Proofread by Zhou Zhijie

Standing aside, Fang Hao doesn't feel good, especially when his mother looks at him in that way, which makes him feel more and more uncomfortable. He speaks voluntarily, "An Ya, come out with me."

With these words, Fang Hao goes outside. Though rather complacent inside, An Ya still behaves politely on the surface. She excuses herself from Mrs. Fang and follows him out of the house.

“Is it real that you saved my mother?”

Standing at the gate of the Fangs, Fang Hao asks An Ya directly, not because he doesn’t trust others, but because this person is An Ya, of whom he has to be more suspicious.

“Perhaps you don’t believe me, but many other people witnessed the accident. Even though I can cheat you, I couldn’t cheat the majority of the people on the scene.”

Slightly lowering her head, An Ya sounds a little aggrieved like a little wife who has been wronged, which makes Fang Hao kind of ill at ease.

Reflecting on what he said to An Ya just now, Fang admits that he was indeed a little too suspicious. An Ya has shown up a little more frequently before him recently, which has aroused his suspicion.

“Sorry, I was a little too suspicious.” Realizing his mistake, Fang Hao apologizes frankly. “Thank you for saving my mother. Fang family owes you a favor. If you have any request, please tell us and we will try our best to fulfill it.”

Hearing Fang Hao's words, An Ya raises her head slowly, her eyes sparkling with tears. For an instant, Fang Hao honestly feels that An Ya looks fairly pretty, provided that she is still innocent.

“Any request, it that real?” A voice full of anticipation and An Ya’s shining eyes greatly cater to Fang Hao's male pride and he agrees without hesitation.

“Yes, anything, if it were not against law or morality.” Fang Hao promises An Ya with overconfidence. But he doesn’t remember that this woman, standing in front of him, once tried to steal her best friend’s boyfriend when she was in college. As it’s hard to change one’s nature, what An Ya says next makes Fang Hao stunned.

“Then… what if I want you to be my boyfriend?” An Ya sounds very careful lest she might irritate Fang Hao, making the latter hesitant to turn her down. After all, he slept with her one month ago without a conscious mind and just now she saved his mother.

Fang Hao doesn't want to hurt her with a brutal refusal. “I am sorry, I…” When Fang Hao is trying to turn down her request in a mild way, An Ya, who keeps being meek, interrupts him suddenly.

“Don’t speak it out. I understand. At least let me keep some fantasy. Don’t speak it out…” The way An Ya repeats her words sounds very pitiable and heart-broken. After seeing this, nobody can not spare their sympathy, including Fang Hao, who finally decides to swallow his words.

“Let’s go back. Auntie would get worried. I will go to get my handbag and leave.” An Ya gives Fang Hao a smile as if nothing had happened between them, but Fang Hao is sure that he sees sorrow in her eyes, which makes him feel guiltier.

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Before he finds something to say, An Ya has turned and entered the gate. Fang Hao has no choice but to go back into the house after her.

“Auntie, I’m afraid I have to go for some errands. You must still be in a state of shock. Make sure to have a good rest. I’ll see you later.” An Ya considerately shows her concern, which greatly pleases Mrs. Fang who looks at her with increasing fondness and tries to persuade her to stay with her for a longer time.

“Please stay a little longer. It’s almost lunch time and I have arranged the servants to prepare meal for us. I won’t let you go until you’ve finished lunch.” Seeing his mother urging An Ya to stay hospitably, Fang Hao, entering the house later, slightly compresses his lips but says nothing.

“Thank you, Auntie. But I’ve bothered you for so long.” With an appropriate and decent manner, An Ya takes herself as an out-group from the Fang’s, which makes her image better in the heart of Mrs. Fang, who becomes more enthusiastic in keeping An for lunch. She even keeps winking at her son to make him say something.

Fang Hao knows what his mother is thinking about. In the past, he would walk away directly, but due to today’s special situation, he has no option but to suit his mother’s intention.

“You may leave after lunch.” Fang Hao sounds a little harsh but his mother already feels satisfied and looks at An Ya with anticipation. An Ya is not surprised at Fang Hao’s offer. Suppressing the delight in her heart, she firstly pretends to be shy but finally, at the warm invitation of Mrs. Fang, she sits down reluctantly.

Achieving her aim, Mrs. Fang puts on a big smile. Telling An Ya that she’s going to get her some snacks from the kitchen, Mrs. Fang asks her son to go with her as well.

“Mom, what are you doing this for?” Fang Hao’s eyebrows are knitted tightly as he extremely hates his mother doing things this way. His mother is rather upset for her son’s attitude.

“What else am I looking forward to except for your marriage? I have got some information about this girl, An Ya. She is still single and her family runs a construction company, which enjoys enough fame and prestige. So you two match perfectly.”

What Mrs. Fang values most in her son’s marriage is the equal status of the two families. The reason why she opposed her son’s marriage to Ding Manman is that the Dings only own a small company while the Fangs run a big group, in which case Ding’s family can’t bring them any benefits, instead her family will demand the support from theirs. She is sure that the Dings are bound to take an advantage of their relationship later, so she strongly objects to their marriage.

Hence, when getting to know about An’s family background which is much better than the Dings’, Mrs. Fang feels it a better match.

“Mom, Manman is still missing and I’m not in the mood for this. Just forget about it.” Fang Hao complains with impatience.

He will not be at ease until Manman is found. How can he date another girl under such circumstances? No matter what happened, he still hopes Manman would turn up and give him an explanation.

But Mrs. Fang extremely hates Ding Manman, a shameless woman her son should have already forgotten about after such a long time. To her surprise, however, he is still so persistent.

“Don't mention that shameless woman!” She will fly into a rage every time she hears the name of Ding Manman. She has always believed that her son is so excellent that girls will line up, expecting to marry him. Ding Manman, who should have cherished her fortune to marry Fang Hao, brought everybody a shock on the wedding day by eloping with another man! Whenever this matter is mentioned, she will be outraged.

“I won’t mind what you have done these days. Now you must listen to me. Try to win over An Ya’s heart, otherwise I will arrange you other blind dates. You may choose yourself!” Mrs. Fang, looking very annoyed but resolute, walks away with a box of cookies, leaving Fang Hao in his distress.

Although he doesn't want to choose either of them, Fang Hao knows clearly of his mother’s temper. If he keeps being disobedient, she may really fall ill because of anger.