The promise ring sat warm and heavy on Meiying's finger, a constant reminder of everything that had changed. But as the day of the dinner at the Li family mansion approached, that warmth was slowly replaced by a knot of nervousness in her stomach.
"You look beautiful," Yuhan said, standing behind her as she stared at her reflection in the mirror.
She was wearing a simple but elegant light blue dress that Yuhan had bought her, paired with small pearl earrings. Her hair was tied back neatly, and she'd done her makeup as softly as she could. But no matter how she tried, she still felt like a small-town girl playing dress-up.
"Do I really look like I belong there?" she asked softly, turning to look at him. "Like I'm not just… intruding?"
Yuhan took her hands in his, his eyes serious. "You belong wherever I am. And my family is already excited to meet you. Father told me so himself."
Meiying took a deep breath. "Okay. Let's go."
The drive to the city took about an hour. As they got closer, the houses got bigger, the roads got wider, and the world looked more and more like something out of a movie. Finally, they turned into a long, tree-lined driveway that led up to a huge, white mansion.
Meiying's mouth went dry. This was Yuhan's home. This was where he grew up.
When they walked inside, she was greeted by the sight of marble floors, crystal chandeliers, and expensive paintings on the walls. It was beautiful, but it was also intimidating.
"Yuhan! You're here!"
A woman came walking towards them middle-aged, with kind eyes and a warm smile. She was wearing a silk blouse and trousers, and she looked elegant and graceful.
"This is my aunt, Li Mei," Yuhan introduced her. "Auntie, this is Meiying."
"Aiya, so pretty!" Aunt Li Mei exclaimed, taking Meiying's hands and squeezing them gently. "I've heard so much about you! Come, come, sit down. Everyone is already waiting."
They walked into the dining room. Li Zhenhua was already there, sitting at the head of the long table. He smiled when he saw them, standing up to greet them.
"Meiying, welcome," he said warmly. "Please, make yourself at home."
But then Meiying's eyes fell on the other person sitting at the table.
A young woman, around her age, with long, perfectly styled hair and wearing a designer dress that probably cost more than Meiying's whole house. She was looking at Meiying with a mixture of curiosity and something else… something that felt like judgment.
"This is my cousin, Sophie," Yuhan said briefly. "Sophie, this is Meiying."
Sophie didn't stand up. She just nodded slightly, her eyes scanning Meiying from head to toe, like she was inspecting a piece of goods.
"Hello," Sophie said, her voice cool. "I heard you were from… the countryside. It's nice to meet you."
Meiying felt her cheeks heat up. She knew what that tone meant. Countryside. Simple. Unrefined.
"Hello," she managed to say softly.
Dinner started, and at first, it was pleasant enough. Aunt Li Mei asked Meiying about her family, about Yutang, about how she spent her days. Meiying answered honestly, trying to be polite and calm.
But she could feel Sophie's eyes on her the whole time. And every time Meiying picked up her fork or took a sip of water, she was hyper-aware of every movement, terrified she would do something wrong.
"So," Sophie said suddenly, breaking the comfortable conversation. "Meiying, what do you do for work? Do you have a degree?"
Meiying paused. "I… I help my family with the land. And I do some sewing and selling clothes at the market. I didn't finish university. My family needed me at home."
Sophie nodded slowly, a small, almost invisible smile on her lips. "I see. So you haven't really had much experience with… well, the real world. With business, or culture, or how things work in high society."
"Sophie," Li Zhenhua said warningly.
But Sophie ignored him. She turned to Meiying, her voice sweet but sharp.
"I just think it's amazing, really. That you and Yuhan are so different. He went to the best schools abroad, he runs a huge company… and you… well, you're just you. Do you ever worry that you won't have anything in common? That you'll get bored, or that he'll get tired of someone who doesn't understand his world?"
The table went silent. Meiying felt all eyes on her. Her hands tightened in her lap under the table. She could feel tears pricking her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.
She was just about to say something anything when Yuhan spoke up. His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it that made everyone look at him.
"Sophie," he said, looking directly at his cousin. "What I love about Meiying is exactly who she is. She's kind, she's strong, she's honest. She knows how to work hard and how to care for people. Those are things that money and degrees can't buy."
He paused, then added firmly, "And as for understanding my world… she understands me. That's all that matters. And if anyone here has a problem with that, they can leave."
Sophie's face turned red. She looked down at her plate, saying nothing more.
Li Zhenhua cleared his throat, trying to ease the tension. "Enough of that. Let's eat. The food is getting cold."
But the atmosphere had changed. Meiying ate the rest of her dinner in silence, her heart heavy. She knew Sophie was right, in a way. She was different. She didn't know the rules, she didn't have the education, she didn't fit into this shiny, perfect world.
After dinner, they moved to the living room for tea. Yuhan stayed close to her, holding her hand under the table, giving her strength. But when Aunt Li Mei called Li Zhenhua away to talk about something, and Yuhan went to take a call, Meiying was left alone for a moment.
Sophie walked over to her, her voice low so no one else could hear.
"You think you won?" she whispered, her eyes cold. "You think just because you have a ring and Yuhan says he loves you, that you belong here? Let me tell you something, little girl. People like us… we stay together. People like you… you're just passing through. Sooner or later, he'll realize what he's missing. And he'll leave you. Just you wait and see."
Meiying stood up straight, looking Sophie in the eye. For the first time, she didn't feel scared. She felt angry.
"I don't care what you think," she said, her voice steady. "I love Yuhan, and he loves me. That's all that matters. And I'm not going anywhere."
Just then, Yuhan came back. He saw the look on their faces and immediately walked over to Meiying.
"Is everything okay?" he asked.
"Everything is fine," Meiying said, taking his hand. "I'm ready to go home now, please."
Yuhan nodded, sensing her mood. He said goodbye to his family, and they walked out to the car.
The drive back was quiet. Meiying looked out the window, watching the city lights fade away and the familiar dark roads of the countryside come into view.
"She said I don't belong there," Meiying said finally, her voice soft. "That I'm just passing through."
Yuhan reached over and took her hand, squeezing it tightly.
"She's wrong," he said firmly. "You belong with me. And home isn't a place, Meiying. It's a person. And you are my home."
Meiying turned to look at him, and in the dim light of the car, she could see the love and sincerity in his eyes.
Maybe she didn't fit into his world yet. Maybe there would be more people like Sophie who would try to hurt her. But as long as she had Yuhan by her side, she knew she could face anything.