Chapter 1

During the Spring Festival, I was set up on a blind date.

Out of respect for my elder aunt, I went to meet him.

The guy not only didn't match the description, but also sent me 108 family rules to memorize.

I laughed in anger.

"Wake up, you fool. If there's no throne at home, don't pretend to be a big shot!"

This year, my elder aunt for some reason is obsessed with urging people to get married.

Just as the lunar month started, she called saying she had found me a potential match.

She even said if things went well, we could get engaged during the Spring Festival for double happiness.

I didn't want to go, but my mom said aunt meant well, and we shouldn't reject her kindness.

Fine, I brushed myself up and went to the agreed spot.

But seeing the weathered middle-aged man in front of me, who couldn't even reach 1.75 meters, barely qualifying as "big brother."

I hesitated.

He looked me up and down several times, his eyebrows furrowing and then relaxing, over and over.

"Your name is Lin Jing? Are you really 1.75 meters tall?"

I nodded, asking in return, "Are you Kang Wenle, the 1.8-meter tall, rich, handsome man my aunt described?"

He straightened his back on purpose when he heard that, "That's right, it's me."

I fell silent.

Isn't it said to add five to your height as a buffer?

I'm 1.75 meters tall barefoot, and at least 178cm with heels.

Yet he's a whole head shorter than me.

Where did he get the confidence to say he's 1.8 meters tall?

The blind date not only didn't think he was misadvertised but also rattled off a load of words.

"I've already paid for my coffee; you pay for yours!"

"This coffee place is quite famous on Douyin, but we are just getting to know each other; I think splitting the bill is fair for both of us, don't you agree?"

He'd already said so much, what else could I say?

"By the way, Aunt Liu said you graduated from a 211 university, why didn't you consider pursuing a master's? Did you think you couldn't pass, or did you want to start working early to earn money?"

"You're 26 this year, right?" Kang Wenle frowned.

"What's wrong with 26?" I was puzzled.

"At 26, you've already missed the best childbearing age, so I'm deducting 20 points."

"And also, when you're with me later, it's better not to wear high heels."

"It's for your own good; wearing high heels isn't healthy for girls."

"You're working in a foreign company now, right? Strictly speaking, a job like yours isn't conducive to a healthy marriage for us in the future. Girls should mainly pursue careers like teaching or nursing to better care for family, children, and elders."

"Hold on!" I couldn't stand it any longer and interrupted his patriarchal lecture.

"Sorry, there's a fire in my house, I need to go back now!"

I thought these words would be clear about my attitude, but just as I opened the car door, the blind date followed right in.

"We're heading the same way anyway, drop me off at home first."

"Driver, go to Chunhui Road No. 43 first."

If it weren't for the fact that the ride-hailing app showed the order was mine, I'd almost have thought he was the one who called for the ride.

Seeing me not move, the blind date looked dissatisfied, "Why are you still standing there like a fool? If you don't get in the car, your house will be burnt down!"

The driver looked at me curiously, and not wanting people to know I'm on a date with an idiot, I had no choice but to put on a straight face and get into the car.

As a result, this oddball took advantage, having the driver take him on a big loop around the north city to drop him off first.

Arriving home with a stomach full of anger, my WeChat kept dinging, and there it was, messages from that bizarre blind date.

"Congratulations, dear Miss Lin Jing, after a rigorous evaluation, our family has decided to accept you as our prospective daughter-in-law, hoping you'll contribute to this family and take care of me and my family."

"Upon analysis, you graduated from a top university and work at a Fortune 500 company, marking you as an A-class high-quality female. Hence, there's no need for further evaluation for the good daughter-in-law entrance exam."

"However, since you are already over 25, missed the optimal childbearing age, you are downgraded to a B-class high-quality female."

"After we marry, you must become pregnant before you turn thirty; otherwise, it will affect the next generation's growth and intelligence."

"Regarding having children, our whole family discussed and unanimously agreed that you must resign and be dedicated fully to preparing for pregnancy. Besides, after childbirth, we hope you'll be a full-time mom, working tirelessly for this family."

I rubbed my eyes to make sure I didn't see it wrong.

I originally didn't want to bother with him, but I was too annoyed.

"Is this really you? Or is your account hacked?"

"Of course, it's really me. Miss Lin, you must be thrilled."

People do smile when they are speechless.

It's 2025, why are such idiotic people still around?

I couldn't even be bothered to curse him and chose to ignore him instead.

My mom curiously asked about how the blind date went, I didn't want to waste energy on such a person, so I said I wasn't interested.

A lack of response in a goal-oriented thing like a blind date says it all.

I thought this matter was over.

Yet the next morning, while I was at work, I received another WeChat from the blind date.

"Hello, Miss Lin. Due to your untimely response, you've been deducted 20 points. Now downgraded to C-class, which is never accepted in our Li family."

Work was annoying enough, but now this idiot was pestering me.

This time I didn't hold back, I messaged back directly.

"If you have a problem in the head, go see a doctor, don't delay your treatment."

After sending the message, I threw my phone aside and continued with my work.

Who knows how much time passed, but when I checked my phone again.

"I'll give you ten minutes; come downstairs immediately, I am waiting for you at your office building's entrance!"

No way he really has something seriously wrong up there.

He thinks I'll come down just because he says so, who does he think he is?

I'm curious to see what he'll do if I don't go down.

At half-past five in the afternoon, the lady from the bread shop I often visit told me she'd launched a new dessert, with an excellent taste and texture, and insisted I try it.

Just as I was going downstairs, a man with slicked-back hair charged angrily towards me.

"Lin Jing!"

It's Kang Wenle, he hadn't left?

Seeing him running towards me, I didn't want any trouble and turned to walk in the opposite direction.

His voice was loud and boisterous, almost shouting at my back: "Lin Jing, although you didn't reply to my messages, and let me wait downstairs at your company for more than three hours, my mom said that a high-quality man like me would never argue with women. So I can forgive your rudeness and lack of manners."

"..."

It was the end of the workday, with many people leaving the building, some of whom knew me and some didn't.

Even though I didn't turn around, I could sense countless gazes on me.

If I didn't clarify this situation on the spot, who knows what rumors would spread at work tomorrow.

I stopped and turned around, striving to calm myself down.

"Let me tell you directly, we're not suitable for each other, stop pestering me."

Kang Wenle acted as if he didn't hear, carrying on with his passionate speech.

"My mom and grandma really hope I can bring you home; they want to meet you in person."

As he spoke, he reached out to grab my arm.

"During yesterday's blind date, you behaved excellently, proactively splitting the bill, unlike other girls who care a lot about material things. My mom praised you several times for it."

"You don't need to worry about my mom not liking you; on the contrary, she wanted me to bring you home today, she wants to take a good look at you because she didn't get a clear view of you yesterday."

I caught on to the odd undertone in his words.

"Wait, was your mom with us during our blind date yesterday?"

"No." Kang Wenle had a faint sense of pride on his face, "Because yesterday I brought a high-definition hidden camera."

So our whole process yesterday was live-streamed to his mom and family?

I almost thought I was hearing some obscure language, a rush of anger had been simmering for a while.

"Enough! Kang Wenle, can't you understand human language? I already said we are not suitable, there's no way I'm going home with you."

"I wouldn't marry a so-called high-quality man like you in this lifetime, just think of it as me being unworthy of you."

"Also, please stop bothering me and don't come to my office tower again."

"You might shameless, but I still have a reputation to maintain!"

Besides clarifying my relationship with him, I also gave him a passionate scolding.

One of the reasons being the hidden camera, it's seriously infuriating.

Kang Wenle pointed at me, eyebrows furrowed, "Can you, as a young woman, watch your language? It's really uncultured."

"Do you think I like you? Ha, in my mind, you're already in category C. It's my mom, my mom really likes you. She went on and on to get you an exemption with me."

"That's why you could enter my house today. You should go thank my mom and my grandma properly."

I took a deep breath, completely disregarding my image.

"I'll thank your uncle!"

"Wake up, you fool. If there's no throne at home, don't pretend to be king!"

With that, I quickly turned around and jogged to the car, opened the door, got in, locked it, and started the engine smoothly in one go.

Through the rearview mirror, I saw Kang Wenle chasing after my car on a small electric scooter,

his mouth opening and closing, looking very agitated.

Frightened, I immediately hit the gas and sped through the traffic.

It took me half a day at home to recover, and once I did, I immediately blocked him.

Oh my, people like this are terrifying.

Did my elder aunt not check him out before introducing him?

What sort of nonsense is this, throwing it all at me?

No wonder they say blind dates are a gamble because you never know what kind of toad you'll meet.

The next day, while at work, the receptionist called me:

"Lin Jing, someone claiming to be your fiancé named Kang Wenle just went up to find you."

My heart skipped a beat, oh no.

The next second, Kang Wenle's voice rang out at the office door: "Jingjing."

"Jingjing, I'm sorry, please give me another chance."

"I really like you. After I went home last night, I reflected on myself because I scared you with my abruptness yesterday! I'm here today to formally apologize, okay?"

His behavior today is also quite terrifying.

Because he held a wilted bouquet of roses, presenting it to me with both hands, his eyes eagerly watching me.

It was really to the point of making me black out.

The office was silent, everyone raised their heads to watch the commotion.

I grabbed Kang Wenle's wrist and pushed him into the meeting room, so angry my head was spinning.

"Kang Wenle, is it that I'm having trouble expressing myself, or are you having trouble understanding?"

"I thought I made it clear, I don't like you, I won't accept your flowers, let alone go home with you."

"Marriage is even more out of the question!"

But it seemed like he didn't hear a word I said, instead, he started advising me.

"Lin Jing, don't be so impatient, calm your emotions. I think, in any case, you should hear the purpose of my visit today."

I was angry yet helpless, wasn't the purpose of his visit obvious enough today?

But I still had some sense left, making a scene here at the company would only do me harm.

"Say what you have to say quickly."

"I brought you a gift with me today, hoping you could take a look."

"No need, I don't need your gift... what's this?"

He just pulled out a thick stack of A4 paper from his bag and shoved it into my hands.

Kang Wenle, with a sense of pride and superiority, said: "Take a look first."

Looking down, the first thing I saw were four big, bold letters: "Kang Family Rules."

"Lin Jing, I've come with sincerity this time, these are our family's heirlooms."

"Before, only brides who had a registered marriage and held a wedding with my mom would receive such a book of rules. But you, not only are you an exception as our Kang family's daughter-in-law, but you're also the first unmarried one to receive the heirloom."

"I'm truly proud of you."

Despite being angry, I was still a bit curious about what was written in the "Kang Family Rules."

Flipping through a few pages for a rough glance: daughters-in-law must not contradict elders, be filial to parents, wash in-laws' feet three times a week, must wake up before the in-laws, respect the husband, use dowry to supplement household expenses...

Altogether, there were about hundreds of rules, the last being: All these rules must be memorized and recited by heart.

So this whole book of rules was just for restraining daughters-in-law.

Yet he smugly said: "Don't underestimate these family rules, they're the result of the Kang family's generations of experience."

I held back repeatedly, but finally couldn't suppress my indignation.

"Kang Wenle, who gave you the audacity to say such embarrassing things?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I don't like you, and I definitely won't marry you. As for these family rules, take them back the way you brought them. Safe travels, goodbye!"

"Ha!"

Kang Wenle sneered, "Lin Jing, you're really something, are you playing hard to get with me?"

"You clearly accepted my family rules, and now you're backing out? Are you shameless?"

"I've given you enough face, even bought you roses. This is the first time in my life I've ever given roses to a girl."

"Do you think I like your roses? Do I lack flowers? Sorry, I don't want to argue with you, please leave now."

Kang Wenle sat on the couch, crossing his legs.

"I'm not leaving."

"Lin Jing, my patience is limited..."

I picked up the family rules and hurled them at him, Kang Wenle dodged swiftly.

"Are you leaving?"

"What a disgrace! It's not right to hit people!"

"I've already apologized to you, what more do you want?"

"I'm telling you to get out now!"

There was a knock at the door outside, a colleague asking: "Lin Jing, are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Oh, then hurry up and deal with it, we have a meeting in ten minutes."

After the colleague outside left, I looked at Kang Wenle, eyes cold:

"If you don't leave, I'll call the police."

Kang Wenle pointed at me, acting all confident.

"I'll leave, anyway, in no time you'll come back begging me."

Back in the office, I could clearly feel people watching me.

Shanshan next to me asked: "That's not your boyfriend, right?"

I nodded, "A blind date, a relative introduced."

Shanshan looked like she understood, then said: "No matter which relative introduced such a blind date, that relative certainly didn't have good intentions."

Her words immediately made me realize.

Yeah.

Before introducing me, my elder aunt praised Kang Wenle to the heavens, even patted her chest and guaranteed that marrying him, I'd be happy for a lifetime.

But did she really understand Kang Wenle's situation?

When I got home in the evening, there were several gift boxes in the living room, and some cherries I love to eat on the table.

I casually asked: "Mom, did we have guests today?"

"Yeah, Jingjing, try the cherries first, see how they taste."

I ate a few, sweet and juicy.

"Delicious, did you buy them?"

While eating, I didn't forget to stuff a cherry into her mouth.

My mom looked at me meaningfully, "They're from little Kang."

"Little Kang? Do we have a relative named Little Kang?"

My mom, a bit annoyed, gave me a light smack on the back, "You ungrateful child, didn't you two meet today?"

Little Kang?

Kang, Kang...

"Kang Wenle?!"