Chapter Forty-Five: Handsome Man and Beautiful Woman, a Perfect Match

Jiang Yunzhu had never drunk white liquor before, especially not the kind with such a strong aftertaste. She couldn’t even remember how she got home last night.

The next morning, she woke with a splitting headache. Rubbing her temples, she stumbled downstairs and slumped onto the table, lethargically asking, “Mom, how did I get home yesterday?”

Chen Li and Jiang Lu had already finished breakfast long ago; one had even wrapped up an early morning meeting. Both of them appeared rather mysterious at that moment.

“Really don’t remember?” Chen Li’s Bluetooth headset was still on, clearly she had some event to attend. Dressed in a tailored suit, she looked sharp and capable, but her expression was tinged with intrigue.

Jiang Yunzhu was used to her mother’s mannerisms. Seeing she wouldn’t answer, Jiang Yunzhu tilted her head toward Jiang Lu. “Dad?”

Jiang Lu gave a subtle smile. “Yunzhu, your mom and I have both said you’re an adult now. If you ever need to stay out overnight, just call us ahead of time.”

“Why bring that up again?” Jiang Yunzhu felt a bit resentful. “Yesterday you introduced some so-called handsome guy to me? What kind of person is he, acting as if no one else would want me except him. Does his family own mountains of gold or something? Even if they do, don’t I have the same?”

“What handsome guy? Wasn’t it Shen Tingxiao who brought you back? He carried you home!” Chen Li mimed a princess carry, grinning teasingly. “You were drunk, clutching his collar, calling him ‘handsome husband’ and asking to see his abs.”

Jiang Lu wisely kept his opinions to himself, only chuckling quietly.

Jiang Yunzhu sputtered her water in shock, her eyes widening. “Wait! Shen Tingxiao brought me home last night?”

“Who else did you think it was?” Chen Li laughed softly, as if all her worries had vanished. “Round and round, it’s still Shen Tingxiao. I like him.”

“No way!” Jiang Yunzhu’s cheeks flushed, feeling as if her face was burning.

She’d called Shen Tingxiao ‘handsome husband’ and asked to see his abs?

Impossible.

Absolutely impossible!

“Mom.” Jiang Yunzhu wished she could crawl into a hole, gazing helplessly at Chen Li. “Did I… really say those things?”

“Absolutely!” Chen Li was satisfied. “Just thinking about the future—a charming, wealthy son-in-law—I feel so hopeful about what’s to come.”

Jiang Lu stroked his own face, muttering under his breath, “I’m quite handsome and wealthy myself.”

He received a glare of disdain from Chen Li.

Jiang Yunzhu sprawled across the table, her mind filled with only one thought.

It’s over.

Only then did fragments of last night’s memories come flooding back.

Shen Tingxiao’s eyes had gazed at her with deep intensity, as if turbulent emotions lurked beneath the surface.

“Jiang Yunzhu, your parents always pushing you to blind dates isn’t a solution. Why don’t I do you a favor and pretend to be your boyfriend, hmm?”

“So it’s settled then.”

Settled!

Decided!

Done!

Jiang Yunzhu leapt up, clutching her face.

How foolish! How could she have drunk so much? How could she have agreed so recklessly?

Her sudden movement startled both Jiang Lu and Chen Li, who turned to stare at her.

“What’s wrong?” Jiang Lu asked, genuinely concerned. “Did you drink too much yesterday and feel sick?”

“Silly girl, finally realized you have a boyfriend now?” Chen Li teased.

“Mom!” Jiang Yunzhu grabbed her glass of milk and downed it in one go, then hurried upstairs. “Yesterday was just a misunderstanding! Shen Tingxiao and I are completely innocent—nothing happened!”

Chen Li refused to accept that. “Impossible. I saw you drunk, grabbing his collar and demanding to see his abs. That image is burned into my mind forever. If I’d had time, I would have snapped a picture, blown it up, framed it, and gifted it to you!”

Jiang Yunzhu nearly tripped. “Mom, please don’t make things worse right now.”

Chen Li said something else, but Jiang Yunzhu didn’t catch it.

Back in her room, she fished her phone from beneath her pillow, found Shen Tingxiao’s chat, and hesitated as she typed:

Master Shen, um… I’m really sorry about last night. I was drunk. I know you meant well, but honestly, I don’t really need a pretend boyfriend…

She reread the message, thinking it sounded too blunt, and deleted it. Frustrated, she sat on her bed and tried again:

Master Shen, the things I said yesterday were just jokes, right? Hahaha, I laughed, let’s just forget about it.

Could she really get away with that?

Jiang Yunzhu deleted that too, biting her lip and shifting her posture, legs crossed as she drafted another:

Master Shen, after thinking it over, I don’t think I’m good enough for you. I’m really not suitable to be your girlfriend.

She scrutinized the line from every angle, finally deeming it appropriate before sending it to Shen Tingxiao.

That should keep him from getting angry.

Then, Jiang Yunzhu pulled Sang Bai and Shao Shu into a group chat and tagged them both: Why did you two leave me alone last night?

Sang Bai: What are you talking about? I don’t know anything.

Feigning ignorance.

Shao Shu: Sorry, Yunzhu. But Mr. Shen is really scary. I felt like he was about to devour me, so I left first. Later, I saw him carry you out, and I tried to offer to take you home, but it felt like Mr. Shen definitely wanted to do it himself.

Jiang Yunzhu rolled her eyes: So you two just left me behind without a second thought? Don’t you have any conscience?

Sang Bai: Conscience? None at all. Besides, who dares mess with Shen Tingxiao?

She obviously felt comfortable leaving Jiang Yunzhu with him.

But Shao Shu was more worried: Yunzhu, did Master Shen do anything to you? Did he try to… you know… take advantage? But usually, in these situations, wouldn’t he go for actresses like us?

Sang Bai: Guess he wasn’t interested in us.

Something stirred in Jiang Yunzhu’s heart.

If Shen Tingxiao really wanted to exploit her, as Shao Shu suggested, that wouldn’t make sense. If he’d made a direct proposal, she would have refused.

So was Shen Tingxiao just taking a more roundabout approach?

Her guess seemed both plausible and a bit absurd.

Sang Bai’s reply in the group made Jiang Yunzhu realize something.

Honestly, Yunzhu is really beautiful—way prettier than many celebrities. If you were Master Shen, who would you want to seduce?

Shao Shu: If it were me, I’d choose Yunzhu too.

Jiang Yunzhu: Wait, can’t I just have a proper relationship?

Sang Bai: Shen Tingxiao, date you? Would you dare?

Shao Shu: If Mr. Shen is sincere, it’s not impossible—handsome guy and gorgeous girl, a perfect match.

Jiang Yunzhu: …I wouldn’t dare.

Just then, a message from Shen Tingxiao arrived.