"How could Aunt Zhuge agree to such an absurd idea?"
Xiao Changyan suppressed his shock, his handsome face showing an expression of extreme indifference and speechlessness. He couldn't help but think how naive his parents were—no wonder they had always relied on their looks for a living.
"Why wouldn't she? Aunt Zhuge likes me so much. If I go and beg her, she'll definitely agree. Besides, you two are so smart and adorable, and you're good-looking too. Aunt Zhuge would love you both."
Xiao Guanyun was surprisingly serious. He hadn't wanted to make such an "excessive" request, but his son was worried about being bullied by Zhuge Rui's son. Wouldn't it be reassuring for his son to see him bring the child along?
"That's right. If it really doesn't work, we can have your dad kneel down and beg Aunt Zhuge. She'll definitely soften up. Then our whole family can change our surname to Zhuge. Doesn't that sound nice? Zhuge Changyan, Zhuge Jiaren—aren't these names quite pleasant too?"
Shen Zhaoyue only added to the chaos, earnestly imagining their children's situation and nodding seriously. She felt that only a surname as intelligent as "Zhuge" could match their children.
"…"
Xiao Changyan was truly on the verge of laughing in exasperation. He glanced at his sister, Shen Jiaren, who was already doing just that, and gave her a look.
Shen Jiaren immediately understood her brother's meaning.
"Mom, Dad, let's not discuss changing our surname anymore. Let's go to the technology exhibition. I can't wait!"
As soon as she said this, Xiao Guanyun and Shen Zhaoyue easily forgot about the surname change. After hurriedly placing the test papers their son had bought into the study, the family finally went downstairs to the garage to drive to the technology exhibition center.
However, when they were led to a black Mercedes-Benz S500L and saw their father take out the keys, the two siblings stared at Xiao Guanyun with dead-fish eyes until he felt embarrassed. Scratching the back of his head, he explained:
"This car was a gift from your Aunt Zhuge. My previous car was in an accident, so it's been sent for repairs and hasn't been fixed yet."
Who would believe that?!
Xiao Changyan and Shen Jiaren usually didn't take the car to and from school, preferring to ride bicycles or take the bus. Their father drove a NIO worth over 200,000 yuan for work, while their mother drove an Audi A3 worth nearly 300,000 yuan, both of which they had owned for years.
"Besides the car, what else has Aunt Zhuge given you?"
Xiao Changyan wanted to know exactly what kind of extravagance had left their father so infatuated.
Shen Jiaren also looked at her father curiously, never expecting him to have the potential to be a "blue-eyed disaster." This car must cost at least over two million yuan, right?
Once the family got into the car, Xiao Guanyun didn't hide anything from his children and spoke directly.
"Besides the car, she actually wanted to give me a villa, but I refused. After all, if we're just dating, it's not appropriate to accept such expensive gifts. After I declined a few times, your Aunt Zhuge proposed to me."
He sounded rather smug, feeling he had been incredibly clever.
"So don't worry about me. A Rui is quite generous to me."
As the car started smoothly, Shen Jiaren, after hearing her father's words, suddenly understood.
"So this is what they call 'retreating to advance' or 'playing hard to get'? It seems like giving in, but it actually leaves room for the other person to take the next step?"
She seemed to have learned something, but Shen Zhaoyue directly shattered her daughter's fantasy.
"No, nowadays rich people are stingy. Even if they date you, shower you with sweet words, gifts of bags, houses, and money when they like you, once they say they don't like you anymore, they'll hire lawyers to demand double the value of the gifts and money they gave you."
As a mother, Shen Zhaoyue felt it necessary to teach her son and daughter not to have any illusions about wealthy people.
"Your dad once encountered a rich woman who claimed to like him and gave him many things. It turned out she actually had a husband and was only attracted to your dad's looks and physique, wanting him to be her secret lover. Of course, your dad refused, and he almost got sued by that rich woman."
"Ah?" There was such a thing?
Shen Jiaren was shocked and looked at her calm dad driving in front, wondering what her parents had gone through without her knowledge.
Xiao Changyan also widened his eyes. It was the first time he had heard about his parents' romantic affairs and truly had no idea about these things.
They were busy studying, chasing scholarships, and paying off the mortgage—when did they have time to care about their parents' romantic history?
"You're talking about me? Five years ago, you hooked up with a rich second-generation guy ten years younger than you. He was so obsessed with you back then, chasing you so openly that everyone knew about it, giving you jewelry, bags, and houses. And then? Tsk tsk…"
Xiao Guanyun, whose past was brought up, understood Shen Zhaoyue's intention—to prove to their children that they weren't fools and that they knew who truly treated them well.
"What? Ten years younger than Mom? That means he was twenty-four? And then what happened?"
Shen Jiaren also widened her eyes in surprise, looking at her mom in the passenger seat. Five years ago, her mom was thirty-four and was pursued by a young, rich second-generation guy? Wow! Mom had such charm?
"Hmph!" Regarding this old story, Shen Zhaoyue sneered coldly, seemingly displeased.
"That rich second-generation guy genuinely liked your mom. He even proposed to her, buying a diamond ring as big as eight carats! At the time, I thought your mom was really going to marry into a wealthy family, but who would have thought that when he took your mom to meet his parents, it all fell apart."
Speaking of this, Xiao Guanyun sighed, seemingly genuinely regretful.
"Did his parents disapprove?"
Unable to help but speak up for her mom, Xiao Changyan guessed whether the rich second-generation guy's parents disliked his mom for being older than their son.
But Xiao Guanyun shook his head. As the car stopped at a red light, he spoke slowly.
"No, that rich second-generation guy's mother passed away early. The day after your mom met his family, that old man took a liking to your mom and insisted on forcing her to be with him. In the end, it got really ugly. Your mom returned everything and cut ties completely."
At the time, Shen Zhaoyue was truly heartbroken for a long time. She had been sincere with that man, only to be harassed by an old man. When the man found out, he made a big fuss because of his father's power. Xiao Guanyun even beat him up back then, and they went their separate ways ever since.
"Ah?" Shen Jiaren was shocked, but as she caught a glimpse of her mom Shen Zhaoyue's face in the rearview mirror—as serene as moonlight on water—she somewhat understood why her mom could make someone fall in love at first sight.
"Shameless old man!!!" Xiao Changyan cursed fiercely, feeling indignant on behalf of his own mother. Meanwhile, Shen Zhaoyue noticed her son's anger and turned her head with a smile to look at him in the back seat.
"Alright~ Changyan, don't be angry. That was a long time ago, and I don't even remember what that person looked like anymore. Once your dad marries Aunt Zhuge, I'll have Sister Zhuge to back me up, and I won't be afraid of anyone."
She and Xiao Changyan had an unspoken understanding: whenever they decided to pursue a relationship, they would be in a divorced state, and they would never allow those people to interact with Xiao Changyan and Shen Jiaren. As a result, over all these years, Xiao Changyan and Shen Jiaren had never met either of their parents' boyfriends or girlfriends.
Now, the reason they were meeting Zhuge Rui was because Xiao Guanyun had decided to marry her.
Xiao Guanyun liked Zhuge Rui, and Zhuge Rui was happy to spend money on Xiao Guanyun. The two of them were genuinely committed to each other.
"…" Xiao Changyan fell silent again, feeling that placing expectations on others was a sign of insecurity. Yet, it seemed his parents had always aimed for this.
As for Shen Jiaren, upon hearing about her parents' past romantic history, she nodded seriously.
"Mom, Dad, I understand. In the future, before accepting anything from anyone, I must make sure they are generous people, like Aunt Zhuge. Otherwise, if I take something from them, I might have to return it."
Shen Zhaoyue nodded, feeling that her daughter was teachable.
"Yes, your dad and I have had our share of missteps. The wealthy people we've encountered are as diverse as animals. Some like your face and figure but still belittle you, wanting to win your affection without giving anything in return. Stay far away from those kinds of people."
"True affection means being willing to give—whether it's time or money. In any case, it should never make you uncomfortable. If someone claims to like you but makes you feel uneasy, keep your distance."
As conventionally attractive individuals, Xiao Guanyun and Shen Zhaoyue had met all kinds of people—good and bad. They had also figured out their own way of navigating life.
"Oh…" Shen Jiaren nodded obediently. Although she wasn't planning to start dating at her age, she knew she would eventually have to handle matters of the heart.
Xiao Changyan remained aloof and silent, listening as his parents taught his sister about relationships, how to interact with wealthy people, and so on. Though he wasn't paying close attention, he still took it to heart.
The three of them chatted and laughed along the way, with one staying quiet, until they finally arrived at the Jinghai City Technology Exhibition Center.
Shen Jiaren attended a science and engineering high school. She had strong hands-on skills and was very interested in many high-tech products. As soon as she got out of the car, she excitedly dragged her parents into the venue. Xiao Changyan followed behind, showing little interest in these technological gadgets.
"This is our latest household robot from Tianjing Technology. It can independently complete tasks like sweeping and mopping floors, tidying up tabletops, folding clothes, and more…"
The silver robot was demonstrating its functions, skillfully folding a shirt into a neat, square shape that would satisfy anyone with obsessive-compulsive tendencies. Shen Jiaren watched with wide eyes.
"Wow! This robot is amazing. If they keep developing it, won't every household have a robot nanny?"
Shen Jiaren kept exclaiming in admiration, her eyes shining as she stared at the robot. Noticing her interest, the staff enthusiastically invited her over to interact with it, which was exactly what she had hoped for.
Both Xiao Guanyun and Shen Zhaoyue were visibly excited, taking out their phones to snap photos of their daughter standing there interacting with the robot. Meanwhile, Xiao Changyan’s gaze drifted through the crowd to a man in a black suit standing behind the platform.
The man wore gold-rimmed glasses, but his eyes swept across the crowd, causing Xiao Changyan to instinctively follow his line of sight. To his surprise, the man seemed to be looking at his mother.
Shen Zhaoyue was completely unaware of anyone watching her. She and Xiao Guanyun were happily taking photos with their phones. As a stunning beauty, she was long accustomed to being stared at, and having once been a minor celebrity, she was used to being admired. The attention of others was nothing new to her.
Her focus was solely on her daughter and the robot; she paid no mind to anyone else.
After Shen Jiaren finished interacting with the robot, she happily threw herself into Shen Zhaoyue’s arms, chattering endlessly about how clever the robot was and marveling at how advanced technology had become. Meanwhile, Xiao Changyan kept a close eye on the man who had been watching his mother.
Seeing the man now walking toward them, Xiao Changyan observed that he appeared to be under thirty. His black suit accentuated his broad shoulders and narrow waist, and he moved with a composed stride. His sharply defined face radiated an unmistakable confidence. In no time, he had reached the Xiao family.
Only when someone suddenly appeared before them did Xiao Guanyun and Shen Zhaoyue look up from their daughter, meeting a face that was both familiar and unfamiliar.
Xiao Guanyun instinctively moved to shield Shen Zhaoyue behind him, but the newcomer had already stopped in front of the Xiao family. He no longer seemed like the impulsive youth of the past; it was as if he had been reborn.
"Zhaoyue, it’s been a long time."
Shen Zhaoyue didn’t respond. She hadn’t expected to run into Xie Zhuo, who had gone abroad, again. Jinghai City was so vast, yet on the very day they had mentioned him, they had crossed paths. Was this the reason why one shouldn’t speak ill of others behind their backs?
Meanwhile, a sudden realization struck Shen Jiaren. She had long heard of the Tianjing Technology Company at school and knew its founder was named Xie Zhuo, who was only twenty-nine this year.
Going back five years, that would make him twenty-four—so he was the one who had cut ties with her mother?
As if infected by her parents’ peculiar energy, she blurted out without thinking, "Hello, hello! You’re my mom’s lover, right?"
The moment the words left her mouth, Shen Jiaren froze, unable to believe the explosive statement she had just made. There were strangers around, and some had already begun sneaking glances upon hearing her remark. Xiao Guanyun and Shen Zhaoyue’s expressions turned grim.
Unexpectedly, upon hearing Shen Jiaren’s mention of "lover," Xie Zhuo actually smiled. Behind his gold-rimmed glasses, his smile seemed to carry a hint of lingering affection and pleasant surprise.
"Did your mother tell you about my identity? I was indeed your mother’s lover."
What was there to be proud of?
Watching the man’s smug grin, Xiao Changyan felt a headache coming on.
Why were his parents so strange, and why did the people they encountered seem just as abnormal?
Just as the atmosphere grew awkward, Xiao Guanyun made things worse by sneering and adding, "Hmph! Just a discarded lover, that’s all!!"
Author’s Note:
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