"Examine what?" Chu Jiahe panicked. "I will marry you."

"You can't even turn down a blind date, so what makes you think you can marry me?"

At the question, Chu Jiahe froze on the spot. Gan Tang smiled, pushed him away, and turned to leave. Rounding the corner of the building, she saw Mo Huaixing waiting there.

"How about it? Did we push him too hard?" Gan Tang was worried that she might do something wrong and push him further away.

Mo Huaixing watched the car drive away and said confidently, "No, if he really liked you, he would already be thinking of a way to get you."

"What if he doesn't like me that much?"

"Then let's find someone else." Seeing Gan Tang's infatuated look, Mo Huaixing was inexplicably angry. "There are plenty of good men in the world, not just him."

"No, I want him." Watching Chu Jiahe's car disappear from sight, Gan Tang turned to the person beside her and asked, "Can he think of a way?"

"I'm not him, how would I know?" As soon as he finished speaking, Mo Huaixing regretted it. Worried that the silly woman in front of him was overthinking things, he explained, "Family members know each other's weaknesses better than we do. He'll always find a way to solve things better than we do. Remember, don't see him these next few days."

"Then what should I do if I miss him?" Knowing he didn't like her, she enjoyed teasing him even more. For some reason, seeing his annoyed expression made her inexplicably happy.

As expected, Mo Huaixing's reaction did not disappoint Gan Tang. He glared at her angrily, his eyebrows standing on end.

"Bear with it!"

"Okay, I'll do as you say."

Gan Tang smiled with satisfaction. No matter what it was, as long as he was certain, she always felt inexplicably at ease.

Things progressed smoothly. Three days later, Chu Jiahe stood outside Yuanhuai Villa for two hours in the first light drizzle of early spring, finally waiting for the late-arriving heroine.

Gan Tang, holding a pale purple transparent umbrella, slowly walked up to Chu Jiahe, tilting the umbrella slightly to shield him from the light rain.

In my memory, only naive college students would do something that they thought was very affectionate but was actually quite silly. But standing here, like a pine tree standing tall in the misty rain of Jiangnan, he really, really moved her.

"How stupid!"

Gan Tang's gentle reproach was tinged with concern.

Chu Jiahe's eyes, still misty with rain, were clear and bright: "Xintang, my grandfather's birthday is in a few days, will you come with me?"

He wasn't referring to ordinary elders like uncles or aunts, but to his grandfather. The meaning is self-evident.

Gan Tang said urgently, "Are you crazy? Aren't you afraid your father will be angry?"

It took a lot of effort for his parents to start to change their opinion of him a little.

"Silly girl, it was my father who promised it."

"How did you convince your father?"

Although Gan Tang trusted Mo Huaixing's judgment, such a shockingly good result left her somewhat bewildered. Being present at her grandfather's birthday banquet meant that the entire Chu family acknowledged her as Chu Jiahe's girlfriend.

She knew that in this circle, the right to attend his grandfather's birthday banquet was more valuable than a marriage certificate.

"Because you are already excellent."

Chu Jiahe didn't recount her hardships. Instead, she leaned down slightly, proudly pointing to her cheek, asking for a kiss. At thirty-one, she hadn't yet shed her youthful naiveté, but she already possessed the responsibility of an adult.

He said he would marry her, and it wasn't just empty talk.

Gan Tang knew how lucky she was to have the love of the man before her. Therefore, she would cherish it.

Lu Zhengqian was overjoyed for two whole days after hearing the news. Gan Tang didn't understand why he was so happy until she saw his grandfather's name on the cake.

It was his little nephew who called and begged him to write it down. Gan Tang thought it was just a joking nickname until he stood in front of the ancient and imposing three-hundred-year-old building.

"Jiahe, my legs are weak." Gantang timidly grabbed Chu Jiahe's wrist. She was scared, really scared.

Chu Jiahe switched the cake to her other hand, held Gan Tang's hand tightly, and comforted her with a smile: "Even an ugly daughter-in-law has to meet her in-laws eventually."

"You're the ugly one!" Gan Tang retorted, annoyed. She was already so nervous, and he was still making fun of her.

“That’s right, what are you afraid of if you’re not ugly?” Chu Jiahe pulled Gan Tang towards the hall. As they entered, a group of children called out to Chu Jiahe, “Uncle, Uncle.”

An older boy, the most clever one, called out to Gan Tang, "Little Auntie."

Chu Jiahe handed him the birthday cake with satisfaction. It was a ten-inch cake, too small for the elderly to eat, but it was just to mark the occasion and add to the fun for the children.

When a person's status reaches its highest point, they no longer need any external things to demonstrate their nobility. They prefer simplicity and cherish the warmth and comfort of a large family.

The men chatted in the tea room, while the women busied themselves in the kitchen. Gan Tang wanted to go into the kitchen to help, but since she wasn't yet a daughter-in-law of the Chu family, Madam Chu asked her to leave.

Chu Jiahe wanted to stay with her, but all the men were in the tea room, and it would be too petty of her to ask him to accompany her. So, in the entire hall, only a group of children were with Gan Tang.

The noisy sounds of children eased Gan Tang's tension. Seeing this happy family scene, she couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to go home with Mo Huaixing.

As soon as this absurd thought popped into her head, Gan Tang was so frightened that she hurriedly waved her hand.

The birthday banquet began, and the family sat down around the round table. Chu Jiahe introduced everyone to Gan Tang one by one.

There were no outsiders at the table, only Old Master Chu's children. Three sons and one daughter, representing four families.

Chu Mingxuan is Old Master Chu's youngest son, and Chu Jiahe is the youngest grandson present, as well as the only grandson who is not yet married.

At the dinner table, Old Master Chu had some reservations about his youngest son's choice to abandon politics for business, saying things like "deserter" and "coward." He had been saying those words for countless years, and Chu Mingxuan could only nod repeatedly, accepting the old man's scolding.

Gan Tang finally understood why Chu Mingxuan was so reluctant to let his son marry the merchant's daughter; the reason lay with his father. So, could it be that the father couldn't persuade his son, so he got the grandfather to do it?

She lowered her head nervously.

"If it weren't for the fact that you gave me such a wonderful grandson, I wouldn't even want you to come in." Old Master Chu changed his tone and looked at Chu Jiahe, while also noticing Gan Tang sitting next to him.

Even her own son could be disciplined; Gan Tang was truly afraid he would despise her. In order to protect the results of her hard work over the past few days, Gan Tang decided to take a gamble and strike first: "Grandpa Chu, I don't think what you said is quite right."

The room fell silent instantly, and even the little boy who had been clamoring for crabs propped his head up to look at Gantang.