The morning sun filtered through the curtains of Elena Li's apartment. She was still half‑asleep, her knee bandaged from the fall, when the doorbell rang.
Adrian Chen, who had dozed off on her sofa after delivering files the night before, stirred awake. He rubbed his eyes, straightened his shirt, and went to open the door.
Standing there was a middle‑aged woman with kind eyes and a worried expression. Mrs. Li, Elena's mother.
Adrian froze for a moment, then smiled politely. "Good morning."
Mrs. Li blinked, startled. "Oh! Who are you? Why are you in my daughter's apartment?"
Adrian bowed slightly, keeping his tone calm. "I'm her assistant. I was asked to deliver some urgent documents last night, and she let me stay since it was late."
Mrs. Li's eyes widened, then softened. She looked him up and down — tall, handsome, polite. A smile spread across her face. "Assistant? You look more like a boyfriend."
Adrian's heart skipped, but he kept his composure. "No, ma'am. Just an assistant."
Elena rushed out of her room, her hair messy from sleep. "Mom! You're here?"
Mrs. Li crossed her arms, grinning. "Yes, and I see you didn't tell me you had a young man staying over."
Elena flushed. "It's not like that! He's just… my assistant."
Her mother laughed. "Assistant? Since when do assistants sleep on sofas and open doors in the morning?"
Adrian coughed lightly, trying to defuse the tension. "I apologize for the misunderstanding. I only stayed because she was injured yesterday. I wanted to make sure she was fine."
Mrs. Li's eyes softened again. "You helped her when she fell? Then you're a good man."
Breakfast became a comedy of errors. Mrs. Li insisted Adrian join them, treating him like family. She placed a bowl of congee in front of him. "Eat, eat. You need strength if you're going to look after my daughter."
Adrian smiled awkwardly. "Thank you, ma'am."
Elena buried her face in her hands. "Mom, please…"
Mrs. Li winked at her daughter. "Don't be shy. He's handsome, polite, and he cooks noodles. What more do you want?"
Adrian nearly choked on his congee, coughing. "I… only bought noodles, ma'am. I didn't cook them."
Mrs. Li laughed heartily. "Even better. He knows how to buy food when you're tired. That's a husband's skill."
Elena groaned. "Mom!"
Meanwhile, Adrian's phone buzzed again. He excused himself, stepping into the hallway. Marcus Wu's voice hissed through the line. "Sir, what are you doing? Her mother saw you? If she suspects you're the CEO, I'm finished!"
Adrian chuckled softly. "Relax, Marcus. She thinks I'm her boyfriend now. That's safer than her knowing the truth."
Marcus nearly fainted. "Boyfriend?! Sir, this charade is going to kill me. I was about to discuss board matters, and now you're playing family breakfast?"
Adrian smirked. "Then adjust your tone. If Elena or her mother ever answers my phone again, you'd better sound like you're checking grocery lists, not corporate mergers."
Marcus groaned. "I'll die of a heart attack before this ends."
Back at the table, Mrs. Li leaned closer to Adrian. "Tell me, young man, do you have feelings for my daughter?"
Elena gasped. "Mom!"
Adrian smiled faintly, careful with his words. "I respect her very much. She's hardworking, kind, and deserves support."
Mrs. Li nodded approvingly. "Good answer. Respect comes first. But don't be too slow, or someone else will take her away."
Elena covered her face, mortified. "Mom, stop!"
Adrian hid his amusement, his heart beating faster. For once, he didn't mind the misunderstanding.
When Mrs. Li finally left, she patted Adrian's shoulder. "Take care of her. I trust you."
Adrian bowed politely. "I will."
Elena closed the door, glaring at him. "Do you see what you've done? My mom thinks you're my boyfriend!"
Adrian raised his hands innocently. "I didn't say that. She assumed."
Elena sighed, half annoyed, half amused. "You're impossible."
Adrian smiled softly. "Maybe. But I'll keep being impossible if it means you're safe."
That night, Elena lay in bed, replaying the morning. Her mother's teasing, Adrian's calm answers, his polite smile. She touched the bandage on her knee and whispered, "Strange… but maybe not so bad."