After I finished speaking, I looked up and saw her smiling face, which was so natural and pleasing, making me feel both intimate and tranquil. For a moment, my cheeks turned red as I was fascinated by her smile.

To prevent them from noticing my embarrassment, I had to focus my gaze on the floor beneath my feet.

"Jerry, you can't be like this. How can you be shy when you look at a girl?"

My mother's observation was too keen, and she was too blunt, making me feel embarrassed.

"Mind your own business…!"

I was angry and ashamed, with my cheeks turning even redder.

"Jerry like this is very cute and likable,"

As I was extremely embarrassed, Ziya suddenly smiled and said such a thing, and then I was stunned.

"Eh!? Cute?" I couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

"I'm sorry, did I say something I shouldn't have?"

Seeing my reaction, Ziya seemed a little panicked, with a very apologetic expression on her face.

"No... it's not that, I was just taken aback by your sudden compliment," I scratched the back of my head awkwardly and laughed.

"I'm really sorry, I shouldn't have interrupted like that," Ziya seemed a bit self-blaming.

"It's really not a problem…" I hurriedly reassured her.

"I'm one step further away from being a qualified wife. I was too careless."

She showed a sad expression. I didn't expect her to care about that, making me a bit flustered just now. I hated that I couldn't say something perfect, and now I could only stand there awkwardly and smile.

"From today on, Ziya will be a member of our family, as Jerry's fiancée. Her practice is, of course, to become a qualified wife,"

My mother suddenly announced loudly.

"Hey, Mom, how did Ziya become my fiancée?" I was completely baffled. It was too unreasonable for her to become my fiancée just after our first meeting.

I whispered into my mother's ear.

"It's a childhood engagement, Jerry. You and Ziya are engaged," my mother smiled in response.

"Childhood engagement? Is this the old days? Are there still such old-fashioned customs?"

I complained, only to be met with a stern look from my mother.

"You don't understand. This childhood engagement is like a gift from heaven for you, and it might be the last ray of hope in your miserable life,"

Am I that miserable, Mom?

"So be grateful, you brat! What's there to be dissatisfied with having such a beautiful fiancée?"

My mother pinched my waist when I wasn't prepared, and it hurt!

"You could have just said so, why pinch me!" I rubbed the red spot on my waist and complained.

"It's all your fault, this brat, always making me worry. You're already sixteen and still don't have a girlfriend. If it weren't for me finding you a backup plan, you might be single your whole life,"

My mother came behind me and grabbed my neck. Suddenly I felt I couldn't breathe. I slapped her hand, begging for mercy.

"Mom, I... I can't breathe!"

Seeing my face turn red, she finally let go. I covered my neck and coughed uncontrollably.

"Jerry, it looks like you haven't been training for a long time. Your endurance has become very poor,"

My mother's gaze became as sharp as an eagle's, which was truly frightening.

"Please… let me go. I just escaped from that tribulation not long ago,"

I really didn't want to recall those painful memories.

"Are you alright… Jerry?" Ziya seemed very concerned and crouched down in front of me to check on me.

Looking at her up close, I noticed something familiar about her outfit.

It looked like a kimono. Why was she dressed like this? As I pondered, I accidentally glanced at her chest, and my face involuntarily turned red. This… this was too big, I couldn't stare at it for too long.