Dong Sanmei knew the old lady would go back on her word, which was why she wouldn't let her younger brother stay at home. She said, "Auntie, how is my daughter being unreasonable? They're just neighbors across the street. Once we're home and the door is closed, we're two different families. Are you really bothered by that?"

"So what if I said you were being unfair? What kind of young woman acts like this? Why didn't you explain yourself clearly to me at noon?"

Li Yuzhu said, "Mom, stop making a fuss, okay? So what if we live across the hall?"

"I can't believe I let a girl make a fool of me!" The mother paused for a moment and said, "Fine, I won't say anything more, but Dongqing can't come home anymore."

Dong Sanmei was so angry she really wanted to argue with the old lady, but she suppressed her anger and didn't lash out. She thought to herself, "You're really something. The two of them have feelings and love for each other. You can't stay in the city every day. After you leave, they live in the same house. Even if they sleep in the same bed, can you control that? You're just meddling in other people's business."

After listening to her mother's words, Li Yuzhu shook her head helplessly and turned to walk into her new home.

Li Yuzhu looked around the entire house. Dong Qing had bought her all kinds of luxury furniture. There was a set of genuine leather sofas in the living room and an 18-inch color TV on the TV cabinet.

The master bedroom has a Simmons double bed, while the second bedroom has a single Simmons bed.

Dong Sanmei asked, "Sister, are you satisfied with these pieces of furniture?"

Li Yuzhu said thank you. Although her words were few, they were full of emotion, and her words and expressions conveyed deep feelings.

With Dong Sanmei's help, Li Yuzhu moved all her belongings into this house, and from then on, this house became her home.

After settling Li Yuzhu into her home, Dong Sanmei placed the three house keys on the coffee table in the living room and said, "You guys go ahead with your work, I'm going back now."

"Wait!" Dong Sanmei stopped and turned around. Li Yuzhu's mother turned back to her daughter and said, "Daughter, now that you've moved out, why don't you return the house key to the owner?"

Li Yuzhu understood her mother's intention and returned the room key to Dong Sanmei.

Dong Sanmei took the keys without saying a word, turned around and walked out of the house.

Dong Sanmei went into her home, not in the mood to cook. She threw the key Li Yuzhu had given her on the coffee table, went back to her bedroom, lay on the bed, and tears streamed uncontrollably down her face. Her only brother was from her family, and now he had ruined his marriage like this. How could she, as the older sister, not feel heartbroken?

After Dong Sanmei left, her mother said, "I've truly seen through them. There's not a single good person in the Dong family. Even a girl can deceive people like this."

"Mom, isn't all of this your fault?!" Li Yuzhu paused for a moment and said, "Never mind, I won't say anymore. Shall we go out to eat?"

The mother said, "Of course we'll go out to eat. It wasn't easy for me to come all this way. Listen to your mother, can we finalize the marriage arrangements tonight?"

"Here we go again. Is this engagement a joke? Even if I have feelings for Sun Hao, do he have feelings for me?"

"Does it matter what you say? Ask yourself if you've given up on Dongqing. You're my daughter, don't think your mother doesn't know what you're thinking." The mother paused for a moment and said, "Fine, then go ahead and go against your mother. What are you standing there for? Let's go!"

Li Yuzhu shook her head helplessly, picked up her handbag and slung it over her shoulder, grabbed the house key from the coffee table, and walked out of the house with her mother.

Li Yuzhu followed her mother, who was carrying her son, to the entrance of the long-distance bus station. She asked her mother to wait there with the child, and then turned and walked towards the living area in the backyard of the bus station.

After Li Yuzhu explained everything to Sun Hao last time, they hadn't seen each other since. She never expected that she would personally come to his door again today. Life really plays tricks on people.

Li Yuzhu went downstairs and up the stairs. When she reached the door, she smelled the aroma of stir-fried dishes coming from inside the room. Sun Hao must be cooking in the room.

She walked to the door, which was open. Sun Hao only had one room for eating and sleeping, and he was busy cooking.

Li Yuzhu raised her hand and knocked lightly on the door twice. Sun Hao looked up at the door upon hearing the sound, took the pot off the stove and placed it on the ground, and asked, "Why are you here?"

"Why can't I come? We're at least friends, shouldn't I come and see you?" Li Yuzhu paused for a moment and said, "Why don't you eat in the cafeteria? Isn't it troublesome to cook for yourself in your room?"

Sun Hao said, "The food in the cafeteria doesn't suit my taste, so cooking for myself can save some money."

The second half of what he said was the truth. The food in the cafeteria didn't suit his taste, but he really wanted to save some money. A monthly salary of a few dozen yuan really wasn't enough to make ends meet.

Li Yuzhu didn't expose his private life. She had also experienced hardship in the past, so she understood. She said, "My mother is here and wants to have a meal with you. Are you coming? If you don't want to, I'll say you're out driving!"

Sun Hao said, "You could have simply not come in to call me, pretended to come in to call me, and then went out to lie and say I was out driving. Can you explain why you would do that?"

"It's very simple. Because you're my friend, Li Yuzhu, I'd like to invite you out for a meal. It's that simple. Would you do me the honor?"

Li Yuzhu's words were truly from the heart. She had never owed anyone anything in her life except this man in front of her. He had sacrificed so much for her, and it would be unreasonable for her not to treat him to a meal.

Sun Hao said, "I appreciate your kindness, but I'd rather not have dinner. The main reason is that I don't want to see your mother. My parents have been pressuring me so much lately, they're practically driving me crazy. They're pressuring me to get engaged to you right away. What am I supposed to say when I see your mother?"

This is indeed a difficult thing to ask of a man. If it were just Li Yuzhu inviting him out to dinner, he would be more than happy to accept it. But after meeting her, the old lady would inevitably urge him to get engaged, and he really didn't know how to answer.

If it had only been ten days or half a month since they met Li Yuzhu, it would be easy to postpone it. But it had been more than three months since they met, so how could they postpone it?

Seeing that Li Yuzhu remained silent, Sun Hao said, "Don't be too hard on yourself. Go back and just say I went out on a trip and haven't returned."

Li Yuzhu said, "Lying like this won't work. My mother is planning to stay in the city for a few days, my son's birthday is tomorrow, and I'm also planning to rest at home for a couple of days. If I lie and get away with it today, what will I do tomorrow? What about the day after tomorrow? Have you thought about that?"

This situation puts Sun Hao in a dilemma. He can't say he's dissatisfied with Li Yuzhu, and Li Yuzhu can't say the same thing either. If she does, her mother will immediately ask someone to introduce her to a second blind date.

Changing the alias again wouldn't be as good as this one. No one else would cooperate with me like this, and most importantly, they have no obligation to do so.

People with Sun Hao's character aren't easy to find. She said, "There's no way to avoid this meal now. Can you avoid it tomorrow? My mother won't leave until she sees you. We'll just have to deal with it as it comes. Let's go."

Sun Hao shook his head helplessly, said that this was the only way, and started to walk out the door.

Li Yuzhu glanced at Sun Hao's work clothes and asked, "Aren't you going to change your clothes?"

"Are you worried your mother won't approve of me as her son-in-law? Then I'll wear these clothes. Let's go."