Elevate their relationship?!

Elevate their friendship into brotherhood?

Bai Zhenzhu understood each word Pan Baohua spoke individually, but when combined into sentences, she felt rather confused.

Grandmother Bai and Chang Ying, including Chang Ying’s parents, all stared at Pan Baohua in astonishment.

“Third Brother…”

After calling out, Bai Zhenzhu wanted to slap herself – what kind of feminine voice was that?

Chang Ying had found Pan Baohua’s visit strange earlier, but having been shocked by Zhenzhu’s revelation about her assets, she’d temporarily forgotten about it.

But now that Pan Baohua said there was no need to arrange more matches for Zhenzhu and spoke about elevating their relationship, Chang Ying’s previous thoughts resurfaced.

Leader Pan and Zhenzhu?!

Why would Leader Pan and Zhenzhu—

Wait, why couldn’t Commander Pan have feelings for Zhenzhu? As her sister-in-law, why should she underestimate her sister-in-law?

“Are… are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

Seeing Zhenzhu was stunned, Chang Ying guessed these two hadn’t yet broken through that barrier, so she wanted to confirm with Pan Baohua!

Pan Baohua nodded, “If Sister Chang is asking whether I’m expressing my feelings for Zhenzhu, then yes, that’s what I mean.”

Third Brother Pan expresses his feelings for her.

Bai Zhenzhu found this absurd.

Then, something occurred to her, and she looked at Pan Baohua with deep gratitude.

Third Brother was truly noble, willing to go this far to help her!

Now her family would be reassured, thinking she was with Third Brother. As long as Third Brother remained unmarried during this time, she could delay for several years. Through this delay, she could gradually establish her “unmarried” status – this was a subtle, gentle approach, better than forcefully telling her family about her decision to stay single. At least her grandmother wouldn’t worry so much!

Pan Baohua had a headache.

No woman would feel touched after hearing a “confession” unless she had completely misunderstood!

Chang Ying seemed oblivious to their silent exchange, her face beaming with joy, all the unpleasantness from Gao Huabin forgotten – marriages were indeed destined by heaven, how could she have anticipated such a wonderful turn of events?

This was different from Gao Huabin.

Pan Baohua had taken the initiative to confess.

While Gao Huabin was after Zhenzhu’s money, Pan Baohua wasn’t that kind of person. Someone who commanded Bai Zhiyong’s utmost respect, a leader with impeccable character – given his current rank, he would have no shortage of potential matches if he wanted one.

Yet Leader Pan said he had known Zhenzhu for years.

They knew each other well and shared common interests, and now he was asking Zhenzhu if she would elevate their relationship.

Chang Ying almost wanted to nod on Bai Zhenzhu’s behalf.

Bai Zhenzhu thought about what a great sacrifice Third Brother was making, but what should she do – play along?

Wouldn’t this be deceiving her family?

Even a well-intentioned lie was still a lie. As Bai Zhenzhu hesitated, Chang Ying grew anxious. If she hadn’t just promised to stop meddling in her sister-in-law’s love life, she would have surely spoken up!

Pan Baohua guessed that Bai Zhenzhu hadn’t taken him seriously.

“There’s no rush, Zhenzhu. Take your time to consider and respond when you’re ready. I’m not here to take advantage of the situation and force marriage. If I pressured you, how would I be any different from that pest Gao?”

His joke wasn’t funny at all, but Chang Ying’s parents laughed politely.

“Oh my, this is between them. She’s probably too shy to answer now. Let them discuss it when they’re alone.”

“We should leave them be.”

The atmosphere in the Bai family living room became a mix of awkwardness and harmony.

Shy?

Bai Zhenzhu barely knew the meaning of the word.

But the atmosphere was pleasant, and she had achieved her goal, so wasn’t this a satisfactory resolution?

So Bai Zhenzhu also became cheerful.

Grandmother Bai finally realized – that her eldest grandson’s colleague wanted to pursue Zhenzhu.

The old lady also approved of Pan Baohua’s profession.

Seeing his upright character, he seemed more reliable than the tall, thin young Gao.

Though the scar above his eyebrow marred his appearance, making him look fierce… Grandmother Bai was seventy percent satisfied and thirty percent concerned. But then she thought about how Zhenzhu had brought him home – perhaps they already liked each other but hadn’t expressed it, which explained why Zhenzhu was so resistant to matchmaking.

Because she had someone in her heart.

Grandmother Bai grew happy again.

Looking at Pan Baohua again, though he appeared stern, he matched her granddaughter Zhenzhu remarkably well.

Zhenzhu often wore men’s clothing and lacked feminine charm, but next to the fierce-looking Pan Baohua, she suddenly appeared somewhat delicate.

Most importantly, Pan Baohua himself was fond of Zhenzhu!

Everyone was happy, and no one mentioned the unpleasant topic of Gao Huabin again. Pan Baohua even stayed for dinner at the Bai household.

“Grandmother, Sister-in-law, I’ll see Third Brother off!”

“Go ahead—”

Pan Baohua told Grandmother Bai he would visit her again when he had time, which delighted the old lady.

After waiting half an hour without Bai Zhenzhu returning upstairs, Chang Ying accompanied her parents downstairs.

There was no one below.

Father Chang looked around:

“This Pan Third, he’s also a cadre at work, right?”

Chang Ying nodded, vaguely responding: “Yes, who would have thought he and Zhenzhu would… fate truly works in mysterious ways.”

From his daughter’s tone, Father Chang understood that, as he had suspected, Pan Third must be his son-in-law Bai Zhiyong’s superior.

“Like Zhou Cheng?”

Chang Ying remained silent but stepped onto the stairs.

Mother Chang stuttered, “Even higher than Zhou Cheng?!”

So nowadays, leaders have such unique preferences.

There were plenty of fresh-faced young women eager to be officials’ wives, yet Leader Pan preferred the sun-tanned Zhenzhu. Mother Chang could only marvel at the mysteries of fate.

“Wait, we introduced Gao Huabin to your sister-in-law, won’t Leader Pan hold it against us? We didn’t know beforehand, Zhenzhu never dropped any hints, we…”

Mother Chang worried.

Leader Pan might not be able to do anything for her, but what about her son-in-law Bai Zhiyong’s future?

Chang Ying shook her head:

“Mom, don’t say such things, Third Brother Pan isn’t that kind of person! But we need to find a way to settle that pest Gao Huabin!”

Father Chang thought they probably wouldn’t need to do anything. Never mind that fierce-looking Leader Pan – if Bai Zhenzhu hadn’t been concerned about Chang Ying’s face earlier and hadn’t spoken up, she would have already dealt with Gao Huabin thoroughly.

Bai Zhenzhu herself had said that when she first started her business, she dealt with all sorts of people. How could she have built such a successful business without having some methods?

Gao Huabin was just a young man who had graduated from university two years ago. No matter how much experience he had in government offices, he was far inferior to Bai Zhenzhu — while young men like Gao Huabin might be precious, capable women like Bai Zhenzhu were truly rare!

…

Bai Zhenzhu couldn’t hear the Chang family’s discussion.

When she said she would see Pan Baohua off, he asked her to get in the car. Sitting in the passenger seat, Bai Zhenzhu felt unusually uncomfortable.

This was a feeling she had never experienced before.

When her heart was pure, she wouldn’t have minded sharing a bed with Pan Baohua at night – that was pure brotherly affection.

Ah, Third Brother Pan’s words at her home were noble, what was she thinking!

It wasn’t the wind that moved, it was her heart that was unsettled.

While driving, Pan Baohua burst Bai Zhenzhu’s bubble of wishful thinking:

“Zhenzhu, could you seriously consider my suggestion? I’m not joking, nor am I just trying to help you out by fooling your family.”