Chapter 14: The Uninvited Guest

“Who is this?”

Madam Peng’s eyesight wasn’t very good, and only when she stepped closer did she realize there was another person sitting on the sofa.

“Who might this be?”

Bai Meilan looked toward Peng Guojun.

“Husband, think of something quickly!”

She couldn’t possibly tell the elderly lady that this man was actually Xinxin’s blind date from yesterday—that would only cause trouble.

Peng Guojun was drenched in sweat, stammering, unsure of what to say. The old lady’s unexpected question caught him completely off guard, and he couldn’t think of a suitable excuse.

In the end, he chose to pass the question to the man sitting on the sofa.

The man rose gracefully and introduced himself with refined manners.

“Madam, I am Xiao Sihe, a friend of Peng Jiaxin.”

“A friend of Xinxin’s? Are you also here to see my future grandson-in-law?”

Xiao Sihe’s smile immediately froze on his face. He wanted to deny it, but under Peng Guojun’s stare, he reluctantly nodded.

“Y-yes.”

“Well, it’s wonderful that Xinxin’s friends have come to bless her. Their marriage will surely be very happy.”

“Yes, Grandma, please come sit down.”

Zhou Xuejing stifled a smile and helped Madam Peng onto the sofa.

Bai Meilan shot Xiao Sihe a cold glance. Of course she knew him—he was the nephew of a close friend of hers, a returned overseas student, now an executive at a foreign trade company.

It was she who had arranged the blind date yesterday morning.

When her “good friend” introduced this nephew to her, she never mentioned he could be so shameless.

“Should I ask him to leave now?”

“Yes, this is our family matter from here on out. It wouldn’t be appropriate for a guest to stay.”

In truth, Peng Guojun regretted letting him in the moment he stepped through the door, but the man had been polite, and since he was his wife’s friend’s nephew, he found it difficult to turn him away outright.

“Sihe, come over here.”

“All right, Uncle.”

Xiao Sihe followed Peng Guojun to the door, sensing that he was about to be shown out, a flicker of irritation flashing in his eyes.

He had gone to great lengths to find out the Peng family’s address and hurried over with gifts.

At the door, he met Peng Guojun returning home.

Through their conversation, Peng Guojun learned that Xiao Sihe was Peng Jiaxin’s original blind date. He also gathered that Peng Guojun was not very satisfied with Jiaxin’s current fiancé, so Xiao Sihe hatched a plan: he suggested testing the man named Chen Fan.

Peng Guojun frowned slightly. He might dislike his daughter’s fiancé, but what right did Xiao Sihe, an outsider, have to interfere—and to “test” him at that? Did he think he didn’t see through his little scheme?

Wanting to send him away, Xiao Sihe realized he had misspoken and quickly corrected himself, claiming he was visiting on behalf of that friend.

Now Peng Guojun was in a difficult position.

After all, it was his own daughter who had stood the man up, so for both emotional and practical reasons, he couldn’t refuse. He could only bring him inside.

“Sihe, you’ve stayed long enough today. I heard Xinxin is getting married. Uncle understands your feelings, but I’m afraid it has to end here.”

Xiao Sihe was completely unaware that Peng Guojun had already seen through his intentions. He was about to meet the real person, so how could he bear to leave?

As long as he could see Peng Jiaxin, he was confident he could win her over.

Before coming, Xiao Sihe had already done some background checks on Chen Fan.

Just a lowly laborer who drifts from job to job—if Peng Jiaxin wasn’t blind, she’d know who to choose!

“Uncle, I won’t be a bother, I...”

Peng Guojun raised his hand to cut him off.

“I said get out, do you understand?”

Xiao Sihe lowered his head, eyes full of reluctance, but there was nothing else he could do but leave for now.

Suddenly, behind him came the sound of the door opening. Both men looked up to see Peng Jiaxin enter, arm in arm with a man.

They seemed to be talking about something that made them both smile brightly.

Peng Guojun sized up Chen Fan from head to toe.

He had a decent face—no wonder he had his daughter utterly captivated.

“Dad? Why are you standing at the door?”

“Nothing. You two come on in.”

The three of them walked inside, and Peng Guojun paid no mind to Xiao Sihe, thinking that anyone with common sense wouldn’t make a fool of themselves here.

But to his surprise, the young man shamelessly returned.

The four of them settled back into the living room. Seeing Xiao Sihe trailing behind, Bai Meilan looked on with confusion.

Peng Guojun also noticed this ungrateful fellow and wore a scowl, but in front of the elderly lady, he couldn’t just kick out Peng Jiaxin’s “friend.”

Seeing Peng Guojun’s expression, Bai Meilan understood that her friendship with that “good friend” had run its course.

But now was not the time for that. She composed herself and approached Peng Jiaxin warmly.

“My dear, you’re finally back.”

“Mom.”

Bai Meilan embraced Peng Jiaxin briefly, then let go.

“Look who’s here.”

“Grandma?!”

Peng Jiaxin saw the kindly elderly woman on the sofa and rushed over excitedly.

“Grandma, what are you doing here?”

“Just came to see my good granddaughter. How could you get married to such a big deal without telling grandma?”

Madam Peng smiled warmly, holding Peng Jiaxin’s hand.

“This must be the future grandson-in-law, right?”

“Hello, Grandma. My name is Chen Fan.”

Chen Fan came to the sofa and knelt down to be at eye level with Madam Peng.

“I wanted to surprise you, but I didn’t expect you’d find out early.”

“That’s wonderful, that’s wonderful.”

The old lady was even happier after Chen Fan’s words.

“Madam.”

The old butler quietly asked if it was time for the meal.

“Yes, it’s time to eat.”

“All right.”

“Let’s go; we can talk over dinner.”

With that, Bai Meilan came over to Peng Guojun and apologized softly, admitting she hadn’t expected her friend to introduce someone like this.

Peng Guojun patted her hand.

“It’s all right.”

Chen Fan helped the elderly lady up and didn’t let go, not because he didn’t want to, but because Madam Peng wanted to talk with him a little longer.

Zhou Xuejing seized the chance to approach her good friend.

“What do you see in him?”

“Hmm... he’s handsome?”

Zhou Xuejing glanced at Chen Fan’s side profile.

“All right, I’ll count that as one reason. And?”

Peng Jiaxin rolled her eyes.

“What do you mean ‘count that as one’? Well, he cooks pretty well, and I don’t really mind being around him. Oh, and he has a good figure, too.”

Zhou Xuejing looked at her friend with a complicated expression.

“What’s wrong? You asked me first.”

Peng Jiaxin felt a bit guilty under that gaze, her face flushing even redder.

Oh no.

You’re falling in love.

“Peng Jiaxin, have you noticed?”

“Noticed what?”

“When you talk about Chen Fan, your tone rises a few degrees.”

“Not true...”

Zhou Xuejing’s reflective gaze shifted between the two of them. She wondered how this guy had managed to capture the heart of Su City’s most beautiful woman in just one day.

Could true love at first sight really exist?

Behind them, Xiao Sihe followed the two women, watching their laughter and banter. Without a doubt, they were discussing Chen Fan.

Xiao Sihe’s teeth ground in frustration.

All of this should have been his!

With that thought, his eyes greedily lingered on Peng Jiaxin’s retreating figure.

“I will win you over!”