Minutes later, Guo Min reemerged, transformed. She wore a long-sleeved, belted gown in a muted champagne shade that hugged her waist and flared slightly at the hips. The front of the dress carried delicate tiered frills, rising upward to give a soft, feminine frame, while the back trailed gracefully downward. Her makeup was flawless yet natural, rosy cheeks, a subtle smoky eye, and a hint of gloss on her lips. Her hair was swept into a messy bun, secured with a simple yet chic clip, while two soft, face-framing bangs curled loosely down the sides of her face, giving her an effortlessly elegant charm.
Li Yan's eyes gleamed approvingly, but her tone was teasing. "My daughter knows how to throw a fit."
Guo Min smiled, tugging at the hem of her dress. "Come on, Mom. You look gorgeous too."
Li Yan's attire spoke volumes of her character, elegant, dignified, but indulgent in style. She wore a silk jade-green cheongsam-inspired dress, modernized with cap sleeves and a subtle side slit. The fabric shimmered softly under the light, embroidered with delicate magnolia patterns. She paired it with low-heeled nude pumps, a string of pearls around her neck, and her hair styled into a sleek low chignon. Despite her age, her posture and radiant poise made her look timeless.
She smiled knowingly at Guo Min. "We'll buy everything they forgot to forbid us from buying. That's the power of being the women of this family."
Guo Min didn't know what to buy, but she admired her new mother-in-law deeply. Never once had she seen Li Yan without a smile, her energy was youthful, vibrant, and impossibly positive. It made sense why Zixuan had fallen for her. What she couldn't figure out was how Zihan, with all this sunshine around him, had turned out so cold.
"Mom, a picture?" Guo Min lifted her phone.
"Yes, yes!" Li Yan hopped into her arms for a hug, both of them laughing as the camera clicked.
A few minutes later, they swept into the garage, slid into the car, and drove out of the estate.
It wasn't long after they left that an old man entered the house. Past middle-aged, but walking steadily without aid, his face carried the striking, severe features of the Zhu men. He lowered himself onto the sofa with practiced ease and ordered a maid to announce his arrival.
Minutes later, Zixuan came down first. "Dad, welcome." His smile was polite, but his father only scoffed.
"You chased me off to the U.S. like an exile, and now you act glad to see me?" His lips curled in disdain. His expression soured further when Zihan entered.
"When are you getting married?" he snapped, not bothering with greetings. "Where's your wife?"
Unruffled, Zihan answered evenly. "She and Mom went shopping. They'll be back soon." He slid off his glasses and poured himself a glass of water.
The three men sat in silence, an easy silence for them, because none of them were inclined toward small talk. Without Li Yan's chatter, the house felt like a mausoleum.
After nearly two hours, the silence was broken by the sound of heels. One pair hurried, the other measured.
"Careful, Min. You'll hurt yourself if you walk too fast," Li Yan warned gently.
"Don't worry, Mom. I'm fine. Just a little… woman's problem." Guo Min whispered, pointing subtly at her stomach before darting upstairs.
By the time she returned, she had scrubbed off her makeup, thrown on a thick oversized sweater, black baggy pants, and soft slippers. Her messy bun remained. She plastered a smile on her face despite the cramps twisting her insides.
"Min, meet Zihan's grandfather." Li Yan's voice carried cheer. "Grandpa, this is Guo Min."
The old man scowled at her. She bowed politely. "Nice to meet you, sir."
A heavy silence stretched, until Zhu Chang's voice cracked through it like thunder. "…Shameless! You saw me when you entered but acted blind. Irresponsible!"
Guo Min blinked. "Who?" She pointed to herself. "Me?"
"Who else would I mean?" His glare hardened.
For a beat she just stared at him. Then, slowly, a bright smile curved her lips. "So the bluntness really does run in the Zhu blood." She walked past him, unbothered.
"How dare you walk out on me!" His voice boomed. "Zihan, you can't marry this kind of person. Grandfather disagrees!"
Zihan didn't answer, just observed.
Guo Min, however, leaned on the armrest of the sofa and grinned at the old man. "Grandpa, stop being bitter. You're too cute and handsome for that."
His eyes bulged. "How dare you call me bitter, you brat?! And don't you dare call me Grandpa!"
"I also called you cute," she said sweetly, "but you didn't pick on that."
"You...! Tch!" His hand waved furiously in the air, but his face betrayed the crack in his armor. He turned away, defeated. This new daughter-in-law was going to be a problem.
Guo Min smiled faintly before slipping away into the kitchen. She returned with a cup of steaming water, hoping the warmth would soothe the stinging ache clawing at her stomach. Lowering herself beside Zihan, she tried at first to sit properly, knees together, posture straight like the image of a respectable fiancée.
But the cramps gnawed at her resolve. Before long, she gave in, tucking her legs onto the chair, arms curling around her knees as she sipped carefully at the hot water.
Zihan's gaze flickered toward her, a frown tugging at the edge of his stoic face. He said nothing, watching her knuckles whiten against the fabric of her sweater, until he noticed her hand press gently against her lower stomach. His voice dropped, soft and restrained.
"…Is it that painful?"
Her head tilted, confusion in her eyes. "What is?"
He hesitated for half a second, as though embarrassed to name it aloud. "…Periods."
Guo Min let out a humorless laugh, shaking her head. "If you think pain feels like your intestines are knotted and pulled from both ends by two people competing in tug of war…" She exhaled slowly, wincing at another cramp. "Then yes, it's very painful."
For once, Zihan had no clever response. His brows pinched slightly, the corners of his usually unreadable eyes softening. Without a word, he drew her closer, slipping an arm around her shoulders as though shielding her from the world or from her own pain.
"Then give us a child. You can at least do that," Old Man Zhu suddenly cut in, his gravelly voice sharp against the quiet.
Guo Min choked mid-sip, coughing so hard her eyes watered. She slammed the cup down, turning to glare daggers at the old man. "Seriously?!" she rasped, fanning her throat. "Why are the Zhus so obsessed with children? It's not too late for me to run away from your grandson, you know. I'd rather focus on business and enjoy my life, thank you very much, Gramps."
"Humph." Grandpa Zhu pouted like a boy denied candy, his scowl deepening.
Zihan's lips curled up...barely. He said nothing, but the faint squeeze of his arm around her shoulders betrayed his amusement.
"Don't worry, Min," Li Yan's cheerful voice piped up, cutting through the tension. "Take your time. Dad just… doesn't know patience. But the Zhu family has been birthing sons for generations. We're hoping for a boy, a girl… and maybe one more extra blessing."
Guo Min's jaw dropped. She blinked once, twice, then shot up straight as if lightning had struck her spine. "Wait... WHAT?" Her voice climbed an octave. "That's three. THREE!" She pointed at Li Yan, horrified. "Oh my God. Do I look like a factory to you people?"
The room went silent for half a beat before Zixuan chuckled lowly, breaking the tension. "Don't scare her. One step at a time."
Guo Min groaned and plopped back onto the chair, only to scoot herself a full seat away from Zihan...like he had already planted a basketball team in her stomach and was now waiting for her to birth all of them.
"…Guo Min."
The way Zihan called her name, calm, unhurried, yet weighted, sent a shiver crawling down her spine. Goosebumps prickled her skin, and she stiffened instantly.
She turned her head slowly, forcing a smile so bright it could have lit the entire mansion. "Why, I'm fine right here. Totally fine. See?" She gestured at the empty space between them as though that proved her point.
His gaze, sharp yet unreadable, locked onto her. "Come here."
Her smile widened, desperate now, her hands clasping together as if in prayer. "No need, really. Perfectly comfortable here."
Before he could utter another word, she shot up like a spring. "Ah, look at the time!" she exclaimed dramatically. "It's dinner time!" And with that, she bolted toward the dining table, clutching at the flimsy excuse like her life depended on it.
Zihan leaned back on the sofa, expression unchanged, though the faintest curve at the corner of his lips betrayed his amusement. Across from him, Zixuan shook his head, muttering under his breath, " She's a good girl."
Meanwhile, Grandpa Zhu only huffed, though the twitch in his mustache suggested he was fighting a smirk.