Zhang Zhecai followed Shu Lanzhou across the street, but before he could approach her, he saw her throw herself into a man's arms.
The man patted her gently on the head and dropped a kiss on her forehead. Then he opened the car door by the curb and helped her inside.
The bouquet in Zhang Zhecai's hand slipped from his fingers and landed on the ground—how could this be? Shu Lanzhou looked so young, and he'd never heard of her having a boyfriend. Who was that man?
Wait—something wasn't right. There had been online rumors before… Shu Lanzhou and Mu Side?
Could the two of them actually be in a relationship?
Zhang Zhecai returned dejectedly to the Zhang family's residence in Shencheng. As soon as he walked in, he saw Wu Xiuli.
"Mom, you're back?"
"You little brat, where have you been?" Wu Xiuli slapped him across the arm.
"If it weren't for your uncle, I'd still be locked up at the police station! How could you be so heartless—ignoring your father and me like this? What are you trying to do, exactly?"
Zhang Zhecai rubbed his arm. "What could I do? I had to go beg Dr. Shu. She has connections at the hospital—if she puts in a word, maybe this whole thing can be smoothed over."
"Bullshit," Wu Xiuli snorted. "The hospital never planned to pursue it. Your uncle just had to sign the papers to get me out."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "You've fallen for that Shu doctor, haven't you? She saved your life and now you don't even recognize your own mother. What now? Planning to repay her with your body?"
"What's wrong with that?" Zhang Zhecai muttered. "She's beautiful and kind, and she's got all this buzz online. If I can win her over, I won't have to worry about anything in the future…"
"You wish." Wu Xiuli slapped him again. "Always dreaming. If your father finds out you're after someone from the Mu family, he'll beat you to death."
Zhang Zhecai snorted with displeasure. "Well, he'll have to get out first."
"You little disgrace!" Uncle Zhang raised his hand and slapped him. "Your father raised you for nothing. Ungrateful little wolf. Give up on that Dr. Shu."
"Anyone who marries into the Mu family from the outside ends up as their kin."
"Instead of chasing after some fantasy, you should be thinking about how to beg the Mu family to drop the charges against your father."
"There's still hope. If he gets out, the research center's still there—we could start over again."
But starting over was easier said than done.
Zhang Zhecai didn't dare fight his uncle, but he was filled with hatred for the Zhang family.
If it weren't for them, how would his father have ended up coming back to the country only to land in jail?
He wasn't going to give up on Shu Lanzhou. No matter who she belonged to—he was determined to make her his.
On the other side, Shu Lanzhou returned home with Mu Side.
Mu Side helped her into her slippers and led her inside. "My parents are arriving tomorrow afternoon. Want to come with me to pick them up?"
"Okay." Shu Lanzhou nodded nervously. "Your parents…"
Mu Side chuckled. "Getting nervous?"
"A little." Shu Lanzhou bit her lip. Though they had often met on video calls, it still wasn't the same.
They always say even an ugly bride has to meet the in-laws eventually, but still—she couldn't help being nervous.
"Don't worry. They're good people—they won't make things difficult for you." Mu Side pulled her onto his lap. "Besides, you're loved by Grandma, Auntie, Uncle… everyone in the family. Who wouldn't like you?"
Shu Lanzhou shook her head. "It's different. They're your parents. I… I never had parents growing up. I don't know how to interact with them. I'm afraid I'll mess up, that they won't like me."
"Trust me, they will," Mu Side said, pinching her cheek.
"Our Shu Shu is impossible not to love. Instead of worrying about that, why not hear me out about Auntie?"
Mu Side's aunt, Mu Ya'an, had been Han Weicheng's girlfriend back in the day. After their breakup, she got into a car accident and moved abroad.
According to Grandma, she had been the most talented member of the previous generation, the one who had mastered the Mu family's medical techniques best.
"My aunt has a son, Mu Sirui. He's a few months younger than me and will be coming back too. And my younger sister, Mu Sixi, is seven years younger than me and still in school."
"Auntie will be coming as well," Mu Side added, squeezing Shu Lanzhou's hand. "She never remarried. No one knows what she's thinking. You should be careful when it comes to Han Weicheng."
Shu Lanzhou gasped. "Don't tell me she still has feelings for him? Is Mu Sirui…?"
"Mhm." Mu Side nodded slightly.
"My dad told me they took her abroad after the accident because she found out she was pregnant. The surgery would've required a lot of medication, but she insisted on keeping the baby despite the pain."
"And because of that… her legs never recovered."
Risking her life to keep the child of a man who betrayed her… was it worth it?
Shu Lanzhou wasn't Mu Ya'an—she couldn't understand that choice.
She only hoped that this woman's return wouldn't affect the final outcome of Han Weicheng's case.
The next afternoon arrived in a blur of nerves.
Mu Side and his uncle each drove a car to the airport.
Shu Lanzhou kept glancing at her watch, taking deep breaths.
"My, my! Shu Lanzhou, nervous?" Mu Rongxie leaned against the car door and teased her.
"You were so fast and precise with the needles when treating me. Look at you now—hand shaking like a leaf. You sure you can still hold a needle?"
"I can still hold a needle," Shu Lanzhou said, fingers curling slightly. "Want to try again, Uncle?"
She made a move to pull a needle from the pouch on her wrist.
Mu Rongxie flinched. "There! That's the spirit. Trust me, my brother and sister-in-law don't bite. Don't be scared!"
Mu Side came over and took her hand. "Relax. It'll be fine. Uncle, stop teasing her."
"If I don't tease her, how will she relax?" Mu Rongxie gave Mu Side a scornful look. "You're just repeating the same old 'don't be afraid' line—cold and boring. I have no idea how you managed to win her over."
Mu Side wasn't having it. "And you? With all your sweet talk, how come you still don't have an auntie for me?"
"Who says I don't?" Mu Rongxie's face darkened. "You'll see soon enough. Just you wait."
Mu Side exchanged a look with Shu Lanzhou, then asked cheekily, "You confessed to Aunt Xingyu? When's the wedding? I say the sooner the better—Uncle, you're not getting any younger. Time's ticking."
"You shut it!" Mu Rongxie snapped. "Can't you see your parents are coming out? Go already!"
Mu Side and Shu Lanzhou quickly followed.
With the tension broken, Shu Lanzhou forgot her nerves and suddenly found herself standing in front of Mu Rong and his wife.
"This must be Shu Lanzhou. Even more beautiful in person than on video!" a graceful middle-aged woman stepped forward and took her hand.
"Come, let Mama have a proper look at our lovely daughter-in-law."
Shu Lanzhou's cheeks turned pink, and she softly called out, "Mom."
"Aiyo, good, good! Our Shu Lanzhou is so sweet!" the woman said warmly. "Here, wear this. It's my gift to you."
She removed a jade pendant from her neck and placed it around Shu Lanzhou's.
"This is warm jade—perfect for women. It's a treasure passed down in the Mu family, originally given to our ancestor by a noble as thanks for medical treatment."
"It's been passed down for generations. Now that I'm giving it to you, you are our Mu family's precious gem."
"Oh! And this—honey, honey, hurry up—"