Chapter 06

Have they already advanced to the step of deciding on the marital home?

For the first time, Lu Yi felt a tangible sense of reality about her upcoming marriage, as if it had been scheduled and would soon be finalized.

However, she felt the property transfer was happening too fast. The two families hadn’t even formally met yet. It all seemed premature, so she suggested postponing the matter until they had more time to view properties together.

Lin Jinshen was fine with waiting.

Pioneer: [You’re right. We should look at more options. Buying a new place is also fine. Whichever one you like, it’s your decision.]

Lu Yi sipped her freshly brewed coffee and replied: [Even if it exceeds the market value of this one?]

Pioneer: [As long as it exists and you like it.]

Simple and direct.

Coming from anyone else, such words might sound pretentious. But Lin Jinshen had the means to back them up.

Lu Yi set her phone down and refocused on her computer screen. The company had taken on a new case: a collaborative exhibit with an art gallery titled “Summer Rhapsody,” themed around post-Impressionism. Its style featured a bold expression of form and color.

Lu Yi, having majored in art history in university, was naturally assigned to this project.

That afternoon, she held a meeting to form the project team. Yu Qian volunteered to join. The preliminary research and planning were intricate tasks, and the gallery had only given them two months to go from concept to design, construction, and final installation—a tight and challenging timeline.

The meeting ran until after office hours, extending by about an hour.

Lu Yi drove home, where the housekeeper had already prepared dinner. It was just her and Ms. Xu at home.

After washing her hands, Lu Yi emerged and said, “Don’t wait for me to eat in the future. There’s a new project, so I probably won’t be able to get off work on time for a while.”

Ms. Xu, holding a bowl and chopsticks, paused mid-motion and set them down again. “Another new project? Didn’t you just finish the last one? You barely got a few days’ rest, and now you’re busy again?”

“It’s like they say: the greater the ability, the greater the responsibility. Besides, I really like this project.” Lu Yi placed some food on Ms. Xu’s plate.

“You like every project. Should I have a word with your boss? They’re giving you too much work. You might as well come home and help your dad…”

Lu Yi quickly interrupted, “Mom. Let’s eat.”

Ms. Xu served her some soup and said, “Fine, no more of that. Eat first.”

After dinner, Lu Yi went back to her room to open the packages that had piled up over the past few days. Most were toys for her cat, Puff, like feather wands and scratching boards.

During the summer, Puff became even lazier, spending all day in the air-conditioned room sleeping.

The new toys finally caught Puff’s attention. The cat meowed and circled her, occasionally pawing at the items with curiosity.

When Ms. Xu entered the room, Lu Yi was tossing a ball for Puff, who ran after it like a dog, biting it and bringing it back to her hand.

Ms. Xu placed a plate of sliced fruit on the table but didn’t come closer. She neither liked nor disliked cats but had a mild aversion to getting cat fur on her clothes.

“Yi Yi, have you really thought through this marriage?”

“Yes.” Lu Yi nodded.

“Are you sure you’re not reconsidering the Zhong family?”

Lu Yi tossed the ball and turned her head to look at her mother.

“I think Xiao Zhong is great—so thoughtful. Before you even met, he asked me what you liked to eat and if you had any allergies. He’s considerate and caring.”

Ms. Xu rested her hands on her lap, recalling their previous conversation. To this day, she couldn’t understand why her daughter had chosen Lin Jinshen over Zhong Wenlun.

“Your father and I don’t place much importance on family background. An arranged marriage already feels like we’re shortchanging you. Don’t be so selfless, always thinking of the family without considering yourself.”

“Mom, I really didn’t make the decision for the family. Honestly.”

Puff, having exerted too much energy, showed little interest in chasing the ball anymore.

“Then why? Isn’t Xiao Zhong caring enough?”

Lu Yi picked up Puff, turned to face Ms. Xu, and said, “He’s too caring. Overly caring.”

From the moment they added each other as friends, Zhong Wenlun’s messages never stopped—morning, noon, and night. Not just online, but he also sent coffee and snacks to her office.

His enthusiasm was something Lu Yi couldn’t handle.

“What does ‘overly caring’ mean?”

“It means he’s so good to me, so attentive, that I feel burdened,” Lu Yi explained while scratching Puff’s chin. “He’s so considerate that I feel the need to reciprocate equally. It’s exhausting, and I’m not sure I can keep up.”

“You’re overthinking it. Marriage isn’t about someone giving you an apple and you giving them a pear in return. What is this, a bank?”

“It’s not like that. But one-sided giving only works for a short while. Over time, it’s hard to sustain. Besides, I can’t enjoy someone’s kindness without guilt. Instead, I’d rather choose a compatible partner—a good teammate.”

“Where do you even get these strange ideas?” Ms. Xu sighed. “And you think Lin Jinshen qualifies as a ‘good teammate’?”

“So far, yes.”

Puff purred contentedly, and Lu Yi playfully waved its paw toward Ms. Xu. “Come on, say hi to Grandma.”

“Meow~”

Puff cooperatively meowed.

Ms. Xu wasn’t amused, furrowing her brows in mild annoyance. “You just like him because he’s good-looking. Life isn’t all about appearances.”

Lu Yi laughed. “What’s wrong with being good-looking? When you live together day in and day out, a good-looking face is pleasant to see. Even if we argue, I’d probably be less angry just by looking at him.”

Ms. Xu couldn’t help but chuckle in exasperation.

“Xiao Zhong isn’t bad-looking either. Fair-skinned and clean-cut, very likable,” Ms. Xu admitted, though she added reluctantly, “Fine, maybe not as handsome as Lin Jinshen, but he has his strengths.”

Finally, she sighed, her expression clouded with concern. “Lin Jinshen seems so cold and unfeeling. I worry you’ll be mistreated if you marry him.”

“If I am, I’ll just run back here and stay with you and Dad forever.”

Ms. Xu’s expression softened, and she smiled. “That’s right. No matter what happens, your parents will always be here for you.”

The day Lu Yi chose the Lin family, she had already explained everything to Zhong Wenlun.

His first question had been whether it was her family’s decision.

Lu Yi: [It was my decision.]

Zhong Wenlun: [And the Lin family? Are they sure about it too?]

Lu Yi: [Probably.]

Zhong Wenlun: [Then what about last time? When we met?]

On this point, Lu Yi sincerely apologized, explaining that nothing had been finalized back then. Like him, she had only met Lin Jinshen once. If he felt uncomfortable about it, she was sorry.

Zhong Wenlun: [It’s fine. It’s understandable. I just hope this is the result of careful consideration.]

Lu Yi: [Thank you. I hope you find someone who’s right for you.]*

—

Over the weekend, Lu Yi and Yu Yin met up at a squash court.

Yu Yin was full of energy, playing nonstop for half an hour before finally tossing her racket aside and sitting down to drink water.

“Who upset you?” Lu Yi handed her a bottle.

The way Yu Yin played was like she was venting anger.

Yu Yin gulped down half the bottle in one go before responding, “I’m mad for your sake. You don’t know how many nasty things people have been saying since you turned down the Zhong family and chose the Lin family.”

“What are they saying?” Lu Yi, who didn’t socialize much within their circle, was largely out of the loop.

“They’re saying you’re climbing up the social ladder, that you’re shallow. Some even said they used to think you were proud and aloof, but now it turns out you were just faking it. You know how that group is; their mouths are like shredders—they can’t survive without spewing garbage.”

There were even nastier things, which Yu Yin nearly ground her teeth over when repeating, wishing she could tear those people’s mouths apart.

Lu Yi wiped her face with a wet towel and, upon hearing this, merely nodded calmly, as though the insults weren’t aimed at her.

“You’re not angry?”

“Not really.”

Having just finished an intense workout, Lu Yi was exhausted. She sat on the ground, catching her breath with her arms propped behind her.

After a pause, she said, “Their mouths are their own. What they say isn’t something I can control.”

No matter how harsh the insults, they wouldn’t harm her physically. Getting upset over them wasn’t worth it.

Yu Yin knew what kind of person Lu Yi was but still asked, “You’re really something. I don’t even need to comfort you. But aren’t you afraid?”

“Afraid of what?”

“That the Lin family will hear these rumors and think badly of you.” If the Lin family were to call off the engagement, Lu Yi would become a complete joke. Yu Yin could already imagine how those wagging tongues would go wild.

Lu Yi took a sip of water and replied in a calm, cool tone, “If the Lin family would form opinions about me based on such gossip, then there’s no need for me to marry them.”

Those words would naturally reach Lin Jinshen’s ears, just as they had reached Yu Yin’s.

One ordinary day, Lin Yumo, who rarely initiated contact, sent him a message:

Yumo: [Bro, is this about your fiancée?]

She included a few screenshots of chat logs, which had already become a hot topic. The gossip had even made its way into overseas student circles, claiming that someone who appeared virtuous and aloof was actually just putting on a front, selling themselves at the highest price.

The story painted a picture of someone who had been discussing marriage with one person only to leap at a better prospect the moment it appeared.

Yumo: [Those people have such filthy mouths. Tell your fiancée not to take it to heart. If she’s upset, I’ll cuss them out for her.]

After reading the messages, Lin Jinshen replied with his usual calm:

Jinshen: [Focus on your studies. If you fail your finals again, your allowance will be halved.]

Yumo: [?!]

She wanted to call him a tyrant—cruel and heartless—but didn’t dare. With two huffs of frustration, she didn’t send another word.

Meanwhile, Lin Jinshen called his assistant into the office.

Assistant Chen Fang entered after knocking. “Yes, Mr. Lin?”

It didn’t take much effort for Chen Fang to find Zhong Wenlun’s contact information. After negotiating with the other side’s assistant, he handed the phone to his boss once the call was connected.

“Mr. Lin?”

Lin Jinshen got straight to the point, asking him to take care of the situation.

Zhong Wenlun gave a short laugh. “Do you think I’m the one who spread this?”

Lin Jinshen’s voice was icy. “I didn’t say it was you. But control the mouths of those around you. If you can’t, someone else will.”

There was a pause on the other end.

Zhong Wenlun then asked, “Does it have to be the Lu family?”

“There are plenty of families with a background similar to the Lu’s. If you’re just looking for a Mrs. Lin, there are many options. Does it have to be Lu Yi? I’d like to ask if you’d consider stepping aside. If you’re willing, I’ll remember this favor and return it whenever you need.”

Lin Jinshen idly twirled a black-and-gold fountain pen in his hand and replied unhurriedly, “I think you’re mistaken.”

“Lu Yi is not a commodity. She’s not something to be handed over or taken away.”

“…”

That evening, at ten o’clock, Lu Yi received a message from Lin Jinshen. She hadn’t gone to bed yet and was busy assembling a new cat tree she had bought.

The labor-intensive task left her wrists sore.

When his icy avatar popped up, she felt a strange mix of emotions. After a moment’s hesitation, she unlocked her phone with Face ID and opened the chat.

Pioneer: [Are you free tomorrow?]

Lu Yi lowered her lashes and replied:

Selene: “I am.”

She hesitated before typing again:

Selene: [If you’ve changed your mind about the engagement, I’ll understand…]

Before she could finish typing, another message from him arrived.

Pioneer: [What do your parents like?]

Lu Yi stared at the screen, then cut the unfinished sentence and replaced it with a question mark.

Pioneer: [I’m visiting your house. Can’t show up empty-handed.]

…

Lu Yi asked if he had heard the rumors about her. Regardless of their truth, the dirt had already been flung. After confirming that he had, she asked, [What do you think about it?]

Pioneer: [Poorly constructed sentences, repetitive phrasing. A waste of time.]

Anyone unaware of the context might think he was grading homework.

Lu Yi chuckled and glanced at his earlier question. Thinking of her mother’s prejudices against him, she figured the upcoming meeting might not go well.

Marriage contracts, housing arrangements, meeting the parents—all these things had happened within a week of confirming their engagement. She stared at her phone, teasing him lightly across the screen.

Selene: [Do you know those NPCs in games? They’re bound by systems that require them to complete certain tasks. If they fail, they’re punished by the system.]

She suspected Lin Jinshen had been assigned a mission to marry. If he didn’t complete it within the allotted time, he’d face some kind of penalty.

After two or three minutes of no response, Lu Yi put her phone down and went to shower. When she returned, there were two new messages from him.

Pioneer: [?]

Pioneer: [What is that?]

“…”

She’d forgotten that someone as old-school as Lin Jinshen wouldn’t know what an NPC was. It made sense he’d be clueless. She replied, slightly teasing:

Selene: [It’s just gibberish—my phone glitched.]

Lin Jinshen then sent her a link to an article titled How Phones Get Viruses and How to Avoid Them.

Pioneer: [Avoid visiting harmful websites.]

“…”

Was this marriage really necessary?