Zhu Mansion.
The grand dining hall glowed under the warm cascade of crystal chandeliers. Silverware gleamed against porcelain, the scent of delicately prepared dishes hanging in the air. At the head of the long table, Zhu Zixuan sat with his usual composed dignity, while Li Yan practically bounced in her seat with anticipation.
Their wait didn't last long. The heavy doors opened, and in walked Zhu Zihan with Guo Min at his side. He strode calmly, hands in his pockets, while she followed with poise, though her pulse thudded louder than her heels against the polished floor.
"Good evening, Auntie. Uncle..." Guo Min began politely, her voice even but she didn't get to finish.
Li Yan shot up from her chair with the energy of a girl half her age and wrapped Guo Min into a sudden, crushing embrace. The impact made Guo Min stagger backward, eyes going wide in shock.
"Oh, dear, not Auntie." Li Yan leaned back just enough to beam at her, her smile wide and disarming. "...Mom."
"…Huh?" The word slipped out of Guo Min's lips before she could stop it.
Li Yan only smiled more widely, her gaze sparkling with unspoken delight. The longer she stared, the more the hairs on the back of Guo Min's neck prickled. Finally, with a nervous swallow, Guo Min repeated, her voice faint.
"…Mom."
"Yes, dear," Li Yan chirped, her tone triumphant. "Come, let's eat."
Before Guo Min could even glance at Zihan for rescue, Li Yan had already taken her hand, pulling her toward the table. She guided her into the seat right beside Zixuan, then gracefully took her own place.
Throughout the meal, Li Yan radiated joy like a schoolgirl in love. Every few bites, she leaned over and nudged her husband with her elbow, whispering loud enough for Guo Min to hear.
"Hubby, she's so pretty."
Zixuan grunted in acknowledgment, his sharp eyes assessing Guo Min in silence. His gaze wasn't hostile, but it wasn't gentle either, it was the gaze of a man weighing someone's worth.
Guo Min smiled politely, though inside she was rattled. Their family is small… but so not normal.
Meanwhile, Zihan ate quietly at her side, unbothered, his every movement calm, precise, as if he had orchestrated this entire scene and was simply watching it unfold exactly as he had foreseen.
"Zixuan dear," Li Yan called again, her tone playful.
"Yes?" he turned to her with his usual gentle smile, one that seemed reserved only for his wife.
"Imagine Guo Min living with us, we could do all the girls' things together."
"Mm."
Guo Min's brows twitched at the boldness of it. They were speaking about her as though she were a new piece of furniture to arrange in the house. Yet she almost laughed, imagining that Wang Ruoxi's lively energy in her youth will resemble Li Yan's energy when she's this age.
"Hubby," Li Yan chirped again, nudging him lightly.
"Hm?"
"We should make them a grand wedding, as gratitude to the Lord for Zihan finally bringing a woman home."
The chopsticks in Guo Min's hand paused mid-air, while a faint heat climbed up her cheeks. Zhu Zihan didn't even flinch. His expression remained composed.
Guo Min's lips curved, a reluctant smile breaking free despite herself. Somehow, she admired the Zhu couple's relationship, it was absurd and funny in its own way. The wife spoke endlessly, her joy bubbling over, and the husband… he just listened, his silence an anchor that never once dampened her enthusiasm.
And finally, after dinner, it was time for Guo Min to leave.
"I'll drop her off. Meet me outside."
Zihan's voice was calm, final. He rose from his chair without waiting for a reply, his long strides carrying him out of the dining hall. A flicker of impatience, or something closer to jealousy, had settled in him after watching his mother hug Guo Min over and over. For the first time, he understood his father's stoic silence during those affectionate displays of he and his mum.
Guo Min, however, had no choice but to peel herself away from Li Yan's warmth. Once free, she bolted after him, her heels clicking against the polished floor in a hurried rhythm.
"Such a brat you are...you can't even wait!" she fumed, tugging at her jacket as she caught up.
Zihan, already halfway amused, let the corner of his lips lift in a subtle smirk. His gaze slid to her.
"You were so appropriate in the house just a minute ago," he drawled. "Now you act like a cat with fangs."
Guo Min's nostrils flared as she yanked open the car door and slid into the passenger seat. "Well, I don't plan on hiding my bad side for someone I'm supposed to marry," she shot back, chin tilting in defiance.
Zihan chuckled low under his breath, the sound brief but enough to make her cheeks warm. He didn't reply immediately; instead, he started the engine.
The drive passed in silence, the hum of the car filling what their words did not. Before long, they pulled up in front of the Wang estate.
"Good night," Guo Min said briskly, her hand already on the door handle.
But before she could move, Zihan's hand pressed against her shoulder, pinning her gently but firmly back against the seat. His body leaned closer.
"…Zihan, not here." Her voice shook despite her effort to keep it steady.
"Not here?" His tone was smooth, quiet, and dangerous. "But the windows are tinted." He let the words linger, then leaned closer until his breath ghosted her ear. "Or would you prefer the penthouse? Topmost floor. Very private. Just the two of us."
His whisper curled through her, low and it was too much. A strangled cry slipped from her lips, half defense, half panic.
That was enough for him. He released her instantly, leaning back with a soft, rich chuckle that seemed to vibrate through the air.
"You act all tough," he murmured, amusement glinting in his eyes, "but now you scream for help."
Flustered, Guo Min fumbled with the lock, shoved the door open, and all but fled into the night.
Zihan watched her go, the faintest smile tugging at his lips, before he shifted gears and drove off, the sound of his engine fading into the darkness.