In the end, like the world's most capable but least wanted fairy godmother, Bai Wei Lan sent her cousin to the hotel where the banquet was being held with beautifully styled hair, makeup, and clothes. 

"Diamond centerpieces at every table, a menu that includes abalone, white truffles and caviar, and gift bags that contains actual gold? Did Bai Shu Yao really have to spend that much money on a two-year wedding anniversary celebration?" asked Bai Qing Mei dryly as she scanned their blindingly opulent surroundings.

"Well, you know how she is," replied Bai Wei Lan insipidly as she swirled the red wine in her glass. "If she doesn't make a grand affair of even the most mundane occasions then her heart will feel unsettled."

Just as Bai Wei Lan's last words fell, an annoyingly saccharine voice called out, "Sister Wei Lan, Sister Qing Mei!" 

Turning towards the direction of the voice, Bai Qing Mei and Bai Wei Lan saw a woman dressed in a floor-length metallic gold gown and a sparkly diamond tiara sashaying over to them with an exaggerated smile. 

Bai Qing Mei raised her own glass of wine to her lips and took a deep swig. "Speak of the devil." 

"Now, remember. No matter what she says later, you can't fight her like you did in high school," reminded Bai Wei Lan sternly. 

"I only fought her because of you," muttered Bai Qing Mei under her breath. 

"What?"

"...Nothing." Bai Qing Mei adjusted her expression and raised her glass towards the approaching Bai Shu Yao, "Long time no see, Shu Yao. Congratulations on your anniversary." 

"Yes, congratulations." 

Bai Shu Yao covered her mouth and giggled. "Thank you, thank you. I'm glad both of you could join us here tonight, especially you Sister Qing Mei. I feel like I haven't seen you in forever. Although it's good to be passionate about your work, you shouldn't spend all of your time drawing at home alone, you know. We wouldn’t want people to start gossiping about how you’re a pitiful recluse without a social life now would we?” 

Bai Qing Mei smiled insincerely. “What can I say? It's easy to lose track of time while I'm working on my manuscripts. Fortunately, it seems that spending all of that time drawing has made my eyes become more discerning. For example, compared to last time, I can see that the length of your eyes has increased by 3 mm while the width of your nose has been decreased by nearly 4 mm. It’s interesting how some people’s faces always seem to change when you haven’t seen them in a while isn’t it?”

Bai Shu Yao subconsciously touched her face before she realized what she was doing and laughed airily. “Makeup and lighting can be so deceptive. I have a professional do my makeup nowadays and she's phenomenal. Her rates are quite high but considering the price of the gown you have on tonight, maybe you could afford to hire her for very special occasions." 

Because Bai Qing Mei had only revealed the fact that she drew under the pen name「 Ordinary Ribbon Plant  」 to a select group of people, most of her extended family members were under the impression that she was a mediocre manhua artist being propped up by her older cousin.  

Bai Qing Mei hummed thoughtfully. "I don't think I'll be in need of her services any time soon but seeing that she can even change the structure of one's jaw with makeup, I can't deny that she's skilled beyond reason." 

Bai Shu Yao's feigned pleasant expression cracked. Why did this hateful cousin of hers always have to pick apart her every lie? Was it a crime for her to not want everyone to know that she had gotten a few minor touch-ups? "Heavens, I almost forgot how funny you could be, Sister Qing Mei. I happen to know someone else who's also very funny and coincidentally, he's single too!" 

Bai Shu Yao clasped Bai Qing Mei's hand. "You should definitely meet him. I think he'd be the perfect match for you. You're not the type to mind if a man's had more than four divorces right?" 

"Shu Yao, it's superfluous to worry about this kid." Bai Wei Lan knew that if she didn't step in at this time, it wouldn't be long before she saw carnage. "The number of people who'd like to marry someone as talented and beautiful as her could extend from here to the moon and back. Our cousin's only single now because she prefers being unattached. But why should we talk about her and her issues? Today's your day. Let's talk about you. How have you adapted to becoming a full-time housewife?" 

"It's been alright. Sometimes I feel as if I'm almost too idle now since I spend pretty much all of my time either shopping, going to the spa, meeting my friends, or traveling but I'm sure I'll get over that feeling eventually. It really is a blessing and a curse to be married to man that pampers me so much he can't bear to see me work." Bai Shu Yao paused as if she remembered something. "Speaking of which, when will you and that reporter boyfriend of yours finally get married, Sister Wei Lan? Haven't you been engaged for years?"

Bai Shu Yao lowered her voice. "Are you experiencing relationship issues by any chance? You don't have to be embarrassed to tell us if you are."

"No, our relationship is fine. We're just both taking our time to establish our careers before marriage," answered Bai Wei Lan evenly. 

Bai Shu Yao revealed a concerned look. "Are you really sure that's a good idea? What if he decides that he doesn't want to marry you after he becomes successful and discards you like a used tissue? Won't that just be a complete and utter waste of your youth?" 

At this moment, Bai Qing Mei began to chuckle. 

Bai Shu Yao barely restrained the urge to scowl. What did this irritating woman want to do now? "Is there something wrong?" 

Bai Qing Mei took a sip of her wine. "Not really. I just wondered if you thought it was a complete and utter waste of your youth when you became a housewife knowing that you had to retake the university entrance exams three times before you finally scored high enough to get admitted into a lower-end university. It's like why even bother with university when you weren't going to have to work right?"

Bai Qing Mei pretended as if she couldn't see Bai Shu Yao clenching her fists as she polished off the remaining wine in her glass. "Do you still have your diploma lying around somewhere, Shu Yao? To remind you of those years when you pretended to be two years younger than you really were to your classmates to save face? Or have you already discarded your diploma and your memories of those years like used tissues?" 

"I-I—"

Bai Qing Mei patted Bai Shu Yao's shoulder. "It's been fun catching up with you but I think I hear your mother-in-law calling for you, Shu Yao. You should go." 

Several micro-expressions flashed by Bai Shu Yao's face before she eventually gave a strained smile. "You're right. This has been a fun little exchange. It's a shame I'm now needed elsewhere but please do enjoy the rest of your evening."

Bai Wei Lan waited until Bai Shu Yao was out of earshot before fixing her eyes on Bai Qing Mei somewhat helplessly. "Did you really have to go that far?"

Bai Qing Mei shrugged. "Don't look at me. She started it. Besides, she'll be fine. Bai Shu Yao has the resilience of an imperial concubine in one of those stories about harem intrigues. She'll retreat temporarily but she won't ever really disappear from the fighting arena. You can bet that she'll find trouble with us at the next available opportunity." 

"That being said," continued Bai Qing Mei as she glimpsed at her empty glass, "I must admit, her taste in wine isn't half bad. Since I'm not obliged to drive tonight, I definitely want to indulge in a few more glasses." 

Yet, just as Bai Qing Mei raised her hand to motion a waiter over for a refill, someone silently appeared next to her and smoothly removed the glass from her hands, "Didn't you promise me just last week that you'd drink less, darling daughter?"

Bai Qing Mei stiffly turned her head and revealed a face that seemed to express that she was crying without tears. "...Mom. You're here...and as usual you've chosen to appear without making a sound..." 

Bai Qing Mei's mother pinched her cheek mirthfully. "Oh, but if I didn't show up like a ghost each time, wouldn't I miss seeing these amusing expressions of yours? Hm, your cheeks feel softer than before. Have you gained weight?" 

Because of her former days as a stuntwoman, among other uncommon skills, Bai Qing Mei's mother had mastered the art of silencing her footsteps which she frequently used in order to sneak up on people and give them what she referred to as "playful frights." 

"I haven't!"

"Are you sure?" Bai Qing Mei's mother gave her cheeks several pokes. "Your cheeks weren't this marshmallow-like before." 

At the side, Bai Wei Lan inadvertently grinned as she watched her normally valiant cousin be subdued by her even more valiant aunt. "Hi, Second Aunt." 

"Ah Lan! It's good to see you, dear." Bai Qing Mei's mother scanned Bai Wei Lan's figure worriedly. "Have you gotten thinner recently? Ai, you must've lost weight because you're always so hard at work unlike our Ah Mei who's always lazing about. Truly, I just wished our Ah Mei could be half as—no a quarter as diligent as you. Nevertheless, you're looking a little pale so let me send you a few boxes of nutritional supplements tomorrow." 

"Ooh, can you send me a few packages of those dried flower candies from your shop too, mom?" added Bai Qing Mei with a hopeful look. 

"No. You should be eating less sweets."

Bai Qing Mei puffed up her cheeks. "What's with this difference in treatment? Am I your daughter or is Lan Lan?" She looked over her mother's shoulders. "Where's dad? I want the parent that actually cares about me." 

Bai Qing Mei's mother arched a brow. "Your dad went to a gathering at the painters' society but just so you know, after the mess you made this morning with that ridiculous announcement, I almost wished you weren't my daughter."

As a high-ranking member of several of an Ordinary Ribbon Plant's fan groups and also a person that often checked Weibo, Bai Qing Mei's mother was among the first to be notified of the fact that her daughter was taking a leave. 

When the announcement was mentioned, Bai Qing Mei guiltily averted her gaze. "...About that...I can explain." 

Bai Qing Mei's mother lifted her arm and glanced at her watch. "3 minutes. I'm giving you exactly 3 minutes to explain yourself. If you don't provide a satisfactory explanation for your actions during this time, on behalf of all of us fans, I will give you a special punishment befitting of your crimes." 

With this ultimatum looming over her head, Bai Qing Mei took a moment to reorganize her thoughts before she gave her mother a brief yet detailed account of what had happened. 

Upon hearing everything, Bai Qing Mei's mother gave her daughter a fierce scolding that only ended after Bai Wei Lan took pity on her cousin and spoke up for her in front of her aunt. 

After she regained her composure, Bai Qing Mei's mother looked at her daughter and asked, "So were you planning to officially begin the search for your muse tomorrow?"

Bai Qing Mei nodded. 

Bai Qing Mei's mother nodded in satisfaction. "Excellent. If you keep this productivity up then I won't have to feel bad towards Ah Lan for making you spare time to go on a blind date." 

Had Bai Wei Lan not left moments earlier to find to her own parents, her face might've been as blank as Bai Qing Mei's. "...Eh?" 

"You heard me. I'm making you go on a blind date." Bai Qing Mei's mother pulled four business cards out of her purse and arranged them into a fan shape. "I know you're fond of physical beauty so I made sure to find the best looking young men amongst all of my friends' and acquaintances' sons. After looking at their other qualifications such as their education, career, and interests, I've narrowed the candidates down to these four gentlemen. From left to right, we have Mr. Chen, an architect; Mr. Ji, a police officer; Mr. Xu, a marketing director; and Mr. Gu, a writer. Who will you choose to meet?" 

"...Can I choose none?"

"Not an option." 

Bai Qing Mei exasperatedly gave one of the business cards a flick. "Mom, you can't just stick four business cards in front of my face and then expect me to go out on a blind date with whomever's card I pick."

"Why not? This is the perfect way for someone as lazy as you to find someone decent to date." 

"Decent or not, like I've told you before, I'm not interested in dating right now, mom." 

"Ah Mei, don't be stubborn." Bai Qing Mei's mother's expression was uncharacteristically solemn. "You're already 27 this year. Look at your cousins. Ah Lan is engaged and Ah Yao, who's two years younger than you, is celebrating her second wedding anniversary. What about you? When was the last time you went out on a date? University?" 

Bai Qing Mei pursed her lips. It was one thing for Bai Shu Yao to bring up her single status but it was another for her mother to do so. Namely, her mother's thoughts and feelings on the subject actually mattered to her. 

"...Mom, I'm just not ready to settle down yet." 

"Ah Mei," began her mother softly, "at 27 you may think you still have plenty of time to meet someone, get married, and start a family but in reality, you don't. Time moves so quickly in the latter half of your twenties and I don't want you to have any regrets." 

Her mother used her free hand to stroke her hair gently. "Eight years ago, your dad and I would've never dared to dream about all of this for you but things are different now...Ah Mei, we just want you to have everything a normal girl would." 

Bai Qing Mei fell silent. Then, after a long moment, she revealed a wry smile. "So are all these candidates really as good-looking as you say they are or were you just lying to bait me?"  

Bai Qing Mei's mother pushed the cards closer to her. "You'll have to meet them to find out. The good thing about this is, even if your first blind date turns out to be unimpressive, we'll still have the contact information of three different men." 

Bai Qing Mei sighed in defeat as she held out a hand to choose. "Was this the reason why you strongly insisted on my presence this evening?" 

"It was one of two reasons. The other reason why I wanted you to come was simply because I missed you." Bai Qing Mei's mother shot her a radiant smile. "Now, which of these fine gentlemen will it be?" 

❤️ 

“Excuse me, would you perhaps be Miss Bai Qing Mei?" 

When Bai Qing Mei turned her head and saw the appearance of the man that she had randomly chosen to be her blind date, a smile floated to her face. "Ah, yes. I am. Would it be safe to assume that you are Mr. Xu Wen Han?" 

"Indeed." Xu Wen Han brought Bai Qing Mei's hand up to his lips and kissed the back of her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, my fairest lady."