“I don’t want to leave you.” Lin Aiyun shook her head.
“Then that settles it—no room for discussion.” Zhang Wenhua sighed, then softened her tone, afraid she’d hurt her daughter: “Aiyun, if you marry and go there alone, you’ll be in a strange place with no family, no friends—only him. You’d have to start everything from scratch. Can you really accept that?”
“So, before things get too serious between you two, end it now. Listen to your mother—I’d never steer you wrong.”
Lin Aiyun knew Zhang Wenhua was thinking of her from every angle, and everything she said made sense. But she and Xiao Cheng were bound by two lifetimes of fate. In her past life, they’d already lost so many years. Given this second chance, she didn’t want to let their relationship end like this.
She softened her voice and spoke slowly:
“Mother, I’m not a child anymore. I have my own boundaries. Before I make a decision, I think carefully about the consequences. The future is uncertain, but I won’t regret the choices I make today.”
“Xiao Cheng is a good man I can trust. He treats me well, always putting me first. I know that saying this without proof won’t convince you. So can you at least meet him first—get to know him—before you decide what kind of person he is?”
For a long moment, Zhang Wenhua didn’t reply. The atmosphere grew stiff.
“Sis, maybe you should hear Aiyun out and meet him first,” Zhang Wenyue stepped in as peacemaker, taking Zhang Wenhua’s hand. Zhang Wenhua started to say something, but seeing the red in Lin Aiyun’s eyes, she swallowed her words.
When Aiyun had wanted to be with Meng Baoguo, she’d opposed it because his family’s circumstances didn’t match up. Now that Aiyun wanted to be with this man named Xiao Cheng, she opposed it for a different reason—she couldn’t bear to see her daughter marry so far away, fearing she’d suffer.
Both were valid reasons to say no. But repeatedly rejecting her daughter’s choices would hurt her self-esteem and confidence. If it drove a wedge between them, it wouldn’t be worth it.
So she’d take a step back—meet him first, then find a way to make him back off. That way, she’d protect her relationship with Aiyun while achieving her goal. Two birds with one stone.
“We’ll meet him. But let me be clear—that doesn’t mean I’m agreeing to anything. It’s just a meeting.” Zhang Wenhua finally gave in, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe the tears from the corner of Lin Aiyun’s eyes. “There, stop crying. Your mother isn’t a monster.”
“Thank you, Mother.” Lin Aiyun leaned into her arms.
“Since we’re going to meet him, you’d better tell me properly how you two got together.” Zhang Wenhua believed in knowing your enemy, and for now, she set aside her prejudice against Xiao Cheng being an outsider. She began casually probing for details.
Lin Aiyun held nothing back, telling her everything she could.
“So you became his calligraphy teacher?” Zhang Wenhua felt faint. This foolish girl had probably been marked by that man without even realizing it! No wonder he’d paid so well to hire someone of only average skill to teach calligraphy—that was his real motive.
“Mm-hmm.” Lin Aiyun nodded and continued.
“He bought you a wardrobe full of clothes, jewelry, and gave you a box of pocket money—and you just accepted it?” Zhang Wenhua’s breathing quickened. She patted her daughter’s arm in agitation. Accepting all that so readily—wouldn’t he think she was just after his money? That would put her beneath him even before marriage!
“Exactly.” At first, she’d felt awkward taking things, but Xiao Cheng had insisted, telling her to accept graciously—that a man spending money on his woman was only natural.
And after her past life, she’d grown used to it, so it didn’t seem like a big deal.
Seeing Lin Aiyun’s blank expression, Zhang Wenhua paused, then quickly realized: this was likely normal between them. Neither of them thought it was a problem.
“This is Xiao Cheng treating Aiyun well,” Zhang Wenyue interjected at just the right moment. “Besides, he’s so wealthy—this is nothing. He even said his money would be Aiyun’s money, all under her control.”
“Can he really do that?” Zhang Wenhua murmured, clearly skeptical. Still, after hearing Lin Aiyun describe their time together, the scales in her heart shifted slightly.
Anything could be fabricated, but the look on her face and her mannerisms couldn’t be faked. Aiyun’s face and eyes were brimming with sweetness and happiness. When she got to the exciting parts, she’d even gesture animatedly.
That couldn’t help but make her mother smile too.
Besides, money could solve most of the world’s problems. Xiao Cheng’s circumstances were leagues beyond theirs. If he truly treated Aiyun that well, distance might no longer be an issue.
But the key question was: how good could his treatment be, and how long would it last?
Only time could tell.
For Zhang Wenhua, her initial desire to meet Xiao Cheng had been out of reluctance. Now, it was out of curiosity.
—
Time flew by. The appointed day arrived as scheduled.
Since this was the first meeting, it wouldn’t be appropriate for the whole family to show up. Besides, this was about Lin Aiyun’s immediate family, so Ding Weidong and his parents had tactfully excused themselves for work, and Ding Ronghao and Ding Rongchun—still in school—had left early too.
That left only Lin Aiyun, Zhang Wenhua, Zhang Wenyue, and Lin Wenkang at home.
“It’s almost time to go.” With limited space, they’d had to squeeze in these past two days—the women in one room, the men in another. Lin Aiyun stood at the bedroom door, speaking to Zhang Wenhua, who was adjusting her appearance before the mirror.
The meeting was originally supposed to be at home, but Zhang Wenhua flat-out refused. She argued that if Xiao Cheng came to the house, all the neighbors would see, and it would affect Lin Aiyun’s reputation. If things didn’t work out between them, it would be an obstacle to future matchmaking. She insisted on a restaurant instead—simple and straightforward.
Lin Aiyun wanted to argue that there was no way things wouldn’t work out, but knowing how hard it had been to get her mother to agree to meet in the first place, she held her tongue. She nodded and sent word to Xiao Cheng, who arranged a new location.
Xiao Cheng ultimately chose the most prestigious restaurant in all of Lanxi County—where the wealthy and powerful usually held their banquets. It was conveniently located nearby, making it the perfect choice.
Zhang Wenhua was satisfied with this. It showed that he’d put thought into it, considering every detail.
“Mm.” Zhang Wenhua nodded, letting her gaze sweep over Lin Aiyun. Today, her daughter wore a pale blue dress, a delicate lotus embroidered at the collar. Her hair was pinned up, giving her an elegant, refined look—every inch a lady.
Truly her daughter.
Then she turned and saw Lin Wenkang standing nearby, and her expression immediately soured: “Go wash your face again. What a mess.”
Lin Wenkang pouted in protest. This man was about to take his sister far away, and he was expected to smile about it?
“Hurry up! And fix your hair too.” Zhang Wenhua urged again. Reluctantly, Lin Wenkang grunted an “oh” and shuffled into the bathroom, wetting the comb and smoothing down the tufts sticking up on his head.
Satisfied, Zhang Wenhua’s expression softened. This meeting wasn’t what she wanted, but since they were going, they wouldn’t embarrass Aiyun.
“Let’s go.” Zhang Wenyue was ready too, and the four of them left one by one.
The restaurant was a three-story building in the most popular European style of the era—grand and imposing. They’d timed it to miss the dinner rush, so it wasn’t too crowded.
It was the first time Zhang Wenhua and the others had been to a place like this, and their eyes were full of wonder. But they maintained their composure, not gawking.
Just then, Zhang Wenhua noticed two tall, striking men walking out from the lobby. Both were dressed in shirts and trousers, with long limbs and exceptionally handsome features.
But the one in front was the real standout—his facial features were sharp and handsome, his lips pressed into a faint smile, his gaze gentle, yet a subtle, indefinable pressure radiated from him. It was the bearing of someone long accustomed to being in power.
As Zhang Wenhua discreetly sized him up, he spoke first. At the same time, Lin Aiyun, who had been standing beside her, stepped forward to meet him.
“Aiyun.”
“Xiao Cheng.”
No need to guess. This was her daughter’s boyfriend.
Zhang Wenyue’s description of “tall and handsome” now had a concrete image—if anything, it was an understatement. He was the kind of man whose looks only grew more captivating the longer you looked. No wonder Aiyun was willing to marry far away for him. Now, she could almost understand.
Her gaze shifted to the two of them standing together. Reluctant as she was to admit it, they made a perfect match—a handsome man and a beautiful woman, a heavenly pairing.
“Auntie, Auntie, little brother—nice to meet you all. My name is Xiao Cheng, Aiyun’s boyfriend.” Xiao Cheng’s eyes curved warmly as he stepped forward and greeted them with perfect ease.
Zhang Wenhua had expected him to be nervous, given his age. But he was poised and composed, speaking flawlessly. She naturally wouldn’t embarrass him at a time like this. She took his outstretched hand and replied: “Hello.”
“I’ve reserved a private room on the third floor. Let’s head up and talk.” Xiao Cheng withdrew his hand at the right moment, then gestured for them to go first, following behind them.
Lin Aiyun kept glancing back, unable to stop herself from looking at him. He couldn’t help looking at her either—until Zhang Wenhua pinched the soft flesh of her arm, snapping her out of it.
The restaurant was clean, elegant, and quiet.
They went up the stairs to the private room. Xiao Cheng invited the two elders to take the seats of honor, then moved to sit beside Lin Aiyun—but before his backside could touch the chair, Lin Wenkang had already taken the spot.
Facing the hostile glare of his future brother-in-law, Xiao Cheng wisely decided not to provoke him. He paused for two seconds, then sat down next to him instead.
“See what you’d like to eat—this page has their house specialties.” Xiao Cheng handed over a booklet filled with dish names, a dizzying array. But he’d clearly done his homework, introducing them with impressive familiarity.
Lin Aiyun shot him a surprised glance, warmth flooding her heart. She hadn’t expected that he’d go to such lengths for her.
Leave a Reply