He Ju finished signing the statement, and the lawyer left. All that was left was to find a time to get the document notarized.

He Ju was quick and efficient, which greatly relieved Bai Yan as he watched.

Bai Yan actually knew how the marriage between He Ju and Si Hua came to be, and he held his son-in-law in even higher regard because of it.

Si Hua and Si Mei were like two peas in a pod, identical to each other back in the day.

But as a father, Bai Yan worried about his daughter making the wrong choices, so he felt compelled to test the character and values of the man she chose.

So far, He Ju’s behavior had been satisfactory to him.

Bai Yan said, “Stay for lunch at home tomorrow morning. It will be a formal introduction to everyone, but be prepared, it might be a tricky situation.”

Bai Yan’s reminder made He Ju extra cautious: “Okay, thanks, Dad.”

With a nod, Bai Yan added, “Let’s go check on the others; it’s getting late. If there’s nothing else, you should head back and get some sleep.”

Following Bai Yan, He Ju let out a sigh of relief under his breath.

By the time they emerged, it was nearly two in the morning.

He Ju thought everyone had gone to sleep due to the silence, but to his surprise, the mother and her two children had moved to the table and were engrossed in a game of Fight the Landlord, each holding a hand of cards!

Si Mei was clearly in high spirits, with a pile of winnings in front of her, while Si Hua looked upset, probably having lost money and determined to win it back. Bai Yan sat listlessly, his eyes dull, his knees exposed and badly bruised—it looked like he was about to collapse…

Hearing the noise, all three looked up. Seeing Bai Yan and He Ju come out, Si Hua’s mood instantly lifted, but Si Mei was displeased: “Why come out so soon? We haven’t played enough…”

Bai Yan’s eyes brightened too, but the dark circles under his eyes had grown larger. He looked at He Ju as if he were a savior, wailing, “Brother! Save me!!”

Who else would be playing Fight the Landlord in the middle of the night? And to make matters worse, his mother was too good at playing dirty, betting a thousand per game. His sister and mommy had money, but he was broke!!!

He didn’t have much spending money to begin with, and here they were, sucking his blood dry. He was on the verge of death!!!

He Ju almost laughed at Bai Yan’s pitiful state, but managed to hold it back by thinking of all the hardships he’d faced in life. Then he caught Bai Yan’s resentful gaze.

He Ju looked away and walked over to Si Hua, gently touching her head: “Tired? Let’s go back to sleep.”

Si Hua nodded happily, her eyes sparkling like little stars, making He Ju’s heart skip a beat.

Si Mei chimed in, “Finish this round before you go?”

Bai Yan’s face turned pale, and he quickly tossed his cards down, shaking his head like a rattle.

Si Mei gave Bai Yan a disdainful look: “Look at you, with dark circles and a lack of energy. You’re a young man in your twenties; how can you look so worn out? You’re not even as robust as your mom!”

He Ju kept silent but couldn’t help glancing at the dispirited Bai Yan…

And concluded that his own vitality was indeed superior.

Si Hua also sneaked a peek at He Ju, then quietly curved her lips, leaving Bai Yan dumbfounded as she commented, “Yeah, Bai Yan, you really need to exercise more.”

Bai Yan was even more shocked, as if struck by lightning: “Come on, it’s two in the morning, I’m injured, it’s normal not to be full of energy, right? Personal attacks are not fair, He Ju, am I right?”

He Ju looked down at the floor, pretending he hadn’t heard a thing.

Bai Yan was left speechless. So much for good buddies!!!

Inwardly, He Ju thought: Joke’s on him, those are my mother-in-law and wife. Can I really speak up at a critical time like this? Of course not!

In the end, it was Bai Yan who stepped forward with a resigned expression and pulled Si Mei away: “Enough playing, tell me how much you need, and I’ll transfer it to you later.”

With that, Si Mei was content, but before leaving, she didn’t forget to say, “Son and daughter, let’s continue tomorrow!”

Bai Yan and Si Hua both fell silent; they were exhausted.

After Si Mei and Bai Yan left, He Ju stepped forward and picked up Si Hua: “We’re heading back first. If you can’t walk back, I’ll have someone carry you.”

Bai Yan immediately stood up from his chair: “Are you kidding? Can’t I walk back? Don’t flaunt your love; you’ve only been kneeling for an hour, while I’ve knelt for a full three hours and just lost money…”

He Ju silenced Bai Yan with a simple offer: “I’ll transfer you some money later.”

Bai Yan’s attitude changed instantly: “Alright, brother-in-law, take your time.”

Si Hua was amazed by his quick change of face. As He Ju carried her out, just as they crossed the threshold, Bai Yan called out loudly, “Sister, brother-in-law, may you have a child soon!!!”

He Ju nearly stumbled, but managed to steady himself, while the servants at the door quickly bowed their heads, pretending they hadn’t heard a thing.

Si Hua, embarrassed, buried her face in He Ju’s chest, curling up like a little shrimp.

Even with his thick skin, He Ju couldn’t help but turn around and glare at Bai Yan after that comment: “Thanks a lot, you’re such a good person, a good person for 108 lifetimes!”

With that, He Ju turned and walked away, leaving Bai Yan in disarray.

The servants, struggling to hold back their laughter, stood silently, their silence speaking volumes.

Si Hua led the way, and soon they were back at their place.

He Ju had planned to get a good night’s sleep, but Si Hua said, “We don’t have to get up early tomorrow, so we can sleep well tonight without worries.”

He Ju asked, “Don’t we need to have breakfast with Mom and Dad?”

Si Hua explained, “Each courtyard is separate, and it’s quite a hassle to go back and forth, so it’s not necessary. Unless there’s something important, we usually eat on our own. But tomorrow we need to introduce you to everyone, so we’ll all have lunch together.”

He Ju’s eyes lit up, and without taking time to admire the unfamiliar house, he carried Si Hua back to the room, then urged her, “Wife, why don’t you take a shower first.”

Si Hua’s sleepiness vanished instantly; she knew what He Ju meant, but…

Si Hua hesitated, “It’s too late tonight, husband—”

He Ju lifted Si Hua onto the bed and then knelt down to examine her knees, finding some redness and scrapes. He felt a twinge of discomfort: “Alright, let’s sleep well tonight, darling.”

Si Hua was instantly delighted, hugging He Ju’s neck and planting several kisses on his face, then whispered, “When we get back, we’ll do whatever you want.”

Such a good deal?

He Ju’s eyes sparkled: “Deal, I’m taking you seriously!”

He had many ideas in mind; in the past, he had restrained himself, not wanting to scare Si Hua.

But now, things were different.

Si Hua, observing He Ju’s expression, felt something was amiss.

She tentatively asked, “Is it too late to back out now?”

He Ju smiled and raised an eyebrow at her: “What do you think? Wife?”