"Shall we just go and get married right away?"

Yun Xiaoxiao, a popular actress, was sitting in a serene teahouse for a blind date. Across from her was a man with neatly cropped hair and a healthy, sun-kissed complexion. Even seated, his tall and upright posture exuded an undeniable presence. At that moment, he was intently brewing tea, his large, well-defined hands moving with practiced ease, the veins faintly visible, radiating a unique charm.

Yun Xiaoxiao had expected her unexpected proposal to catch him off guard. To her surprise, the man remained composed. He handed her a cup of tea, then looked up, his gaze sharp. "Get married? What do you mean?"

"Of course, a marriage certificate!" Yun Xiaoxiao replied with confidence.

The man responded straightforwardly, "Not tomorrow."

Yun Xiaoxiao was stunned. She, a rising star in the entertainment industry, had just been turned down for a marriage proposal?

"Why not?" she pressed.

The man calmly explained, "First, my job is special. I need to apply for permission from my unit. Second, do you really want to marry me?"

Faced with this pointed question, Yun Xiaoxiao was momentarily at a loss for words. Truth be told, she had only come to this blind date because her family had pressured her. Her grandfather had feigned illness to lure her back home, only to arrange this meeting.

Her blind date was none other than Si Chen, a fire brigade captain sitting right in front of her. In the real world, the idea of a rising star in the entertainment industry meeting a fire brigade captain for a blind date was nothing short of absurd. But in the Yun family, anything was possible.

This was actually a marriage arrangement made sixty years ago. Back then, when the Yun family patriarch was just starting his business, he faced a crisis when his factory caught fire. Fortunately, Si Tian, Si Chen's grandfather, rescued the patriarch and saved the factory. From that day on, the two elders became close friends and arranged this marriage for their descendants.

Although Si Tian later moved to S City due to work, the bond between the two families remained strong. However, since both families had sons in the next generation, the marriage arrangement was put on hold until now.

As the beloved princess of the Yun family, Yun Xiaoxiao had been pampered since childhood. Driven by her passion for acting, she was admitted to the prestigious Jing University's Performing Arts Department and smoothly entered the entertainment industry after graduation. The Si family, on the other hand, had long since stopped thinking about this arrangement, especially since the Yun family had now amassed immense wealth.

Recently, however, the Yun family patriarch had fallen ill and couldn't stop thinking about this unfulfilled wish. So, under the guise of a visit to check on his health, he reached out to Si Tian to arrange this blind date. Si Tian, in turn, brought along his grandson Si Chen, who happened to be on leave, never expecting things to turn out this way.

Yun Xiaoxiao felt extremely uncomfortable under Si Chen's piercing gaze and quickly averted her eyes. His stare seemed to see right through her, making her feel utterly exposed. Noticing her discomfort, Si Chen also looked away and took a sip from his teacup. "When we get back, let's just say we didn't hit it off. That should put an end to this."

The moment those words left his lips, Yun Xiaoxiao's head snapped up, her eyes wide with disbelief as she stared at Si Chen's chiseled, handsome face. "You're not interested in me?" she blurted out.

As one of the hottest rising stars in the entertainment industry, Yun Xiaoxiao had always considered herself a catch. Beauty, figure, wealth, popularity—she had it all. Her list of admirers was endless. If it weren't for her strict family upbringing, she would have been living the high life, surrounded by suitors.

Seeing the shock written all over Yun Xiaoxiao's face, Si Chen nodded coolly, his expression unreadable. "That's right. Not interested."

With that, he casually took a sip of his tea, completely at ease.

Yun Xiaoxiao studied the man before her intently. His striking features, tall and lean frame, and that icy, unapproachable aura—if he entered the entertainment industry, he'd skyrocket to fame overnight.

But Yun Xiaoxiao had seen her fair share of handsome men. What made him think he could just brush her off like that?

Her competitive spirit flared, and she was determined to turn the tables. Fluttering her big, innocent eyes, she cooed in a soft, sweet voice, "But I'm interested in you~"