Time passed day by day amidst Shen Mianyin's apprehension and nervousness.
When Wednesday arrived, Shen Mianyin brought the gift she'd bought to the company, planning to take it directly to the main family house after work.
Today, Gu Huaizhi had also specially cleared his schedule, pushing back his appointments.
When Shen Mianyin got off work, he was already waiting at the company entrance.
While Gu Huaizhi drove, he kept an eye on Shen Mianyin.
He noticed that once they were more than halfway there, Shen Mianyin became increasingly nervous.
Gu Huaizhi held Shen Mianyin's hand: "Don't be nervous."
"How can I just stop being nervous because you say so?" Shen Mianyin also hadn't expected to be meeting the parents so soon after getting together with Gu Huaizhi.
She didn't know the Gu elders, but she already felt a shadow cast over the idea of meeting parents.
Because when she was engaged to Gu Luo'an, his parents, especially Mrs. Gu, had been extremely unhappy about it.
These bad memories just had to surface at a time like this.
She worried, perhaps unnecessarily, whether the Gu elders would also be dissatisfied with her.
Although she felt there was nothing wrong with her, the hardest thing is not making a good first impression.
"No matter what happens, I'll be by your side," Gu Huaizhi said.
"Mm."
Just then, Gu Huaizhi suddenly turned the steering wheel and pulled the car over to the side of the road.
Shen Mianyin looked over in confusion. Gu Huaizhi said, "Maybe... we shouldn't go today."
"We'll go when you're ready," Gu Huaizhi said. "We'll just say I had to work late and will be there later."
"If I don't go, naturally you can't go either." Gu Huaizhi even had the excuse ready.
He even put all the responsibility on himself.
Knowing full well that he would be the one to get scolded.
Shen Mianyin shook her head: "It's just me being too nervous. Actually, it's okay."
"Anyway, we have to meet them sooner or later," Shen Mianyin said. "This makes me look like a coward."
"Besides, we're already here, and I've been mentally preparing myself the whole way," Shen Mianyin said. "If it were next time, I'd have to mentally prepare all over again."
Gu Huaizhi chuckled: "Alright. Do you want me to drive slower?"
"No need, normal speed is fine." Shen Mianyin let out a breath.
Might as well get it over with.
So Gu Huaizhi started the car again.
However, where they had just stopped was actually very close to the old house.
Therefore, not long after starting the car, they arrived at the old house.
Gu Huaizhi got out of the car and held Shen Mianyin's hand: "Are you okay?"
Shen Mianyin nodded.
Inside the old house, Gu Luo'an's family had already arrived.
Only Gu Huaizhi hadn't arrived yet.
Gu Luo'an's father (Gu Fu) glanced at the time: "Why isn't Huaizhi here yet? I remember he finished work quite early today."
The Old Madam Gu couldn't help but smile: "He probably went to pick up his girlfriend."
"Girlfriend?" Mrs. Gu was surprised. "He has a girlfriend?"
Mrs. Gu had always thought that with Gu Huaizhi's temperament, if he kept on like this, he was likely to end up alone for life.
And then, everything in the Gu family would still belong to Gu Luo'an.
But who would have thought, Gu Huaizhi actually had a girlfriend.
"You didn't know?" The Old Madam glanced at Gu Luo'an.
Gu Luo'an was surprised. The Old Madam's tone seemed to imply she knew Shen Mianyin's identity.
Or was that glance just now a coincidence?
It must be a coincidence.
Gu Luo'an originally thought Gu Huaizhi wouldn't dare bring Shen Mianyin over so soon.
If the family elders knew that Shen Mianyin was originally his fiancée, they would definitely not agree to Gu Huaizhi and Shen Mianyin being together.
How could there be such a thing as an uncle marrying his own nephew's ex-fiancée?
So he had been waiting, not in a hurry, because the Gu family elders would surely step in to break them up.
Now it was Mrs. Gu who was stunned: "I... Should I have known?"
"It's okay if you didn't know," the Old Madam said. "You'll see her in a moment."
Just as her voice fell, Aunt Hu came back from the door and said, "Huaizhi is back."
Aunt Hu was a long-time member of the household; she was already there when Gu Huaizhi was born.
So her way of addressing Gu Huaizhi was also familiar.
Mrs. Gu craned her neck, waiting. She wanted to see just what kind of woman could capture Gu Huaizhi, who had been single until now. Just who was this extraordinary person?
After a short while, sounds were heard from the entryway.
Following that, they saw Gu Huaizhi walking in front, followed by a woman.
"Dad, Mom," Gu Huaizhi called out.
Shen Mianyin could only follow Gu Huaizhi's generational address: "Uncle, Aunt."
Suddenly changing the generational address, Shen Mianyin felt a bit unaccustomed.
Hearing this voice, Gu Luo'an's entire family froze.
They looked at Shen Mianyin in disbelief.
How could Shen Mianyin be with Gu Huaizhi!
Gu Huaizhi's girlfriend... is Shen Mianyin?
"Why is it you!" Mrs. Gu shot up, glaring furiously at Shen Mianyin.
She could not possibly let Shen Mianyin be with Gu Huaizhi.
Even Gu Luo'an stood up.
He also hadn't expected that Gu Huaizhi would actually dare to bring Shen Mianyin back.
"You..." Mrs. Gu stared viciously at Shen Mianyin. "How dare you!"
Mrs. Gu immediately turned to the Gu elders: "Dad, Mom, they cannot be together! Absolutely not!"
"Why?" the Old Madam asked, looking uncomprehending.
"She, Shen Mianyin!" Mrs. Gu said. "She used to be Luo'an's fiancée!"
"It was only because the Su family found their biological daughter and her identity as an imposter was exposed that she broke off the engagement with Luo'an!" Mrs. Gu said excitedly.
"I know. Your father and I go online," the Old Madam said dismissively. "It was all over the place a while ago; we saw it all."
"Mom." Mrs. Gu looked at the Old Madam in disbelief. "You knew? You knew and still..."
Mrs. Gu paused suddenly and said, "So, you specifically asked them to come today... actually to make them break up?"
"No," the Old Madam said. "Huaizhi finally has a girlfriend; I just wanted him to bring her home for us to see."
"No." Gu Fu also couldn't help saying, "Mom, she, Shen Mianyin, used to be Luo'an's fiancée! Now she's Huaizhi's girlfriend. If this gets out, what will people think of our family!"
"What can they think? Isn't it normal to find someone else after breaking up? Besides, weren't you the ones who looked down on her for not being a real heiress and wanted to break the engagement?" the Old Madam said.
"Dad, say something! Are you just going to let Mom act so recklessly?" Gu Fu said urgently.
"What do you mean, recklessly!" the Old Madam said unhappily.
"Today is your mother's birthday; watch your words!" the Old Master Gu said displeasedly. "Furthermore, we asked Miss Shen to come precisely because we wanted to understand things better."
"As long as there's nothing wrong with her character, then there's no problem with her being in a relationship with Huaizhi," the Old Master Gu said.
"But she was once Luo'an's fiancée!" Mrs. Gu said urgently.
Why couldn't they understand?