Her body stiffened and she didn’t dare to move at all. 

  I’m sorry? Was that something that someone like Zhan Haoze would say? For a moment, she thought there was something wrong with her ears. How was that possible? 

  She must’ve heard it wrong, she must’ve heard it wrong. 

  As her thoughts ran wild, her hand was wrapped by a thick and warm palm. That soft, feather-like kiss landed on her again. This time, on her eyelids. 

  “I’m sorry.” 

  Those three very soft words rang out again. This time, it was even clearer than before. 

  She didn’t dare to move, but her trembling eyelashes betrayed her current emotions. She forced herself not to open her eyes. 

  Her excessive restraint made her hands clench into fists by her side. Her eyes were a little sore. 

  But it was only for a moment. After thinking for a while, she suddenly opened her eyes and met Zhan Haoze’s gaze. 

  Their eyes met and Shi Mengwan’s almond-shaped eyes were clear and cold. “Zhan Haoze, I don’t need you to say sorry.” 

  “I just want you to leave this place.” 

  Her voice was very soft, but her gaze was very determined. She really didn’t want to be entangled with him like this anymore. 

  “Wanwan?” 

  “You can go.” 

  These three words were extremely calm. Half of Shi Mengwan’s reason was because she was sick, and the other half was because she was tired. She should have ended this entanglement a long time ago. 

  However, she really missed it too much, and she was too greedy for the warmth and care that her Dear Brother had brought to her. 

  Zhan Haoze didn’t respond to her words. He pulled the blanket higher for her. 

  “You’re still sick. You should rest first.” 

  “Zhan Haoze, don’t you understand?” Shi Mengwan looked at him with a face of resistance. “With you here, it’s impossible for me to rest well.” 

  Zhan Haoze’s brows furrowed again. Just as he was about to speak, his phone rang. He picked it up without thinking too much. 

  Shi Mengwan was so ill that she was in a daze. She couldn’t react to the familiar ringtone at first. 

  It wasn’t until the sound of “Auntie” rang in her ear that her eyes widened like thunder. She wanted to sit up, but Zhan Haoze had already started chatting with mother Shi on the other end of the phone. 

  “Auntie? Hello.” 

  Shi Mengwan couldn’t even imagine her mother’s reaction on the other end of the phone. “Zhan Haoze –” 

  She lowered her voice and gestured for Zhan Haoze to return the phone to her. 

  “I’m Zhan Haoze, Wanwan’s boyfriend.” 

  Zhan Haoze looked into her eyes and said firmly. Shi Mengwan covered her eyes with one hand. 

  “She’s still sleeping. Yes, she caught a cold when she came back yesterday.” 

  Zhan Haoze had been answering Shi Mengwan’s calls for the past few days. It was just that she didn’t have many calls. Previously, Xiao Ji had called because she had called too many times. Zhan Haoze also knew that it was a call from the studio, so he helped her answer one. 

  Shi Mengwan originally thought that she could escape for a while, but Zhan Haoze’s words made her sink into great despair. 

  “Yes, it’s my fault. I didn’t take good care of her.” 

  Shi Mengwan raised her head and glared at Zhan Haoze. She hated his shameless behavior to the extreme. 

  “Should I ask her to answer the phone?” 

  “Okay. I’ll wait for her to wake up and ask her to call you back.” 

  It was unknown to Shi Mengwan what Zhan Haoze said on the other end of the phone. Zhan Haoze glanced at Shi Mengwan. “Okay, this weekend, right? I’ll definitely pay a visit.” 

  “Zhan Haoze……” 

  Shi Mengwan’s lips moved and she almost screamed. She was shocked by Zhan Haoze’s shamelessness and even forgot about his self-introduction. 

  He said he was her boyfriend? Shi Mengwan didn’t have time to think about Zhan Haoze’s words. She was already so shocked by what he said next that her eyes widened. 

  “Thank you, Auntie. Don’t worry, I’ll bring Wanwan back with me.” 

  “Okay, okay. Bye.” 

  As soon as Zhan Haoze hung up, Shi Mengwan ignored her weak body and rushed forward to snatch the phone away. 

  She glared at him. Even though she was still weak, she still pointed at the tip of his nose. 

  “You, you, you, who allowed you to agree?” This was too much, this was too much. 

  She was so angry because she didn’t expect Zhan Haoze to do this at all. 

  Compared to her, who was angry, Zhan Haoze was much more indifferent. “Auntie said that she wanted me to bring you home this weekend.” 

  “I don’t want to.” Shi Mengwan didn’t want her parents or family to know about her relationship with Zhan Haoze at all. “Zhan Haoze, get out. If you want to go back, you go back. I won’t go home with you.” 

  Not only would she not go home with him, she even wanted to beat him up. 

  “I’ll go back?” Zhan Haoze nodded and didn’t seem to object. “Alright, then I’ll pick a time to visit Auntie and Uncle.” 

  “Zhan Haoze.” Shi Mengwan threw her phone to the side and reached out to pull Zhan Haoze’s sleeve. “What do you want?” 

  “Didn’t I say that I’ll accompany you home to meet your parents?” 

  “Meet my parents? As what?” 

  “Your boyfriend.” 

  Shi Mengwan nodded. “My boyfriend? Are you sure?” 

  “I’m sure.” There was nothing uncertain about it. 

  “You’re my boyfriend. Who is Chen Feifei to you?” 

  Zhan haoze’s expression didn’t change, but an ambivalent expression flashed through his eyes. “She’s nothing.” 

  “Heh. Nothing? Isn’t she your legitimate fiancée?” 

  “I’m not engaged to her.” That was just a one-sided agreement between Chen Yongchang and Chen Feifei. He didn’t agree. 

  If he could, he even wanted to withdraw and retreat, but now wasn’t the time. 

  Shi Mengwan smiled, but that smile didn’t reach her eyes. “An ordinary person’s heart changes, and an old friend’s heart changes easily.” 

  She didn’t refute his words for the first time, but the meaning behind it was enough. 

  Zhan Haoze looked at her and reached out to shake her hand, but she avoided him. “Leave.” 

  “Wanwan.” Zhan Haoze wasn’t angry at her attitude. “If I leave, who will accompany you home?” 

  Shi Mengwan laughed lightly and didn’t seem surprised by his question at all. “I don’t need you to accompany me. I’ll tell my mom that we broke up.” 

  Zhan Haoze’s expression darkened because of her words. He didn’t speak and just looked at her fixedly. 

  It was rare for Shi Mengwan to not shrink back at all. She just looked at him. 

  Their gazes met in the air and no one was willing to back down. Shi Mengwan swallowed her saliva and forced herself to calm down. 

  “Zhan Haoze, you said that you want to accompany me home. You said that you want to see my family with me. Do you know what it means for you to follow me home?” 

  Shi Mengwan’s voice was a little hoarse. Her head was still a little dizzy. Her body was also soft and she couldn’t exert any strength. 

  “If you go home with me, it means that you’re willing to separate our identities. It means that you’re willing to marry me. Zhan Haoze –” 

  She stared into his eyes and the corners of her lips were full of mockery that couldn’t be concealed. “Are you sure?” 

  She didn’t believe him at all. He knew. 

  Zhan Haoze suddenly reached out and held her hand. “Your body hasn’t fully recovered yet. You should rest first.” 

  “Zhan Haoze……” 

  “If there’s anything else, wait until you’ve recovered.” 

  “Don’t avoid the topic. I won’t let you accompany me back to see my parents.” 

  “You should sleep first.” As Zhan Haoze spoke, he touched her forehead. “There’s still a little fever. I might need another injection.” 

  “Zhan Haoze.” 

  “You rest first. I still have some business to take care of. When I’m done, I’ll accompany you.” 

  “Zhan Haoze –” 

  No matter what Shi Mengwan said, Zhan Haoze just didn’t answer her question. She felt like she was like hitting cotton. It had no effect at all. 

  She was only focused on getting angry because of Zhan Haoze’s words, but she didn’t notice that Zhan Haoze was much gentler to her today than before. 

  He spoke more. His expression and voice were also filled with gentleness. 

  Unfortunately, Shi Mengwan wasn’t in the right mood and didn’t realize this at all. ……

  In the end, Shi Mengwan wasn’t able to chase Zhan Haoze out of her apartment. Her bodily health had always been very good and she rarely got sick, so she never knew that her occasional illness would be severe. 

  After Zhan Haoze arrived, she fell asleep again because she was too tired. In a daze, she felt that someone was always by her side. 

  The towel on her forehead was changed every now and then, and she felt much more comfortable. 

  In her heart, she actually knew that the person who was guarding her was Zhan Haoze, but so what? There would be no result between her and him. 

  She just didn’t expect that after sleeping for one night, when she woke up the next day, the sky had changed. 

  Yesterday, Zhan Haoze told Mother Shi that Shi Mengwan was sick. Mother Shi was extremely worried. 

  Mother Shi had never heard of the name Zhan Haoze, and she was worried because she had never heard of him before. 

  Shi Mengwan never told Mother Shi about what she did outside or who she met. Mother Shi had always liked Xiao Qi, but Shi Mengwan didn’t like him. 

  Mother Shi was really anxious. It wasn’t that Xiao Qi was the only one, but if Xiao Qi could agree to such a condition, then he would definitely treat Shi Mengwan well in the future, right? 

  What about this Zhan Haoze? Where did he come from? How did they meet? How long had they been together? What did he do? 

  She wanted to know all these questions, but Zhan Haoze didn’t make it clear on the phone. So, the overly worried Mother Shi couldn’t wait until Zhan Haoze brought Shi Mengwan home on the weekend. 

  The next morning, the people in town happened to be driving to Lin City. After Mother Shi tidied up, she told father Shi to stay at home and take care of Shi Mengru. 

  No matter what, Shi Mengru was now in the third year of middle school. Shi Mengwan, who was about to take her middle school exams, didn’t want to distract her daughter at all, 

  She had been to Shi Mengwan’s apartment before, and she would usually get someone to bring things to Shi Mengwan whenever she was free, so she directly came to find her. 

  When she came, Shi Mengwan had just woken up, and Zhan Haoze had gotten someone to cook porridge. Yesterday, it was plain porridge, and today, he got someone to cook fish porridge. It was light and nutritious. 

  “It’s still a little hot. Be careful.” 

  Zhan Haoze brought the congee to Shi Mengwan, but Shi Mengwan didn’t appreciate it at all. 

  “I’m not eating. Take it away.” 

  Shi Mengwan, who had slept for two days, finally recovered a little. Although she still didn’t have much strength, she could get out of bed. 

  “Get out.” 

  “Wanwan.” ZhanHaoze placed the congee on the bedside table. His expression was uncharacteristically gentle, but it looked like he was coaxing a child. “You haven’t recovered yet. Eating something light is good for your recovery.” 

  Shi Mengwan looked at Zhan Haoze as if he was an alien. “You……” 

  This Zhan Haoze didn’t look like what she remembered at all. She even wanted to ask him if he was possessed. 

  “Come, I’ll feed you.” 

  As Zhan Haoze spoke, he picked up the bowl of porridge and scooped up a spoonful to feed her. Shi Mengwan looked at him and waved her hand without thinking. 

  “Peng!” Zhan Haoze wasn’t prepared for Shi Mengwan to make a move. The porridge in his hand flew out. The bowl shattered and the porridge splashed all over the ground, 

  Some of it even splashed onto Zhan Haoze’s body. The atmosphere was silent. 

  Shi Mengwan didn’t expect that she would make such a move. She was a little stunned, but she didn’t think that she was wrong. 

  If he had left earlier, she wouldn’t have done such a thing. 

  She thought so, but it was hard for her to keep her calm. She could only turn her face to the side and force herself not to look at him. 

  Zhan Haoze looked at Shi Mengwan with a deep gaze and an ambivalent expression. His deep eyes couldn’t see what he was thinking. 

  Shi Mengwan waited for a long time but didn’t hear Zhan Haoze leave. She couldn’t help but turn around. 

  She didn’t expect Zhan Haoze to crouch down and pick up the pieces on the ground. 

  “.……” Shi Mengwan was shocked and wanted to chase him away again, but she saw the obvious stains on his clothes. 

  She lowered her head again and thought about how to send Zhan Haoze away. Moreover, she wanted him to never bother her again. 

  Mother Shi came at this time. 

  When the door was knocked, Shi Mengwan was shocked. Who would come to her at this time? 

  It couldn’t be Su Qingsang. She was in Lin City. Could it be Xiao Ji? Or Tong Yan and Xiao Qiu? 

  Shi Mengwan didn’t want either of them to see Zhan Haoze. 

  She was about to get off the bed when Zhan Haoze pressed her body down. “Don’t move. There are pieces on the ground. Don’t hurt your feet.” 

  “Go away.” How could Shi Mengwan sit still? “I don’t want you to care.” 

  Just because there were pieces on one side didn’t mean there were pieces on the other side. Shi Mengwan stubbornly wanted to get off the bed, but Zhan Haoze pressed down on her body forcefully. 

  “Don’t move.” 

  He glared at her. His head hurt from her stubbornness. “If you don’t want me to do anything to you, then don’t move around.” 

  “You, you’re shameless.” 

  “I’ll go open the door.” 

  Zhan Haoze stood up straight and walked out as he spoke. 

  “You’re not allowed to go.” Shi Mengwan wanted to stop him, but her voice wasn’t imposing at all. Second of all, it was too late for her to stop him in this situation. 

  When Zhan Haoze saw Mother Shi standing at the door, he recognized her at a glance. She was Shi Mengwan’s mother. 

  Shi Mengwan’s mother was also a great beauty. One could see that she must have turned heads when she was young. Most importantly, she appeared somewhat similar to Shi Mengwan. 

  “Auntie, you’re here?” 

  She didn’t expect that the person who answered the phone was really a man. This time, Shi Mengwan’s mother was a little stunned. Even though she had heard him over the phone, seeing it with her own eyes was another matter. 

  She stood at the door but forgot to enter. She looked at Zhan Haoze and asked, “You, why are you here? Where’s my daughter?” 

  After asking, mother Shi finally reacted. “You’re that Ze guys? Where’s Wanwan?”


  Chapter 686: Can Mr. Zhan Take Responsibility For His Own Words

  Mother Shi looked at Zhan Haoze with a questioning gaze. Zhan Haoze was calm when he met her gaze. 

  “Hello, Auntie. Yes, I’m Zhan Haoze. Wanwan just woke up and she’s inside.” 

  Zhan Haoze took a step back as he spoke and gestured for Mother Shi to enter. Mother Shi entered the room but wasn’t in a hurry to see her daughter. Instead, she sized up Zhan Haoze. 

  “Zhan Haoze?” 

  She didn’t expect Zhan Haoze to be such a handsome young man. Then she looked at the way he dressed and talked, as well as the feeling he gave off. 

  Such a man was actually with her daughter? 

  However, Mother Shi’s hesitation didn’t last long. She was still carrying bags in her hands, so Zhan Haoze took the initiative to take them and placed them on the coffee table. 

  “Auntie, do you want to go check on Wanwan?” 

  “Okay.” Mother Shi decided to see her daughter first. 

  Zhan Haoze followed Mother Shi into the room. As soon as he entered the room, he remembered. There were still pieces on the floor and porridge on the floor. 

  That mess didn’t look good at all. Zhan Haoze was a little embarrassed. Maother Shi looked at him and then at Shi Mengwan. Her eyes appeared alarmed. 

  “Mom?” 

  Shi Mengwan saw Mother Shi and feeling that she was really done for, she put her hand on her forehead. 

  “Why are you here?” 

  She hadn’t fully recovered yet, and her voice sounded weak. Shi Mengwan was very worried, but seeing the mess on the ground, she bent down first. 

  “You lie down first. We’ll talk later.” 

  Mother Shi stepped forward. She was used to tidying up. Even though she wasn’t very familiar with this place. She cleaned up the floor in no time. 

  She was afraid that Shi Mengwan would step on the debris when she went down, so she carefully swept the floor and cleaned it up. Only then did she sit in front of Shi Mengwan’s bed again. 

  After a while, Zhan Haoze brought out another bowl of porridge and placed it on the bedside table. 

  “Auntie, you’re just in time. Wanwan hasn’t had breakfast yet.” 

  Mother Shi had experience accumulated with age, so looking at the mess on the floor, she knew something had happened between the two of them. She glanced at Zhan Haoze with a baffled expression. 

  “Mr. Zhan, right? Can you leave first? I need to talk to Wanwan.” 

  “Of course.” 

  Zhan Haoze nodded. Then, he glanced at Shi Mengwan and left. 

  Only Mother Shi and her daughter were left in the room. Shi Mengwan picked up the bowl of porridge and looked at her daughter with some heartache. “Why are you so sick? Why didn’t you tell me? Didn’t you know that I would be worried?” 

  “How can a person not get sick from eating grains? It’s not a big deal.” Shi Mengwan reached out to take the bowl, but Mother Shi didn’t let her. She fed her a spoonful of porridge. 

  Mother Shi focused on feeding the porridge, and Shi Mengwan focused on eating the porridge. Soon, she saw the bottom. Shi Mengwan looked like she didn’t want to drink anymore, so Mother Shi put the bowl down. 

  “Tell me, what’s going on?” Mother Shi pouted and looked in the direction outside the door. 

  “Nothing, it’s just that.” Shi Mengwan didn’t want to say more. 

  She didn’t expect Zhan Haoze to pick up her call, and she didn’t expect Zhan Haoze to be caught by Mother Shi. 

  No matter what kind of situation it was, it wasn’t what she wanted to see. In this situation, she didn’t know how to answer her mother’s question. 

  “Your boyfriend? Why didn’t you mention him before? How long have you known him? Where is he from? What does he do?” 

  He even went on a blind date with Xiao Qi during the new year. At that time, she didn’t know this person. It seemed that she met him later. 

  “Mom, are you checking his registration?” 

  “My daughter has a boyfriend. Don’t I have to check it out?” If it weren’t for the fact that Shi Mengwan was still sick, Mother Shi would have flicked Shi Mengwan’s forehead to see what she was thinking. “Do you want to tell me yourself, or do you want me to go out and ask him?” 

  “Mom.” Shi Mengwan was a little annoyed. She was thinking of breaking up with Zhan Haoze. She had already made up her mind. She didn’t know that her illness would give Zhan Haoze a chance. 

  It wasn’t that she wasn’t annoyed, but she couldn’t reveal anything in front of her mother. 

  “Mom, her name is Zhan Haoze. I haven’t known him for long. He runs a company.” 

  “Haven’t known him for long?” Shi Mengwan wasn’t an idiot. “Haven’t known him for long but you allowed him to step into your home for so long? Are you two living together now?” 

  “Mom.” Shi Mengwan’s face was flushed red. She was too embarrassed to continue, “Can you stop asking?” 

  “How can I not ask? You’re a child.” 

  Shi Mengwan was also anxious. Ever since she was young, other than the time when she ran away from home, Shi Mengwan had never let her worry about anything else. 

  She also knew that Shi Mengwan had always been proud. Since she said something like that in front of Grandma Shi the last time, she would probably do it. 

  However, how could Zhan Haoze be a man willing to marry into a family and let his child take someone else’s surname? Such a man was probably out of Shi Mengwan’s control. 

  “Mengwan, what’s going on with you?” 

  Shi Mengwan was referring to the mess when she came in just now. Why did these two people look a little strange? 

  “Mom, can you just leave it alone?” Shi Mengwan was really annoyed. She wanted to get rid of Zhan Haoze, but she didn’t know that not only did she not get rid of him, but she was sinking deeper and deeper into the mess. 

  She finally made up her mind, but who knew that such a thing would happen again? 

  “You child.” 

  Shi Mengwan had been stubborn since she was young. Mother Shi wanted to say a few words to her, but she knew that this child couldn’t be dealt with. 

  “If you don’t want to say it, then you should rest first. What do you want to eat for lunch? Mom will make it for you.” 

  “Whatever.” Shi Mengwan really didn’t mean to go against Mother Shi, but she was in a mess now, and she really didn’t know what to say. 

  Seeing her like that, Mother Shi silently sighed and went out with the bowl. 

  Zhan Haoze was in the living room and seemed to be on the phone. Hearing the sound of Mother Shi coming out, he hung up the phone. 

  Mother Shi put the bowl into the kitchen and looked at the kitchen. There was no grease. It seemed that they didn’t cook much. 

  Zhan Haoze stood at the kitchen door. “Auntie, have you eaten?” 

  “I’ve eaten.” 

  Mother Shi looked in the direction of the living room. Zhan Haoze understood and the two of them walked out together. 

  Mother Shi sat down on the sofa and gestured for Zhan Haoze to sit down as well. Compared to usual, Zhan Haoze sat very upright. 

  His two hands were placed on his knees, and he looked very serious. 

  Mother Shi’s brows moved slightly, and she sized up Zhan Haoze again. His eyes were long and narrow, and although he tried his best to restrain himself when he looked at people, he still looked very imposing. 

  Mother Shi was a person from a small town. The most powerful person she had seen before was only the county magistrate of their county. 

  When she saw Zhan Haoze today, she had a feeling that the person in front of her wasn’t an ordinary person. 

  “How old are you this year?” 

  “Auntie, you can just call my name Haoze. I’m 29 years old this year.” 

  “Where do you work?” Mother Shi didn’t answer his question. Her form of address was a little distant and polite. 

  “I own two small companies. In addition, I have a small business under my name.” 

  Zhan Haoze said it modestly, but Mother Shi wasn’t as relaxed as he thought. Instead, her gaze towards him became more guarded and distant. 

  He was out of her league; Shi Mengwan had been beautiful since she was young, so Mother Shi was afraid that the man in front of her had bad intentions. 

  “When did Mr. Zhan and Wanwan meet?” 

  “Wanwan and I have known each other for a long time.” 

  Mother Shi was stunned for a moment and recalled what Shi Mengwan had said to her before. “Known each other for a long time? But Wanwan didn’t have a boyfriend during the New Year.” 

  If she didn’t know that Shi Mengwan didn’t have a boyfriend, why would she arrange a blind date with Xiao Qi? 

  “Wanwan and I met last year, but we’ve only been together recently.” 

  “In other words, you two haven’t been together for long?” 

  Zhan Haoze didn’t avoid Mother Shi’s question, on the contrary, he was quite calm. “Wanwan and I haven’t been together for very long indeed, but I feel that the length of time between two people doesn’t depend on how long they’re together. Some people don’t understand each other even if they spend their entire lives together. However, there are some people who can hit it off at first sight. It can be seen that the depth of their feelings can’t be measured by the length of time they’ve known each other. What do you think?” 

  Mother Shi reluctantly accepted Zhan Haoze’s explanation, but she asked, “Then according to your words, you’re sincere towards Wanwan?” 

  “Yes.” Zhan Haoze nodded and replied with incomparable determination. 

  Mother Shi’s expression was a little more relaxed than before. Her gaze swept across Zhan Haoze before she finally made up her mind and spoke softly. 

  “Mr. Zhan, did Wanwan ever mention our family’s situation to you?” 

  “I wonder what you’re referring to, Auntie?” 

  “I don’t think Wanwan would tell you. Since that’s the case, let me tell you.” 

  Mama Shi’s greatest regret in her life was that she didn’t have a son. However, that regret wasn’t a regret after having two daughters. 

  In her heart, nothing could compare to her two daughters. 

  “My husband, Wanwan’s father, is the eldest in the family. He has two brothers. After I married her father, I only had Wanwan and her sister. When I gave birth to Wanwan’s younger sister, Wanwan’s grandmother was very unhappy and wanted me to send Wanwan’s younger sister away. To give birth to a new son. At that time, Wanwan was very unhappy. Because of this, she even ran away to protest.” 

  Zhan Haoze’s eyes dimmed slightly when he heard this, but it only lasted for a moment. Very quickly, he sat there expressionlessly and listened to Mother Shi. 

  “After she ran away from home, his father and I slowly came to terms with it. What son? How is it more important than a daughter?” 

  When Mother Shi said this, she thought of the time her daughter spent wandering outside for more than a year, and her facial expression didn’t look pleasant. “After Wanwan returned home, her father and I also gave up on the idea of having another child. It’s just that we didn’t want to have a child, but Wanwan’s grandmother didn’t think so.” 

  She briefly recounted what Shi Mengwan had said when Grandma Shi came looking for them the other day. Mother Shi had been paying attention to Zhan Haoze’s expression. 

  “That’s how it happened.” Zhan Haoze was expressionless. Shi Mengwan couldn’t figure out what he was thinking. “Wanwan promised that if she find a partner to marry into the family, the child she gave birth to would have the surname Shi –” 

  Mother Shi paused and realized that Zhan Haoze was still expressionless. She could only continue, “I know. Normal men wouldn’t agree to such conditions.” 

  “I didn’t mean anything by saying so much. I just wanted to say that if you agree, you can continue dating Wanwan. If you don’t agree, I think we should just forget about your relationship. After all, if time passes and the relationship grows deeper, everyone will be in pain.” 

  Shi Mengwan’s mother never took Shi Mengwan’s words seriously. She also never thought of letting Shi Mengwan make a man marry into her family. 

  She even thought that if Shi Mengwan met the man she truly liked one day, if the other party wouldn’t agree to her conditions, for Shi Mengwan’s happiness, she was willing to take a step back and adopt her brother-in-law’s child. 

  She was very open-minded and didn’t have any objections to the kind of man Shi Mengwan wanted to be with. 

  It was just that she met Zhan Haoze today, and such a man was definitely not her ideal son-in-law. The most important thing was the mess she saw just now. 

  Her daughter had never been an unreasonable person who would cause trouble to the point of knocking over porridge. No matter who started it, it meant that the couple had a conflict now. 

  Her daughter was a piece of flesh that had fallen off her body. She would always protect her no matter what. That was why she wanted to say what Shi Mengwan had said. It wasn’t for anything else but to make things difficult for Zhan Haoze. 

  Zhan Haoze hadn’t spoken all this while. Mother Shi couldn’t tell what he felt in her heart. There was disappointment, but there was also uneasiness. Her daughter was good in every way. Zhan Haoze’s refusal to respond to her words made her feel a little dissatisfied. 

  “Since it has come to this, if Mr. Zhan can’t make a decision, then it’s better to just let it go. After all, if it wasn’t suitable, but you two adamantly stay together, it would only increase each other’s pain. Moreover, with Mr. Zhan’s talent, I believe that Mr. Zhan isn’t worried about not finding a partner.” 

  “Auntie.” Zhan Haoze finally spoke. “I know what you said. I think there’s no problem.” 

  “Huh?” This time, it was Mother Shi’s turn to be stunned. “You, what do you mean?” 

  “I mean, I agree to marry into the family. I don’t mind giving birth to a child with the surname Shi.” 

  “.……” 

  Mother Shi’s mouth was wide open. She suddenly realized that she had lost her composure. She cleared her throat. “Mr. Zhan, you’re a man. You don’t need to randomly make promises to make an old woman like me happy.” 

  “Auntie, I’m not randomly making promises. I’m serious.” 

  Zhan Haoze’s voice wasn’t loud. His sincere words made Shi’s mother speechless. 

  “Mr. Zhan, can you take responsibility for what you said?” 

  “Of course. A man can’t go back on his word. Since I dared to promise you, I can naturally take responsibility for what I said.” 

  “.……” Mother Shi, who didn’t expect such an answer, finally looked at Zhan Haoze differently. She thought about it and couldn’t help but ask. 

  “When I came in just now, I saw that the porridge was overturned. Can I ask what happened?” 

  Zhan Haoze didn’t seem to be surprised by Mother Shi’s question. “It’s my fault. Wanwan has been with me for quite some time, but I haven’t brought her to see my family yet. Wanwan might be unhappy about that.” 

  Mother Shi didn’t completely believe Zhan haoze’s words. “Then why didn’t you bring Wanwan to see your family?” 

  Zhan Haoze fell silent. He crossed his hands and placed them on his knees. His eyes drooped, as if he couldn’t bring himself to say it. 

  “My mother passed away.” 

  “After my mother passed away, my father married another woman. After that, my relationship with my father wasn’t good, so –” 

  Zhan Haoze didn’t finish his sentence, but Mother Shi seemed to understand what he meant. “I see.” 

  “Yes.” Zhan Haoze raised his head and looked into Mother Shi’s eyes. “Actually, I know about Wanwan’s dilemma in her heart, but my relationship with my father isn’t very close. So, I don’t feel that I have to involve my father in the major events of my life.” 

  Mother Shi nodded and seemed to understand Zhan Haoze’s thoughts. “That’s true, but you’re family after all. It’s better to talk about some things properly.” 

  “Yes, I will.” 

  Zhan Haoze nodded and didn’t seem to object to Mother Shi’s words. 

  Mother Shi began to sympathize with Zhan Haoze. If the biological mother died prematurely, the father would marry someone else. As the saying goes, if you have a stepmother, you have a stepfather. 

  Since Zhan Haoze’s father married someone else, he wouldn’t treat Zhan Haoze very well. This way, Zhan Haoze had a knot in his heart about his father, so it was normal that he didn’t want to bring Shi Mengwan home. 

  She knew a little about her daughter’s temper, so she was afraid Shi Mengwan would think that Zhan Haoze didn’t value her. 

  Now that she thought about it, it wasn’t entirely Zhan Haoze’s fault. 

  “Haoze, I’m not afraid to tell you the truth. Wanwan has always had a bad temper since she was young. Her father and I both pampered her and spoiled her too much. Since you can even accept the condition of marrying into the family, it means you’re sincere about Wanwan. I believe that since Wanwan will allow you to marry into the family, it means she has feelings for you too. Since that’s the case, you two should get along well. It’s better to understand each other.” 

  In just a short while, Mother Shi even changed her address. It was obvious that she had already ackowledged Zhan Haoze. Zhan Haoze’s expression didn’t change, but the feeling he gave off was much more relaxed. 

  “Auntie, don’t worry, I know.” 

  Mother Shi nodded. Although having such a son-in-law wasn’t part of her plan, she really felt like a mother-in-law looking at her son-in-law. The more she looked at him, the more interesting it was. 

  She looked at the time and stood up. “I brought some local specialties from home. Are you still going out today?” 

  “No need.” Zhan Haoze wouldn’t say that he still had a bunch of business to deal with in the company, so Mother Shi was satisfied. She nodded. “Alright, I’ll go buy some vegetables. Let’s have lunch together.” 

  This was an acknowledgment of Zhan Haoze’s identity. 

  “How can I let Auntie buy groceries? Let’s have lunch outside.” 

  “Wanwan likes to eat my food. Besides, Wanwan hasn’t recovered from her illness, so it’s not suitable for her to go out to eat greasy food.” 

  “Then I’ll go buy groceries.” Zhan Haoze stood up as well. Mother Shi couldn’t help but laugh when she saw his pleading expression. “No need, you can accompany Wanwan. I’ve been here before, so I know where the grocery market is.” 

  As she spoke, she pouted and looked in the direction of the room. “Wanwan seems to be still angry. Go pacify her. She has a bad temper. Since you’ve decided to be with her, you should be tolerant.” 

  “I will. Don’t worry, Auntie.” 

  Zhan Haoze spoke sincerely. From what she saw, Mother Shi didn’t feel dissatisfied with his performance. She turned around to pick up her bag to go out to buy groceries.