"Hey, why did you just call me your boyfriend?" Li Zhao whispered to Zhou Xinyao, "I asked you to pretend in front of my mom, what does that have to do with these people?"
"Just practicing beforehand, better safe than sorry," Zhou Xinyao answered, "Although I don't know if you've been through this a lot, this is my first time playing the girlfriend role. If I don't practice and get into character beforehand, what if I mess up when it counts? I'm being responsible for you."
Li Zhao narrowed his eyes, "You're joking, right?"
"Of course not," Zhou Xinyao said, raising an eyebrow and taking the drink from his hands, then walked inside.
On the second-floor terrace, Karen and Xia Lu were leaning against the railing, watching the preparations below for the upcoming barbecue. It was cold out, and even with four outdoor heaters set up, she wondered how effective they would be. She pulled her fur coat tighter around her and sighed, "This isn't right..."
