I kept provoking him. "With this money, can the plan we talked about before—bringing my mom and dad over to live with us—become real? We can make a down payment on a four-bedroom place, so that…"

Before I could finish, I faintly heard my mother-in-law's voice, deliberately lowered.

"Bring them over? She's dreaming! That's our family's money. We absolutely can't let her call the shots!"

Ryan seemed to cover the receiver. After a rustling sound, his voice returned.

"Joy, did you tell anyone else about this? Do your mom and dad know?"

The fish took the bait.

I sneered inside.

"No! You're the first one I told! My dad can barely use a cellphone—how could I tell him this? Don't scare him."

"Yes, yes… don't say anything yet, don't tell anyone!"

Ryan agreed repeatedly, switching to a hypocritical tone like he was thinking of me. "What I mean is… this is a huge surprise. We have to pick the right time and tell Mom and Dad properly, right?"

"Mm, you're right."

I answered obediently, my fingers lightly tapping the steering wheel.

Ryan seemed to let out a breath, coughed lightly, and spoke again. "Joy, this is too big. We can't hash this out over the phone. Where are you right now? Hurry home. We'll talk face to face."

He coaxed me like he always did.

Facing the pitch-black night outside the car window, I silently tugged at the corner of my mouth.

"Got it," I answered obediently. "Then I'll head back now."

After hanging up, I picked up the exquisite gift box on the passenger seat.

Bulk liquor at eighteen dollars a pound, poured into a bottle worth a fortune, instead became the fishhook that could reel them in.

The real show had only just begun.

The car pulled into the underground garage of the apartment complex. The moment I opened the door, Ryan's face arranged itself into a stiff smile.

"Joy, you're back?"

I changed into slippers and walked into the living room like nothing was wrong. Ryan and his mother sat side by side on the couch, their eyes locked on my empty hands.

"Joy, where are those two bottles of liquor?"

Ryan couldn't wait—he stood up, his gaze searching behind me.

"I left them in the car." I said it lightly. "Something that expensive—carrying it up and down, I was afraid I'd accidentally bump it. Anyway, it's the underground garage, and the car's locked. Safe enough."

Mother and son exchanged a quick look.