(TL: The raws number the chapters differently, but the story is unchanged. I will stick with the way my source does it.)

Mei Fang had promised Xia Yuan that he would fulfill her wish—to openly declare their relationship in front of Teacher Yu and Uncle Xia, and even spend the night at YuanYuan’s new home.

The decision might have seemed a little abrupt, but since it was his girlfriend’s wish, Mei Fang was determined to make it happen.

Come to think of it, even though we’re officially dating now—aside from getting bolder with intimate stuff—do I really feel like YuanYuan and Youxi are my girlfriends?

Mei Fang wasn’t entirely sure what “girlfriend vibes” were supposed to feel like. After all, they had grown up together as childhood friends. Did wanting to hug and kiss Xia Yuan every time they were alone count?

Now that I think about it… I really did watch our YuanYuan grow up, huh…

Today was the day—meeting Xia Yuan’s parents before the New Year. Mei Fang woke up early, hopped on his electric scooter, and headed straight to Xia Yuan’s place. Her family had moved from a standalone house to a high-end residential complex, and the entry process was annoyingly strict. Mei Fang had no choice but to wait outside for Xia Yuan to come down and meet him.

When she finally appeared, she was dressed in a pretty skirt, looking absolutely adorable. She bounced over to Mei Fang, pulled him close, and planted a kiss on his lips before patting his shoulder.

“A-Fang, you look extra handsome today! My mom and dad will be thrilled.”

“Let’s not talk about that yet… First, we need to pick out gifts for them. Do you want to sit in the front or the back?”

“If I sit in the front, I’ll block your view. I’ll take the back.”

Xia Yuan took two quick steps, hopped onto the scooter, and wrapped her arms around Mei Fang. Even through their thick winter coats, he could feel her warmth, making his heart flutter. Just as he was about to say something, Xia Yuan tightened her grip around him.

“Today, A-Fang is all mine~”

Mei Fang glanced back at her with a grin. “What happened to always insisting Youxi tag along?”

“That was for my birthday! It’s different!”

“I still remember you crying and saying, ‘Youxi has to be there too!’—”

“Ugh! A-Fang, you’re the worst!”

Xia Yuan pummeled Mei Fang’s back with her tiny fists. “If you keep bringing up my embarrassing past, I won’t help you with that this week!”

Then, realizing she might be shortchanging herself, she pinched his waist and grumbled, “And I won’t let Youxi help you either!”

“Alright, alright… Just kidding, don’t get so worked up.”

Mei Fang turned his head slightly to look at her. “Did you eat at home? Or should we grab breakfast first?”

“You haven’t eaten yet?” Xia Yuan nuzzled against him. “I had steamed buns at home. Want to come over and have some?”

“We’re supposed to be visiting Uncle Xia and Auntie Yu formally today. Showing up now would be weird.” Mei Fang thought for a moment. “I’ll just grab some soup dumplings on the way.”

“Xue told me there’s a really good ramen place near Suguang Department Store—something like ‘Brother Tang’s.’ Wanna go try their beef noodles?”

“Ramen now? What if I can’t eat much at your place for lunch? That’d be awkward.”

“We can share a bowl,” Xia Yuan licked her lips. “Actually… I just really wanna try it.”

“Should’ve said so earlier.”

Mei Fang rode off with Xia Yuan on the back, the wind rushing past them. Before long, his phone rang. Xia Yuan reached into his pocket, pulled it out, and checked the screen.

“It’s Youxi. Should I answer?”

“Go ahead.”

Xia Yuan took the call. “Youxi? It’s YuanYuan.”

“You and A-Fang are already out?”

“Yep! We’re about to get beef noodles. Wanna join?”

“Which place?”

“The new one next to Suguang. Want A-Fang to swing by and pick you up?”

“…Never mind. It’s out of the way, and I doubt you really want me there anyway.”

“Huh?! Of course I do! If you wanna come, we’ll get you!”

“Whatever. Pass the phone to A-Fang.”

Xia Yuan obediently held the phone up to Mei Fang’s ear so he and Lin Youxi could talk.

“Yeah… I’m here.”

Xia Yuan watched as Mei Fang nodded.

“Mhm…”

“Got it.”

“That bug can probably be handled by Qin Shaoyang.”

“Wait, really? I thought he was doing fine. Why fire him?”

“If you really can’t stand it… I’ll talk to Sister Yueyue. Anything else?”

“Yeah… I will. I know what to do. I’ve got a good read on Teacher Yu and Uncle Xia.”

“You don’t trust me?”

From Mei Fang’s responses, Xia Yuan could tell he was alternating between discussing work and personal matters with Lin Youxi. She dutifully held the phone up, playing the role of the supportive girlfriend.

But their conversation dragged on, and her arm started to ache.

“A-Fang… how much longer?”

Hearing Xia Yuan’s whine, Mei Fang finally wrapped things up with Lin Youxi.

“Alright… We’re almost at the ramen place. Talk later.”

“Huh? Oh…”

Mei Fang made a loud mwah sound into the phone.

“……”

“Okay, we’re done, YuanYuan.”

Xia Yuan stuffed the phone back into Mei Fang’s pocket, pouting.

“I had no idea… you and Youxi kiss over the phone too?”

“Uh… sometimes.”

Mei Fang pulled over and got off the scooter. Xia Yuan remained seated, arms crossed, radiating jealousy.

So cute.

Rather than being annoyed, Mei Fang found her pouty expression endearing. He walked over, scooped her up, and lifted her off the scooter.

Xia Yuan yelped in surprise, flailing a little before steadying herself. She pinched Mei Fang’s cheeks, but he didn’t let her off the hook—he leaned in and gave her a proper mwah of his own.

“With Youxi, it’s just a virtual mwah. With you, it’s the real deal. Now we’re even, right?”

“Wha—?! No way! You’re still taking advantage!”

Xia Yuan pinched his cheeks again, then leaned in for another kiss.

“I can taste steamed buns. Did you have veggie ones today?”

“Ew! That’s so gross!”

Laughing and bickering, the two entered the ramen shop, ordered a bowl of beef noodles to share, and split it into smaller portions. After eating, they critiqued the broth and noodle texture like seasoned food critics, wiped their mouths, and got down to business.

Before meeting Xia Yuan’s parents, Mei Fang needed to pick out the perfect gifts.

After selling Bai Mei Ren Jia, Xia Yuan’s father, Xia Xun, had reinvested his earnings with sharp business acumen, partnering with friends on lucrative ventures. In just a few years, he’d amassed a fortune—Mei Fang estimated his net worth was at least in the tens of millions.

But exactly how rich he was now, neither Mei Fang nor Xia Yuan knew for sure.

Faced with the prospect of impressing a father-in-law of such means, Mei Fang had agonized over whether he should bring extravagant gifts.

Lin Youxi, however, had pointed out that since Mei Fang planned to reveal his own big achievements to Xia Xun, showing up with overly modest, “student-appropriate” gifts might send the wrong message. After some deliberation, they settled on high-end presents.

With Xia Yuan’s guidance, picking a gift for her mom, Teacher Yu, was easy—a luxury perfume set, elegantly packaged and sure to impress.

But Xia Xun’s gift proved trickier.

“My dad loves cars, but showing up with one would be weird. It’d feel less like a gift and more like a dowry.”

“What about leather bags, belts, or watches? Any brands he likes?”

“Meh… not really.”

Xia Yuan tapped her chin. “He hasn’t been feeling great lately. Maybe health supplements?”

“Are you trying to get me disowned?!”

Mei Fang flicked her forehead. “Giving supplements is basically saying, ‘Hey, Uncle Xia, you’re old!’ That’s the last thing I should do, especially since he’s not exactly my biggest fan.”

“My dad doesn’t dislike you! He’s fine with you!”

Xia Yuan thought for a moment. “How about I just call and ask him what he’d like—”

“Don’t do anything rash! Let me think…”

Mei Fang pondered for a moment, then turned to Xia Yuan. “Does your dad usually carry a pen with him?”

“Yeah… He often signs documents, so he keeps a fountain pen on him,” Xia Yuan replied. “Are you thinking of giving him a pen? But high-end luxury pens like that would have to be bought in Jiangcheng, right?”

“Don’t worry. My dad recently got a LAMY pen set as a gift. I can pass it on to your dad.”

“But that was a gift for Uncle Mei. Isn’t it bad to regift it?”

“My dad never uses it anyway. At most, I’ll just buy it from him—he won’t mind.”

With their plan set, Mei Fang rushed home and took the pen set from his father, Mei Lijun. At first, Mei Lijun was reluctant, reminding his son that regifting could be seen as improper unless reciprocated.

But when Mei Fang handed him a wad of cash, his frown instantly turned into a grin. He even helped wrap the pen set neatly for Mei Fang to take.

With preparations complete, it was time for the official visit.

Mei Fang rode his scooter back to Xia Yuan’s new neighborhood, passing through the strict security checkpoint. Instead of heading straight upstairs, Xia Yuan gave him a tour of the complex.

“So? How’s the new place?”

“It’s nice… but I kinda miss your old villa.”

“Well, your family has a villa now.” Xia Yuan clung to Mei Fang’s arm. “Maybe next year, we can buy a place in Jiangcheng. It’s too cramped where we are now.”

“We haven’t even decided where we’re going for university. Isn’t buying in Jiangcheng a waste? Renting would be better.”

“Let’s buy one. My dad’s already been scouting properties there. I can ask him for recommendations, and we can check them out when the semester starts. Youxi will be 18 by then—she can buy her own place too.”

“Hmm… If your dad’s recommending them, then maybe…”

After strolling around, Xia Yuan led Mei Fang to her building. They entered via facial recognition, took the elevator, and pressed the button for her floor.

Standing outside the door, Mei Fang took a deep breath. Xia Yuan knocked lightly.

“Mom! I brought A-Fang home!”

The door opened, revealing Teacher Yu.

“Hello, Teacher Yu.”

Mei Fang bowed slightly to his former elementary school teacher. Beaming, she ushered him inside.

“Come in, come in! I made all your favorite dishes today—”

“Teacher Yu, this is for you…”

“Oh, you didn’t have to bring anything!”

She took the gift box, examining it closely before gasping. “This—this is too extravagant! Versace perfume? How did you know I loved this?”

Mei Fang scratched his head sheepishly. “Well, it wasn’t entirely my idea. YuanYuan told me—”

“A-Fang! Don’t just admit that!”

“A-Fang… I appreciate the thought, but you’re still a student. I can’t accept something this expensive.”

Teacher Yu adopted her stern classroom tone. “This must’ve come from your parents’ hard-earned money. Even if you saved up, I wouldn’t feel right—”

“Mom, hold on. A-Fang earned this himself. He didn’t use his family’s money.”

“Earned it? How—”

Just then, Xia Xun emerged from the inner rooms. Mei Fang quickly greeted him.

“Hello, Uncle Xia.”

“Ah, Mei Fang’s here.”

Xia Xun’s tone was neutral. He motioned toward the living room. “Have a seat. Lunch will be ready soon. No need to stand around.”

“Darling, A-Fang brought me a gift.”

Xia Xun raised an eyebrow, mildly impressed. “If he gave it to you, just accept it. No harm in that.”

“Uncle Xia, I brought something for you too.”

Mei Fang stepped forward and presented the pen set.

Xia Xun’s eyes widened at the brand. “This is too much. Did you discuss this with your parents?”

“A-Fang said he earned the money himself.”

Xia Xun paused, then connected the dots. “From your music projects with YuanYuan, right? Even if it’s your own income, you shouldn’t spend it so freely. Hard-earned money shouldn’t be wasted.”

“Ugh! Mom, Dad, you’re being so dense!”

Frustrated by her parents’ lecturing, Xia Yuan decided to cut to the chase. “This isn’t just a casual gift, okay? Do you get it now?”

“Not… casual?”

Seizing the moment, Mei Fang took Xia Yuan’s hand and bowed deeply. “Uncle Xia, Teacher Yu, please accept these gifts. They’re… meeting-the-parents presents.”

“Pfft—A-Fang, what’s this ‘meeting the parents’ nonsense? You’ve known us since you were—”

Teacher Yu’s laughter died as she noticed Mei Fang’s solemn expression and their intertwined hands. Realization dawned. “Wait… ‘Meeting the parents’ means… you and YuanYuan… you’re together?”

“Yes, Teacher Yu.”

Xia Yuan nudged Mei Fang. “Hey, why are you still calling her Teacher? Say Mom!”

“Mom?!”

Xia Xun’s frown deepened. “Absolutely not. You’re just dating, not engaged. It’s too soon for that.”

“But… I mean…”

Teacher Yu fidgeted nervously. “You’re still students. Are you… thinking of getting engaged?”

“What? A-Ling, where’d that come from?!”

“No, no! I—I just got flustered. Sorry…”

“Mom, we’re just dating. It’s not like we’re getting married tomorrow. Why are you more nervous than me?”

Xia Yuan was baffled by her mother’s reaction. Meanwhile, Teacher Yu couldn’t suppress her smile as she patted Mei Fang’s head.

“Normally, I don’t approve of teenage relationships… but you and YuanYuan are special. I won’t interfere. Just… take good care of her.”

“I will, Teacher Yu. I’ll make YuanYuan happy.”

Mei Fang’s earnest nod only made Xia Xun’s stomach churn.

What’s with this atmosphere?! They’re just dating, not giving away our daughter!

Outwardly calm, Xia Xun was internally in turmoil. A strange, melancholic ache gripped him, leaving him conflicted. When Xia Yuan and Mei Fang turned to him expectantly, the millionaire businessman couldn’t meet their eyes, instinctively looking away.

“Dad? Aren’t you going to say anything?”

“Hah? Oh… right.”

Xia Xun stroked his chin, then placed a hand on Mei Fang’s shoulder.

“Your mom already said it all. But I’ll tell you this—I won’t say ‘I entrust my daughter to you’ so easily. You’ll have to prove yourself first.”

“Understood… Dad.”

“Hah?!”

“—Ahem, I mean, Uncle Xia.”

Mei Fang coughed awkwardly.

Xia Xun sat back on the sofa, crossing his arms.

“We’ve raised YuanYuan like a treasure. You know that. Now she’s a famous singer—she’ll face challenges and temptations. If you want to protect her, you’ll need strength of your own. I won’t demand much now, but if you’re still together after graduation, I expect you to have a respectable career. Otherwise, you’ll only hold her back.”

“Dad! A-Fang already has a career!”

Finally free to boast, Xia Yuan clung to Mei Fang’s arm triumphantly.

“He’s the CEO of C-Site and Linxi Games! His net worth is almost 100 million! Bet you didn’t know that!”

“Almost 100 million?! Don’t exaggerate—it’s just tens of millions!”

Mei Fang ruffled her hair, but when he glanced back at Xia Xun and Teacher Yu, their stunned expressions said it all.

Already working?

…A CEO?

---