Auntie Bo, a mediator on a local TV show about family disputes, had the demeanor of a neighborhood committee cadre from the 1980s. She was skilled at simplistic and rough mediation, muddling through, and shouting matches. She looked like a woman full of twisted logic, lacking knowledge, and not someone to be trifled with.

Auntie Bai, whose appearance Hu Lai couldn't quite remember, was definitely not what she had imagined if Wang Fangyuan wasn't lying.

Her hair was meticulously styled, her smile was standard, her eyes and chin were cosmetically enhanced, and she was dressed in a designer suit. Her designer bag was placed on the sofa in the private room, making her look like an insurance sales manager at first glance. Hu Lai didn't like the way she looked at people—scrutinizing her from head to toe, as if constantly weighing her worth.

Noticing Auntie Bai's fleeting and not particularly pleased surprise upon seeing her, Hu Lai felt quite pleased with herself.

Since her mother told her to dress up before going out, she complied and applied some colorful makeup—a bold lipstick, glittery shimmer, and sharply winged eyeliner. It was too understated for a nightclub look but a bit too glamorous for everyday wear. She didn't know how others would react, but Hu Lai herself didn't like it, and traditional middle-aged women in their fifties and sixties probably wouldn't either. However, straight men might just love it.

Her intention was to stir things up, but she couldn't go overboard and embarrass Wang Fangyuan. So, if her makeup was a bit bold, her outfit had to be more conservative, or Wang Fangyuan would scold her.

What to do? She decided to go for a professional look: a trench coat, a black shirt, tailored trousers, and high heels—sharp and poised.

Before leaving, she checked herself in the mirror and practiced a few of Yang Hui's casual expressions and gestures. Surprisingly, she managed to pull off a decent resemblance.

Hu Lai had specifically asked Wang Fangyuan about Xiao Xu's age and was told he was almost thirty. She felt reassured. Generally, strong-willed women could handle men over twenty-five who thought too highly of themselves.

Middle-aged women might think someone with such makeup was no good, while straight men might see her as their strong-willed boss.

Perfect.

Even her own father, Hu Yue, gave her a few extra glances.

Was this really his daughter? Goodness, she looked almost unrecognizable with this new style.

A father looking at his daughter always sees perfection, and Hu Yue was all smiles.

Wang Fangyuan hadn't expected her "dress up" to be so formal, but at least... she had listened and dressed up. She couldn't really complain.

When Auntie Bai's son, Xiao Xu, first saw the beauty, he was momentarily stunned. She was vibrant and fragrant, far surpassing those cookie-cutter internet celebrities.

Auntie Bai, seeing her son's reaction, though she thought the girl was pretty and was her friend's daughter, couldn't help feeling displeased. In the eyes of many mothers with sons, young women were either vixens trying to seduce their sons or tigresses ready to devour them. If they looked demure and virtuous—the ideal wife and mother type—that was fine, but the worst were those who were fashionable and glamorous.

That's right, those who look virtuous are considered beautiful, while those who look flamboyant are seen as seductive. As for Hu Lai, even with her flamboyance, she has a touch of boldness, making her almost like a fairy turned into a spirit.

Moreover, Auntie Bai had indeed brought her son with the intention of matchmaking. Wang Fangyuan's family was well-off, and they doted on their only daughter. She remembered the girl as pretty and cheerful, and with her son just back from abroad, it seemed like a good idea to find a wife from a familiar background.

She hadn't expected the girl to have changed so much... and become so unmanageable.

Throughout the meal, Auntie Bai's thoughts wandered. She worried that the girl was too beautiful and must have had many boyfriends, that her son would be completely controlled by her after marriage, and that she was too capable and wouldn't stay home after marriage.

Hu Lai didn't know Auntie Bai's thoughts, but if she had, she would have said: "Who do you think you are? You're really overthinking it. You've barely eaten, and the sun hasn't even set, yet you're already dreaming."

Hu Lai didn't dislike Xiao Xu. He was a decent-looking man, twenty-nine years old, appearing younger than his age. While he wasn't as handsome as her previous boyfriends, he kept himself in good shape. Apart from being stunned by her beauty at first and staring at her, he didn't do anything inappropriate like serving her food or making her uncomfortable. His mother praised him to the skies, and he was modest enough to feel a bit embarrassed.

The son was quite clear-headed, but his mother was another story.

As they ate, drank, and reminisced, Auntie Bai brought up the topic, "Xiao Hu, I heard from your mom that you work in the gaming industry and often have to work overtime."

Hu Lai smiled politely and replied generously, "Yes, I work at Kunlun Tech."

Auntie Bai didn't usually play games, her phone was mostly used for WeChat, Taobao, and TikTok. The company name sounded familiar, but in her generation's eyes, gaming companies weren't considered respectable. She said earnestly, "Isn't that exhausting? A young girl like you shouldn't work so hard. It'd be better to take the civil service exam or become a teacher."

She didn't know about Kunlun Tech, but her son certainly did. Xiao Xu quickly chimed in, "Kunlun Tech is great, with excellent benefits, it's in the top 500. Mom, things are different now, being a teacher is really tough, and so is being a civil servant. My classmate is a civil servant, and he works overtime all day long. Teachers are even busier." The key was that he wanted to work at Kunlun Tech too, but he couldn't get in.

Auntie Bai looked at her son with a blank expression, clearly displeased.

What was going on?

Before anything had even happened, her son was already siding with the girl and undermining her. Her son was unreliable.

Hu Lai smiled slightly and scooped a spoonful of crab roe drizzled with vinegar into her mouth. She used the food to keep herself from blurting out, "None of your business," followed by a lot more.

She didn't speak, but Wang Fangyuan couldn't stay silent and chimed in, "Yes, yes, I think so too. A young girl should live a stable life and not push herself so hard. It's not like her family is short on money."

Auntie Bai nodded and said, "Yes, the most important thing for a young girl is to find a good husband and have a few children."

What the hell is wrong with her?

Hu Lai's inner "grass mud horse" was stirring. She glanced at her dad and then at her mom.

Hu Yue gave her a reassuring look, but her mother didn't think much of it.

For Wang Fangyuan, having children was a rather dangerous endeavor. She hadn't thought about her daughter necessarily having children, let alone several, as the risks would skyrocket.

Hu Lai didn't respond, so Auntie Bai assumed she was shy. After eating a few bites, she put down her chopsticks and said, "Xiao Hu, you're already 25. When do you plan to get married? It'll be too late if you wait much longer."

"Get married? What for? I'm not done having fun yet. Marriage is such an old-fashioned thing. I'll think about it after I'm 35 at the earliest."

The phrase "not done having fun" was usually something a man would say, and Auntie Bai wasn't pleased. "A young girl shouldn't talk about not being done having fun. People might get the wrong idea."

"What wrong idea? What could they possibly think? It's just the usual stuff. Auntie Bai, there's no one else here except you and Xiao Xu. We've known each other for a long time, and you're my mom's good friend, so you know what kind of person I am. I don't care what others think. People who nitpick today and criticize tomorrow, who don't even know me well but still feel entitled to give unsolicited advice—they're the ones with issues. Don't you think so, Mr. Xu?" If it weren't for the hassle of explaining things to her parents, Hu Lai would have loved to educate Auntie Bai about the White Horse Club and Sheng Society.

Mr. Xiao Xu, who was called out, chuckled. If a beautiful woman said it was right, then it was right. People usually called him by his name or "Mr. Xu," but this was the first time someone had called him "Mr. Xu" in such a way, and it sounded oddly fresh and pleasant.

Auntie Bai was frustrated with her son for not living up to his potential.

—You didn't even realize that the young girl was so skilled at making veiled criticisms, like mocking your own mother.

—And you're still laughing! Having a son like you is worse than having a piece of roast pork.

Hu Lai came this time mainly for Wang Fangyuan's sake, and she didn't want to immediately sour things with Auntie Bai. Her mother would surely say that no matter what, elders should be respected. So even though she was deeply unhappy inside, she still smiled and poured Auntie Bai a cup of ginger tea. "Today's all-crab feast is a bit cold on the stomach. Auntie, have some ginger tea to warm up. The ginger tea here is quite good—not too sweet."

She loved eating crab, and today's dishes were just right—not too salty or greasy—perfect for her taste. Plus, she didn't feel like engaging with Auntie Bai, so she kept her head down and ate quite a lot.

Seeing Hu Lai eat from start to finish, her chopsticks and mouth never stopping, and how quickly she devoured the crab, Auntie Bai put on a concerned tone. "Xiao Hu, young girls should eat less crab. It's too cold for the body and could affect your future."

She didn't specify what "future" she meant, but everyone at the table understood.

Hu Yue immediately frowned, feeling that Auntie Bai had crossed a line.

They were all here to meet and build some rapport. Their children were around the same age, and if they happened to hit it off, that would be great, but no one was forcing them to become in-laws. Auntie Bai was jumping the gun, acting like a future mother-in-law, and for whom? In his opinion, Xiao Xu wasn't bad, but he was far from being a match for his daughter.

He had always doted on his daughter, and earlier, when Auntie Bai had asked a few probing questions, he already felt she was overstepping. Now, bringing up childbirth made him even more displeased. But since she was his wife's friend and his wife hasn't lost her temper, he doesn't want to say anything.

Hu Yue wasn't a man without tact. No matter how unhappy he was, he wouldn't show it on his face.

Hu Lai didn't lose her temper either. In fact, she was somewhat pleased. The more Auntie Bai acted out, the more ammunition she'd have to talk to her mother about later. If something like this happened again, it would be a perfect example to point to.

She casually replied, "We'll deal with the future when it comes. It's not a big deal, and I don't plan on having kids anyway. China has so many people—let whoever wants to have kids do it. I'm not going to."

Auntie Bai was even more shocked. These young girls nowadays were rebellious and out of control.

She set her cup down and said, "If everyone thought like that, the Earth would go extinct."

—Oh, for heaven's sake.

"If some people like having kids, let them have a whole litter. That's their business. I'm not having any. I save water every day, and the Earth still faces droughts. So everyone should just mind their own business. Auntie, if you're so worried about the Earth's population, why did you only have one child—Mr. Xu?"

Xiao Xu also felt that his mother had said too much and gone too far. Although he was in the U.S., he was well aware of the current trend where many women didn't want children. For women, the cost of childbirth was too high. Personally, he didn't care whether they had children or not—after all, he wasn't the one giving birth. Though not particularly sharp, he could tell that his mother had offended someone today, so he quickly tried to smooth things over.

The dinner left both the hosts and guests feeling unhappy.

While others were unhappy, Hu Lai was quite pleased, at least the food was good, and the crab was plump.

The father and his daughter drove home together. As soon as they got in the car, Wang Fangyuan started scolding her daughter, "Why did you tell them you don't want children?"

"I was just being honest. Why lie? It's better to be clear and save time and effort, so they don't have any unreasonable expectations of me. Or what, Mom, do you think my life is too easy and want to stir up some trouble for me?"

"I just thought..." Wang Fangyuan sighed, wondering how Auntie Bai had become like this. "Xiao Xu seems like a decent guy."

"With a mother like that, how decent can he be? Why would I waste my time pleasing someone like that? If you like Auntie Bai so much, just watch 'Uncle Liang' on TV."

Hu Yue burst out laughing and chimed in, "Xiao Xu is not worthy of Lai Lai. If Lai Lai likes him, then that's another story..."

"I don't like him, I don't like him. Mom, stop setting me up with people. What kind of people are they? Having a son is like inheriting a throne—so picky, it's ridiculous. If she loves having sons so much, she should have more with her own son. Keep the 'fertile water' in the family, don't let it flow to outsiders."

Wang Fangyuan couldn't stand it anymore and glared at his daughter, giving her a firm slap.

"Dad, your wife is abusing me."

"Don't distract your dad while he's driving. Stop talking nonsense, young lady. Why do you always say such outrageous things?"

"Blame my last name—Hu. It's no wonder I talk nonsense. Oh, that's why Dad listens to you, Mom. Your last name is better."

The family laughed and joked together. Hu Lai had Hu Yue drop her off near her place, as she didn't plan to go home with her parents. Her current place was close to H University, and she had Shen Zhengying's class that evening. With her ambitions still unfulfilled, she needed to make the most of her time.

What Auntie Bai or Xiao Xu? Nothing was as fun as flirting with Professor Shen.

That evening, after class, Shen Zhengying stepped out of the teaching building and saw a young girl sitting alone on the steps at the entrance, swinging her legs and looking up at the moon, appearing pitiful. When she saw Shen Zhengying, she smiled, jumped down from the steps, and walked up to her.

"Professor Shen, let's elope."

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