Chapter 1

A woman at thirty, not getting married feels like committing a crime, getting urged to marry every day.

Under the bombardment of my mom's noise, I reluctantly joined the blind dating army.

Luckily, I have decent credentials.

I'm a host at the city TV station, quite attractive.

My family received five apartments from a house demolition.

Making me quite sought after in the dating market.

Through introductions, I met Zhao Kai.

Zhao Kai is a section chief in the bank's credit department, a position with perks, so in our city, although Zhao Kai isn't quite a national idol, he's still a bachelor catch.

33 years old and still unmarried, reportedly due to high standards, picky to the point of exhaustion.

After dating for half a year, our families urged us to get our marriage certificate quickly to prepare for pregnancy during the optimal age for women.

Zhao Kai also expressed multiple times his desire to move our relationship forward, yet I couldn't make up my mind.

I'm unsure if Zhao Kai is the man worth entrusting my life to?

Because I've already missed once, I don't want to make the same mistake again, to repeat the same blunder.

"Let's go on a trip to Thailand?" Coincidentally on holiday, I suggested.

Zhao Kai immediately agreed.

When a man and a woman travel together, a lot of romantic and beautiful things are bound to happen.

For me, suggesting this trip was because of a classic line from Qian Zhongshu's novel "Fortress Besieged": If you want to get married, the best way is to travel with him.

Because during the journey, you can discover many things about each other that are not shown in daily life.

This trip is a test of Zhao Kai for me.

The destination, fun yet affordable Thailand, at Bangkok Airport, we met our local guide Mutcha arranged by the tour group.

A tanned, shrewd-looking small man, fluent in Mandarin, very enthusiastic, chattered along the way, introducing local customs and culture.

Arriving at the hotel, we started assigning rooms.

Our group was all domestic tourists - 7 men and 5 women, 12 people in total.

Married couples or couples naturally shared a room.

"We'd like two rooms." I requested from Mutcha, who was momentarily stunned.

"Aren't you a couple?"

"We are a couple, but not married yet, so it's inconvenient." I explained with a smile.

Zhao Kai's face looked a bit awkward, also a bit disappointed.

He probably assumed that coming to Thailand would eventually boil the rice, right?

In fact, during this half-year relationship, he had made multiple direct or indirect hints that adult relationships should be more in-depth, no need to be too plain.

Although I never asked about Zhao Kai's romantic history, given his age and experience, his past relationships were probably quite abundant.

He may not be so meticulous about matters between men and women, but I'm different.

I'm thirty, still untouched.

I must be cautious about the first time!

Before I'm completely convinced, I won't open the doors easily.

During dinner, we enjoyed local delicacies, Zhao Kai had a drink.

After dinner, just as I was about to shower, Zhao Kai pushed the door open and came in.

"Nie Qing, you're making me lose face, aren't you? The others are laughing at me! Joking that it's all for show! So humiliating!"

Zhao Kai's tone carried strong dissatisfaction and a thick smell of alcohol.

"Zhao Kai, I've told you before, before registration, I won't agree to premarital activities, I hope you respect me. You've had too much, go back and rest early."

"I'm not drunk!"

Zhao Kai seemed a bit agitated, pointed at me: "Nie Qing! Yes, you're beautiful! And a host at the TV station, famous! But don't be too proud, ok? I'm not bad either! I match you! I earn hundreds of thousands a year, plus side income! What are you unsatisfied with?"

As Zhao Kai spoke, he approached me, attempting to touch: "Who in a relationship doesn't sleep together? I've been enduring for so long. Nowadays, many women sleep with guys on the first date! I've arranged such dates several times..."

"Zhao Kai! Please restrain yourself! Or I'll call someone!"

I shoved Zhao Kai hard: "I don't care what you do with other women, but I won't!"

Zhao Kai, somewhat angry out of humiliation: "Nie Qing! You're already thirty, still thinking you're eighteen?"

"Splash!"

A bottle of mineral water was poured over Zhao Kai's face.

His drunkenness sobered, he ran off somewhat panicked.

That night, I lay sleepless.

Increasingly, I felt that Zhao Kai and I were truly unsuitable for each other.