Chapter 37

Zhen Bao had been studying for half a year, and Master Fu had raised a black shellfish, saying he was going to give it to Hei Dan as a wife.

The old master had good intentions, but Zhen Bao found an excuse to keep Hei Dan at Fu Ming Shi's villa, afraid that Old Master Fu would be angry when he found out Hei Dan was gone.

The black shellfish was nearly a year old, very big, and could reach Zhen Bao's waist when standing on its two front legs. Compared to the mischievous Hei Dan, the black shellfish was much tamer, and loved to lie in the yard basking in the sun. But when the owners came to play with it, the black shellfish would be very cooperative, especially clever.

With a dog in the house, Zhen Bao soon developed the habit of accompanying the old master Fu to walk the dog in the park every day. On four consecutive days they encountered the mixed-race beauty Xiao Ya and the golden retriever Bucky. On the fifth day, the person who brought Bucky was Cheng Yi instead.

On their third meeting, Cheng Yi finally formally introduced himself to Zhen Bao. Learning that Cheng Yi was pursuing a master's degree in veterinary medicine in the United States, Zhen Bao added Cheng Yi on WeChat with pleasant surprise. Occasionally they would chat about professional topics. Old Master Fu knew that Zhen Bao only saw Cheng Yi as a peer, and did not hint for Zhen Bao to be aware. Until this day in the park, Xiao Ya enthusiastically invited Zhen Bao to attend the New Year's party she was hosting.

Zhen Bao had rarely attended gatherings in China, let alone foreign ones, and was afraid of embarrassing herself, so she politely declined Xiao Ya’s invitation several times. Xiao Ya had already noticed that Cheng Yi liked Zhen Bao, and of course tried every trick to persuade Zhen Bao. Zhen Bao couldn’t resist her friend's enthusiasm, and had to agree to consider it first.

"What's going on?" Sitting on a park bench, Old Master Fu asked with a smile as Zhen Bao walked over.

Zhen Bao said helplessly, "Xiao Ya is hosting a New Year's party this weekend and asked me to go play."

Old Master Fu said, "That's great, young people should get together with friends more often. Why doesn't Feng Bao want to go?"

Zhen Bao lowered her head and said shyly, "I've never attended one before..."

Old Master Fu understood, and pretended to look at his phone calendar, counting the days and saying, "It’s alright, Ming Shi should be back by then. He can go with you."

Hearing this, Zhen Bao was overjoyed.

The daughter-in-law showed no signs of tiring of her grandson, so Old Master Fu felt even more at ease. Later when Zhen Bao asked Xiao Ya if she could bring a friend, Old Master Fu sent a message to his grandson with a photo he secretly took attached.

Fu Ming Shi opened the message and once again saw Cheng Yi's young and handsome face. He stared at the photo for tens of seconds before slowly leaning back in his chair, his dark eyes fixed on the silly smile of his fiancée in the photo. Having just gotten rid of Meng Jinning, now came a fellow overseas student. Did Zhen Bao have too much peach blossom luck?

~

Xiao Ya's New Year's party was set for the 28th day of the lunar December. Fu Ming Shi arrived in the evening of the 27th. Stepping out of the airport, he immediately recognized Zhen Bao among the crowd waiting to pick people up. She was wearing a white coat with black pants, and sneakers on her feet, looking both obedient and cute.

Fu Ming Shi really didn’t expect her to come pick him up.

At the same time, Zhen Bao also saw him. Dressed in a black suit, Fu Ming Shi looked even more handsome than a week ago.

She smiled shyly.

"You came by yourself?" Fu Ming Shi held her hand and looked down at her.

"No, Uncle Li drove me here," Zhen Bao turned her head, only to see the butler Uncle Li had almost walked out of the arrival hall. He was clearly standing right next to her just now.

She looked surprised. Fu Ming Shi laughed, "Let's go, get in the car first."

Zhen Bao nodded.

Once in the car, Uncle Li drove while the two of them sat in the back. Zhen Bao tried her best to only look ahead, while Fu Ming Shi acted very naturally, just holding Zhen Bao's hand the whole time, occasionally squeezing it. Zhen Bao's face slowly turned red, and she tried hard to find something to talk about: "When are you going back home?"

Fu Ming Shi raised his eyebrows, "Eager for me to leave already?"

In the driver's seat, Uncle Li laughed unkindly.

Zhen Bao lowered her head without answering, pouting slightly.

Fu Ming Shi gently squeezed her fingers and said in a low voice, "I’m going back home on the second day of the new year, and you’re coming with me." He didn’t feel assured leaving her here to continue attracting peach blossoms.

Zhen Bao responded with an "um". Back at the villa, the two sat in the living room chatting with Old Master Fu. After talking for a while, dinner was ready, so the three of them ate first. Old Master Fu was in a recuperation period, and went to bed at 8 pm sharp every night. He went upstairs first, while Zhen Bao sat watching TV on the couch, though her attention was actually all on Fu Ming Shi sitting on the other end of the couch. Her heart thumped chaotically.

Their relationship had progressed from simple kissing to the next step. Zhen Bao didn’t resist Fu Ming Shi kissing her shoulders and touching her legs, but that feeling was too stimulating. She had a hard time enduring it, as if she could...nosebleed at any moment.

"I'll go take a shower first, see you upstairs later," he said, looking completely calm, then went upstairs first.

Zhen Bao couldn't help but watch him leave. She didn't quite understand what Fu Ming Shi meant by "see you upstairs." This villa had four floors. The old master lived on the second floor, Fu Ming Shi on the third floor, and she occupied the top floor. Upstairs...could Fu Ming Shi be planning to...

Just as she was speculating, her phone rang. Zhen Bao picked up her phone and received a message from Fu Ming Shi: Wait for me in your room.

Zhen Bao’s blood rushed to her head!

Was Fu Ming Shi going to her room?

But no matter how flustered she felt inside, Zhen Bao still shamelessly went upstairs and hid in her bedroom waiting for Fu Ming Shi. It had been so long since they last met, she missed him. Actually, the last time Fu Ming Shi lost control was mainly because she was wearing a swimsuit with her shoulders and thighs exposed. Now that she was wearing a wool sweater, at most Fu Ming Shi would just kiss her, right?

While she was thinking randomly, she received a new message from Fu Ming Shi: Open the door.

Zhen Bao's heart beat faster. She first adjusted her laptop screen to make it look like she was in the middle of watching a movie, before going to open the door. Fu Ming Shi stood outside in casual clothes. He had just taken a shower, his face still a little flushed, and his short hair was clearly still wet.

Leaning against the door with lowered eyes, Zhen Bao asked him, "Something wrong?"

Fu Ming Shi gazed at her blushing face, his tone teasing, "I have to have a reason to come see my fiancée?"

Zhen Bao couldn't help but laugh. She moved aside to let him in.

Fu Ming Shi came in, closed the door casually, and very naturally locked it.

Zhen Bao felt like she could hear her own heartbeat.

She was on high alert, but Fu Ming Shi didn’t make a move right away. He simply glanced around Zhen Bao’s bedroom, then walked to the desk. Seeing water in Zhen Bao’s cup, he picked it up and asked sideways, "Can I drink this?"

Zhen Bao's mind was completely preoccupied with other things. She nodded absentmindedly.

Fu Ming Shi drank a few sips, then sat in Zhen Bao's chair. The laptop screen was paused on an animated show. Fu Ming Shi's lips curled up. He closed the animation and searched for other movies, "I don't like watching cartoons, how about a romance film instead?"

Zhen Bao didn't dare watch romance films with him. She walked over to block the keyboard and softly declined, "I like watching cartoons."

Fu Ming Shi looked up and suddenly pulled Zhen Bao onto his lap and hugged her, skillfully kissing her.

Zhen Bao was dizzy.

Fu Ming Shi's big hand shifted under her wool sweater, slowly exploring inside.

Zhen Bao nervously grabbed his arm, and just as Fu Ming Shi's fingers touched Zhen Bao's smooth skin, a WeChat message notification sounded from Zhen Bao's phone on the table. Zhen Bao's body stiffened. Fu Ming Shi was nuzzling her neck. About a minute later, he let go of Zhen Bao and went to pour water into the cup.

Zhen Bao tugged at her clothes and looked at WeChat with a red face. It was party preparation photos sent by Xiao Ya, and Cheng Yi was also in the frame.

"Whose message is it?" Fu Ming Shi walked over with the cup.

While replying to the message, Zhen Bao explained, "Xiao Ya. We're going to her house tomorrow."

Fu Ming Shi put down the cup and tapped the photo on the face of a certain man, "Who's this handsome guy?"

"Xiao Ya's cousin," Zhen Bao said casually.

So Fu Ming Shi tilted his head to look at her, "You also think he's handsome?"

Having sent the message, Zhen Bao realized Fu Ming Shi had set a trap for her. She laughed and said while looking at the photo, "Not as handsome as you."

Fu Ming Shi rewarded her with a kiss on the head.

~

The party started at 6 pm. Fu Ming Shi drove Zhen Bao over, arriving 10 minutes early at the Cheng family villa. Seeing this villa that was in no way inferior to the Fu family's, Zhen Bao suddenly realized that the Cheng family was also very wealthy.

The guests had arrived, so Xiao Ya and Cheng Yi came out together to receive them. From afar, seeing the handsome man beside Zhen Bao, Xiao Ya covered her mouth in astonishment. As a Chinese-American mixed-race girl, she could appreciate the attractive traits of Eastern and Western men. After mentally complimenting him, she looked at Cheng Yi sympathetically, "Looks like you don't stand a chance."

Cheng Yi smiled bitterly. He didn't expect the innocent freshman girl to already have a boyfriend.

"Zhen Bao, is he your boyfriend?" Walking closer, Xiao Ya asked in an exaggerated tone.

Zhen Bao, who was used to being teased by her roommates, looked natural and readily admitted it.

Xiao Ya immediately praised Fu Ming Shi in various ways. Next to them, the last glimmer of hope in Cheng Yi's heart also vanished. Fortunately his feelings for Zhen Bao so far were just a crush, not deep enough that having a boyfriend would make him heartbroken. So he acted calm, and welcomed Fu Ming Shi as the host.

Seeing Cheng Yi withdraw in time, Fu Ming Shi also took on the role of a guest, focusing on having fun with Zhen Bao.

The party ended at 10 pm.

Fu Ming Shi didn't drink much so he was sober as he drove back to the villa. The car stopped but he didn't immediately unlock the doors. Instead he held Zhen Bao's small hand, looking at her with complicated eyes.

It was Zhen Bao's first time seeing Fu Ming Shi like this. When they first met in her hometown, Fu Ming Shi gave her the feeling of someone from TV, completely in a different world than her, separated by a layer between them. As they slowly spent time together, she realized Fu Ming Shi was very considerate. No matter what she needed, he would think of it in advance. Even when they disagreed, he would eventually compromise.

But the Fu Ming Shi before her now seemed to be faced with some dilemma, not knowing how to speak up.

Why the sudden change? Zhen Bao was completely puzzled.

"What's wrong?" Zhen Bao asked softly.

Fu Ming Shi looked at her and smiled. "Nothing, just that my parents are coming over tomorrow. They're also spending the new year here."

Zhen Bao's eyes widened.

Fu Ming Shi had expected she would react this way. He mocked, "Scared?"

Zhen Bao stiffly shook her head, her gaze falling to the front window. She wasn't scared, just nervous.

She came to the imperial capital in May to prepare for the exam. During that time, she met Fu Zheng, Fu Ming Shi's father, and all three Fus were present. Old Master Fu was getting on in years. Just looking at his appearance, Fu Ming Shi resembled Fu Zheng more. Fu Zheng was in his fifties, looking much younger externally, stern and dignified, matching Zhen Bao's imagination of what a chairman of a large conglomerate should be like.

Fu Zheng was a man of few words and cold demeanor. When they met, he only asked if she had gotten used to living here, and said some other pleasantries. Zhen Bao couldn't tell if the elder liked her or not. At the time, she hadn't even considered getting together with Fu Ming Shi, so she didn't pay much attention to Fu Zheng's attitude. But now that she and Fu Ming Shi had become true lovers, what if Fu Zheng was dissatisfied with her...

At least she had met Fu Zheng and had a simple understanding of him. Fu Ming Shi's mother, Feng Ke, was the one Zhen Bao feared facing the most.

Feng Ke was the most famous top fashion designer in the country. She founded her own fashion brand "Huating", which produced exquisite and meticulous suits and extravagant evening gowns that highlighted Eastern splendor. The brand was wildly popular among domestic celebrities and successful people, leading fashion trends every season. Its eponymous magazine was also the top seller among similar magazines in the country.

In business terms, Feng Ke was a talented and wealthy businesswoman. She also had a very aloof and overbearing personality. Interviews and photos of her circulating online rarely showed her smiling. The only times Zhen Bao had seen Feng Ke smile were in the photo album on Fu Ming Shi's phone, and even those smiles were faint.

"You've met my dad. As for my mom..." Seeing Zhen Bao's apprehensive look, Fu Ming Shi chose his words carefully. "My mom is quite strict and blunt, saying whatever she thinks without considering others' feelings. She's especially picky about clothing and styling, and even my dad criticizes her sometimes. But no matter what she says, don't take it to heart. You're marrying me anyway."

Fu Ming Shi didn't want to scare Zhen Bao, but his mother had an infamous temper, so he had to prepare Zhen Bao mentally. Otherwise, with Zhen Bao's sensitive nature, if his mother went too far, Zhen Bao might cry from being scolded.

Zhen Bao's mind was in turmoil. The more Fu Ming Shi explained, the more fearful she became.

"Let's just sleep on it. I'll be with you every step tomorrow." Kissing Zhen Bao's forehead, Fu Ming Shi gently reassured her.

Zhen Bao mumbled in agreement before getting out of the car.

~

Fu Zheng and his wife arrived at the airport around noon. Fu Ming Shi set off an hour earlier to pick them up. Out of courtesy, Zhen Bao wanted to go as well, but was dissuaded by Old Master Fu, who spoke as if Zhen Bao was already part of their family. "Feng Bao, keep grandpa company. Let Ming Shi go alone. Hmph, his mother is notoriously foul-tempered, better we see less of her."

This daughter-in-law was chosen by his son, so Old Master Fu didn't object, but facing someone colder and haughtier than his own son, Old Master Fu couldn't get too close either. He lived his life, the children lived theirs, everyone was busy, only gathering during holidays and festivals.

Though her body was in the villa, Zhen Bao's mind wandered restlessly, straining to hear any sound from outside.

At the airport, Fu Ming Shi waited an extra half hour before his parents finally emerged.

Fu Zheng was dressed in a suit and even smiled when he saw his son. Beside him, Feng Ke wore a black windbreaker and sunglasses, the smooth skin and crimson lips beneath the frames belying her age. Tall and slender, she immediately attracted the gaze of everyone in the airport, men and women alike.

"Dad, Mom." Fu Ming Shi stepped forward, using those titles to shatter certain men's fantasies.

Wake up. This woman's son was nearly thirty.