In the living room on the other side, Zhang Eyang also stood up in astonishment. Wu Fenglan’s guess was correct; Mi Zhicheng had laid his cards on the table with him.

"Dad, when did my sister ever have a boyfriend? How come I didn't know?"

Mi An turned his head, asking blankly. Just a moment ago, Mi Zhicheng had directly told Zhang Eyang that Mi Xue already had a boyfriend at home, and they should stop worrying and just be classmates.

"Shut up! Go back to your room and read!"

Mi Zhiguo glared sharply. Mi An pouted, left the living room resentfully, and shot a harsh look at his uncle before exiting.

Mi Zhicheng had said a lot of things just now. Although Mi An was young, he understood that Mi Zhicheng was doing this deliberately—intentionally preventing his sister from being with Zhang Eyang.

As Mi An left, Zhang Eyang finally understood what was happening in his head.

Mi Xue having a boyfriend was indeed true, but that boyfriend had to be him; it couldn't be anyone else. His trust, built over so much time with Mi Xue, was absolute.

The reason Mi Zhicheng said that, and why Mi Zhiguo hadn't strongly objected yet, was probably because they had ideas of their own—perhaps planning to arrange someone for Mi Xue, or maybe they already had a suitable candidate in mind.

"Uncle, I want to tell you, Mi Xue and I are truly in love. I can make her happy!"

Zhang Eyang didn't look at Mi Zhicheng; he addressed Mi Zhiguo.

This Mi Zhicheng was truly annoying; no wonder neither Mi Xue nor her brother cared for him.

"Happiness? How will you give 'her' happiness? By relying on your hospital internship? It’s still unknown if you'll even secure a position later; there are too many interns these days!"

Mi Zhicheng suddenly sneered. Mi Zhiguo’s brow twitched slightly.

He didn't appreciate his younger brother's bluntness either, but it was the truth. He didn't know Zhang Eyang well, but Yu Yong's family background was certainly excellent. If Yu Yong's father really became the County Magistrate, Mi Xue would eventually be the daughter-in-law of a County Magistrate.

Looking at Zhang Eyang, he appeared quiet and refined, a handsome young man, but to him, he looked utterly ordinary, even carrying a very outdated canvas bag.

Mi Zhiguo had returned late; he was unaware that Zhang Eyang had brought so many gifts, nor did he know that the large Mercedes-Benz parked outside was Zhang Eyang's car.

When they arrived, they had assumed the car belonged to someone else and was temporarily parked there, as there were no designated parking spots back then.

"How I make her happy is none of your business! I think it’s enough that I believe he can make me happy!"

Before Zhang Eyang could speak, Mi Xue suddenly rushed in and shouted loudly at Mi Zhicheng.

After Wu Fenglan told her, she had tearfully felt wronged, but she soon realized it was just her father’s arrangement, and she hadn't consented.

And Zhang Eyang was currently with her father and uncle. If they brought up the topic too, she worried Zhang Eyang might overthink things.

The moment she thought of this, Mi Xue ran out. Her fears had materialized, fueling her sense of being wronged and her anger.

"Xiao Xue, watch your tone! That’s your uncle!"

Mi Zhiguo suddenly reprimanded her. Mi Xue turned away dejectedly. She could yell at Mi Zhicheng, but she absolutely couldn't do that to Mi Zhiguo.

This was her father. Normally, Mi Xue was an extremely filial girl.

"Lao Mi, perhaps we should let the children choose for themselves regarding this matter,"

Wu Fenglan also walked over and softly advised Mi Zhiguo. She held a favorable impression of Zhang Eyang and naturally spoke up for him now.

There was another point: Wu Fenglan disliked the idea of a political marriage. She knew people around her who had gone that route, and few found happiness. Naturally, she didn't want her own daughter to suffer the same fate.

"If you aren't cooking, what are you doing here?"

Mi Zhiguo glared at Wu Fenglan. Wu Fenglan glanced at Mi Xue, shook her head helplessly, and stepped aside without speaking further.

Mi Zhiguo was the head of this household; she was merely a good wife and loving mother.

However, she didn't actually leave for the kitchen; she worried that her daughter and Zhang Eyang might act rashly. After all, they were family; making things too tense was not ideal.

"Xiao Xue, you are still young; you don't understand. There are many deceivers in this world!"

Mi Zhicheng sighed softly. Judging by his demeanor, someone unfamiliar might think he genuinely cared for Mi Xue's well-being.

His pretense only angered Mi Xue more. She immediately shouted, "I don't understand? Only you do? I can control my own happiness! None of you have the right to interfere!"

"Xiao Xue, did you come home just to start fights? If so, leave immediately!"

Mi Zhiguo slammed the table with a roar of anger.

His first impression of Zhang Eyang hadn't been good, and hearing Mi Xue continuously contradict him immediately ignited his temper.

"Fine, I’ll leave! But I’m telling all of you, I will only be with Zhang Eyang, forever with him!"

Tears streaming down her face, Mi Xue grabbed Zhang Eyang's arm, preparing to walk out.

Unfortunately, she couldn't pull Zhang Eyang along; instead, he drew her close to his side.

Zhang Eyang gently put an arm around Mi Xue’s shoulder, patting her softly. Mi Xue immediately leaned against his shoulder and began to cry. Their intimate gesture caused Mi Zhiguo to frown involuntarily.

This was his house, yet his daughter was collapsing into another man's arms right in front of him.

"Uncle, please believe me. Although I don't have a permanent job, I absolutely can bring happiness to Mi Xue. If a job is about earning money, I can responsibly tell you that I can earn a great deal of money—certainly enough for Mi Xue to live happily for a lifetime!"

Zhang Eyang spoke softly, his voice low and calm, yet imbued with a firm resolve.

Having the experience of two lifetimes, he knew very well that walking out at this moment would only create more trouble later. He had to give Mi Xue’s father a way to save face.

"Young man, big talk is easy, but difficult to achieve. You shouldn't just boast here!"

Mi Zhicheng chuckled, picking up where Zhang Eyang left off. Zhang Eyang’s brow twitched again. This man’s sheer dislike made him want to throw a couple of punches.

"Brother-in-law isn't boasting, Brother-in-law is already very rich! My mountain bike was a gift from him, and that big Benz outside is his too!"

Mi An ran back in. With such a commotion happening, he couldn't possibly stay outside.

"What did you say?"

A look of shock crossed Mi Zhicheng's face, and even Mi Zhiguo stared at Mi An in surprise.

"Dad, I said Brother-in-law is very rich! The Mercedes outside our house belongs to him. He also brought many gifts this time; he isn't just talking big!"

Mi An didn't even look at Mi Zhicheng, speaking directly to his father.

Mi Zhicheng looked slightly awkward. After all, this was his older brother’s home, and while he was present, he seemed less welcome than an outsider, with everyone except his brother rejecting him.

"Lao Mi, Xiao An is right. You don't know all the circumstances; you should investigate before speaking," Wu Fenglan seized the opportunity to interject. Mi Zhiguo’s brow was now tightly furrowed; he seemed hesitant.

He had seen the car outside the door earlier—there wasn't another vehicle that fine in the entire county, and it even carried a provincial plate. He had initially assumed it was some relative from the provincial capital visiting.

He hadn't expected it to be their guest.

This was also due to him rushing home upon hearing his daughter was back, not paying close attention. If he had been more observant, he might have noticed something odd, like how the car was parked so close to their front door.

Generally, others wouldn't park like that.

"Young man, you didn't just borrow a car to show off, did you?"

Mi Zhicheng looked suspiciously at Zhang Eyang. He believed Mi An when he said Zhang Eyang drove the car. Even if Mi An didn't understand, Wu Fenglan certainly did, and since she hadn't spoken up to refute it, it must be true. He hadn't expected this seemingly unremarkable student to drive such a fine vehicle.

He had made some money over the years from his business, but he couldn't afford that car outside. He knew it cost at least over a million, easily reaching two million once fully equipped.

"Borrowing a car to save face—some people might do that, but absolutely not Zhang Eyang!"

Mi Xue stopped crying, raised her head, and stated coldly. Embarrassment washed over Mi Zhicheng’s face again.

When he was poor, he had borrowed other people's cars, claimed them as his own, and flaunted them around, successfully deceiving some people. Later, when the truth came out, he was heavily criticized.

Mi Xue’s words clearly exposed his past secrets. Even with thick skin, he couldn't handle being called out by his niece.

"Brother, this is your family matter. I'll leave for today, but you need to consider carefully: Secretary Yu taking over as County Magistrate is already a sure thing!"

Seeing the situation turning against him, Mi Zhicheng made no move to stay longer. However, before leaving, he left Mi Zhiguo with a subtle hint.

His meaning was clear: no matter how capable Zhang Eyang was, he was an outsider, less useful than County Magistrate Yu.

This statement could also be interpreted differently.

If Mi Zhiguo offended County Magistrate Yu over this matter, his future days might be difficult. Although he was a Deputy County Magistrate, he wasn't subordinate to the County Magistrate, but the Magistrate controlled the power of departmental assignments within the government. He could easily assign him to some dead-end posts, leaving him cooling his heels—there were many Deputy County Magistrates available.

Was it worth offending a colleague—a powerful one—for an outsider, even one with some money? This was Mi Zhicheng’s true intention.

He left the words hanging and departed. Mi Zhiguo’s brows furrowed deeply.

Today’s events were beyond his expectation. He hadn't anticipated his daughter bringing home a boyfriend so suddenly; Wu Fenglan hadn't mentioned anything on the phone, leaving him completely unprepared.

If he had known, he certainly wouldn't have brought Mi Zhicheng home.

But now it was too late. Mi Zhicheng had directly confronted Zhang Eyang, leaving him no choice. Strictly speaking, Mi Zhiguo wasn't a bad father. What he had promised earlier was just a trial period, meaning he would see what Mi Xue thought.

Now that Mi Xue clearly refused and already had a boyfriend, he was in a bind, especially irritated by Mi Zhicheng's parting words.

"Xiao Xue just got back; let’s just cook. We can discuss anything after we eat,"

Mi Zhiguo sighed softly. He was deeply vexed now, knowing he couldn't afford to lose his temper further, or his daughter might genuinely run away. That was not his intention at all.

Third update. A record has been set. There are still seven chapters left. If you have monthly tickets, please keep throwing them out; let’s see how high a record we can set.

Little Yu will eat something shortly. The next update should be around 1:30!