The next day, Sunday.

It was past four in the afternoon, the sunlight slightly intoxicating.

After a day and a night of rest, Yan Ruoyun had recovered his spirit and energy. At this moment, he was sitting on the sofa in the living room, watching with great interest as Lin Zhu stood in front of the full-length mirror, adjusting his hair and clothes over and over again.

Tsk.

Handsome. His husband.

In the mirror, the youth wore a casual suit. His freshly washed blond hair had been blown dry and styled slightly maturely, revealing a full, smooth forehead. His entire face was framed to look sharper and more heroic.

…He indeed didn’t look that young anymore.

Lin Zhu stared at his somewhat unfamiliar reflection in the mirror. Suddenly noticing something, he turned to the man who had just styled his hair for him and said: “Ge, lend me your concealer again.”

It wasn’t just the concealer.

The clothes he was currently wearing were also Yan Ruoyun’s.

Time was too tight, so Lin Zhu didn’t have time to buy formal wear, and he couldn’t possibly wear his school uniform to dinner at his partner’s house… Fortunately, his build was similar to Yan Ruoyun’s, so they could perfectly share clothes.

Occasionally.

Yan Ruoyun would also wear his clothes at home.

Sometimes it was his sleeveless tank top, sometimes his hooded sweatshirt. The man wore them with absolutely no sense of incongruity, and even because his shoulders weren’t as wide, it gave the illusion of the clothes being a size too big.

Lin Zhu didn’t have this problem. The slightly loose styles on the man fit him perfectly.

At this moment, he lowered his upper body, facing the mirror to dot concealer on his neck and Adam’s apple.

This wasn’t all.

After checking his neck, Lin Zhu hesitated for a moment, then used his index finger to dip a tiny amount of concealer and silently dabbed it under his eyes.

Commonly known as dark circles.

The man behind him let out a very unsympathetic laugh.

Lin ‘Insomnia’ Zhu: “…”

Thinking of the wild claims he had made in front of Yan Ruoyun and his family yesterday, he felt his face starting to burn again.

Then, thinking about how he would soon be following Yan Ruoyun back to the old mansion at the Huanshan Manor to formally meet his parents, Lin Zhu’s burning face abruptly went cold again, as if he were so nervous he was losing body temperature.

The system offered a comforting voice in his head.

“Host, don’t be nervous. With your 100% pheromone compatibility and the lifelong mark, no matter how dissatisfied the Yan family is with you, they won’t oppose your marriage.”

“They might even vigorously promote it. After all, the host’s persona is someone with a very bad reputation. If the protagonist hadn’t said earlier that he wanted to wait until you graduate, his family might not have been able to sit still.”

“Yesterday, the host’s deep confession already won the protagonist over~ Hehe, although he has you hooked pretty deeply, Host, you’ve also captivated him quite a bit.”

“This wave, this wave is a solid lock!”

Lin Zhu remained expressionless, carrying the calm of someone whose hanging heart had finally died: “Comforting very well, next time don’t comfort.”

---

In the car.

“You already met my mom and grandpa yesterday…” Yan Ruoyun said unhurriedly. “Tonight’s family dinner just has my dad added, no one else is there, so don’t be nervous.”

Lin Zhu thought about it and said with difficulty: “…I’ll try my best.”

The man couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

“Who told you to be so impatient?” he said leisurely.

Ever since Lin Zhu made that speech yesterday, Yan Ruoyun had been in a very good mood, even giving off a feeling like a spring breeze, his clear, cold voice mixed with a hint of honey-like sweetness.

Even the system couldn’t help but sigh:

“Woohoo, if being a ‘silly sweetie’ is contagious, then the protagonist is completely incurable. Host, you are simply a man among men, oh no… an Alpha among Alphas!”

Over here, Yan Ruoyun was still speaking.

“My dad is quite similar to you, he just looks serious on the outside…” Probably wanting to ease his little boyfriend’s nervousness, he made a joke, “But his eyes are much bigger than yours, a bit like a Chihuahua.”

Lin Zhu: “…”

He tried to picture it in his head, but completely failed to imagine it.

At a red light ahead, Yan Ruoyun stopped the car, quickly turned back to take a look, and immediately laughed without holding back. “Puppy Lin, what is that expression?”

Lin Zhu wiped a hand down his face, silently speechless.

The car drove all the way.

By the time they drove into the Huanshan Manor, the sky had already darkened. The setting sun was like liquid gold, painting the entire mansion a golden yellow.

At the main gate, the woman was already waiting in advance to welcome them, waving her hand from afar in greeting.

“Yunyun, Xiao Lin.”

When the two approached, she stepped forward, smiling as she said: “Perfect timing. Auntie has prepared a whole table of dishes, your dad and grandpa are waiting inside.”

They entered the house.

When Lin Zhu saw the middle-aged man sitting assertively on the sofa, the comparison Yan Ruoyun had made earlier instantly popped into his head, and his pupils couldn’t help but shake in shock.

The system also complained: “This is clearly a Tibetan Mastiff!”

The source of Yan Ruoyun’s height, which far exceeded the average for Omegas, was his Alpha father. Just from sitting there, one could tell Yan Zihong was exceptionally tall. His face had a tough, masculine structure, and the glance he casually threw over was very imposing, full of leadership presence.

Lin Zhu: “…”

Yan Ruoyun pulled him forward and took the initiative to introduce: “Lin Zhu, this is my dad.”

Then,
“Dad, this is Lin Zhu.”

As soon as he finished speaking.

Lin Zhu silently took a breath and greeted him politely.

The next second, he felt a burning gaze land on his and Yan Ruoyun’s intertwined hands.

A few more seconds passed.

Then he heard Yan Zihong utter an “Mm,” followed by that gaze scanning him from head to toe like a laser.

A chill went down Lin Zhu’s back, and he stood even straighter.

Fortunately, after exchanging a few pleasantries, Pei Shurong stepped forward to call everyone to dinner. The group quickly moved to the large round dining table, where the servants had already set five pairs of bowls and chopsticks.

Lin Zhu naturally sat down next to Yan Ruoyun. As he lifted his eyes, his gaze perfectly met Yan Zihong’s, who was sitting directly opposite him. He subconsciously sat up straight and nodded awkwardly in greeting.

Yan Ruoyun was secretly laughing again. Seeing his little boyfriend discreetly looking over, he calmly covered his mouth with his hand and silently mouthed: [Chihuahua].

…What an uncanny and masterful comparison.

Lin Zhu thought to himself.

Although the Yan family didn’t have a rule against speaking while eating, there wasn’t much talk at the dinner table. Only a few words were spoken occasionally, mostly Pei Shurong urging the two younger ones to eat more.

“Xiao Lin, don’t hold back at all.”

Lin Zhu silently felt the gaze that was practically nailed to him, nodded, and replied: “…Okay.”

Setting this point aside, the dinner was actually very quiet and harmonious. The scenarios Lin Zhu had imagined, like [getting interrogated while eating at your partner’s house], didn’t happen.

Even when everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, Pei Shurong waved her hand and said to Yan Ruoyun: “Yunyun, take Xiao Lin around to have a look, treat it as a post-dinner walk to digest.”

Yan Ruoyun directly pulled his little boyfriend upstairs.

At the corner of the second floor.

Feeling the gaze glued to him finally disappear, Lin Zhu discreetly breathed a sigh of relief and whispered: “Ge, where are you taking me?”

“Taking you to my room to relax.”

Yan Ruoyun said leisurely: “Puppy Lin, didn’t you realize you looked like you were going to die of nervousness?”

Lin Zhu couldn’t argue. He was pulled straight into a room deep down the second-floor hallway by the man before he belatedly asked: “Ge, isn’t this a bit inappropriate?”

Yan Ruoyun’s bedroom was a suite, the interior decor still a simple and atmospheric style. He let go of Lin Zhu, and with a swish, pulled the curtains shut. “What’s inappropriate?”

“…You brought me to your room.” Lin Zhu answered. Seeing the man’s action of pulling the curtains, he grew even more nervous.

Yan Ruoyun thought for a moment, his tone calm: “You already want to get your marriage certificate with me, is coming to my room something very strange? Besides, my mom said for you to get familiar with the environment.”

“So, I’m letting you familiarize yourself with the place where I lived since I was a child.” The man crossed his arms, speaking with perfect logic.

Hearing this, Lin Zhu looked around the room’s furnishings. Smelling the scent of sea breeze left behind over the years, he couldn’t help but take a few deep breaths.

His nerves gradually relaxed.

Yan Ruoyun led him wandering around the room. Passing by the bookcase, he suddenly pointed to a gold trophy placed on the top shelf and introduced: “Here, the photo you saved last time was taken when I participated in this competition.”

Lin Zhu looked up at it for a while.

“Ge, do you not play the violin anymore?”

“After I started working, I didn’t have the leisure time for it,” Yan Ruoyun said casually. “The violin case is gathering dust.”

Lin Zhu expressed his understanding.

Immediately after, the man slowly added: “But… if you want to hear it, I can play a piece for you.”

Lin Zhu’s eyes lit up, and he nodded eagerly.

---

Downstairs.

Yan Zihong and the old man were gathered together drinking tea and chatting, when they suddenly heard the melodious sound of a violin drifting down from above, faint and indistinct.

The two stopped talking abruptly.

The old man closed his eyes, listened carefully for a moment, and spoke the name of the piece in French: “Salut d’Amour“

—Love’s Greeting

He refilled his son-in-law’s teacup and commented: “His technique isn’t as proficient as when he was a child, but it wins in its abundant emotion.”

“When Yunyun was unwilling to meet anyone before, you worried,” the old man lifted an eyelid. “Now that he’s brought someone back, you’re still worrying. What are you worrying about?”

Yan Zihong stayed silent.

After a long while, he clicked his tongue with complicated feelings,

“…Does this kid not have his own clothes?”

---

Upstairs.

After playing a piece, Yan Ruoyun asked his sole audience member,
“Did it sound good?”

Lin Zhu simply couldn’t take his eyes off him. When the man put down the violin and approached, he caught the hand that had pressed the strings, kissing the fingertips that had been left with red marks one by one, and answered: “Mm, very good.”

After speaking, he added,
“Ge, you’re really amazing.”

Yan Ruoyun reached out his hand: “Then do I get a reward?”

Lin Zhu thought about it, placed his hands under the man’s armpits, showing astonishing arm strength, and directly lifted him up—giving him a ‘lift-up-high’.

The man’s legs habitually wrapped around him.

Lin Zhu also habitually supported him, the touch beneath his palms warm, round, and full of flesh.

At this moment, Yan Ruoyun whispered softly in his ear: “Stop squeezing, I feel like my pants have been a bit tight lately, I almost can’t fit into them.”

Lin Zhu: “…Sorry.”

After holding him for a while, he put Yan Ruoyun down and couldn’t help but take the initiative to ask: “I thought everyone would ask me a lot of questions at the dinner table earlier.”

Especially life-threatening questions.

That’s how it was played out in the TV dramas he watched.

Hearing this, Yan Ruoyun’s expression suddenly became strange.

He coughed twice, first pulling Lin Zhu down to sit, then straddled the little boyfriend’s lap. Unable to contain the joy in his heart, he asked for several kisses from him.

Then, the man foreshadowed in a subtle tone: “What must come will eventually come… But don’t worry, I’ll be watching you from the side.”

Lin Zhu nodded, not quite understanding but feeling awed, his heart pounding.

Not long after.

There was a knock on the bedroom door, the sound heavy and forceful.

Lin Zhu froze. He hurriedly set down the man in his arms, smoothed out the wrinkles in his clothes first, and then went to open the door.

He saw Yan Zihong standing behind the door, his gaze piercing, speaking with a booming voice: “Kid, do you know how to play mahjong?”

“—We’re missing one.”

Fifteen minutes later.

Lin Zhu sat on one side of the electric mahjong table, the crisp sound of mahjong tiles clashing against each other ringing in his ears.

Yan Ruoyun pulled up a chair and sat diagonally behind him.

…
Lin Zhu: “System, save me.”