“You’re the son of the person who owns one of the best companies in the country!?”

Pan An slightly winced in pain when Shu Xian hit his shoulder. He rubbed the part where the lady hit, his eyebrows furrowed as he looked at her.

“Are you even a lady? What kind of strength do you have?”

Shu Xian scoffed, rolling her eyes at him as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

“Why haven’t you told me that you are the son of the person who owns Invicta!? Are you insane?!”

Pan An let out a small sigh, “It is that very reason why I didn’t tell you who I am.” He looked at her, seriousness present in his eyes. “I know you’d back out.”

That moment, the traffic light already shone green, making Pan An drive as Shu Xian heaved another sigh.

“I would, you know… how could I meet the standards of your mother, knowing that you are the son of such a prestigious company?”

Invicta Company is one of the best companies in the country. They are part of the top three best companies that contributed to the country, making their company very notable for their achievements.

Pan An owning the Hongqi car already said a lot! A lot of people–a lot of company owners even wanted that car, but even though they have the money, they were not able to get a hold of it.

However, little did Shu Xian know that another company bought the car and delivered it to Pan An’s family. They know it would build a positive image for the company, wanting to be on Invicta’s influential side.

“You don’t have to worry about that,” Pan An said, shaking Shu Xian out of her thoughts.

“What do you mean?”

Pan An looked at her from the corner of his eye. A sweet, genuine smile curled on his lips, making Shu Xian’s heart race to see Pan An so dashingly attractive, especially tonight.

“My mother is going to like you.”

When Shu Xian heard what he said, she furrowed her brows, finding it impossible to believe what he said.

With their position in the business world, how can one’s mother appreciate a simple girl with no influential background?

“I think it will be difficult to meet her standards,” she commented, not minding that she was honest with Pan An. “I’m just a normal girl. What could I possibly offer? I know that this is just a fake relationship, but you know what I mean, right? If we’re going to push this shenanigan through?”

Pan An couldn’t help but chuckle. Because of his reaction, Shu Xian narrowed her eyes at him, finding his personality annoying.

“I’m serious here, and you’re laughing at me?”

“I’m sorry,” Pan An apologized, looking at her for a moment before he focused his attention on the road ahead of them. “You’re an overthinker, aren’t you?” he commented, Shu Xian, sighing but nodding at the same time.

“Yes,” she admitted, Pan An, quickly patting her head before his hand settled back on the steering wheel.

“I told you, you don’t have to worry,” he said again, Shu Xian, looking at him with a little bit of worry in her eyes. “My mother, she wants nothing but my happiness.”

Hearing this, Shu Xian cocked her head to the side, curious.

“Oh? Why is that? I thought parents of known companies tend to be strict and condescending on their children since they have expectations to uphold the family name and business,” she commented, Pan An, shaking his head to disagree.

“Oh? Why say that?” Pan An asked, Shu Xian, immediately replying with a quote about Asian parents.

“Y’know… Asian parents! They treat children like garlic. They are never enough.”

Pan An laughed out loud, almost tipping his head up when he heard what Shu Xian had said. Annoyed with how playful Pan An is, Shu Xian rolled her eyes at him once more, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

“You’re not seeing my dilemma,” she complained, Pan An, stifling his laughter as he shrugged his shoulders, giving her a reply.

“Well, my mother changed.”

Shu Xian raised a brow at him, “Your mother… changed?”

The traffic light shone red again, making Pan An stop until he could continue driving. He looked at the time on his watch. There are ten minutes left before seven in the evening.

“Since my older brother died, she loosened her hold around her children’s neck.”

Shu Xian’s eyes slightly widened in surprise when she heard this. She didn’t know what to say, her mouth slightly ajar as she fumbled for the words to say to him.

“I-I’m sorry,” was all she could muster to say, “I didn’t know about that,” she added, almost in a mumble, but it was enough for the professor to hear.

“It’s alright,” Pan An said, both of his hands tightening on the steering wheel. “A lot of shit happened in that damned family,” he said under his breath, making Shu Xian’s body stiffen to sense coldness etched in his voice.

Only a few people knew about the family behind the Invicta Company. People didn’t even hear the news about his older brother dying–heck, people might not even know that the Invicta Company had children!

They were secretive–so secretive–that people don’t even know if they would have successors to the company.

Shu Xian bit the bottom of her lip as she looked at Pan An with hatred present in his eyes.

It was only their first day together since the professor rescued her. However, the information told to her has bombarded her mind.

Another thing, with Pan An’s shifting mood, she wouldn’t know how to deal with him if she would stay under his care for a long time.

“Pan An, are you okay?” she asked Pan An, the man only nodding once as his answer.

Not even a word came out from him. It made Shu Xian realize that maybe the topic about his family or the company was sensitive to him.

With his small house and the man being a professor rather than being the company’s successor, could that be the case?

Does he have grave issues with his family?

Shu Xian wanted to put her thoughts aside. She heaved a small sigh then looked outside the window as Pan An started driving off again.

A deafening silence soon followed. Another thought then crossed Shu Xian’s mind, making her blush as she remembered what she had talked about with Pan An back at home.

At the same moment, they had already arrived in front of the restaurant. As Pan An was about to get out of the car, Shu Xian spoke out of the blue surprising the professor with what she said.

“Love.”

Pan An blinked his eyes a few times, astonished by what Shu Xian said. He stared at her, curious about what she meant.

“What?”

Shu Xian blushed as she looked at him and repeated what she said.

“You told me to think of another one other than ‘babe,’ right?”

Shu Xian shyly looked at him, speaking her thoughts out.

“Love… that seemed to be a better endearment.”

“Ah…”

Pan An found the young lady cuter than usual. The sudden change of topic made him forget about his raising anger at his family.

Because of that, he could not help but lean in closer as he planted a kiss on top of her head, making Shu Xian’s heart jump for its escape.

“Okay then, Love.”