The result was unexpected.

Hu Lijuan had a mindset of just going along, but when You Pei arrived, he looked at the scene and realized he had been tricked yet again. Wasn’t this setup meant to introduce him to someone?

So after entering, he didn’t speak but kept a cold expression.

He wasn’t aware that his cold demeanor paired with the camouflage outfit often gave off a cool and mysterious vibe. This vibe was precisely what attracted most girls.

Of course, the moment Hu Lijuan, who had been talking about finding a mature partner, laid eyes on You Pei, she was stunned, staring straight at him, almost drooling like a lovestruck fool. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Years of professional instincts told her that this was wrong, so she quickly became one of the women who looked at him for the shortest time.

This made You Pei’s eyes flicker slightly, but he didn’t say anything, cooperating by sitting down and patiently listening.

Unexpectedly, the person he was meeting was Han Yi and Xiao Wan’s sister. He didn’t imagine Han Yi would have such a capable sister, and a lawyer at that. Her family had introduced many people to her, but none were in this profession.

Yesterday, something happened, and having met the person he wanted to see, he suddenly realized his years of persistence weren’t so worthwhile. He should let go. Life is long; he shouldn’t be the tragic protagonist. Maybe he should consider living differently.

Liang Hongmei and Aunt Yun greeted You Pei as he arrived, bringing him to the table to introduce themselves. Fortunately, Lin Wan was there, whom they all were familiar with, making things easier.

Not long after sitting, Liang Hongmei quietly left her seat, busying herself in the hall greeting guests.

Aunt Yun suddenly mentioned that a student was supposed to come to her home today. Realizing time was running out, she hurriedly instructed You Pei to give Lin Wan and Hu Lijuan a ride back later.

You Pei obliged and escorted Aunt Yun out the door. Upon returning, Lin Wan and You Pei exchanged a few words, discussing the mundane affairs of You Pei’s past year.

There wasn’t much to tell, mostly about the kids, either about Liao Ye’s little fatty or about his own mischievous son.

You Pei surprisingly envied it a bit, considering the little ones he had seen these past few days, he really had some thoughts of his own.

"Since you’ve been here these days, why haven’t you dropped by the compound? Are you free tomorrow? Han Yi and Liao Ye are off tomorrow; why don’t you come over to my place and we can all gather?" At the table, Lin Wan noticed Hu Lijuan had been keeping her head down while You Pei only conversed with her, feeling awkward, she quickly added, "These days my sister is staying with us, I’m busy with the kids, Han Yi isn’t home, it’s too cold to play outside. We’re thinking about what to do. Perfect that you’re here in Z City, let’s have some fun at our place catching up, so my sister-in-law doesn’t feel bored. Right, Lijuan?"

"Ah... oh, indeed." Hu Lijuan was currently in a state of racing heartbeat, her mind already a jumble. Her face felt overwhelmingly hot, and she could sense the heat.

Her current reaction left her disappointed; having witnessed many grand scenes and big cases, yet now in front of a man, she was blushing and heart racing, unable to speak coherently. It was quite vexing.

She had taken a liking to this man, but judging by his conversation and expressions, he didn’t seem interested in her. Ah, finally finding someone who made her heart flutter in an instant, but the chance seemed to be slipping away.

Hu Lijuan felt a bit disappointed. But she was always open-minded; in matters of the heart, she preferred to let nature take its course. Even if she liked someone, she wouldn’t cling on forcefully. She wasn’t that type of person, otherwise her previous two relationships wouldn’t have each eventually ended without resolution.

"Alright, Saozi, I was planning to come find you guys tomorrow anyway; I was talking to Han Yi this afternoon." You Pei nodded with a smile, agreeing.

"Actually, today I was hoping to ask you for a favor. I’m not returning to the compound today; you happened to have a car, could you help drive my sister-in-law back to the compound?" Lin Wan smiled, adding to the conversation.

Unexpectedly, for such a simple request, You Pei actually agreed. Lin Wan felt there was potential, subtly pulling Hu Lijuan’s hand to encourage her to cooperate well.

After asking You Pei, Lin Wan only sat for a few more minutes before getting up and leaving.