he dishes were already ordered, and the waiters brought them one by one without asking us to order anything else.
But my parents didn't seem to mind at all and kept smiling.
After the last dish was served, Zhou's mother spoke up, "Let's set the wedding date, I suggest at the end of the year. If Ning is pregnant during this period, we can do it earlier, it's not a problem."
"…"
I was incredibly surprised.
Pregnant during this period?
What kind of talk is this?
Do they want me to get pregnant before getting married?
My heart felt a deep panic.
But my mother kept nodding, her smile never fading, "Okay, okay, we'll listen to the in-laws."
Even my father smiled.
A sense of sadness surged in my heart, and I stood up, "I need to use the restroom."
In the restroom, I washed my hands and looked at myself in the mirror.
I could be considered attractive, but why hasn't my life become beautiful because of this beautiful face?
Everyone says that as long as I'm willing, plenty of men are willing to spend money on me.
My mother said the same thing, not allowing me to easily fall in love, only to find someone with money.
At first, she even dreamed of marrying me off to a wealthy family, but the matchmaker said that wealthy families are not easy to marry into, beautiful faces are not enough. My mother then gave up and set her sights on middle-class families.
The Zhou family was her best choice, and now the Zhou family was in agreement with her.
But what about me?
I'm only 25 years old this year, still so young. How did I let my life turn out like this?
I want to resist, but I don't even have the means to do so.
5
Coming out of the bathroom, I unexpectedly saw Cen Yan.
He didn't seem surprised to see me here, walking slowly towards me.
My heart felt nervous. Cen Fei was right. Cen Yan is my younger brother. How did things come to this point? It was all because of my impulsive actions back then.
Can Cen Yan and I never go back to how we were in the past?
I forced a smile, "Hi, Cen Yan, are you also eating here?"
In private, I might as well call him by his name. I didn't want to get close to him, but I also didn't want to define our relationship as strictly superior-inferior.
I still owe him an apology.
Cen Yan glanced at the restroom door and replied in a calm voice, "I'm not eating here."
"…"
Alright.
However, Cen Yan's response made me feel a little more relaxed. My smile was genuine this time.
Cen Yan raised an eyebrow, "You're eating here too?"
Despite his indifferent tone, I sensed a trace of mockery.
I pointed in the direction of my private room, "My parents are over there. I'll go now."
Cen Yan stepped aside to let me pass, but called out to me from behind.
"Lin Shangning."
I hesitated, turning around.
Shouldn't he be calling me 'sister' in private?
This mischief-maker.
Oh well, it's not like I'm his real sister.
"Do you still have something to say?"
"Don't make any private arrangements tomorrow, go on a business trip with me," Cen Yan said emotionlessly before turning and entering the restroom.
Filled with questions, I returned to the private room. I wasn't sure if my position allowed me to go on a business trip with the CEO.
My parents were still discussing marriage with Zhou's parents, Zhou Shichuan was looking at his phone, not saying a word.
After sitting down, he suddenly looked at me, "Do you have time tomorrow? If not, I can find someone to help you move."
I was stunned.
"What move?"
My mother held my arm and gently shook it, "Shichuan means you should move to his place first, and preferably get pregnant as soon as possible."
I looked at my mother's delightful yet eager expression, brushing off her hand. The irony in my heart turned into a thorn stabbing me, not painful but uncomfortable.
Why the rush to have a child? Does his family have a throne to inherit?
Right, compared to me, Zhou Shichuan's social status is indeed quite "royal."
But if I had to rely on my womb to climb up the social ladder, I wouldn't choose someone like him.
"I'm busy tomorrow; I have a business trip."
Perhaps my tone had turned cold, as the other parents' faces noticeably darkened.
But Zhou Shichuan showed no surprise, only looking at me.
My mother pushed me under the table once again, smiling, "What business trip? If necessary, you should quit your job. A woman's ultimate destination is to stay at home, take care of her family, and give birth to a son."
Mrs. Zhou agreed, "Exactly! Young girls nowadays are too wild. I don't like it. Shangning, you should quit your job."
My annoyance had been building all night...
Or perhaps my emotions from the past 25 years burst out in this moment.
But my eruption remained calm, just staring into Mrs. Zhou's eyes, rejecting her.
"I won't quit my job. I love my job, and there's plenty of room for growth. My mother said, 'You got yourself a good marriage; why would you choose a girl like this? If you're faced with this decision, you —'"
"Dear." Zhou Shichuan smiled, interrupting Mrs. Zhou's words, "Don't be angry. Shangning is right. No one has the right to force her to quit her job; she has the right to work."
6
I was surprised that Zhou Shichuan was speaking up for me.
Mrs. Zhou narrowed her eyes slightly, "She has made her intentions clear. She values her job above all else and doesn't care about our Zhou family."
My mother explained quickly, "That's not it. The family is still the most important. Shangning, speak up."
I shifted my gaze, pretending not to notice the warning in my mother's eyes.
Zhou Shichuan raised his glass, "Let's have a drink. I'll toast Uncle and Auntie first for raising Shangning so well, beautiful and independent."
My parents couldn't stop smiling, but Mr. and Mrs. Zhou had stern faces.
My attitude towards Zhou Shichuan had changed somewhat. At least he and his parents, as well as my parents, didn't have the same mindset. After all, they were young people who could think alike.
I also raised my glass to Zhou Shichuan and gave him a slight smile.
In the end, the dinner went smoothly with Zhou Shichuan present.
But once I returned home, my mother started throwing things around.
"Do you have any idea how much you embarrassed me? We finally found you such a good match, do you think it's easy for us? We did this for you."
My father also pointed at me, "How did you become so disobedient? You've picked up bad habits outside. I've always said, 'A woman with no talent is virtuous.' You've let your rebellious heart get in the way after reading and working."
I had seen this before and was used to it.
Parents' PUA on their children is the saddest.
I had no words left to say.
Just then, I received a message from Zhou Shichuan on my phone, asking if I had arrived.
I replied that I had.
Zhou Shichuan: [How's the weather there? A rainy autumn day brings a chill. Dress warmly and be careful not to catch a cold during this special time.]
He was surprisingly considerate.
[I will, thank you.]
Zhou Shichuan: [Alright, I won't bother you now. Let me know when you're back.]
[Okay.]
I put down my phone and continued to read the project materials...
At least to get through the surface.
The next morning, I met Cen Yan at the high-speed rail station.
His secretary had booked two business class tickets, with our seats adjacent.
After sitting down, Cen Yan immediately turned to his laptop, while I sat quietly, feeling a little lost.
I didn't even know what the purpose of this business trip was.
My phone suddenly buzzed - it was a WeChat message from Cen Yan.
I looked at him in confusion, but he kept his eyes on the laptop screen and said, "Take a look at this project material, no need to rush, just familiarize yourself with it."
"Oh, okay." I quickly took out my laptop and received the files via WeChat.
I was somewhat familiar with this project as the previous boss had been trying to secure it, but Cen Yan had brought it over himself.
Was he planning to work on this project with me?
Excited, I couldn't help but look at Cen Yan.
He turned his head to me suddenly, and I gasped, feeling caught red-handed. I quickly averted my gaze back to the laptop screen.
I heard Cen Yan chuckle softly.
"Ask me if you have any questions," he said.
I nodded, unable to meet his eyes, but feeling warm and reassured inside.
This feeling was nice, comforting, and it gave me great motivation.
Such a feeling, it was good, so peaceful, and it filled me with determination.
To be continued...
