113: An indescribable sense of peace

The next morning, when Chen Li woke up, the house was quiet; his parents had likely already left for work.

On the dining table sat still-warm noodles and soy milk. He finished them quickly and drove to the largest supermarket in the area.

After a tour of the gift section, he carefully selected several high-end health supplements and fruit gift boxes—it was his first time visiting as a boyfriend, so proper etiquette was essential.

Although he knew Liu Nansheng's family situation was complicated, he still needed to maintain appearances.

He had already visited once yesterday and was very familiar with the route.

As the car pulled into the slightly old Residential Complex, he saw Nansheng waiting downstairs from a distance.

She was wearing a simple white T-shirt and beige casual pants, standing under the shade of a tree. The sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on her.

Since returning home yesterday, Liu Nansheng had been facing her mother's constant pressure to go on blind dates.

"Nansheng, go take a shower and change your clothes. Mom has already made an appointment for you to meet the Repair Shop owner now."

Mrs. Liu said impatiently as soon as she saw her enter, a forced smile plastered on her face.

Liu Nansheng didn't even put down her backpack, her tone calm yet firm: "I'm not going. I have a boyfriend."

"A boyfriend?"

Mrs. Liu's voice suddenly rose an octave. "When did you get a boyfriend? You haven't sent money home for several months; could it be that you've spent it all on your boyfriend?"

She clutched her chest, looking heartbroken and distressed.

Mr. Liu, who was watching TV, also turned his head and said with a frown, "If your boyfriend isn't even willing to send this little bit of money home for you, you might as well break up with him sooner rather than later.

With your looks, you should at least find a decent small business owner."

Watching her parents' every word and action, Liu Nansheng felt a chill in her heart.

She took a deep breath and cut straight to the point: "Didn't you say the other side was willing to give a hundred thousand in bride price?"

"Yes!"

Mrs. Liu immediately perked up. "He's a Repair Shop owner, only thirty-one years old, young and promising. If you marry him, in the future..."

"My boyfriend is also willing to give a hundred thousand," Liu Nansheng interrupted her mother.

Mrs. Liu's eyes lit up instantly. "Really? Then where is he now? When will you bring him over to meet us?"

"I'll bring him tomorrow." After saying this, Liu Nansheng turned to go back to her room.

Liu Nansheng only felt a sense of coldness rising from the bottom of her heart.

She hadn't even had a sip of water since entering the house, yet her parents hadn't even asked if she had eaten.

This kind of indifference was simply unbearable.

She stood at her bedroom door and glanced back at the living room—her mother had already turned away, and her father continued watching TV, as if the conversation just now had never happened.

Her younger brother was fully focused on playing a game, the sound of intense fighting coming from his phone.

This boy, who had just turned eighteen, had been clamoring for a two hundred thousand yuan car since graduating high school, saying he had a girlfriend and needed a car to keep up appearances.

What chilled Liu Nansheng's heart the most was that her parents actually thought this request was perfectly reasonable.

Watching this scene, she suddenly understood something.

It wasn't that her parents couldn't afford the money at all, but they clearly had better plans—while their daughter was still young and beautiful, find a family willing to pay a high bride price.

This would not only solve their daughter's lifelong marriage prospects but also use the bride price money to buy a car for their precious son, killing two birds with one stone.

She leaned against the bedroom door and took a deep breath.

The last bits of expectation she had for her family over the years were slowly dissipating.

It turned out that in her parents' eyes, she was nothing more than a commodity that could be sold for a price.

She couldn't help but feel lucky to have Chen Li.

The one million he gave her was like a lifeline, finally giving her the confidence to resist.

Tomorrow, as long as Chen Li could finish this act with her and help her through this crisis, it could all finally come to an end.

Gently closing her door, she leaned against it and made up her mind: this would be the last time.

She would never allow her parents to manipulate her life again; even if she never stepped foot in this house again, she would live her own life.

Chen Li parked the car and saw Liu Nansheng from afar, standing alone and lost in thought under the Old Locust Tree in the Residential Complex.

The nearby sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled spots of light on her.

Her head was slightly lowered, her toes unconsciously kicking a small pebble on the ground, her entire being shrouded in a faint layer of unease.

He lightened his footsteps as he approached and stopped behind her, speaking with a hint of a smile, "Beautiful lady, who are you waiting for?"

Liu Nansheng jumped in surprise and hurriedly turned around.

After seeing it was Chen Li, her tense shoulders instantly relaxed, and the corners of her lips unconsciously curled into a slight arc.

"You scared me,"

She let out a long sigh of relief. "I thought it was someone else."

Chen Li looked at her startled expression. "What were you thinking about so intently? You didn't even notice me walking up to you."

Liu Nansheng shook her head gently, her gaze falling on the many bags he was carrying.

"Nothing. Let's go up... Why did you buy so many things?"

"As a boyfriend visiting for the first time, would it be right to come empty-handed?"

Chen Li smiled and hefted the gift boxes in his hand, saying half-jokingly, "These meeting gifts must be prepared for my future father-in-law and mother-in-law."

"Who... who are your father-in-law and mother-in-law..."

Two red clouds immediately flew onto Liu Nansheng's cheeks as she gave him a somewhat annoyed glare. That look of shy reproach made Chen Li daze for a moment.

Under the sunlight, Liu Nansheng was bright and moving; that gentle and bashful bow of her head possessed a fatal attraction.

"Let's go, let's head up."

Chen Li collected his thoughts, raised his arm slightly, and gave her a look.

Liu Nansheng was stunned for a moment, then understood his meaning.

She hesitated for a moment before finally reaching out gently and taking his arm.

This seemingly simple action instantly changed the atmosphere between the two.

She suddenly stopped, looked up at him seriously, and said, "When you meet my parents later, if they say anything unpleasant, you..."

"Don't worry,"

Chen Li interrupted her and gave her a reassuring look. "I know what to do."

Along the way, Liu Nansheng kept whispering instructions about various details—her parents' tempers, questions they might ask, and taboos to avoid.

Chen Li listened intently throughout, nodding in response from time to time, appearing exceptionally patient and cooperative.

Seeing his serious expression, the heart that Liu Nansheng had been holding in her throat unknowingly relaxed by more than half.

She hadn't expected that someone of Chen Li's status would be so attentive to her affairs, even willing to lower himself to cooperate with her arrangements.

This respect, amidst her apprehension, gave her an indescribable sense of peace.

[Liu Nansheng]

[Affection Level: +37]

The two walked one after the other to the door of Liu Nansheng's home. The old security door was slightly ajar, and the sound of the television could be heard from inside.