“Zi Ming, bringing so much already, how can we possibly accept!” Jiang Ling said with a troubled smile after seeing the mountain of gifts upon entering the house.
“It’s our family’s good intentions, Auntie, please don’t take offense,” Chen Zi Ming replied politely and sincerely.
Jiang Ling still looked at Su Ming Hua a bit sheepishly. The latter gave her a reassuring look, urging her not to be overly courteous.
“Yue Yue, come with Mom for a moment.” Jiang Ling suddenly called her daughter.
Su Yue, sensing her mother had something private to discuss, quietly told the man beside her, “I’ll be right back,” then cast a silent glance at Su Ming Hua before obediently leaving.
Only the two men remained in the living room.
Su Ming Hua leisurely brewed tea, while Chen Zi Ming comfortably savored it.
To an outsider, one might envy the warm and harmonious family atmosphere.
“There have been many rumors circulating in the department recently; have they affected you?” Su Ming Hua suddenly asked gently.
“You mean the rumors about Yue Yue and me dating? No, I wish everyone knew,” Chen Zi Ming replied with a light smile.
This statement surprised Su Ming Hua. “I was afraid you’d want to avoid suspicion.”
Chen Zi Ming set down his teacup, his face holding a boyishly clean and clear smile, with his charming dimple subtly visible.
“Director Su, since I’ve made up my mind about Yue Yue, what is there to avoid? Besides, many of the youngsters in the department have had their eyes on her for a long time. Letting them know now will put my mind at ease.”
His sincerity, coupled with his harmlessly handsome face, made it difficult to discern his true intentions.
Su Ming Hua was initially pleased by these words.
However, his happiness lasted only for a moment before a flicker of unease settled in.
While he trusted Su Yue wouldn't say anything, the subtle probing from the young master of the Chen family last time still left him worried.
“I’m glad you don’t mind. It’s I who feel troubled, with everyone saying how fortunate I am to have raised such a wonderful daughter and to have her involved with Secretary Chen’s son.”
He chuckled wryly, refilling Chen Zi Ming’s tea, and continued, “As a father, all I wish for is my daughter to find a reliable partner. But with them saying such things, it makes me seem like I have ulterior motives.”
Chen Zi Ming immediately frowned. “I didn’t expect this to spread so outrageously. Director Su, please don’t mind. If anyone is to be considered as climbing the ladder, it would be me climbing to be the daughter of a leader.”
He paused, then added, “Besides, your reputation in the department is excellent. My father himself has privately praised your capabilities and character. Rumors will naturally be dispelled.”
Upon hearing this, Su Ming Hua visibly froze. “You, your father… praised me?”
This was clearly beyond his expectations.
Chen Zi Ming appeared somewhat embarrassed and took a sip of tea to cover his awkwardness. “Please don’t be offended. He really approves of Yue Yue and knows my intentions are firm, so he inquired privately.”
Su Ming Hua’s face showed a rare hint of panic, but it was quickly suppressed by a forced composure.
With slightly trembling hands, he picked up his teacup and brought it to his lips, smiling as he replied,
“It’s nothing, nothing at all… As parents ourselves, I can understand…”
A fleeting, almost imperceptible smile crossed Chen Zi Ming’s lips, followed by an immediate apology:
“Of course, I did reprimand him for his actions, and he realized his approach was inappropriate. Rest assured, he won’t act so rashly in the future.”
Su Ming Hua choked on his tea, then looked at his potential son-in-law with surprise.
He hadn't expected the Chen family to dote on this young master so much, not only treating his girlfriend of a short duration like a cherished daughter-in-law, but even the formidable Secretary Chen himself was humbly accepting his criticism.
However, this was precisely what he desired.
It meant his status as a father-in-law was more secure. With this in mind, he only needed to focus on maintaining a good relationship with Chen Zi Ming, and the rest would naturally fall into place.
With this thought, Su Ming Hua regained his composure and calmly placed his teacup back down with a serene smile.
He began to toy with it thoughtfully.
Chen Zi Ming, sensing he was lost in thought, didn't hurry and patiently waited for him to speak.
After a moment, he finally did.
Su Ming Hua's gaze became more serious as he looked at the young man sitting upright and slowly began,
“Now that our parents are aware of each other, there’s something I’d like to bring up.”
“Please, sir,” Chen Zi Ming straightened his posture.
“It’s rather embarrassing to talk about,” Su Ming Hua lowered his voice. Though he called it embarrassing, an undercurrent of displeasure could be detected.
He cleared his throat and continued, “Along with your relationship, there’s also talk of you living together.”
“It wouldn’t matter if it were just rumors, but some jealous individuals have been saying very nasty things… that Yue Yue is adept at seducing men, and that she must have used her bedroom skills to bewitch you. Otherwise, with your family’s status, how could they possibly take a liking to my daughter, Su Ming Hua.”
Chen Zi Ming’s fists instantly clenched, his breathing quickening. Clearly, he was not meant to know about such rumors.
For a fleeting moment, he suspected Su Ming Hua had fabricated the story, but upon further reflection, he realized these were exactly the kind of things those people would say.
“I apologize, Director Su,” he finally lowered his head and apologized earnestly.
Seeing his evident anger, Su Ming Hua inwardly chuckled, though his expression was one of feigned helplessness.
“There’s no need for your apology. It’s just that as a father, I cannot stand to hear my daughter’s reputation tarnished. However, if you were to move back home, neither of you would agree, so my wife and I discussed it.”
Su Ming Hua paused at this point, his voice tinged with a hint of caution. “I remember you mentioning that you were willing to get engaged first.”
Chen Zi Ming’s expression shifted to one of surprise, but in the next instant, everything became clear.
He released his clenched fists, his body relaxing considerably, and a sincere smile graced his face as he answered earnestly,
“Yes, I did say that.”