Heartthrob, Your Image is Crumbling!

Chapter 502: The Prospective Son-in-Law Meets the Mother-in-Law

It was no wonder that Pan Min, despite being in her thirties and a divorced mother, had so many suitors. The main reason was that she was genuinely beautiful and possessed a naturally refined, bourgeois charm. In the past, when she didn't have a car, it might have been inconvenient, so she didn't focus much on her makeup or attire. But after Zhou Yuwen bought her a car, her quality of life completely changed, and she naturally became much more elegant.It was September, and the weather was still a bit hot. Pan Min wore a white chiffon shirt paired with a black, knee-length pencil skirt. Although the outfit didn't reveal her beautiful legs, this combination perfectly accentuated her figure. Her hair, elegantly pinned up, only added to her mature charm.

Never mind those wealthy, middle-aged uncles who thought they had a chance to win her affections—even the penniless, divorced male teachers wanted to try their luck. Who knew? Perhaps Teacher Pan might just take a fancy to one of them.

However, Pan Min was genuinely startled by the sudden confession. This Teacher Luo had only transferred to their school two months ago, and they had barely exchanged more than a couple of sentences in total.

Yet, ever since Teacher Luo discovered that she was divorced and single, he had launched a frantic pursuit, even going so far as to follow her all the way to her home.

This left Pan Min deeply exasperated, forcing her to awkwardly urge Teacher Luo to get up from the ground.

With so many people watching, how could a man in his forties still pull this kind of stunt?

At that moment, Zhou Yuwen watched the scene unfold through the rearview mirror of his G-Wagon. In fact, they weren't far apart, and he could even hear what Teacher Luo was saying to Pan Min.

Despite Pan Min's obvious discomfort as she pleaded with him to get up.

Teacher Luo acted as if he couldn't understand her at all, stubbornly continuing his performance.

Unable to watch any longer, Zhou Yuwen murmured a few words to Liu Shuo.

Understanding the assignment, Liu Shuo stepped out of the driver's seat.

Liu Shuo, with his mountain-like build and fiercely intimidating face, stepped out of the car and shouted a loud "Hey!" at Teacher Luo's back. He had intended to scare the man off right then and there, but to his surprise, Teacher Luo's eyes were so fixated on Pan Min that he didn't even hear it.

This only fueled Liu Shuo's irritation. Scowling, he jogged over and grabbed Teacher Luo by the back of his neck. "Hey, I'm talking to you. Are you deaf?"

"Huh?" Teacher Luo was practically lifted off his feet by Liu Shuo, receiving the shock of his life. By the time he processed what was happening, Liu Shuo had already dragged him to the side.

Although Liu Shuo was only nineteen, spending a year in Jinling had given him enough street smarts. He glared fiercely at Teacher Luo and snarled, "Take a good look in the mirror! You're in your forties and don't even own a sedan, yet you're trying to pick up girls?! Let me tell you, if you want to court a woman, you need at least four wheels. See that? That car is worth over two million! You couldn't afford it even if you sold yourself!"

Liu Shuo pointed at the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon parked a short distance away.

Truth be told, Teacher Luo had the quintessential look of a strict literature teacher, and scolding him felt incredibly satisfying to Liu Shuo. After all, he had been endlessly tormented by teachers just like him back in high school.

In the past, he always had to shrink back and offer an apologetic smile. Who would have thought a day like this would come?

Teacher Luo's face turned undeniably ugly after being thoroughly dressed down by Liu Shuo. However, with his goddess standing right there, even though his face and reputation had been trampled on, he had to force himself to talk back. He couldn't just turn tail and flee now, could he?

Thus, Teacher Luo feigned composure. Banking on Liu Shuo's young age, he demanded, "And who exactly are you? What does this have to do with you? Teacher Pan, do you know him?"

Pan Min really had no impression of Liu Shuo. But before she could respond, Liu Shuo sneered, "What's it to you who I am? Are you the only one allowed to pursue Teacher Pan? Can't others do the same?"

"You're also her suitor?" Teacher Luo asked, completely dumbfounded, as he carefully scrutinized Liu Shuo's appearance.

Given the blatant age difference, no matter how fierce Liu Shuo looked, his youth was glaringly obvious.

It wasn't just Teacher Luo who was stunned; even Pan Min froze for a moment.

Was it a good thing she had no memory of this kid?

Liu Shuo chuckled. "What the hell are you thinking? Obviously it's not me. Are you blind? I'm just a driver. How could I be the one pursuing her? My older brother is in the car!"

Liu Shuo gestured again toward the parked Mercedes-Benz.

Teacher Luo tilted his head to look. Admittedly, he didn't recognize it as a G-Wagon, but he certainly recognized the logo. Besides, Liu Shuo had just announced that it was a two-million-yuan car.

Through the tinted rear window, he could faintly make out the silhouette of a person sitting completely motionless inside. An unseen, mysterious rival was the most intimidating kind. Most importantly, the financial dominance was crushing—it was infinitely more impressive than his pathetic electric bicycle.

Teacher Luo couldn't help but steal a glance at Pan Min. In truth, Pan Min was equally confused. She did have many suitors, but absolutely none of them drove a G-Wagon. She was extremely curious about who it could be.

Unlike Teacher Luo, Pan Min knew a thing or two about cars, so she was well aware of the price tag on that Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon.

Two million...

As a woman, and one who had been divorced for many years at that...

Knowing that a successful man of unknown net worth, driving a two-million-yuan car, was actively pursuing her...

It was obviously impossible for her heart not to experience a subtle flutter of anticipation.

Just as her thoughts began to wander, Teacher Luo asked, "Teacher Pan, do you know them?"

"Oh."

The question snapped Pan Min out of her daze. She had no idea how to answer.

At that moment, Liu Shuo impatiently interrupted, "What does it matter to you if she knows us or not? Take a hike, will you? Riding that broken-down junk and trying to chase women... And these trashy flowers! Throw them in the garbage where they belong!"

With that, Liu Shuo snatched the bouquet from Teacher Luo's hands and hurled it directly into the man's face.

Subjected to such humiliation, Teacher Luo naturally flushed with anger. He opened his mouth, ready to indignantly argue with Liu Shuo, but Liu Shuo merely scowled and barked, "Are you leaving or not?! If you don't scram, I'll beat the living daylights out of you!"

Seeing that the hulking teenager was absolutely not bluffing, Teacher Luo hesitated. Deciding that a wise man knows when to retreat, he hopped onto his electric bicycle. Yet, before speeding off, he couldn't resist calling out, "Teacher Pan, I'll come see you again tomorrow!"

"You dare come back?! If I see you again, I'll twist your head right off!"

Liu Shuo cursed loudly, taking a few threatening steps forward as if to give chase.

But Teacher Luo was moving at lightning speed by then, vanishing down the street in the blink of an eye.

Once Teacher Luo was completely gone, Liu Shuo turned to Pan Min with a grin. As he opened his mouth to speak, he suddenly realized he didn't know how to address her, so he simply blurted out, "Teacher Pan, are you alright?"

Pan Min looked at this rather reckless youngster and couldn't help but smile, shaking her head as she replied that she was fine.

She added that she really needed to thank him this time. Liu Shuo waved it off with a loud "Ha!" and declared, "No need to thank me, it was all on my brother's orders!"

Hearing the mention of his brother, Pan Min involuntarily glanced at the G-Wagon parked on the curb again. She was truly burning with curiosity—when had she acquired such a suitor?

Suddenly remembering his duties, Liu Shuo hurried back to the side of the vehicle and opened the door for Zhou Yuwen.

At that moment, Pan Min was filled with a deep sense of expectation.

Especially since, from her blurry view through the window earlier, this wealthy benefactor seemed to have maintained an excellent physique.

It wasn't until Zhou Yuwen actually stepped out that Pan Min froze completely.

An inexplicable wave of disappointment suddenly washed over her heart.

"Aunt Pan, are you alright?" Completely unaware of Pan Min's internal emotional rollercoaster, Zhou Yuwen offered her a gentle smile and asked.

"Oh." Pan Min was genuinely disappointed to see it was Zhou Yuwen. It took her a long moment to snap out of it. "Yuwen?"

Zhou Yuwen nodded, then couldn't resist scolding Liu Shuo who stood beside him. He demanded to know why Liu Shuo had spouted so much nonsense just now. Chasing women? How could he possibly be Aunt Pan's suitor?

Liu Shuo chuckled sheepishly, scratching his head. "Brother, wasn't I just trying to make him back off? You didn't see what he was like, riding that beat-up old scooter and still thinking he had a shot with our Teacher Pan!"

"Is Teacher Pan someone you should be calling?" Zhou Yuwen asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, right!" Liu Shuo hurriedly corrected himself. "Aunt Pan, Auntie Pan! I just got used to saying it earlier! Aunt Pan, please don't be mad!"

Zhou Yuwen then formally introduced them, explaining to Pan Min that Liu Shuo was his friend.

"This guy is just like that, he has absolutely no filter. Please don't take offense, Aunt Pan," Zhou Yuwen apologized.

Pan Min shook her head. She reasoned that Zhou Yuwen had called her earlier, so she really should have known it was him from the start. Yet, just moments ago, she had actually felt a flutter of expectation.

Thinking about it now, she felt deeply ashamed of her own foolish anticipation.

What on earth had she been hoping for just now?

Leaving Liu Shuo waiting in the car, Zhou Yuwen grabbed several large and small bags and followed Pan Min upstairs. The elegant packaging of these gifts was a rare sight in such a small county town, featuring high-end designer brands like Louis Vuitton, Hermès, and Chanel.

Moreover, they were all heavily packaged, substantial gifts. Seeing this, Pan Min was somewhat moved. "I'm just an old woman, why would you go out of your way to spend so much money on me?" she asked softly.

Zhou Yuwen chuckled in reply. "I don't really understand these things anyway."

"Su Qing bought all of this for you. I'm just acting as the delivery man."

He might say that, but Pan Min knew full well that Zhou Yuwen was the one footing the bill for everything.

Looking at Zhou Yuwen's sharp brows, piercing eyes, and tall, upright posture—the very picture of a vigorous young man—Pan Min couldn't help but think that her daughter had truly found an exceptional man.

Following Pan Min upstairs, Zhou Yuwen trailed behind her, his hands full of various shopping bags.

In this dilapidated residential area, the stairwell was quite narrow. Pan Min led the way with her graceful figure. With every step she ascended, her curvy hips wrapped tightly in the pencil skirt swayed mesmerizingly.

Zhou Yuwen kept his head down as he followed from behind, remaining completely silent.

It wasn't until they entered her apartment that Pan Min instructed Zhou Yuwen to set the bags down.

She then bent over to change into a pair of slippers before gesturing for him to come inside and take a seat.

Zhou Yuwen didn't stand on ceremony. After all, it wasn't his first time visiting. He squeezed past Pan Min and stepped inside—if only to finally put down the heavy load he was carrying.

Ever since Su Qing had gone off to university, Pan Min had been living alone in this modest apartment layout. The space felt a bit desolate, and the kitchen looked as if it hadn't been used for cooking in a very long time.

Zhou Yuwen noticed an opened, half-empty bottle of foreign liquor sitting conspicuously on the dining table.

This sparked a bit of curiosity in him. "Aunt Pan, do you drink when you're all alone?" he asked.

Having finished changing her shoes, Pan Min replied, "When I'm alone and can't sleep, I have a little to help me rest."

Zhou Yuwen immediately mentioned that he had brought her some health supplements that were supposed to be effective against insomnia, suggesting she give them a try.

Hearing this, Pan Min offered him a warm smile. "You're very thoughtful," she murmured.

Not treating himself as an outsider in the slightest, Zhou Yuwen smiled as he tightly secured the cap on the open bottle of foreign liquor and tucked it away in a cabinet. "It's only right, Aunt Pan," he said cheerfully. "Since Su Qing is away to study abroad right now, you can just call me directly if you need anything. They say a son-in-law is half a son; it's my duty to take care of you."

Pan Min couldn't help but chuckle softly at his words. She had to admit, as a prospective son-in-law, Zhou Yuwen was certainly passing the test. Most importantly, he was perceptive and proactive; he hadn't stopped moving since he walked through the door, and now he was even taking her dirty liquor glass to the kitchen to wash it.

"You and Little Qing haven't even gotten married yet," Pan Min pointed out playfully. "You can't really call yourself my son-in-law just yet."

Zhou Yuwen brushed it off dismissively. "It's only a matter of time."

Pan Min nodded in deep agreement. With Zhou Yuwen performing his role as a prospective son-in-law this flawlessly, if her daughter ever returned from studying abroad and pulled a stunt like refusing to marry him, Pan Min reckoned she'd disown her before she'd let Su Qing marry anyone else.

Of course, that all hinged on whether Zhou Yuwen was still willing to marry her.

Zhou Yuwen finished rinsing the glass and set it aside to dry.

Seeing Pan Min leaning casually against the dining table, watching him with an ambiguous, teasing smile, Zhou Yuwen suddenly felt a wave of embarrassment.

'How did this turn into a prospective son-in-law meeting his mother-in-law all over again?' he thought to himself.