Shang Xingyu froze on the spot.

He turned his face away, refusing to look at Shang Xinglu.

Not only did he refuse to look, but the tall and well-built young man also couldn’t bear to stay in the same place for even a second longer.

The atmosphere was tinged with subtle awkwardness.

Shang Xinglu wasn’t someone who liked to speak harshly.

Doing so would make others uncomfortable—and herself as well.

So she didn’t like it.

But since things had already come to this point, Shang Xinglu decided…

“Xiao Zai, is your family on the way here?”

A change of topic.

Xiao Zai curled his lips into a smile.

His gaze was so penetrating that it made Shang Xinglu feel uneasy, as if he’d silently figured out something she hadn’t wanted him to know.

Xiao Zai replied, “I called my lawyer. He should be on the way. Don’t worry about me, sister.”

Shang Xinglu: “…”

I wasn’t. I really wasn’t. I was just being polite.

Xiao Zai beckoned her closer with a curl of his finger.

Shang Xinglu leaned in slightly, and Xiao Zai, speaking through the railing, asked, “Sister, are you learning ballroom dance?”

Shang Xinglu: “!”

How does he know?!

She stared at him suspiciously.

Xiao Zai pointed at her shoes. “Your shoes. You forgot to change them.”

Although her wide-legged trousers covered most of them, when she walked, the tips of her dance shoes were faintly visible.

Shang Xinglu whispered, “Keep your mouth shut!”

Xiao Zai quickly mimed zipping his lips.

But no sooner had he done so than he said, “Why hire a teacher? I’m great at ballroom dancing—any style you want. I can teach you.”

As he spoke, Xiao Zai smiled again. His arched brows and bright eyes, paired with his handsome face, made him both adorable and annoyingly charming.

He didn’t treat the police station like a police station at all; to him, it was more like his personal playground!

At that moment, Shang Xinglu decided she didn’t want to trade her little brother for anyone else.

With her current level of intelligence, a simple-minded brother like this was easier to handle.

Shang Xinglu quickly put some distance between them. “Since someone is coming for you, we’ll be leaving now.”

With that, she walked off in her dance shoes.

Shang Xingyu remained rooted to the spot.

Shang Xinglu, irritated, shouted, “Are you coming or not?!”

Shang Xingyu finally snapped out of it.

Still sulking, he turned his face away and followed Shang Xinglu.

On the car ride back, the siblings were both silent.

Shang Xingyu stared out the window while Shang Xinglu played a mindless game on her phone—Candy Crush.

Despite spending money to buy extra lives, she still couldn’t beat the level!

Meanwhile, the person next to her was even more bored.

Listening to the game’s sound effects, Shang Xingyu’s gaze gradually shifted from the window to her screen.

One person played a boring game, while the other watched.

Watching made Shang Xingyu furious.

He snatched the phone out of her hands.

“Let me do it! Watching you play is driving me crazy!”

After a few moments, he cleared the level with ease.

Shang Xinglu: “…”

It’s just luck! That’s all it is!!!

“Ahem…” Shang Xingyu cleared his throat and handed the phone back to her.

Shang Xinglu said nothing, dropped him off at his dormitory, and left.

When she opened the dorm door, she took one look and felt dismayed. Compared to their mansion, this place was pitifully small. On top of that, Shang Xingyu’s lack of tidiness made the place a chaotic mess.

Standing in the doorway, his tall frame almost filled the entire frame, Shang Xingyu awkwardly muttered, “Um… Sister, I really know I was wrong.”

Shang Xinglu looked at him.

Her little brother, who often acted tough, was now like a pitiful puppy. “It’s okay if you don’t forgive me, but can you stop being mad at me…”

She continued to stare silently.

Shang Xingyu switched tactics, attempting to act cute. “Just say something to me. You can’t ignore me forever—it’s not realistic!”

Finally, Shang Xinglu spoke.

“Get inside.”

Shang Xingyu: “…”

After a long pause, he replied, “… Okay.”

With a loud bang, she shut the door. Before it closed completely, she added, “Don’t forget we’re going to Long Island tomorrow.”

Her little brother, brimming with excitement, barked out an eager “Yes!”

…

Shang Xinglu and Lin Heng took a private jet to New York.

Shang Xingyu, meanwhile, traveled with their parents.

At Kennedy Airport, they transferred to a helicopter that took them straight to Long Island.

Because of the time difference, they arrived the evening before Lin Heng’s father’s birthday banquet.

The helicopter landed on the lawn of the Lin family’s main estate.

As Shang Xinglu stepped out, she glanced around.

This Lin Heng—what a sly, smooth talker. He’d downplayed the place, but…

This wasn’t just a house. It was a freaking manor!

Quickly suppressing her “country bumpkin visiting a palace” expression, she adopted a haughty air of indifference. Holding Lin Heng’s arm, she strode confidently into the castle’s grand entrance.

Lin’s parents had a strict schedule and had already retired for the evening.

A maid escorted them to their room.

Walking through the halls, Shang Xinglu felt like everything looked the same. After a few turns, she realized she wouldn’t remember the way back.

… At night, she resolved, she absolutely would not wander around!

She’d definitely get lost!

Once inside the room, she made a mental note of this.

Behind her, Lin Heng suddenly said, “First time here—are you nervous?”

Shang Xinglu was left speechless.

It wasn’t nervousness, exactly…

After all, ever since she transmigrated into this book, there hadn’t been a single day where she wasn’t tense!

But this was, after all, the male lead’s family home.

The relationship between Lin Heng and Mrs. Lin? Purely superficial.

Lin Heng continued, “If you need anything, just ask the butler, Tony.”

Shang Xinglu: “… Okay.”

Tony?! Another Tony?! This was the third one!

Since it was already late, and with lunch planned with Lin’s parents the next day, plus a banquet in the evening, Shang Xinglu knew her afternoon would be entirely consumed by grooming and preparations. Time was tight.

She hurried to wash up and go to bed.

However, this bed… it was at least one size smaller than the one at the Shanhai Villa.

No—actually, it looked smaller by more than one size!

Shang Xinglu couldn’t retreat to a corner.

And Lin Heng… was lying right beside her!

The rustling of the duvet and the faint dip of the mattress as Lin Heng got into bed were entirely perceptible to her.

Not to mention the faint scent of minty tobacco clinging to him.

Red alert! Red alert! Danger!

An emergency alarm blared in Shang Xinglu’s head.

Even if he’s impotent, there are still props to worry about!

Sure enough, her instincts were correct—Lin Heng moved closer.

The mattress on her side sank slightly.

It didn’t bounce back, and there was no other movement.

But his scent was undeniably close. Shang Xinglu could smell it clearly.

She opened her eyes just a crack.

Lin Heng was lying on his side, propping his head up with one hand, quietly watching her.

A false alarm.

Furious, Shang Xinglu snapped, “What are you doing? Why aren’t you sleeping in the middle of the night?”

Lin Heng raised an eyebrow. “I just wanted to see how long you planned to fake being asleep.”

Shang Xinglu: “…”

Lin Heng added, “The moment I came out of the bathroom, I wondered: You slept so much on the plane—how are you still asleep?”

Shang Xinglu: “… I’m trying to adjust to the time difference! Very diligently!”

Lin Heng smirked faintly. “Are you a koala?”

Shang Xinglu feigned surprise. “Are you saying I’m as cute as a koala?”

“…”

Lin Heng fell silent, perhaps at a loss for words against her shamelessness.

Shang Xinglu, satisfied, declared, “Good sleep leads to a good mood, which fosters kindness and prevents people from being so mean.”

“So, dear husband, why don’t you try learning how to sleep well first?”

With that, she flipped over and snatched most of the duvet.

Deep down, she was indignant.

What’s so great about Lin Heng?!

He’s just some guy who’s afraid of fluffy animals, yet he dares to compare me to a koala?

The audacity!

Just you wait. Tomorrow, I’ll get a dog and scare the living daylights out of you!

…

The next morning, Lin Heng looked… less than pleased.

Shang Xinglu, meanwhile, was being unusually well-behaved.

Or rather, she was forced to behave.

Despite her bold words the night before, she had learned a humbling truth—she was the one who needed to learn how to sleep properly.

Last night, Shang Xinglu had truly been a menace.

Not only had she stolen Lin Heng’s duvet, but at some point in her sleep, she had sprawled out diagonally across the bed, her legs sweeping across like fallen leaves in the wind, mercilessly kicking Lin Heng onto the floor.

The carpet was thick, so the sound of him falling wasn’t too loud.

But when Lin Heng looked up at the culprit, who was still sleeping soundly while muttering, “Charge! Victory is ours!”

Lin Heng: “…”

He understood immediately why he had ended up on the floor.

Shang Xinglu, lying diagonally across the bed, was stretched out as if marking her territory, taking up as much space as possible.

If Lin Heng hadn’t pinched her cheek to wake her, he might’ve thought she was doing it on purpose.

Helpless, Lin Heng spent the rest of the night on the sofa.

At over six feet tall, he was crammed into the small couch—weak, helpless, and pitiful.

The next morning, when Shang Xinglu groggily learned what had happened, she mumbled, “No wonder. I dreamt I was competing in a water-wheel race. The wheel was so heavy, I could barely get it to turn at first.”

Lin Heng: “…”

Shang Xinglu: “But I didn’t give up! I kept pushing until I finally got it moving!”

Lin Heng: “…”

Good for you, then.

…

Setting the sleep debacle aside, the two got up early and joined Lin’s parents for breakfast.

The estate was luxurious and grand.

Having been overwhelmed by it the night before, Shang Xinglu now regarded the opulence with a calm detachment, skipping over any mental descriptions of the decor.

Breakfast was a classic Western spread.

The elegant mahogany table, polished silverware, fine bone china, and teapot adorned with delicate rose patterns all exuded refinement.

But what really caught Shang Xinglu’s attention…

The maids were stunning.

Blonde hair, blue eyes—she stole several glances at them!

Although Mrs. Lin had never been to the main estate before, Mr. Lin frequently traveled between countries, so they were all well-acquainted.

After brief pleasantries, the group settled at the table.

The atmosphere was quiet.

Clearly, Lin Heng’s habits came from his family.

Once the meal was finished and the maids cleared the table, Mr. Lin, Lin Heng, and Shang Xinglu were served black coffee, while Mrs. Lin had red tea.

Mrs. Lin, Gu Wanyu, took a sip of her tea, her smile warm and gentle.

She asked, “It’s been two years since you two got married, hasn’t it?”

Before Shang Xinglu could sound the mental alarm, Gu Wanyu’s next words landed like a bombshell.

“So, have you considered having children?”

Alert! Alert! Black-level warning!

Shang Xinglu screamed internally.

The room fell silent.

The other three pairs of eyes turned to her, their gazes heavy, as if they were waiting for her to magically produce an egg on the spot.