I once came across a saying.

To Zhang's surprise, Liu Xiaomei's home was exceptionally spacious—a duplex of over three hundred square meters, even featuring a dedicated little dance studio.

Of course, the first thing he saw upon entering was the grand living room. Aunt Liu stood by the door, smiling and beckoning, "You're here, please come in."

Before Zhang could marvel at the size of the house, he was struck by Aunt Liu's youthful appearance. She looked hardly older than Liu Xiaomei herself, dressed fashionably and with an air of vitality. Zhang hesitated, unsure how to address her: "Are you Sister Liu or Aunt Liu?"

Aunt Liu chuckled warmly, "Such a clever child, come in." She handed him a pair of slippers.

Zhang changed his shoes and entered. Liu Xiaomei introduced, "This is my mother. Isn't she beautiful?"

Zhang agreed, saying she was indeed beautiful.

Aunt Liu was affable, her smile never fading as she spoke, "This child, always saying such things."

Uncle Liu emerged from within—a cool, middle-aged man with a well-maintained physique and spirited demeanor, though his temples were streaked with white.

Zhang quickly greeted him, "Hello, Uncle." He handed over the gift he'd brought. "I wasn't sure what you liked, so I just picked up two bottles of wine."

Aunt Liu took the gift without even glancing at it, placing it casually on the shoe cabinet. "Come in and have a seat," she invited.

So they entered. Despite Aunt Liu's smiling face, Zhang felt a chill sweep over him. This was clearly the prelude to a grand interrogation.

Liu Xiaomei nudged her mother, "Are you satisfied?"

Aunt Liu replied, "Satisfied? We've barely exchanged a few words!"

Liu Xiaomei laughed and ran over to her father, "Dad, what are we having for lunch?"

"Shall we eat out?"

Liu Xiaomei declined.

"Then let your mom cook," her father said, glancing at Zhang. "You two chat." With that, he headed to the study.

Liu Xiaomei returned, sitting beside Zhang. She urged her mother, "Go ahead and ask."

Aunt Liu kept her warm smile. "Zhang, you should know that this conversation is a necessary formality. No matter whose family it is, we can't be careless when marrying off a daughter. You understand, right?"

"I do. Please, ask anything," Zhang replied.

"Alright, I'll begin. I heard you're a teacher?"

"Yes, I’m the homeroom teacher for ninth grade at No. 119 Middle School."

"A homeroom teacher for the graduating class—sounds like the school leadership values you," Aunt Liu remarked.

Zhang responded, "It's alright, I suppose."

"And, what’s your salary? Is it okay to ask?"

"Currently, it’s six thousand," Zhang replied.

"Six thousand? Is a teacher's salary really that high? Does that include tutoring fees?" Aunt Liu pressed, "Do you tutor students privately?"

"No, not at all," Zhang answered.

"So, no tutoring yet your salary’s that high? Are you a senior teacher?" Aunt Liu inquired thoroughly.

"Not a senior teacher. The school simply pays me that much," Zhang explained. "I wouldn’t deceive Xiaomei about this. You can rest assured."

Aunt Liu nodded. "Alright, let's leave salary aside for now. Are you a local?"

"No," Zhang replied, after a moment's thought, deciding to be honest. "I don’t own a house or a car; I’m renting right now."

Aunt Liu smiled. "You’re quite forthright. To be honest, I don’t actually care whether you have a house or a car. What I want to ask is: If you two get married, since you don’t have your own place, could you live here?"

She continued, "Our home is two floors, over three hundred square meters. There should be enough space."

Zhang said, "As long as you agree to let us be together, I can live anywhere."

Aunt Liu laughed, "That’s good. Let’s consider it settled then."

Zhang was taken aback—was this an invitation to become a live-in son-in-law?

Aunt Liu continued, "Honestly, where you live isn’t important. What matters is treating Xiaomei well. I want to ask, how did you two meet? What do you like about her?"

Zhang said, "I visited the conservatory and saw Xiaomei teaching a class. I was captivated." He thought for a moment before adding, "I think everything about Xiaomei is wonderful."

Aunt Liu said, "By saying that, your affection seems a bit blind."

Zhang replied, "It’s not blind."

Aunt Liu smiled, "Two people being together isn’t just about answering questions well. Life is about daily necessities—rice, oil, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea. If you two get married, we can help prepare a house and a car, but daily life is up to you. Do you think this topic is premature?"

"No, not at all," Zhang answered.

"I believe that, first and foremost, we can’t let Xiaomei suffer. So, every issue must be addressed early. I can’t wait until Xiaomei is hopelessly in love with you to bring up these matters—it would be too late then. We can’t let her bid farewell to a relationship in tears, or endure painful years," Aunt Liu said.

Zhang hurried to assure her, "That won’t happen."

"Never say never," Aunt Liu cautioned. "I’ve introduced suitors to Xiaomei before, but she rejected them all. Suddenly, she likes you. I’m curious what kind of person you are. I’ve long wanted to invite you over. Returning to our earlier topic: six thousand a month isn’t much. Marriage and children—six thousand disappears in a blink."

She glanced at Liu Xiaomei, then continued with Zhang, "I’m not bragging, but our monthly living expenses alone exceed six thousand. We rarely buy groceries at the market; only eat seasonal produce. We have a dedicated water purification system, disinfect kitchenware, and even our clothes. As for the wine you brought, I don’t know what kind it is, but no matter how expensive, Old Liu won’t drink it. We only drink homemade wine. Even our vegetables are ordered directly from trusted farmers. For example, a pound of white liquor costs thirty-five—hardly expensive, but it’s safe."

Aunt Liu spoke kindly, even as she outlined these negotiations. "What I mean is, we’ve given Xiaomei the best conditions growing up. If you only earn six thousand a month, it simply won’t be enough."

Zhang said, "I’ll work hard."

"Anyone can say that," Aunt Liu replied. "Xiaomei has never brought a boy home before—you’re the first. That makes me even more curious. From my perspective, I won’t interfere in your relationship, nor will I play the villain breaking up lovers. I hope you two will be well, always well. But I hope even more that, if you ever realize you can’t provide Xiaomei the quality of life she deserves, you’ll take the initiative to let go, and do so early."

This was indeed a negotiation, almost entirely detached from matters of the heart.

Zhang glanced at Liu Xiaomei, who smiled at him.

He said to Aunt Liu, "What I decide doesn’t matter. What matters is Xiaomei’s happiness."

Aunt Liu nodded, smiling. "That’s very good. Go have some fun. I’ll cook." With that, she rose to her feet.

Liu Xiaomei stood up and extended her right hand to Zhang, who quickly took it gently, letting her pull him upstairs.

The building had eight floors, housing only eight families—two units per two floors. The Liu family occupied the third and fourth floors, with the fourth serving as Liu Xiaomei’s private realm.

Ascending the stairs, Zhang entered a world of soft white. The first sight was a white grand piano. The first room beside it was a bedroom, adjacent to a study, practice room, and walk-in closet.

Liu Xiaomei led Zhang through each room. Zhang remarked, "Your family is so wealthy." He added, "With such a magnificent home, so close to the school, why stay in the dormitory?"

Liu Xiaomei replied, "I like it." Then she asked, "Isn’t it beautiful?"

Zhang said, "In all my life, this is the finest house I’ve ever seen."

Liu Xiaomei took Zhang to sit in the living room. "Want to watch TV?" she asked.

"Sure," Zhang replied.

Liu Xiaomei turned on the television, handed him the remote with a smile, "You’re in luck."

Zhang asked, "What luck?"

Liu Xiaomei said, "It must be your appearance—my mother only used thirty percent of her ability."

Zhang was stunned, "She said all that, and it was only thirty percent?"

Liu Xiaomei replied, "Talking a lot doesn’t mean the questions were hard."

Zhang thought back carefully; indeed, he hadn’t been put on the spot—no demands for a house, a car, or a dowry. She merely pointed out Xiaomei’s privileged life and insisted that marrying her would require effort.

He asked, "Has your mother ever made things difficult for others?"

"Not exactly difficult," Liu Xiaomei said. "Mostly investigation—does he smoke, drink, what kinds of friends, hobbies, dislikes, personal habits, bedtime... the list goes on. She didn’t even ask you those."

She stepped back, sizing up Zhang with a laugh, "Good looks give you an advantage."

Zhang said, "Back in middle school, people said I was handsome, but after that, nothing. All these years, finally someone appreciates me—it’s rare."

Liu Xiaomei said, "It’s not that you’re not handsome, it’s that you don’t take care of yourself." Sitting back down, she added, "From now on, I’ll help you."

Zhang said, "Are you hinting that I should move closer to you?"

"Why not? Or do you not want to?" Liu Xiaomei teased.

"It’s not that I don’t want to," Zhang said. "How can I explain? My class is... lively. It takes so much energy, it’s exhausting."

"Lively? Harder to manage than children?" Liu Xiaomei asked.

Zhang replied, "If you traveled the nation—or the world—among peers, probably only a juvenile detention center could rival the students in my class."

Liu Xiaomei was astonished, "All troubled kids?"

"Forty-five in total, every single one is a problem child. I’d wager the city’s worst students are all in my class," Zhang said. "I use both discipline and intimidation. Two are chronic truants, three others come to school to hide from debt collectors. Sometimes I wonder if I’m paying for past misdeeds, surrounded by these little devils. But later I realized it’s not karma, it’s a test from heaven. Meeting you is such incredible luck, heaven decided I was too happy and sent these kids to balance things out."

Liu Xiaomei said, "You’re such a sweet talker."

Zhang replied, "I have to be, I’ll be sweet for a lifetime."

Liu Xiaomei just looked at him, smiling for a long while before asking softly, "Aren’t you curious about me?"

"Curious?" Zhang echoed.

"Don’t you want to know about me? Why do you never ask anything, not once?" Liu Xiaomei smiled.

Zhang said, "I don’t need to ask. I trust you."

"Why do you trust me?" Liu Xiaomei said, "You know a person's face, not their heart. You can’t see mine."

"But I can see your eyes," Zhang replied. "They shine, so bright—brighter than anything, without a single blemish."