Shu Xian kept her phone in her pocket and already entered the mall. The moment she did, Shu Xian walked as she stared at the window, doing some window shopping as she was not that much keen on shopping.

Shu Xian could not help but furrow her brows and blink her eyes a few times. She would usually go shopping with Shi Lian, and every time she went with her, she found shopping boring.

Heck, Shu Xian doesn’t even have a good sense of fashion! She prioritized comfort above all else, and she rarely dresses up unless Shi Lian forces her!

With that in mind, Shu Xian felt hopeless. She stopped in front of a dress shop, sighing as her eyebrows creased in worry.

‘Now, what should I do?’ Shu Xian wondered as she looked at the dress displayed before her. ‘I would have to meet Pan An’s mother, and I would have to dress up for this dinner.’

Worry was evident on the young woman’s face. When she heaved another sigh, she wished that Shi Lian was with her.

Shu Xian wanted to call her again. But she didn’t want to disturb Shi Lian because she is still on vacation with her family.

Other than that, Shu Xian didn’t want to look weird. Doing a video call and dressing up for a person who is far away seemed unusual.

As Shu Xian was about to leave, a sales attendant approached her, a gentle and welcoming expression appearing on her face.

“Are you looking for something tonight, Miss?” she asked, cocking her head to the side.

Shu Xian gave her a small smile. She nodded once as she felt comfortable with the way the sales attendant approached her.

For some reason, she wanted to tell her what the occasion is, placing herself in her care this evening.

“Yes,” Shu Xian spoke, clearing her throat to make her words coherent as she hadn’t talked for a long time. “You see, I am going to meet my…”

Shu Xian didn’t know how to continue the sentence. Suddenly, her tongue felt heavy as she furrowed her brows, the word “boyfriend” foreign to her tongue.

“Yes?”

When the sales assistant called her attention, Shu Xian apologetically smiled as she snapped from her thoughts.

“Sorry,” she apologized, going back to the topic. “I will meet the mother of my boyfriend for dinner tonight, and I don’t know what to wear,” she honestly said, the sales assistant, nodding as she gets the dilemma.

“Okay, then. If you want, I could help you choose a dress? When will the dinner be?” she asked, Shu Xian, looking at her watch as she realized that it is going to be soon.

“In an hour and a half,” she answered, the sales assistant, nodding as she gestured Shu Xian to enter their shop.

“Alright, then. Let’s get you ready,” the sales assistant said, Shu Xian, following the lady suit as she felt hopeless for herself, not being knowledgable enough when it comes to fashion.

***

Pan An already left work after sorting out his desk in the faculty room. He then made his way home to pick up Shu Xian in preparation for their dinner with his mother.

Somehow, Pan An’s heart started to race. He usually has dinner with his mother, her suggesting her son to have a blind date.

Pan An would usually decline on the spot, but with Shu Xian coming into the picture now, he could not help but feel nervous as he thought of his mother’s approval.

Yes, they are not dating officially and they are faking this to make his mother stop. However, if his mother did not approve of Shu Xian, then it would mean that his mother would still bother him about having blind dates.

With that, Pan An heaved a sigh. Knowing that Shu Xian was already waiting for him at home, he opened the door, greeting her until he could not even finish his sentence.

“Shu Xian, I’m–”

The moment Pan An entered, his words got stuck in his throat. His eyes widened in astonishment as his eyes landed on the young lady before him, obviously the man at a loss for words.

“Y-yes?”

Shu Xian coincidentally came out of her room. The moment she did, it was as if Pan An’s whole world had slowed down.

Perfect brown hair rested right above her shoulders, and her chocolate brown eyes seemed like it could swallow galaxies.

Her perfect skin that seemed fragile yet so soft glowed–the dress accentuating the curves of her body.

Her cheeks had a natural pink blush, and her lashes were already naturally long, which is why she only applied powder and red lipstick to make her look beautiful.

She wore a black illusion neckline sequins evening dress, paired with 3-inched black high heels that clacked on the floor as she sauntered towards Pan An.

The moment she was already in front of him, she shyly looked at him as she felt his gaze on her intensify, making her feel nervous.

“P-Pan An?”

Not forgetting their deal of Shu Xian calling him by his name, she still did so even though she felt nervous. Both of her brows knitted together, anxious as to why the man before her had not said a word.

“I-is this too much? If you want, I could make do with the simple dresses that I–”

Interrupting her, Pan An took a step closer. Shu Xian’s body stiffened as she saw his hand reaching out to her, his fingers touching some tendrils of her hair.

He tucked some of it behind her ear, her gaze not leaving his figure as Pan An looked at her as if she was the most attractive woman he had ever seen.

The professor then reached out for her right hand, surprising her as he kissed the back of her palm, the gesture uncalled for as the professor did it only to show his appreciation on the lady’s beauty.

“You’re beautiful,” Pan An genuinely commented, Shu Xian’s heart beginning to thump like a crazy rabbit who is in search for delicious carrots. “You’re so beautiful, Shu Xian.”