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On the second day in New York, Lin Yu took Su Chengyang to a photography studio.

The photographer selected three sets of themes for Su Chengyang, two individual sets and one couple set in a romantic style.

After shooting Su Chengyang’s individual theme, the photographer called Lin Yu in. He had already changed his makeup and looked like a prince from a medieval painting, with deep brows and eyes that hesitated like vast stars. As he gazed at Su Chengyang, it seemed as if all the stars were sparkling because of him.

During the shooting process, their collaboration impressed the photographer. After the shoot, when they were browsing the pictures on the computer, the photographer pointed at their group photo and couldn’t stop smiling.

“You two have such great chemistry. These photos can all be used for magazine covers. Lin Yu, compared to three years ago, you’ve indeed changed.”

Lin Yu handed a cup of warm water to Su Chengyang and smiled, saying, “Is that so?”

The photographer nodded busily, as if afraid he wouldn’t believe it. He searched through a pile of photo albums and pulled out one, opening it to a specific page and comparing it to the photo on the screen. He said, “Don’t believe me, see for yourself.”

Su Chengyang glanced at the album, and it showed a photo of Lin Yu taken three years ago with Mary, but she couldn’t seem to notice any difference.

Lin Yu couldn’t help but laugh, “Is there any difference?”

Su Chengyang also looked at the photographer curiously.

The photographer nodded, “Of course! Although the magazine-style shoot with you and Mary three years ago was meant to look like a couple, you didn’t seem like a couple at all. You were as stiff as a piece of wood, without a soul. This set of photos has a different feeling. When you’re standing with Chengyang, even though your face lacks expression, your eyes are constantly smiling. You have emotions when you’re with her.”

Lin Yu nodded without confirming or denying, “It does seem like that.”

The photographer was very satisfied with his masterpiece and almost wanted to jump into the computer to take a closer look.

“I understand now. From now on, when shooting this kind of couple-themed stuff, I’ll have to invite real couples to capture that feeling of being in love.”

Suddenly, the photographer remembered something and turned to Lin Yu, saying, “When you two get married in the future, shall I help you with your wedding photos? It’s free!”

With free and professionally skilled labor offered, Lin Yu naturally wouldn’t refuse.

“Sure, we’ll trouble you with the wedding photography then.”

The photographer readily agreed, “No problem!”

It was evident that he truly enjoyed the process of shooting.

When they left the studio, the photographer sat in front of his computer, pleased with his work. He wished everyone in the studio could come and admire it. He could almost imagine the rave reviews the magazine would receive after publication!

Although the day’s shoot went smoother than expected, by the time they left the studio, it was already dark outside.

Perhaps due to the irregular sleep patterns during filming, Su Chengyang didn’t feel any jet lag, let alone Lin Yu.

Lin Yu took a taxi and brought Su Chengyang to Times Square, where they had dinner at a nearby Western restaurant.

When they finished their meal and walked out, the square was becoming increasingly crowded.

Passing by a group of street artists engaged in performance art, Su Chengyang took out ten dollars from her bag and put it in the box in front of them. Suddenly, the artist, covered in white paint like a sculpture, started moving, thinking that Su Chengyang wanted to take a photo with him. Su Chengyang didn’t refuse and handed his phone to Lin Yu, asking him to help take a couple of pictures.

Before leaving, the artist continued to praise Su Chengyang and Lin Yu, attracting the attention of many passersby. Su Chengyang quickly expressed her thanks and pulled Lin Yu away.

“Shall we go over there for a stroll?” Lin Yu pointed in a direction.

“Sure,” Su Chengyang nodded. “Since we’re here, let’s take a look.”

As they walked through the bustling streets, Su Chengyang and Lin Yu spoke softly to each other. With each other’s company, they didn’t feel uneasy in this unfamiliar place and paid no mind to the occasional curious gazes from people around them.

While passing through a street, they overheard two girls on the roadside mentioning a fireworks show at the square tonight. Su Chengyang and Lin Yu decided to watch the fireworks before heading back.

“Hello! Are you two available? We’d like to invite you for a street interview.”

Su Chengyang was discussing the street artist they had just encountered with Lin Yu when suddenly a few people blocked their way.

They held microphones and cameras in their hands and spoke in American English, questioning them.

Su Chengyang and Lin Yu exchanged glances, then nodded at each other and said, “Okay.”

Su Chengyang glanced at the other person’s camera and thought that after they uploaded it online, they would definitely be recognized. She had already figured out what clickbait title the marketing accounts would use.

“You two aren’t Americans, right?”

Lin Yu smiled and said, “We’re Chinese.”

“May I ask what your relationship is?”

Lin Yu held Su Chengyang’s hand tightly, brought it into view of the camera, and said, “She’s my girlfriend.”

“Wow! You two are a great match!”

“Thank you.”

“The next question I’m going to ask may make you feel uncomfortable, but please believe me, I have no ill intentions towards you. It’s just a street interview.”

Su Chengyang smiled at the person and Lin Yu continued, “If the question involves privacy or is inconvenient to answer, we won’t answer.”

“Of course!”

“Please imagine if one day the other person gets a very serious illness and there is no possibility of a cure. Would you be willing to continue being with them, taking care of them until their last moment?”

Just the thought that Lin Yu might one day fall seriously ill made Su Chengyang feel her heart sink. She suddenly thought of the security guard grandfather who hadn’t appeared since New Year’s Eve, and her mood instantly plummeted to the bottom.

She held onto Lin Yu tightly, as if afraid that if she loosened her grip even slightly, Lin Yu would disappear from her world.

Su Chengyang couldn’t imagine Lin Yu falling ill, and she couldn’t imagine his life coming to an end one day.

“Please don’t worry, both of you. This is just a hypothesis, and I will pray for your well-being.”

Sensing Su Chengyang’s nervousness and unease, Lin Yu tightly held her hand, smiled, and said, “Of course.”

However, Su Chengyang seemed somewhat absent-minded and didn’t say anything.

After separating from the people they were interviewing on the street, Su Chengyang still couldn’t come back to her senses.

Lin Yu caressed the back of her hand and softly asked, “What’s wrong?”

Su Chengyang shook her head and said, “Nothing.”

Lin Yu smiled and said, “Did you take his words seriously? Don’t worry, I will take care of myself and take care of you too.”

Su Chengyang considered herself not to be a sentimental person, as there were too many beautiful things she could experience. She always worried that one day they would disappear.

“But we will all grow old, our physical abilities will gradually decline, and someday, we will die.”

After saying these words, Su Chengyang herself was shocked. She didn’t expect that just a few words from someone else could make her think so deeply.

Upon hearing this, Lin Yu couldn’t help but stifle a laugh and teasingly said, “Are you so convinced that we will grow old together?”

Su Chengyang sighed with a sense of loss and said, “Well then, let’s forget about it. If you die before me, I won’t be able to bear it. Let’s part ways, so even if you die later, I shouldn’t have too big of a reaction.”

Lin Yu’s body froze, his eyes narrowed, and he asked, “Say that again?”

Su Chengyang immediately lifted her smiling eyes and leaned against his arm, pleading, “Don’t be angry. I was just playing a little joke with you.”

Lin Yu clenched her hand, half-seriously and half-jokingly saying, “If you really have such thoughts in the future, I will tie you back to the Italian mansion and lock you inside. Only I will be able to see you every day.”

Knowing that he was joking, Su Chengyang exaggeratedly exclaimed, “Wow!” and said, “You’re so cruel! Will you treat me to hotpot?”

Lin Yu smiled and replied, “It depends on your performance.”

“I know! If it makes you happy, then I can eat, right?”

“Yes.”

Su Chengyang glanced around, left and right, and when she saw that no one noticed them, she suddenly tiptoed and quickly kissed Lin Yu on the cheek. Then, like a mischievous child who succeeded in her prank, she looked at Lin Yu with a smile and said, “Like this, will you be a little happier?”

Lin Yu was stunned, feeling the soft touch on his cheek. It felt incredibly unreal, as if a white cloud had brushed by.

However, what Su Chengyang didn’t expect was that her seemingly hidden action was noticed by a group of young people on the street. They whistled and cast teasing glances at them. This time, it was Su Chengyang who was stunned.

Although Su Chengyang could shamelessly show affection with Lin Yu in front of Xiao Lu, she had never done such a thing in front of others, and it was entirely her own initiative. Her face turned red with embarrassment, and she pulled Lin Yu, wanting to leave directly.

As she pulled him along, Lin Yu suddenly leaned down and, in front of everyone’s eyes, kissed her lips.

Su Chengyang was completely bewildered, hearing the surrounding crowd cheer.

The kiss was brief, just a moment, and Lin Yu pulled back.

He calmly met Su Chengyang’s surprised gaze and said, “This will make you a little happier.”

Su Chengyang: “…”

Well, the one who starts the teasing is the most mischievous.

Su Chengyang knew she was in the wrong and didn’t dare say much. She quickly pulled Lin Yu away from the crowd.

Before long, the two of them arrived next to the open space where fireworks were being set off. There were still ten minutes left until the fireworks display, and quite a few people had already gathered around.

“There are so many people,” Su Chengyang exclaimed.

Lin Yu smiled and said, “When we passed by earlier, I overheard them saying that someone will propose here tonight.”

Su Chengyang nodded and said, “So that’s why there’s a fireworks display? We’re really lucky. I’ve never seen someone propose before.”

Lin Yu replied, “Me neither. This is a good opportunity to learn.”

Su Chengyang felt a little embarrassed and playfully patted him, saying, “‘If you give me a string of pork kidneys in the future, I’ll agree to marry you.”

Lin Yu: “…”

Lin Yu was taken aback by her playful attitude, but couldn’t help but smile. He asked, “Why pork kidneys?”

Su Chengyang confidently replied, “Because I feel like eating them right now.”

Hearing this, Lin Yu sighed and said, “Unfortunately, they’re not available here. Otherwise, I would have taken this chance to propose to you.”

Su Chengyang laughed twice and said, “That won’t do. Tonight is someone else’s proposal. We can’t steal their thunder.”

Lin Yu nodded and said, “You’re right.”

As the time approached, more and more people gathered around the open space.

The staff responsible for the fireworks display were already preparing on the field. Su Chengyang excitedly stomped her feet and said, “It’s starting, it’s starting!”

She searched through the dense crowd with her eyes, guessing which couple would be the center of attention tonight.

Is it that couple on the side? They look quite similar.

Or is it the couple next to them?

The ones who can propose with fireworks in Times Square must be wealthy, right? Could it be those two who just got out of the luxury car? But they seem a bit like a father and daughter, so it’s probably not them.

Just as Su Chengyang was speculating randomly, the fireworks went up into the sky with a bang.

Su Chengyang was startled and instantly shifted her attention. Her eyes looked at the fireworks blooming in the night sky.

There were continuous sounds of admiration around, and Su Chengyang blended into the crowd. As the fireworks rose into the sky, she sighed along with them. Although fireworks weren’t something particularly rare, there was a sense of ceremony to it. She had never watched fireworks with so many people before, and every second spent with Lin Yu by her side felt like happiness.

As the fireworks bloomed in the sky, a faint music suddenly came from the crowd.

“Wow!”

“Love Story!”

When the song’s prelude began, everyone in the surrounding crowd became excited.

Su Chengyang paused for a moment. She hadn’t listened to many songs, especially English ones, but this particular song, “Love Story“, left a deep impression on her.

Because in that secretive and ambiguous KTV room, Lin Yu had held her hand and translated every lyric into her ear, then kissed her.

“We were both young when I first saw you.”

In an instant, as the song started playing, everyone around the open space began to sing along.

Countless voices mixed together, bombarding Su Chengyang’s ears as if everyone was eagerly awaiting the couple’s proposal ceremony to take place here.

The voices of the crowd gradually drowned out the fireworks and background music.

Watching them waving their arms and singing along to the rhythm, Su Chengyang suddenly felt a stirring sensation, her chest filled to the brim. It was the first time she had witnessed such a scene, and she unexpectedly felt tears welling up in her eyes.

In this place, in the presence of everyone, the girl being proposed to would surely be happy!

“And I said“

Influenced by the emotions of the crowd, Su Chengyang joined in and sang along softly.

“Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone.“

“Ah!!!”

“OMG!”

Suddenly, screams erupted from the crowd. Su Chengyang turned around in confusion and realized that everyone’s gaze was focused on her.

She froze and instinctively reached for Lin Yu beside her, but he wasn’t there. She looked to her side and saw Lin Yu on one knee, holding a small box in his hand. His eyes were gentle as he looked at her, waiting for her to meet his gaze. How long had he been waiting for this moment?

The song continued playing, but Su Chengyang suddenly felt a void in her ears.

She looked at Lin Yu beside her, and in that instant, all the other voices seemed to fade away.

Like countless girls being proposed to in movies, she incredulously covered her mouth with her hand. She never expected that here, in the presence of thousands, she would be the one receiving everyone’s blessings in a proposal.

“Today, I haven’t prepared the food you like. Will you marry me? Entrust your future to me and let me occupy every part of your life.”

Lin Yu’s voice accurately fell into Su Chengyang’s ears amidst the noisy singing.

“Marry me.”

“I didn’t translate this sentence for you at that time. Now you should know what it means.”

“Su Chengyang, marry me. Since the first time I said this sentence, I have been sincere,” Lin Yu expressed.

Su Chengyang stared at him in astonishment as tears streamed down her cheeks. She couldn’t control her emotions. She had never imagined that Lin Yu would propose to her here.

“I love you and that’s all I really know.”

“I love you and that’s all I really know.”

Su Chengyang, who thought of herself as an actress with the ability to control her tears professionally, realized it was not the case. Her heart bloomed like fireworks in the night sky, but she couldn’t control her tears. Under Lin Yu’s tender gaze, she nodded forcefully and said, “I’m willing.”

A smile appeared at the corners of Lin Yu’s mouth, and the night breeze made his smile even gentler. He took out the ring from the box and gently took Su Chengyang’s right hand, sliding the ring onto her finger.

“I hope that in the days to come, this will be the last time I make you cry.”

Su Chengyang bit her lip, trying her best to stop herself, but it was futile.

Under the moonlight, Lin Yu slowly stood up.

He held Su Chengyang tightly in his arms with a gentle strength.

“Thank you.”

“Thank you for being willing to become my collection. I will cherish and protect you always.”

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TL/Note: So we have finally reached the end of the novel. It has been a memorable journey. Although there may be a few things that have not been explained in the story, personally, I think it’s all good. The story doesn’t drag on excessively.
You can check out other equally interesting BG novels at Wanderer Translation here.
Lastly, thank you for the support, comments, and likes. ╰(*°▽°*)╯
Don’t forget to support the original author~! ♡＼(￣▽￣)／♡

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Fortunately, although everyone was happy to see Su Chengyang, they hadn’t lost their minds. They each moved aside a bit to make way.

However, the gap in the middle was limited. When Lin Yu squeezed into the classroom, his neatly arranged clothes became disheveled. He ran his hand through his slightly curly black hair and finally arrived in front of Su Chengyang.

Su Chengyang was sitting in her seat, holding a pen in her hand. She saw someone approaching but didn’t raise her head as she asked, “Do you want a message?”

“The flower language of Sunflowers.”

Upon hearing the familiar voice, Su Chengyang was momentarily stunned. Then she raised her head with joy and exclaimed, “Lin Yu, why are you here?”

There was a clear ink stain on her fair little face. Lin Yu smiled warmly, wiped off the ink stain with his hand, and stepped aside, saying, “I came to accompany you.”

Su Chengyang looked at him with a smile and said, “Did you bring some snacks? I’m a bit hungry.”

Lin Yu chuckled, “I brought some.”

“Ah…”

“The sour smell of love!”

“I suspect the manager was able to win over Chengyang because of the little snacks!”

“Damn, this is definitely a foul.”

The news of Su Chengyang appearing at a certain college entrance examination venue appeared on the hot search within an hour.

Because Lin Yu mentioned on Weibo before that Su Chengyang would return to school after terminating the contract with Starlight Entertainment, most netizens held a supportive attitude towards this matter, and there were only a few random comments that didn’t cause much of a stir.

Perhaps due to the end of the college entrance examination, the students were rare to relax, and the school and parents did not prevent the students’ behavior until after 8 o’clock when the students gradually dispersed.

After the last student left the classroom, Su Chengyang breathed a sigh of relief. Lin Yu got up, closed the front and back doors of the classroom, pulled the curtains, blocking the view from outside, and then returned to Su Chengyang’s side.

“How did it go?” Lin Yu pulled a chair and sat down next to Su Chengyang.

Su Chengyang lay on the desk, looked at him weakly, and moved her paws, saying, “My hand hurts.”

After writing for several hours, how could it not hurt?

Lin Yu didn’t say anything, he took her hand and placed it in his palm, gently kneading her hand back and finger joints. “Does it feel better?”

Su Chengyang turned her head and looked at Lin Yu’s serious expression. A faint smile appeared involuntarily at the corner of her mouth. “Um.”

Lin Yu glanced at her and asked, “Are you happy?”

“Um, I finally finished the exam.”

“Yeah, you’ve worked hard during this period.”

Su Chengyang has been very busy lately, either filming or studying all day long, with no time to relax.

Su Chengyang shook her head and said, “Let’s find an opportunity to go out and have fun after I finish filming and before school starts.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Yu paused and said, “I have booked a photographer for you. In early July, we will go to the United States to shoot a few magazine covers. After the magazine covers are done, you won’t have any work and can wait for school to start peacefully. Then, you and I will go directly from the United States to Italy to meet my mother.”

Su Chengyang was stunned, visibly nervous. She sat up straight and said, “Meet your mother? But I haven’t learned Italian yet… I’m not familiar with your customs either…”

Lin Yu soothingly held her hand and said, “It’s okay. My mom doesn’t mind these things. She just really wants to meet you.”

Su Chengyang was still a bit nervous and asked, “What if your mom doesn’t like me?”

Lin Yu smiled at her and suddenly placed his hand on her neck, pulling her closer and lightly kissing her lips. Then he moved back a bit and said, “Don’t worry, if I like someone, my mom will definitely like them too.”

Su Chengyang looked at his face, so close to hers, and even after dating for several months, she still felt her heart flutter when he suddenly approached.

“Growl—”

Before Su Chengyang could speak, her stomach began to growl.

Su Chengyang blushed and embarrassedly lowered her head, murmuring, “I’m a bit hungry.”

Lin Yu leaned against her forehead and chuckled, “A bit?”

“I’m very hungry.”

“Shall we eat something to fill our stomachs?”

“Wasn’t everything already divided?”

Just now, when she was eating, she generously divided all the snacks prepared for her by Lin Yu among the students around her.

Lin Yu rubbed her cheek with his right hand, and his pupils became very deep in color.

The two of them were very close to each other. In the face of his sudden silence, Su Chengyang gradually became a little uneasy. Her two big eyes met his gaze nervously and shyly, but quickly turned away as if they were scalded.

“Open your mouth,” Lin Yu said softly by her lips.

Listening to his persuasive tone, Su Chengyang inexplicably opened her lips, completely unprepared as she welcomed him in.

In the empty classroom, in the sacred flowerbed, two passionate and scorching breaths intertwined, refusing to let go of each other for a long time.

Lately, Lin Yu’s demands had become more and more excessive. Each time, he wanted more than before. Several times, in empty rooms, Su Chengyang thought he would go all the way, but to her surprise, Lin Yu had exceptional self-control. Every time, he released her just as she was about to lose control.

This time was no exception.

When Su Chengyang, gasping for breath, freed herself from his control, he held her in his arms and whispered in her ear, “Let me catch my breath.”

Su Chengyang pressed her hot cheek against his neck and patiently waited for him to calm down.

Time passed, and the sky outside grew darker. Lin Yu moved his arms around her and suddenly said, “Su Chengyang, prepare yourself mentally. I can’t hold back much longer.”

His voice was hoarse, and to Su Chengyang’s ears, it felt like being burned by fire.

Su Chengyang said, “There was no need to hold back in the first place.”

Lin Yu’s breath tightened, “Su Chengyang, stop tempting me.”

Su Chengyang frowned and bit the skin on his neck with her teeth, like a puppy grinding its teeth, muttering, “When did I tempt you? I’m just speaking the truth.”

Lin Yu pinched her cheeks and lifted her up from his body, squinting at Su Chengyang and said, “Do you still want to eat?”

Su Chengyang obediently smiled and said, “Yes!”

Lin Yu couldn’t help but laugh along and kissed her forehead, “Let’s go, let’s eat.”

“Eat!”

They turned off the lights and left the classroom.

In the pitch-black school, occasionally illuminated by a streetlamp.

Without any concerns, Lin Yu held Su Chengyang’s hand and slowly walked through the empty school.

“Where’s Xiao Lu?” Su Chengyang suddenly realized that they hadn’t seen Xiao Lu.

“I don’t know. Before I came in, I asked her to bring the car over first,” Lin Yu replied.

Su Chengyang freed her hand and took out her phone from her backpack. After walking a distance from the teaching building, dozens of missed calls popped up, all from Xiao Lu.

Lin Yu also took out his phone and took a glance.

“Xiao Lu must be anxious waiting outside alone,” Su Chengyang said worriedly, picking up the phone intending to call her back, but it showed that the other party’s phone was already turned off.

The two of them reached the school gate. Outside, there were only two lonely streetlights shining, and a regular Volkswagen car was parked under the streetlights.

Xiao Lu didn’t know where she found a small stool and sat on the steps next to the car. She held a plate of stir-fried rice noodles and was enjoying her meal.

Out of the corner of her eye, Xiao Lu saw Su Chengyang and Lin Yu coming out, but she didn’t even bother to look at them. She focused on eating her rice noodles.

When Su Chengyang saw the steaming hot plate of stir-fried rice noodles in her hand, her eyes instantly lit up. She threw her backpack to Lin Yu, took three quick steps, and stood next to Xiao Lu, trying to please her, saying, “Sister Xiao Lu…”

“Can you give me a bite? Just one bite.”

“Aa一”

“It smells so good!”

Lin Yu gradually stopped walking and watched Su Chengyang, who looked happy, as she devoured the rice noodles under the streetlight.

For some reason, he felt that the plate of stir-fried rice noodles in Lu Yin’s hand must be delicious.

. . . . .

After the college entrance examination, Su Chengyang hurriedly returned to the set to continue filming. Her scenes would take another two weeks to wrap up.

During this period, Lin Yu planned to finish his work for July in advance, and both of them immersed themselves in their own lives. They rarely contacted each other in the past few days.

Despite the busy schedule, when Su Chengyang finished filming, Lin Yu managed to rush to the set amidst his busy schedule to celebrate with her.

The wrap party was held near the location of the last scene. When Lin Yu arrived, Su Chengyang was playing around with Han Songxue and the others.

This production involved many actors, including Han Songxue and Jiang Shanqi, who Su Chengyang was familiar with. The three of them had many scenes together, and their wrap-up times were similar.

Recently, they became obsessed with a tower defense game and played it together while waiting for everyone to gather. When Lin Yu arrived, Su Chengyang screamed for help while looking at Han Songxue’s phone screen.

“Run! Keep running!” Han Songxue kept shouting in fear.

“Hit it.”

“Don’t run! Fight back!”

The two male actors shouted loudly for them to come back, but the three of them ran faster and faster. By the time they reached them, the three were nowhere to be found, leaving the two of them surrounded by five people who beat them to death on the spot.

“Huh? How did you guys die?” Han Songxue looked at the two male actors in confusion.

Both of them had pale faces and swollen mouths, unable to speak.

Su Chengyang controlled the side-lane hero and diligently farmed in the game. Suddenly, he felt a shadow cast on the screen and smelled a familiar scent. In the midst of her busy gameplay, she looked up and found Lin Yu, whom she hadn’t seen in two weeks. She smiled and greeted him, “You’re here? Take a seat.”

After saying that, she left her boyfriend, whom she hadn’t seen for two weeks, hanging and lowered her head to continue focusing on gaming.

Lin Yu chuckled helplessly and sat down beside her.

“Is it really fun?” Lin Yu raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah!” Su Chengyang nodded.

Lin Yu pursed his lips, looked around, and didn’t see Xiao Lu’s figure, so he asked, “Where is Lu Yin?”

Su Chengyang’s eyes remained fixed on the mobile screen, and without raising her head, she said, “She took a day off today and went on a date with her boyfriend.”

Surprised, Lin Yu asked, “They’re together? When did that happen?”

“Just two days ago. Xiao Lu went out to buy something and encountered a thief on the street. She quickly subdued the thief in a few moves, and the police station even awarded her a commemorative flag.”

Lin Yu laughed and leaned closer to her, asking, “How do you play? Teach me.”

Su Chengyang suddenly became interested and said, “It would be great if we could fight here. If enemies come, just hide under the defense tower so they can’t reach you.”

“Really? I’ll give it a try.”

While Han Songxue and Jiang Shanqi were fiercely fighting in the middle lane, they noticed that their teammate in the side lane hadn’t made any moves. They were about to ask Su Chengyang to come and support them in the middle lane, even if she did nothing, just getting an assist would be helpful.

However, when they looked up, they saw Su Chengyang and her boyfriend, whom she hadn’t seen for two weeks, standing very close together. They were looking at the same phone, whispering to each other affectionately, completely unaware of the situation in the middle lane.

“Ugh! The sour smell of love.”

“If they don’t get married in the end, I’ll never believe in love again.”

After filming this drama, Su Chengyang temporarily bid farewell to the entertainment industry and returned to school. So, after the wrap-up party, they had a wild night with some familiar people until late at night. Su Chengyang was then drunkenly brought back home by Lin Yu.

That night, Lin Yu personally helped her wash and change into pajamas before getting into bed. The two of them slept on the same bed for the whole night, but surprisingly, nothing happened between them.

The next day, when Xiao Lu found out, she deeply questioned her cousin brother’s abilities in front of Su Chengyang. Xiao Lu had been saying such things in her ear during this period, causing Su Chengyang to start doubting whether Lin Yu was incapable.

But she didn’t dare to ask directly, fearing that it would hurt Lin Yu’s self-esteem or make him think that she wanted to do something like that with him.

With these doubts, the day of Su Chengyang’s college entrance exam results arrived.

Perhaps because Lin Yu had remained calm throughout, Su Chengyang also became completely calm. After checking her results, she even had a feeling that matched her expectations: her score exceeded the admission cutoff for second-tier universities by seventeen points.

On the day of filling out college applications, Su Chengyang applied to two universities in the capital and one in her hometown. After that, she put this matter aside and prepared to go to a magazine cover shoot with Lin Yu.

Since they would be flying directly from the United States to Italy, meeting Lin Yu’s mother, and having Lin Yu by her side, Xiao Lu didn’t accompany them to the United States. Instead, she returned to Italy alone.

On the first day in New York, the two of them arrived at the pre-arranged hotel, settled their luggage, and then went to the restaurant to have dinner with the photographer.

Unexpectedly, the photographer turned out to be a Chinese person, and Lin Yu was an old acquaintance.

After exchanging greetings, everyone took their seats and started dining.

Su Chengyang sat quietly beside, rarely speaking, not wanting to disturb their friends’ reunion. However, through their conversation, she learned that the series of couple-style photos Lin Yu and Mary took in the past were actually the work of this photographer.

After finishing their meal, they bid farewell to their photographer friend and walked hand in hand on the streets of a foreign land.

The streets were bustling with people and traffic, but their leisurely figures seemed to be the only clear picture in the busy world. Amidst the colorful scenery, they resembled a beautiful frame from a movie.

“After we finish work, let’s go see Times Square,” Lin Yu turned his head and said to her.

Su Chengyang looked at the giant billboards on the tall buildings along the road, nodded, and replied, “Sure, I’ve never been there before.”

Lin Yu tightened his grip on her hand, smiled, and asked, “Do you prefer China or abroad?”

Su Chengyang answered without hesitation, “China.”

Lin Yu raised his eyebrows and asked, “So decisive?”

“Yeah,” Su Chengyang nodded naturally, “because I have lived in China for so many years, I am very familiar with it. I feel a sense of belonging there. When I am abroad, I always feel like it’s not my home. I will eventually go back.”

Lin Yu smiled and said, “Okay, we’ll settle down in China in the future. Which city do you like the most?”

Su Chengyang felt a little embarrassed under his serious gaze and lowered her head. She said, “We can also go back to Italy and accompany your mother.”

“That sounds good,” Lin Yu said.

Su Chengyang looked up at him with confusion and asked, “What do you mean?”

Lin Yu’s lips curled into a smile as his hair swayed gently in the warm night breeze, making his eyes look unusually gentle and captivating. He said, “Let’s have a child, a boy or a girl, and let the child accompany my mother. Then we can have our own world, just the two of us. How about that?”

Su Chengyang chuckled and lightly took his arm, leaning against his shoulder. She smiled and said, “But that would mean the child can’t be with their parents from an early age. How pitiful.”

“In that case, let’s not have a child.”

Lin Yu’s remark amused Su Chengyang, and she burst into laughter. “If we don’t have a child, won’t your parents pressure us?”

Lin Yu confidently wrapped his arm around her shoulder and said, “So what if they pressure us? They can’t give birth for us.”

“Why are you so rebellious?”

“It’s all because of you.”

Su Chengyang’s eyes narrowed into slits as she laughed. Every second spent with Lin Yu was blissful. She used to believe that the greatest happiness in life was earning enough money, opening her own bookstore, and leading a simple and ordinary life. But Lin Yu told her it wasn’t like that.

Being able to love each other, to be together with the person she loved, to plan their future together—that kind of happiness was something rare and precious in life.

“I heard from Assistant Xu that you asked him to help you find a shop. What do you want to do?” Lin Yu suddenly brought it up without warning.

Su Chengyang was taken aback. “How did you know? I specifically told him not to tell you.”

Lin Yu chuckled and pinched her cheek, saying, “I’m his boss, and I’m your boyfriend. Do you think you can hide it from me?”

Su Chengyang nodded, thinking to herself that he was right. There was never anything she could hide from Lin Yu. It was as if he had an extra sense about her.

“I want to open a bookstore in the capital. The paperwork is almost done.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Yu glanced at her with profound meaning and released the hand he had been holding tightly.

Su Chengyang noticed that something was off with his expression. She tugged at his sleeve and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Lin Yu lifted his head, his face devoid of emotion, and looked at the bustling street. He said lightly, “You had Assistant Xu help you find a storefront, had Lu Yin assist you with the approval process, and had Jiang Shanqi contact the publishing house for you.”

After finishing his sentence, he turned his head to look at Su Chengyang. His eyes were dark and unreadable, showing no signs of any emotions.

“What about me? Do you plan on letting your boyfriend be the last one to know?” Su Chengyang didn’t expect him to know about everything she had done. She figured Xiao Lu, the one who couldn’t keep a secret, must have told Lin Yu.

She guiltily lowered her head and stammered, “It was just some minor help…”

Lin Yu paused his steps and said, “Just some minor help? Why didn’t you come to me for assistance? Did you think I couldn’t help you?”

“No.” Su Chengyang mustered up her courage to meet his gaze and explained, “I just didn’t want to bother you. You were busy during that time, and we didn’t even have time to talk every day.”

Observing Su Chengyang’s guilty and evasive eyes, Lin Yu sighed imperceptibly and said, “I’m not busy.”

He placed his hands on Su Chengyang’s shoulders and earnestly said, “Chengyang, whenever it comes to matters involving you, I can make time for anything. I am never too busy.”

Su Chengyang looked up at him and said, “Don’t be angry. When the bookstore opens, I promise to let you cut the ribbon alone. You’ll be the bookstore’s owner!”

Unable to hold back, Lin Yu laughed at her words, “I’ll be the owner, then what will you be?”

Su Chengyang laughed along, looking silly, and said, “I’ll be the boss. The bookstore will be my dowry.”

“Then what kind of dowry do you want?”

Su Chengyang shook her head, “I don’t lack anything anymore. Whatever you give me, that’s what I want.”

Lin Yu stared at her and suddenly smiled, “Alright, don’t regret it.”

Su Chengyang held his hand, “I won’t regret it.”

Since the decision to be with Lin Yu, Su Chengyang had prepared to exchange everything she had for the opportunity to be together with him.

In a foreign land where no one knew them, the two of them walked along that long street for a long time.

Lin Yu had been grateful more than once that he accurately found Su Chengyang among countless auditions. If he hadn’t had the chance to meet Su Chengyang in this lifetime, his life would have been so dull and pale.

When it came to Su Chengyang, he always had an overly protective nature.

He didn’t like it when Su Chengyang made new friends, didn’t like it when she sought help from others instead of him, and even felt uneasy when she became interested in a game. He was afraid that he would slowly lose his grip on Su Chengyang, and their relationship would change over time with the introduction of new things to Su Chengyang.

Even though Lin Yu knew deep down that such thoughts were highly inappropriate, he couldn’t control himself. He just tried his best not to let Su Chengyang be affected, giving her time and space to freely socialize.

He thought, he really liked Su Chengyang too much.

Although he knew that Su Chengyang liked him just as much, he still felt afraid. He worried that when he couldn’t see her, someone else could easily deceive her with a piece of candy. What should he do then? How could he make Su Chengyang change her mind and come back to him?

At one point during his most anxious moments, he even thought that if Su Chengyang were to tell him one day that she had fallen in love with someone else, he wouldn’t give her the chance to leave him as he had promised before. He might do whatever it took to keep Su Chengyang by his side, bring her back to Italy, and keep her as his own possession.

He had actually considered the feasibility of this idea back then.

Looking back now, it sent shivers down his spine. He didn’t expect that one day he would have such terrifying thoughts. Emotions were something that could easily make a person lose control.

---

---

During the filming of the new movie, Su Chengyang returned to her hometown to take the college entrance examination accompanied by Lin Yu and Xiao Lu.

On the day the college entrance examination began, the streets were crowded with people.

The police responsible for security set up barricades at the school gate to prevent any accidents that could affect the examinees’ mood.

Xiao Lu drove the two of them to the school gate. Su Chengyang looked back and saw her cousin brother and her future sister-in-law sitting in the back seat, whispering to each other.

“Wait for me to finish eating.” Su Chengyang finished eating the fried dough stick in her hand. Lin Yu handed her a peeled boiled egg.

Su Chengyang was afraid of wasting time, so she ate quickly. Her cheeks were bulging like a hamster, and Xiao Lu was afraid she would overeat and make herself sick.

“Slow down.” Lin Yu frowned and patted her back. When she finished gobbling up a fried dough stick and two eggs, he put the straw from the soy milk in his hand to her mouth.

Su Chengyang took a big sip, and Lin Yu wiped the residue from her mouth with his hand. “Your ID card and admission ticket are in your backpack. Don’t be nervous, it’s okay if you don’t do well.”

Su Chengyang couldn’t speak with her mouth full, so she nodded and leaned forward to kiss Lin Yu’s cheek. “Thank you.”

She mumbled.

Lin Yu directly embraced her neck and kissed her forehead heavily, saying in Italian, “Good luck.”

Xiao Lu, who was being ignored, silently watched this scene. In the six months they had been together, they initially tried to avoid public displays of affection, but recently even Su Chengyang had become shameless.

Su Chengyang waved at the two of them, put on her hat and mask, opened the car door, and jumped down like a little rabbit, running towards the school gate.

Lin Yu’s eyes followed her figure until she disappeared from sight, then he withdrew his gaze.

Xiao Lu sighed, “Didn’t they say the first three months are the honeymoon period? You two have been together for six months, why aren’t you tired of each other yet?”

Lin Yu glanced at her and said, “You’ll know once you try.”

“I…”

After dating a boyfriend in high school, she has never been in a relationship again. But can being together every day really not get boring? However, speaking of that, Su Chengyang has been busy filming recently, and her brother hasn’t seen much of Su Chengyang either, so it’s no wonder she doesn’t feel bored.

Lin Yu seemed to understand what she was thinking and said, “I won’t get tired, and I won’t let Chengyang get tired either.”

Xiao Lu shrugged, “That’s not necessarily true. Can you really control how Chengyang feels? Right now, you’re like an overprotective father with his daughter, preparing everything for Su Chengyang, and I don’t even know where you heard those superstitions from 一 one fried dough stick and two eggs¹? Do you not know that the maximum score for the national college entrance examination in China is 150 points for each subject? Moreover, can Chengyang handle having a boyfriend like you, an overprotective father?”

Before Lin Yu could react, Xiao Lu shivered and said, “If my future boyfriend controls me like my dad does, I definitely wouldn’t want to stay with him.”

Lin Yu looked at her with a half-smile and said, “Just take care of yourself.”

Xiao Lu pouted, parked the car on the side of the road, and they had booked a hotel near the school. Lin Yu was picking rooms based on soundproofing and location. Xiao Lu couldn’t help but feel emotional.

“If you’re so afraid of Chengyang being disturbed, why don’t you just book the entire hotel?”

Lin Yu said, “There are many schools nearby, and there are also many students who need to rest at noon.”

Xiao Lu shrugged, “That’s true.”

Su Chengyang was in the last examination room, and her seat was also the last one. After sitting down, she took off her hat, placed her ID card and admission ticket on the desk, put her backpack on the podium, and then sat down, recalling the few math problems Qin You explained to her through video last night.

After more than six months of studying, Su Chengyang’s English had improved significantly under the dual guidance of Xiao Lu and Lin Yu. Her Chinese was passable, but when it came to math, no matter how Lin Yu or Qin You taught her, it was useless. As soon as she got slightly distracted, she couldn’t keep up with the subsequent steps.

Other candidates gradually entered the examination room one by one. Most of the candidates didn’t know each other, and they sat nervously in their respective seats. No one was whispering to each other.

Shortly after, the broadcast announced that there were fifteen minutes left until the start of the exam, reminding all candidates to use the restroom. Once the exam started, they couldn’t leave the examination room unless necessary.

Some candidates went to the bathroom, while Su Chengyang quietly recited formulas, leaning on the desk.

Because everyone was extremely nervous, no one noticed Su Chengyang in the corner. Su Chengyang pulled down the mask below her eyes, not wanting to attract the students’ attention.

Fifteen minutes later, the first exam began, and the invigilator entered the classroom with the exam papers.

The first exam was Chinese language. After distributing the papers, the students in the front row turned around and handed the paper to Su Chengyang. When she saw Su Chengyang, she clearly paused for a moment.

Su Chengyang took the paper and smiled at her.

The exam started. Su Chengyang first wrote her name and candidate number, then, following Lin Yu’s instructions, she took the paper and immediately looked at the essay topic.

Chinese was not Su Chengyang’s best subject, nor was it her worst, but passing should not be a problem.

After the first exam ended at half-past eleven, as the bell rang, Su Chengyang sighed with relief and put down her pen.

After collecting the papers, the girl in the front row suddenly turned around and asked cautiously, “Are you Su Chengyang?”

Su Chengyang had just taken her backpack from the podium and put on her hat. She hesitated for a moment upon hearing the question and placed her index finger on her mouth, gesturing for silence.

“Don’t tell anyone,” Su Chengyang curved her eyes and smiled at her.

The girl’s pupils instantly dilated, and she breathed rapidly. “You… you…”

“Don’t be nervous,” Su Chengyang comforted her, patting her shoulder. “I’m just a candidate like you.”

The girl almost became incoherent, “After the college entrance exam, can I tell others? My… my boyfriend really likes you…”

Su Chengyang nodded. “Sure! See you in the afternoon.”

“See you in the afternoon!” The girl excitedly waved her hand towards her.

Su Chengyang didn’t want to affect others with her presence, so she lowered her cap and left the classroom, carrying her backpack.

Originally, she didn’t want Lin Yu to accompany her today, finding him too conspicuous. However, Lin Yu insisted on coming and even tempted her with a hotpot dinner after the exam. Unable to resist the temptation, Su Chengyang allowed him to come.

To appear more low-key, Lin Yu even bought a Volkswagen car specifically to pick up and drop off Su Chengyang. It was ordinary and inconspicuous. He also promised Su Chengyang that he would never get out of the car when picking her up.

Su Chengyang walked out of the school gate in the crowd and saw Xiao Lu sitting in the car, waving at her from a distance. She looked up, quickened her pace, and walked over.

Opening the car door, she got in and took off her hat. Lin Yu handed her an open bottle of mineral water.

Su Chengyang was really thirsty and didn’t want to do it herself, so she took a sip from Lin Yu’s hand.

“I’m so tired.” Su Chengyang leaned back in the seat and took a deep breath after finishing the drink.

Lin Yu closed the bottle cap and used his warm fingertips to wipe off the water stains at the corner of her mouth. He didn’t ask how she did on the exam but said, “What do you want to eat for lunch? Afterward, you can take a nap.”

“Spicy hotpot.” Su Chengyang immediately replied without hesitation.

She hadn’t had spicy hotpot in a long time and really craved it.

Lin Yu glanced at her and used his hand to tidy up her messy hair caused by the cap, saying, “That’s not possible.”

Su Chengyang frowned, feeling a bit unhappy. “Then why did you ask me?”

Recently, Lin Yu had spoiled Su Chengyang, and her temper had grown quite a bit. Xiao Lu, the silent bystander in the front seat, shook her head while watching.

She suspected that Lin Yu intended to spoil her so much that she wouldn’t be able to live without him.

Ha! A scheming man.

Lin Yu held the person in his arms, with his chin against her forehead, as if comforting her, and said, “No exam in the afternoon? What if you have an upset stomach?”

Su Chengyang’s stomach was kept particularly healthy by him, and she had been eating light recently. If she suddenly ate something greasy and stimulating, she might indeed have an upset stomach.

“There’s a Chinese restaurant nearby. How about having Chinese food?”

His deep and pleasant voice was right by her ear, and the warmth almost brushed against Su Chengyang’s earlobe. She quietly used her claws to touch her ear and responded with an “Oh.”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk.” Xiao Lu couldn’t bear it anymore and made a sound from the front row, catching the attention of the two.

“Cousin brother, sister-in-law, I’m still alive, can you consider the feelings of us single dogs a bit?”

Su Chengyang, still not used to Lin Yu’s thick-skinned behavior, pushed him away when she heard Xiao Lu’s words. Fortunately, Lin Yu didn’t insist and let go of her hand.

Lin Yu casually said, “Haven’t you been chatting well with your ex-boyfriend recently?”

Xiao Lu was stunned and looked at him in horror, “How do you know?”

Lin Yu placed his hand on Su Chengyang’s shoulder and flicked her hair with his fingers, saying lightly, “I heard it from Chengyang.”

Su Chengyang’s body stiffened, and she looked at Lin Yu in disbelief, moving her lips silently, “You betrayed me!”

Lin Yu remained unchanged in expression.

“Su Chengyang!!” Xiao Lu roared angrily, “How did you know?”

Su Chengyang smiled awkwardly and said, “I overheard you talking to him on the phone a couple of days ago.”

“Alright, let’s go eat,” Lin Yu interrupted the two of them.

Su Chengyang gave him a glare and discreetly reached for his waist, intending to pinch him, but Lin Yu stopped her halfway.

After finishing lunch and returning to the hotel, Su Chengyang attempted several math problems but kept making mistakes. She was already lying down, feeling that there was no subject harder than math in the world. She thought it would be difficult to pass this exam.

As expected, after finishing the math exam in the afternoon, Su Chengyang walked out of the examination room with a dejected look.

Opening the car door and sitting inside, Lin Yu noticed that she didn’t look well. He ruffled her hair and said, “You did your best. They studied for three years, but you’ve only been studying for less than a year. It’s already impressive that you’ve come this far.”

Xiao Lu nodded in agreement, “Yeah, don’t worry about the exam anymore. It’s not important. What do you want to eat tonight? My brother will treat us.”

Su Chengyang lifted her sparkling eyes and looked at Lin Yu, blinking with anticipation. She said, “I want a KFC family bucket.”

Seeing her expectant and nervous expression, Lin Yu couldn’t help but laugh, “Alright.”

“That’s great!” Su Chengyang smiled brightly.

That radiant smile was enough to make anyone’s heart flutter.

Lin Yu secretly pinched his palm, suppressing his desires. It wasn’t the right time yet.

“Lu Yin, let’s go.”

“Let’s go! Time for fried chicken!”

That night, to avoid disturbing Su Chengyang’s sleep, the three of them had separate rooms. Lin Yu didn’t stay in her room for long and didn’t make her study. He accompanied her in bed until 9:30 PM, then ordered her to go to sleep.

Su Chengyang obediently nodded and leaned against him, falling asleep.

After confirming that Su Chengyang was asleep, Lin Yu bent down and gently kissed her forehead before leaving the room as quiet as a mouse.

In the corridor, Lin Yu took out his phone, which had been set to silent mode for a long time. There were several missed calls and messages. Lin Yu dialed the topmost number.

After a moment, the call was answered.

“Hello, Dad.”

“Chengyang is asleep.”

“Yeah, she’s doing fine today. The result doesn’t matter.”

. . . . .

The next morning was the comprehensive literature and art exam, followed by the English exam in the afternoon.

Every time the exam papers were distributed, the girls in the front row would exchange mysterious glances with Su Chengyang, like secret agents rendezvousing, making it all very mysterious. The invigilator might have noticed and thought there was some unspeakable secret between them, occasionally casting glances in Su Chengyang’s direction.

The invigilator glanced at Su Chengyang’s admission ticket, knowing her identity. They probably assumed she was a public figure and wouldn’t do anything embarrassing. After a brief look, they shifted their attention away.

During the English exam in the afternoon, Su Chengyang was in complete control. She finished all the previous questions within an hour, leaving only the final essay.

After completing the assignment, with some time left before collecting the exam papers, she double-checked her work.

When the bell signaling the end of the exam rang, most of the students in the examination hall let out a sigh of relief. The two-day college entrance examination finally came to an end, giving them a brief respite from their busy studies.

“Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah!”

Just as the answer sheets were being collected, a girl in front suddenly screamed, capturing the attention of everyone else in the classroom.

Su Chengyang was startled, and her hand froze while putting on her hat.

“You… can you sign an autograph for me… My boyfriend will be here soon…”

The woman took out a pen and a photo from her bag.

Sitting nervously, Su Chengyang glanced around the other corners of the classroom. Seeing everyone staring at them intently, Su Chengyang lowered her head and quickly put on her hat. She whispered, “Okay, speak softly…”

“Ah! Ah! Ah!”

“Su Chengyang!”

“Is that Su Chengyang?”

However, before Su Chengyang could finish speaking, the classroom suddenly erupted with a continuous scream.

The exams in the surrounding classrooms were also drawn to the commotion.

“Su Chengyang?”

“What? Su Chengyang?”

Su Chengyang: “…”

“Oh my god! It really is Su Chengyang!”

“Su Chengyang is taking the college entrance examination in our school!!!”

In less than five minutes, the news of Su Chengyang’s appearance in the examination room spread throughout the school.

Lin Yu and Xiao Lu stood at the school gate, waiting for a long time. Although the exam had already ended, there were only a few people coming out. Anxious parents waiting outside were eagerly anticipating their arrival.

Finally, they saw the first candidate approaching the school gate.

The crowd was extremely excited, watching the candidate walk towards the gate, preparing to greet them. Suddenly, the candidate paused.

He widened his eyes, looked at his phone, and suddenly exclaimed, “Oh my god! Su Chengyang is in the school?”

The candidate looked up at a couple by the roadside, threw his backpack at them, and said, “Mom, my goddess is here, I have to go and see.”

After saying that, the candidate turned his head and ran towards the teaching building.

The many parents who had been waiting outside for a long time said, “…”

“That child just said… Su Chengyang is inside?”

“Really? My daughter keeps mentioning this Su Chengyang at home.”

“My child does too.”

“That explains why the exam ended and no one came out.”

. . . . .

Lin Yu and Xiao Lu felt helpless and wanted to laugh.

Lin Yu said to Xiao Lu, “You go and bring the car over.”

They had originally thought that this was the last exam and they weren’t afraid of exposing their identities, so they didn’t even drive the car. Who would have known that Su Chengyang would be recognized before even leaving the examination hall, and judging by the situation, it had caused quite a stir.

“Okay,” Xiao Lu responded and left.

Lin Yu walked to the side of the caution line at the entrance, amidst the watchful eyes of the crowd. A vigilant police officer responsible for guarding observed him vigilantly.

“Who?”

Lin Yu handed his business card to the police officer and said, “I am Su Chengyang’s boyfriend and manager. I came to pick her up and take her home. She encountered some trouble inside.”

The police officer glanced at him and then asked a nearby junior police officer, “Don’t you like Su Chengyang? Take him inside.”

“Yes.”

Lin Yu politely smiled at the police officer.

After being escorted into the school by the junior police officer, they quickly found Su Chengyang’s location because almost all the students were gathering in one direction.

The junior police officer was also puzzled by the situation and worried about any accidents, so he used the radio to call for colleagues to help evacuate the crowd.

Seeing the dense crowd blocking the stairwell on the first floor, Lin Yu furrowed his brow. Fortunately, the exam room where Chengyang was located was on the first floor. If it were higher, accidents would be more likely to occur.

“Don’t push, don’t push.”

“It would be bad if something happened.”

“Don’t push!”

A few shouts came from the crowd.

Lin Yu was relatively tall and could vaguely see the situation inside the classroom. The people gathered around a seat didn’t show any extreme reactions. The classroom seemed more organized than outside. They entered through the back door and exited through the front door, probably because Su Chengyang was sitting there signing autographs and taking pictures with them.

Realizing that Su Chengyang was not in any serious danger, Lin Yu breathed a sigh of relief. He turned to the junior police officer next to him and said, “Sir, could you please go up and maintain order? Don’t scare them.”

The junior police officer nodded, and just as several colleagues arrived, they stood at the edge of the crowd, ensuring they lined up in an orderly manner to prevent any stampede accidents.

Lin Yu looked around and saw that both entrances of the classroom were crowded with people.

After everyone had lined up in an orderly manner at the back door, he walked through the middle and said, “Excuse me, I’m Chengyang’s manager. Could you please make way?”

In the noisy crowd, many of the candidates turned their heads in unison upon hearing his voice.

“Lin Yu?”

“Wow! Is it really Lin Yu? He looks much better than in the photos.”

“So this is the guy who stole my girlfriend?”

“I have to admit, he’s really handsome.”

---

1. Eating “one fried dough stick and two eggs” before an entrance exam has become a cultural tradition in China, as it is believed to bring good fortune and boost performance. One fried dough stick is compared to 1, and two eggs are compared to two zeros, which means 100 points in the exam. ↩︎

---

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The next morning, Su Chengyang stood expressionless in front of the mirror in the room, waiting for Lin Yu to bring her toiletries.

She looked at her reflection in the mirror and noticed a prominent red mark on her neck, as if someone had bitten her last night.

“Uncle Liu bought you an electric toothbrush,” Lin Yu walked over and placed the toothbrush and towel in front of Su Chengyang.

Looking up into Lin Yu’s gentle smiling eyes, she felt the urge to bite him twice out of anger.

“How am I supposed to go out and see people like this?” Su Chengyang said in frustration.

Lin Yu leaned against the door, crossing his arms and seeming quite satisfied with his masterpiece. “It’s okay.”

“Of course, you think it’s okay. It’s on me!” Su Chengyang replied angrily.

Lin Yu unbuttoned his collar and hesitated, “Well… then maybe you can kiss it back?”

Su Chengyang: “…”

Throughout the day, Su Chengyang avoided lifting her head whenever possible and used her hair to cover the mark. She barely managed to get past the two elders, but when she played games with Xiao Lu in the evening, she was still discovered by Xiao Lu.

After seeing it, Xiao Lu wrinkled her nose and said, “Is it only on your neck? I don’t believe it!”

With that, she gestured to take off Su Chengyang’s clothes.

Su Chengyang was startled and said, “It’s only here! Don’t mess around, I’ll complain to Lin Yu later!”

Shaking her head, Xiao Lu said, “That’s impossible. He slept with you all night, and my cousin brother didn’t do anything?”

Su Chengyang: “…”

She blushed and glared at the other person, then sat aside.

Xiao Lu couldn’t believe it and said, “How can my cousin brother is not as good as a beast?”

But as soon as she looked up, her cousin brother, who was not as good as a beast, was standing at the door, smiling ambiguously and saying, “Disappointed?”

Xiao Lu’s face stiffened, and she quickly shook her head, “No, no.”

Later, when no one was around, Lin Yu whispered in Su Chengyang’s ear while teasing her, “What should we do? It seems like I can’t hold back anymore, I’m not as good as a beast. And you? When will you let me be a beast?”

Su Chengyang bit him hard twice, feeling embarrassed almost to tears, “Shut up!”

After staying with their elders in the old residence for two days, Su Chengyang and the other two returned home.

Lin Yu had to go back to work, and Su Chengyang had to attend the first event after the New Year.

After the New Year, everyone became busy with their own matters. Su Chengyang studied and worked at the same time, afraid of wasting such a good opportunity. If she could achieve satisfactory scores this year, she would be able to save a lot of time.

In mid-March, the cast of <Travel> gathered together.

They had long known about Su Chengyang and Lin Yu’s romantic relationship, so that evening they specifically asked Su Chengyang to bring Lin Yu along and forbade Lin Yu from driving.

That night, they relentlessly made Lin Yu drink, and he ended up drinking a lot. They somehow found out that Su Chengyang had no family around, so they claimed to be her family and warned Lin Yu that if he dared to bully Su Chengyang, they would make sure he regretted it.

Lin Yu accepted their words without objection.

Su Chengyang watched the scene of them arguing and felt her heart filled with a deep sense of gratitude.

In the past half year or so, they had all made progress individually and became popular entertainers in the industry. But when they gathered together, it felt as if nothing had changed, and there was no sense of unfamiliarity.

This hard-earned friendship is engraved in everyone’s hearts.

They took a group photo in the hotel, with Su Chengyang and Lin Yu standing in the middle. Su Chengyang held Lin Yu’s arm, just like a newlywed couple receiving blessings from friends.

After the photo was posted, the hashtag #TravelReunion# quickly trended. While netizens marveled at their friendship, many also noticed the intimate gestures between Su Chengyang and Lin Yu, leading to various rumors and gossip. However, both of them didn’t pay any attention to it and didn’t respond.

In April, Su Chengyang received an audition invitation.

Because her recent work didn’t involve acting, Lin Yu never insisted on managing Su Chengyang’s physique. She wasn’t too strict about her diet either.

But receiving the script was different. If the role required it, she definitely had to lose weight. So when Su Chengyang received the audition invitation, her initial thought was to refuse, but she didn’t dare to.

Lin Yu brought the script to her and said softly, “I’ve read the script for you. Leaving aside the plot for now, the character you’re supposed to portray is very well-written. She is a cultivator who prioritizes the greater good before herself, and she is a kind of popular favorite character known for her beauty and strength in recent years. There’s a high demand for this drama online, so it’s highly likely to be a hit.”

Su Chengyang furrowed her brows and asked, “There must be many artists who want this role, right?”

Lin Yu nodded and said, “Yes, my senior sister, Miss Shang are among them. The character you’re auditioning for is the most popular one in the book, the female lead Ye Zhaoyang.”

Su Chengyang took the script and flipped open the first page.

Casually, she said, “Miss Shang is also auditioning for this role. I probably don’t have much hope, do I?”

After all, she was the Queen Shang Xingyu.

Lin Yu shook his head and said, “Not necessarily. The director is very strict in the casting process.”

Su Chengyang pursed her lips and replied, “Oh.”

“If your contract with the company expires during the filming period of the drama, you don’t have to renew it. It won’t affect your contract with the production team.”

Su Chengyang said, “The situation hasn’t even started yet.”

Anyway, Su Chengyang didn’t have much hope, after all, there was still the Queen, Shang Hangyu.

Seeing that the contract was going to expire in a few months, Su Chengyang actually didn’t want to take on the role. Some variety shows and endorsement activities were enough because Lin Yu wouldn’t force her to lose weight for those.

On Wednesday, Lin Yu brought Su Chengyang to the audition venue. There were many artists who came, Jiang Shanqi and Han Songxue also came for auditions, but they were auditioning for other supporting roles.

Watching the artists coming out one after another, Su Chengyang wasn’t nervous at all. She felt that with Shang Xingyu around, this role definitely wouldn’t be given to her.

Finally, a few hours later, Shang Xingyu just came out of the audition room when Su Chengyang was called in.

As she passed by Shang Xingyu, she saw the confident expression on her face, and Su Chengyang felt like she had already secured the role!

But due to her professionalism, Su Chengyang still portrayed her inner character, Ye Zhaoyang. When she finished her performance, she noticed the strange expressions of the directors on the other side. Su Chengyang thought they were dissatisfied with her performance, but she didn’t care.

However, just as she walked a short distance away, she was stopped by a director who chased after her.

The director, panting, looked at her and asked intermittently, “Miss Su… would it be convenient to try the styling and makeup?”

Su Chengyang’s relaxed expression stiffened slightly, “What?”

Lin Yu smiled as she looked at her, “Congratulations.”

Shang Xingyu stood not far away, her face darkened as she watched the two of them.

Su Chengyang glanced at him, then at the director, and her eyes instantly turned red.

Because there were more than just the three of them present at the time, it didn’t take long before the news of Su Chengyang obtained the role of Ye Zhaoyang was exposed and became a hot topic.

Netizens and fans of the actress exploded in an instant:

【? ? ?】

【Su Chengyang surpassed Shang Xingyu?】

【Are you kidding? A rookie artist who debuted less than two years ago surpassed the Queen?】

【Isn’t it too much to say that there was no behind-the-scenes manipulation?】

【Um, could it be because of Starlight Entertainment’s Prince?】

【To be honest, I’ve suspected something fishy between them for a long time, especially after seeing that photo of them together.】

Once someone mentioned Su Chengyang and Lin Yu, a bunch of people started digging up various information about them.

【Damn! They used to watch movies together! Hand in hand!】

【(Whispering) It’s an open secret in the industry that they are together.】

【I can’t believe it! They are really compatible!】

【Su Chengyang got the role through Lin Yu? Disgusting.】

【Su Chengyang doesn’t deserve the position!】

【Su Chengyang, get out of the entertainment industry!】

That night, as Su Chengyang looked at all the online insults, she felt helpless. Did you think she wanted to take on this role? She didn’t want it at all!

Wuwuwu, her boyfriend is an inconsiderate devil!

Amidst a barrage of curses, there were occasional explanations from Su Chengyang’s fans. However, Su Chengyang indeed didn’t have many impressive works, and the internet was still full of mockery. Whether it was the fans of Shang Xingyu, the fans of the so-called “rival,” or simply people who couldn’t stand her, they all criticized her.

Just when the internet was overwhelmingly defending Shang Xingyu, Shang Xingyu suddenly posted on Weibo amidst the storm: 【Being present and feeling happy.】

Attached to the post was a strange video.

【Su Chengyang doesn’t deserve the position!】

【Sister Shang must be here to criticize Su Chengyang!】

【She’s using her body to climb up, it’s really disgusting.】

. . . . .

Some people clicked on the video and found that it was shot from a sneaky angle, as if it were a hidden camera.

In the video, Su Chengyang was sitting on the ground without any image, helplessly clutching the legs of a man, crying and shouting, “I won’t act! I won’t go to Mongolia! What does the director see in me? Miss Shang acts so well, why did they choose me? I feel so wronged! Wuwu…”

The man bent down, revealing a perfect profile, and rubbed her head with his hand. “There’s roast lamb in Mongolia. You can eat as much as you want, and I’ll pay for it.”

Su Chengyang’s face brightened, surprised as she looked up. “Really?! I don’t have to lose weight?”

The man chuckled, “Yes.”

Then, he added nonchalantly, “But on the condition that you lose weight before the start of filming.”

Su Chengyang cried even harder with a “waa.”

“Liar! Devil! Lin Yu, I want to break up with you!!”

Upon hearing the last two words, the person filming shook their hand, and in the frame, the man’s slender fingers gripped Su Chengyang’s chin, his tone low: “Say it again?”

The man bent down, his lips touching hers.

Just before their lips met, the video abruptly ended.

Barrage comments:

【… What? This is a script that A-list actors would fight to be in. What are you complaining about?】

【She cries so well, and I love it.】

【My wife!】

By the end, the barrage comments had gone crazy:

【Break up???】

【Damn!!!!】

【Ah ah ah, I can’t believe this is real!】

【Help, I’m dying, they’re actually a couple!】

【Cameraman! the kiss! Why is there no kiss? You’ve ruined my big chicken leg for tonight!】

After Shang Xingyu release of the video, online public opinion drastically reversed, and everyone started discussing the relationship between Su Chengyang and Lin Yu. No one was paying attention to the characters anymore.

In less than half an hour, various terms related to Su Chengyang appeared on the hot search list on Weibo.

When netizens and fans were clamoring for a statement, Lin Yu calmly retweeted the Weibo post from the company, with the caption: 【She’s angry with me now and wants to break up. She said, ‘Does she have no face?’ Please stop mocking her. Also, I want to inform everyone here that Chengyang will terminate her contract with the company in August.】

Once he retweeted it, the Weibo post gained even more attention.

【No breaking up allowed!】

【Lock them down! Both of you, lock yourselves down for me!】

【Why terminate the contract?】

【Obviously! Terminate it so she can become the boss lady!】

【You two are so compatible, please treat my girl well.】

【Boss Lin treats his girl well.】

【It’s so strange, I don’t find it surprising at all that Boss Lin and Chengyang are together!】

【Lin Yu: Thank you all for your blessings.】

【Su Chengyang: Thank you, everyone.】

After a while, a new term soared to the top of the hot search list.

#ChengYuCoupleLockedUp#¹

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1. 锁死 (suǒsǐ) or locked up is a buzzword on the Internet, is used to describe a pair of CP tied tightly, do not separate. ↩︎

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Taw’s Note: So, we have reached the end of the main story. Next, there will be 5 extra chapters, but the original author has combined them into one. I will divide it into 3 parts because it’s almost 16,000 words (T^T).
If I manage to finish it on time, I will publish those 3 parts simultaneously (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧.

Don’t forget to support the original author~! ♡＼(￣▽￣)／♡

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TL/Note: This chapter is brought to you by Nana, thanks for the ko-fi!  (ﾉ´ヮ`)ﾉ*: ･

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The scene remained still for at least ten seconds.

Father Lu awkwardly laughed, “Oh, I see.”

Su Chengyang nodded, “Um! Now that I have the means, I still want to go back to school. I’ve been self-studying during this time, and next year I’ll be taking the college entrance examination.”

“Then… you must be working hard,” Father Lu glanced at Lin Song, who had a stiff expression, and asked Su Chengyang, “What about the Lunar New Year…”

Su Chengyang said, “I’ve been celebrating the Lunar New Year on my own. It doesn’t make much of a difference to me.”

“Oh,” Father Lu cleared his throat, discreetly lowered his head, wiped away a tear from the corner of his eye, slowly stood up, hesitantly sat on the sofa next to Su Chengyang, and together they looked at the expressionless Lin Song across from them.

“Old Lin, it’s the Lunar New Year. Don’t be so serious. Chengyang has finally celebrated the New Year. Can’t you bring some joy to the occasion?”

Lin Song: “…”

Xiao Lu chuckled and whispered to Su Chengyang, “Congratulations, you’ve won my dad over.”

Su Chengyang shook her head and said, “It’s okay. Uncle, feel free to ask whatever you want. If you don’t want to see me for the time being, I can go back on my own.”

“Go back? Where will you go?” Xiao Lu hooked her arm around Su Chengyang’s shoulder and added, “You don’t even have a place to stay in the capital.”

“Old Lin! You’re acting inappropriate at your age! What does it have to do with you about other people’s children? Let the younger generation have their own future,” Father Lu stared.

Lin Song’s face darkened, he turned to look at Lin Yu, who seemed to be observing from the sidelines, apparently unwilling to get involved.

“Your background is indeed unfortunate, but that can’t be your bargaining chip,” Lin Song said.

However, Su Chengyang furrowed her brow and said, “Uncle, I don’t feel that my background is something to be pitied. I simply don’t have a conventional, complete family like most people do, but not everyone with a conventional family would have had the experiences I’ve had. If my upbringing had turned me into a burden on society, then that would be worth pitying.”

Lin Song was clearly stunned for a moment, finding it difficult to comprehend.

Su Chengyang spoke again, saying, “Uncle, Brother Lin and I came back today to celebrate the New Year with you. This doesn’t mean anything about my future with him, so you don’t need to worry for now.”

Su Chengyang gave him an opportunity to save face, and his expression eased somewhat as he coldly snorted and said, “Him? He hasn’t even stepped inside our house a few times in the whole year he’s been back in the country.”

Lin Yu smiled and said, “The old residence is too far from the company. Dad, I’m sorry.”

Lin Song’s complexion improved significantly. He stopped asking further questions and chatted with Lin Yu for a while before letting them go to eat.

After the meal, Lin Song asked Xiao Lu to take Su Chengyang to rest, and Lin Yu initially wanted to follow, but was stopped by a glance from him.

“Come with me to the study,” Lin Song said.

Su Chengyang looked worriedly at them, and Lin Yu smiled at her, indicating that there was no need to worry.

After entering the study with Lin Song, Lin Yu familiarly went to the low table to brew tea, while Lin Song sat opposite him.

There was a long silence, with only the sound of boiling water.

Lin Yu, compared to Lin Song, was evidently more composed, showing no signs of speaking up.

Finally, Lin Song couldn’t hold back any longer and asked, “Is there something you want to explain to me?”

Lin Yu washed the tea, without raising his head, and replied, “What do you mean?”

“Su Chengyang.”

“Didn’t Chengyang already say it? We only came back today to celebrate the New Year with you. If you don’t want to talk about anything else, then I won’t talk to you about it either.” Lin Yu’s expression remained calm and unruffled.

Lin Song squinted at him, clearly understanding his son’s temper. After a moment, he asked, “Is everything she said true?”

“Yes.”

Lin Song frowned, “Then why didn’t you tell me in advance? I said those things to her the first time we met.”

Lin Yu looked up and said, “I told you before I came here, let’s not involve Chengyang in our affairs. I don’t want to put pressure on her.”

Lin Song was a little dissatisfied, “What’s wrong with me asking her a few questions? I am your father, after all.”

“It’s fine if you ask her. Chengyang doesn’t think she needs sympathy or that your questions are offensive. Don’t worry about it. If you feel guilty, just treat her better from now on.”

Lin Song fell silent for a moment and asked, “Have you thought it all through? Can’t you change your mind?”

Lin Yu nodded, “Yes. If Chengyang doesn’t want to, it can still be temporarily changed. But please, don’t think about using any foolish means to force her to break up with me.”

Lin Song widened his eyes, unable to believe it. “In your mind, am I such an unfeeling and heartless person?”

“No, just as a precaution,” Lin Yu replied calmly.

Lin Song gave him a stern look, “You have the same temperament as your mother, I know. If you don’t want to change your mind, no one can change your mind. I just don’t understand why it has to be Su Chengyang. She is nothing special, just like Mary whom you previously brought along.”

“She’s different from Mary, she’s different from everyone. Mary was a work of art, Chengyang is my collection.”

“Occasionally… I can let the world see her.”

Lin Yu still had some Italian genes in him, and he liked to romanticize everything a bit.

Lin Song remained silent for a long time and said, “Does your mother know?”

“She knows.”

“What did she say?”

“She really likes Chengyang. After the college entrance exam next year, I will take Chengyang to Italy to see her.”

When Lin Yu came out of the study, it had already been an hour. Lin Song was arguing with his mother on video.

Sometimes he didn’t understand why his mild-tempered mother would become furious when talking to Lin Song.

As he approached the door of the room where Su Chengyang was, he overheard Lu Yin talking to her.

“Chengyang, it seems that my cousin brother won’t give up on you voluntarily. What if uncle forces you to give him up?”

“Forces me?” Su Chengyang was puzzled.

Xiao Lu said, “For example, threatening you.”

Su Chengyang shook her head, “I have nothing for him to threaten.”

“You have everything you have now.”

“If I don’t have everything I have now, I can slowly regain it in the future. But if I lose Lin Yu, I will never be able to regain it. So if he doesn’t let me go, I won’t let him go either.”

“Brother!! Did you hear that?!” Xiao Lu suddenly shouted, and Su Chengyang looked terrified towards the door as Lin Yu walked out from the side.

Su Chengyang’s face instantly turned red from the top of her head to the base of her neck, and in the instant their eyes met, she lowered her head.

Lin Yu glanced at her, didn’t say much, and asked Lu Yin, “How did you know I was outside?”

Xiao Lu proudly said, “I heard footsteps and breath.”

Su Chengyang angrily punched her.

Lin Yu looked at her, then looked at the door. Xiao Lu immediately understood his meaning, made an “OK” gesture, jumped off the bed, left the room, and closed the door for them.

Once Xiao Lu left, there were only two people left in the room. Su Chengyang was extremely nervous, her cheeks blushing, and she scolded, “Why were you eavesdropping?”

“I wasn’t eavesdropping, I didn’t hear anything.”

Su Chengyang was overjoyed and looked up, “You really didn’t hear anything?”

Lin Yu held her hand and walked together to the edge of the bed, making her sit down. “Hmm, so say it again.”

Su Chengyang pushed him lightly, “I won’t say it.”

Lin Yu smiled, “You won’t say it? Then I’ll listen for myself.”

After saying that, he suddenly pushed Su Chengyang back, making her lie down in the soft quilt. Before Su Chengyang could react, a warm body covered her.

“…Lin Yu! This is your home!”

“I know.”

The rest of the words were all silenced by his lips.

Lately, Lin Yu’s kisses had become more intense and longer, sometimes seeming as if he wanted to devour Su Chengyang whole.

. . . . .

On New Year’s Eve, after finishing dinner, the family gathered in the living room to watch the Spring Festival Gala.

It was Su Chengyang’s first time experiencing this atmosphere, feeling a bit nervous and excited. When everyone found the Gala uninteresting, they brought out a deck of cards. Lin Song, Father Lu, and Lin Yu started playing cards together, while Su Chengyang and Xiao Lu sat beside them, snacking. The atmosphere was very harmonious.

Lin Yu played cards with incredible skill, even the two old folks together couldn’t beat him and ended up losing miserably.

After losing to Lin Yu once again, Father Lu said directly, “I originally thought that being with Chengyang would definitely be a disadvantage for you. But it turns out, you’re like a sly fox, you can’t be at a disadvantage no matter who you play against.”

Xiao Lu smiled and said, “You guys don’t know, my cousin brother has a special way of dealing with Chengyang. He knows just how much to push and pull, it’s amazing! Everyone who sees it can’t help but feel sorry for Su Chengyang.”

Father Lu looked at the bashful Su Chengyang beside Lin Yu and said, “Then why don’t you run away? Who knows, he might sell you without you even knowing.”

Lin Yu, while winning the game, looked at Su Chengyang and laughed, “She can’t run away. Even if she does, I can catch her and bring her back.”

Everyone burst into laughter, even Lin Song had a hint of a smile on his face, but Su Chengyang wished she could bury her face in her neck.

Xiao Lu chimed in, “That’s right! My cousin brother is quite cunning. I even suspect that he had this idea during the audition.”

Lin Yu had an ambiguous attitude, smiling without admitting or denying.

That night, after the Spring Festival Gala ended, Lin Song and Father Lu went back to their rooms to rest. Xiao Lu pulled them aside and said they should stay up to celebrate.

Su Chengyang usually slept on time and soon fell asleep on the sofa.

Seeing this, Lin Yu lightly pushed the drowsy Xiao Lu and said in a low voice, “Go back to the room to rest. I’ll take Chengyang with me.”

Xiao Lu rubbed her eyes in a daze and asked, “Huh? Isn’t Chengyang sleeping with me?”

Lin Yu pursed her lips and glanced at her, and the latter immediately understood, “Please, please.”

Lin Yu bent down and lifted Su Chengyang from the sofa, saying to Lu Yin, “Don’t tell your dad.”

Lu Yin rolled her eyes and replied, “Got it.”

After speaking, Lin Yu carried Su Chengyang out of the living room and returned to his room.

He gently placed Su Chengyang on the bed, and the latter slowly woke up.

“Lu Yin?” Su Chengyang’s voice was a bit hoarse.

“It’s me,” Lin Yu responded and casually turned on the bedside lamp.

“Where’s Lu Yin?” Su Chengyang asked, puzzled, as she sat up.

Lin Yu replied, “She went back to her room to rest.”

Su Chengyang’s mind was a bit groggy, and for a moment, she didn’t pay attention to the environment she was in. She yawned and said, “Then I’ll go back too.”

As she tried to get up and leave, Lin Yu pulled her back with one hand and embraced her, whispering, “You’re sleeping with me tonight.”

Su Chengyang was taken aback, and her cheeks started to blush.

Lowering his head, Lin Yu kissed the back of her neck, feeling Su Chengyang slightly stiffen. He chuckled softly and said, “Don’t worry, I won’t do anything else tonight.”

His voice was low and had a captivating power, to the point that Su Chengyang realized, after lying drowsily under the covers, that she couldn’t resist him anymore.

Lin Yu simply held her and softly chatted with her in an extremely gentle voice. Listening to his tender and affectionate voice, Su Chengyang gradually relaxed her guard.

When she felt her consciousness becoming hazy, Lin Yu stopped speaking and used his warm lips to gently caress her neck. His lips moved from bottom to top, finally meeting Su Chengyang’s lips.

Su Chengyang was too sleepy and instinctively responded to Lin Yu’s actions. Their bodies pressed close together, radiating heat. Lin Yu’s kisses no longer confined themselves to the lips but gradually explored other areas. Su Chengyang honestly responded to him.

The image of Lin Yu kissing her remained in her mind until she fell asleep.

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TL/Note: This chapter is brought to you by Nana, thanks for the ko-fi!  (ﾉ´ヮ`)ﾉ*: ･

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They were like a splash of bright colors that accidentally broke in, arousing the curiosity of passersby.

Su Chengyang looked at everything around her. Although it was different from her real-life place, it was filled with the same atmosphere everywhere.

It was as if she hadn’t come to another world, but had always lived here.

After leaving school, the two of them came to the grave of “Su Chengyang’s” parents.

Lin Yu cleaned up the weeds next to the tombstone and placed a bouquet of white chrysanthemums in front of the grave.

“Do you have anything to say?” Lin Yu turned to look at Su Chengyang.

Su Chengyang looked dazed and shook her head. She really didn’t have anything to say. Should she say that she wasn’t their real daughter? Or should she say that their daughter, after regaining her freedom, had gone somewhere unknown?

It seemed that ever since she met Lin Yu, the thing that called itself the “system” and the voice of “Su Chengyang” hadn’t sounded in her mind.

Thinking back now, it felt like a dream.

Lin Yu smiled and looked at the two adjacent tombstones. He said, “Uncle, aunt, from now on, I will take good care of Chengyang until the last moment of her life.”

A gentle breeze blew over the cemetery, as if responding.

Su Chengyang went back to look at the house in her hometown after the demolition. Two families were living inside, and it was decorated with lights and festoons, very lively.

After returning from her hometown to the capital city, Su Chengyang attended the New Year’s celebration party. Her name was becoming increasingly well-known in the entertainment industry, and her popularity was approaching that of A-list celebrities. However, she currently only had one impressive film called <Sludge>, so she often received criticism from fans of other celebrities. But they couldn’t dig up any dirt on Su Chengyang, so they could only talk without substance.

Su Chengyang had always wondered why, with so many eyes in the entertainment industry watching her, she and Lin Yu had never deliberately hidden their relationship. Whenever they went to a certain place together, they almost always held hands. Surprisingly, there were no paparazzi following or secretly taking their photos.

It wasn’t until New Year’s Eve, on the way back to the old residence with Lin Yu and Xiao Lu, that Xiao Lu said that the paparazzi had actually captured them a long time ago, but due to the influence of Starlight Entertainment, they had been afraid to publish anything.

Su Chengyang and Lin Yu didn’t think it was a big deal, but they haven’t actively announced their relationship to the public. Regardless of any program they participate in, Su Chengyang never says she is single. Of course, her relationship with Lin Yu is not a secret within the industry, and no one would deliberately ask her about it on a show, after all, she is backed by Starlight Entertainment.

The three of them chatted and laughed along the way, gradually dispelling the nervousness in Su Chengyang’s heart.

However, when they arrived at Lin’s old residence and saw the huge iron gate at the entrance, Su Chengyang’s nervousness resurfaced, and she even had the urge to run away.

Lin Yu comforted her, saying, “Don’t be nervous. I’ve informed my father in advance. Even if he doesn’t like you, he won’t make things difficult for you.”

Su Chengyang thought to herself that it wouldn’t matter if he made things difficult for her, she was just afraid that he didn’t like her.

As the car entered the estate, a butler approached the car and smiled at Lin Yu. “Young Master, long time no see.”

Lin Yu got out of the car and slightly bowed, calling out, “Uncle Liu, long time no see. Thank you for taking care of my father.”

Anxious, Su Chengyang opened the car door and got out.

Uncle Liu glanced at Su Chengyang and kindly said, “This should be Miss Su, right?”

Su Chengyang bowed slightly, “Hello, Uncle Liu. I’m Su Chengyang.”

Su Chengyang looked different from her on-screen appearance. She had a kind of aggressive beauty, looking very intelligent and intriguing. Because of her sharp features, the old man had never really liked her, always suspecting that she had ulterior motives for being with the young master.

But now, upon seeing her for the first time, he found that she was different from her on-screen persona. She was dressed casually, with minimal makeup, and looked very comfortable.

Lin Yu said, “Chengyang, Uncle Liu is the housekeeper. When we were abroad, thanks to him for taking care of my father.”

Su Chengyang nodded and smiled modestly.

“Uncle Liu! Do you remember me?” Xiao Lu jumped out from the backseat and ran up to hug him.

Uncle Liu immediately burst into laughter, unable to close his mouth. “Miss Lu Yin, how could I forget? Back then, when you had a falling out with your parents and ran away from home, you often came here.”

“That’s all old stuff, don’t mention it, don’t mention it!”

“Lu Yin! What are you lingering there for? Come in quickly!”

At that moment, a shout came from the direction of the villa.

“Why are you shouting? Aren’t we coming right away?” Lu Yin shouted back defiantly.

Then she stuck her tongue out at Su Chengyang and said, “My old man has a bad temper.”

Su Chengyang pinched the palm of her hand, took a deep breath, and feeling the nervousness in her heart about what she might face, it was even more nerve-wracking than her first time on stage.

Lin Yu noticed her uneasiness, walked up to her, and gently wrapped his hand around the back of her hand, whispering, “It’s okay, relax, I’m here.”

Su Chengyang forced a smile at him, thinking how it was impossible to relax in this situation.

The three of them walked towards the villa, and Uncle Liu drove the car into the garage and unloaded their belongings.

“You little brat, how long has it been since you visited your old man?” A strong middle-aged man strode up to Lu Yin, bulging his eyes and scolding.

Lu Yin laughed indifferently, “You live such a rich life, without any troubles or misfortunes, why would I bother you… Ah Ah! Ouch! It hurts!”

Before Xiao Lu could finish speaking, the man grabbed her ear, causing her to plead, “I was wrong, I know I was wrong! Sister-in-law is still here, give me some face!”

Suddenly, Su Chengyang, who was prompted, walked forward with a brave face. “Uncle, hello, I’m Su Chengyang.”

The man squinted his eyes, glancing at Su Chengyang, “You’re Su Chengyang?”

Probably the personality is like this; when the man speaks, there is a sense of condescension.

Lin Yu frowned and took a half step forward, pulling Su Chengyang behind him, and said, “Uncle, Chengyang doesn’t understand your character. Speaking like this will make her uncomfortable.”

Su Chengyang: “…”

Not really.

Father Lu stared with anger, looking a little upset. “You’re protecting her like this now, how will she learn in the future? Look at Lu Yin, I trained her to be strong by making her face more setbacks at home, so she won’t fear setbacks outside.”

Xiao Lu finally freed her ears. While rubbing them, she said, “Who do you think is as thick-skinned as me? Clearly, girls should be raised in luxury and be cared for. Look around, who else is like me, being mischievous all day? I learned it all from you.”

“You’re still talking back!”

Xiao Lu quickly moved behind Lin Yu and looked at him fearfully.

Father Lu glanced at them. He probably liking to be straightforward most of the time, he didn’t say anything more, stepped aside, and said to Lin Yu, “Your father is waiting inside. Let’s see how you explain to him.”

Su Chengyang smiled at him and then walked into the living room with Lin Yu.

In the living room, there sat a man sitting upright. His facial features resembled Lin Yu’s to some extent. He must have been popular when he was young, but at the moment, he showed no emotions and appeared very serious.

“Dad,” Lin Yu called out.

“Uncle,” Su Chengyang faced his sharp gaze and forced herself to say.

“Uncle!” Xiao Lu shouted, and the man’s expression softened a bit as he nodded slightly at her.

“Come, have a seat,” the man said.

Xiao Lu pulled Su Chengyang to sit on the other side of the sofa, while Lin Yu remained standing in place.

Su Chengyang looked worriedly and wanted to go up and stand with Lin Yu, but was quietly stopped by Xiao Lu.

“Don’t worry about their father-son business.”

Father Lu walked over and sat next to the man, both of them glaring coldly. Lin Yu remained calm, facing their gaze.

“Dad, Uncle, I’ve brought Chengyang back.”

Lin Song raised his eyes and locked eyes with Lin Yu for a long time. Even in the face of such oppressive eyes, Lin Yu remained unfazed.

After a while, Lin Song spoke, “Sit.”

Lin Yu turned to walk towards Su Chengyang, but was stopped halfway, “Sit over there.”

Lin Song pointed to the single sofa on the other side.

Lin Yu helplessly glanced at him and then smiled at Su Chengyang, signaling her not to worry.

How could Su Chengyang not worry? From Lin Yu’s father’s attitude, he didn’t have a good impression of her at all.

After Lin Yu sat down, Lin Song’s eyes went straight to Su Chengyang, and Father Lu also looked her up and down.

Su Chengyang pretended to remain calm and nodded at them.

Lu Yin, who was watching from the side, was amazed by Su Chengyang’s ability to remain composed in such a situation.

“I don’t plan to waste time talking to you,” Lin Song said.

His tone was not good, Lin Yu immediately said, “Dad, don’t forget what you promised me.”

Lin Song glanced at him and said, “You also promised me that the daughter-in-law of our Lin family wouldn’t be from the entertainment industry.”

Lin Yu pursed his lips and said, “Dad, if you don’t want to communicate properly, I’ll take Chengyang back first. When you’re willing to communicate, I’ll let her meet you.”

Su Chengyang’s heart tightened, “Uncle, I’m fine. Say whatever you want to say.”

Lin Song snorted, “White-eyed wolf.”

Lin Yu tightened his lips. He didn’t want Su Chengyang to be wronged in front of his own family because it was something he should have handled well.

Lin Song looked at Su Chengyang, who was sitting upright across from him. Over the years, as Starlight Entertainment grew, he had seen countless dirty things in the entertainment industry and had no good impression of artists. Playing around was fine, but taking it seriously was absolutely not acceptable. He had told Lin Yu this from the beginning, but Lin Yu was very serious about it.

So when he mentioned wanting to bring Su Chengyang back, Lin Song didn’t refuse, wanting to see for himself what kind of woman could captivate his son’s heart to such an extent.

Because of his previous disdain for her, Lin Song had never bothered to inquire about anything regarding Su Chengyang.

Now that he took a look, indeed… she looked pretty good.

“How old are you?” Lin Song asked.

Su Chengyang answered, “Almost nineteen.”

“Nineteen?” Lin Song paused and looked at Lin Yu dissatisfiedly, “She’s only nineteen, still a child. Is this the good thing you did?”

Su Chengyang explained with a stiff scalp, “Uncle, I’m not a child, I’m an adult.”

In the original world, she was actually only one year younger than Lin Yu.

Father Lu also said, “Shouldn’t you still be studying at the age of nineteen? How long have you been in the entertainment industry?”

“Dad, why are you interfering in my cousin brother’s affairs?” Xiao Lu said.

Father Lu was displeased, “Why do you call him brother and what should I be called? Why can’t I manage his affairs?”

Xiao Lu: “…”

Su Chengyang gently pulled Xiao Lu’s hand, signaling her not to speak, and then replied to the other person, “It’s been almost two years.”

“At seventeen, you entered the entertainment industry. Are you doing it for the money or for something else?”

“For the money,” Su Chengyang responded directly.

In fact, Su Chengyang’s early days were not easy. Her parents died in a car accident when she was young, and she had been living with relatives who treated her poorly and had no obligation to take care of her.

Later, she had no choice but to drop out of school and enter the entertainment industry.

The compensation from the demolition and several houses and shops were all informed to her by a lawyer after she entered the entertainment industry, but she never had the chance to enjoy them herself.

Lin Song sneered, “What about your parents? Don’t they care about you?”

Su Chengyang lowered her gaze and said, “They passed away.”

Lin Song and Father Lu’s faces stiffened. They didn’t expect to hit a sore spot right from the start.

Both of them looked somewhat embarrassed. Father Lu asked, “T-then, what about your relatives?”

Su Chengyang replied, “The compensation money from my parents’ death was in their hands. When I was in high school, they suddenly said the money was all used up and they didn’t want to support me anymore, so they kicked me out.”

Everything Su Chengyang said was true. It was part of the information about “Su Chengyang” in her mind.

Lin Song and Father Lu: “…”

Father Lu, just like Xiao Lu, was straightforward. After listening to Su Chengyang’s words, he realized that he had unintentionally offended her. His voice softened, “So you’ve had a difficult time all these years?”

Su Chengyang shook her head, “Not difficult. Just being able to live well is enough.”

Lin Song: “…”

Father Lu: “…”

Just…

Hitting someone’s pain three times right from the first meeting, it feels like I’ve become the legendary evil father-in-law.

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TL/Note: This is too funny 🤣

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TL/Note: This chapter is brought to you by Nana, thanks for the ko-fi!  (ﾉ´ヮ`)ﾉ*: ･

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The next day, Xiao Lu “used the emperor’s power to command the princes” and forced Su Chengyang to trick her cousin brother into treating her to a big meal.

As a result, she was even happier than Su Chengyang and Lin Yu, the two parties involved. She drank so much that she became unconscious. When she returned, Su Chengyang had to take care of her.

Her relationship with Lin Yu was not much different from before. During work hours, Lin Yu was still strict, and if Su Chengyang took a few more bites, he would gently reprimand her. But when there was no one around, he would find a way to make Su Chengyang happy.

Su Chengyang didn’t like getting angry in the first place. If she was upset, she would calm down after a few minutes, let alone when facing Lin Yu. Just looking at his face, Su Chengyang would lose her anger.

After a two-day break, Lin Yu hired an assistant for her to accompany her on set.

Lin Yu couldn’t stay on the set all the time. He occasionally came to take a glance at her, brought some food and milk tea for the other actors on the set, and asked them to take care of Su Chengyang.

The filming of this drama lasted for three months and only ended right before the New Year. On the day of the wrap-up, the entire cast gathered together to have a hot pot dinner, and Lin Yu also rushed over.

The steam from the hot pot dispelled the chill in the air. Everyone’s faces were filled with joy. The actors and staff gathered together to chat and drink, creating a lively atmosphere.

“Chengyang, you’re amazing! You just posted on Weibo that we wrapped up filming, and it instantly became a hot topic.” The assistant director raised his glass to her and laughed, with his eyes barely visible.

“Who is our Chengyang? Even going out to watch a movie can become a hot topic.”

Su Chengyang smiled awkwardly and said, “It’s precisely because of this that I always get criticized, saying that I’m taking up public resources.”

Lin Yu sat on her right side and cooked a piece of fatty beef for her, putting it in her bowl.

“This proves that you’re popular. The movie you previously starred in, <Sludge>, just won the Flying Fish Award. Weren’t you also nominated?”

After the release of <Sludge>, it became a surprise hit at the box office this year. The character Yun Xiaoxi played by Su Chengyang was hailed as the nation’s first love. Netizens voted her as one of the top three most popular characters, alongside two previous winners of the Flying Fish Award for Best Actor and Best Actress.

“Do you remember Tian Rong, who framed you before? She recently bought a press release and spread rumors everywhere, claiming that she was more suitable for the role of Yun Xiaoxi. I guess she wanted to make a comeback, but she was criticized by netizens and pushed back.”

Su Chengyang doesn’t like to talk about irrelevant people, so she lowers her head and remains silent.

Lin Yu glanced at her, poured some tea into the cup, stood up, and everyone else quieted down, their gaze focused on him.

“Thank you all for taking care of Chengyang these days. I offer you a cup of tea in place of wine.” Lin Yu raised his head and drank the tea, putting an end to their conversation.

“Mr. Lin, this is where you’re wrong. You’ve been secretly dating without saying a word to us for so long, and you think you can brush it off with a cup of tea?”

The matter of Su Chengyang and Lin Yu dating was not deliberately hidden from those around them. Su Chengyang initially wanted to keep it low-key, but Lin Yu didn’t care at all. He did whatever he wanted without considering whether there were others around.

Others had long noticed that something was off between them, but it wasn’t until the screenwriter strongly suggested adding an intimate scene between Su Chengyang and the actor playing the male lead that Su Chengyang outright refused.

The screenwriter didn’t give up and thought Su Chengyang was unprofessional. He complained to Lin Yu, hoping he could persuade Su Chengyang. Lin Yu said, “I talked to the director before signing the contract, and there will be no unauthorized intimate scenes. That’s why I let Chengyang take on this role.”

The screenwriter said, “But the plot requires…”

“If the plot requires it, you can find a stand-in. Su Chengyang and I are in a romantic relationship, and I won’t let other men get close to her.”

The screenwriter: “???”

Can this be said?

The screenwriter was a bigger gossip than Xiao Lu, and the next day, the news spread throughout the entire crew. There were also vague rumors of Su Chengyang’s relationship online, but they never responded.

Lin Yu helplessly said, “Lu Yin is having dinner with her comrades, and Xiao Song was instructed to go home by me. Tonight, I’ll have to send Chengyang home myself, so I can’t drink.”

“Why not call a designated driver?”

Lin Yu shook his head and said, “I haven’t seen Chengyang for a long time, and I want some alone time with her.”

“What does Mr. Lin mean by this? Are we all just light bulbs?”

The people in the private room started making a fuss and teasing Lin Yu.

Su Chengyang lowered her head and continued eating as if she hadn’t heard.

After these months of getting along, Su Chengyang knew that Lin Yu was far from being as pure and polite as he appeared. Occasionally, when he said something outrageous, Su Chengyang was no longer surprised.

After the attention of the crowd shifted, they began discussing who in the entertainment industry was dating whom, and which top star had secretly married and even had children.

“The beef is gone.” Su Chengyang bumped Lin Yu’s arm and pointed to the empty plate.

Lin Yu chuckled and pinched her cheek, “After taking care of you like this, how do you plan to repay me?”

Su Chengyang learned a few vulgar phrases from him and casually replied, “Isn’t offering myself not enough?”

At first, Su Chengyang wasn’t as relaxed and uninhibited when facing him, but Lin Yu knew this and deliberately indulged her. Now that she was getting used to it, she was becoming more and more capable of bossing him around.

Her playful expression tickled Lin Yu a bit, and he squeezed Su Chengyang’s hand, saying, “Just wait.”

Then he got up and asked the waiter for a full plate of beef.

Because there wasn’t much work during the Chinese New Year period, Lin Yu pardoned her to eat and drink as she pleased, but she would need to lose weight for the upcoming filming.

Su Chengyang didn’t care at all. She felt that she had already endured the most difficult days of her weight loss journey, and besides, losing weight was actually quite easy for her.

After finishing their meal and bidding farewell to everyone, Lin Yu took Su Chengyang and left first.

Actually, Lin Yu wasn’t wrong. During this period, Su Chengyang was busy filming while Lin Yu had other things to attend to, and they hadn’t seen each other for almost a month.

Just as they walked out of the hot pot restaurant, passing by a dimly lit alley, Su Chengyang hadn’t reacted yet when Lin Yu led her in.

“What are you doing…” Su Chengyang looked at him confusedly.

Lin Yu took her to the depths of the alley and had her lean against the wall, “Kissing you.”

Su Chengyang: “…”

In the instant their lips met, a warm breath circulated between their noses. Lin Yu pressed half of his body against hers, kissing passionately and tenderly. For several consecutive days, they could only see each other through the phone screen, so now that they finally had the chance to touch each other, they certainly wouldn’t easily give up.

Su Chengyang slipped her hands under his coat and clumsily embraced his waist, responding to him.

Not far away, faint footsteps hurriedly came and went, but Su Chengyang felt that even if they were discovered, it didn’t matter.

After a while, Lin Yu, satisfied, moved his lips away from hers and lightly pecked her chin. Su Chengyang squinted and moved her neck, saying with a smile, “Ticklish!”

Lin Yu paused his movements, lifted his head, but didn’t let go of Su Chengyang. He held her in his arms and asked, “Where do you plan to go for the New Year?”

Su Chengyang lifted her head, resting her chin on his chest. “Are you going back to Italy?”

Lin Yu chuckled, “You haven’t done enough research. Italy is not celebrating the Lunar New Year.”

Su Chengyang: “…”

Lin Yu continued, “I’ll stay in the country this year and accompany my dad.”

Su Chengyang nodded, “I want to go back to visit my parents’ graves and then return to the capital.”

Although Su Chengyang had no relation to the parents of the person whose body she inhabited, since she occupied someone else’s body, she should fulfill her filial duty on their behalf.

Actually, this is pretty good. In the past, Su Chengyang didn’t have anywhere to go during the New Year, nor anyone to miss.

She increasingly feels that coming into this world was the best reward given to her by heaven.

Lin Yu nodded and said, “I’ll accompany you, let’s meet your parents and also go to the school to register you for the college entrance examination. I called in advance, and the administrative office will be open three days before the New Year.”

Su Chengyang looked at him in surprise, “You’ll accompany me back?”

Lin Yu raised an eyebrow, “Don’t you want me to go?”

“It’s not that, but if you go to my hometown, you’ll definitely attract attention.”

“It’s fine, I’ll accompany you to meet your parents. In return, after we come back, you can come home with me for the New Year.”

Su Chengyang was taken aback, visibly anxious, “Go home with you? But…”

“This year, Lu Yin and her dad are celebrating with us. You don’t need to be too nervous.”

Su Chengyang looked uneasy, “But… Uncle… Will he get angry?”

Having been in a relationship with Lin Yu for so long, he hardly mentioned his father to Su Chengyang. But she knew that his father had never approved of their relationship.

If she went home with him, wouldn’t it just cause trouble for the old man?

Lin Yu casually said, “It’s okay. He hasn’t been in good spirits lately, so it’s a good opportunity to bring you back and cheer him up.”

Su Chengyang: “…”

She might really not expect to be with Lin Yu in the future.

Su Chengyang’s face turned pale, while Lin Yu laughed and kissed her forehead, “I was lying to you. Don’t worry, my dad is not unreasonable, he just hasn’t met you yet. I believe he will like you.”

Su Chengyang glared at him, “You have so much confidence in me?”

“Yeah, after all, I’ve been alive for twenty-four years, and you’re the first person who has captivated me like this. You have to believe in yourself, your charm is enough to win my dad over.”

Su Chengyang was amused by him and finally agreed to go home with him for the Lunar New Year.

When Lu Yin found out, she happily pulled Su Chengyang along to prepare for the New Year’s goods. In the meantime, she secretly revealed to Su Chengyang that her father, who is Lin Yu’s uncle, also disagreed with Su Chengyang being together with Lin Yu.

Su Chengyang was dumbfounded at that moment, “Are you trying to discourage me and make me give up?”

Xiao Lu shook her head and said, “No, I just want you to be mentally prepared in advance.”

“Thank you, I’ve already prepared to break up with your cousin brother.”

Xiao Lu: “…”

Xiao Lu nudged Su Chengyang’s arm, and when Su Chengyang looked up, she saw Lin Yu standing opposite, looking at her with a meaningful smile.

“N-No, it’s not… listen to my explanation…”

Lin Yu said with a deep meaning, “When are you planning to break up with me?”

Su Chengyang: “…”

Xiao Lu lowered her head and chuckled with schadenfreude.

Su Chengyang stuttered, “No, I-I was just casually saying…”

Lin Yu approached her expressionless, “If you spout nonsense again, you won’t be allowed to eat meat or fish for three days.”

“I’m sorry, I was wrong! I won’t dare anymore!”

As Xiao Lu continued to chuckle, she suddenly felt her cousin brother slowly shifting his gaze towards her. She immediately straightened up, suppressing her smile. “My cousin brother and his wife are a perfect match, both in talent and beauty. Anyone who breaks up with my cousin brother must have something wrong with their head.”

Su Chengyang “…”

Lin Yu averted his gaze, “Let’s go.”

Three days before the new year, Lin Yu accompanied Su Chengyang back to a second-tier city.

After making prior arrangements with the school, they went to discuss Su Chengyang’s college entrance examination matters with the relevant personnel. Once everything was confirmed, the staff allowed Su Chengyang to return to school two days earlier to take the exam.

After leaving the school, the two of them walked along a small path by the street.

People passed by on the road, and the surrounding buildings revealed traces of time. Children chased and played, while groups of friends gathered here and there.

The presence of Su Chengyang and Lin Yu walking here was actually somewhat out of place.

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TL/Note: This chapter is brought to you by Nana, thanks for the ko-fi!  (ﾉ´ヮ`)ﾉ*: ･

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His breathing became rapid, and he tightly clasped Su Chengyang’s fingers.

“Su Chengyang,” Lin Yu almost squeezed out a few words from his teeth, “this is our first day of dating.”

Su Chengyang’s cheeks flushed, taking advantage of the dim lighting in the theater. She lowered her eyelids and whispered, “I know, but it’s not my first day of liking you.”

In the dim environment, Lin Yu’s breath visibly paused.

Su Chengyang lowered her head, hoping to cool down her burning cheeks.

“Do you still want to watch the movie?” Lin Yu asked in a deep voice.

Su Chengyang nodded and stammered, “Yes.”

“Then don’t speak.”

“Oh.”

Until the end of the movie, neither of them spoke again, but Lin Yu’s hand remained tightly held with hers.

As the movie ended, the lights in the theater came on, and people gradually left. Su Chengyang put on her mask and was led out of the theater by Lin Yu.

Walking behind Lin Yu, she clearly saw the reddening of his ears for no apparent reason. Her heartbeat, which had finally calmed down, began to falter again.

For her, tonight was as beautiful as a dream. It felt like a gentle poke would shatter this dream, and she would have to return to the real world.

They silently left the movie theater, with Lin Yu always walking ahead, not answering.

The cold wind blew on their faces, adding a touch of reality to this dreamlike night.

“Go home?” After a long pause, Lin Yu hoarsely spoke.

“Mhm,” Su Chengyang replied.

Lin Yu held Su Chengyang’s hand and placed it in their own coat pocket, taking two steps back to walk alongside Su Chengyang.

The cold wind gently blew, cooling down Su Chengyang’s racing heart.

Lin Yu looked up at the night sky and spoke with emotion, “If only it would snow.”

Curiously, Su Chengyang asked, “Do you like watching snow?”

“Not really,” Lin Yu turned to look at her, a faint smile in his eyes. “If it snowed, the snowflakes could fall on you. I could pretend to be a gentleman and brush off the snow, while taking the chance to touch your hair and cheeks.”

Su Chengyang’s heart suddenly raced, “Were you used to saying sweet words to others before?”

Confused, Lin Yu looked at her. “Is that sweet talk? I’m just expressing my true thoughts. I’ve only had these thoughts about you, and it would be even better if I could hug you in the snow.”

“Then you must be naturally skilled at sweet talk.”

Lin Yu smiled and said, “Maybe. They say Italians like romance. After your college entrance examination, come with me to Italy to see the snow and also… meet my mother.”

Hearing him mention elders, Su Chengyang felt a bit anxious inside.

Although she knew it was their first day of dating and the future held uncertainties, she seemed to be deeply influenced by Lin Yu, believing firmly in a future with him.

Lin Yu would handle all the problems, and all Su Chengyang needed to do was stand firmly by their side.

Su Chengyang lifted her head, her eyes filled with determination, and said, “Should I start learning Italian from now on then?”

“No need, my mother can understand Chinese.”

Even so, Su Chengyang felt that she should still learn Italian because…

Seeing Su Chengyang lost in thought, Lin Yu looked at her and asked, “What are you thinking?”

The atmosphere of the night was too beautiful, causing Su Chengyang to forget herself and express her thoughts without reservation, “I was just thinking, in the future, I should learn Italian. If we have children in the future, what if they only learn Chinese and don’t learn it well?”

Lin Yu’s eyebrows furrowed for a moment, then he chuckled softly.

Su Chengyang was thinking so seriously, but Lin Yu was laughing. She looked at him discontentedly and said, “I’m serious.”

Lin Yu couldn’t help but tease, “Miss Su, do you need me to remind you that this is our first day in a romantic relationship?”

Su Chengyang: “…”

In the next moment, Su Chengyang froze in place, her cheeks turning visibly red at an alarming speed, almost as if they were bleeding.

What was she saying?

What was she doing!

Was she going crazy?

“I, I was just talking nonsense! You, you…”

Lin Yu couldn’t hold back anymore. He bent down and lightly kissed her eyes, which she dared not lift due to embarrassment.

“Although I don’t really want a child to take away your love for me, but if you want one, I can accept it.”

“Stop it!” Su Chengyang suddenly covered her face with her hands, feeling embarrassed by his words.

Lin Yu gradually laughed and held her hand as they walked along the bustling streets.

The city’s neon lights spilled over them, and the busy world became their backdrop.

Su Chengyang couldn’t imagine if there would be a more beautiful moment in her lifetime than this.

Lin Yu assured her that there would be.

Su Chengyang’s future would be even better than the present moment.

When they arrived at the doorstep of their home by car, it was close to eleven o’clock.

Su Chengyang unbuckled her seatbelt, glanced at Lin Yu in the driver’s seat, and said, “Shall I go in first?”

Lin Yu stared at her for a moment before finally speaking, “What are your plans for the letter from Xingxiu?”

Su Chengyang had already thought about this question.

Although she admired Xingxiu’s bravery in expressing his feelings, she didn’t actually like him. The reason she hadn’t opened the letter yet was twofold. On the one hand, she knew that she and Xingxiu would never have a chance to meet again, so she was confused about how she should handle herself after reading the letter. On the other hand, if she terminated her contract with the company in a few months and Xingxiu still liked her, she might give him a chance and try to like him, so she planned to read the letter after a year.

However, she didn’t expect that she would lose control of her heart midway and fall in love with Lin Yu.

Su Chengyang said, “Xingxiu’s brave expression of love must be a reflection of his open-mindedness. His affection for me is only a small part of his life, so no matter how I handle that letter, it doesn’t matter.”

Not knowing if Su Chengyang’s answer was satisfactory, Lin Yu nodded and said, “Let’s go back. Rest early, and I’ll bring you breakfast tomorrow morning.”

“Alright, you should rest early too.”

“Goodnight.”

“Mm!”

After bidding farewell to Lin Yu, Su Chengyang walked into the villa.

Xiao Lu was sitting on the couch, playing a fighting game. When she saw Su Chengyang entering, she had a surprised expression and paused the game, setting down the controller. “Why are you back?”

Xiao Lu’s tone was filled with astonishment.

Su Chengyang asked in confusion, “Why can’t I come back?”

“You and my cousin brother aren’t… I thought you were going to stay with him tonight.”

Su Chengyang’s expression remained calm, “I have no relationship with Mr.Lin, why should I stay with him?”

As she spoke, her tone was very indifferent.

Noticing that something was off with her facial expression, Xiao Lu’s heart sank a little, and she cautiously asked, “Did you have a fight with my cousin brother?”

Su Chengyang looked past her and sat on the couch, covering her eyes with her hand. “No, I just think you’re right. Since I know his parents won’t accept me, why should I waste my time? Xiao Lu, I’ve thought it through. I won’t see Mr. Lin again for now…”

“Don’t! Don’t do this.” Xiao Lu became anxious. “My cousin brother will definitely find a way. Don’t give up so hastily. My cousin brother can solve it, trust him…”

“How is he going to solve it? Cut ties with his parents?”

Xiao Lu’s face blushed anxiously, “My cousin brother is so smart, he will definitely find a way… It’s all my fault! I shouldn’t have spoken too much. My cousin brother must have another plan…”

“Puff…” Su Chengyang couldn’t hold it in any longer and burst into laughter, covering her eyes.

Xiao Lu was puzzled, “?”

“Puhahaha…” Su Chengyang couldn’t resist any longer and laughed heartily, hugging a pillow in her arms as she lay on the sofa.

Xiao Lu looked at her with a bewildered expression and took a while to react. Su Chengyang was playing a prank on her, so she pounced on Su Chengyang, saying, “You, Su Chengyang, how dare you play tricks on me!”

She tried to tickle Su Chengyang, who desperately hid in the sofa.

“Come on! Tell me the truth, what happened between you and my cousin brother?” Xiao Lu urged.

Su Chengyang’s cheeks turned red from laughter, “It’s because you can’t keep a secret, making me frustrated all day.”

Xiao Lu knew she was in the wrong, so she pulled Su Chengyang up from the sofa. “It was just an accident. Stop teasing me and tell me quickly, what happened between you and my cousin brother tonight? If my cousin brother finds out, he’ll kick me back to Italy before his first love even begins.”

Su Chengyang struggled to catch her breath, “From now on, I’m like your half-sister-in-law.”

Xiao Lu was taken aback and immediately hugged Su Chengyang’s shoulders, excitedly asking, “You’re together with my cousin brother?”

Seeing Xiao Lu’s intense reaction, Su Chengyang felt a bit embarrassed. She originally planned not to tell Xiao Lu right away and let her worry for a few days, but in the end, she couldn’t bear it.

“Yes, we’re together.”

“Oh my god! I’m your sister-in-law!” Xiao Lu exclaimed.

After playing around with Xiao Lu in the living room for half an hour, Su Chengyang got up to freshen up.

After returning to the room, she discovered that Lin Yu had sent her a message not long ago, asking her to close the windows before going to sleep at night.

Su Chengyang replied with two sentences, guessing that Lin Yu had already rested and hadn’t replied yet.

Putting down her phone, Su Chengyang walked to the wardrobe and took out a box from inside.

Opening the box, there were many little treasures that Su Chengyang cherished, including the chocolates that she and Lin Yu had held in their palms for a few hours that night.

She picked up a folded piece of paper from the corner of the box. The paper was well protected and showed no signs of damage.

Su Chengyang put down the box and unfolded the paper, which had a few lines of bold handwriting on it:

【Chengyang, when you read this letter, it should be a few months later, right?

Although it might be a bit random, I feel like you won’t open it immediately. You might not know how to reject my feelings, so you might be a bit confused, right?

I want to tell you that it’s okay. Actually, before you came to Wangjing Village, I accidentally came across your story online. I like you, admire you, but I didn’t intend to keep you here, so don’t worry that I would waste your time. Of course, if you’re willing to come to Wangjing Village for me, I would be very happy.

I’m writing this letter to you just to let you know that in the future, I will always pay attention to you, admire you, and I will also bless you.

If in the end, you come back to Wangjing Village because you want to receive the blessings of the Well God with your lover, I will still welcome you.】

After reading the few lines of writing on the paper, Su Chengyang was lost in thought for a long time.

Xingxiu’s words are as brave and open-minded as the person himself.

If she hadn’t met Lin Yu, and had spent more than just two short days with Xingxiu, Su Chengyang might eventually be willing to stay in Wangjing Village for him. However, Lin Yu held an important place in her heart, and even if she couldn’t be with him in the end, Su Chengyang was certain that she would probably never develop feelings for anyone else like she did for Lin Yu.

Su Chengyang neatly folded the letter and put it back exactly as it was.

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TL/Note: This chapter is brought to you by Nana, thanks for the ko-fi!  (ﾉ´ヮ`)ﾉ*: ･

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“I didn’t tell you about my father’s situation for two reasons. First, because we haven’t confirmed our relationship yet. Second, I can handle my own problems, and you don’t need to worry.”

Su Chengyang lowered her head, unsure of how to refute. She felt that she trusted Lin Yu, but it seemed like she didn’t trust him that much.

She felt that Lin Yu didn’t need to choose so firmly between her and his family.

As if knowing what she was thinking, Lin Yu said, “Chengyang, I will balance family and love. I won’t make a choice between them. Even if the day you’re worried about really comes, I won’t let go of your hand before you let go of mine. I can choose not to get married for a lifetime, but you can have many choices.”

His words made Su Chengyang’s nose tingle, “Then I won’t get married either.”

“Then let’s be lifelong lovers?” Lin Yu joked.

“Sure, let’s do that,” Su Chengyang replied stubbornly.

Lin Yu smiled and lovingly caressed her hand, “Silly.”

Su Chengyang glanced at him dissatisfied. After all, she had been downcast the whole day because of this matter, even though she tried not to show it on the surface.

“Alright, we’re done with the serious talk. Now let me tell you about other things.”

“What?” Su Chengyang stared at him blankly.

Lin Yu looked at her intently, the affection in his eyes making Su Chengyang’s scalp tingle. He slowly held Su Chengyang’s hand, and the violin music in the Western restaurant faded away, leaving only the two of them.

“Su Chengyang, I like you.”

“I don’t know since when, and I’m not sure what exactly attracts me the most about you, but every aspect of you that I can think of is very appealing to me. After considering all factors, I have decided to let myself like you.”

He spoke with a serious expression, his gaze unwavering, not allowing Su Chengyang to evade.

“I have never liked anyone before, nor have I been in a relationship. I might not be able to give you the kind of love portrayed in movies, but I will give you everything that belongs to me. I will treat you well, provide you with my loyalty and all my emotions, and I hope you can give me your loyalty and affection. Most importantly, I want your trust.”

Su Chengyang felt a slight trembling in his fingers.

The surroundings were too quiet, and the soft yellow light reflected on Lin Yu’s face, magnifying the affection in his eyes, enveloping Su Chengyang completely.

“Chengyang, even though I said I probably won’t give you a chance to change your mind, you’re still young. You haven’t met better people yet. Maybe you will in the future, and maybe you will like them more. When that time comes, I allow you to change your mind. I’m giving you a chance to leave me. Can you accept that?”

In the depths of Lin Yu’s eyes, Su Chengyang shook her head slowly.

Lin Yu’s expression froze, and he instinctively wanted to release the hand holding Su Chengyang’s. Su Chengyang realized that her actions had caused a misunderstanding and immediately held onto his hand, not allowing him to retract.

“No, no, you misunderstood!” Su Chengyang explained anxiously, “What I meant is, I don’t need that chance you mentioned to leave you.”

Lin Yu’s expression froze for a moment, and he visibly relaxed.

Su Chengyang said, “Brother Lin, my words may not sound as sweet as yours, but… I also like you a lot. You are the person I like the most in this world.”

“In the past, my dream was to earn enough money and open a bookstore to live a peaceful life. But I know that’s not enough. You will keep moving forward, and I can only resonate with you by striving forward myself. I’m willing to do that for you.”

Lin Yu looked at her, and a hint of a smile gradually appeared in his eyes.

“I won’t be with you while holding the thought of eventually separating. I will trust you completely, until the day you no longer like me.”

The smile in Lin Yu’s eyes deepened, “Have you thought it through?”

“Yes, I have thought it through.”

“If I asked you right now whether you prefer a Chinese-style or Western-style wedding, would you find it abrupt?”

Su Chengyang was stunned, and her face turned red from her neck to her ears. She lowered her head and stammered, “Y-yes, a little.”

Lin Yu couldn’t help but reach out and touch her flushed earlobe, “Don’t worry, I’ll wait until you reach the legal marriage age.”

Su Chengyang bit her lip, almost crying with embarrassment from his words.

“Come here,” Lin Yu suddenly said.

Su Chengyang raised her moist eyes and slowly stood up from the seat under Lin Yu’s guidance. He slowly pulled her in front of him and sat her on his lap, holding onto her waist.

“Brother Lin…” Su Chengyang’s face turned even redder, and she looked worriedly to the side.

Lin Yu said, “Right now, there’s no one else here except us.”

Su Chengyang was held tightly around the waist, sitting on him.

Su Chengyang dared not look at him, and whispered, “We still need to…”

“Chengyang, I’m very happy right now. Please allow me a few moments of indulgence,” Lin Yu said.

His voice became somewhat hoarse, and Su Chengyang leaned against his chest. She was also very happy now and wanted to indulge for a while, so she nodded gently.

Lin Yu had her straddle his lap, and he wrapped his arms around her neck, lowering his head.

This time, Lin Yu’s actions were gentler than the previous two times. He deliberately left room for Su Chengyang to breathe, allowing her to learn to breathe during a kiss.

Engaging in such intimate behavior with someone you love is truly a wonderful thing.

Su Chengyang couldn’t imagine that entangling lips and teeth could be so captivating.

In the end, she felt her lips and teeth numb, unable to feel anything. Lin Yu slowly backed away, while Su Chengyang was panting heavily, leaning on his shoulder.

Lin Yu held her waist and whispered in her ear, “Sorry for delaying your dessert time. Can I make it up to you with some chocolate?”

Su Chengyang knew he was deliberately teasing her and didn’t want to show weakness. She deliberately rubbed against his hot earlobe and said, “No need, I already had dessert.”

Lin Yu’s body stiffened, and he tightened his grip on Su Chengyang’s waist. He whispered, “Do you still want to go watch a movie?”

Su Chengyang smiled triumphantly and replied, “Yes.”

The two of them went to the restroom to wash their faces and tidy up.

When they came out of the restroom, the restaurant staff had returned. Although they all appeared calm, Su Chengyang dared not raise her head to meet their gaze.

She kept her head down as Lin Yu pulled her towards the car. Lin Yu took out a hat and a mask from the car and put them on Su Chengyang, completely covering her face.

Su Chengyang suddenly asked, “Brother Lin, what if we get caught by paparazzi?”

“Does it matter?”

Su Chengyang smiled slyly and said, “I’m only eighteen. They will definitely say you used your power to take advantage of me.”

Lin Yu chuckled and took out a chocolate from his pocket. After unwrapping it, he brought it to Su Chengyang’s lips and said with a smile, “Aren’t I?”

Su Chengyang rolled the chocolate onto her tongue and mumbled, “What do you mean?”

“Taking advantage of my position to make my presence known to you every day.”

Su Chengyang blinked in surprise and asked, “So, you joined me on the show just to make your presence known?”

Lin Yu shrugged his shoulders, neither confirming nor denying.

Su Chengyang was unhappy. She leaned in front of Lin Yu and pressed for an answer, “Is it? Is it?”

Lin Yu simply refused to answer.

Su Chengyang grabbed his sleeve, “Tell me quickly, is it or not?”

Lin Yu pulled her closer, hooking his arm around her shoulder. “It is and it isn’t.”

“Don’t bully me for being ignorant. Is it or not?”

Lin Yu didn’t answer. Instead, he attempted to cover Su Chengyang’s mouth.

Since the cinema was not far from the restaurant, they decided to walk there together.

Standing together, they formed a beautiful scene, especially with Lin Yu’s tall stature, handsome appearance, and good figure. Anyone passing by couldn’t help but glance in their direction.

“Oh, by the way, Brother Lin, don’t tell Xiao Lu about us for now. I’ll tease her when I go back.”

“Hmm?” Lin Yu turned his head. “How do you plan to tease her?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

Lin Yu chuckled, “I’m your boyfriend now. Why can’t I be concerned about your matters?”

“Anyway, I just want to tease her, so don’t bother asking.”

“Alright, I’ll listen to you.”

Two people arrived at the movie theater. Lin Yu went to get the tickets while Su Chengyang sat in the lobby waiting for him.

On weekends, there were many couples coming to watch movies, and no one noticed Su Chengyang wearing a hat and a mask.

After Lin Yu got the tickets, he also bought popcorn and cola.

Su Chengyang hadn’t had a carbonated drink in a long time, so when Lin Yu handed it to her, she couldn’t wait and secretly took off her mask to take a sip. Seeing her acting like a thief, Lin Yu laughed and said, “You can take off your mask once we’re in the theater.”

“I’ll take a sip first to taste the flavor.”

There was still half an hour before the movie started, so they sat outside and waited. Lin Yu, for some reason, suddenly started testing Su Chengyang’s spoken English. Su Chengyang spoke with some difficulty, but managed to pass.

“Let me ask you, am I good-looking or is Yun Xiaoxi good-looking?”

The couple at the next table pointed to Su Chengyang’s face on the poster and asked.

The guy didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he pointed to Xu Hao’s face and asked, “Am I handsome or is Xu Hao handsome?”

The girl couldn’t believe it and said, “How dare you have the audacity to compare yourself to others?”

The guy parroted her, saying, “How dare you have the audacity to compare yourself to others?”

The girl: “…”

“Don’t imitate me.”

“Don’t imitate me.”

“You’re not allowed to imitate me!”

“You’re not allowed to imitate me!”

Su Chengyang couldn’t help but want to laugh a little. She moved closer to Lin Yu and wanted to say that they were cute, but before she could speak, she heard Lin Yu’s voice in her ear: “You look good.”

Su Chengyang: “…”

Her cheeks felt a little hot, and she moved her body back, saying, “That’s not what I wanted to ask you.”

“Who looks better, me or Xu Hao?”

Su Chengyang silently lowered her head and said, “You look better.”

Lin Yu smiled and told her that they should check their tickets.

After the two of them checked their tickets, they entered the theater. Lin Yu had bought tickets for a couple’s exclusive theater, which had a total of ten seats scattered in five different locations.

Su Chengyang was stunned when she saw the seats, but Lin Yu pulled her towards the two seats in the middle. The seats here were strange, with several seats in front of them.

“Brother Lin, why did you buy these seats?” Su Chengyang whispered.

Lin Yu said, “We won’t be disturbed here.”

“But isn’t it the same as watching at home?”

“It’s different. This is a date.”

Su Chengyang was convinced and sat in the seat, taking off her mask.

The movie started playing, and Su Chengyang sat up straight.

During the movie, Lin Yu held her left hand the entire time and never let go.

Su Chengyang wanted to concentrate and take it seriously, but Lin Yu’s presence was too strong. Coupled with the fact that she only just realized that she was really with Lin Yu, she couldn’t focus at all.

Lin Yu was probably feeling the same way. When the movie played the scene of Yun Xiaoxi’s death, sobs could be heard in the theater. Afterwards, Su Chengyang and Lin Yu became as quiet as wood.

Su Chengyang turned her head to the side and found that Lin Yu had been staring at her all along. The moment their eyes met, they couldn’t separate.

The dark and quiet environment was most suitable for something to happen.

In the end, it’s unclear who made the first move, but Su Chengyang’s lips touched Lin Yu’s.

They didn’t stay close for too long. After they separated, Lin Yu held her hand tightly and whispered in her ear, “I regret it. Actually, we can have a wedding first.”

Su Chengyang thought for a moment, leaned against his ear, and said, “I accept premarital intimacy.”

In the darkness, Lin Yu took a sharp breath.

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TL/Note: This chapter is brought to you by Nana, thanks for the ko-fi!  (ﾉ´ヮ`)ﾉ*: ･

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Su Chengyang had a good night’s sleep and woke up the next day, close to ten o’clock.

When she got up, Xiao Lu had just woken up as well, lying on the living room sofa, scrolling through Weibo.

During this period of time, Su Chengyang was as busy as a spinning top, and Xiao Lu was not idle either. They hardly had time to look at their phones. Xiao Lu often reported to Lin Yu that one assistant couldn’t handle the workload, and Assistant Xu was frequently occupied with company matters. Lin Yu was also extremely busy, so he told Xiao Lu to bear with it for a while, and things would get better soon.

Su Chengyang also felt it was unnecessary because she could do the things her assistant could do.

Seeing Su Chengyang coming down, Xiao Lu said, “The reviews for the movie you acted in are quite high online, especially for your character, the nation’s first love.”

Su Chengyang chuckled, “It’s not that exaggerated.”

“It really is that exaggerated.”

Xiao Lu tilted her head and said, “My cousin brother brought breakfast over, it’s in the microwave. Go and eat.”

Su Chengyang was taken aback, “Mr. Lin came over?”

Xiao Lu nodded, “He’s the one who bought these flowers. And by the way, both of you have such an ambiguous relationship, why do you still call him ‘Mr. Lin’? Now everyone in the company is spreading rumors about you and him.”

Hearing this, Su Chengyang paused for a moment on her way to the kitchen, and asked skeptically, “How could people in the company know?”

Xiao Lu’s smile stiffened for a moment.

Oh no, I slipped up and said something I shouldn’t have.

Su Chengyang suddenly realized that only the three of them knew about this matter. She hadn’t said anything, and Lin Yu wouldn’t either. The only person who could reveal this was Xiao Lu.

“Lu Yin!” Su Chengyang angrily rushed forward and grabbed her by the neck. “How can you be so bad at keeping secrets?!”

Xiao Lu smiled ingratiatingly and said, “I accidentally let it slip in the employee group chat, but I promise they won’t let anyone outside the company know!”

“What guarantee do you have?!” Su Chengyang was so angry that she wanted to bite her. She regretted telling her in the first place.

“Oh, everyone likes you a lot. They would be happy to see you become the future boss lady. They even call you ‘boss lady’ in private.”

“Lu Yin!”

Xiao Lu stuck out her tongue and said, “Anyway, you and my cousin brother will be together sooner or later. You’ll be my sister-in-law, and I’ll be your little sister-in-law. If you kill me, we’ll have to handle weddings and funerals together in our family.”

Su Chengyang blushed at being called “sister-in-law” and hearing the word “wedding.” Furious, she bit Xiao Lu on the cheek.

“Ah! Holy shit, you really bit me!” Xiao Lu cried out in pain.

“You’re making wild guesses without any basis!” Su Chengyang scolded.

Xiao Lu quickly raised both hands in surrender and pleaded, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. You go eat first. My cousin brother will be checking on us later.”

Su Chengyang glared at her with resentment, then turned and hurriedly escaped into the kitchen.

Xiao Lu touched the tooth mark on her cheek and quickly took a photo before it disappeared, sending it to her cousin brother.

【I was bitten by my future sister-in-law.】

【Lin Yu: Transfer 5,000 yuan.】

【So cute.】

【Cute? I also think I’m cute.】

【Lin Yu: The tooth mark of your future sister-in-law.】

【Inhuman!!!】

Lin Yu ignored her roar, opened the photo, zoomed in on the location of the tooth mark, and took a screenshot.

“Knock一”

The office door was knocked.

“Come in.” Lin Yu put down his phone.

Assistant Xu pushed the door open, looked at Lin Yu with a serious expression, and said, “President Lin, the chairman wants you to come to his office immediately.”

Lin Yu raised his eyes and asked, “What’s the matter?”

Assistant Xu said, “There have been rumors about you and Chengyang in the company recently. The chairman would like to talk to you about Chengyang.”

Lin Yu remained silent for a moment and lowered his gaze, saying, “I understand.”

. . . . .

After finishing breakfast, Su Chengyang returned to the living room and saw Xiao Lu typing on her phone with a serious expression.

She calmed down and put a cherry tomato near Xiao Lu’s mouth, asking, “What’s wrong?”

Xiao Lu chewed on the fruit and mumbled, “There’s talk in the employee group that because of the recent affair between you and my cousin brother, my cousin brother was called into the office by our uncle and it seems like he was scolded.”

Su Chengyang’s expression froze, “Because of me?”

Xiao Lu seemed to remember something and her face turned unpleasant. She said, “When my cousin brother was in Italy with an artist, our uncle mentioned that their future daughter-in-law shouldn’t be someone from the entertainment industry. So, you and my cousin brother…”

Su Chengyang’s face turned pale. When she realized that Lin Yu liked her, Su Chengyang was too happy and excited to think about all these things. But now, thinking about Lin Yu’s background, it was completely different from hers. How could Lin Yu’s parents possibly agree?

Seeing her not looking well, Xiao Lu felt guilty and said, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have let it slip. You and my cousin brother don’t have a relationship yet, and my cousin brother might have other plans.”

Although Su Chengyang’s expression was unpleasant, she managed to remain calm and shook her head, saying, “It’s not your concern. If Lin Yu really wants to be with me, his parents will find out sooner or later.”

Xiao Lu felt a little guilty and held Su Chengyang’s hand, saying, “Chengyang, although I know this might sound cruel to you, I still want to tell you that if you and my cousin brother are just dating, my uncle won’t pay too much attention. But if my cousin brother plans to have a future with you, my uncle… might not agree.”

Su Chengyang understood what she meant: Lin Yu could play with her, but a serious relationship was out of the question.

Su Chengyang smiled and said, “It’s okay. After all, marriages can end in divorce. Even if we’re together now, it doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll last.”

“Chengyang…”

“Alright, I made plans to watch a movie with Mr. Lin tonight. Looks like you’ll be alone again.”

Su Chengyang rubbed her face, then got up and went back to her room.

Su Chengyang wasn’t lying. Relationships don’t always last, to begin with. It’s just that she and Lin Yu hadn’t even fully started yet, but she could already see the ending.

But that’s okay. She knew the final outcome. Even if the process sinks into despair, she can still prepare herself to give Lin Yu her final blessings.

Su Chengyang has never been greedy.

These past few days, she has spent less time looking at her phone. There were piles of WeChat messages that she hadn’t opened.

She glanced at them. Almost everyone she knows had sent her congratulatory messages. Su Chengyang replied to each one, then clicked into a small group chat. The conversation stopped yesterday, and the messages became fewer and fewer, with less and less from Han Songxue.

Everyone’s lives are heading in different directions.

Su Chengyang had prepared herself in advance for this matter, but when the day arrived, she still felt melancholy.

. . . . .

In the evening, Lin Yu drove to the door to pick up Su Chengyang.

Throughout the journey, Lin Yu didn’t mention being called to the chairman’s office. Su Chengyang felt it was not important to her. As long as Lin Yu still liked her and wanted to be with her, she didn’t mind the final outcome. The process was the most important thing, and even if the result wasn’t satisfactory, the beautiful process would be remembered for a lifetime.

“What would you like to eat tonight?” Lin Yu asked.

Su Chengyang replied, “Can we eat anything tonight?”

“Managing your figure is your job, but now it’s our dating time.”

Su Chengyang narrowed her eyes and said, “I want dessert!”

“Chocolate?”

“Cake!”

Lin Yu chuckled and said, “Let’s save the dessert for after dinner. How about having Western food for dinner?”

Su Chengyang nodded and said, “Okay, I want to have two steaks.”

Lin Yu laughed, “Can you still eat dessert after that?”

“I can, desserts are considered snacks. I have separate stomachs for my main course and snacks.”

“Alright, I’ll go with your choice.”

Lin Yu took Su Chengyang to a Western restaurant where the waiters were all foreigners.

Lin Yu fluently placed the order in English. After the waiter left, he looked at Su Chengyang and asked, “How is your English learning going?”

He knows what Su Chengyang has been studying recently.

Su Chengyang felt a bit embarrassed, “I can barely understand what you and the waiter were talking about.”

Lin Yu nodded, “That’s not bad. What about math?”

When it came to math, Su Chengyang was at a loss. Although she had studied it before, her level was at most junior high school. She could only solve a few problems in the exercise books that Du Senyu gave her. She had never realized how complicated math could be, it was too difficult.

Seeing her disappointed expression, Lin Yu said, “Do you want to hire a tutor?”

Su Chengyang shook her head, “I’m going to join the crew in a couple of days. I don’t have time to study. Let’s talk about it next year.”

Lin Yu didn’t want her to be too tired either and said, “There’s no rush to study. I had someone inquire at your school. You applied to retain your student status for two years. You can go to the school to register after the New Year. If your college entrance exam results next year are not ideal, you can still take it in the future.”

Su Chengyang nodded, “Thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me.”

After the steak was served, Lin Yu cut it into pieces and handed it to her as usual.

During the meal, Lin Yu spoke very little, and Su Chengyang was used to eating quietly.

When Su Chengyang was full and satisfied, elegant violin music filled the Western-style restaurant.

“Are you full?” Lin Yu sat across from her, smiling.

The soft lighting in the Western-style restaurant made his face appear much gentler.

Su Chengyang felt inexplicably nervous. She wiped her mouth with a tissue and hesitated to meet his gaze. She nodded and said, “I’m full.”

Su Chengyang noticed that in the spacious restaurant, only the two of them were left, and she didn’t know when.

Realizing this, Su Chengyang became even more nervous.

Lin Yu smiled at her and said softly, “I want to talk to you.”

Su Chengyang nodded, “Okay.”

“Chengyang, I initially didn’t want to tell you these things in advance. You haven’t fully accepted me yet.”

Su Chengyang shook her head, “Go ahead.”

“Why didn’t you ask me about the matter of the chairman calling me to his office?” Lin Yu’s smile gradually faded, and his expression became more serious.

Su Chengyang tensed up, with a momentary look of surprise, “How did you know…”

Before the words were fully spoken, Su Chengyang guessed that it must have been Big Mouth Xiao Lu who spilled the beans.

“Aren’t you curious about what he said to me?”

Lin Yu’s gaze grew heavy, and Su Chengyang knew why he asked if she was full. This topic was too serious to have an appetite.

Su Chengyang’s throat tightened, unsure how to answer.

“Or do you think that no matter what the chairman said to me, you don’t care?”

“It’s not…” Su Chengyang softly retorted.

“Su Chengyang, do you think I’m just playing around with you? So you don’t care whether my father will approve of us? Or is it that to you, I’m just a plaything?”

“No!” Su Chengyang suddenly raised her voice, surpassing the volume of the violin.

Lin Yu silently watched her and said, “Continue.”

Su Chengyang’s eyes welled up with tears, “I didn’t think that way, but what can I do if the chairman doesn’t agree? Anyway, even marriage can end in divorce. What if we were never meant to reach that point?”

Lin Yu remained silent for a while after hearing her words. Su Chengyang timidly lifted her head, and he suddenly reached out, taking her hand from the table and holding it in his palm.

“Chengyang, you don’t trust me enough,” Lin Yu said.

He rubbed Su Chengyang’s hand with his thumb, his tone gradually becoming gentle. “I can handle my own affairs. You just need to trust me.”

“I know that it may be difficult for you to completely believe me, but I don’t want you to spend every second by my side thinking that we will eventually separate.”

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