He really dotes on me so much

Chapter 1: Unexpected Marriage

"Yo, we're talking Eastern turf, Z city.

Man, that July sun was scorching everything, like it had a grudge or something.

So, we're chilling at the Gu family's spot:

"Dad, what's with this talk about me getting hitched? Are we so strapped for cash that you're thinking of selling me off? Ain't you worried about getting roasted by everyone? Doesn't your conscience ache even a bit?"

Just got back home after finishing my exams, and bam! Gu Nuannuan gets hit with a serious joke.

She straight-up gives Dad a piece of her mind, three times over.

Who in their right mind would want to marry her, anyway?

When Mrs. Gu hears her daughter, she gives her a pat on the shoulder. "Listen to yourself. I brought you back home this time to talk about this marriage business."

Gu Nuannuan points at the pile of gifts on the floor. "Mom, you call this discussing? You already accepted the dowry without me?"

She's just a sophomore, trying to keep her nose clean. And just as her summer break's about to start, her mom hits her with a call saying someone's interested in her and wants to propose.

Who, you ask?

Only the big-shot Jiang family from the neighborhood.

When Gu Nuannuan hears that, she's shook. Like, she's glued to the sofa, not moving an inch.

The folks exchange worried looks, watching their daughter like she's about to explode.

They're all like, "Tomorrow, we're sitting down for dinner, and you..."

And she's like, "Mom, just let me vibe, okay?"

So, Gu Nuannuan heads upstairs to her room. Looking around, she's thinking, any other family, she could just brush 'em off. But not the Jiangs. They're in a league of their own.

The Jiangs? They're the OGs of Z city, been in the business game for generations.

Mess with them, and the whole city feels it.

Seriously, you don't mess with the Jiangs.

She's sitting there, holding her face in her hands, thinking, "What the heck do I do now? A blessing in disguise is about to crush me."

Should she roll with it? Or freak out? Man, she's stressing.

Next day rolls around.

Families meet up, and she's dragged along.

Her face? Covered in all these red marks, like she's got a rash.

And when she talks, her breath's like, whoa, seriously rank, and she's even missing some teeth!

Still rocking that hideous yellow scarf on her head, with lipstick that screams '90s Barbie, and nail polish in every shade under the sun...I'm talking ten fingers, ten different colors.

Seriously, she's not your average cute, chubby, or ugly chick anymore—just plain gross!

Her old man's like, "Yo, Jiang Lao, meet our girl, Nuannuan."

She's standing there, like, is this for real?

Jiang Lao's squinting at her through his glasses, comparing the photo with the hot mess standing in front of him.

In the pic, she's all cute and sweet, like she stepped out of a rom-com. But here she is, with greasy hair, zits everywhere, and a smell that could knock out a horse. Even ghosts would be like, "Nope, not dealing with this."