Chapter 168
Emily Smith took a deep breath, pushing down all the negative emotions.
She stood before the bathroom mirror, her cool fingertips lightly touching her swollen cheek. The sound of ginger tea bubbling came from the kitchen, steam curling in the air as she poured herself a full bowl.
"Why should I ruin myself for someone who doesn't deserve it?" she said to her reflection.
Before bed, she applied another layer of ointment. By morning, the redness had faded significantly. She carefully applied makeup, perfectly concealing the last traces.
The doorbell suddenly rang.
"Daniel?" She opened the door to find Daniel Chen standing there with breakfast. "Didn't you work late last night?"
He smiled as he stepped inside. "Watching you eat my cooking makes me happier than sleeping in."
Emily couldn't argue and obediently sat down. Daniel watched her sip the porridge, his eyes filled with tenderness.
"By the way," he suddenly said, "my parents know about us. They want to meet you."
Her spoon nearly dropped into the bowl. "They... came specifically to see me?"
"My dad's here for business, and my mom tagged along." Daniel took her hand. "Don't worry, they're very easygoing."
Emily nodded, already mentally planning her outfit for the meeting.
......
On Saturday morning, Emily was jolted awake by her phone vibrating. A message from Daniel: Parents are in Jinzhou. Dinner tonight?
She sat bolt upright, all sleepiness gone.
"That's too soon..." she murmured.
From the next room came the sound of Mia's snoring. Emily tiptoed into her best friend's bed and yanked the blanket off.
"Mia! Help!"
"It's so early..." Mia groaned sleepily. "You're meeting the parents, not me..."
"Come shopping with me! Now! Right now!"
With a dramatic wail, Mia was dragged out of bed by Emily.
At the mall, Emily was overwhelmed by choices. She finally settled on a high-quality inkstone for Daniel's father and a silk scarf for his mother.
"Are you really this nervous?" Mia sipped her milk tea. "Daniel already said his parents are easygoing."
Emily didn't respond, picking up another dress to examine.
By evening, Emily stood before the full-length mirror. White cropped pants hugged her slender waist, while the chiffon blouse with a bow at the front made her look effortlessly elegant. A light Chanel-style jacket draped over her arm, and a delicate smile pendant necklace rested just above her collarbone.
"Oh my god..." Mia dramatically clutched her chest. "If I were a guy, I'd pounce on you right now."
She pretended to lunge, but Emily dodged with a laugh.
"Stop it! You'll ruin my makeup!"
The doorbell rang as Emily was fixing her hair. Daniel stood at the entrance, freezing the moment his eyes landed on her.
"Hey!" Mia waved a hand in front of his face. "Snap out of it!"
Daniel blinked, his ears turning slightly red.