Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Well, well, well…

He must be an enemy, right?

Xiang Wan wished the ground could swallow her up.

She waved her phone at him in which the call was still connected, and whispered, “Didn’t I tell you not to come back home…”

“You’re too slow!”

Bai Muchuan twirled the keys around his finger dashingly as he walked slowly over to Xiang Wan. But the smile on his face was gone when he saw the pleading look on her face.

“Okay, okay, okay!” He sighed helplessly, lifting his hands as though surrendering to her and began to walk backwards. “I’ll leave, alright?”

“…” Xiang Wan felt her heart clasped.

He took a glance at her. “I’m already worn out for the whole day. I was thinking of taking a rest…”

As Bai Muchuan added that sentence, Xiang Wan instantly felt that she was evil.

In order to solve the case, he had not rested properly for several days straight. It was not easy for him to come back for a rest, and she actually wanted to chase him away…

After putting herself in his shoes, Xiang Wan started to hesitate.

“Sigh! All because I have to be kept in the dark…” Bai Muchuan sighed as he turned away slowly, leaving her a desolate back view…

She had to admit that he was too good-looking that even his figure was the standard figure that frequently appeared in idol dramas: long legs, broad shoulders, slender figure, upright posture, plus that natural brooding look—he could totally be an “aunty-killer”…

Tan Yunchun was standing at the entrance of the kitchen and witnessed the scene of him looking despondently and giving in to Xiang Wan’s demands.

“Wait!” She wiped her hands using the apron and chased after him as though she had seen something very rare. Her eyes were especially bright as she looked at Bai Muchuan. “Please excuse me… Are you my Little Wan’s boyfriend?”

Xiang Wan: “…”

Mom! You’re too direct!

The moment Xiang Wan saw her mom’s “delighted” expression, she could already guarantee that as long as Bai Muchuan admitted to it, mom would immediately pack her up like a present and deliver it to him.

Mom would not only deliver her, she would also add in dinner and eggs…

Xiang Wan blinked and squeezed her eyes at Bai Muchuan frantically. Bai Muchuan studied her carefully and put his hands up innocently again. That meant that he was unable to pick up her “signal”. Next, he looked at Tan Yunchun in a dilemma.

“Aunty… she doesn’t want me to say it.”

Tan Yunchun gave Xiang Wan a glare. “Say it! Aunty will help you.”

Xiang Wan: “…”

Did anyone find this dialogue strange?

Why did she feel like an evil witch bullying a pure, innocent boy?

“Mom!” Xiang Wan’s eyebrows furrowed, and the pounding of her heart was as loud as thunder. It was not as though she was the one meeting his parents, yet she was even more nervous than Bai Muchuan. “He’s actually…”

“Yes, I’m her boyfriend!” Bai Muchuan interrupted Xiang Wan and admitted their relationship to her mom seriously. His eyes looked at Tan Yunchun, together with an elegant, half-smile. “Aunty, as this is too sudden, I did not prepare a present for you in our first meeting. I’ll give it to you the next time…”

This meeting had just started, and he had already fixed that they were going to meet the next time.

Xiang Wan’s dumbfounded expression was in contrast to her mom’s elated expression who had a huge smile on her face.

“Sure, sure! We’re family, don’t need to be so polite.”

In this world, there were too many people who loved beautiful things… They were naturally born with it, which was tough to cure.

Although Bai Muchuan looked a little worn-out that night, he still looked very charming.

Whether it was a young woman like Xiang Wan or a middle-aged woman like Tan Yunchun, they could not escape that lethal, alluring smile of his.

When his eyes curved, his sharp gaze was gone, and he would have a more honest look, totally a looker that could sweep middle-aged women off their feet.

“Thank you, Aunty!””

With such a young man before her, Tan Yunchun was actually nervous as she wiped her hands on the apron again and stretched out her hand to Bai Muchuan.

Bai Muchuan shook hands with her, using moderate strength and showing a polite smile.

Tan Yunchun was very satisfied with his behavior. “What’s your name?”

“Aunty, my name is Bai Muchuan,” and he added, “you can call me Little Bai.”

He was from the prestigious Bai Family in the capital after all. He knew exactly how to behave to give the best first impression. In a few minutes of dealing with him, he had successfully pleased his future mother-in-law and put her on his side.

Seeing how good they were getting along, Xiang Wan, who was being neglected, actually felt a little relieved.

It was lucky that Bai Muchuan had met her mom first and not her Youngest Aunt. Otherwise, he would definitely suffer in the hands of her Youngest Aunt as she would make him give a clear account of his 18 generations of ancestors…

“Little Bai, where are you from? Your accent tells me you’re not from Jin City.”

“I’m from the Capital, Aunty.”

“Oh, Capital. The Capital’s a good place, just that it’s kinda far… Do your parents support the idea of you looking for a partner here?”

“I make my own decisions.”

“I see, that’s good as well. Umm… I want to ask you what you’re working as now?”

When Xiang Wan heard that, she felt her brain hum for a moment.

It seemed like she had belittled her own mom’s capability to dig information. Her capability did not lose to her Youngest Aunt.

“Mom!” Xiang Wan cleared her throat and interrupted before Bai Muchuan answered that question. She kept blinking at her mom. “Aren’t you cooking something in the pot? I think it’s going to get burnt.”

“Oh right! You hurry up and help me check it…” Tan Yunchun immediately ordered her daughter.

Xiang Wan: “…”

At this point, nothing mattered more than “interrogating” her future son-in-law.

Tan Yunchun continued the earlier topic. “Little Bai, where are you working?”

Xiang Wan took a glance at Bai Muchuan and gestured for him not to answer every question truthfully.

However, Bai Muchuan did not seem to understand Xiang Wan’s reminder. After Tan Yunchun asked him about his occupation again, he answered truthfully, “I’m colleagues with Wanwan. I’m a detective with the Criminal Investigative Unit at Hongjiang District!”

“Detective?” Tan Yunchun seemed a little taken aback.

She took a look at Xiang Wan and then back to Bai Muchuan and suddenly realized something.

“Is it because of you that my Wanwan could get a job at the Criminal Investigation Unit?”

Eh? Bai Muchuan narrowed his eyes and gave a smile. “You can say that, too.”

Tan Yunchun nodded her head and remained silent for a while. She did not feel as enthusiastic to continue asking anymore.

“Eh, is my cooking in the pot burnt?” She got up fast and looked at Bai Muchuan with a smile. “Little Bai, I’ll go to the kitchen for a look…”

“Alright, Aunty.” Bai Muchuan saw her going into the kitchen and did not think too much of it. He got up from the sofa and walked toward the room which Xiang Wan had told her mom that it belonged to the “landlord”.

“…”

Xiang Wan had a bitter expression, wishing she could get swallowed up by the ground that moment.

Her lie was exposed directly in her face. From the expression on her mom’s face, she was as though walking the old path of Fang Yuanyuan—her boyfriend’s occupation was being frowned upon.

Tan Yunchun entered the kitchen. In just a moment, she poked out her head to call for Xiang Wan.

“Wanwan, come and help out mom for a while.”

“Oh, coming.”

Xiang Wan knew her mom must have something private to talk to her. She heaved a sigh inside her head, walked slowly to the kitchen, closed the kitchen door, and leaned against the door with her back. “You can tell me now, what do you want to ask?”

Tan Yunchun had one hand holding the spatula and had a worried expression as she stared at her. “Why is he also a detective?” she asked softly.

“…” Xiang Wan rolled her eyes. “What’s wrong with being a detective?”

“Have you forgotten Yuanyuan’s ex-boyfriend by the name of what Huang?” Tan Yunchun gave her daughter another glare and made the gesture of using the spatula as though knocking on Xiang Wan’s head. “You silly lass, what is your brain thinking about?”

Xiang Wan shrunk her neck but stared at her mom as if not admitting defeat. “What’s the problem with liking a detective?”

“Your Youngest Aunt has already said that this occupation has a very high risk factor.” Tan Yunchun was agitated with Xiang Wan’s behavior. “Detectives won’t have much time for their family, and their workload is heavy. He won’t have time to take care of you and can’t help you in your housework. If you marry a detective, you’re no different from being a widow…”

Xiang Wan was speechless.

Since when was being a detective despised upon to such a level?

Xiang Wan and her mom had different views. and there was no point arguing over it. Therefore, she chose to divert the topic of occupation and said something else.

“But… Mom, don’t you think that he’s really good-looking?”

Tan Yunchun was startled for a moment, shot Xiang Wan an unfriendly gaze, but couldn’t resist laughing over her remark. “That young man is indeed very pleasant looking. He seemed to have a good character, too. It’s a pity that he’s a detective…”

“What’s the problem with detectives?” Xiang Wan had come into contact with the detectives and couldn’t bear to hear them being criticized. “What’s more…” Her tone was higher than usual. “Isn’t Cheng Zheng also considered to be a detective? But Youngest Aunt never said anything?”

“That’s not the same. He’s specialized in his area of expertise and works in the office.”

“…”

Her mom actually knew all about these.

It seemed like Youngest Aunt really liked Cheng Zheng and pinned a lot of hopes on him.

Xiang Wan pouted—she saw the hesitation on her mom’s expression and knew she was actually satisfied with Bai Muchuan but found it hard to tell Youngest Aunt about it.

Sigh!

She was helpless to have a mom like this, too.

Use strong medicine when it was a serious illness! Since she had already seen that Bai Muchuan went inside that room, Xiang Wan decided to give it her all and grabbed her mom’s hands.

“Mom, you need to agree or your daughter can’t live on anymore…”

Tan Yunchun was stunned and shoved Xiang Wan’s hands away. “Don’t give me that! Don’t think I don’t know you well, what’s so serious about this?”

“It’s very serious. Didn’t you see that we’ve already…” Xiang Wan bit her lower lip and said the rest of the words with determination, “already cohabiting with each other?”

Tan Yunchun furrowed her eyebrows and stared at Xiang Wan.

Youngsters nowadays fell in and out of love like the wind.

Hence, when she saw Bai Muchuan entering the room, Tan Yunchun already had that notion in her head, just waiting for her daughter to affirm it.

“You youngsters, you may be together today, but you may part your ways tomorrow. Ain’t this normal nowadays? Look at Yuanyuan, she has a few ex-boyfriends too…”

“I’m different from her.” Xiang Wan’s lips curved downward at the corners, looking all pitiful. “Mom, this is my first love, the first man in my life. I don’t want to give up… I beg of you!”

“Hmph!” Tan Yunchun tried to remove Xiang Wan’s hands as she tried to hold her mom’s hands again. Tan Yunchun turned to fry the vegetables. “Why are you begging me? Aren’t you someone who always know what to do and would never lower your head?”

“…”

Xiang Wan did not get angry with her mom’s sarcasm, but instead she let out a happy cry.

“Oh my! My mom really knows me best—I love you, Mom!”

She gave her mom a hug from behind and kissed her on the cheek.

Tan Yunchun was unsure whether to laugh or to cry. She stared at her daughter. “I haven’t fully agreed, but you already got carried away… I need to warn you if your Youngest Aunt asks you about it, you better answer her carefully.”

“I know! I know you’re the open-minded and greatest mom of all!”

…

This was totally like a huge improvement of the times.

What could be happier than having her boyfriend getting “approved” by her dearest mom?

Xiang Wan’s happiness was shown on the face as well as her behavior. She helped to put the dishes on the dining table, helped her mom at one moment, and chatted with Bai Muchuan the next. That thrilled look of hers was totally like she was an 18-year-old who had fallen in love for the first time.

…

Fang Yuanyuan returned when dinner was about to be ready.

She couldn’t believe her eyes at the sight she saw when she opened the door.

After finishing changing her clothes, she dragged Xiang Wan into her room.

“Sis, you arranged for Detective Bai to meet your mom?”

“No!” Xiang Wan pursed her lips into a smile. “It’s just a coincidence.”

“Oh heavens! You’re great, Sis.” Fang Yuanyuan gave Xiang Wan a thumbs-up and could not resist laughing. “You know something? You’re so happy that you’re behaving like a silly woman!”

“Geez!” Xiang Wan changed topic. “Come out for dinner.”

Watching Xiang Wan’s blissful look, Fang Yuanyuan shrugged her shoulders and felt a little melancholic inside.

This was because she got reminded of Huang He.

That Huang He who had entered the detention center once again.

She sat alone inside her room for two minutes, trying to soothe and calm herself down before going out with a smile.

…

In the dining room, a wide variety of dishes filled the table.

Although Tan Yunchun did not have any other skills, she was skilful in housework and cooking. Her food was always well-received by the family, and she even put in effort to make them look good. Even if the dishes were to be served in a banquet, no one would know they were actually home cooked food. Hence, if Youngest Aunt invited guests home for dinner, she would usually get Tan Yunchun to cook.

As she met her future son-in-law today, she put in more effort in her cooking, and the dishes looked even more exquisite than usual.

The moment Bai Muchuan ate the food, he started to give his praises.

“Aunty, your food’s really nice! I feel that the chef in a Michelin restaurant should be around your level.”

Tan Yunchun did not know what he meant by Michelin, but from the way he put it, she knew it must be something prestigious. “I’m just glad you like the food,” she shook her head and said humbly, “I just made them casually, how can I compete with the chefs?”

“Aunty, you’re too modest! You’re already at the chef’s level when you make the food casually. If you’re serious, how are those chefs going to survive?”

“This child sure knows how to talk.” Tan Yunchun laughed.

Anything could fail but not flattery.

In just a dinner’s time, Tan Yunchun was “enchanted” by Bai Muchuan. She was so glad that she couldn’t stop smiling. All her worry and unease earlier were gone with the wind…

Bai Muchuan had, as though, deprived Xiang Wan of her existence completely.

Of course, Tan Yunchun did not forget to continue to pry into his background.

In front of his future mother-in-law, Bai Muchuan’s performance could be said to be very outstanding. He was gentle and polite, talked well and answered the questions confidently, totally behaving like an elite of the society. His mannerisms were also elegant and appropriate.

However, when it came to questions about his family, he was especially cautious.

Every question had been answered seriously, but after careful consideration, his personal background was still vague and almost blank.

About his family—an ordinary family in the capital.

About his parent—ordinary worker in a state organisation.

About his income—able to survive, average.

About housing property—two fully-paid up houses.

About cars—owned a car.

Due to his overly gentle and humble replies, Xiang Wan had actually wanted to remind him a couple of times.

Sometimes, one should brag in front of the elders! Why did he want to “deduct” his own marks?

Xiang Wan did not understand Bai Muchuan.

Nevertheless, Tan Yunchun did not feel disappointed at his replies. This was because Bai Muchuan had a car as well as two houses plus a stable job. At his age, that was already considered not bad.

She had nothing to nitpick on… What she was worried about was only Xiang Wan’s Youngest Aunt who might not be satisfied with his background.

The people Youngest Aunt came into contact with were different from them. The people she usually liaised with were people from the upper-echelons of the society.

Youngest Aunt had been instilling Xiang Wan’s mom a thought—that with Xiang Wan’s good looks and good temper, she should pick a husband who could elevate her social status.

When Youngest Aunt chose Cheng Zheng to be Xiang Wan’s blind date, it was because he had a wealthy family.

As for exactly how wealthy the Cheng Family was, Tan Yunchun did not know about that. Nevertheless, she was sure that Cheng Zheng’s family was several hundred times wealthier than this young fellow by the surname Bai?

When she compared it this way, what competitive advantage did he have before Xiang Wan’s Youngest Aunt?

…