"Aunt, Uncle, what are you thinking? What does my marriage have to do with my cousin? I'm not getting any younger, and I happened to meet the right person, so naturally, I got married." Mo Nuan felt a bit guilty.

"Enough; you know what kind of person I am. Your uncle and I aren't as poor as you think. We've been working for decades, and we have enough money to buy a house in A City. We've been living in the faculty housing because the school is nearby and the neighbors are all familiar faces. We value convenience and liveliness. After your brother gets married, we'll help him buy a house, and he'll move out to live on his own. You'll still stay with us. If you got married hastily for this reason, it's better to end it early. Besides, not many people know about this." Zhang Ruoyan spoke firmly.

Bai Hesheng disapproved and tugged at Zhang Ruoyan's arm. "What nonsense are you spouting? Who divorces a child they've picked up?"

"I don't care. She's my only niece. I can't bear to see her suffer even a bit." Zhang Ruoyan's eyes turned red.

Mo Nuan pursed her lips and leaned lightly on Zhang Ruoyan's shoulder. "Aunt, I know what you're worried about. You're afraid I'll follow in my mother's footsteps. But people are fickle, regardless of gender. Men can be just as ruthless as women. Even if feelings are deep now, who can guarantee they won't change in the long run? We understand this very well. I didn't believe in love originally, but you and Uncle have always reminded me that people are different from each other. I don't believe in fate, but I have to submit to it. Perhaps love isn't the only passport to marriage; everything is predetermined. Since I've made my choice, I won't easily let go."

Zhang Ruoyan sighed heavily and pinched Mo Nuan's cheek. "Where did you get such a stubborn temper?"

Bai Hesheng smiled faintly. "Don't forget, this is unique to your Zhang family. Remember how you fought with your parents to marry me? Everyone advised you to give up on me, but you didn't care that I was poor."

At the mention of the past, Zhang Ruoyan glared at Bai Hesheng. "Stop flattering yourself. I regret it now."

"Xiao Nuan, Aunt doesn't want to say anything more. Since you've made your choice, cherish it. Love is the foundation of marriage, but marriage also requires cultivation. Once you're married, you're not alone anymore. Think things through carefully. Going to a city will inevitably involve meeting that family. I don't know if it's a blessing or a curse." 

Mo Nuan felt warm in her heart. "Aunt, don't worry. I have no impression of them, and I won't do anything out of line."

Zhang Ruoyan smoothed Mo Nuan's hair. "Silly girl, don't pay attention to those rumors. Aunt believes you're not that kind of person. B.C. is your home. If you're ever mistreated, just call us, and I'll have your brother come pick you up. You're not alone; you have us."

"Aunt, Uncle, I will. Thank you for taking care of me all these years."

"Don't talk nonsense. We're your family; taking care of you is only natural."

Mo Nuan was worried about Lu Jin and went to the kitchen to check. As soon as she entered, she felt a bit dizzy. She saw Lu Jin's sleeves rolled up to his wrists, chopping vegetables swiftly and neatly, as if he had two brushes. "You can really cook?"

"I'm not that dumb to reveal my shortcomings on the first visit." Implicitly, not only can he cook, but it's also his specialty.

Mo Nuan couldn't help but smirk. Looking at him, he didn't seem like someone who knew how to cook. Do chefs nowadays all have such a good temperament?

"Is there anything I can help with?" she asked.

Lu Jin looked at her with some skepticism. "Can you wash vegetables?"

Mo Nuan gave him a glare. "I'm not that dumb."

In the living room, Zhang Ruoyan and Bai Hesheng listened to their conversation, their faces showing slight smiles.

"Why the sudden change of heart? When I left, you were still fuming. I was thinking of hurrying back in case you stirred up trouble," Bai Hesheng remarked.

"Am I someone who's so unreasonable?" Zhang Ruoyan retorted.

Bai Hesheng chuckled but didn't engage directly with his wife. Instead, he deftly diverted: "Actually, from what I can tell, that kid's character should be pretty good. He speaks and acts gracefully, without arrogance or impetuosity. Young people nowadays rarely have his qualities. He seems like a worthy choice. I just wonder about his family background."

"You don't need to worry about that. He's from the Lu family."

"The Lu family?"

"Are you getting senile, dear? How many Lu families are there in A City?"

"You mean the Lu family in A City that's influential in military, political, and business circles?"

Zhang Ruoyan nodded.

"This kid really knows how to pick them. How did he end up with such an influential family again?" Bai Hesheng's eyes showed some concern.

"I'm not worried about that. Our Zhang family also started in A City before moving overseas. I've met the Lu family before. They're different from typical wealthy families and don't have complicated relationships. Their family cohesion is strong. I believe they'll treat Xiao Nuan well. The key is, with their protection, I don't believe Mo Pingshan and that mother-daughter pair can do anything to Xiao Nuan." This was an important reason for Zhang Ruoyan's change of attitude. With the support of the Lu family, Mo Nuan wouldn't be alone.

After having dinner cooked by Lu Jin, both Bai Hesheng and Zhang Ruoyan's doubts about him were dispelled. Even Bai Hesheng, an expert in the field, couldn't help but give Lu Jin a thumbs-up.

Mo Nuan hadn't expected a man like Lu Jin to cook so well.

"A Jin, Aunt, wants to have a heart-to-heart with you," Zhang Ruoyan said, looking at Lu Jin, her tone noticeably more affectionate.

Lu Jin nodded and treated Zhang Ruoyan's next words seriously. "Aunt, please go ahead."

"Your sudden marriage to Xiao Nuan has caught your uncle and me off guard. Although this girl isn't our biological daughter, we've always treated her like our own. She's been living with us for the past few years, so your sudden marriage has left us unprepared. But upon careful consideration, we realize that we can't take care of her forever. She'll eventually leave our side. Aunt just hopes that your Lu family will treat her well. This girl hasn't had an easy life since childhood. I only hope that the latter half of her life will be worry-free." Zhang Ruoyan's tone was tinged with sadness.

Listening to Zhang Ruoyan's words, Mo Nuan felt a mix of emotions. Although A City was her hometown, she had no memories there. On the other hand, she was more familiar with B City, full of memories at every turn.

Seemingly sensing her emotional fluctuations, Lu Jin squeezed her hand tightly. "Aunt, please rest assured. You don't need to worry about my parents. They're very reasonable people. They'll treat the person I've chosen as their own daughter. As for me, I'll naturally take good care of my wife."

"What about the wedding?" Bai Hesheng finally spoke up.