Ding Minghui hadn't slept well in several days. Ever since meeting Fu Zi's parents last time, he had felt that they weren't just unsatisfied with him—they were extremely unsatisfactory!
Even though Fu Zi's family lived in Jiangnan City, their economic conditions were just ordinary. Due to an international conference held three years ago, housing prices in Jiangnan City nearly tripled. It might not be comparable to a global metropolis like Shanghai, but it was still pretty terrifying.
Nowadays in Jiangnan City, in slightly better locations, the starting point for any house was three million. Even a down payment would require a million, and Fu Zi's family couldn't possibly come up with that kind of money.
As for Ding Minghui's family, they were even more strapped for cash. Even though they could secure a good job after graduation, it would take years to save enough for a down payment. He couldn't exactly live without eating or drinking, right?
Ding Minghui wasn't worried, as guys could afford to settle down later on. But Fu Zi couldn't wait. After meeting Ding Minghui, her parents started asking around and using connections to find her a new partner.
Fu Zi's qualifications were decent. In terms of appearance and education, she was above average. After a long time, her parents settled on a young man named Meng Xiaoyang.
Meng Xiaoyang was a returnee with a master's degree. At 27, after just two years of work, he was already a sales manager at a multinational company with an annual income of over 800,000. He was dashing and had an outstanding presence.
Because Fu Zi's mother had a classmate working at that company, she got to know this young man. After seeing Fu Zi's photo, Meng Xiaoyang was also quite satisfied. Although her family was a bit below his, it wasn't a burden at all, considering his high potential for advancement.
With such a good option, how could Fu Zi's parents possibly give up on this golden opportunity? Despite being from a prestigious university, without background or family help, Ding Minghui's prospects in society would be limited. There was no contest; Meng Xiaoyang became their top choice.
However, Fu Zi and Ding Minghui had been together for four years. They had been secretly dating since high school, deceiving teachers and parents alike. Such a strong foundation of emotions couldn't be easily shaken by someone supposedly superior like a returnee with a master's.
When her parents demanded they break up, Fu Zi refused without hesitation, but over the summer, her parents confiscated her phone and even locked her at home.
With the help of her older sister, who she had played with since childhood, the news of her arranged date reached Ding Minghui's ears.
Although Fang Jueyu had invested a significant sum of money in his company, it was just starting up. Even the departments hadn't been fully established. All the investments had been put to good use. On his own, how could he possibly compete with Meng Xiaoyang? Even if Fu Zi stood firmly by his side, what about her parents?
Her parents secretly arranged for her to meet Meng Xiaoyang. Upon learning this, Fu Zi cried and screamed, but her parents didn't care at all. The night before last, while her parents were out shopping, she escaped from home and ran to Ding Minghui's company to find him.
But her parents called to threaten her. If she didn't show up the day after tomorrow, she would find her mother's dead body instead.
Fu Zi knew her parents all too well. They were prideful people, and this threat was all too real for them!
"Minghui, maybe you shouldn't go today. My parents will definitely make things difficult for you. If they threaten to die, I'll threaten to die too!" Fu Zi, though small in stature, had a stubbornness beyond ordinary people.
"No way! If I don't go, doesn't that mean I'm a coward?" Ding Minghui replied, "Even if I'm there to endure their disdain today, I want to stand by you!"
"And didn't my roommate say everything's on him? Maybe he'll find a way!" Ding Minghui tried to sound carefree, but he knew deep down that Fang Jueyu might be rich, but that was his own wealth. Being roommates, it was already beyond generous of him to provide funding to help start the business. He dared not expect anything else.
Just then, a text message popped up on his phone from Fang Jueyu.
"Old Ding, go meet Fu Zi tomorrow, don't worry, I'll handle everything!"
"See, what did I tell you?" Ding Minghui showed the phone to Fu Zi, "He's so powerful, he surely has a way!"
During this period, Fu Zi had come to know Fang Jueyu's identity. He was that Dean Fang, recently making waves online. Even Wang Cong, the wealthy second generation, admitted that he was just a subordinate. Maybe Fang Jueyu really could help them out.
Friday arrived as scheduled. Feeling anxious, Ding Minghui and Fu Zi walked into an upscale restaurant. The place was chosen by Meng Xiaoyang. It was both quiet and elegant, a popular spot among young people.
Fu Zi's father, Fu Changhong, and her mother, Wang Yan, were already seated by a window, facing a rather handsome young man. They seemed to be chatting about something, with laughter and conversation as if they were a family already.
"Hahaha, Xiao Meng, you're quite a talker. Feel free to drop by whenever you have time. We're not far from each other." Wang Yan was thoroughly impressed with Meng Xiaoyang. Although he was a bit flashy, that was only natural given his age and accomplishments.
"Of course, I have some friends in Australia who recently sent me some nutritional milk powders. They're really effective for boosting the immunity of people your age. Next time, I'll bring a few containers."
"By the way, when will Fu Zi arrive?" Meng Xiaoyang grew a bit impatient. They had agreed on eleven-thirty, and it was now five minutes past. They had been sitting there for half an hour already.
Meng Xiaoyang was indeed good at making conversation. However, with two middle-aged folks who shared no common interests, half an hour was enough to exhaust all possible topics.
"Why isn't that damn girl here yet?" Wang Yan checked the time, glanced towards the entrance, and exclaimed, "There she is!"
Just as Wang Yan's smile began to form, it vanished upon seeing Ding Minghui beside Fu Zi. Her face immediately darkened.
Meng Xiaoyang's courteous smile also froze for a moment. He was aware that Fu Zi had a boyfriend, but with his own credentials, he was confident the other would back off. However, seeing the two still together, it seemed the breakup hadn't happened.
He quickly recovered, putting on a polite smile once again and subtly placed the keys to his BMW 7 Series on the edge of the table.
"What are you doing here?" Fu Zi's parents' faces turned ice-cold at once, pulling Fu Zi to their side, "I told you to come alone. Bringing him along, what does that mean? Are you trying to embarrass us?"
Wang Yan stood up and said bluntly, "You can forget about it. No matter what, her father and I will never agree to you two being together! Stop hanging around and pestering Fu Zi!"
Ding Minghui understood that he wouldn't be well received today, but he hadn't expected her parents to openly express their stance with such an attitude, freezing the atmosphere instantly.