Shu Pan finally had the day to meet Wen Chi's parents. She had dropped off Joy at Ye Xiaomeng's apartment early in the morning. Joy was initially unwilling, but Shu Pan used a mix of persuasion and coercion to get her to agree.
Shu Pan squatted down, patted Joy's head, and promised that if she behaved, they would go to the zoo next time. Joy had been looking forward to that, so she reluctantly agreed.
Seeing Joy's unhappy expression, Shu Pan couldn't help but feel uneasy. She wondered if what she was doing was right. But if she took Joy with her on their first visit and Wen's parents had objections, it could be embarrassing for her. At least this way, the child wouldn't witness any potential awkwardness.
Before long, Wen Chi arrived to pick her up. She carried the prepared gift and got into the car. During the drive, she remained silent, and Wen Chi finally noticed something was amiss.
"Pan, what's wrong?" he asked.