Although Xia Wei had already refused to meet Jiang Zhi Zhou's parents, he still dragged her over to see them.
Perhaps due to her being too nervous, she hadn't slept well at all the night before. She even had a nightmare - she dreamt that his parents had eaten half their rice, then suddenly morphed into Godzilla and breathed fire at her.
... Xia Wei wiped the sweat from her forehead and glanced at the time. It wasn't even six o'clock yet.
Jiang Zhi Zhou was supposed to meet her at eleven, but there was no way she was getting back to sleep. She got up to bathe and wash her hair.
Tying her freshly blow-dried hair behind her head, Xia Wei ripped open her most expensive facial mask and put it on. She fumbled for her phone and opened the girlfriend chat.
Asking For Suicide At Eighteen This Year: Are you guys up yet? I'm meeting Jiang Zhi Zhou's parents today, and you all said that it would be better to wear makeup! And I don't know what to wear!
After she had finished spreading the news, she opened her closet and took photos of the interior.
Asking For Suicide At Eighteen This Year: Here are all my summer dresses. Which one should I choose?
She waited for a while. Since no one cared about her, she tagged every single person individually.
Eight Treasures Congee Female Hero: You little.... it's 8am on a Sunday!
Invincible Little Sweetie: I just got out of the subway.
Asking For Suicide At Eighteen This Year: Eight Treasures, look at Tian Tian!
Eight Treasures Congee Female Hero: That's because she's working overtime :)
Invincible Little Sweetie: :)
Invincible Little Sweetie: The dress with the lotus leaf collar is good. Not too exaggerated but still a little formal, suitable for meeting elders.
Asking For Suicide At Eighteen This Year: Don't you think it's too run-of-the-mill?
Invincible Little Sweetie: No, it's definitely still very distinctive, and long skirts show off long legs. The colour's very popular this year too, there's plenty of people on the street in this colour.
Eight Treasures Congee Female Hero: Xia Wei really does wear the same style of clothes as young girls :)
Asking For Suicide At Eighteen This Year: If you'll excuse me, I was once a young girl who used my title as fashion editor to tell the world that 30-year-old women should dress like 20-year-olds, and 40-year-olds should dress like 30-year-olds.
Not Losing 5kg Not Changing Name: Eight Treasures herself is all about the girlish style too, but she actually wears them to construction sites, which is even worse.
Eight Treasures Congee Female Hero: ............
Asking For Suicide At Eighteen This Year: Twiggy, tell me, what makeup should I wear?!
Not Losing 5kg Not Changing Name: Nude makeup. When meeting the parents, you shouldn't trowel it on. If you have to, you can use a little pink.
Asking For Suicide At Eighteen This Year: Hold on a minute, I'll take my mask off and change, then I'll broadcast my makeup live to the group!
Not Losing 5kg Not Changing Name: ...
Xia Wei really did turn on the video broadcast function, listened to their instructions, and painted her face. Afterward, she looked in the mirror and asked, "What about hairstyle? Should I let it down or put it up? Straighten it or curl it?"
Not Losing 5kg Not Changing Name: Keep it down, and use a curling iron to make a few waves.
Asking For Suicide At Eighteen This Year: I will! Hold on a minute!
Eight Treasures Congee Female Hero: ... I think you're too nervous. You're meeting parents, not walking down the red carpet [digging nose]
Asking For Suicide At Eighteen This Year: Weren't you the one who said that I should dress up beautifully and blind them?!
Eight Treasures Congee Female Hero: ...
While Xia Wei was doing her hair in front of the mirror, Sunshine pranced about, unable to wait patiently for his walk. Xia Wei dodged and told him: "Sunshine, I'm attending a very important interview today and can't play with you. Don't you get fur all over my skirt!"
"Woof woof!" Sunshine barked stubbornly. Xia Wei was finally forced to put down her curling iron and call Jiang Zhi Zhou, asking him to take Sunshine out for a walk.
When Jiang Zhi Zhou came in, she was still doing her hair. Although she wasn't completely finished yet, her outfit brought a gleam to his eyes. "You're very beautiful today."
Curling iron in hand, Xia Wei snorted: "I had better! I got up before six o'clock!"
"Hard work." Jiang Zhi Zhou smiled, leaning over to kiss her lips. Xia Wei hurriedly pushed him away. "My lipstick!" She examined his lips, but fortunately didn't spot any stains.
"Woof woof!" Sunshine barked again. Jiang Zhi Zhou put him on the leash and asked Xia Wei: "Aren't you coming too?"
"I can't, my hair still isn't ready yet. Bring me breakfast when you get back."
"You haven't eaten breakfast?" He had very clearly heard her movements upstairs before dawn.
"Nope. Bring me porridge, and remember to grab a straw."
"Okay......"
After finishing up her hair, Xia Wei took a picture of herself in the dressing table mirror and passed it along to her girlfriends. "How do I look?"
Invincible Little Sweetie: Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!
Asking For Suicide At Eighteen This Year: Which of my heels should I wear? [image]
Not Losing 5kg Not Changing Name: Try them on.
Xia Wei picked out four pairs of high-heeled shoes out. Some were in different colors, and some in the same color but in different styles. She put them on her feet one by one, taking photos and sending them to the group.
Not Losing 5kg Not Changing Name: The first, second and fourth pairs all work. What color is your bag?
Asking For Suicide At Eighteen This Year: Oh yes, bags!
She handed out another photo of bags to the group.
Eight Treasures Congee Female Hero: ... I suddenly feel Xia Wei is rather rich.
Invincible Little Sweetie: Hahaha. Well, she used to work in fashion, I suppose.
Asking For Suicide At Eighteen This Year: [Image] This good?
Invincible Little Sweetie: Super beautiful!
Eight Treasures Congee Female Hero: Nice QwQ I want to buy skirts too QwQ
Not Losing 5kg Not Changing Name: [perfect]
Xia Wei exhaled a long sigh of relief. At last, she was ready to step onto the battlefield!
Before getting out of Jiang Zhi Zhou's car, she repaired her lipstick. Jiang Zhi Zhou opened the car door on her side, braced a hand on the car and bent over to look at her. He smiled, "It's fine, you're already very lovely."
"Hmph--" Xia Wei put her lipstick away, picked up the pastries for his mother, and stepped out of the car. "Let's go!"
Jiang Zhi Zhou had reserved the same private room that his parents had been in the last time. He led Xia Wei up the stairs, past almost all the waiters, who happily gossiped about their relationship.
"Do you think that beauty is Boss's wife?"
"Probably pretty close."
"Oh my God! So will Jiang soon have a Mistress??"
"Keep this on the downlow, but Boss Jiang took her to the Jin Ding private room, and his parents are waiting inside."
"This, this, this! Who's serving in Jin Ding today? Remember to share all first-hand information with the group!"
Standing outside the Jin Ding private room, Xia Wei took another deep breath in. Jiang Zhi Zhou looked at her and asked, "Are you all set?"
Xia Wei nodded solemnly.
Jiang Zhi Zhou motioned to the waiter beside him, who smiled and opened the door for them. "Please go ahead, Mr. Jiang."
There were four people sitting in the private room, the aforementioned parents and younger aunt and uncle, who Jiang Zhi Zhou had previously mentioned to her. When the door opened, the eyes of the four fell on Xia Wei.
Xia Wei clung to Jiang Zhi Zhou's hand, but she smiled and greeted them naturally. Mother Jiang stood up and went to the door to meet them: "So this is Miss Xia, how beautiful you are! Come in, come and sit down."
Xia Wei smiled and handed her the beautifully wrapped pastries. "Auntie, this is a gift for you. I hope you won't dislike it."
When Jiang Zhi Zhou's mother saw that the pastries were from Chi Qing Xuan, she knew that Jiang Zhi Zhou must have helped her out. She smiled and took the cakes. To Xia Wei, she said, "These are my favourite cakes! Thank you, Miss Xia."
"Not at all. I'm glad you like them, auntie." Xia Wei felt a little relieved. So far, it seems like the elders might have a good first impression of her.
Jiang Zhi Zhou led Xia Wei over to the table, whereupon the the waiter came over and served them both teas. "Mr. Jiang, should we begin serving now, or would you like to wait a little longer?"
Jiang Zhi Zhou answered, "Please serve the dishes now."
"Yes sir." The waiter gently placed the teapot to the side and retired from the room. Jiang Zhi Zhou's mother and aunt glanced at each other and then smiled, asking Xia Wei: "I heard Zhi Zhou say that Miss Xia's native city isn't A City?"
"Um, yes..." Xia Wei felt increasingly nervous. Here came the interrogation! "My hometown was D City. I came here for university."
"Oh, D City is lovely, we've traveled there before," commented Mother Jiang, looking at her sister, who echoed her with a smile.
Mother Jiang took a sip of tea and asked, "So, Miss Xia, have you been working here since graduation?"
"Yes, I own a nail salon." Xia Wei felt her palms begin to sweat. "Auntie, you don't need to call me Miss Xia, just Xia Wei will do."
"Of course, Xia Wei. Being your own boss when you're still young isn't too bad."
Xia Wei felt rather guilty, "Oh, I can't quite count as a boss. My salon isn't large."
Mother Jiang nodded and asked, "Then, do your parents still live in D city?"
"Yes, they all work in D City."
"Oh, what do they do?"
"They're just regular working class folk..."
"Mom, when you ask so many questions all at once, it sounds like an interrogation." Jiang Zhi couldn't help but interrupt. Mother Jiang coughed drily. "How is this an interrogation? I'm just talking with Miss Xia about her situation."
Jiang Zhi Zhou opened the Chi Qing Xuan gift box and handed them all a piece of cake. "The dishes may not be here so soon. Please try the pastries first."
Mother Jiang looked at her son speculatively, then at her sister. Jiang Zhi Zhou's aunt smiled as Jiang Zhi Zhou also handed a piece of cake to Xia Wei.
"Thank you." Xia Wei took the pastry and took a bite.
"You're welcome." His aunt smiled and asked, "Miss Xia, do you like pastries?"
"I do, I especially enjoy cakes."
"I like cakes too, and desserts. I've learnt baking before, but am only so good. Do you bake, Miss Xia?"
Xia Wei said, "I've wanted to learn, but work is so busy that I don't have much time."
His aunt nodded. "What kind of hobbies do you have? Or expertise?"
At this moment, Xia Wei could only think of the great Miss Sun, who was proficient in the qin, chess and calligraphy. Jiang Zhi Zhou had once told her that his blind dates were all introduced by his aunt, which was why she would be present at the meal. Right then, Xia Wei regretted not insisting on having studied calligraphy. If that were the case, she would have been able to answer these questions with confidence. She, too, would have been good at calligraphy, able to win awards.
"I, um, enjoy reading books and listening to music." Ugh, it sounded like a boring answer even to her.
"Sorry to disturb you, Mr. Jiang, but here are the appetizers you ordered."
As the food was being served, his aunt asked no more questions, merely sitting back and smiling at Xia Wei.
Xia Wei sat in her chair, defeat sitting heavy on her heart.
Even if she could spend more time dressing herself, she couldn't win the favor of Jiang Zhi Zhou's elders.
Although Xia Wei had already refused to meet Jiang Zhi Zhou's parents, he still dragged her over to see them.
Perhaps due to her being too nervous, she hadn't slept well at all the night before. She even had a nightmare - she dreamt that his parents had eaten half their rice, then suddenly morphed into Godzilla and breathed fire at her.
... Xia Wei wiped the sweat from her forehead and glanced at the time. It wasn't even six o'clock yet.
Jiang Zhi Zhou was supposed to meet her at eleven, but there was no way she was getting back to sleep. She got up to bathe and wash her hair.
Tying her freshly blow-dried hair behind her head, Xia Wei ripped open her most expensive facial mask and put it on. She fumbled for her phone and opened the girlfriend chat.
Asking For Suicide At Eighteen This Year: Are you guys up yet? I'm meeting Jiang Zhi Zhou's parents today, and you all said that it would be better to wear makeup! And I don't know what to wear!
After she had finished spreading the news, she opened her closet and took photos of the interior.
Asking For Suicide At Eighteen This Year: Here are all my summer dresses. Which one should I choose?
She waited for a while. Since no one cared about her, she tagged every single person individually.
Eight Treasures Congee Female Hero: You little.... it's 8am on a Sunday!
Invincible Little Sweetie: I just got out of the subway.
Asking For Suicide At Eighteen This Year: Eight Treasures, look at Tian Tian!
Eight Treasures Congee Female Hero: That's because she's working overtime :)
Invincible Little Sweetie: :)
Invincible Little Sweetie: The dress with the lotus leaf collar is good. Not too exaggerated but still a little formal, suitable for meeting elders.
Asking For Suicide At Eighteen This Year: Don't you think it's too run-of-the-mill?
Invincible Little Sweetie: No, it's definitely still very distinctive, and long skirts show off long legs. The colour's very popular this year too, there's plenty of people on the street in this colour.
Eight Treasures Congee Female Hero: Xia Wei really does wear the same style of clothes as young girls :)
Asking For Suicide At Eighteen This Year: If you'll excuse me, I was once a young girl who used my title as fashion editor to tell the world that 30-year-old women should dress like 20-year-olds, and 40-year-olds should dress like 30-year-olds.
Not Losing 5kg Not Changing Name: Eight Treasures herself is all about the girlish style too, but she actually wears them to construction sites, which is even worse.
Eight Treasures Congee Female Hero: ............
Asking For Suicide At Eighteen This Year: Twiggy, tell me, what makeup should I wear?!
Not Losing 5kg Not Changing Name: Nude makeup. When meeting the parents, you shouldn't trowel it on. If you have to, you can use a little pink.
Asking For Suicide At Eighteen This Year: Hold on a minute, I'll take my mask off and change, then I'll broadcast my makeup live to the group!
Not Losing 5kg Not Changing Name: ...
Xia Wei really did turn on the video broadcast function, listened to their instructions, and painted her face. Afterward, she looked in the mirror and asked, "What about hairstyle? Should I let it down or put it up? Straighten it or curl it?"
Not Losing 5kg Not Changing Name: Keep it down, and use a curling iron to make a few waves.
Asking For Suicide At Eighteen This Year: I will! Hold on a minute!
Eight Treasures Congee Female Hero: ... I think you're too nervous. You're meeting parents, not walking down the red carpet [digging nose]
Asking For Suicide At Eighteen This Year: Weren't you the one who said that I should dress up beautifully and blind them?!
Eight Treasures Congee Female Hero: ...
While Xia Wei was doing her hair in front of the mirror, Sunshine pranced about, unable to wait patiently for his walk. Xia Wei dodged and told him: "Sunshine, I'm attending a very important interview today and can't play with you. Don't you get fur all over my skirt!"
"Woof woof!" Sunshine barked stubbornly. Xia Wei was finally forced to put down her curling iron and call Jiang Zhi Zhou, asking him to take Sunshine out for a walk.
When Jiang Zhi Zhou came in, she was still doing her hair. Although she wasn't completely finished yet, her outfit brought a gleam to his eyes. "You're very beautiful today."
Curling iron in hand, Xia Wei snorted: "I had better! I got up before six o'clock!"
"Hard work." Jiang Zhi Zhou smiled, leaning over to kiss her lips. Xia Wei hurriedly pushed him away. "My lipstick!" She examined his lips, but fortunately didn't spot any stains.
"Woof woof!" Sunshine barked again. Jiang Zhi Zhou put him on the leash and asked Xia Wei: "Aren't you coming too?"
"I can't, my hair still isn't ready yet. Bring me breakfast when you get back."
"You haven't eaten breakfast?" He had very clearly heard her movements upstairs before dawn.
"Nope. Bring me porridge, and remember to grab a straw."
"Okay......"
After finishing up her hair, Xia Wei took a picture of herself in the dressing table mirror and passed it along to her girlfriends. "How do I look?"
Invincible Little Sweetie: Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!
Asking For Suicide At Eighteen This Year: Which of my heels should I wear? [image]
Not Losing 5kg Not Changing Name: Try them on.
Xia Wei picked out four pairs of high-heeled shoes out. Some were in different colors, and some in the same color but in different styles. She put them on her feet one by one, taking photos and sending them to the group.
Not Losing 5kg Not Changing Name: The first, second and fourth pairs all work. What color is your bag?
Asking For Suicide At Eighteen This Year: Oh yes, bags!
She handed out another photo of bags to the group.
Eight Treasures Congee Female Hero: ... I suddenly feel Xia Wei is rather rich.
Invincible Little Sweetie: Hahaha. Well, she used to work in fashion, I suppose.
Asking For Suicide At Eighteen This Year: [Image] This good?
Invincible Little Sweetie: Super beautiful!
Eight Treasures Congee Female Hero: Nice QwQ I want to buy skirts too QwQ
Not Losing 5kg Not Changing Name: [perfect]
Xia Wei exhaled a long sigh of relief. At last, she was ready to step onto the battlefield!
Before getting out of Jiang Zhi Zhou's car, she repaired her lipstick. Jiang Zhi Zhou opened the car door on her side, braced a hand on the car and bent over to look at her. He smiled, "It's fine, you're already very lovely."
"Hmph--" Xia Wei put her lipstick away, picked up the pastries for his mother, and stepped out of the car. "Let's go!"
Jiang Zhi Zhou had reserved the same private room that his parents had been in the last time. He led Xia Wei up the stairs, past almost all the waiters, who happily gossiped about their relationship.
"Do you think that beauty is Boss's wife?"
"Probably pretty close."
"Oh my God! So will Jiang soon have a Mistress??"
"Keep this on the downlow, but Boss Jiang took her to the Jin Ding private room, and his parents are waiting inside."
"This, this, this! Who's serving in Jin Ding today? Remember to share all first-hand information with the group!"
Standing outside the Jin Ding private room, Xia Wei took another deep breath in. Jiang Zhi Zhou looked at her and asked, "Are you all set?"
Xia Wei nodded solemnly.
Jiang Zhi Zhou motioned to the waiter beside him, who smiled and opened the door for them. "Please go ahead, Mr. Jiang."
There were four people sitting in the private room, the aforementioned parents and younger aunt and uncle, who Jiang Zhi Zhou had previously mentioned to her. When the door opened, the eyes of the four fell on Xia Wei.
Xia Wei clung to Jiang Zhi Zhou's hand, but she smiled and greeted them naturally. Mother Jiang stood up and went to the door to meet them: "So this is Miss Xia, how beautiful you are! Come in, come and sit down."
Xia Wei smiled and handed her the beautifully wrapped pastries. "Auntie, this is a gift for you. I hope you won't dislike it."
When Jiang Zhi Zhou's mother saw that the pastries were from Chi Qing Xuan, she knew that Jiang Zhi Zhou must have helped her out. She smiled and took the cakes. To Xia Wei, she said, "These are my favourite cakes! Thank you, Miss Xia."
"Not at all. I'm glad you like them, auntie." Xia Wei felt a little relieved. So far, it seems like the elders might have a good first impression of her.
Jiang Zhi Zhou led Xia Wei over to the table, whereupon the the waiter came over and served them both teas. "Mr. Jiang, should we begin serving now, or would you like to wait a little longer?"
Jiang Zhi Zhou answered, "Please serve the dishes now."
"Yes sir." The waiter gently placed the teapot to the side and retired from the room. Jiang Zhi Zhou's mother and aunt glanced at each other and then smiled, asking Xia Wei: "I heard Zhi Zhou say that Miss Xia's native city isn't A City?"
"Um, yes..." Xia Wei felt increasingly nervous. Here came the interrogation! "My hometown was D City. I came here for university."
"Oh, D City is lovely, we've traveled there before," commented Mother Jiang, looking at her sister, who echoed her with a smile.
Mother Jiang took a sip of tea and asked, "So, Miss Xia, have you been working here since graduation?"
"Yes, I own a nail salon." Xia Wei felt her palms begin to sweat. "Auntie, you don't need to call me Miss Xia, just Xia Wei will do."
"Of course, Xia Wei. Being your own boss when you're still young isn't too bad."
Xia Wei felt rather guilty, "Oh, I can't quite count as a boss. My salon isn't large."
Mother Jiang nodded and asked, "Then, do your parents still live in D city?"
"Yes, they all work in D City."
"Oh, what do they do?"
"They're just regular working class folk..."
"Mom, when you ask so many questions all at once, it sounds like an interrogation." Jiang Zhi couldn't help but interrupt. Mother Jiang coughed drily. "How is this an interrogation? I'm just talking with Miss Xia about her situation."
Jiang Zhi Zhou opened the Chi Qing Xuan gift box and handed them all a piece of cake. "The dishes may not be here so soon. Please try the pastries first."
Mother Jiang looked at her son speculatively, then at her sister. Jiang Zhi Zhou's aunt smiled as Jiang Zhi Zhou also handed a piece of cake to Xia Wei.
"Thank you." Xia Wei took the pastry and took a bite.
"You're welcome." His aunt smiled and asked, "Miss Xia, do you like pastries?"
"I do, I especially enjoy cakes."
"I like cakes too, and desserts. I've learnt baking before, but am only so good. Do you bake, Miss Xia?"
Xia Wei said, "I've wanted to learn, but work is so busy that I don't have much time."
His aunt nodded. "What kind of hobbies do you have? Or expertise?"
At this moment, Xia Wei could only think of the great Miss Sun, who was proficient in the qin, chess and calligraphy. Jiang Zhi Zhou had once told her that his blind dates were all introduced by his aunt, which was why she would be present at the meal. Right then, Xia Wei regretted not insisting on having studied calligraphy. If that were the case, she would have been able to answer these questions with confidence. She, too, would have been good at calligraphy, able to win awards.
"I, um, enjoy reading books and listening to music." Ugh, it sounded like a boring answer even to her.
"Sorry to disturb you, Mr. Jiang, but here are the appetizers you ordered."
As the food was being served, his aunt asked no more questions, merely sitting back and smiling at Xia Wei.
Xia Wei sat in her chair, defeat sitting heavy on her heart.
Even if she could spend more time dressing herself, she couldn't win the favor of Jiang Zhi Zhou's elders.
