Volume One, Chapter 36: Su Muyu's Parents Arrive Suddenly!

All the contestants who advanced were selected. The host walked onto the stage.

“Congratulations to all the contestants who have made it to the next round. We’ll see you next week!”

The show ended.

With so many reporters present, Jiang Yu and Su Muyu didn’t exchange many words. They simply greeted each other and left.

Dragging her weary body, Su Muyu returned to her room and collapsed face-down on the sofa. Her legs dangled in the air, her toes—like flawless jade—painted with sparkling nail polish. Her calves were slender and straight, as white and delicate as fresh lotus roots.

Recording variety shows was exhausting, far more tiring than filming dramas. Yet, thinking of the figure she’d seen on stage today, a faint smile appeared on Su Muyu’s lips.

Just then, her phone rang.

She answered, and before she could get a word in, an excited voice came through the receiver.

“Hello, sweetheart? You’re in Jiangxia now, right? Your father and I have just finished work and landed. Wait for us at home—we’ll take you to a party tonight.”

“I just got off work. I don’t want to go.”

“Be good. There’ll be many outstanding young men at tonight’s event. You can take your time, look around, see if anyone catches your eye...”

Hearing this, Su Muyu frowned and cut her father off. “Dad, I don’t want to go. I’m not interested.”

At that moment, a woman’s voice came over the line.

“You stubborn child! You’re not even willing to meet new people. Do you think a boyfriend will fall from the sky?”

“Mom, are you really that eager to marry me off?”

“You’re already twenty-two! At your age, I was running after you. Even if you don’t get married right away, at least date someone, see what kind of person they are. After two or three years, it’ll be the perfect time for marriage.”

“Mom, you…”

“Enough, I won’t argue with you now. Your father and I will be at the Tan Palace soon. We’ll talk when we see you.”

With that, Mrs. Su hung up.

“Sigh, why did you hang up so quickly? We didn’t even ask our daughter about this yet,” Mr. Su grumbled.

Mrs. Su shot him a glare. “What is there to say? Don’t you know your daughter’s temper by now? Do you want her to be alone forever?”

Mr. Su thought for a moment and sighed.

Perhaps because Su Muyu was their only child, they’d cherished her since she was little, afraid she’d fall and break, afraid she’d melt away. That had shaped her high standards and exacting eye.

They’d taken her to social events before, introducing her to lots of promising young men. Every time, the men were smitten with her, but she showed no interest and didn’t bother sparing their feelings.

Offending people was a minor thing—they didn’t care about that. But their daughter’s marriage prospects were another matter.

Mrs. Su continued to complain to her husband, especially since Su Muyu had never once dated anyone. It made both parents wonder if their daughter might prefer women.

If that were the case, there’d be no grandchildren. In this day and age, sons or daughters were all the same, but they still wanted a child to carry on the family line. Otherwise, who would inherit the Su family’s assets?

The more they thought about it, the more anxious they became.

No, even if they had to drag her there, their daughter was going to that party tonight!

Meanwhile, Su Muyu stared at her phone’s busy signal and felt utterly frustrated. Her mother really was too much—was this something you could force?

Whatever, let them do as they pleased. She wasn’t at Tan Palace anyway. Worst case, she’d turn off her phone and they wouldn’t know where she was.

Wait.

Tan Palace!

Suddenly, Su Muyu’s eyes widened as she realized what her parents had said: they were going to Tan Palace.

She might not be there, but someone else was!

At the thought, Su Muyu grabbed her bag and dashed out the door.

…

At that moment, Jiang Yu was in the study, diligently copying passages from a book. He’d just reached the scene in the Dripping Blood Cave, where Zhang Xiaofan first meets Biyou.

Suddenly, there was an urgent knock at the door.

“Who is it? Coming, just a second.” Jiang Yu was puzzled. The addresses of celebrity homes were kept strictly confidential; aside from him, only Su Muyu’s team should know the location.

Who could be visiting so late?

Jiang Yu opened the door to find a distinguished-looking middle-aged couple. The man exuded natural authority, while the woman was elegant and strikingly beautiful.

“And you are…?”

“Who are you? Why are you in my daughter’s home?”

What?

Their daughter’s home?

This couple must be Su Muyu’s parents!

…

“Dad, Mom!”

Su Muyu burst into the house, her usually immaculate hair and makeup slightly disheveled from her rush.

She arrived to find Jiang Yu sitting meekly on a small stool, head bowed, not daring to utter a word.

Su Wenli and Liu Qingyan sat in front of him.

“You’re finally back. Sit,” Su Wenli said, his face expressionless.

Liu Qingyan rolled her eyes at her daughter.

Su Muyu carefully fetched a small stool and sat down beside Jiang Yu.

The atmosphere was awkward.

Su Wenli fixed his stern gaze on Jiang Yu, whose head bowed even lower under the weight of it.

“You’re Jiang Yu, right? Tell me, what is your relationship with my daughter?”

“Dad, well…”

“I didn’t ask you,” Liu Qingyan interjected with a glance that made Su Muyu swallow her words. “You’ll have your turn to speak later.”

Jiang Yu coughed nervously. “Uncle, Auntie, Xiaoyu and I were classmates in high school and university. We’ve just graduated, and I’m staying here temporarily because I had some things to take care of…”

“You were classmates in both high school and university?” Liu Qingyan looked at Su Muyu, her face doubtful. “Is it really that simple?”

Su Muyu could only nod, half amused, half exasperated. “It really is that simple.”

“Jiang, you chat with your uncle for a bit. I’ll make you all a late-night snack!” Liu Qingyan said with a kindly smile, then shot her daughter a glare. “You, come with me to the kitchen!”

At her words, both Su Wenli and Su Muyu shuddered.

“Mom, are you really going to cook?”

“Yes. Let your father have a chat with Jiang.”

Getting a definite answer, father and daughter exchanged nervous glances and watched Liu Qingyan disappear into the kitchen, her voice soon ringing out, “Xiaoyu, come here right now!”

Who could withstand a one-on-one conversation with Su Muyu’s father?

Jiang Yu cast a pleading look at Su Muyu.

But her returning gaze was helpless—she could barely protect herself.

In the kitchen, Liu Qingyan eyed her daughter with playful suspicion. “So this is why you didn’t want to go to the party—you’ve already found a boyfriend.”

“Mom, don’t make things up. He really is just a classmate.”

“You were born from my womb. You think I don’t know you? Would you let a boy you didn’t like stay at your place?”

Su Muyu was stumped. Though she felt anxious, she couldn’t find a rebuttal.

“This Jiang is quite handsome. If his character is good, you’d better not let him slip away. I’m giving him to you. When I met your father, there were plenty of beauties around him, but I moved fastest and won him over in no time!”

Liu Qingyan looked quite proud as she said this.

Su Muyu: ... (⊙?⊙)!!!