After about an hour, Fan Qianqian and Zhang Sumei emerged from the kitchen carrying plates of steaming, aromatic dishes. They arranged the food on tables and chairs that had been set up earlier in the courtyard. During this time, Gao Xiang and his father arrived, as did Su Ming's second uncle, Su Changgui, and his wife. Soon, the table was laden with food, and everyone began to drink and eat, enjoying the warm and lively atmosphere. It wasn't until 9 PM that everyone finally left, satisfied and full.
Fan Qianqian volunteered to help wash the dishes, and Zhang Sumei couldn't stop praising her, which made Fan Qianqian blush with embarrassment. Before long, it was time for bed.
"Su Ming, take Qianqian to your room," Zhang Sumei said casually while sitting in the living room. "She must be exhausted after such a long day. Your dad and I will watch some more TV."
"Ah! Did you prepare the guest room?" Su Ming asked, looking at Zhang Sumei with confusion.
To his surprise, Zhang Sumei's expression turned stern. "What guest room? Is Qianqian an outsider? Hurry up—I've already tidied your room!"
"Oh… okay," Su Ming replied, leading the blushing Fan Qianqian by the hand upstairs.
As they entered the room, Fan Qianqian's heart began to race.
"Heh… just the two of us, alone. What do you think…" Su Ming's voice trailed off, his gaze fixed on the shy, red-faced Fan Qianqian. His eyes gleamed with a mix of mischief and longing.
"You're terrible!" Fan Qianqian exclaimed, flustered. She quickly rushed to the bed, pulling the blanket over herself to hide.
"Ahem… So, you can sleep here—" Su Ming coughed, about to say he would go to the guest room, but just then, the system chimed in, cutting him off.
"Ding! Choice triggered!"
"Option 1: Make a move on Fan Qianqian. Reward: A Fate-Binding Card. (Note: Once used, the card seals eternal bonds between two souls.)"
"Option 2: Act as a gentleman and resist temptation. Reward: The title 'Worse Than a Beast.'"
To be honest, Su Ming hadn't planned on doing anything with Fan Qianqian. But when the system presented these options, he clenched his teeth in frustration. Worse than a beast? Was the system mocking him? Did it dare underestimate Su Ming?
"System! I choose Option 1!" Su Ming declared decisively, his eyes glowing faintly red.
At that moment, Fan Qianqian, not hearing Su Ming's voice, peeked out nervously from under the blanket. Suddenly, a shadow loomed over her.
"Ah!" She let out a startled cry as she was gently pinned down.
Their eyes met, and Fan Qianqian quickly closed hers, her heart pounding like a startled deer. Moments later, a tender kiss landed softly on her lips. Overwhelmed, she melted into the sensation, her body going limp.
The night passed, and when morning came, Fan Qianqian emerged like a lotus flower bathed in dew, her cheeks flushed, looking even more radiant and beautiful.
"Ding! Congratulations, Host, for completing the choice. You have received a Fate-Binding Card, now stored in your personal inventory. (Note: Once activated, this card seals eternal bonds between two souls.)"
Ignoring the system's notification, Su Ming couldn't resist planting another gentle kiss on the enchanting Fan Qianqian. She shyly lowered her head, her face glowing with happiness.
Soon, the two got up and washed up. Su Ming's mother greeted them with a beaming smile, which only made Fan Qianqian blush once more.
Time flew by in sweet, warm moments.
Spring Festival arrived, and the air buzzed with celebration. Snow began to fall softly from the sky, as if heralding a bountiful year ahead.
In the blink of an eye, it was the fourth day of the Lunar New Year. According to rural tradition, families began visiting relatives during this time. Most of Su Ming's relatives lived within the village, so within two days, he and Fan Qianqian had visited them all.
On the sixth day of the new year, Su Ming drove Fan Qianqian out of the house, heading to Dongsheng Village, where his second aunt resided. After having breakfast at his aunt's place, the two returned home.
However, upon arrival, a Toyota Land Cruiser was parked squarely in front of their gate, blocking the entrance. Su Ming had no choice but to park the car, open the gate, and walk in.
"Little sister, look, here's the 100,000 yuan we borrowed from you when we bought our car. I'm really sorry it took so long to return it," Su Ming heard a familiar yet unwelcome voice as soon as he stepped inside.
Looking up, he saw three figures standing near the living room doorway, while his parents stood inside. There were two men and one woman. The woman held a stack of crisp bills, freshly withdrawn from the bank, still bound by the teller's tape.
"We'll take the money. If there's nothing else, why don't you stay for a meal?" Su Changhe said, accepting the cash, though his tone carried no warmth.
Su Ming understood the tension immediately.
The three people before him were his mother's older brother, his cousin, and his aunt. Three years ago, when his cousin graduated from university and wanted to buy a car, they had come to Su Ming's house and borrowed 100,000 yuan—a sum his parents had painstakingly saved—promising to repay it within a year. But a year passed, and there was no word from them.
Su Ming's parents, being kind-hearted, didn't press the matter, considering they were family. However, when Su Ming got married and Li Na's family demanded a dowry of 200,000 yuan, his parents approached his uncle's family for help. His uncle and aunt simply claimed they had no money and dismissed them. They didn't even attend Su Ming's wedding.
That was why, during the recent round of visiting relatives, Su Ming had deliberately skipped their house.
"Well… thank you, Brother-in-law. It's been a while since I've tasted Little Sister's braised pork ribs," Su Ming's uncle, Zhang Suyou, quickly agreed.
But his aunt, Ma Qiuqin, suddenly pinched him and interjected, "Little Sister, Brother-in-law, we won't trouble you with a meal. Qishan has to return to the city for work soon—he's very busy."
"As you wish," Zhang Sumei said coolly, taking the money from Su Changhe and walking out of the living room. She went to her room to put the money away and then returned.
"All right, Mom and Dad, stop wasting time. Let's get to the point—I'm in a hurry," Zhang Qishun suddenly spoke up, his tone impatient.
"Is there something you need?" Su Changhe asked, frowning slightly.
"Well… Brother-in-law, as you know, Qishan has found a girlfriend, and they're planning to get married. Her family is asking for a car and a house. We already have the car, but they insist on a new house. Coincidentally, Qishan works at Hongda Real Estate, and they're offering discounted properties. We were wondering if we could borrow some money from you," Ma Qiumei finally revealed their true intentions. After speaking, she quickly added, "Brother-in-law, Su Ming is truly remarkable now—with millions in cash and assets worth tens of millions! Frankly, I could tell at first glance that Li Na wasn't a decent person. It's her loss for not recognizing what a good husband she missed out on."
Su Changhe's expression remained unchanged.
Meanwhile, Zhang Sumei asked bluntly, "Borrow money? How much do you need?"
"Not much—just one million yuan. One million will suffice," Zhang Suyou stated flatly.