Chapter 13: The Male Green Tea

Seeing the young and handsome man beside Lana Vane, Arthur Vane’s eyes immediately lit up.

Lana was a firm believer in non-marriage; she had always dated but never wed. Arthur, being traditional at heart, didn't entirely approve of his youngest daughter’s lifestyle and always hoped she would settle down. However, his daughter was independent and never listened to him. Not wanting to strain their relationship, he rarely brought it up.

Now, seeing her finally bring a man home, he was genuinely happy. His youngest daughter was finally going to have a family.

The man looked attentive and polite, carrying several gifts in his hands. After a few pleasantries upon entering, he handed the items to Arthur and proactively pulled out a chair for Lana, only sitting down after she was settled.

It is said that character is seen in the details, and Arthur’s first impression of the boy was quite good, though he looked a bit young.

Once both were seated, Arthur asked Lana, "Lana, who is this beside you?"

Lana introduced him openly, "This is Ethan Hart, my boyfriend. I planned to tell you before we came, but I’ve been so busy these past few days that I forgot."

After Lana spoke, Shaun gave a shy smile and greeted Arthur, "Hello, Uncle."

Looking at his youthful air, Arthur hesitated for a few seconds before asking, "Is this boy of age?"

Lana laughed, "Dad, do you also think Shaun has a strong student vibe? He’s actually twenty-four this year and currently works at my company. I came back today to tell you that Shaun and I are planning to get married. See when you’re free to meet his parents."

Lana had dated four or five people over the years. While those men were gentlemen, they all harbored varying degrees of chauvinism. It wasn't noticeable at first, but it became unbearable over time.

She had been with Shaun for over a year, and this "younger brother" had never said a wrong word. His behavior was always proper, and he suited her tastes in every way, making her want to settle down for the first time. They had discussed it for several months and finally decided to marry.

Arthur expected Shaun to be young, but not this young—eleven years younger than his daughter. His daughter was exceptional, so dating a younger man wasn't an issue. However, he had a slight prejudice against such young men, feeling they weren't mature enough and were often smooth talkers—fit for dating but not for marriage.

Trying not to let his bias show, he asked about the man's background: "Shaun, what do your parents do? And how did you meet Lana?"

Shaun wore a harmless and polite smile as he replied, "My parents run a small business, a few small chain supermarkets. Lana and I first met at the company through work. After a few interactions, we slowly got together."

Lana added from the side, "I was having dinner with a boss from a partner company and was being harassed. Shaun saved me. We made it official after that day. Shaun also returned from studying abroad; he’s honest, doesn't talk much, and is a very good person."

Hearing this, Arthur was quite satisfied. He had been worried that Shaun had used some trick to win his daughter over, but based on her description, the boy seemed decent. Though his family background was slightly modest, he was honest and driven. More importantly, his daughter liked him, so everything seemed fine.

However, the old man’s joy didn't last long before he heard Seren Thorne’s inner voice.

{Honest and doesn't talk much? I think he’s not honest, and he doesn't tell much of the truth either.}

Arthur’s expression flickered slightly, and he pricked up his ears to listen to his grandson's wife. Lana also heard the voice and frowned as she looked toward Seren.

Seren was busy eating with her head down, unnoticed by the two, as she ranted internally:

{These two didn't meet at the company at all; they met at a bar.}

{Their first encounter was indeed Shaun playing the hero saving the beauty, but the 'bear' who harassed Lana was actually hired by Shaun himself.}

{He had set his sights on a 'sugar mommy' like Lana long ago. Seeing her waiting for a friend alone at the bar that day, he deliberately arranged for someone to harass her so he could jump in and save her, using that as a way to get close to her.}

{Shaun only finished high school abroad before dropping out and coming back. He’s been a vagrant ever since, and his biggest dream is to land a rich woman to achieve a leap in social class.}

{To that end, he specifically enrolled in a 'gigolo training class' to mold himself into a pure male college student. He learned how to dress, practiced emotional intelligence, and built a persona—never crossing the line before marriage just to attract the attention of wealthy older sisters.}

{Speaking of which, this kid is quite dedicated. Not only did he get work done on his face, but he even underwent an extension surgery to ensure the 'marital experience' for the rich woman after the wedding. Talk about long-term planning; no wonder he succeeded.}

Arthur: Extension surgery? Extending what? Is this something that can be talked about?

Alaric Vane’s temple throbbed. He hadn't expected Seren to know so much about that area.

Lana’s face, however, turned livid. She didn't know why she could hear Seren’s thoughts, but the ideas were infuriating. She had hidden the fact that they met at a bar because she feared her family would be biased against Shaun.

As for the "gigolo class" and "sugar mommy" talk, she didn't believe a word of it. Having been with Shaun for over a year, she had seen his certificates. Moreover, Shaun never spent a cent of her money; it was always her forcing him to spend it. He didn't look like someone plotting for her wealth at all.

No matter how well someone acted, they couldn't go over a year without a single slip-up. If someone had that much willpower, why wouldn't they succeed in anything else instead of chasing rich women?

"Seren, you’re talking non—"

"Lana!" Before Lana could finish, Arthur hurried to interrupt her. "My stomach is acting up. Help me upstairs to rest."

He was counting on his grandson's wife's inner voice for gossip in the future; he couldn't let it be exposed this early.

Lana originally wanted to correct Seren’s thoughts, but seeing that her father seemed to be in unbearable pain, she rose to help him upstairs.

Inside the bedroom, Lana helped the old man sit on the sofa and poured him a glass of water. "Dad, how do you feel? Should I call the family doctor?"

As soon as she asked, the father who looked like he was about to kick the bucket a second ago sat up straight, looking perfectly fine.

"I’m fine. I just needed a reason to get you out of there."

Lana was confused. "Why did you do that?"

Arthur said, "You must have heard Seren’s thoughts just now. She solved several problems for our family yesterday, so what she said just now is likely true. You’d better break up with Shaun quickly before you fall in too deep."