Meeting the Parents… or Rather, an Old Friend

As dawn broke, Long Miaoming opened her eyes.

She wasn’t sure if it was because Luo Xiaoxi was sleeping right beside her, but she had slept more soundly than ever before. Perhaps because she hadn’t quite regained her full rationality upon waking, a sudden, powerful desire surged within her.

She truly, desperately wanted to keep Luo Xiaoxi by her side forever—to never let her leave her sight, not even for a single step…

She shook her head vigorously, tossing that unrealistic thought aside.

They lived in a society governed by the rule of law now. If she actually did something like that, she’d be sentenced to prison—even if Miaoming didn’t technically hold human laws in high regard.

Today, she had to take Xiaoxi back home. Although being away from her would be painful, it was also the perfect opportunity to meet Xiaoxi’s guardian. If things went well, she might even be able to eventually bring Xiaoxi back to live with her permanently.

At this thought, the smile on Miaoming’s face became much more relaxed.

She got out of bed with extreme caution, trying her best not to wake the sleeping girl. Originally, Xiaoxi was supposed to sleep in the guest room, but she had stubbornly insisted on squeezing into the same bed as Miaoming. As for the reason why, Xiaoxi had refused to say a word.

Miaoming wasn’t Hua Qianluo; she couldn’t divine exactly what was going on in Xiaoxi’s mind. However, she was more than happy with the outcome.

Miaoming sat up slowly. Her thin shirt did little to hide her stunning figure. Standing over a head taller than Xiaoxi, she currently looked like a protective older sister watching over a sleepy younger sibling. She reached for a hair tie on the nightstand, tied her hair back, and prepared to go wash up.

Suddenly, a pair of small hands wrapped around her waist.

“Mmm…”

Xiaoxi wasn’t awake yet. In her groggy state, she simply reached out and hugged the nearest available object. Because she was wearing Miaoming’s clothes—which her own petite frame couldn’t begin to fill—a large amount of skin was exposed… though, it was mostly just a flat surface.

“This girl…”

Miaoming laughed helplessly. She tucked the covers back around Xiaoxi and simply let the girl continue to hold her.

By the time Xiaoxi finally woke up, the sun was already high in the sky. She sat up groggily, rubbing her eyes and stretching. As for how much she had “exposed” during her sleep… well, fortunately, she was the only one in the room.

A knock sounded at the door.

“Xiaoxi, time to get up. I need to take you home soon.”

Xiaoxi saw the clean, neatly folded clothes sitting on the bed and slowly began to get dressed.

Breakfast consisted of French toast and hot milk. Actually, it wasn’t really breakfast anymore; it was already 10:00 AM, so calling it lunch wouldn’t be an exaggeration. There were a few ingredients in the kitchen, but the selection was very limited—likely things Miaoming had just bought.

After eating, they headed out. Miaoming went to get the car while Xiaoxi waited outside the villa. Considering Miaoming had carried her home on her back yesterday, Xiaoxi probably wouldn’t have even known which way to walk if she had to use her own two feet.

When Miaoming pulled out of the garage in a luxury convertible, Xiaoxi gasped in shock once again.

I knew it! My eyes never fail me!

Rich Older Sister is indeed a Rich Older Sister.

Meanwhile, Hua Qianluo felt like she was on the verge of sudden death. Life without Luo Xiaoxi was unbearable.

With no one to help her rank up, her gaming experience was a nightmare. Most people might suffer a ten-game losing streak, but she had been losing for two straight days. Furthermore, the flower shop’s income had plummeted. Without the presence of that high-energy, cheerful young girl, the customers were faced only with a “hateful old crone” who couldn’t be bothered to look at them. Naturally, their desire to spend money vanished instantly.

“Oh, my precious little daughter, please come back soon!”

As the “mother,” Mama Qianluo shed tears of genuine sorrow.

Then again, Xiaoxi hadn’t come home all night. This was the first time in her life she had stayed out overnight. Could she have been “eaten up” by that stupid dragon? Hua Qianluo felt it was highly likely.

Dammit. If I’d known, I would have used my ‘Heavenly Eye’ last night to take a peek.

Of course, it wouldn’t have been for anything inappropriate! It would have been purely out of concern for the girl’s safety—you know, to rescue her in a moment of crisis. After all, what “bad intentions” could a mother possibly have?

Our Xiaoxi is still a beginner at this, after all…

Before Qianluo could finish her internal monologue, a luxury convertible came to a smooth halt in front of the flower shop. Then, she saw her “cheap daughter” hop out of the car.

Wait, what? Did my daughter just bag a millionaire?

As the mother, Hua Qianluo naturally rushed out to greet her.

“Aaaaah! Xiaoxi, you’re finally back!”

Mama Qianluo never disappointed. The moment Xiaoxi jumped down, Qianluo threw her arms around her, weeping with snot and tears.

“Whoa! Old Hag, act normal!” Xiaoxi looked disgusted. She used one hand to push away Qianluo’s tear-streaked face, refusing to let the woman get any closer.

At that moment, the sound of another car door closing rang out.

Hua Qianluo instinctively looked over. Xiaoxi took the opportunity to break free from her “mother’s” death-grip.

“Let me introduce you. This is—”

To ease the awkward tension, Xiaoxi was about to introduce Hua Qianluo to Miaoming when she heard both of them speak at the same time.

“Stupid Dragon?!” “Old Fossil?!”

Xiaoxi froze. She looked between the two of them in disbelief.

“You two… know each other?”

“No, no, no!”

Miaoming and Hua Qianluo waved their hands simultaneously, then said in unison:

“We don’t know each other! Who would want to know her?”

Xiaoxi was speechless. Given the scene and the dialogue, they had zero credibility.

“This is…” Xiaoxi pointed at Hua Qianluo, figuring she should at least keep up appearances.

“I am Xiaoxi’s mother,” Hua Qianluo said with a smile, seizing the initiative.

“Oh? Is that so?” Miaoming replied with an equally pleasant smile. “What a coincidence. I am Xiaoxi’s girlfriend.”

“I’m sorry,” Qianluo countered, “our Xiaoxi is a girl. She doesn’t have girlfriends.”

“Hmm? I simply meant a friend who is a girl. It seems your way of thinking is in need of some correction.”

As she watched the two of them trade barbs, a giant question mark appeared over Xiaoxi’s head.

“Mama Qianluo, can we go inside first?” Xiaoxi asked. Though there weren’t many people around, a few passersby were starting to stare, and she was getting embarrassed.

“Fine, whatever,” Hua Qianluo said, pretending to be indifferent while keeping a sharp eye on Miaoming.

Xiaoxi was starting to get annoyed. She had finally brought a friend home, so why was Mama Qianluo acting so weird?

“Ignore her, Sister Long. Let’s go in.”

Xiaoxi grabbed Miaoming’s hand and pulled her into the shop. Miaoming acted like a well-behaved guest, but right before she entered, she didn’t forget to turn back and make a taunting face at Hua Qianluo.

It nearly made Hua Qianluo explode with rage. However, since Xiaoxi was right there, she couldn’t lash out. She could only swallow her anger.

Stupid Dragon… just you wait.