First, then, love.

8:30 p.m.

A black SUV was parked outside the gate of Shu Yao's residential compound.

The lights inside the carriage were off, but the dim yellow light from the streetlights outside illuminated the center console.

He Zheng shifted the car to neutral, pulled the handbrake, and turned his head to glance at the woman in the passenger seat.

Shu Yao is exhausted today.

First, they got their marriage certificate, then they went to Genting Club for a tough battle. Although they won a great victory, they were still under immense pressure.

Now that I'm relaxed, I lean back limply in the leather seat, my eyelids drooping, like a dozing cat.

"We've arrived," He Zheng said.

Shu Yao opened her eyes and rubbed her sore neck.

"I'm going back." She reached for her bag on her lap.

He Zheng didn't stop her.

Shu Yao pushed open the car door, and a gust of stuffy wind blew in.

The early autumn night was still quite hot, with the faint scent of soil from the flowerbeds in the community lingering in the air.

She got out of the car, held onto the door with one hand, and turned to look at him.

He Zheng rested one arm on the steering wheel, his dark eyes fixed on her.

"We've decided on a date for the weekend. I'll come early to pick up your aunt and uncle," he explained.

"Saturday night, I guess. My dad has to work at the bureau on Sunday," Shu Yao thought for a moment.

"Okay." He Zheng nodded.

The two, separated by a car door, suddenly fell silent.

They just got their marriage certificate, which should have been their first day of marriage, but they haven't even settled into a place to live yet.

It's a rather subtle feeling.

Shu Yao bit her lower lip.

"Then I'll go up."

"Go."

Shu Yao closed the car door and walked into the residential area in her high heels.

After walking a dozen meters, she looked back.

The SUV was still parked in the same spot, with the windows down. He Zheng hadn't left; he was staring at her back.

Shu Yao withdrew her gaze, her heartbeat stabilized, and her steps became inexplicably lighter.

Enter the building and press the elevator button.

"Ding." The elevator has arrived.

Go upstairs and get the key to open the door.

The security door was just cracked open when the arguing from a mother-in-law/daughter-in-law drama came through the television.

Shu Yao pushed open the door and went in.

The living room was lit by incandescent lights, and the air conditioner was running at full blast.

Shu Jianguo, wearing a tank top and shorts, sat on the edge of the sofa with an electric, temperature-controlled foot bath tub under his feet. Bubbles were bubbling in the tub, making him sweat profusely.

Lin Shufen, wearing a black seaweed face mask, lay sprawled on the other side, holding a remote control and staring intently at the TV screen showing a story of a wicked mother-in-law making things difficult for her new daughter-in-law.

"You're back?"

Lin Shufen asked vaguely, not daring to open her mouth too wide for fear of tearing off the face mask.

"Um."

Shu Yao kicked off her high heels and put on fluffy bunny slippers.

Hearing the noise, "Princess" jumped down from the cat tree, walked gracefully to the entrance, and rubbed against Shuyao's legs, her tail held straight up.

Shu Yao bent down, gave the cat's head a perfunctory ruffle, and then casually tossed the lambskin bag onto the entryway cabinet.

She went to the living room, picked up the cold water on the coffee table, poured herself a glass, and drank half of it in one go.

After drinking the water, my throat felt much better.

"Did you get the marriage certificate?" Shu Jianguo asked casually, wiping the sweat from his face with a towel.

"I've got it, it's in my bag." Shu Yao put down her water glass.

Upon hearing this, Lin Shufen sat up abruptly from the sofa, her face mask already peeling off at the edges.

"They really accepted! Oh, I can finally relax!" Lin Shufen smoothed out her face mask, her voice excited. "I was just afraid the He family would back out at the last minute, but now it's settled. This golden son-in-law is firmly in our hands."

Shu Yao walked over and sat down on the single sofa.

She looked at the excited Lin Shufen and Shu Jianguo soaking his feet.

He cleared his throat.

"I have something to tell you."

Shu Jianguo picked up the remote and turned down the TV volume.

"What's the matter? Is He Zheng moving in?"

"No." Shu Yao leaned back, finding a comfortable position. "This afternoon, He Zheng took me to the Cloud Top."

Shu Jianguo jerked his foot, which was soaking in hot water, and almost kicked the foot bath tub over.

"Cloud Top?" Shu Jianguo's eyes widened. "That's a place only provincial leaders and big bosses go to. Why would he take you there?"

"Meet his parents."

The voice just fell.

The living room was deathly silent.

The black seaweed face mask on Lin Shufen's face fell to the ground with a "thud".

She didn't bother picking it up; her eyes were wide open and her mouth was agape.

"See...see whom?!"

"His father, his mother. Shen Minghua from Shengshi Real Estate, and Secretary He from the Provincial Party Committee." Shu Yao spoke slowly and clearly.

It was repeated again.

Shu Jianguo gasped.

He braced himself on his knees with both hands and stood up from the sofa, forgetting to wipe the water off his feet. He walked barefoot on the floor, leaving a trail of wet footprints.

"This...this...why didn't you give us a heads-up?!" Shu Jianguo paced anxiously, completely at a loss. "You little brat! What are you wearing today?! Did you say something wrong?! What's the leader's attitude? Are they satisfied with you?"

A barrage of questions came crashing down on me.

Shu Jianguo was truly panicked.

When he attends meetings at the bureau, he has to be very careful with his words, even when he's just meeting a section chief.

Now, her own daughter went directly to meet with provincial leaders, still as their daughter-in-law.

If even the slightest mistake occurs...

Where will the Shu family put their face?

"Satisfied, extremely satisfied." Shu Yao patted the princess who had run over begging for a pet. "Shen Minghua is holding my hand, treating me like a precious treasure. The two old folks are both on my side."

Lin Shufen patted her chest and let out a long breath.

"That scared me to death! As long as you're satisfied, as long as you're satisfied."

"There's something else."

Shu Yao looked up at her parents, who were as anxious as ants on a hot plate.

"I've discussed it with them, and this weekend, Saturday evening, the two families will formally meet for a meal to finalize the wedding arrangements."

"boom!"

A thunderbolt struck Shu Jianguo's mind.

"This weekend?!"

Shu Jianguo's voice even changed tone.

"Yes, the night after tomorrow."

Lin Shufen let out a loud cry and jumped up from the sofa.

"The night after tomorrow! It's Thursday already! Why are you only telling me now, you brat!"

Lin Shufen was so anxious that she kept slapping her thigh and spinning around in place.

"Oh no, oh no, oh no! I'm meeting my in-laws, and they're from such a prestigious family! What am I supposed to wear?! I don't even have a decent bag. I need to go to the mall right now!"

She turned her head and glanced at the clock on the wall; it was 9:10.

"The mall is closed!" Lin Shufen cried out in despair.

Shu Jianguo didn't even bother soaking his feet; he ran barefoot straight to the master bedroom.

"Honey, quick! Find that navy blue suit I've been hanging at the very back of the closet! I need to take it to the dry cleaners to get it ironed tomorrow!"

The living room instantly descended into chaos.

Shu Yao sat on the sofa, watching her parents, who were usually so aloof, now running around like headless flies.

She picked up her water glass and took another sip.

The sound of rummaging through drawers and cabinets came from the master bedroom, along with the clanging and clattering of clothes hangers.

"This won't do! The collar is pilling! You're going to wear this to see the provincial party secretary? You may not care about your reputation, but I do!" Lin Shufen's scolding voice came from the bedroom.

"Then what am I supposed to wear! I usually wear a jacket to meetings! How can I wear that to a meeting like that!" Shu Jianguo said anxiously, raising his voice.

"Oh dear, this suit jacket won't button up around the stomach! Old Shu, how come your belly has gotten so big these past two years!"

"Don't pull! The cable snapped!"

Shu Yao listened to the sounds inside and shook her head helplessly.

This is the sense of oppression brought about by class differences.

A few minutes later.

Shu Jianguo walked out wearing a tight-fitting suit jacket he had bought five years ago, his brow beaded with sweat.

The buttons couldn't be fastened, and a large bulge appeared on his stomach, making him look both comical and shabby.

He ran to the full-length mirror.

Looking left and right, his face was full of sorrow.

"No way, that would be too undignified. Secretary He's usual clothes may look ordinary, but they're always made of top-quality materials. If I wear this, I'll look like a small-town entrepreneur."

Shu Jianguo loosened his tie, sweating profusely with anxiety.

"How can we have this meal? What are we going to talk about? National affairs? I'm not high enough for that. Economic trends? That's Chairman Shen's forte. I'd be showing off my skills in front of an expert!"

He became increasingly flustered as he spoke, revealing the aloofness he usually displayed as an old intellectual.

Everything has been crushed by reality.

Walking on thin ice, trembling with fear.

Lin Shufen ran out of the bathroom.

She put on a brand new, luxurious face mask, all white and glossy.

This face mask costs 50 yuan per sheet.

She usually doesn't use it much, only using one patch a month.

Now, she's holding two bottles of toner and patting them onto her neck.

"Old Shu, take half a day off tomorrow and go to the Hang Lung Plaza downtown to buy a suit! We can't skimp on this money; we'd rather sell everything we own than let them look down on us!"

Lin Shufen patted her face while giving instructions.

"I'm going to get my hair done tomorrow, have a full spa treatment, and borrow a Chanel bag from my aunt to save face."

"Borrowing a bag is so embarrassing! What if someone recognizes it!" Shu Jianguo firmly objected.

"Then what do you suggest we do! Am I supposed to carry that cheap grocery bag that costs a few hundred dollars to meet a billionaire?" Lin Shufen was getting impatient, and it looked like they were about to start arguing.

Shu Yao sighed.

They're really worried sick.

She stood up and patted the wrinkles on her pants.

Upon reaching the entrance, I took two items out of my lambskin bag.

I walked back to the living room.

She stopped in front of the coffee table, looking at her parents who were still arguing and getting anxious.

Raise your hand and loosen your fingers.

"Smack."

Two things fell onto the glass coffee table with a crisp sound.

Shu Jianguo and Lin Shufen stopped at the same time and turned to look at them.