a pair of pajamas at his face. “Go wash up and stop overthinking.”
Li Zhenting pulled the clothes away and grumbled dissatisfiedly, “How can I not think about it? You don't understand at all.”
“Fine, fine, I don't understand. You’re the smart one, so go take a shower, okay? Oh, and be careful with your wounds.”
Li Zi didn't understand it either—how the once clumsy and awkward man had become so prone to tears, so quick to act spoiled, and even started talking back. *He’s becoming more and more like a Golden Retriever,* she thought.
Of course, things weren't quite as simple as they seemed.
Once he entered the bathroom, Li Zi stepped out of the room. Yan Yan was waiting for her outside.
“Dad, thank you.” She reached out and gave her father a grateful hug.
After agreeing to be with Li Zhenting, Li Zi had quickly contacted Yan Yan to tell him about Zhenting’s physical condition and their plan to have a child.
Yan Yan had been both surprised and delighted. He had already resigned himself to never having grandchildren; he hadn't expected Li Zhenting’s thoughts to align so closely with his own.
He was grateful for Li Zhenting’s persistence. It was the other man’s longing for a child and his years of silently staying by Li Zi’s side—doing what they, as parents, had failed to do—that allowed Yan Yan to quickly soothe Li Shian when she lost her temper.
Li Shian was not a narrow-minded parent to begin with. In her youth, few could match her rebelliousness. If she hadn't loved her child so much and feared for her future happiness, she wouldn't have been so resistant to Li Zi’s initial questions.
Li Zi had returned home privately once before to talk with Li Shian for a long time. With Yan Yan chiming in from the side, Li Shian—who could never truly stay angry at her daughter—finally relented.
There was only one point they were slightly worried about.
“Does the boy, Li Zhenting, really want a child this year?” Li Zi was barely twenty-one and still a student; they were worried the two of them would be overwhelmed.
“If he wants one, let him have his way. I’ll balance my studies and family. His work is flexible, so he should have time.” Li Zi told them not to worry. “Actually, there’s another reason. He went to the hospital for a check-up, and the doctor suggested he try while he’s young; planning for a child now will be smoother. As he gets older, his constitution might change again. He could lean more toward being a Beta, or perhaps an Omega. Nothing is certain.”
“Alright. Then when do you two plan to get married?” Li Shian cared more about this point. She wanted to throw a grand wedding for her child to show off to her old friends.
“Neither of us is in a rush for that. Organizing a wedding is quite a hassle. I want to wait until we’re better prepared.”
To Li Zi, who had already spent two lifetimes with Li Zhenting, that single piece of paper wasn't actually that important.
The two parents were somewhat puzzled by the young couple’s decision to rush into having children while delaying marriage, but they chose to respect their children’s wishes.
“Then you’ll have to work hard, sweetheart. I’ve been craving a grandchild for a long time.” Li Shian patted her shoulder. “If our work hadn't been so busy, we originally wanted to give you a younger brother.”
Though her mother said this, all three people present knew the real reason Li Shian and her husband hadn't had another child. Yan Yan’s body had suffered lasting damage from a miscarriage years ago, and the doctors had advised against further pregnancies.
“Mhm, okay. Dad, Mom, thank you.”
Regardless of past or present lives, Li Zi would always be grateful that she had such selfless and open-minded parents. In the past, it was her own resentment that had caused her relationship with such wonderful parents to sour.
But now, she would cherish every single person.
