This was not the first time Chen Qingqing had lain on Xu Ye's bed.

His bed wasn't as soft as hers, but the pillow and the blanket both carried a faint clean smell of soap that she liked.

Xu Ye was watching her with a look of pure 'lechery' on his face. Chen Qingqing hurriedly dragged the blanket over herself and said in a small, nervous voice, "You're not allowed to get up to anything. Your parents will be back soon."

Xu Ye didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "If I were going to get up to anything, I'd have done it a long time ago. You think I could have held out this long? … Move over a bit and leave me some room."

Chen Qingqing said oh, shifted over, and left half the bed for him. Xu Ye pulled off his outer shirt, threw it on the clothes rack in the corner, and lay down beside her.

He looked like he was going to keep his hands to himself, so Chen Qingqing let her guard down. She straightened her legs, lay flat on her back, and was the one to start the conversation. "Your mom and dad really do get along."

"How do you figure?"

"When your mom was cooking, your dad was in the kitchen helping her chop. When your mom was doing the dishes, your dad was right there cleaning up alongside her… If it were my dad, he'd just stand there and watch."

Xu Ye laughed. "My mom does boss my dad around when they're at home, but in front of other people she always gives him plenty of face. Even in an argument, one of them gives in first. Your parents are different. Both of them are proud by nature. If they fall out over something, they each think they're the one in the right, and even when they know they're wrong they think the other one is more wrong, so neither of them will be the first to back down. What your mom said before about your dad owing her — that's…