Chapter 07

Lu Yi informed her parents that Lin Jinshen would be visiting their home.

“Why didn’t you tell us earlier?” Mrs. Xu frowned and complained after hearing the news. “This is too sudden; nothing is prepared.”

“Just think of it as him coming to get familiar with the place. Don’t overthink it,” Lu Yi said.

“It’s his first time visiting; we can’t just wing it.”

Mrs. Xu went downstairs to discuss the next day’s menu with the housekeeper, review the shopping list, replace the flowers, and even consider a deep cleaning of the house. After years of living there, suddenly every detail felt open to critique.

Assessing the work to be done, Mrs. Xu instructed, “Tell him to come in the afternoon and stay for dinner.”

This would give them more time during the day to prepare.

Lu Yi wanted to say it wasn’t necessary. “You don’t even like him, so why go through all this trouble?”

“You wouldn’t understand,” Mrs. Xu replied without turning back. “Even if I don’t like him, appearances matter. We can’t let others look down on you in the future.”

Lu Kangcheng, knowing his wife’s temperament, told Lu Yi not to bother persuading her. He had met Lin Jinshen a few times. In the business world, Lin was a remarkable young man—aggressive, innovative, and resourceful. However, when it came to marrying off his daughter, Lu Kangcheng wasn’t entirely convinced.

A marriage alliance between the Lin and Lu families would forge a strong and mutually beneficial partnership for the Lu family.

But marriage was ultimately about two people living their lives behind closed doors.

Whether Lin Jinshen was a trustworthy life partner remained to be seen.

—

Sunday afternoon, 4 PM.

Lin Jinshen sent a message: I’ve arrived.

Lu Yi changed her shoes and went out to greet him. She had informed security in advance, so his car was allowed to enter the neighborhood. From a distance, she saw the black Bentley approaching and raised her hand slightly to signal him.

As Lin Jinshen got out of the car, a familiar tension washed over her like a rising tide. Her throat tightened, and she felt her palms growing sweaty.

Technically speaking, they had only met twice in person.

Interacting offline felt entirely different. Online, when sending messages, she didn’t have to see his face, which made things much easier.

“Mr. Lin,” Lu Yi raised her hand to shield her eyes from the sunlight and greeted him.

As usual, he was dressed formally, though without a tie this time. He pressed his lips together and said, “You can just call me by my name.”

“Alright, Lin—” She froze before completing his name, as if it burned her tongue. Covering her awkwardness with a smile, she said, “Let’s go in.”

“Alright.”

Among the gifts Lin Jinshen brought, Lu Yi quickly recognized the Fuding white tea. Only buds were picked during its harvest season, about ten days before and after the Qingming Festival, making it rare and expensive.

Before they entered, she thought about reminding her mother of her potential biases against him, but since they barely knew each other, she held her tongue.

Inside, Lin Jinshen greeted politely, “Uncle, Aunt.”

Tall and imposing, he stood a half-head higher than Lu Kangcheng. Even his polite greeting carried an air of aloofness, making him seem distant and unapproachable.

“Come in,” Mrs. Xu said curtly, barely curving her lips into a semblance of a smile. Lu Kangcheng, however, was more welcoming.

“I wasn’t sure what you might like, so I brought some things,” Lin Jinshen said in his usual low, steady tone. His words, polite as they were, sounded oddly formal coming from him, more like an exchange between equals than a younger person visiting elders.

The housekeeper came over to take the gifts.

“That’s thoughtful. Jinshen, come and sit,” Lu Kangcheng invited.

After changing his shoes, Lin Jinshen followed him into the living room.

Just one additional guest was enough to shift the entire household’s atmosphere. Watching this, Lu Yi met her mother’s accusing gaze—See? This is the husband you’ve chosen.

Helpless, she clung to Mrs. Xu’s arm.

Mrs. Xu said nothing further but told Lu Yi to bring out some fruit later. She then asked, “Did you tell him what to buy?”

“No, he only asked what you two liked. I had no idea what he bought.” Lu Yi chuckled. “Are you satisfied with the gifts?”

“At least he put some thought into it,” Mrs. Xu replied begrudgingly.

Lu Yi smiled knowingly.

Carrying the fruit tray into the living room, she overheard her father and Lin Jinshen discussing tea. The latter was describing how to steep aged Pu’er tea, explaining that after the initial pour, a portion of the liquid should be retained before refilling the pot for subsequent brews. His detailed explanation brought a smile to her father’s lips.

“Young people like you typically aren’t interested in tea,” said Lu Kangcheng.

“My father enjoys it, so I picked it up from him,” Lin Jinshen replied.

Sitting nearby, Lu Yi listened for a moment. When her father began discussing how “making tea is like being a person,” she decided it was time to leave, knowing this conversation would last a while. She joined her mother to see if she could help with anything.

Mrs. Xu observed the scene in the living room, raised an eyebrow, and asked, “Your father’s already won over?”

“You know how he is—he judges people by their tea habits.”

Mrs. Xu hummed lightly, her expression unreadable. “Well, I’m not so easily fooled.”

At the dinner table, Mrs. Xu couldn’t resist grilling Lin Jinshen. Upon learning about his simple dinners, avoidance of carbs, and habit of maintaining a disciplined lifestyle—complete with early morning runs and strict bedtime routines—she found herself warming to him. As someone who valued health and wellness, she suddenly found a kindred spirit.

“Health is about aligning with nature and maintaining balance. Ignoring these principles will lead to illness. You might not feel it now, but you’ll regret it when you’re older,” she said, glancing pointedly at Lu Yi.

In Mrs. Xu’s view, someone so focused on self-care couldn’t be too bad.

By the end of the meal, everyone seemed satisfied—except for Lu Yi, who felt like an outsider most of the time, quietly eating with her head down.

Before Lin Jinshen’s arrival, her parents had their reservations. But after meeting him, they said nothing critical, especially when it came to discussing the marriage. Instead, they were cordial and accommodating.

All her earlier concerns had been unnecessary.

For someone as rigid as Lin Jinshen, age aside, he seemed to fit in better with her parents’ generation. Naturally, they got along.

After dinner, when it was time for him to leave, Mrs. Xu reminded her, “Yi Yi, go see him off.”

Reluctantly, Lu Yi agreed. After changing her shoes, she followed him out the door.

Night had fallen, and the moon hung high in the sky. Almost full, it cast its silvery light on the treetops and on their shoulders.

The driver had already brought the car around, waiting at the entrance.

Before getting in, Lin Jinshen turned to her. “Lu Yi.”

Hearing her name, she felt like a student being called on in class, her heart skipping a beat. She suppressed her nervousness and asked, “Yes?”

“…” Lin Jinshen said, “I’m not much older than you. There’s no need to use formalities.”

“… Oh, okay.”

She hadn’t meant to—it had just slipped out.

“Do you have time next week to have dinner with me and my family?”

Dinner with his family meant visiting the Lin household and meeting his parents.

Dealing with one Lin Jinshen was already a challenge. An entire household of “Lin Jinshens” sounded daunting.

But fairness demanded reciprocity. Since he’d met her parents, it was only right for her to meet his.

“Alright.”

It was inevitable, so she might as well face it head-on. Raising her gaze slightly, she said, “Let me know when your parents are available.”

“Okay.”

“Go on in now.”

The date to visit the Lin family was finalized the day before.

On the appointed weekday, Lu Yi carefully selected a conservative outfit, applied light makeup, and presented herself as clean and composed—perfect for meeting future in-laws.

Leaving work on time was disrupted by an unexpected meeting. She sent Lin Jinshen a message in advance, letting him know she had a last-minute commitment and might need an extra half hour before driving over.

When Lin Jinshen received the message, his expression remained neutral. After notifying his family, he continued working.

By the time he finished his tasks, it was late. Noticing she hadn’t replied to his message, he casually called her, but no one picked up.

Putting his phone away, he met the driver’s questioning gaze. The driver asked if they should head straight to the family residence. After a moment of silence, Lin Jinshen dismissed the driver and decided to drive himself.

The destination entered into the navigation system wasn’t the Lin family home but Lu Yi’s company. He intended to pick her up before heading back.

Yixing was a top-tier exhibition enterprise. In recent years, its self-operated business metrics had been outstanding, with an impressive track record in project execution and an excellent reputation within the industry.

He hadn’t known much about the company before, but after meeting Lu Yi, he had reviewed its details.

Parking by the roadside near the building, Lin Jinshen was about to call her again when her call came through instead.

He answered. From the other end of the line, her voice came softly, with a hint of tension: “Mr. Lin?”

His tone carried a trace of impatience. “Hmm.”

Lu Yi was in a meeting, her phone set to silent. As soon as the meeting ended, she checked her phone and saw several missed calls, feeling overwhelmed by guilt and anxiety. She immediately called back.

“Sorry, I didn’t see the phone earlier because of the meeting. I’ll head out soon and should arrive by seven.”

Under normal circumstances, that timeline seemed plausible.

However, with rush-hour traffic, she couldn’t be entirely sure. Even exiting the parking lot would take time.

“Come downstairs.”

“Ah?”

“I’m downstairs at your office.”

“On my way.”

Realizing he was waiting downstairs, Lu Yi quickly grabbed her bag and made her way out, telling her colleagues to send any urgent updates via message.

In the elevator, she stared at the descending floor numbers, her emotions flickering.

Seeing the missed call log on her phone, she realized his first call had been forty minutes ago. That meant he’d been waiting at least forty minutes.

When she stepped outside, her eyes immediately landed on the conspicuous black Bentley. At that moment, she set aside any thoughts of avoiding attention and jogged toward the car. Opening the back door, she found it empty. Lin Jinshen was in the driver’s seat, looking at her with calm, impassive eyes.

Awkwardness filled the space as their gazes met in the confined car interior.

“… ”

Lu Yi quickly realized she couldn’t treat him like a chauffeur. She muttered an apology, stepped out, and reentered the car, this time sitting in the front passenger seat.

Her hurried jog left her face slightly flushed, and her breathing was still uneven. From the moment she got into the car, all she could do was repeatedly apologize. She couldn’t tell if he was angry—his expression gave nothing away. Turning slightly toward him, she said anxiously, “I’m sorry, my phone was on silent during the meeting… I didn’t mean to keep you waiting. Are you upset?”

Lin Jinshen wasn’t angry, though the wait had tested his patience.

What caught him off guard was her sudden approach. Her hair, slightly disheveled from running, framed her face, and her anxious, apologetic gaze shimmered as if on the verge of tears.

His throat tightened. He averted his gaze as if scalded.

Even without looking, her faint, sweet fragrance seemed to seep into every corner of the car.

Lin Jinshen pressed his lips together and subtly leaned away, intentionally increasing the physical distance between them.

His voice came out cold and firm. “It’s fine.”

Starting the engine, he pulled into traffic.

Sensing his indifferent reaction, Lu Yi fell silent. But she had noticed his earlier motion of leaning away, as if avoiding her entirely.

Her thoughts drifted to a prior incident where he had barely touched her when helping her up after a fall, withdrawing immediately as though burned.

Beyond that, there had been no physical contact between them. The closest they’d been was sitting side by side during a meal.

Her thoughts returned to something she’d overheard before—rumors that Lin Jinshen, despite his age, had never been in a relationship. Perhaps it was due to physical or emotional reasons.

Lu Yi hadn’t given it much thought before, but now she couldn’t help but wonder.

Knitting her brows together in contemplation, she grew more certain there was something to it.

Traffic was indeed heavy. Lin Jinshen drove steadily, managing the starts and stops smoothly without discomforting the passengers.

When the car came to a halt, her confused expression caught his attention.

“Something on your mind?” he asked.

Lu Yi hesitated briefly, swallowing her unease. Deciding it was better to clarify things before marriage, she spoke up.

“There’s something I’d like to ask. It seems important to clear up before we get married.”

“Ask,” Lin Jinshen said, one hand resting on the steering wheel as he turned to look at her.

“Are you averse to physical contact?”

His brows furrowed slightly. “Why do you ask?”

Lu Yi didn’t bring up the earlier moments but instead laid out her reasoning.

“I’m not opposed to a marriage in name only, but that requires honesty from both sides. If that’s the case, it’s better to be upfront about it.”

A marriage in name only?

Lin Jinshen’s face darkened. He didn’t respond immediately, his gaze urging her to continue.

Taking his silence as encouragement, Lu Yi pushed forward. “What I mean is, is it a psychological issue, or is it… physical?”

This was the first time Lu Yi had seen him show any clear emotional reaction. His expression turned stormy, his eyes dark and unreadable, like a deep, unfathomable lake.

His lips curled, his words deliberate and biting. “Miss Lu.”

“Are you suggesting I’m… incapable?”