Though it was supposed to be a dinner at Blue Sister's house, the knowledge that two elderly folks would join our "candlelit feast" left a lingering sense of unease in my chest.

I drove the whole way while glancing at her through the rearview mirror every few minutes. Strange how she seemed so close yet felt veiled behind an intangible mist, her thoughts forever out of reach like moonlight through gauze.

Still and demure as a lotus petal one moment, mischievous and quicksilver the next—I've always been drawn to mysteries. The more elusive someone is, the harder I chase them. Such is every man's weakness, and I'm no exception when it comes to Blue Jinyuan.

"Be warned—my father's a traditionalist scholar type. He'll scare you into silence with his old-fashioned rigidity," she joked while her gaze held depths even my eyes couldn't pierce.

"Ah, but isn't that the sweet spot? I've always preferred antiques to modern knick-knacks. Your dad might just be my kind of person!" My focus remained on the road, yet my words carried their usual silver-tongued charm.

"You don't say! Such refined tastes," she said through stifled laughter, clearly amused by my bravado.

"This..." I let it trail off with a wink, only to realize too late that Blue had just thrown me into her web. It wasn't every day one's own wits could backfire so spectacularly.

"Don't get ahead of yourself," she laughed. "My mother is no pushover either. She'll quiz you until you're dizzy." Her careless expression belied the weight in her eyes, and I knew how much this dinner really mattered to her.

"Worry not—I've got thirty-six strategies up my sleeve. We'll see your parents off the dating circuit once and for all!" The thought of being seen as Blue Jinyuan's boyfriend was worth the meal alone.

"Please don't," she quickly interjected, "I just want them to take a break. If you really end their hopes, will I have to marry you instead?"

"Of course." I answered without hesitation, my mind racing already through the possibilities.

A beat of silence followed as her stare burned into me with something unsettlingly serious in it. When she finally spoke, her voice carried an edge colder than a winter dawn: "Don't make jokes like that again. I take things to heart..."

I slammed on the brakes so suddenly Blue's seatbelt jolted her upright against the window. The abrupt stop left her wide-eyed and breathless as if we'd just survived a collision.

Turning sideways, our eyes locked in this unexpected confrontation. "I wasn't joking," I said with such conviction that the words seemed to burn through the air between us.

There was no mistaking the raw emotion in my voice—how could there be? She had carved herself into my soul from day one, not through grand declarations but those fleeting glimpses of girlish shyness, enigmatic smiles, and the quiet sorrow that sometimes clouded her gaze. Blue Jinyuan's presence alone was a fever I couldn't cure.

"I don't understand," she whispered after what felt like an eternity.

But we both knew she did—how could those glistening red eyes not betray her? "No, you do," I answered simply as the tension between us thickened into something primal and unrelenting.

Her breathing grew shallow with each passing second until I pulled her into my arms without thinking. The soft perfume of her neck (though she'd never worn cologne) drove me to madness, yet all I wanted was to lose myself in this perfect moment. "Mmm," the tiny sound she made as our lips met told me exactly what I needed to hear.

"Let's get going before your parents banish me for being late!" I released her reluctantly to wipe away a tear she probably hadn't noticed herself.

"Ridiculous! You just seduced disabled women everywhere," she laughed through her tears, the tension finally breaking like morning mist.

"Who said I want to go anywhere with you? I'm not dying for your sake!" She was already ordering me around before we'd even reached marriage bureau territory.

"As you wish—back home it is," I surrendered quickly, suddenly feeling more like a dutiful daughter-in-law than the bold suitor I'd imagined myself to be.

Standing at her doorstep, my knees felt weak with nerves so severe they rivaled a promotion exam. My hand was soaked in sweat as I glanced at Blue's knowing smile.

When she finally unlocked the door (the sound of metal against brass echoing like a gunshot), I caught her wrist mid-motion and took a steadying breath before stepping into the unknown.

"Is this your date?" Her mother emerged from shadows, her expression flat as she appraised me with clinical detachment. Blue nodded like a bobblehead doll, and suddenly my palms were sweating all over again.

"Do you have a car?" The question cut through the air with surgical precision, ignoring both my greeting and any pretense of hospitality.

"Yes." I answered without hesitation—the vehicle itself didn't matter, it was merely a symbol of status. Even if it belonged to the state, at least it wasn't public transportation.

"Come in then," she relented slightly but kept her eyes locked on me like a hawk.

Blue's stifled giggles from behind told me my humiliation was far from over as I let her pull me into this traditionalist lion's den. The redwood sofa where Blue's father sat exuded an aura of ancient elegance, and every glance he gave felt like academic dissection under bright lights.

"Have you bought a house yet?" Her mother materialized again with the same blunt efficiency.

"Yes." Of course I had—I just hadn't owned it legally. The concept of property deeds was a modern luxury.

The tension eased slightly as she returned to her bedroom, leaving me to sink into the heirloom furniture like an archaeological find. Blue's father turned out to be less of a stern scholar and more... unexpectedly normal? Just then his wife reappeared with a scowl that made the air electric again.

"Jinyuan! Go finish cooking!" she barked at her daughter, then added coldly toward me, "Find my missing turtles somewhere."

Blue mouthed an explanation as I realized what had vanished from their antique crockery setup—two prized pet tortoises. "Escaped?" I joked to break the tension.

"Jinyuan!" Her mother's glare fixed on me again with predator intensity until Blue was forced to retreat into the kitchen, leaving me alone in this silent warzone of maternal scrutiny...