Su Man and Lu Yuwen spent two blissful, tender weeks in Nanjing.

During this time, Su Ba and Su Ma hadn’t been idle either. They had selected a villa for Lu Yuwen — the previous owner had done renovations but only lived in it a few times, so it was basically brand new. The garden and yard had just been long neglected and looked rather overgrown.

The couple helped Lu Yuwen purchase an entire set of name-brand furniture, then, to coordinate with the furniture colors, replaced all the curtains and soft furnishings in the house, and arranged for a landscape designer to come and redesign the garden. In short, everything was attended to with utmost care.

Because this house might just become their daughter’s marital home!

Su Man was quite embarrassed about all this. After all, it was Lu Yuwen’s house, yet her mother was there giving orders left and right. While she would come and ask for Lu Yuwen’s opinion, Lu Yuwen every single time was like someone with no temper at all — just laughing over the phone and saying:

“Whatever Uncle and Auntie think is best. We youngsters have no experience, and Auntie’s suggestions are definitely the most fitting.”

So her mother became even more enthusiastic about meddling!

On the way home, Su Man couldn’t help but grumble a little: “Can’t you ever say ‘no’ just once? It’s the place you’ll be living in after all. If my mother turns it into a style you don’t like, don’t come to regret it!”

Lu Yuwen smiled: “I won’t regret it.”

Su Man pursed her lips and warned him: “Your temper is just too good. Good-natured people get taken advantage of — watch out or my mother will bully you someday!”

Lu Yuwen, upon hearing this, leaned over and kissed her cheek, then said: “With Manman here, nobody can bully me.”

Su Man’s face instantly turned red. She quickly covered it with her hands and looked ahead at the driver.

Fortunately, the driver didn’t seem to have noticed.

She glared at Lu Yuwen: “Stop smiling, stop smiling — I’m being serious with you! You can’t always let my mother have her way like this!”

“It’s fine.” Lu Yuwen explained with a smile. “Auntie will definitely decorate the place according to your preferences, so when you move in later, you’ll be comfortable living there. Besides, neither of us has time to manage these things ourselves. I’m very at ease having Auntie help us take care of it, and very grateful too.”

Su Man: “……”

When he put it that way, it somehow made it sound like a pair of newlyweds being lazy and leaving the decorating to the mother-in-law.

“Who said I was going to move in?” She muttered in a small voice, her face red.

Lu Yuwen’s lips curved into a faint smile. “Is that so…… Then I’ll just have to be a bit shameless.”

Su Man looked up at him in confusion.

Lu Yuwen said unhurriedly: “Since you won’t move in, I’ll just have to be the one who moves in with you.”

Su Man: “……”

Lu Yuwen: “I’ve heard that live-in sons-in-law are easily looked down upon. Ah, but for Manman’s sake, even if I suffer a bit, I feel it’s worth it……”

Su Man: “Alright…… please stop talking……”

……

The day Lu Yuwen’s new restaurant opened happened to be the same day he and Su Man announced their engagement.

Guests gathered in the restaurant, glasses clinking all around, with gifts and blessings being exchanged. Su Ba and Su Ma were so happy they couldn’t stop smiling.

Li Li came too.

As Su Man’s childhood friend, he wore a strained smile as he presented his gift, then stood to one side drinking in gloomy silence.

When Lu Yuwen came over to greet him, Li Li thought he was coming to gloat, glanced at him sidelong, and paid him no attention.

Lu Yuwen smiled and said: “Don’t you want to say a few words of blessing? You’ve known her for so many years — even biological siblings might not be as close as the two of you. Now that your little sister is getting married, the big brother should be happy, shouldn’t he?”

“……” Li Li held back and held back, then raised his glass toward Lu Yuwen with a sullen face and said: “I wish you both happiness.”

Lu Yuwen smiled pleasantly: “Thank you.”

Li Li tipped his head back and drained the rest of his glass in one go, then said under his breath: “I really don’t know what you have that I don’t.”

Lu Yuwen heard this and nodded with a smile: “In terms of family background, in terms of learning, in terms of how long you’ve known her — I truly don’t measure up to you. However……”

He paused, then pointed to his own eyes and said: “I’m better than you in this department.”

Li Li was briefly startled, then looking as though he’d been insulted, flew into a fury: “You’re looking down on nearsighted people?! Fine — you win!”

With that, he slammed his glass down with a thud and stormed off in a rage.

Lu Yuwen: “……”

He had only meant to express that his eyesight — his perception — was better than Li Li’s.

Watching Li Li storm farther away, Lu Yuwen shook his head with a helpless, wry smile — never mind, let the misunderstanding stand. After all, he had already gotten what he wanted.

Behind him, Su Man called out his name joyfully, and as he turned, the adorable woman in her dress came flinging herself into his arms!

Lu Yuwen laughed: “Why so enthusiastic all of a sudden? The guests are still here.”

Su Man said excitedly: “I just got the notification! I can become a criminal investigator! I’m so happy! I’m so blissful!!!”

Lu Yuwen smiled and held her close: “From now on, you’ll be happier and happier.”

Su Man smiled until her eyes curved into crescents, and nodded vigorously: “Mm!”

Every person would grow happier and happier.

She believed it.

……

……

……

**Mini Theatre——**

A year later, Su Man and Lu Yuwen got married. Amid all the happiness, she still felt there was something missing.

One night, she tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep.

Lu Yuwen was perceptive, and noticed his wife had seemed a little off recently. He asked with concern: “What’s wrong? Are you unhappy?”

Su Man let out a long, soft sigh and said: “You’re too good to me. In front of me, you’re too perfect — so perfect that it feels unreal.”

Lu Yuwen laughed: “Isn’t being perfect a good thing?”

Su Man pressed her lips together and looked at him, slightly dissatisfied: “Didn’t you say before that you have flaws too? That you have a dark side? Why won’t you let me know, even after we’re married?”

Lu Yuwen said: “I was afraid you’d be unhappy.”

“That’s not fair.” Su Man said with furrowed brows. “All of my not-so-good sides have been seen by you, yet your not-so-good side has always been kept from me. That’s not fair!”

Lu Yuwen hesitated for a while. “……You’ll get angry.”

“That means you don’t trust my feelings for you!” Su Man said seriously. “If you truly love me, you should give me the chance to accept all of you! Whether it’s your good side or your not-so-good side — your strengths, your weaknesses — I want to know all of it!”

Lu Yuwen: “……”

Su Man puffed up her cheeks and stared at him, as if this wasn’t going to be resolved tonight, they could forget about sleeping.

Lu Yuwen was silent for a long time, then finally gave a nod. “Alright then.”

He got out of bed, opened the wardrobe, and from the bottom drawer produced leather restraints, a blindfold, and several other items……

Su Man: “……”

……

……

……

Lu Yuwen wrapped the leather strap around her wrist, his movements gentle and careful.

Su Man was dazed. After it was secured, she belatedly asked: “You…… when did you buy these?”

Lu Yuwen kissed her face and smiled: “Care to guess?”

……

—