Chapter 52

When Lin Shu received Xu Mingmei’s message, she had planned to go to sleep. She was already feeling tired.

However, she really shouldn’t have checked her phone before bed—Xu Mingmei’s messages completely drove away her drowsiness.

Xu Shijia and his first love had finally gotten back together?

And things had progressed so fast! They even had a child on the way…

Naturally, with a moment’s thought, Lin Shu realized this made sense. After all, Xu Shijia and his first love, his “white moonlight,” had already been together in the past. He had harbored feelings for her for years, even when he was out of money and had resorted to online loans just to buy her a jade bracelet. So, it wasn’t surprising that, after reuniting, things reignited quickly between them—after all, they were both adults.

Now that she was pregnant, with the approval of Xu Shijia’s parents, they would soon happily settle down as a family.

Unlike some bosses, Lin Shu wasn’t the type to darkly wish her subordinates would stay single and childless just so they’d be available to work overtime and serve her interests.

Lin Shu sincerely hoped that all her subordinates would find happiness.

She was genuinely happy for Liu Xuhui finding the right path for his growth, she hoped that Tieniu could overcome his emotional challenges, and she looked forward to seeing Xu Mingmei restart her life. Yet, now that Xu Shijia had fulfilled his long-standing dream of reuniting with his first love, Lin Shu found herself unable to genuinely offer her blessings.

Those buried emotions Lin Shu had tried to ignore and dismiss for so long surged up like the uncontrolled bubbles in a shaken soda bottle, chaotic and uncontrollable, overwhelming her rationality and flooding her mind.

It was as if a malicious black cat resided within her, with dark eyes waiting to ambush her calm and steady demeanor at any moment.

Lin Shu didn’t want to admit it, but she knew what she had been hoping for.

She had been hoping that Xu Shijia and his first love would not reconcile.

Selfishly, she had hoped that his first love would never look back.

But the world’s greatest irony is that events unfold regardless of anyone’s wishes.

This is exactly how things turned out.

Perhaps Xu Shijia’s long-lasting feelings and loyalty touched her, or maybe there was some other reason. Regardless, his first love turned back, they rekindled their old relationship, and now, his love story no longer needed anyone else.

Even the news of their reunion, her pregnancy, and the fact that his life was about to enter a new chapter—Xu Shijia hadn’t shared it with her directly, but with Xu Mingmei first.

Of course, to be fair, a superior and a subordinate could never truly become friends.

A coworker, after all, would naturally feel more approachable than a boss.

Though Lin Shu may have been a diligent, supportive boss to Xu Shijia, he had no obligation to see her as a friend.

In an instant, Lin Shu felt deeply disheartened. Xu Mingmei wasn’t lying when she said it; without any parental protection, she had broken through obstacles and endured many hardships in the legal profession. She had secretly shed tears many times. Though those years were far behind her now, at this moment, the exhaustion and loneliness resurfaced, and the sadness and disappointment flooded back, like a tidal wave, swallowing up her sense of certainty and joy.

She felt tired, bitter, and with no one to lean on—like a drifting ship with no harbor in sight, surrounded by endless sea, with nothing left in her heart but confusion and helplessness.

Liu Xuhui had his daughter, Xu Mingmei had her son, Tieniu had his father, and Xu Shijia now had his first love and their unborn child. Lin Shu was the only one who had no one.

It was in that moment that Lin Shu finally realized that, without noticing, she had projected too many emotions onto Xu Shijia that she shouldn’t have.

The news of Xu Shijia reuniting with his first love, it turned out, was capable of making Lin Shu feel so much pain.

Looking back, the signs were there in every small, fragmented moment—her reluctance and avoidance when his first love was mentioned, the bitterness when Xu Shijia and Xu Mingmei grew closer, the racing of her heart when he kissed her drunkenly.

The signs had always been there, scattered throughout those countless little moments.

Lin Shu had known all along that Xu Shijia held a deep, lingering affection for his first love, his “white moonlight.” So why had she subconsciously entertained the slightest hope?

When had her feelings for Xu Shijia crossed the line?

She wasn’t sure.

At work, Lin Shu was a determined, ambitious person, as if she had left her timid teenage self far behind. Yet in matters of the heart, she was still that shy girl, hiding behind thick glasses, hesitant and insecure.

Originally, she had optimistically believed she still had plenty of time to grow.

But now, looking back, it seemed that some things had ended before they even began—too late for her to catch up.

Lin Shu felt perpetually out of place. In her first love, she had naively fallen for Tao Lei. Now, it seemed she had developed inappropriate feelings for a subordinate.

Feelings of sadness, frustration, awkwardness, and jealousy flooded her, but at least she hadn’t expressed anything out loud, allowing her to process these emotions alone.

She still had her dignity.

Lin Shu washed her face and looked at her calm reflection in the mirror, finally feeling at peace.

It wasn’t illegal to have feelings for a subordinate, but if those feelings affected her professional judgment or made her subordinate uncomfortable, it would be unprofessional.

Xu Shijia was a reliable member of Lin Shu’s team, someone she had painstakingly trained until he was finally capable of handling tasks independently. She couldn’t control her feelings, but even if they couldn’t become more than colleagues, at the very least, she could maintain their professional relationship.

She didn’t want her emotions to show and make him uncomfortable, potentially leading him to quit.

She had put in a lot of effort to build a well-functioning team where everyone worked together and respected one another. There was no need to push Xu Shijia away and let someone else benefit from her hard work.

Xu Mingmei was right: with Xu Shijia busy planning a wedding and preparing for his child’s arrival, it made sense to temporarily shift some of his workload to her, giving Lin Shu space and distance to process her emotions and restore her professional relationship with him.

—

On his way home, Xu Shijia felt a surreal sense of disbelief.

Had his feelings for Lin Shu been discovered?

He started to think that his mother, Xu Mingmei, might truly be suited for law, able to uncover such hidden truths from seemingly insignificant details.

As a child, he had been frail and often ill, so Xu Mingmei had been overprotective, and her constant attention sometimes made him feel smothered.

Yet, for the first time, Xu Shijia felt a kind of gratitude for his mother’s love.

It must have been that same meticulous love that had allowed her to sense his feelings so quickly.

Now that she knew he liked Lin Shu, she might even help him out at work instead of interrupting. With his family’s support, he might even have a better chance at pursuing her.

Usually, he had been reluctant to tell his mother who his first love was because he hadn’t fully trusted her. He was afraid she’d meddle and ruin his chances with Lin Shu. He’d planned to keep things to himself until he succeeded in winning Lin Shu’s heart.

But now Xu Shijia began to wonder if he’d been wrong to keep it a secret. Maybe he should have had a little more faith in his mom.

After all, Xu Mingmei wasn’t always a nuisance—she had her reliable moments, too.

Filled with a mix of guilt and gratitude, he stepped into his home.

Almost instantly, celebratory poppers went off in the villa, and electronic firecrackers sounded cheerfully in his ears. His mother, Xu Mingmei, appeared wearing a bright red qipao she’d pulled out from somewhere, excitedly holding a cake as she rushed toward him.

As she approached, two red banners hanging on the villa’s support pillars unfurled with a flourish.

Xu Shijia glanced up and was stunned by the words on the banners:

“Our dear son becomes a father—boys or girls are all the same.”

Shocked, he read the words aloud, then looked at his mother, utterly bewildered by what she was up to.

Just then, Xu Mingmei, holding a cake with “Wishing You Many Sons” written in icing, came up to him. Before he could say anything, she began with a heartfelt tone:

“Congratulations, my dear! Not having children is one of the worst forms of filial failure. But you’ve already become the most filial son, outshining your brother!”

Xu Shijia hadn’t even processed her words before she continued, her tone full of dramatic inflection:

“My son, congratulations on becoming a father!”

Wait, what?!

Stunned, Xu Shijia stood frozen, completely overwhelmed by the scene his mother had orchestrated.

“What are you standing there for?” Xu Mingmei teased him with a playful smile. “I already know everything! I support you two completely. It’s the modern era; did you think I’d be against your relationship? The real task now is to hold the wedding as soon as possible! I’ve even started looking into hotels and planning the ceremony. Your big wedding should at least have a hundred tables!”

“Mom, I didn’t…”

Xu Shijia tried to explain, but his words were cut off by the doorbell.

Hearing it, Xu Mingmei didn’t give him a chance to speak. Her face lit up with pleasure as she ran off to the door. “I invited your first love over as well! Let’s have an open and honest discussion.”

Xu Shijia, still reeling from how he had suddenly become a father in her eyes, felt a jolt of nervousness when he heard that she’d invited Lin Shu. All thoughts of clearing up the misunderstanding vanished as he quickly tried to stop her. “You invited her here? At this hour? To talk about this? I haven’t even officially confessed to her yet. This doesn’t feel right…”

“Mom, please don’t open the door, find an excuse to send them away…”

Unfortunately, Xu Mingmei wasn’t listening. As soon as she heard Xu Shijia’s words, her face turned angry, and she scolded, “Xiao Bao, a man shouldn’t be like this. No wonder they want me to take responsibility. You already have a child, and you haven’t even confessed properly?! Is this how you treat your first love?”

Xu Shijia was almost about to break down: “What child?!”

“You don’t know yet?” Xu Mingmei was surprised. “Well, now is the time to tell you!”

Without waiting for Xu Shijia to stop her, Xu Mingmei ran to the door and opened it enthusiastically, “I’ve been waiting for you! You’re finally here! Come in, Yiqing, Xiao Bao is here too, let’s talk!”

Xu Shijia had just wanted to find a hole to crawl into, but…

Yiqing?

Xu Shijia looked toward the door, shocked. Standing there wasn’t Lin Shu, but Lin Yiqing.

How did she get here?

Although confused, Xu Shijia felt relieved that it wasn’t Lin Shu. Just as he thought about talking things through with Xu Mingmei, she looked at him with a passionate expression and said, “Xiao Bao, since you don’t know yet, let me tell you now—you’re going to be a father!”

Xu Mingmei loudly declared, “Yiqing is already pregnant with your child!”

Xu Shijia stared at Lin Yiqing.

Lin Yiqing, on the other hand, was also shocked and confused, “Mingmei, what are you talking about? I just remarried recently, of course, the child is my husband’s…”

Now it was Xu Mingmei’s turn to be surprised. “Huh?” She had a look of shock on her face as she turned to Xu Shijia, “Xiao Bao, have you become a third party and destroyed someone’s family? Even if it’s your first love, she’s a remarried woman and pregnant. You can’t be doing something like this, stealing someone’s husband! An older woman dating a younger man, I can accept, but I can’t accept you doing something so morally corrupt!”

Xu Shijia: “…”

Is this really my mother?

Xu Shijia couldn’t understand how low his moral standards were in his mother’s eyes.

He should have realized by now that Xu Mingmei hadn’t been reliable for much of her life. He should have given up on any unrealistic expectations or feelings of gratitude toward her long ago.

And as for realizing who his first love was?

Turns out, she was so observant that she mistook Lin Yiqing for his first love.

Thankfully, Lin Yiqing’s words finally cleared his name.

“Mingmei, what are you joking about? Besides being my high school junior, Shijia and I have no other contact,” Lin Yiqing said, happily touching her slightly bulging belly. “I haven’t been in touch with you lately, but it’s not because I have any problem with you. It’s just that your marriages are fine, while I’ve been the one who was cheated on and divorced. I didn’t feel like I had much face after that…”

“When I saw your post on WeChat about joining Tianhao Law Firm, saying you were taking on all legal matters, I thought of contacting you. I didn’t know any lawyers before, and the lawyer I had during my divorce was terrible. That lawyer was good at marketing, but their skills were lacking, and despite having strong evidence of my ex-husband’s infidelity, I couldn’t gather all the proof. If my ex-husband wasn’t somewhat decent, I’d have had a much harder time with the division of property.”

After her first marriage failed because of a bad lawyer, Lin Yiqing’s stance was clear: “This time, I want a lawyer I trust. I’ve been looking for someone, and when I saw you’re a lawyer now, I was so happy!”

It was a business opportunity handed to her on a silver platter!

Xu Mingmei was, of course, overjoyed. She looked even happier than when she thought Xu Shijia was going to be a father.

A golden opportunity was too good to let go.

Getting this case would definitely make Lin Shu see Xu Shijia in a new light.

Besides, no matter what, he couldn’t let his mom and Lin Shu be alone together. He needed to intervene in this case to prevent any major issues between them. With Xu Mingmei’s ability, she’d eventually be trained to be Lin Shu’s assistant.

Clearing his throat, Xu Shijia said, “Senior, not only is my mom a lawyer now, but I am too. I’ve been working at the law firm for many years and have handled many cases, so I’m more experienced than my mom. We’re actually part of the same team. Oh, and technically, my mom isn’t quite a lawyer yet, she’s still an intern, and has to complete her internship for another year before she can officially receive her practicing certificate.”

Xu Mingmei: “…”

Lin Yiqing, hearing this, was naturally pleased: “That’s great! Mother and son working together! I’ll feel so much more at ease with both of you handling things for me!”

Although they hadn’t met for many years, the previous bond they shared made Lin Yiqing quickly warm up to Xu Mingmei again.

“When we were younger, things were fine, but as we age, we start to feel lonely. A few months ago, I joined a matchmaking platform, paying a rather high membership fee, and they recommended some single men who fit my requirements. I didn’t have much hope, but after meeting three men who weren’t right for me, I decided to give it one last try. I met the fourth one, and unexpectedly, it was Xu Nan…”

Lin Yiqing was someone who couldn’t hide her thoughts and trusted Xu Mingmei, so she had no reservations in telling her about her current situation and emotions.

“Xu Nan is ten years older than me, and he’s had a broken marriage too. His ex-wife cheated on him, and they had no children. We really had a lot in common, and understood each other. He’s much older than me, but he’s very caring, and his family is well-off. We talk all the time. Honestly, I never had this kind of passionate feeling when I was with my ex-husband.”

Lin Yiqing blushed as she continued, “We’re both at an age where we don’t beat around the bush. After dating for a month, he suggested we live together, and I agreed because we were already thinking about marriage. Living together before marriage is normal.”

“After a month of living together, I’m pregnant,” Lin Yiqing said happily. “In this month, he’s been so patient and caring. When he found out I was pregnant, he didn’t run away, he was so happy and said he would take responsibility and marry me. You should have seen how excited he was when he heard about the baby. He’s really sincere about loving the child.”

When it came to the topic of children, Lin Yiqing obviously felt a sense of relief: “When my ex-husband cheated on me, he used the fact that I couldn’t have children as an excuse, saying I couldn’t provide him with the joys of family life. After our divorce, my former mother-in-law also constantly attacked me for it. But who would’ve thought, now that I’ve remarried, I quickly got pregnant. Meanwhile, my ex-husband and his ‘official’ mistress still don’t have a child. This is enough to prove that I’m not infertile—he is.”

Compared to Xu Mingmei, Xu Shijia didn’t care much about the details of Lin Yiqing’s emotional life. He cut straight to the point, asking, “So, what kind of legal services do you need from us? Do you want us to draft a prenuptial agreement?”

In response to Xu Shijia’s question, Lin Yiqing shook her head, “We’re already married. My ex-husband left me quite a bit of property, but compared to my current husband, that’s nothing. He’s much wealthier than me. Logically, he should be the one protecting his assets, but he never even brought up a prenuptial agreement. In fact, right after we got married, he immediately bought me a villa. At the time, I had severe morning sickness, so Xu Nan went to see and choose the house. In the end, we settled on a standalone house worth 60 million yuan. It was originally priced at 70 million, and we bought it directly from the developer because Xu Nan knows the developer’s CEO and was able to get us a discount. However, the condition was that we had to pay 60 million in full, no loans allowed.”

“At the time, Xu Nan had 40 million in cash, but he was short 20 million. As you know, I received over 20 million from the divorce, so Xu Nan made it clear that he would pay 40 million in cash. I felt I should share the cost, since the house would be a shared asset for our future family. So, I contributed 20 million, transferred the money to him, and together we paid for the house in full.”

The more Xu Shijia listened, the more he furrowed his brows. What a coincidence! Lin Yiqing just happened to have 20 million in cash, and Xu Nan happened to be short exactly that amount for the house? And Lin Yiqing just transferred the 20 million to him? Wasn’t this guy a scammer?

But soon, Lin Yiqing’s explanation eased Xu Shijia’s doubts.

She smiled sweetly, “But Xu Nan said that, to give me a sense of security, he put the house entirely in my name. The property deed is in my name only, and he said it’s a gift for the child’s future. The deed has already been processed.”

Although the house was purchased together after marriage, if the couple had an agreement, and the property deed clearly stated that the house belonged solely to the woman, with her name only on the deed, then it was indeed her exclusive property.

Xu Shijia finally relaxed a bit, at least the 20 million was well spent, and they did get the house.

But Xu Nan seemed reliable, and based on Lin Yiqing’s demeanor, it was clear that the couple was very affectionate. With that, Xu Shijia was left wondering what legal services she needed.

It seemed like there was nothing much to do.

However, Lin Yiqing seemed to sense Xu Shijia’s doubt, and sighed as she explained, “Business is tough right now. Xu Nan is facing issues with his goods payments. The upstream company’s funds are frozen and they can’t pay, which is affecting Xu Nan’s business. He can’t pay his suppliers, and the workers and bosses from the downstream companies are constantly chasing him for payment. His previous 40 million cash is all used for the house, and now he’s being harassed by these people. They even sprayed graffiti on the door of our house asking for money.”

Xu Mingmei immediately perked up, “So, you’re asking me to help Xu Nan recover the money from the goods?”

“Not exactly,” Lin Yiqing waved her hand, “Xu Nan has his own legal team. What I need from you is to look over the divorce agreement.”

A divorce?

Was Lin Yiqing really planning to separate just because Xu Nan had financial issues?

Wasn’t she just showing off their loving relationship?

Luckily, Lin Yiqing’s next words cleared up Xu Shijia’s confusion.

“Since I chose him, and now I’m pregnant and the baby is almost due, I’ve already made up my mind to stay with him and build a home together. I can’t just be with him when he buys me a house worth 40 million, and then when he encounters some trouble, decide to leave him right away, right?”

Lin Yiqing seemed helpless as she continued, “I want to stand by him and get through this together. Once we recover the payment from the upstream company, things will ease up. But Xu Nan loves me too much, and he doesn’t want me to share in the hardship.”

“He insisted that I divorce him first, saying that the payment issue existed before we got married. As long as we divorce, I can stay out of this issue. Those people won’t have any reason to harass me anymore. He mainly considers that I’m pregnant and close to giving birth, and he’s worried that those people might do something unpredictable. He’s just too concerned about me and the baby. He doesn’t want anything to go wrong, so he insisted on divorcing me, even though he’s willing to carry all the pressure himself.”

As she spoke, Lin Yiqing pulled out a document from her bag. “This is the divorce agreement his lawyer drafted. If everything’s fine, we plan to go to the civil affairs bureau in a few days, take a number, and sign the agreement once the cooling-off period is over.”

As soon as the word “divorce” was mentioned, Lin Yiqing’s face showed clear reluctance, but there was still hope in her expression. “He said this payment issue should be resolved in a year or so, and then we’ll remarry. For now, to prevent harassment from those downstream companies, he rented a place for me to stay and hired a nanny to take care of me. The nanny is really kind and attentive. I don’t know how Xu Nan found such a good person.”

Xu Shijia took the divorce agreement from her hand. Lin Yiqing and Xu Nan had only been married for a short time, and they didn’t have much shared property. The property division plan was straightforward and clear. Xu Nan had indeed registered the house they bought after marriage solely in Lin Yiqing’s name. The divorce agreement also clarified that the house would belong entirely to Lin Yiqing after the divorce. Everything so far seemed reasonable and designed to protect Lin Yiqing. But then…

“Custody of the child goes to Xu Nan?”

Not only Xu Shijia, but even Xu Mingmei noticed this point. She looked at Lin Yiqing, “So, you’ve agreed to give Xu Nan custody of the child after it’s born? You’ve also agreed to pay him a monthly allowance of 2,000 yuan?”

Lin Yiqing didn’t seem too concerned: “This clause was also suggested by Xu Nan. He said he was afraid that after the divorce, I might feel insecure, so he added this to prove that he will definitely take responsibility for the child. He won’t abandon us, and I should just focus on the pregnancy and childbirth, not worry about anything else. The 2,000 yuan per month for child support is just a formality, Xu Nan said that if the divorce agreement doesn’t cover the child and house details, the civil affairs bureau won’t process the divorce.”

This was actually true.

But Xu Shijia still found it a bit odd: “The divorce agreement doesn’t have many issues, but are you really sure you want to give Xu Nan custody of the child after the divorce?”

Lin Yiqing smiled: “Don’t be so serious, it’s actually a fake divorce.”

“There is no such thing as a fake divorce in the law. Once you get the divorce certificate, it’s a real divorce, and the custody agreement will be effective.”

Though Lin Yiqing was pregnant with her first child, she wasn’t young, and the risks of childbirth were high.

“Childbirth takes a lot more from women, so when you sign this agreement, you need to think: if this were a real divorce, would you be willing to give Xu Nan custody of the child?”

Unfortunately, Xu Shijia’s words didn’t seem to make Lin Yiqing take them seriously. She waved her hand dismissively: “There’s no need to think about something that won’t happen. Xu Nan and I will never really divorce. You don’t know how much he treasures me and this baby. Right now, because of the harassment, we have to hide, and he’s worried about being followed. He can only video call me every day, and when I’m sleeping, he’s constantly in touch with the nanny to check on me. He also has the nanny go out and meet him to bring things back.”

Lin Yiqing was very confident: “There are difficulties right now, but I have to support him and get through it. Afterward, the three of us will be able to enjoy better days together.”

Xu Shijia had made all the necessary reminders, and this divorce agreement was indeed simple and clear. Since Lin Yiqing trusted Xu Nan so completely, maybe he had really provided her with a sense of security. Marriage is something people experience for themselves, and if the parties involved trusted each other this much, it was not for Xu Shijia and Xu Mingmei, as lawyers, to interfere.

Lin Yiqing, however, was in high spirits and chatted with Xu Mingmei for another half hour. Xu Shijia could see that Lin Yiqing wasn’t really in urgent need of legal services, despite her outward reason for coming. It seemed more like she was trying to reconnect with Xu Mingmei and share how well things were going for her now.

“Jiejie Mingmei, now my life is on track. I used to feel too insecure to continue hanging out with you, but now I can finally hold my head high. I’m pregnant, so I can’t move around much, but after the baby is born, I’ll definitely invite you all to the celebration for the full month.”

Lin Yiqing, who had been down and out during her divorce, was now on cloud nine.

Now she had a child, a house, and a loving husband. Meanwhile, her ex-husband, who was much older, still had no children. She had heard that his business was facing a bottleneck, and that he and the mistress who had been promoted were constantly arguing.

Lin Yiqing’s real purpose for this visit wasn’t to get legal services but simply to use Xu Mingmei’s influence to spread the news about her flourishing life, all to slap her ex-husband in the face.

Although no legal business came out of it, Xu Mingmei didn’t mind. She was more concerned with other matters.

After seeing Lin Yiqing off, Xu Mingmei couldn’t contain herself any longer.

“Xiao Bao, since it’s not Lin Yiqing, who is it? She’s someone mom knows, still a WeChat friend of mine, and also your senior from high school, and she’s also surnamed Lin. Is there such a person?”

Xu Mingmei was very puzzled: “Unless she got divorced, followed her mom’s surname?”

There were just too many possibilities, and Xu Mingmei couldn’t know the names of all the wives of the male friends in her WeChat contacts. Now, trying to find out who her son’s first love was was like finding a needle in a haystack.

Unfortunately, Xu Shijia didn’t want to talk about his first love any further.

He frowned: “Mom, you don’t need to get involved in this. There’s no reason for you to know, and knowing would only complicate things.”

“There’s nothing to worry about, I’m going now. I have work tomorrow, so I need to get some sleep.” Xu Shijia looked around at the red banners with disgust and added, “Also, please clean these up. Sometimes your imagination runs too wild.”

Watching Xu Shijia leave, Xu Mingmei felt quite emotional.

It wasn’t that her imagination was too wild, it was just not wild enough, because no matter how much she searched, she couldn’t figure out who her son’s long-remembered first love was. If she did know, she would certainly help him out.

Although Xu Mingmei was ordered by her son not to interfere in his romantic life, she wasn’t upset. After all, her son didn’t need her, but there were plenty of other people who did. Wasn’t Lin Shu the one who confided in her about wanting to find someone to date?

Since she couldn’t help with her son’s matters, Xu Mingmei decided to focus all her energy on Lin Shu’s situation.

After speaking with Wang Yannian, it seemed he had truly taken her words to heart.

While cleaning up the celebratory balloons, Xu Mingmei received a call from Wang Yannian.

He really had found a young man who perfectly matched Xu Mingmei’s criteria.

“The young man is two years older than Lin Shu, the only child in his family. He’s very considerate and caring. When their team went on a group outing, this young man not only brought snacks and packed lunches but also brought mosquito repellent, sunscreen, allergy medicine, band-aids—he prepared everything. He’s very attentive and responsible, and he’s a key member of the team. A few months ago, he was promoted to vice president of a subsidiary. His work ability is strong, and his efficiency is high, so he doesn’t have to work overtime too much. At home, he keeps a dog and a cat, and takes excellent care of them.”

“The young man’s parents were both middle-to-high-level executives in state-owned enterprises. Unfortunately, both of them passed away in a car accident last year. They had worked hard all their lives and left him five properties. They didn’t even get to enjoy their success.”

Wang Yannian seemed quite sentimental, and Xu Mingmei felt sympathetic. But after she saw the young man’s photo sent by Wang Yannian, she was even more intrigued.

The boy was very handsome, tall, sunny, and healthy. Both his parents had passed away but left behind an inheritance. He was an only child, so whoever married him would inherit properties passed down from his ancestors, and wouldn’t have to deal with in-laws. Moreover, the young man was thoughtful, considerate, and enjoyed doing household chores and taking care of others. Wasn’t he the perfect match for Lin Shu?

Xu Mingmei immediately made up her mind: “This is the one! Don’t let Lin Shu know I was involved in this. It’s not appropriate for me to step in, but it makes more sense for you to handle it. Quickly call Lin Shu, find an opportunity, and introduce this young man to her in a natural, casual way. The charity gala tomorrow night at Xinhé? That’s perfect, invite Lin Shu to that!”

After hanging up, Xu Mingmei felt refreshed.

It was only Xiao Bao who kept saying she would make things worse. Once she helped Lin Shu find a good match, she would be sure to show off to Xiao Bao. He’d finally realize how capable his mom was and would probably regret not letting Xu Mingmei get involved in his first love earlier!