In the Central Plains, remote villages stretch out to the horizon, with endless plains.

Many farmers were working on the plains.

In a spacious open space, there was a middle-aged man wearing a dark blue polo shirt with the collar slightly open and black sunglasses. He looked dashing and casual, and his middle-part hairstyle was particularly eye-catching.

Despite being middle-aged, his clothing and demeanor remain as youthful as ever, clearly showing that he was a handsome young man in his younger days.

A dashing middle-aged man was seen skillfully using farm tools to cultivate the wasteland.

The dashing middle-aged man put down his farm tools, looked up at the sky, and saw the sun shining brightly: "I'm going to buy a drink."

“Buying drinks is too expensive, I brought hot water,” a middle-aged woman next to me said as she took out a water bottle.

The middle-aged woman wore a worn-out sun hat with a yellowed brim, worn-out gloves, and simple clothes: a dark blue cloth shirt and black trousers, neat and clean, without any unnecessary decorations.

If Chu Fang were here, upon closer inspection, he would be surprised to find that this middle-aged woman bore a striking resemblance to Zhong Tingyue.

That's right!

These two are Zhong Tingyue's parents, Chu Fang's future father-in-law and mother-in-law, Zhong Ping and Gao Ruoyun.

"I want a drink," Zhong Ping said, looking sullen and unhappy.

“A bottle of beverage costs at least four or five yuan, while hot water at home is free. If we don’t drink beverages for a day, we save four yuan. In ten days, we save one hundred yuan. Rounding up, that’s more than ten thousand yuan a year.” Gao Ruoyun poured a cup of hot water and handed it to her husband. “Besides, according to expert research, beverages can cause various diseases, while hot water can prolong life and bring longevity.”

"Immortality?" Zhong Ping smirked and replied.

"Pretty much the same!"

Heavens above, what was I thinking when I was young, to fall for such a stingy person... Zhong Ping sighed at his past choice, took the cup of hot water, and took a sip: "I could understand your frugality before, after all, both children were still in school, but now your eldest daughter has been working for several years and sends money home every month, why are you still so frugal?"

"Frugality is a traditional virtue of the Chinese nation." Gao Ruoyun turned off the engine of her farm implement to avoid burning fuel all the time. Recently, the price of fuel has risen a lot, and she was heartbroken. "It's not easy for my eldest daughter to earn money outside. As parents, we shouldn't spend money extravagantly, wastefully, or squander money like water."

Drinking a beverage has become associated with extravagant spending...

Zhong Ping pretended to spit in his palm, then combed his distinctive middle part, lamenting in his heart, "You've suffered so much with my middle part hairstyle."

Gao Ruoyun looked up at the sky. It was already noon, so she put down her work and said to her husband, "I'm going home to cook. You rent our farm tools to Zhou Erwa to clear the wasteland for three hours. We'll continue clearing the land this afternoon."

"Just leave it here."

"That won't do. It would be such a waste to just leave it there like that."

“... ..."

After giving a few instructions, Gao Ruoyun hummed a song as she headed home. Just as she entered the village, she heard an old woman shouting loudly.

She stopped and asked, "Aunt Wu, what did you call me for?"

"Great news, fantastic news!" Old Mrs. Wu said, holding a piece of paper. "Is your eldest daughter still single?"

“Yes,” Gao Ruoyun replied.

Speaking of this, she frowned. Other people's children are already old enough to run errands, while her own child doesn't even have a boyfriend.

"That's perfect." Upon hearing this, Grandma Wu was overjoyed. "I happen to have a young man who is looking for a girlfriend. He also works in Shanghai. Do you think they could get to know each other and meet?"

"Okay!" Gao Ruoyun's face lit up with joy, and she immediately agreed. Suddenly, she looked at Old Mrs. Wu warily and asked softly, "Aunt Wu, you're not going to ask me for a referral fee, are you?"

"free."

"OK!"

Back home, Gao Ruoyun was making lunch when Zhong Ping also came home a little while later and helped his wife.

Before long, the couple had prepared lunch.

Gao Ruoyun looked outside, her brows furrowed slightly: "Why hasn't that child come back yet? Did he go out to play again after school?"

"Mommy~~~ Daddy~~~"

Just as she finished speaking, a clear and loud voice came from outside the door, with great penetrating power.

Looking in the direction of the sound, a little girl appeared at the door, wearing a blue and white school uniform with her jacket zipper open. She rushed in with lightning speed, the sides of her jacket fluttering in the wind, giving her a somewhat chivalrous air.

Upon closer inspection, she had short, glossy black hair, like a soft, smooth piece of silk, and eyes like two sparkling gems, gleaming with curiosity and wisdom. She seemed to have run too fast; her little face was rosy like a peach, and she was panting heavily.

She radiated youthful energy.

This little girl is Zhong Tingyue's younger sister, Zhong Rou.

"Let's eat." Gao Ruoyun straightened her youngest daughter's clothes and said to her husband, who was about to pour wine, "Still drinking? You've almost finished the wine we bought a couple of days ago."

"I'm tired."

Gao Ruoyun didn't say anything, but brought the food to the table, and the family ate lunch together.

Zhong Ping picked up a piece of cured meat, put it in his mouth, and tasted its delicate yet not greasy texture. He then took a sip of wine and instantly felt like he was in heaven.

Despite his wife's frugality, she was never stingy when it came to her family.

As Zhong Rou ate her noodles, her eyes involuntarily fell on the piece of paper her mother had written. She heard her mother's voice: "Tsk tsk tsk, this boy is quite good. Like our daughter, he graduated from a prestigious university. They'll definitely have common topics after they get together. He seems honest. His income isn't as high as our eldest daughter's, but his parents are both civil servants, working for the government—that's a huge advantage..."

Zhong Ping sipped his wine: "Our eldest daughter has plenty of suitors, why would she need to go on blind dates?"

Zhong Tingyue was renowned within a ten-mile radius, not only for her unparalleled beauty, but also for being the first highly educated person in the village to be admitted to a prestigious 985 university.

She is the goddess in the hearts of many boys.

“You don’t understand,” Gao Ruoyun said. “While our eldest daughter is still in her prime, we should find her a good husband so that she won’t be unwanted when she gets older.”

Zhong Ping pursed his lips, and Zhong Rou said softly, "Mom, my sister won't like this boy."

"Adult matters are none of the children's business."

Gao Ruoyun rolled her eyes at her youngest daughter, then, without even eating, dialed Zhong Tingyue's number.

... ...

After a flight of more than two hours, Chu Fang and Zhong Tingyue arrived in Guangzhou.

As soon as Chu Fang got off the plane, he felt the warmth of Guangzhou.

At the end of December, the temperature in Guangzhou today is 32 degrees Celsius.

It's freaking hot!

People in Shanghai are almost wearing down jackets, while people in Guangzhou are still wearing shorts, t-shirts, and flip-flops.

After getting off the plane, the two didn't rush to the hotel. Instead, they went to the mall and bought a suitable outfit. Chu Fang followed local customs and wore shorts, a t-shirt, and flip-flops. His simple and comfortable attire made him feel very relaxed.

Zhong Tingyue wore a black t-shirt and white wide-leg pants, with the t-shirt tucked into the pant legs. The basic black and white combination was simple, timeless, exquisite, and elegant, making her look sophisticated and neat.

"Mr. Chu, do you think you can get into the designer exhibition?" Zhong Tingyue asked, looking at the pair of flip-flops.

“You’re too young to understand. All landlords in Guangzhou are like this.” Chu Fang’s gaze fell on Zhong Tingyue’s canvas shoes, and he pouted. “You’re not much better than me.”

Other people are wearing sparkly high heels and spotless white sneakers... while she's wearing a pair of canvas shoes that cost a little over thirty yuan.

Upon hearing this, Zhong Tingyue swung her legs and asked, "Isn't it pretty?"

“It looks great,” Chu Fang replied.