I Approved

Lou Manor.

Lou Mengling hung up the phone with her best friend, unable to suppress the smile on her face.

Her phone screen still displayed the financial news page.

In the photo, Lu Chenyuan and Mo Qingli stood side by side on the stage at Yuanlong Technology's celebration banquet, looking like a perfect pair.

Speculations ran rampant in the media.

As a mother, Lou Mengling saw things more clearly.

This wasn’t the polite distance between business partners.

It was a deep-rooted understanding and trust.

Her son—the one who always carried everything on his shoulders, living like an isolated island—finally had someone standing beside him.

A woman who could walk alongside him, not hide behind him.

Lou Mengling felt an unprecedented sense of relief.

Ever since her divorce from Lu Mingye and breaking free from the cage that was the title of "Lu Family Matriarch," she had lived with increasing clarity.

She no longer cared about the family’s glory or the battles of the business world.

All she wanted was for her children to live authentically and happily.

Lou Mengling picked up her phone and dialed Lu Chenyuan directly.

"Chenyuan, are you free this weekend?"

"Mom, what do you need?" His voice on the other end was as steady as ever.

"Can’t I call you for no reason?" Lou Mengling feigned displeasure. "How long has it been since you came home for dinner? I’ll have the kitchen prepare your favorite dishes. This Saturday, bring your siblings home."

"Alright," Lu Chenyuan agreed immediately.

He never refused his mother.

"Oh, and one more thing," Lou Mengling’s tone shifted, becoming lighter. "Bring your girlfriend along too."

Lu Chenyuan’s grip on the phone tightened slightly.

"Mom, she—"

"She what?" Lou Mengling cut him off. "It’s all over the news, and you still want to hide it from me? It’s settled—you must bring her. As your mother, I want to meet my future daughter-in-law. Is that too much to ask?"

Her tone carried an unshakable firmness, laced with a hint of mischief.

Lu Chenyuan fell silent.

He could command armies and turn the tides in the business world.

Yet, at this moment, he felt an unprecedented sense of helplessness.

"Did you hear me?" Lou Mengling pressed.

"...I heard you," Lu Chenyuan replied after a deep breath, reluctantly agreeing.

After hanging up, he stood by the floor-to-ceiling window in his office, watching the bustling city below, feeling truly at a loss for the first time.

This was harder than open-sourcing the "Nuwa" model.

What exactly was his relationship with Mo Qingli?

Comrades? Allies? Neighbors?

They worked seamlessly together in business, their coordination flawless.

Or… were they just dinner buddies?

She had even unabashedly turned his apartment into her second office and dining hall.

The most intimate thing they had done was survive life-and-death situations together.

The sweetest words they had exchanged were about projects and financial reports.

Yet, between them, there was always an unspoken barrier.

Neither had taken the initiative to break it.

Now, his mother was demanding he bring her home to meet the family.

Lu Chenyuan set down the report in his hands, leaning back in his chair as he seriously considered the question for the first time.

The shadow of the original plot had once made him keep Mo Qingli at arm’s length.

He feared repeating past mistakes and failing her.

But at some point, her presence had become a habit in his life.

One he didn’t want to lose.

Remembering his mother’s uncompromising tone, Lu Chenyuan made a decision.

Evening, Cloud Peak No. 1 Apartment.

Lu Chenyuan stood in the open kitchen, wearing an apron, deftly handling ingredients.

The fading sunlight stretched his silhouette across the floor through the expansive windows.

A soft beep sounded from the door lock.

Mo Qingli walked in, a briefcase in hand.

She kicked off her heels, stepping barefoot onto the warm wooden floor, and naturally took a seat at the kitchen island.

This had become their routine.

After work, she came home.

But her home was his apartment upstairs.

"You’re early today," Lu Chenyuan said without turning around, recognizing her footsteps.

"The AI Alliance matters are temporarily settled," Mo Qingli replied, her voice relaxed and lazy. "What about you? You seem preoccupied today."

She studied his back—his cooking rhythm was slightly slower than usual.

Lu Chenyuan placed the last dish on the table and removed his apron.

"Let’s eat."

They sat across from each other.

The table held four dishes and a soup—simple yet refined.

Mo Qingli took a bite of the steamed sea bass. The flavor was delicate, perfectly cooked.

She found it both amusing and irresistibly sweet.

The man who commanded awe in the tech world seemed to have no greater daily concern than deciding what to cook for her.

"There’s something I want to discuss," Lu Chenyuan said, setting down his chopsticks, his expression serious.

"Hmm?" Mo Qingli looked up.

"My mother… wants us to come home for dinner this Saturday," he said slowly, weighing each word.

Mo Qingli nodded. "That’s reasonable. You and your siblings are always so busy—you should spend more time with her."

Lu Chenyuan paused, staring at her.

This woman, sharp as a hawk in business, was surprisingly oblivious in matters like this.

He emphasized his words, speaking deliberately.

"Us. As in, you and me."

"..."

Mo Qingli’s chewing slowed.

Now she fully understood.

This was… meeting the parents?

Her heart fluttered, as if brushed by a feather.

She looked at the man before her—so visibly flustered yet trying to remain composed—and found it utterly endearing.

The formidable Lu Chenyuan, who made rivals tremble in the business world, could be this clumsy.

So, she decided to play along, tilting her head in feigned confusion.

"'Us'? President Lu, I don’t quite follow. Didn’t you say you and your siblings were accompanying your mother?"

"Then… what am I?"

Her eyes sparkled with mischief.

Lu Chenyuan was stumped.

Yes, what was she to him?

He realized he had never given her—or himself—a clear label.

They hadn’t even been on a proper date.

They ate together daily like an old married couple, yet strictly maintained separate residences upstairs and downstairs.

Lu Chenyuan gazed into Mo Qingli’s perceptive eyes, at the teasing curve of her lips, at the face that always radiated confidence.

The chains of the original plot, his mother’s expectations, his own heart—

In this moment, all hesitation dissolved into one crystal-clear thought.

He didn’t want to wait any longer.

He suddenly felt like a fool.

A coward in matters of the heart, retreating where even a woman wouldn’t.

Taking a deep breath, all his doubts were swept away by an inexplicable surge of courage.

He stood up and walked over to Mo Qingli.

He didn’t bend down but instead met her gaze at eye level, his demeanor solemn and deliberate.

"Ms. Mo Qingli."

His voice was deep and clear, no trace of hesitation left.

"I am Lu Chenyuan."

"Would you be willing to give me the chance to properly pursue you?"

This was a gesture of respect, a declaration of intent.

He placed the choice entirely in her hands.

The smile on Mo Qingli’s face slowly faded.

She studied the man before her.

He was tall, his presence casting a shadow that carried an air of dominance.

Yet in his eyes, she saw no arrogance—only sincerity, even a touch of clumsy, cautious hope.

She had assumed a man as reserved as him might never voice his feelings.

She had even prepared herself to be the one to break the silence between them.

Yet here he was, finally finding his courage.

Mo Qingli’s heart softened completely.

She rose to her feet as well, meeting his gaze.

First, she gave a slight nod. Then, slowly, her lips curved into a smile—brighter, more radiant than any teasing grin she’d worn before.

"Alright," she said softly.

"You have my permission."