When Xu Tang heard Lu Meili call his name, he was blissful. Only a word from her could prove their love and get her family to stop being against them. A smile appeared on his lips, while Mu Zhichen clenched his fist.

Lu Meili had agreed to marry him. He was not about to let another man charm her away. It would still be half fine if the man was a reasonable man who loved her. But why did it have to be him? He would rather lose Lu Meili to anyone than him. He tried to stop her. "Meili…"

Lu Meili did not stop.

He held his breath when he saw her walk to Xu Tang as everyone else did. She was not going to make up with him, right?

In those few seconds, several thoughts crossed Mu Zhichen's mind. Should he call for fair competition between him and Xu Tang?

But what if he lost? Actually, what if Lu Meili would feel offended by that kind of thing?

As she passed by Lu Aotian, he held her hand. "Meili, you can marry anyone but him. He already has no respect left. Today, he is only disrespecting your parents. Tomorrow, you might become the subject of his violence if things don't go his way." Lu Aotian looked like he was willing to let her be with another man or remain unmarried if she didn't like Mu Zhichen. But the girl shrugged her arm off his grip. "Dad, let me."

Hearing this, Mu Zhichen's heart shattered, just like his father's and grandmother's. It was very hard to find a girl who was beautiful, polite and did not have any motive for harboring malicious intentions towards their family. Not to mention, she was even the girl their Zhichen loved. Was she going to be taken away just like that?

Lu Aotian watched Lu Meili approach Xu Tang. Even if their relationship soured once again, he would not let his daughter marry a man who would potentially hurt her. It was already obvious that he was too selfish to care about her feelings. He only cared that he wanted to be with her right now. If a man selflessly loved a woman, he wouldn't insult her parents no matter what.

'Should I ground her until she calms down?' he thought, preparing to pull her away and drag her back to the house if she did anything stupid.

"Xu Tang…"

Xu Tang's heart raced as he saw her get closer and closer. "Little angel, you are coming with me, right? I knew you…"

With a swing of her right hand, a loud slap rang in the air.

The color drained out of Xu Tang's face rapidly, leaving behind a glaring hand print. He held onto his left cheek that was stinging with the pain.

Everyone was shocked. What happened?

Not a single person had expected such a move from her. Even Lu Aotian did not see it coming.

Did Lu Meili just…

"You… you hit me?" Xu Tang was the most thunderstruck.

"And I will again if you do not show some manners." The glare in Lu Meili's eyes could make anyone cower in fear. At this moment, no one would believe that the man before her was her childhood best friend as well as the man she had loved for years.

"Xu Tang. I have already told you that I moved on. Which part of that don't you understand?

Leave right now before I kick you to your death."

Xu Tang wiped the blood off the corner of his mouth. "Heh… If that's what you want, then I will leave (temporarily). Find me when your momentary obsession fades." He turned to leave; his head was a bit dizzy from the slap.

"Wait." Lu Meili suddenly said.

"Changed your mind already? I knew you..." Xu Tang turned around.

Slap!

"That's for calling my father shameless. In this world, no one dares to insult my father. Not even his own wife, my mother. Who do you think you are?"

She turned to the guards who were trying to hold back Xu Tang earlier. "From this moment, there are two species of creatures not allowed in this villa – dogs and Xu Tang. Do you understand?"

"Yes first miss." They said in unison and took Xu Tang to kick him out. He was too dizzy to walk on his own anyway. Even in that state, however, he didn't concede defeat. "Just you wait. I will attend your wedding. I will come to elope with the bride."

As though that howling man had nothing to do with her, she walked back to Mu Zhichen and held his hand, smiling like a sweet angel. "It's a happy occasion. Why are we still standing outside?"

Everyone let out the breath they had been holding. Mu Zhichen was so overwhelmed that he hugged her.

"You…" Lu Meili obviously wasn't expecting that.

"I'm sorry. I got too excited. I thought you were going to be charmed away by that man. " He had just been relieved of a death sentence. Who, in his shoes, wouldn't act that way?

Lu Meili rolled her eyes. "Please. Even if I were to be charmed away, the other party would have to be at least as handsome and reasonable as you."

Mu Zhichen did not miss the main point. He just got a compliment from her! Not only that, according to that statement, she found him more handsome than Xu Tang. Was this real? Moreover... he took a glance at their intertwinned hands. Was she holding his hand to let Xu Tang see or was it because she wanted to?

It would be wonderful if it was the second reason but even if it was just for show, it wasn't bad either. He brought her hand to his eyes to see if it was hurt.

...

Matriarch Mu was about to burst into tears from her joy. "I thought you were going to leave my Zhichen. My poor boy has only ever had eyes for you all his life."

"What?" What did she mean 'all his life'?

Mu Zhichen glared at his grandmother. Hold your tongue! Lu Meili didn't know that he had been in love with her for years. If she found out right now, she might think this was all a scheme for him to get to her.

Seeing her grandson's glare, matriarch Mu coughed. "My grandson has never got along with a girl before. The two of you were totally meant for each other."

"Oh… Grandma, your good mood was ruined. How about we go somewhere and have fun tomorrow – just the two of us?"

Matriarch Mu was excited. "Of course! I would love to spend time with you. How about we go sight-seeing?"

Lu Meili hugged her arm fondly. She inexplicably liked elders and would make them her friends whenever she met one. "Sure. Let's…"

…

"Meili is so good with the elders. Just like mother, father and father-in-law, matriarch Mu's heart has successfully been harvested by her." Wan Jia couldn't help feeling envious.

Lu Xian Yu, who had been silent all along, was jealous too. Did his sister have to get married? This marriage business had made her so scarce lately. Can you imagine - she had even forgotten to kiss him today!

The most jealous was Mu Zhichen. Grandma only came to tag along. How is it that she has already stolen my wife away?

Just like that, Lu Meili hit it off with Matriarch Mu and chatted for more than an hour without sparing the others a glance.

"Meili, you should come to the Mu residence some time. I'll show you Zhichen's childhood photos."

"I will. But I'm more interested in yours. You are one of the most beautiful grandmas there is. You must have been breathtaking when you were younger."

"That is one sweet tongue." Martriach Mu was so happy from the praise that she was on the verge of flying to the skies.

When he finally saw that her grandson was dying of jealousy and probably plotting against him, she let Lu Meili go.

The man gave her an 'I will not forgive you just because you got along' look.

"Sweetie, I may need some help taking care of Whitey, especially washing him. I don't have any experience in raising pets."

Lu Meili was shocked yet again. What did he just call her?"

Mu Zhichen had an innocent look, as though there was nothing wrong. He was her future husband. There wasn't anything wrong with calling her 'sweetie', was there?

Lu Meili decided to overlook it. Though she teased, "Are you trying to find excuses to get me into your house?"

Mu Zhichen laughed. Of course he was trying to find excuses to lure her into his house. Not only would he lure her into his house, he would lure her into his heart too.

___

Dear readers, the word count just changed. I'm sorry for not informing you before.

The new word count will be 1500-1550 words per chapter. I will release two chapters per day. Release time remains the same.