Melody Summers frowned. Only now did she understand the meaning behind the look Caleb Summers and Mindy Walsh had given her when they first walked in.

She let out a cold laugh, set down her cup, and said, "You don’t need to trouble yourselves over my affairs, Uncle Caleb, Aunt Mindy."

Upon hearing this, Mindy Walsh said with a smile, "Oh, you child. You’re over twenty and not even dating. How could your uncle and I not be concerned?"

Caleb Summers quickly chimed in, "Yes, yes! Melody, you’re in your twenties and still not thinking about marriage. Your aunt and I are just worried about you. This Mr. Sheffield we want to introduce you to is the head of a regional material supply point. He’s ambitious, capable, and has a steady personality. With your looks and his talent, you’re a perfect match."

Grace, who had been listening quietly from the side, suddenly spoke up. "Oh? Is he really that great? Then why don’t you have your own daughter marry him? I’d say your Nina isn’t so young anymore, either."

At this, Nina Walsh shot up from her seat, agitated. "What does this have to do with me?! There’s no way I’m marrying him!"

Nina Walsh’s reaction was so extreme that Melody Summers and the others instantly understood. This "Mr. Sheffield" was probably no great catch, or Nina wouldn’t be acting as if she were dodging the plague.

Seeing Melody Summers and the others staring at her strangely, Nina Walsh realized her reaction had been too strong. She stammered out an explanation, "I—I mean, it’s different for me than for Melody! I have a boyfriend!"

Melody Summers gave a light chuckle and said to Nina Walsh, "You could always break up with your boyfriend. Since Uncle Caleb and Aunt Mindy like this Mr. Sheffield so much, you should seize the opportunity. Keep the good stuff in the family, right? No need to let an outsider like me benefit for no reason."

Nina Walsh was about to lash out, but Mindy Walsh quickly stopped her. She pushed Nina back down onto the sofa and shot her a look. Nina had no choice but to swallow her anger, huffing without another word.

Then Mindy Walsh turned to Melody Summers with a smile. "Melody, you’re just a recent college graduate with no stable job. With this drought everywhere and prices soaring, how are you going to support yourself? These days, capable men are never short on women. If it weren’t for Caleb’s close relationship with Mr. Sheffield, an opportunity like this would never have come your way."

Mindy Walsh thought she could easily manipulate Melody Summers, but Melody was completely unfazed. She sneered, "If he’s such a great catch, then Nina had better grab hold of him. She shouldn’t miss out on such a wonderful man. I won’t fight her for the opportunity."

Nina Walsh’s expression changed again at her words. ’This head of department, Sheffield, might seem promising,’ she thought, ’but he’s already forty-nine years old—even older than my own father, Caleb Summers! And he’s been married three times, with all three wives dying in accidents. How could I possibly marry him?!’

Winnie Summers also said with a cold expression, "Melody’s marriage is her own decision to make. Even I, her mother, don’t interfere. So there’s no need for her aunt and uncle to trouble themselves."

"Winnie, that’s where you’re wrong," Mindy Walsh said with a frown. "Your own marriage was a disaster; you couldn’t hold on to a man’s heart. Are you going to let Melody waste away with you? A girl’s ’freshness’ only lasts a few years. If she doesn’t marry now, in a few more years, not even a fifty-year-old farmer will give her a second look!"

Melody Summers couldn’t help but laugh out loud. "’Freshness’ only lasts a few years? Does everyone in Aunt Mindy’s family get buried by forty? Oh, I almost forgot. We humans are born, we age, we get sick, and we die according to the laws of nature. We don’t need to be ’kept fresh.’ Or does Aunt Mindy think she’s some kind of object that’s going to expire?"

"You! How dare you talk to my mother like that!" Nina Walsh, shocked and furious, shot to her feet and glared at Melody Summers.

Melody Summers didn’t even spare Nina Walsh a glance.

Caleb Summers’s expression was ugly as well, but he was, after all, a wily old fox of bureaucracy. He forced a smile and tried to persuade her. "Melody, just have one meal with Mr. Sheffield and see how it goes. I’ve already made arrangements with the Sheffield family. It wouldn’t be right for you not to go."

Melody Summers snorted. "Since you’ve already made the arrangements, Uncle Caleb, why don’t you go yourself? Let Mr. Sheffield take a good look at you. If he takes a liking to you, then everyone will be happy. After all, I can see you really like him. I’m sure Aunt Mindy would support you in seizing such a great opportunity."

Caleb Summers’s face instantly flushed crimson. He could feel a vein throbbing in his forehead and was, for a moment, at a complete loss for words.

Seeing that Melody Summers was impervious to both threats and persuasion, Mindy Walsh grew anxious and snapped, "How can you be so unreasonable? What on earth did your mother teach you—"

"That’s enough!" Grace suddenly cut in. "You two were ready to cut ties with us long ago, and now you show up with plans to sell your own niece? Melody said she doesn’t want to meet him, and that’s final. You’ve had your meal, so go home. And from now on, don’t come back, whether you have a reason or not!"

Caleb Summers frowned at his mother. "Mom, how can you be so confused? In this day and age, people are being laid off everywhere. No one knows where their next meal is coming from. A man with Mr. Sheffield’s standing is a rare find, even if you searched with a lantern. A lot of the young women at my office want to marry him, but he won’t even give them the time of day."

Mindy Walsh chimed in, "That’s right! Mr. Sheffield said that as soon as Melody marries in, she’ll be set for life with food and clothing. And he’s reached this position at such a young age—his future is limitless!"

Caleb Summers then frowned at Winnie Summers. "You’re her mother. Melody might be unreasonable, but are you as well? You turned yourself into a jilted woman and brought shame to the Summers family. After doing something so shameless yourself, are you now going to ruin your own daughter’s life? Do you have any sense of honor?"

Hearing this, Melody Summers shot to her feet, and with a sharp SMACK, she slapped Caleb Summers hard across the face. Then she said coldly, "You, who climbed your way up by sleeping with women, dare to speak to my mother like that? My mom got to where she is all on her own. What right do you have to criticize her?"

Caleb Summers blankly cupped his face, staring at Melody Summers in disbelief.

Melody Summers stared at Caleb Summers, her face grim and a storm brewing in her eyes. She enunciated each word clearly, "Get out. Or I’ll have the community security guards throw you out."

Seeing her father get hit, Nina Walsh shrieked, jumped up, and rushed at Melody Summers, raising her hand to strike. But Melody grabbed her arm and dragged her straight into the yard.

Nina Walsh was too thin. She wasn’t as tall as Melody Summers, and her strength was no match for hers. Melody dragged her all the way to the main gate and threw her out.

Seeing this, Colin Summers and Grace Sutton also immediately stood up. One grabbed Caleb Summers and the other grabbed Mindy Walsh, dragging the couple through the yard and throwing them out the gate as well.

Winnie Summers hurried out after them with the bag of crackers and dried noodles they had brought. She threw it right at the three of them, then slammed the door shut and locked it with a sharp CLICK.

*

Caleb Summers’s family stood outside, cursing and kicking the door relentlessly. However, the weather was too hot. After a short while, they couldn’t stand the heat any longer and had to leave the villa, walking away resentfully.

The sun outside was scorching. Mindy Walsh held up an umbrella as she walked and complained, "Your family is insane! Absolutely insane! Tell me! What are we going to do now?"

Caleb Summers rubbed the cheek Melody Summers had slapped. She had hit him so hard he felt his teeth ache. He waved a hand in irritation and replied, "Forget it. This whole thing is probably a lost cause. That damn girl is so fierce at such a young age. Are we trying to arrange a marriage with the Sheffield family or start a feud?"

"Besides, look at how they’re living now. They’re not short on vegetables or meat, they eat so much in one meal, and they can even run an air conditioner in their yard. Their living conditions are even better than the Sheffields’! They have no reason to sacrifice their daughter’s marriage for supplies!"

He had originally thought that Colin Summers and Winnie Summers were struggling, and that they would have eagerly accepted a marriage proposal that brought material benefits. He never expected them to have a villa and solar panels, with a yard full of so many vegetables. They were living too comfortably. This marriage proposal was definitely a failure.

Mindy Walsh said, vexed, "Then how am I supposed to explain this to the Sheffield family? I already promised Mrs. Sheffield I’d find a wife for her youngest son."

Caleb Summers sighed and frowned, trying to comfort Mindy Walsh. "Don’t overthink it. If this marriage doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out. The most promising person in the entire Sheffield family is still Winston Sheffield. As long as Nina maintains a good relationship with him, Mrs. Sheffield won’t say anything."

Nina Walsh didn’t say anything. She had been trying hard to get on good terms with Winston Sheffield, and had also been trying to suck up to his sister, Wendy Sheffield, but Winston had always been lukewarm toward her. They had been dating for a year, but he had never mentioned meeting her parents or getting married.

Today, Mindy Walsh and Caleb Summers had planned to introduce Melody Summers to Winston Sheffield’s uncle in order to curry favor with Mrs. Sheffield and pave the way for Nina and Winston to get married. Unfortunately, Melody didn’t know what was good for her and actually dared to strike an elder!