Chapter 2: I Keep My Promises.

  After Zheng Chu had been talking with the system for a while, a knocking sound came from the door.

  "Master Zheng Chu, the Eldest Mistress is waiting," said the maid.

  Hearing this, Zheng Chu realized he had been arguing with the system for too long. Although the system was advanced technology, it had no information about the dark points or why they were locked.

  Zheng Chu wasn’t an irrational or superstitious person—at least, he hadn’t been before. If someone had told him that something as absurd as a system existed, he would’ve taken them to a psychiatrist.

  But now, as living proof that systems *did* exist, he felt a little strange. Pushing those doubts aside, he decided to stand up, walk to the door, and leave the room.

  At that moment, the two maids who had escorted him earlier reappeared.

  "We will guide you to the main hall," they said.

  He walked under their escort for at least three minutes before arriving at a beautiful white hall. Though the room had a cssical style, it was undeniably tasteful.

  In the center of the enormous hall were four sofas surrounding a table. The table, though it looked old due to its antique design, was surely made of materials that were rare in the present day.

  Feeling a bit awkward, he decided to sit on one of the sofas. Even though it was the most comfortable sofa he had ever sat on, his body remained stiff.

  He sat up straight, slightly nervous. The reason was simple—in this grand hall, he was the only one who stood out, making him feel scrutinized.

  He waited for at least a minute before the sound of high heels echoed in the distance.

  Then, the door at the northern end of the room opened, and there stood An Mu’s mother.

  His first internal reaction was astonishment. For a moment, he thought he was looking at An Mu, but as she approached the sofa across from him, the differences became clear.

  Though their facial features were simir, unlike her daughter, she exuded the grace of a refined noblewoman.

  Her aura wasn’t cold and cutting—instead, it carried a comforting softness.

  Her long, straight bck hair was mesmerizing. Anyone who saw her would surely want to touch it.

  And her formal CEO-style outfit accentuated all her strengths as a woman.

  Her forehead and the back of her head had nothing to envy compared to An Mu.

  For a brief moment—just a few seconds—he admitted that if An Mu’s mother were to attend university, her beauty and aura would surpass An Mu’s, leaving her in second pce.

  But this also sparked imagination and specution: *If her mother is like this, her daughter must have even more potential for growth in the future.

  Snapping out of his daze, Zheng Chu regained his composure.

  Being captivated by such a beautiful woman wasn’t the problem. The real problem was that if he showed disrespect in his delicate situation, he’d likely end up dead right here.

  After sitting down on the sofa across from him, An Mu’s mother introduced herself cordially:

  "Good afternoon, young man. My name is An Xue."

  Hearing her polite greeting, Zheng Chu could only respond in kind, standing up from the sofa and bowing at a perfect 90-degree angle.

  "This humble Zheng Chu offers his respectful greetings to the Eldest Mistress."

  After the bow, though slightly embarrassed, he remained in that position, waiting for her permission to sit again.

  "There’s no need to be so formal, young man. Please sit, and let’s talk casually," An Xue said.

  Hearing this, Zheng Chu could only sigh internally and sit back down. Truthfully, even though he had told the system he’d find a way to survive this situation, that didn’t erase his nervousness. At first, it was because of the danger of the scenario, but now, being in front of such a beautiful woman added to the pressure. As a man, he couldn’t deny that he’d feel terrible if he left a bad impression on her.

  Now seated across from An Xue, even though she had told him to speak casually, he didn’t know how to start the conversation.

  "Are you feeling alright? Would you like some snacks?"

  Zheng Chu’s first instinct was to say yes, but then he thought the best course of action was to end this meeting as soon as possible and leave.

  "No, Madam, I’m fine like this."

  Hearing his refusal, An Xue didn’t insist and instead asked the most critical question of the current situation.

  "Do you like my daughter, An Mu?"

  "Yes."

  The moment those words left his mouth, the system’s voice erupted in his head, filled with panic and warning symbols.

  "Host, why did you say that?! You’re practically digging your own grave!"

  "Rex, System. If I make it out alive, I’ll expin everything. For now, just let me handle this."

  An Xue’s next question came, though the atmosphere around them seemed to grow colder.

  "What do you like about her?"

  "Her beauty, her seriousness, and the way she takes responsibility."

  "Is that all?" An Xue asked.

  "No. What captivated me the most was her kindness. Though she may seem cold on the outside, to me, she just seems like someone who isn’t good at socializing and is a little clumsy with emotions."

  "How can you be so sure of that, young man?"

  "It’s simple, Madam. Given her family’s influence and power, I doubt it would be hard to have me expelled from the university if I became a nuisance."

  An Xue was slightly surprised by his logic but decided to press further.

  "Even knowing the risks, why would you keep pursuing her, putting all your efforts in danger?"

  "For love, Madam."

  Zheng Chu knew he couldn’t give any other answer. Any alternative would likely disappoint the Eldest Mistress. Besides, he couldn’t tell the truth—that it was all because of a "system mission"—so he had no choice but to keep up the lie.

  "Madam, you might find it hard to believe, but it all started that one morning. I was severely ill from overworking myself in my studies. I wanted to reach first pce, so I pushed myself too hard, even though I was only ninth. Honestly, I just wanted to get to the infirmary. I was struggling to make it there, but suddenly, everything went dark. The next time I opened my eyes, I was in the infirmary. I thought I’d made it on my own, but ter, through rumors and cssmates, I learned it was An Mu who helped me."

  "You never thought it was just basic kindness?"

  "I did, Madam. I won’t deny that crossed my mind. That’s why, after recovering, I wanted to thank her. I put effort into making her a bento as a token of gratitude for lunch."

  "And then?"

  "Truthfully, my only goal was to thank her. I didn’t expect her to eat what I made. But at that moment, my heart beat a little faster, and I felt an overwhelming happiness."

  "So that’s why you chased her for an entire month, even enduring silent humiliation from the other boys."

  "Heh, yeah," Zheng Chu said with a faint smile and a hint of embarrassment. Putting up with so much mockery had been tough, but over time, he got used to it. Luckily, it never went beyond words—just harmless teasing.

  An Xue could only sigh, thinking that such a diligent and reasonable young man had turned into a fool for love. Though she thought this, she couldn’t deny that her daughter *was* captivating. In fact, it fttered her vanity as a woman and a mother.

  "Listen, young man, I won’t say it’s wrong to fall in love, but at least you should be mindful of *who* you fall for," An Xue said in a gently reprimanding tone.

  "I know, Madam. I realized everything that day," Zheng Chu replied.

  "Well, since I see you’ve suffered quite a bit chasing An Mu, I’d like to offer you a sincere apology on my behalf."

  At that moment, An Xue snapped her fingers, and a maid approached with a red box. Though it was only the size of a smartphone, the box didn’t seem ordinary. The maid pced it on the table and withdrew.

  "Take it. It’s a small gift from me to put all this behind us," An Xue said.

  Zheng Chu accepted, picking up the box and opening it. Inside was a bck bank card—not just any card, but a unique one backed by the Central Bank of China.

  "This card holds 10 million yuan. If you manage it wisely, you could live comfortably for the rest of your life. The only thing I ask in return is that you keep your distance from An Mu—for your own good," An Xue said.

  But before she could continue, Zheng Chu returned the card to the box and pced it back on the table.

  "I’m sorry, Madam, but I must refuse your gift."

  "Young man, do you truly intend to keep pursuing An Mu, even knowing it could harm you or ruin your future?" This wasn’t a threat—just an undeniable truth. An Xue knew that while no one would dare force An Mu to do anything against her will, the same couldn’t be said for Zheng Chu. Many men might redirect their envy and dissatisfaction toward him.

  "You misunderstand, Madam. I’m already aware of the truth. I know An Mu never loved me—it was just kindness. I realized everything that day when she never came," Zheng Chu said.

  "Then…?" An Xue pressed.

  Seeing that the Eldest Mistress was following his reasoning, Zheng Chu prepared his final argument to walk out of this alive.

  "Madam, I said it that day: If she didn’t return my feelings, the best thing was for me to step back and never bother her again. Though I’m poor, I always keep my promises."

  "Young man, you’ll have to forgive me, but I find that hard to believe—especially since you loved her before."

  "Madam, I know it’s hard to trust me, but that’s the truth. I won’t bother her anymore. I’d rather cut my feelings now than cling to an impossible romance. Maybe love blinded me, but I’m still a rational person."

  An Xue could only sigh inwardly. She had already investigated Zheng Chu’s background before this meeting. In a way, he was right—his record was clean, with no scandals or dirt to be found.

  Taking that into account, she said:

  "Assuming I believe you, h

  ow will you prove it?"

  "I can’t prove it with words, but I will with actions. I keep my promises."

  Zheng Chu’s voice carried unwavering conviction.