SFTD -Chapter 215 Can You Really Hold Back?

The three of them didn’t go far. They settled into a western restaurant across from Southeast University.

As the food was served, the calmness on Lu Zhengfei’s face from earlier at the school disappeared, replaced by a more scrutinizing look.

“I heard from Lu Xi that you two are living together?”

“Dad, that’s too much!”

The sudden question startled Zhou Hai so badly that he nearly swallowed a chunk of steak whole without chewing. He hurriedly took a gulp of lemon water and coughed several times before recovering.

Seeing the two of them staring at him, Zhou Hai straightened his expression.

After all, he was planning to marry their daughter. Being picky and testing him was only natural. Questions this direct were probably just meant to gauge his composure and tolerance. If he were a father himself, he might do the same—or perhaps even worse, maybe tie the guy up and interrogate him thoroughly.

“To be precise, Lu Xi moved into my house. At first, it was to tutor Luoluo. Later, we fell for each other and officially started dating. But I believe the most beautiful moments should be saved for marriage. That’s what would make it perfect.”

Lu Zhengfei slapped away the slender hand tugging at his sleeve and rather impolitely glanced below Zhou Hai’s waist.

“At such a hot-blooded age, you can really hold back? You don’t have some kind of problem, do you?”

With a clang, Lu Xi slammed down her knife and fork and prepared to leave. Zhou Hai raised an eyebrow at her in confusion, but Lu Zhengfei instantly changed his expression and quickly grabbed her wrist.

“Sit down, sit down. Why are you in such a hurry? I’m only worried that you just returned to the country and might choose the wrong person before understanding the situation clearly. If that happened, you’d regret it for the rest of your life. As the saying goes, men fear choosing the wrong profession, women fear marrying the wrong man. The old saying exists for a reason.”

Lu Xi shot him a glare, shook off his grip, and carried her plate over to sit beside Zhou Hai.

“When my sister got married, I never saw you all this concerned! Why does everything become so complicated when it comes to me? It was like this when I went abroad, and now it’s the same after I came back. When I didn’t have a boyfriend, you were anxious. Now that I do have one, you’re interrogating his family history for three generations. So do you actually want me to get married or not?”

Lu Zhengfei glared back at his daughter.

“You brat, watch your attitude. Is that how you speak to your father? Your sister is your sister, and you are you. Fine, I’ll tone it down a little.”

Lu Xi stared at him for a moment.

“That’s more like it.”

Lu Zhengfei adjusted his collar and looked awkwardly at Zhou Hai, his gaze resembling someone who had just had their treasured possession stolen.

“I don’t really have any objections toward you. I was just shocked when I heard the news, so I rushed back to the southeast to see who had stolen my precious daughter away. Besides, Lu Xi told me about your parents. They passed away in a car accident many years ago. And Lu Xi is our youngest daughter. While your mother and I are still not too old, we can still help you two out. So tell me, when are you planning to get married?”

Lu Xi was about to stand up and stop her father’s questioning, but Zhou Hai pulled her back down. He smiled gently at her, intertwined their fingers, and looked directly into her eyes.

“I actually wanted to propose to Lu Xi a long time ago. But I wanted to wait until you and Auntie returned to properly examine me first before preparing for the wedding. After all, there are no elders left in my family. I don’t really understand how these things should be arranged, so I still need to seek your advice. As long as you allow me to marry Lu Xi, I’m willing to do anything. Whatever requests you have, please say them openly. As long as it’s within my ability, I’ll give it everything I have.”

Tears streamed down Lu Xi’s cheeks.

Such simple and unadorned words surpassed thousands upon thousands of love confessions. Tightening her arms, she threw herself into Zhou Hai’s embrace.

“You fool, why are you so foolish? I don’t need any material things. As long as you treat me well, that’s enough.”

Zhou Hai patted her back.

“You’re the foolish one. Sit properly and don’t be rude to your father. He just loves you too much and is afraid you’ll choose the wrong person. He wants the rest of your life to be happy, understand?”

Lu Xi buried her head against Zhou Hai’s neck and gave a soft hum.

“I know. I just don’t want anyone making things difficult for you. It hurts me to see it.”

Zhou Hai rubbed the top of her head. Seeing Lu Xi like this, what else could he say? All he could do was love her well and give her everything he had.

“Silly girl.”

Lu Zhengfei cleared his throat.

“Pay attention, I’m still sitting right here. The house you’re planning to marry in—is it the one you’re currently living in?”

“Yes. There’s also an older house on the east side of the university that I’ve entrusted to an agency for rental. Rent is transferred regularly every year. The place I’m living in now was renovated last year. As for whether it needs redecorating for the wedding and how it should be arranged, I’ll listen to Lu Xi.”

“And what about your younger sister? After you get married, is she going to keep living with the two of you?”

Lu Xi lifted her teary eyes to look at Lu Zhengfei. Instantly, he swallowed back all the remaining questions he wanted to ask and sighed.

“Fine, fine. I won’t ask anymore. If you’re willing to live together, then live together. As long as you’re happy. Since you’ve already decided to be together, your mother and I don’t have any objections. Then hurry up and pick a date. Don’t keep living together without proper status. The Lu family doesn’t do things that way. Zhou Hai, do you have any thoughts about the wedding date?”

Zhou Hai shook his head.

“Neither of us understands these matters. You and Auntie can decide. If you ask me, I’d marry her tomorrow. But we still need to prepare properly. I want to give Lu Xi a beautiful and dreamlike wedding.”

Lu Zhengfei was quite satisfied with that answer.

Before returning, he had already asked Principal Liu and Professor Nan about Zhou Hai. Whether it was his character or career, he considered Zhou Hai nearly flawless.

A child who had lost both parents was pitiful in its own way. His daughter’s judgment in men seemed fairly good. Yet after personally seeing Zhou Hai holding his daughter, he suddenly felt a sour ache in his heart.

He raised his wrist to check the time.

“I’ll head off first. I still have a meeting with your dean later. Come home for dinner this weekend, and let’s settle the wedding date.”

“Alright. Take care.”

With that, Lu Zhengfei stood and left. Zhou Hai and Lu Xi escorted him to the entrance.

Seeing Lu Xi clinging to Zhou Hai’s arm, Lu Zhengfei wrinkled his nose.

“How about coming home tonight? You can’t let this brat Zhou Hai monopolize you all the time, can you?”

Lu Xi puffed up her cheeks.

“If I go home, what about Luoluo’s lessons? She’s only been back in school for a month. Her Chinese is limited to speaking, and she’s only just started learning characters. If we stop for several days, her grades will definitely suffer.”

Lu Zhengfei frowned slightly.

“With Chinese at that level, how is she even studying? Wait, that’s not right. Principal Liu told me Zhou Luoluo’s grades were excellent and that she even skipped a grade. How can her Chinese be so poor?”

Lu Xi briefly explained the situation.

When he heard that a girl raised in America had reached this level in only three months, Lu Zhengfei lost his composure.

“Wait! You mean Zhou Luoluo couldn’t speak Chinese at all when she returned to the country? All her spoken Chinese and character recognition were learned during these past few months?”

Lu Xi nodded.

“Shocking, right? Encountering a child like that makes me want to teach her.”

Lu Zhengfei curled his lips again.

“With your Chinese proficiency? Forget it. Don’t mislead the child. Bring the girl home tonight. Your mother and I will help tutor her. No matter what, we’re still doctoral advisors. Our Chinese abilities are definitely better than yours.”

Lu Xi’s eyes lit up.

She naturally understood her parents’ capabilities. Besides, after spending so many years abroad, even her own memories of classical poetry had become fuzzy. And if her parents came to like Luoluo, then the whole family would blend together even better in the future.

Still, Lu Xi curled her lips and asked: “Sounds good, but do you actually have the time?”

Lu Zhengfei lifted his chin proudly.

“Of course I do. It’s settled then.”

But at that moment, Lu Xi suddenly felt her wrist tighten. Zhou Hai looked at her with a deeply aggrieved expression.

“So in the end… I’m the only one being abandoned?”