Chapter 1

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Nightfall cloaked the sky. The office building of TOC was brightly lit.

“Qiao Jie.”

A shadow fell over her, and Qiao Ziman lifted her head from a state of exhaustion. Intern Xiao Jing neatly placed the documents on the desk. “Qiao Jie, I’ve organized everything.”

Qiao Ziman rubbed her stiff neck, her clear eyes now a bit misty. “Okay.”

Xiao Jing stood there, seemingly hesitating to speak.

Qiao Ziman saw right through Xiao Jing’s thoughts. Recently, she had been assigned an outsourced original artwork design for the company, and the client was notoriously picky. Even this small intern had been working extra hours alongside her, and even the most resilient person couldn’t keep up. Qiao Ziman gave a soft smile, revealing two dimples at the corners of her lips. “You’ve worked hard. You can head home now.”

Her delicate features and gentle eyes, combined with her smile, felt like a spring breeze, making Xiao Jing momentarily lose her focus.

When Xiao Jing was first assigned to work under Qiao Ziman, she was quite anxious. There were rumors in the company that her boss, despite her seemingly mild appearance, had a fiery temper and was like a ticking time bomb—capable of causing havoc with a single word, leaving others bruised and battered.

However, after spending some time with her, Xiao Jing’s perception changed completely. Her boss had a straightforward personality, with no workplace pretenses. She was tough only when it came to dealing with people who bullied her interns.

Xiao Jing noticed the undeniable dark circles under Qiao Ziman’s eyes and, genuinely concerned, said, “Qiao Jie, you should head home and get some rest too.”

“Good luck, good luck,” Qiao Ziman’s unique ringtone interrupted Xiao Jing.

Qiao Ziman glanced at the name on the screen and suddenly sprang from her chair, her fatigue forgotten. The caller was Qiao Xuan, her cousin. A week ago, they had planned to go to a newly opened trendy restaurant together. This morning, Qiao Xuan had even reminded her, and she had completely forgotten. Her memory seemed to be getting worse.

She needed to come up with a reason to brush off her cousin, who was also her mom’s informant. Otherwise, her mom would complain again.

“At 26 years old, always forgetting things and acting so disorganized. No wonder you don’t have a partner!”

Qiao Ziman shivered, her eyelids twitching. She shook her head vigorously to banish the image of her mom from her mind. Clearing her throat, she answered the call and signaled Xiao Jing to be quiet. “Hello, Xuan Xuan Jie, what’s up? Oh, you’re almost there? I’m on my way, but there’s traffic. I’m not sure—probably about an hour. I’m really sorry. Just order when you get there; this meal’s on me.”

Qiao Xuan on the other end didn’t hold back. “Have you even left yet? Did you forget about me again?”

Without missing a beat, Qiao Ziman lay smoothly. “Of course not, I didn’t forget! I’m really on my way. What? Oh, it’s normal for taxis to have bad soundproofing. If you don’t believe me, let me put the driver on.”

She shoved the phone towards Xiao Jing, who was bewildered. “Hello?”

The phone was snatched away quickly. “Hello, hello? Signal’s bad, gotta go, bye bye bye bye.” Qiao Ziman hung up swiftly, sighing in relief, and turned to Xiao Jing. “Thanks for your help. Sorry about that.”

Xiao Jing replied, “It’s… it’s fine.”

Buzz.

Qiao Xuan sent her a message: [Chunsheng Restaurant Location] Reservation Number 59.

Qiao Ziman checked the navigation and estimated the travel time. She reluctantly chose to take a taxi instead of dealing with the subway, bus, and shortcuts, even though it was more expensive. After hailing a taxi downstairs, she headed straight to her destination. The taxi wove through the congested main roads and finally stopped in front of Chunsheng Restaurant after about half an hour.

“Miss, we’ve arrived.”

Qiao Ziman, still groggy, winced at the 49 yuan fare displayed on the meter. She scanned the QR code, paid, and got out of the car. A receptionist with keen eyes approached her. “Hello, miss, do you have a reservation?”

Qiao Ziman checked her chat history and confirmed, “Yes, reservation number 59.”

The receptionist led her to a table and checked the information. “The reservation is under Mr. Wang, ending in 4888, correct?”

Mr. Wang? The unfamiliar name rang alarm bells in Qiao Ziman’s mind. She suddenly realized she might have been tricked again. She had fallen for her mom’s scheme, who had conspired with her cousin to set her up on a blind date! Despite all her precautions, she hadn’t anticipated that her cousin and mom would join forces.

Qiao Ziman looked at the message from ten minutes ago and fumed.

Qiao Xuan: [Sorry, something came up last minute. I called a friend to keep you company. 185, rich, and handsome!]

What a scam! And a “friend”!

Qiao Ziman furiously typed: [Traitor!]

[So, did you meet him? Handsome, right?]

See him? Forget it. Qiao Ziman was too annoyed to respond. She exited WeChat and, growing angrier by the second, called her mom, “He Cuizhen!!!”

As the city lights began to glow, the restaurant was packed. Her shout attracted the attention of nearby diners. This restaurant had a high-end clientele, mostly white-collar workers who valued quality of life, so the atmosphere wasn’t the usual noisy chaos. Seeing the disapproving looks from nearby patrons, Qiao Ziman lowered her voice and gritted her teeth. “Ms. He Cuizhen, you are truly insidious!”

He Cuizhen responded with an extremely smug smile, “Ms. Qiao Ziman, thank you for the compliment.”

“Mom!!!”

“Ah, my eldest daughter.”

Qiao Ziman’s temples throbbed. She chugged the lemon water from the table, trying to calm herself. “How can I get you to stop this?” She had been set up on countless blind dates, most of them with weirdos. The few normal ones were always about weighing pros and cons—who would choose someone from a family with debt to lower their living standards?

He Cuizhen clicked her tongue. “Then find someone to marry. Once you’re married, I won’t bother you.”

This line again—Qiao Ziman was sick of hearing it. She sneered, “If finding someone to marry was that easy, don’t you think I’d be picking up money from the ground?”

He Cuizhen was momentarily at a loss, then snapped, “Qiao Ziman! Have you gotten even more impudent? Do you believe I’ll come over and beat you up tomorrow?”

She believed it wholeheartedly. Her mom’s determination to beat her up was always top-notch. Qiao Ziman softened her tone and said flatteringly, “My dear mother, how did we go from verbal sparring to physical threats? I promise this is the last time, the very last time. Let’s both make a concession.”

“Heh! Qiao Ziman, stop bargaining with me. At least if you were married, someone would take care of you. It shouldn’t be this hard living alone.”

Qiao Ziman replied nonchalantly, “Don’t I have you to take care of me?”

He Cuizhen took a deep breath and shouted, “Qiao Ziman! What if I’m not around in the future?”

Qiao Ziman pulled the phone away from her ear, and when the noise on the other end subsided, she calmly said, “Then you should treat me better now.”

He Cuizhen fell silent for a moment before switching to a more sentimental tone. “Look at your second cousin; she got married early, and her child already calls her ‘Mom.’ Just think of the happiness of that family of three!”

Qiao Ziman picked up the menu and casually flipped through it. “Are children really that happy?”

He Cuizhen was sure. “Yes, they are.”

Qiao Ziman marked a few reasonably priced home-style dishes on the menu and continued, “Mom, were you happy when you had me?”

On the other end of the line, there was a long silence before the call ended with a click, followed by a busy signal. Qiao Ziman wasn’t embarrassed. She waved politely at the disconnected call. “Goodbye, Mom. Love you, mwah.”

Around her, the diners continued their conversations and toasts. Amid the noise, a light, pleasant laugh unexpectedly reached her ears. It was a charming and distinct sound that made it clear where it came from. Qiao Ziman squinted and glanced towards the window-side booth next to her.

In the soft restaurant lighting, a slender woman sat in the glow, lazily tilting her head to look outside. Her long brown curls were casually pinned behind her ear, revealing a delicate profile. Qiao Ziman’s eyes betrayed a flash of admiration. But when she saw the lingering smile on the woman’s lips, she quickly repressed her emotions.

So what if she was pretty? Eavesdropping on someone’s phone call is rude!

Qiao Ziman let out a heavy “hmph” and shot a glare. However, before her scowl could reach its target, it collided mid-air with a wall of flesh, coming to an abrupt halt. Her anger about being overheard vanished instantly, replaced by surprise.

The wall of flesh spoke, gruffly. “Qiao Ziman? Hello, I’m Wang Hongwei.”

That Mr. Wang her cousin mentioned? A wealthy person?

Qiao Ziman assessed her blind date with a poker face. Dressed in an obviously expensive suit, with a Mercedes-Benz key on his belt, a gold watch on his left wrist, and a gold bracelet with two gold charms on his right, he certainly seemed wealthier than her.

185?

Her gaze settled on his prominent belly and she thought, the shirt must be of exceptional quality to support such a load. She noted to herself, who says 185 couldn’t refer to weight?

Handsome?

Qiao Ziman’s eyes shifted to his head. She noted his shiny baldness, which matched the “handsome” description by sound. Qiao Ziman felt her standards had plummeted to a new low.

The man suddenly commented, “Not bad,” while his eyes boldly roamed over her.

Qiao Ziman immediately felt repulsed and lost all interest in continuing the interaction.

The man struggled onto the sofa opposite her, pulled out a pack of cigarettes, and gave her a smile, revealing his yellowed teeth. “Mind if I smoke?”

Qiao Ziman didn’t even lift her eyes and replied coldly, “I do mind. Smoking is prohibited in public areas.”

Wang Hongwei looked surprised, then scrutinized her again. His large, bright eyes and gentle features made him seem harmless, like a docile little lamb. Why did he come across as so overbearing?

Considering Qiao Ziman’s looks, Wang Hongwei decided to be patient and put away his cigarette pack. He began his self-introduction. “I’m 35, at the prime age for a man. I work in real estate development, have been divorced once, and have a daughter. I often have social engagements, so I’m looking for someone gentle and caring.”

Oh, so you’re looking for a nanny?

Wang Hongwei asked, “What about you?”

Qiao Ziman let out a small “oh,” and, despite her desire to leave, stayed out of good manners. Actually, she was just hungry.

“Qiao Ziman, I’m not skilled at housework like washing and cooking, but I do know a bit about handling children.”

“Pfft.”

A laugh came from the adjacent booth, clear and controlled but unable to be fully suppressed. Both of them turned to look. Wang Hongwei’s eyes lit up, and he only reluctantly pulled his gaze away when the waiter started bringing out the dishes.

“Not bad,” Wang Hongwei remarked as he eyed the dishes on the table.

Qiao Ziman couldn’t agree more. She hadn’t expected this popular restaurant to be such a treasure trove; the dishes were perfectly colored and exquisitely plated, and their flavors were exceptional.

“Even saving money for me.”

Qiao Ziman: “…”

Suddenly, it wasn’t so appealing anymore.

“A big company, huh? Are you at the front desk? You could quit your job; there’s no need for a girl to work so hard.”

Qiao Ziman felt like she was chewing wax.

“Also, you can dress like this at home,” Wang Hongwei glanced at the woman by the window with a lecherous gaze, “but when going out, you need to dress up. Otherwise, it’s my face on the line.”

Qiao Ziman compared her casual outfit—white T-shirt, jeans with pencil marks on the collar—with the woman’s black silk backless gown. The contrast was stark: the woman was impeccably elegant while Qiao Ziman looked sloppy.

Still… “What does that have to do with you?”

Unable to tolerate it any longer, Qiao Ziman shot back, “Who gave you the illusion that you have me under control? Divorced with a kid, and you think you’re so desirable?”

Qiao Ziman grabbed her bag and stood up. “The only thing you’re good at is being off-putting. I’m finished.” With that, Qiao Ziman turned on her heel and walked away. “Remember to pay the bill. I’ll split the cost with the introducer.”

At the door, she noticed Wang Hongwei not only wasn’t angry but was openly leering at the woman next to him, his gaze lascivious and inappropriate, nodding in satisfaction. She smirked coldly and returned.

Standing in front of him again, blocking his view, she said, “Regret it? Haha.”

Qiao Ziman, resisting the urge to splash water in his face, asked seriously, “Do you like this type?”

“Obviously. I was just messing with you earlier; you’re so tacky,” Wang Hongwei sneered.

Qiao Ziman nodded in agreement. “Your taste isn’t bad.” She paused briefly. “Why don’t you go and strike up a conversation? Afraid of putting people off? Quite self-aware.”

Without giving him a chance to respond, Qiao Ziman continued rapidly, “But… my mom doesn’t want me to hang out with losers. Take a lesson from me.”

With that, Qiao Ziman boldly walked up to the woman’s table. “Hello.”

She presented a QR code.

“Can I have a chat with you?”