Recounting his entrepreneurial journey was exhausting, but since Mei Fang had already gone through it with his own family, this time felt much smoother.

The main difference was Xia Xun—being a seasoned investor with influence in Baimei County—grilled Mei Fang meticulously about his business ventures. Mei Fang answered earnestly, not daring to be careless.

Even so, Xia Xun found it hard to believe what his daughter’s boyfriend had achieved.

“You’re only 17, and you’ve already built such a large-scale business without relying on your family? What kind of monster will you become in the future?”

“Uncle Xia, don’t say that. I didn’t start from nothing.”

Mei Fang smiled, holding Xia Yuan’s hand. “I’ve had YuanYuan and Youxi by my side since we were kids, along with other friends. Everything we’ve accomplished is thanks to everyone’s hard work.”

Teacher Yu, ever the observant elementary school teacher, immediately picked up on Lin Youxi’s mention. “I’m happy for you and YuanYuan, but… the three of you grew up together. Youxi clearly has feelings for you too. Is she really okay with this?”

“Mom, don’t worry about Youxi. Sure, she likes A-Fang, but she’s given us her blessing.”

Xia Yuan beamed. “We’re still as close as ever.”

“If she’s fine with it, then that’s good.”

Teacher Yu quickly moved past the topic, turning her attention back to her future son-in-law.

She knew her daughter had been coddled like a precious jewel since birth. While this upbringing gave Xia Yuan a kind and pure heart, it also made her naive and overly trusting. Handing YuanYuan over to some unfamiliar boy would’ve been unthinkable.

But Mei Fang? She’d known him since kindergarten. In elementary school, he’d been one of her brightest students. Six years of watching him grow had given her deep affection and trust in his character—especially after the incident when he ran away from home.

So when she learned the two were dating, she was genuinely happy. She knew Mei Fang would never let her daughter down.

“Alright, enough talk. Let’s eat while we chat.”

Teacher Yu ushered Mei Fang to the table, piling his bowl with food while showering him with questions. Xia Xun and Xia Yuan exchanged a glance, both feeling slightly ignored.

Of course, Mei Fang wasn’t exactly thrilled about the special treatment—especially since Teacher Yu’s cooking hadn’t improved over the years. Those who knew, knew.

But this time, after bravely swallowing a bite of his teacher-and-future-mother-in-law’s cooking, his eyes widened in shock.

“This… this is delicious.”

He eagerly reached for another serving. “Teacher Yu, when did your cooking get so good? It’s like night and day!”

“Look how excited you are…”

Teacher Yu pouted. “So all those times you said you loved my cooking—were you just lying?”

Mei Fang, faced with both his former teacher and future mother-in-law, chose brutal honesty.

“Well… I might have exaggerated before. But this? This is the truth.”

“It’s fine to fib to your teacher, but don’t you dare lie to our YuanYuan. If you two end up together, you have to be honest with each other. No hiding grievances, understand? YuanYuan, that goes for you too.”

“Mom! We’re not even engaged yet! Why are you jumping ahead?”

Xia Yuan’s face burned as she glared at her mother. Meanwhile, Xia Xun silently served himself before adding,

“Relationships are about compromise. If you hide your flaws just to seem perfect, you’ll only suffer later when you live together.”

“Dad! Who asked for your input?”

Xia Xun—a titan of Baimei County’s business world—shrank under his daughter’s scolding, his expression a mix of resignation and heartbreak.

He’d always known his little girl would grow up someday.

He just hadn’t expected it to hurt this much.

Yet in the end, his efforts had only paved the way for someone else.

If I hadn’t agreed to let YuanYuan go on that vacation to Mei Fang’s house, would things have turned out differently? At least Lin Youxi also…

Xia Xun gazed melancholically at a 45-degree angle, lost in his thoughts, while Xia Yuan was already discussing with her mother about having Mei Fang stay overnight.

“Staying overnight? Doesn’t Mei Fang have a place to sleep?”

“Well… I just want A-Fang to stay at our place tonight.”

After hearing her daughter’s request, Yu Ling pondered for a moment. “Ah, I see… It’s like when a husband visits his in-laws to get used to the family…”

“Mom! Don’t say it out loud!”

Xia Yuan hurriedly covered her mother’s mouth, creating a heartwarming yet comical scene.

“Why would Mei Fang need to stay over?” Xia Xun frowned at Mei Fang. “Is this your idea too?”

Mei Fang nodded. “YuanYuan feels like she’s stayed at my place often, so she wants me to experience hers too… I’m just going along with it.”

Xia Xun shook his head. “That’s not the right attitude. A man should have his own opinions—”

“Dear, could you help tidy up the guest room on the west side? Let A-Fang stay there tonight.”

“…”

“Is it inconvenient for you? If so, I can do it myself—”

Xia Xun immediately stood up. “No, I’ll handle it.”

Watching her father obediently follow her mother’s instructions, Xia Yuan turned to Mei Fang with a smile.

“What? Do you wish I’d be as ‘obedient’ as my dad?”

“It’s not about obedience. He’s just considerate toward my mom.”

Xia Yuan gazed at Mei Fang warmly. “But our A-Fang is outstanding too. I remember every time you’ve been good to me, and I won’t compare you two deliberately.”

“Hmm…”

To Mei Fang, what made Xia Yuan truly special was that she didn’t conform to typical expectations—she never acted entitled or demanded special treatment just because she was a girl. Even when visiting his home, she actively helped with chores.

Of course, this was largely due to her upbringing, and Mei Fang was genuinely grateful to Xia Xun and Yu Ling for raising her this way.

After lunch, Mei Fang took Xia Yuan on his scooter to visit Lin Youxi.

Before meeting Youxi, he had also made a formal visit to her house, though the gifts he brought were more conventional, like health supplements.

As for their joint business venture, Youxi had already explained it to her family.

Lin Guochuan was stunned by his daughter’s achievements, but what struck him harder was the fact that she and Mei Fang weren’t together.

After learning about her financial success, Lin Guochuan didn’t let pride stop him from accepting her support—he even considered renovating their home.

However, when Lin Youxi suggested he retire early or change jobs, he refused, insisting he enjoyed his current work. This led to a heated debate between father and daughter.

Today, Mei Fang was visiting to help persuade him. Having witnessed Lin Guochuan’s exhausting work routine, he sincerely hoped his future father-in-law could enjoy a healthy, peaceful retirement.