Final Extra Chapter:

Ares answered crisply, as if he had been looking forward to this for a long time.

His reaction made Lu Xiao laugh. "Aren’t you even going to ask why I’m inviting you to dinner?"

Ares: "No need to ask. I’m willing to do anything your father asks of me."

Lu Xiao’s lips curled into a smile. She had been with Ares for some time now, and during that time, they were in sync no matter what they did. Being with him made Lu Xiao feel relaxed and at ease. Moreover, as they spent more time together, Lu Xiao found herself genuinely falling more and more for Ares.

Every time she thought of Ares, a sweet warmth spread through her heart.

"Alright, I’ll come find you tomorrow, and then we’ll go home together. My dad will probably be home a little late, so there’s no rush."

"So what does your father like? I should prepare a gift."

"Just bring a bottle of liquor, then. He’ll definitely want to have a drink with you."

Lu Xiao didn’t hide anything. Kelan definitely wanted to see how Ares handled his liquor. Her dad often said that if a man could maintain his self-control after drinking, it meant his character couldn’t be too bad.

A person’s willpower is at its weakest when they’re drunk. If they can still control their actions even then, they must be a decent person.

The most fundamental difference between humans and animals is that humans can control themselves.

So when Kelan said he wanted to invite Ares over for dinner, Lu Xiao knew exactly what her old man was up to.

And she had complete confidence in Ares.

The next morning, Lu Xiao got dressed up and headed out. Ares was already waiting for her at their usual meeting spot.

When she arrived, Ares was already waiting for her with breakfast he had bought.

Lu Xiao walked over. "When did you get here? I thought we agreed to meet up and then get food together."

"I was worried you’d be hungry. Go ahead and eat."

"Have you eaten?"

"Mhm, I’ve already eaten," Ares said softly, also remembering to twist open her water bottle for her.

After breakfast, Lu Xiao and Ares went straight to the mall. They bought liquor and some tea for Kelan.

Afterward, the two of them watched a movie. It was around 6:00 p.m. when Lu Xiao finally brought Ares home.

When they got home, Kelan had already beaten them there.

The housekeeper had already finished cooking dinner.

Seeing Ares, Kelan said with a smile, "You’re here. Go wash up, let’s eat."

Lu Xiao placed the liquor and tea Ares had bought on the table. "Dad, this is from Ares for you."

"No need to be so polite when you’re just coming over for dinner. I’ll accept it this time, but don’t bring anything next time, alright?"

"It’s my pleasure, sir," Ares said. He looked a bit stiff, but he was still polite.

Kelan’s first impression of him was quite good.

"Have a seat. I hear your grades are excellent. What do you plan to do after graduation?"

"After graduation, I’ll likely join the military, in the information management department."

"You already have it all planned out?"

"Yes, Xiao Xiao and I have discussed it."

Kelan glanced at Lu Xiao and nodded. "Joining the military is a good choice. That’s great. Let’s eat. I wasn’t sure what you like, so we just made a few random things. I hope you don’t mind!"

"This is wonderful, sir."

"Good. Do you drink? Care for a little?"

"Yes, sir."

While Kelan and Ares were drinking, Lu Xiao quietly focused on her own food, not paying the two of them any mind.

By the time she finished eating, Ares had already drunk nearly half the bottle with Kelan, and his face was slightly flushed.

Seeing this, Lu Xiao said, "That’s about enough, don’t you think? You two should drink a little less."

Kelan had a high tolerance for alcohol, which was why he dared to drink with Ares in the first place.

As they drank, he discovered that Ares could also hold his liquor well. Moreover, Ares was a courteous drinker. He didn’t talk much, drank when asked, and did whatever was requested of him. He listened to Kelan’s old stories without getting bored.

Kelan felt that Ares was a truly fine young man.

Finally, Lu Xiao couldn’t stand it anymore and firmly put an end to the dinner. The housekeeper helped a tipsy Kelan to the sofa, who was still muttering, "We’ll drink again next time! Drinking with you is a blast!"

Lu Xiao went to the kitchen and made honey water for both of them.

When she handed it to Ares, the man just stared at her eagerly, remaining silent and well-behaved.

Lu Xiao’s heart instantly softened. She reached out and pinched Ares’s cheek. "Drink this. You’ll feel better."

But Ares didn’t take the cup. Instead, he leaned in and drank all the honey water straight from the cup in her hand.

Then he blinked at Lu Xiao, as if to say, ’Aren’t I a good boy?’

If she couldn’t tell Ares was drunk after that, she’d have to be blind.

Lu Xiao found the car keys. "Dad, I’m taking Ares home. You should get some sleep."

Kelan, lying on the sofa, grunted in acknowledgment. "Tell him to come over often!"

’Come over often to drink with you, right?!’

Lu Xiao helped Ares into the car. The moment she closed the door, Ares wrapped his arms around her, burying his head in the crook of her neck and nuzzling against her.

"Xiao Xiao, was your father satisfied with me?"

"Mhm, he couldn’t have been more satisfied!"

"Mhm, that’s good. I was so afraid I’d embarrass you, Xiao Xiao!" Only now did Ares seem to finally relax. After saying this while hugging Lu Xiao, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

Lu Xiao didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She gently laid him down on the back seat, then drove to Ares’s apartment.

However, she didn’t go upstairs right away. Instead, she waited for Ares to wake up.

She took the opportunity to go to a pharmacy and buy some hangover medicine. She fed one pill to Ares so that his head wouldn’t hurt too much when he woke up the next morning.

She wasn’t sure how long had passed before Ares woke up. He saw Lu Xiao was still there and instinctively glanced at the time. "Xiao Xiao, it’s so late. Why didn’t you wake me?"

"I couldn’t bear to. Does your head hurt?" Lu Xiao asked, running her fingers through his hair as she looked at him.

"It doesn’t hurt. I’m fine, don’t worry. You should have woken me up. Are you cold? Let’s go upstairs." Worried that Lu Xiao might be cold, Ares reached out and took her hand to feel its temperature.

"I’m not cold. Let’s go." Lu Xiao opened the car door, and they got out together and went up to his apartment.

The moment they got inside and closed the door, Ares suddenly hugged Lu Xiao from behind. Resting his chin on her shoulder, he whispered, "Xiao Xiao, let’s get married after graduation, okay?"

Lu Xiao turned her head to look at him. Even though the room was dark, she could see the seriousness in his eyes. "Have you really thought this through?"

"I’ve been thinking about it since the first day we got together."

Lu Xiao feigned surprise. "Ha, so you’ve been planning this for that long?"

"Mhm, I always have. I want to build a little home with you, Xiao Xiao. The desire to spend the rest of my life with you has been incredibly strong from the very beginning."

It was as if this was a promise they had made long before this sequel ever began, one that was finally being fulfilled in this time and space.

Loving her was like an instinct carved into his very bones, something he could never forget.

(End of Book)