Chapter 1: Marriage, Meeting the Parents
“This is your marriage certificate. Please keep it safe.”
In the Civil Affairs Bureau, the staff handed the freshly issued marriage certificate to Shen Zhouyue and Yu Tingzhou.
Yu Tingzhou took the certificate, glanced at it, and said, “Let’s go.”
After speaking, he strode out of the Civil Affairs Bureau.
Shen Zhouyue hurried to follow him, his gaze involuntarily drifting towards Yu Tingzhou.
The man was dressed in a black suit, wearing gold-rimmed glasses. His back was rigid and cold, with no trace of the joy that usually accompanied marriage.
Shen Zhouyue remembered that a few years ago, he wasn’t like this.
The gap between memory and reality left him feeling confused, unsure if his memories were faulty.
He lowered his head and quickly walked forward, not noticing that the person in front of him had already stopped and turned around.
He suddenly bumped into the man’s chest, his forehead pressing against the buttons of the man’s shirt, causing a slight pain. Instinctively, he reached up to hold his head, letting out a small cry of pain.
Yu Tingzhou moved his hand away from his head, exposing a red mark on his forehead. Through the glass nearby, it looked like a perfect imprint of a button, which was oddly amusing.
Shen Zhouyue’s toes curled in embarrassment, wishing he could find a crack in the ground to hide in. His pale cheeks flushed crimson.
Feeling Yu Tingzhou’s gaze fall on the red mark on his forehead, Shen Zhouyue quickly retreated, “I… I’m fine.”
In his rush to avoid Yu Tingzhou, he overlooked the steps behind him. His foot twisted, and his whole body started to fall towards the ground.
His head was definitely going to get hurt.
Shen Zhouyue groaned inwardly and closed his eyes.
Just then, an arm wrapped around his waist, pulling him into a firm embrace. His nose filled with the faint scent of cedarwood.
He opened his eyes, feeling a sharp pain from his ankle. His previously flushed face turned a shade paler.
Yu Tingzhou directly picked him up and headed towards the car.
“My mom originally wanted me to bring my partner home tonight. I was just about to tell you, but looking at your current state, you should rest instead.”
Shen Zhouyue’s mind went blank. He could only instinctively nod in agreement, unable to think of anything else.
Yu Tingzhou had planned to take him back to the apartment to rest, but his mother called, repeatedly urging him to bring his “so-called partner” home. If not, she would continue arranging blind dates for him.
Caught in a dilemma—
“If it’s really necessary, I can go with you. I just need to ice my ankle for a bit.”
Since their marriage was transactional, and Shen Zhouyue had ulterior motives, he naturally wouldn’t miss a chance to make a good impression.
Yu Tingzhou hesitated.
He called a family doctor to examine Shen Zhouyue’s ankle.
The doctor said the injury wasn’t serious and that it only needed simple treatment with some extra care.
After the doctor treated it, the swelling subsided significantly.
Shen Zhouyue walked a few steps, appearing normal, so Yu Tingzhou finally agreed.
As evening approached, they set off, knowing that if they delayed any longer, his mother would continue nagging. Yu Tingzhou drove Shen Zhouyue to the family home.
When they arrived at the old residence, Yu Tingzhou parked the car and first went to the trunk to retrieve the prepared gifts.
Shen Zhouyue took a deep breath to calm himself before walking over to Yu Tingzhou’s side, wanting to help carry the gifts. But Yu Tingzhou refused.
“They’re too heavy. I’ll carry them.”
After saying this, he strode towards the house.
Shen Zhouyue hurried to follow, but because of his injured foot, he didn’t dare to walk too fast.
For a moment, the distance between them widened.
By the time he entered the house, he heard a woman scolding Yu Tingzhou.
“Didn’t you say you’d bring your partner tonight? Where are they? Why are you alone?”
Shen Zhouyue quickly ran over to Yu Tingzhou’s side.
“Auntie…”
Yu Tingzhou placed the gifts on the coffee table and took Shen Zhouyue’s hand, pulling him in front of his mother.
“This is my partner, Shen Zhouyue.”
“These are the gifts he brought for you!”
Fang Hanyun was momentarily stunned, her gaze naturally falling on Shen Zhouyue.
He had a small face, round nose, and rosy lips. He looked both beautiful and obedient.
But why did he seem somewhat familiar, as if she had seen him somewhere before?
Fang Hanyun felt a bit puzzled but was mostly delighted.
She stepped forward, pushing Yu Tingzhou aside, and held Shen Zhouyue’s hand, “Such a good kid. Why are you calling me ‘Auntie’? Just call me ‘Mom.’”
Fang Hanyun’s enthusiasm left Shen Zhouyue feeling a bit overwhelmed. He looked to Yu Tingzhou for help.
“Mom, let’s eat first.”
Yu Qingfeng, Yu Tingzhou’s father, glanced at Shen Zhouyue with a complex expression but still chimed in, “Yes, didn’t you have Aunt Chen prepare a feast?”
Reminded by Yu Qingfeng, Fang Hanyun led Shen Zhouyue towards the dining table.
“I don’t know what you like to eat. If there’s something you don’t like, just tell me. I’ll have someone make something else.”
“There’s… there’s no need to trouble yourself…”
Shen Zhouyue hurriedly declined, his palms sweaty. He subtly tried to pull his hand away, but after several failed attempts, he could only be passively led to the table and seated.
At the table, Fang Hanyun bombarded him with questions, leaving Shen Zhouyue looking bewildered. Yu Tingzhou quickly took out the marriage certificate.
“Mom, we’re already married. You don’t need to keep asking him so many questions. There will be plenty of time in the future.”
“Zhouyue is a bit shy. You’re scaring him.”
Fang Hanyun took the marriage certificate from Yu Tingzhou’s hand and opened it. The two in the photo didn’t look intimate at all—one was serious, the other stiff. They didn’t seem like a loving couple at all, more like two strangers, which only made her more suspicious.
After dinner, Yu Qingfeng called Yu Tingzhou away, leaving Shen Zhouyue alone to face the overly enthusiastic Fang Hanyun.
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