First, then, love.

Saturday.

Four o'clock in the afternoon.

A faint scent of mothballs filled the Shu family's living room.

Shu Jianguo stood in front of the full-length mirror, his forehead covered in sweat.

He was struggling to put a dark red silk tie around his neck, his hands trembling violently.

I tied a knot, but it went crooked, so I untied it and tied it again.

It's crooked again.

"Tsk." Shu Jianguo tugged at his tie in frustration and took a deep breath.

He was wearing a bespoke suit he had just picked up from Hang Lung yesterday; it was navy blue, impeccably tailored, and made of crisp fabric.

The clothes, costing 45,000 yuan, managed to cover up most of his slightly overweight beer belly.

He looked much taller and more energetic.

But he just felt awkward.

This dress is too expensive.

Wearing it felt like being in a suit of iron armor; I didn't even dare to lift my arms for fear of making wrinkles.

"Old Shu, stop spinning around there, you're making me dizzy."

Lin Shufen came out of the master bedroom.

She wore a dark green silk dress, a full pearl necklace around her neck, and black kitten heels with five centimeters on her feet.

Anti-aging treatments at beauty salons are indeed effective.

She looked radiant today; her foundation was applied very lightly, giving her a healthy glow.

She walked to the entryway, looked at herself in the half-length mirror on the shoe cabinet, and reached out to tidy her newly permed curls.

"Is this lipstick color okay? Is it too bright? Don't wealthy people usually prefer more understated colors?"

Lin Shufen turned to look at Shu Jianguo, feeling uncertain.

Shu Jianguo wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.

"That's great. She looks like a wealthy woman, better than me."

He looked down at his gleaming leather shoes and sighed.

"My heart is pounding. That's Secretary He from the Provincial Party Committee. I'm not even qualified to report to him in my entire life, and we're having dinner together tonight. I'm afraid I won't even be able to hold my chopsticks properly."

Shu Yao lay on the fabric sofa in the living room.

The air conditioner was set to 22 degrees Celsius, and the cold air was blowing loudly.

She wore a minimalist black slip dress with a white silk cardigan over it, her long hair casually pinned up with a shark clip, and her face bare.

I only applied a base layer of BB cream and lip balm.

Holding a peach in her hand, she was taking bites, the peach juice dripping down her fingertips.

She took a tissue and wiped it off casually.

"Dad, Mom, can you two sit down and rest for a while?" Shu Yao threw the peach pit into the trash can. "I'm the one who went on the blind date, and I'm the one who's getting married. You two are acting like you're running for election."

"What do you know!" Lin Shufen glared at her and walked over. "This is called presence. Although our family is not as rich as theirs, we have to maintain our integrity and not let them look down on us."

Shu Yao took out a wet wipe to dry her hands and tugged at the corner of her mouth.

"They've already given away shops worth tens of millions, what are they looking down on you for? Relax, eat and drink as you please."

*

Five o'clock in the afternoon.

Shu Yao used a ride-hailing app to call a private car, a black Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

Her Porsche 718 only has two seats, not enough for three people.

The three of them went downstairs and got into the car.

The driver, dressed in a white shirt and white gloves, didn't say a word. Soft music played in the car, and the air conditioning was on full blast.

Shu Jianguo sat in the passenger seat, while Lin Shufen and Shu Yao sat in the back.

During the evening rush hour, the elevated highway was jammed with a long line of red car taillights.

The evening sun shone through the car window, casting a reddish glow on people's faces.

Shu Jianguo stared at the road ahead, his hands on his knees, his right leg shaking uncontrollably.

Lin Shufen turned her head to look out the window, her fingers unconsciously twisting the crocodile skin clutch in her hand until her knuckles turned white.

Shu Yao leaned back in the leather seat, looking down at her phone.

Open WeChat.

Yao: There's a traffic jam. I might be ten minutes late.

The other party replied instantly.

HZ: No rush. Drive slowly.

HZ: We just went out too.

Shu Yao locked the screen and put her phone in her bag.

*

6:15.

The Mercedes drove onto a tree-lined path in the eastern suburbs.

The plane trees on both sides of the road provide ample shade, and the streetlights have just been turned on, making the light dim.

The car stopped in front of an inconspicuous black lacquered wooden door, with two red gauze lanterns hanging above the door.

The plaque bears three characters written in cursive script: Yinxi Pavilion.

The city's most upscale private restaurant only serves three tables of guests a day, and reservations must be made six months in advance.

Shu Yao and her family of three got off the bus.

A male waiter in a traditional Chinese jacket stood at the door. He glanced at the license plate, approached the car, and bowed slightly.

"Mr. Shu, Mrs. Lin, Miss Shu, please come in. This is the 'Listening to Bamboo' room that Mr. He has reserved."

The three followed the waiter inside.

The path underfoot is paved with bluestone slabs, and both sides are lined with lush Xiangfei bamboo. When the wind blows, the bamboo leaves rustle.

In the middle of the courtyard is a koi pond with flowing water, the sound of the water is gentle, and the air is filled with only the faint fragrance of grass and trees and a faint scent of incense.

The winding path led to a secluded spot, so quiet it was unsettling.

Shu Jianguo walked very lightly, as if afraid of stepping too hard and ruining the elegance.

He reached out and tugged at the hem of his suit jacket, his palms becoming slippery with cold sweat.

We walked through a long corridor and stopped in front of a carved wooden door.

The waiter opened the door and gestured for the door to open.

"Everyone, please come in."

The private room was extremely large, easily over a hundred square meters.

The floor was covered with a thick, hand-woven carpet that felt soft and fluffy underfoot.

In the very center stood a huge round table made of Phoebe zhennan wood, upon which lay a complete set of bone china tableware, and crystal glasses that shimmered under the light. Several ink paintings hung on the walls, and in a corner, incense smoke curled upwards.

Shu Jianguo swallowed.

This scene is even more intimidating than when he goes to a meeting in the provincial capital.

The three walked to the round table and sat down.

The waitress walked over, carrying a long-spouted purple clay teapot.

The water cascaded down and landed steadily in the white porcelain teacup, instantly releasing the aroma of fine pre-Qingming Longjing tea into the air.

"Mr. He and his family are still on their way. Please take a short rest."

The waiter poured the tea and then left.

Close the door.

Only the three of them remained in the private room.

Shu Jianguo picked up the teacup, his hand trembling slightly, and the tea sloshed around in the cup.

He lowered his head, blew away the foam, and took a sip.

It was too hot; it made his tongue numb, and he couldn't taste anything.

"Old Shu, stop shaking, it's getting on my nerves," Lin Shufen said in a low voice, glaring at him.

She was actually nervous herself, clutching a tissue tightly in her hand until it was crumpled into pieces.

Shu Jianguo put down his teacup.

"I can't control it, it's a physiological reaction. What will be the first thing I say when I open my mouth? Secretary He? Or Leader He?"

"Why call him Secretary? This is a family dinner," Lin Shufen retorted. "Calling him Father-in-law makes it seem more intimate."

"No, no, that's too casual. What level are they at, and what level am I? Calling them whatever we want will only make us a laughing stock." Shu Jianguo shook his head repeatedly.

Shu Yao listened to her parents' argument and sighed.

She picked up her phone and unlocked it.

Yao: Where are you?

Two seconds later.

HZ: Parking lot.

HZ: Come in right away.

Shu Yao placed her phone screen face down on the table and looked up.

"They've arrived and come inside."

As soon as those words were spoken...

Shu Jianguo jumped up from his chair as if he had been pricked by a needle.

He quickly straightened his tie, buttoned up his suit jacket, then felt a tightness in his stomach, so he unbuttoned it, took a deep breath, and buttoned it up again.

Lin Shufen quickly sat up straight, took out a small mirror from her bag, and checked her lipstick and hairstyle one last time.

The private room fell into a deathly silence.

The only sound was a faint hissing sound from the standing air conditioner in the corner.

One minute later.

Footsteps echoed down the corridor.

They walked slowly and deliberately on the carpet, making a dull thud.

Shu Jianguo's heart leaped into his throat. He pressed his hands tightly against the seams of his pants, his thumbs digging into the knuckles of his index fingers.

"Click".

The brass handle of the carved wooden door was pressed down.

The door was pushed open.

He Zheng was the first to walk in.

Today he wore a plain black casual shirt with the collar slightly open, paired with dark gray casual trousers and spotless black leather shoes.

Tall and broad-shouldered, his shoulders and back were as straight as a spear.

He walked in, like a wall blocking out the light from the doorway.

He Zheng leaned against the door with one hand, parted half his body to let the door open, and his gaze fell on Shu Yao's face the moment he entered.

Shu Yao met his gaze, rolled her eyes in annoyance, and pouted.

Immediately afterwards, two people walked in from outside.