Fang Bai woke up in the morning to study mechanical drawing. He already had a foundation in understanding blueprints in his previous life, but he had never actually drawn them or systematically studied them.
On his desk were books like "Mechanical Drawing," "Engineering Mechanics," "Fundamentals of Mechanical Design," and "Electrical and Electronic Technology," which he had bought at a bookstore.
With greatly improved memory and thinking ability, his learning speed was incredibly fast; he could understand something after one read and memorize it after three.
He planned to complete his four-year undergraduate courses in one year, or even less.
This meant that he aimed to master all the knowledge points of his four-year undergraduate degree before his freshman year even ended, and simultaneously combine them with practical application.
In his four years of university, the knowledge he intended to learn would not be limited to his major.
At nine in the morning, Qin Shuyu came to find him.
Fang Bai led her to sit in the living room. As soon as they sat down, Qin Shuyu said with a grin,
"Our relationship has been discovered by my mom. My parents want to meet you."
"..."
Fang Bai's eyes widened, and his mouth slightly opened. This was too sudden.
It seemed his relationship with Shuyu had been found out by his future in-laws. His premonition from yesterday was indeed correct.
Qin Shuyu looked at Fang Bai's silent expression and softly asked, "Fang Bai, you don't want to go?"
"No, it's just too sudden. I have to go sooner or later, it's not that I don't want to, I'm just a little afraid your dad will chase me with a hammer." Fang Bai shook his head and chuckled, then asked, "After your parents found out about us, they didn't scold you, did they?"
"They didn't scold me, but they asked a lot about you. I couldn't keep it a secret, I'm sorry, Fang Bai."
Fang Bai ruffled her hair and comforted her, saying, "Don't say sorry. I'm the one who should be sorry for making you bear these inexplicable burdens.
Actually, meeting sooner is better. From now on, we won't have to sneak around like we're having a secret affair."
"Mm, Fang Bai, you're so good." Qin Shuyu propped her chin and chuckled, "Actually, I think my parents are quite happy. They seem to approve of this, so you don't need to worry. It just startled me a bit when they first found out."
"It's fine, it's good that they know. It was going to happen eventually. I'll prepare some gifts and go over then."
"Do we still need to buy things?"
"Of course. It's proper etiquette. Otherwise, it would be disrespectful to your parents and show that I don't value you."
"Oh, I don't understand, then just buy some fruit or something, that'll do."
"Just let me handle this. This visit is like a future son-in-law's first visit, so I can't mess it up. It's not just about visiting your parents, you know." Fang Bai patted her head, then went downstairs to tell Li Xiaolong to prepare the car to go out.
When Fang Bai was at home, Li Xiaolong and Wang Dakai took turns on duty.
If he traveled far, both of them had to go together.
Gifts should be chosen to genuinely please the recipient, but cigarettes, alcohol, and tea are essential purchases, as per local custom.
A moment later, Fang Bai took Qin Shuyu out shopping.
Two bottles of Maotai liquor, two boxes of premium tea, two cartons of Huayan cigarettes, and two boxes of health supplements. These items are best purchased in pairs, symbolizing "good things come in pairs."
Fang Bai also selected a tea set, a set of cosmetics, a set of makeup tools, and a jade bracelet for his future mother-in-law, and a high-end leather belt and a high-end electric shaver for his future father-in-law.
He originally wanted to buy a watch for his future mother-in-law, but then he thought that "watch" (surface) also sounds like "sending off" (Farewell) in Chinese, which means attending a funeral, so it wasn't a good idea.
He also bought a basket of fruit and two boxes of dried fruit, and that was it.
Among these items, the most expensive was the jade bracelet, an old pit, high-ice-grade, fully green piece, which cost tens of thousands of yuan. In twenty years, it would be worth three to four million yuan.
His future mother-in-law didn't particularly like wearing these ornaments but enjoyed looking at them.
Fang Bai didn't want to buy gold ornaments. Wearing gold ornaments now was very unsafe, with frequent street robberies involving snatching earrings and necklaces.
This was also why Fang Bai advised his mother not to wear valuable ornaments unless it was for a formal occasion.
Qin Shuyu still felt pained watching Fang Bai spend money like water, pulling at his clothes all the way, telling him not to buy so much.
But Fang Bai insisted on buying, saying he wasn't short on money and that the visit had to be grand. In the end, Qin Shuyu simply listened to him.
At noon, Qin Shuyu had lunch with Fang Bai at his home.
After lunch, Fang Bai's parents learned that their son was going to visit. They asked him what gifts he had bought, and after inspecting them, they felt there were no major issues and that everything was very well-prepared.
If it had been before, the family wouldn't have been able to afford these gifts for a visit.
Liu Fengqing thought for a moment and felt something was missing. She found a large red envelope and put ten thousand yuan in it for Qin Shuyu, symbolizing "one in a million," saying it was a formal meeting gift from future mother-in-law to daughter-in-law, and it had to be given.
"Auntie, it's too much, I can't take it." Qin Shuyu held a large red envelope; she didn't even need to open it to know there was a lot of money, and it felt too awkward.
"Hey, this is proper etiquette, just accept it."
Fang Bai saw his mother and Qin Shuyu pushing it back and forth, and he chuckled, snatching it, "If you don't want it, I'll take it!"
"Hmph, you're so improper!" Liu Fengqing scolded with a laugh. She had intended to take it back, but seeing her son wink, she didn't try to retrieve it.
Qin Shuyu stood by, letting out a chuckle, feeling much more at ease.
"What appliances are missing at home? We'll deliver them all." Liu Fengqing then asked her son, "We run an appliance store; it feels wrong not to send these."
"They probably don't lack a refrigerator or washing machine, but they might lack air conditioning. The weather is so hot now, it's uncomfortable without AC."
"Then let's send air conditioners. Wall-mounted AC for the bedrooms and a standing unit for the living room."
"Fang Bai, isn't this a bit much?" Qin Shuyu laughed wryly.
Fang Bai chuckled and said, "It's fine, the workers will install them quickly, one-stop service. My mom is thoughtful; sending appliances is our family's specialty. I guarantee your mom will be satisfied and surprised, though she might be reluctant to use the electricity. Oh, right, let's send a big color TV too. Your mom just watches TV at home."
"Fang Bai, my family has a color TV."
"A 14-inch small color TV is too small. A 29-inch one is what's needed."
"Yes, yes, yes, I almost forgot!" Liu Fengqing slapped her thigh, beaming. This was a big deal for her son; they couldn't let the girl's family look down on them, they had to be generous.
Qin Shuyu rubbed her forehead, ultimately going along with Fang Bai's arrangements.
At two in the afternoon, the car was washed, and all the gifts were loaded.
Fang Shi arranged for a small truck and accompanying installation technicians to deliver the goods. The truck carried a large color TV, a standing air conditioner, and two small wall-mounted air conditioners, all of the best brands.
Before leaving, Liu Fengqing repeatedly reminded her son to mind his manners.
Around two o'clock, Fang Bai had Li Xiaolong start the car. The santana was followed by a pickup truck loaded with appliances.
Once in the car, Fang Bai slipped the large red envelope into Qin Shuyu's hand, telling her to accept it obediently.
This time, Qin Shuyu did not refuse. What Fang Bai gave her felt fine.
After crossing the river and driving another one or two kilometers, they arrived at Qin Shuyu's residential complex.
Qin Shuyu's home was in Building 2, Unit 1, Room 203 of Guosheng Community on Xiaonan Road, a side street in Lucheng District. It was a public housing unit bought from someone else, with an internal area of over seventy square meters, three bedrooms and one living room, and was finely decorated.
Fang Bai told the installation masters to wait a moment; he would come down to arrange things later.
He and Qin Shuyu first carried the lighter gifts like cigarettes and alcohol. As Fang Bai walked, he playfully asked Qin Shuyu, "Should I call him Uncle, or Elder Brother Qin?"
"Hehe, whatever you like."
"I'll stick to Uncle. I'm afraid your dad will chase me with a hammer."
In fact, Fang Bai wasn't nervous at all; he was already very familiar with his future in-laws from his previous life.
At this moment, Qin Donghai, sitting on the sofa, was actually a bit nervous, feeling it would be very awkward to see Fang Bai.
He used to flatter Fang Bai and curry favor with him.
How to face Fang Bai if they met was a source of worry for him.