I Really Didn’t Want to Increase My Favorability!

Carrying the bags, Xu Lin walked upstairs with Ji Yun. She glanced at the items in his hands and let out a light chuckle.

“What is it? Think I bought too much?”

“No,” Ji Yun replied, her tone calm. “After all, whether it’s the person or the stuff, it’s all coming into the house anyway. What’s the difference?”

“I see what you’re getting at. I’ll give half of this to Teacher Su’s parents,” Xu Lin responded with a smile.

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“Ji Yun, you’ve really changed lately—asking about all these little things. That’s not like you.”

“What do you mean by ‘little things’? This is my family’s business.”

“And since when did Teacher Su become part of your family’s business?” Xu Lin teased, unable to hold back a laugh.

“Aren’t you part of my family? And since Teacher Su likes you, naturally, she’s family business too,” Ji Yun replied smoothly.

“Thank you for being so understanding,” he said sincerely.

“No need to thank me. I’ve only been an ordinary girl for these 16 years of my life. In my past life, I was poor girl from the countryside. You have to let me play the role of the main wife at least once, right?”

“…”

“What’s the matter? Got someone else in mind?” Ji Yun teased but was half-serious.

“Obviously you should consult with your Elder Sister Chu first,” Xu Lin said with a grin.

“Oh, I see now, husband~” Ji Yun quipped playfully.

“Ji Yun, you’re really leaning into this teasing mood today, huh?” Xu Lin shook his head with a chuckle.

The two exchanged a look, smiling as they reached the door. Just as Xu Lin raised his hand to knock, the door opened, and Aunt Yao greeted them with a slightly softened expression.

“Come in. No need to knock,” she said warmly.

Noticing the pair holding hands, Aunt Yao smiled kindly, making Ji Yun a little embarrassed. She quickly let go of Xu Lin’s hand.

They entered the house, greeted by Ji Yun’s father and mother, who came forward to welcome them. Xu Lin placed the bags down by the side.

“Why’d you bring all this stuff?” Ji Yun’s father exclaimed, giving Xu Lin a friendly pat on the shoulder.

“I can always take it back if it’s too much,” Xu Lin joked.

“You brought it, and now you want to take it back? Let’s see what you’ve got here!” Ji Yun’s father didn’t hold back, grabbing the bag of tea and hugging it to his chest.

The playful remark and his actions immediately eased the slightly formal atmosphere, drawing laughter from everyone in the room.

Ji Yun’s mother, always mindful of her daughter’s potential suitors, glanced at the brands of the items Xu Lin had brought. Seeing the value—easily over 2,000 yuan—her smile brightened considerably.

“Take a seat. Let’s have dinner first,” she said happily.

“Wash your hands first,” Ji Yun interjected, tugging Xu Lin toward the bathroom.

“Those two kids look so perfect together,” Aunt Yao commented, watching their retreating figures. She then glanced at Ji Yun’s father, who immediately felt a bead of sweat form on his forehead. My wife is right here!

Fortunately, Ji Yun’s mother was too focused on inspecting the gifts to notice.

“Look at what Xu Lin brought for his first visit. Such nice things!”

“Alright, alright, stop being such a money-grubber,” Ji Yun’s father teased.

“This isn’t about money. It’s about seeing the son-in-law’s potential!”

“And what if your daughter liked someone with less money?”

“Then… as long as she’s happy, that’s all that matters,” Ji Yun’s mother replied, giving her husband a pointed look. Though she valued financial stability, she wasn’t so shallow as to dismiss someone purely based on their wealth.

In the bathroom, Xu Lin turned on the faucet to wash his hands. Ji Yun stood next to him, her expression slightly apologetic.

“Sorry about my mom. She can be a bit much sometimes,” Ji Yun said.

“It’s fine. It’s all stuff I should bring—after all, we’re family,” Xu Lin replied.

“Just don’t spoil her. You don’t need to buy such expensive things all the time. Life isn’t just about appearances,” Ji Yun said earnestly, her tone like that of a nagging wife.

Xu Lin nodded obediently but suddenly flicked his fingers, sending water splashing onto Ji Yun’s face.

“Xu Lin!” Ji Yun exclaimed, caught off guard.

“Are you a child?”

“I’m not a child!”

“Hmph!” Ji Yun turned on the faucet to wash her hands as well, then suddenly remembered something and blurted out,

“Did you really not do anything wrong?”

“Wrong? What wrong?”

“Like… sleeping with someone.”

“Do you trust me?”

“I do.”

“Then I’ll be honest with you… yes, it happened.”

In an instant, Ji Yun’s face turned pale, and she leaned against the wall. Xu Lin quickly moved to support her.

“Why… who was it?”

Ji Yun brushed his hand away with a touch of annoyance, but despite her gritted teeth, her eyes remained steady as she looked at him.

Xu Lin could have lied, but he chose to admit it himself. If he were to face her anger head-on, it would be his own fault. He wanted her to hear him out.

“It was Qin Yunhe.”

“Sister Qin…?”

Ji Yun blinked rapidly in disbelief. These two hadn’t even known each other for long! Besides, there was a significant age gap between them. Qin Yunhe’s profession and personality didn’t seem like those of someone who’d act on impulse.

More importantly, Teacher Su and Qin Yunhe were best friends. If something like this had happened between them, it would’ve caused chaos!

“Does Teacher Su know?”

“She does.”

“She does? What exactly happened? Tell me everything.”

“Okay.”

Xu Lin took a deep breath and recounted the explanation he had given to Su Qingwan before.

“… It sounds like something out of a novel.”

“I’m telling the truth. You can ask Qin Yunhe for confirmation.”

“Ask your people for confirmation? Is that even confirmation?”

Ji Yun rolled her eyes. Although she felt somewhat relieved, a lingering unease still gnawed at her.

“What do you mean, ‘my people’?”

“Aren’t you two in a relationship now? You’re really something. Good thing I didn’t agree to be with you.”

“It was an accident!”

“An accident once, but from the way you’re talking, this wasn’t a one-time thing, was it?”

Ji Yun frowned, finished washing her hands, and walked out. Xu Lin fell silent. The moment he decided to confess, he had already prepared himself for this reaction. Better to admit it than let her discover it on her own—it might give her time to adjust.

Following her out of the restroom, Xu Lin was called over to the dining table, where bowls of rice had already been served.

“Let’s eat. Your Aunt Yao’s cooking is better than—”

“Ahem!”

“Haha, alright, I’ll give it a try.”

Xu Lin nodded, digging in without hesitation. His casual demeanor actually made everyone else feel more at ease, as if they were just a family enjoying a meal together.

“By the way, since our families live so close, it’s about time we met properly.”

As they ate, Ji Yun’s mother suddenly brought this up. Her father nodded in agreement.

“Of course. Ji Yun?”

Xu Lin glanced at Ji Yun, who was still upset. But her nature wouldn’t let her refuse outright, so she begrudgingly agreed.

“Too soon.”

“Ji Yun, it won’t be too soon by the New Year, will it? You’re already 17.”

“Then during New Year’s, we can meet.”

Hearing their daughter push the meeting back to the New Year, the couple exchanged a glance. Was something wrong? Did the two of them have a fight?

“Yun, did something happen? If Xu Lin did something wrong, Aunt Yao will speak up for you,” Yao Yun gently tugged on Ji Yun’s arm, trying to coax her.

“No, it’s just that I think it’s better to wait a bit. We’re still young. If we meet, we can’t just rush into an engagement… we’re just friends for now.”

“Alright, you’re not wrong. We might be rushing things,” her mother relented.

“Oh, by the way, Xu Lin, that pearl you gave us was really helpful. Your aunt’s health has improved a lot,” Ji Yun’s father chimed in, smoothly changing the topic.

Xu Lin nodded.

“Further treatment is still needed. The pearl can only provide relief, not a cure.”

“Of course.”

“If there’s any difficulty, I can lend a hand,” Xu Lin offered.

“No, no, we can handle the treatment on our own,” Ji Yun’s mother interjected, catching Xu Lin by surprise.

To be honest, spending money to help her husband’s ex-wife was already rare enough. But hearing Ji Yun’s mother, usually so tight-fisted, offer support like this? That was unexpected.

It seemed the relationship between the two sisters had improved significantly. Whatever had happened between them, it was truly remarkable.

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