Shen Zhengying hadn't expected young people nowadays to be so averse to blind dates. At school, quite a few female students were determined to find a suitable partner to date and marry before graduation. Even Shen Zhengying herself had gone against her parents' wishes to pursue further education and work after graduation, choosing instead to marry and have a child right after graduating.

"Is this some kind of throwback? Blind dates? In a few years, will we see arranged marriages and matchmakers making a comeback too? Ugh!" Hu Lai was indignant, almost speaking through her nose. "I'm only twenty-five, for heaven's sake. And now they want me to dive into the cesspool of marriage. Is this really my mom? A stepmom wouldn't be this bad."

"Maybe she just wants you to meet someone new."

"Yeah, first it's meeting someone, then if they like me, it's marriage, then kids, one after another, and this road to hell never ends."

Shen Zhengying was speechless. She thought Hu Lai was exaggerating, but she couldn't argue. Every family was different. Although Hu Lai seemed to have grown up in a privileged environment, Shen Zhengying, as an outsider, couldn't be sure of the actual situation.

"I really don't get why parents always think marriage is a must. Isn't that just sick?"

Shen Zhengying smiled and fairly defended her parents, "Perhaps all parents hope for their children to have a stable life."

"Even if it goes against the child's wishes?" Hu Lai's eyes were cold, her tone sarcastic, as she tossed the notebook aside. "Getting a divorce is so difficult these days. I don't see the point in staying stable in a pit of fire."

Honestly, seeing Hu Lai's unruly demeanor, Shen Zhengying didn't think she was the type of girl who would obediently do whatever her mother told her.

Noticing Shen Zhengying's confusion, Hu Lai didn't hide it. "I could choose not to go, but then my mom would never stop pestering me. She'd go on about how hard it was to raise me, how if my brother were still alive, he'd never upset her and would be so filial, doing whatever she said. I've heard it so many times, I could recite it by heart."

"You have a deceased brother?"

"Ha, speaking of that, it's even funnier. If a placenta could be considered a person, then I guess I had one."

Shen Zhengying's expression turned strange, unsure whether to laugh or react differently.

"No, I need to find a permanent solution." Her anger subsided after venting for a moment, and Hu Lai stood up, straightening her clothes. "Professor Shen, feel free to laugh if you want. Don't hold back."

Shen Zhengying's lips curved slightly, but she didn't laugh. The next moment, she couldn't laugh at all.

Hu Lai's eyes lit up as she crouched down, placing her hands on Shen Zhengying's thighs. "Professor Shen, I've got it. I'll just bring someone home and tell my mom I've made my own choice. How about you pretend to be my girlfriend?"

The first thing Shen Zhengying felt was the warmth of those hands on her thighs. It had been so long since she'd been this close to anyone.

"See, if my mom thinks I like women, she won't force me to go on blind dates anymore. What do you think, Professor Shen?"

What did she think?

Shen Zhengying had to admit: it was the most absurd, ridiculous idea she'd ever heard.

For most parents, preferring the same se.x and not wanting to marry—the former was always the more serious issue. Had the times changed so much that Shen Zhengying couldn't keep up with this utopian world?

Moving Hu Lai's hands off her thighs, Shen Zhengying said, "Not a good idea. If your mom's demand is that you must get married, and you can't refuse, then whether it's a man or a woman, you'll still have to marry."

"But the national policy doesn't allow it, and with the current situation, we can't go abroad to get a certificate."

". . ."

"Besides, if my mom finds out I like women, she might make a huge scene, but that's still better than forcing me to go on blind dates. Blind dates make me feel like a commodity, being traded around at any moment. Even if I want to get married, I want to marry someone I love. People you meet on blind dates usually start with marriage as the premise, and any interaction based on that premise is just playing games."

Shen Zhengying felt there was something off with the logic, but under the girl's earnest and passionate gaze, she couldn't quite pinpoint what it was.

"Professor Shen, just sacrifice a little and pretend to be my girlfriend, okay?" This time, Hu Lai grabbed her hand and gave it a little shake.

"How old do you think I am? It's obviously fake. You can ask your colleagues or friends."

"Age doesn't matter. Unless two people are born at the exact same second, one will always be older than the other. I've thought about it, and none of my classmates or colleagues are as good as you." Hu Lai grew more enthusiastic, determined to drag Shen Zhengying into her plan. "As long as we act close in front of our parents, it'll seem real."

". . ."

Shen Zhengying opened her mouth, "Since that's the case, you might as well have your girlfriend step in, otherwise she might get upset."

"I've never had a girlfriend before, Professor Shen. You could be my first girlfriend." Hu Lai said cheerfully. Just a few minutes ago, she had been sharp and fierce, but now she was all smiles, spouting nonsense.

Shen Zhengying was both annoyed and amused. She had been trying to comfort Hu Lai, but the girl had turned it around and started teasing her.

She had some experience dealing with mischievous students.

"If you really need it, I can lend Ming Ming to you. My son is about your age, three years younger than you, and he doesn't look unpleasant. He should be quite appealing to middle-aged women."

—How thoughtful.

Hu LaI scrutinized Shen Zhengying several times, and although they had clashed many times, Professor Shen often showed confusion and helplessness in the face of her words, it didn't mean that Professor Shen was easy to deal with.

"Professor Shen, your son already has a girlfriend. Don't you remember? That night, in a secluded spot on campus, a couple—well, a young man and woman—were so engrossed in each other. If I asked him for help, his girlfriend would definitely get upset."

Shen Zhengying choked for a moment, raised her phone to check the time, "It's so late already."

Hu Lai hadn't finished speaking yet. "It's not that I have a bias against your son. What if he's like other men, so full of himself and self-satisfied to the point of thinking I have a crush on him, deliberately making a scene, trying to get close to him indirectly? What then?"

With such eloquence, she clearly didn't need anyone's comfort. Shen Zhengying blamed herself for being too kind-hearted and shouldn't have said so much to her.

"I need to head back."

"Let's go together. Just wait for me to tidy up a bit and we can grab dinner at the restaurant before heading back."

Hu Lai had it all planned out. After dinner, they would take a stroll together, and then catch the subway back. Since Professor Shen didn't cook and was used to eating at the cafeteria, she should have no reason to refuse her small suggestion.

However, no matter how well she planned, it couldn't compete with the boss's arrangements. Yang Hui had called several times and left messages, asking Shen Zhengying to come to her office after the event.

Hu Lai thought it made sense. If there were no other social engagements, dinner would likely be hosted by the boss. She escorted Shen Zhengying to Yang Hui's office and overheard the soft laughter between Yang Hui and Dr. Guan. That strange feeling resurfaced again. Shen Zhengying also noticed. Their eyes met, and they exchanged a knowing glance before quickly looking away, pretending nothing had happened.

Hu Lai wasn't one to see romance everywhere, but since she was currently interested in Shen Zhengying, her mind couldn't help but wander. Someone like Yang Hui, who tolerated such impoliteness and even allowed her authority to be undermined, must be an irreplaceable figure—either family or a very important friend. And the way Yang Hui spoke to Dr. Guan, her tone and gaze, was undeniably flirtatious. Following the boss's lead was definitely the right move.

Several times when the topic of liking the same se.x came up, Shen Zhengying's reaction was quite noteworthy. Hu Lai believed that if someone else had heard the previous remarks she made, their expression would have been quite dramatic. However, Professor Shen remained very calm. She didn't view se.xual minorities as a disease like the ignorant masses, nor did she feel the need to keep her distance. She also didn't show any signs of paranoia about Hu Lai possibly liking her. In other words, at the very least, Professor Shen wasn't averse to it.

Don't assume that psychology professors have a correct understanding of se.xual minorities. In most domestic textbooks, homose.xuality is still treated as a disease. Many psychology and sociology teachers still twist their faces when discussing this topic, acting as if it's something rare and strange.

From this perspective, Professor Shen, despite being a bit of a hypnotic in class, is a good teacher.

Walking up the stairs to the restaurant, her phone screen lit up.

Her so-called "dear mom": —"Reply when you see this message. Call when you have time."

Hu Lai frowned and replied: —"Saw it. I'll call when I have time."

Usually, when other colleagues complained about their families pressuring them to go on blind dates, she often laughed it off, thinking to herself that it was just a blind date—go for a meal, have a few sips of coffee, and get it over with. What's the big deal?

Making a mountain out of a molehill.

But when it came to her own experience, it wasn't that simple. It was all about her parents wanting the best for her, and if she didn't like the person, she could just cut ties. Yet, it felt like swallowing a fly—disgusting, and yet she can't spit it out.

Having lost all appetite due to her mother, Hu Lai didn't want to go home. Instead, she returned to the office to put down her laptop and then went back to the testing room. In the short time she was gone, the room had filled with a few people, both men and women.

A few colleagues she knew, who hadn't yet entered the system, greeted her when they saw her.

There were quite a few people who didn't want to go home after work and preferred to immerse themselves in the virtual world. Hu Lai believed that if the "True Illusion" project could launch smoothly, the monthly revenue would be substantial, and those involved in the project could expect several months' worth of extra salary.

She expressed to her mom, Wang Fangyuan, her reluctance to go home on Saturday to meet her friend and go on a blind date. As Hu Lai expected, Wang Fangyuan told her: —""What's the big deal about coming back to meet people? Your Aunt Bai, don't you remember? She was very good to you when you were little, and you even thought she was very kind that you wanted to be her daughter. Her son is bringing her over, and we'll all have lunch together. I'm not forcing you, just come and meet her, okay?"

Hu Lai refused, but Wang Fangyuan kept sending her messages, not just herself but also roping in her husband, Hu Yue, to do the same.

After some back-and-forth, Hu Lai finally agreed to meet at the restaurant, but she insisted on sleeping in on Saturday and refused to get up early.

When the agreed day arrived and Hu Lai met that Aunt Bai at the private restaurant, she felt that her head must have been hit by a door when she was a child, otherwise how could she have thought that Aunt Bai was gentler than her mother and wanted to be her daughter?

Auntie Bai was practically a carbon copy of Auntie Bo.

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