Eventually, he returned with four or five dandelions, finally coaxing Xiao Anqi to smile again.

She clutched her new dandelions in both hands, giggling as she ran about in the evening breeze.

Auntie An, worried she might fall, spread her arms protectively like a mother hen behind her.

Yu Wanru stood behind, watching the two with a smile.

Xiao Anlan, however, was looking at her.

At first, Yu Wanru didn’t notice. When she did, she felt uneasy and lowered her head, intending to walk away.

Xiao Anlan quickly called out, “Wanru…”

Yu Wanru stopped, softly asking, “Young Master Xiao, is there something you need?”

Xiao Anlan rubbed his nose, “You always call me ‘Young Master Xiao.’ It sounds distant. Just call me Anlan.”

The name rolled around in Yu Wanru’s throat several times, but she still felt shy and found it hard to say, her cheeks slowly turning red. She shook her head slightly, feeling embarrassed.

Seeing her hesitation, Xiao Anlan compromised, “Actually, you don’t have to call me by my name. We can change that later.”

Yu Wanru gently nodded in agreement.

Xiao Anlan stared at her for a moment, then stepped closer, “How about I take you to a movie tomorrow? A friend of mine has invested in the Defeng Theater, and we can show our support.”

Yu Wanru fiddled with her handkerchief, “My brother is coming back from school tomorrow, so I need to be home.”

Xiao Anlan quickly asked, “Which school does little brother-in law attend? I can pick him up tomorrow.”

Yu Wanru blushed deeply at his term “little brother-in law” and whispered, “His name is Yu Qing.”

Xiao Anlan nodded, “So, little brother-in law’s name is Yu Qing. A good name.”

Yu Wanru glanced at him, unsure if he was doing it intentionally. Despite her subtle correction, he kept using the term “little brother-in law.”

Xiao Anlan asked again, “Is little brother-in law studying at First or Second High School?”

Feeling too embarrassed to correct him further, Yu Wanru simply answered, “First High School, Liucheng High School.”

“That’s convenient. I have an old classmate teaching at First High. Maybe he’s little brother-in law’s teacher. What time should I pick him up tomorrow? I’ll drive over, and it’ll be quick. Plus, I can catch up with my old classmate.”

Yu Wanru couldn’t help but think about how many people Xiao Anlan knew; he seemed to have friends everywhere.

She had always admired sociable people like Xiao Anlan. Unlike him, she was quiet and reserved. Throughout her life, she had only one close friend, who got married and left, leaving her without anyone to share her thoughts or interests with.

Yu Wanru replied, “My father usually picks up my brother. I need to ask my parents first.”

“Then I’ll take you home later, and we can ask your father,” Xiao Anlan decided firmly.

Yu Wanru could only agree.

Meanwhile, Xiao Anqi had run off with her dandelion, and Aunt An hurried after her.

With no one around, Xiao Anlan thought this was the perfect opportunity.

He stepped forward, intending to hold Yu Wanru’s hand.

“Hey, Anlan, what are you doing?! Come over for a drink!” Suddenly, Yang Shidong’s loud voice boomed from the wooden house.

Xiao Anlan froze mid-step.

Yu Wanru let out a sigh of relief, lowered her head, and ran off like a startled rabbit.

Xiao Anlan slowly turned around, glaring at the clueless Yang Shidong in front of the wooden house. He felt like cursing but held it in.

In the end, Yu Wanru and the others didn’t stay for dinner.

Yang Shidong escorted them out of the horse ranch, patting Xiao Anlan on the back, “After you drop your fiancée off, come back for drinks. Tonight, no one leaves sober!”

Xiao Anlan, holding back his frustration, muttered, “You better be ready for someone to clean up your mess.”

Yang Shidong laughed heartily, “Big words for someone whose drinking can’t match mine. We’ll see who takes who down!”

Xiao Anlan dropped Yu Wanru off at home and met with her father. Somehow, he managed to convince her father to let him pick up Yu Qing the next day.

After leaving the Yu residence, he took Xiao Anqi home and then headed to Wanchang Restaurant to pull Zhou Sheng along. Determined to avenge himself, he intended to team up with Zhou Sheng to outdrink Yang Shidong.

Back at the Yu household, Yu Wanru washed off the dust, changed into fresh clothes, and joined her family for dinner.

After the meal, Madam Yu sent Master Yu away, keeping Yu Wanru back for a private conversation.

“How was it with Anlan today? I heard from Aunt An that you went horseback riding.”

Yu Wanru replied, “We went to Young Master Xiao’s friend’s horse ranch. It was quite interesting.”

Madam Yu held her hand gently, “After meeting Anlan a few times, how do you feel about him?”

Yu Wanru lowered her head and softly said, “Young Master Xiao… is a good person.”

Madam Yu squeezed her hand lightly, “Today, after you left, a matchmaker from the Xiao family visited. They’ve set the date for the betrothal gifts. They also mentioned that the Xiao family plans to announce the engagement in the newspaper tomorrow.”

Yu Wanru looked at her hands silently.

Madam Yu sighed, “After tomorrow, everyone in Liucheng will know about the engagement between our family and the Xiao family. Let’s see what tricks the Sun family can still pull.”

Over the past six months, the Sun family’s second son had caused them no end of worry. Now, finally, they could breathe a little easier.

Madam Yu continued, “When your brother comes home tomorrow, let’s invite Anlan to stay for dinner. We can’t have him running back and forth for nothing.”

Yu Wanru replied, “Mother, you decide.”

Feeling more confident about her plan, Madam Yu called Aunt An over. The three of them huddled together, planning the menu for the next day.

Early the following morning, Madam Yu and Aunt An personally went to the market to buy the freshest ingredients.

Meanwhile, Xiao Anlan was waking up with a hangover.

In terms of drinking capacity, he and Zhou Sheng together were no match for Yang Shidong. But being crafty, they managed to get Yang Shidong drunk with a series of tricks, even though they didn’t fare much better themselves.

Xiao Anlan had been dragged home by their driver, Old Wang.

Ignoring his dizziness, he forced himself out of bed, messily combed his hair, washed up, and shuffled downstairs in slippers.

The Xiao family, seeing him in his disheveled state, couldn’t help but stare.

Xiao Anhui exclaimed, “Ge, what happened to you? You look like a wild man!”

Xiao Anqi wrinkled her nose, “Gege smells bad.”

Madam Xiao frowned at his unsteady son, “What time did you get home last night? Where were you carousing till late hours?”

Yawning, Xiao Anlan replied, “I had a few more drinks with Shidong and Zhou Sheng last night.”

Madam Xiao said, “Looking at you, it was more than just a few. Drink this hangover soup and have some porridge, or your headache will get worse. Next time, let me know when you’ve been drinking, and I’ll have someone make sobering soup for you.”

Waving her off, Xiao Anlan assured her, “Don’t worry, Mom. I won’t drink like this again. If I do, it won’t be so much. Yesterday was an exception.”

He had been driven by a grudge against Yang Shidong, determined to get him drunk.

Normally, he’d limit himself to a few drinks and stop.

After downing a large bowl of hangover soup and two bowls of porridge, he felt alive again and quickly polished off his breakfast.

Despite being the last to arrive, he was the first to finish eating and rushed back upstairs.

By the time the others were done with breakfast, Xiao Anlan reappeared, looking like a completely different person—refreshed and glowing.

Madam Xiao raised an eyebrow in surprise.

Xiao Anhui couldn’t contain herself, “Ge, you have transformation powers! You were a beggar just now, and now you’re a Prince!”

Xiao Anlan curled his lips, adjusting his sleeves as he slowly descended the stairs.

Xiao Anhui cupped her face, exclaiming, “Wow! Just like that movie star! Anya, don’t you think so?”

Xiao Anya nodded. “The other day when Ge dropped us off at school, some classmates asked about him. I think he is even more manly than Lin Yansheng. Lin Yansheng has a bit too much of a delicate air. He looked quite beautiful when he played female roles in opera before.”

Xiao Anlan, initially pleased, darkened as he listened. “You’re comparing me to a male performer in female roles?”

Xiao Anhui protested, “Ge don’t look down on him. Lin Yansheng is very famous now. Many girls at our school like him!”

Xiao Anlan scoffed, “You girls know nothing.”

Turning to his mother and father, he said, “Mother, Father, I’m heading out.”

Doubtful, his mother asked, “Dressed like that, where are you going?”

“To pick up my little brother-in-law,” he said, not looking back as he walked out.

His mother paused, realizing who he meant, then chuckled, “You always hear about daughters being hard to keep around when they grow up, but it seems it’s even harder with sons!”

His father, glancing at her, thought privately: this is just the beginning. Soon, you’ll be saying, ‘He’s forgotten his mother after marrying a wife.’”