"Xiao Ran, sit over there." Zhang Lan, my future mother-in-law, pointed at the dog bowl by the balcony door, wearing a smile that seemed almost charitable. "Over there?" I followed her finger and saw a golden retriever wagging its tail beside a bowl of bones and dog food. "Of course," she said, raising her eyebrows as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Xiaotian isn't just any dog. He's of noble blood. Sitting at the same table as him shouldn't be beneath you." My boyfriend, Lin Chen, stood nearby, awkwardly rubbing his hands together. He quietly urged me, "Mom's just joking. Don't take it seriously. Come over and sit down." I smiled as I looked at the family's smug, cheerful faces, then slowly began to speak.