Lin Yunxu felt annoyed, silently cursing under his breath—damn it, of all places to be put on the spot like this.
Maybe it was just his imagination, but although the man still appeared distant and indifferent, he seemed to be in a rather good mood.
Unfortunately, Lin Yunxu knew he was in the wrong. He had been the one trying to tease the other first, so now that the tables had turned, he had nothing to say.
Next time, I’ll try again.
He’d just be more careful.
Taking a deep breath, he curved his lips into a polite smile. “Got it. Let’s go in.”
The two of them entered the house. The interior, decorated in a Song-dynasty-inspired aesthetic blended with modern style, was elegant and understated. The space was bright and open, every detail reflecting the owner’s refined taste.
Yu Yiling and Lin Zhang had already been waiting at home. Hearing movement at the door, they both turned their heads in unison.
The two young men stood side by side—tall and slender, as graceful as jade trees, refined and handsome—slightly tilting their heads toward each other as they spoke softly.
After stepping past the entryway, they lifted their heads and looked toward the sofa, meeting Lin Zhang and Yu Yiling’s gaze.
At that moment, no matter how many thoughts Yu Yiling had, she had to admit—Tang Lilan really hadn’t misled her!
The two of them looked striking together; no one could possibly say they weren’t well-matched.
Lost in her thoughts, she and Lin Zhang had already stood up with smiles.
Ji Zhanming greeted them politely, “Uncle, Auntie, nice to meet you for the first time. I’m Ji Zhanming.”
Yu Yiling glanced at the gifts he had brought. From the packaging, she could roughly tell what they were, and when she looked at her son, it was obvious who had planned everything.
Lin Yunxu gave her a subtle wink.
Yu Yiling couldn’t help but find it amusing. Her expression softened as she and Lin Zhang personally accepted the gifts.
“Come sit. Was the drive far?”
“Not really, it’s quite close.”
Yu Yiling smiled. “The other day, when this child told us you were planning to get married, your uncle and I were stunned for quite a while. You haven’t known each other for very long, have you?”
Ji Zhanming didn’t deny it. “That’s true, but Yunxu and I actually met once overseas three years ago.”
Hearing this, even Lin Zhang was a bit surprised. “Did something start between you back then?”
As soon as Lin Zhang finished speaking, Yu Yiling’s gaze shifted to Ji Zhanming.
A few days earlier.
Because both Lin Yunxu and Ji Zhanming had been on business trips, their second meeting to discuss the details of the marriage took place more than twenty days after the first.
“It’s actually good to have some time in between. Otherwise, failing a blind date one moment and getting married the next would be pretty strange.”
Hearing Lin Yunxu’s words, Ji Zhanming replied, “So getting married a month after a failed blind date isn’t strange?”
Lin Yunxu thought for a moment. “Then we’ll say you went on a business trip to London, and I just happened to be there too.”
He really had been there—it was just that they hadn’t met.
“An encounter in a foreign country always sounds a bit more romantic, makes people imagine things. We accidentally developed feelings there—doesn’t that sound better?”
Ji Zhanming commented objectively, “Then you might as well say we met in France three years ago and planted the seed of our relationship back then.”
“A seed from three years ago?” Lin Yunxu laughed. “I wouldn’t wait three years. If there had been a spark, I’d have acted on it already.”
His parents knew him well—if he had developed feelings for someone back then, he wouldn’t have just waited passively for fate three years later.
Ji Zhanming glanced at the young man. He always spoke gently, yet his words carried weight.
And yet, he remained completely composed, as if it were nothing.
Lin Yunxu continued, “You don’t know me, but my parents do. The moment you say that, they’ll know we’re making things up.”
…
A faint smile crossed Ji Zhanming’s face as he told them, “No, there wasn’t anything between us back then. It was just a coincidence—we met once, and I picked up his necklace.”
Ji Zhanming had sharp, striking features that naturally carried an air of intensity.
But that intensity felt sheathed—tempered by the restraint and composure of an adult who knew how to hold back, never striking recklessly.
Even when speaking to his future in-laws, he was neither overly deferential nor distant. It created a sense of steadiness and reliability.
Though he wasn’t particularly warm, he was exactly the kind of person elders appreciated.
Hearing that there had been no romantic spark three years ago, Yu Yiling’s expression softened. “I see.”
Ji Zhanming noticed and couldn’t help but find it slightly amusing.
In this family, not only did Lin Yunxu’s parents understand their son—he had also accurately anticipated their reactions.
Lin Zhang grew curious. “And then?”
“And then, we met again during a blind date a little over a month ago. We both thought it was quite a coincidence.”
“But at the time, we were both somewhat resistant to the whole ‘blind date’ format, so we didn’t talk much about personal matters. Most of our conversation was about work. So… nothing came of it.”
“Until recently, when I went to London on a business trip—and Yunxu happened to be in the UK as well.”
At this point, Ji Zhanming turned his head to look at the person beside him.
Lin Yunxu sat close by on the same sofa, propping his chin on one hand, listening as if he were hearing someone else’s story.
“…?”
Why did he look so detached, like he had nothing to do with it?
Meeting Ji Zhanming’s gaze, Lin Yunxu couldn’t help but laugh.
They hadn’t rehearsed their story word for word—this was practically his first time hearing it too.
He was curious to see what kind of narrative Ji Zhanming would come up with.
After all, they had discussed this topic a few days ago.
Lin Yunxu never underestimated the wisdom of elders.
“In front of them, the worst thing you can do is lie. They might accept that our relationship hasn’t deepened yet—that’s natural, since we haven’t known each other long—but dishonesty would be fatal.”
“What matters is showing them that we’re sincerely getting to know each other, approaching this marriage thoughtfully—not rushing, not just going through the motions.”
“We’re two adults making a serious decision after careful consideration. That’s the attitude they need to see.”
“And besides… we really are getting to know each other, sincerely intending to marry, aren’t we?”
Ji Zhanming met his gaze calmly. “Yes.”
“Good. Once we establish that foundation, everything else is easy.”
Now, Ji Zhanming sat on the sofa, holding a teacup, calmly recounting the story.
He rarely appeared careless or flippant, so he never came across as frivolous.
Composed. Disciplined. Proper.
Even Lin Yunxu, the person involved, found it almost believable.
And yet—what part of it was actually false?
Nothing, really.
They had met three years ago. He had picked up Lin Yunxu’s necklace. He hadn’t claimed there were feelings back then.
Their blind date had indeed focused mostly on work, and they had both been resistant to the format.
Lin Yunxu had been in London, and there were even photos online of Ji Zhanming meeting with a London-based CTO.
All verifiable facts—lending credibility.
But the gaps in between invited endless imagination.
Meeting again and again across such a vast world—who wouldn’t call that fate?
Feelings, after all, often grow gradually until they suddenly bloom.
Like a spring stream, flowing naturally.
Lin Yunxu’s eyes flickered with amusement.
This man really hadn’t lied.
Even his final line—“Until recently, when I went to London and Yunxu happened to be in the UK”—was technically true.
They had both been there.
What he left unsaid—that they never actually met—was quietly buried in the silence.
Lin Yunxu smoothly picked up the thread. “Anyway, after that we started interacting more, and felt it was worth trying.”
Yu Yiling asked, “Then why decide to get married so soon? Don’t you think it’s a bit rushed?”
Lin Yunxu answered honestly, without embellishment:
“Zhanming and I are both busy with work. To be honest, we don’t have much time to slowly date. Since we already have feelings, get along well, and share similar life goals, it didn’t seem necessary to waste time.”
“We’ve thought it through carefully, so we don’t want to drag this out.”
Yu Yiling and Lin Zhang exchanged a glance. It sounded exactly like Lin Yunxu—and consistent with the impression Ji Zhanming gave.
Yu Yiling smiled. “I understand. You’re both thoughtful people. Since you’ve made your decision, we’ll respect it.”
Then she turned to Ji Zhanming. “What about your family?”
Ji Zhanming understood the question.
“I came to see you and Uncle first. But I’ve already informed my family. My grandfather liked Yunxu even before the blind date, and my parents are returning from abroad. They’re looking forward to meeting him formally.”
This clearly showed his intention—seeking the approval of Lin Yunxu’s parents before taking the next step.
With both his qualifications and his humble attitude laid out, it was hard to object.
The atmosphere soon became much more relaxed.
Seeing that Ji Zhanming handled everything with ease, Lin Yunxu left his side and went to the back garden to tend to the roses.
They were delicate flowers, prone to disease—regular care was essential.
Suddenly, his phone rang. Seeing the name “Yu Jingfeng,” he answered.
“What is it?”
Yu Jingfeng drawled, “What are you doing? You’re meeting the parents today—I’m curious! You wouldn’t let us come watch, so I had to call.”
Lin Yunxu sighed. Yu Jingfeng was his cousin.
If he let him come, the Lin family would also insist—it would be chaos.
“I’m in the garden watering plants. Zhanming’s inside talking to my parents.”
“Ohhh—Zhanming~”
“…If you keep that up, I’m hanging up,” Lin Yunxu said with a gentle but dangerous tone.
Yu Jingfeng chuckled, then asked, “So—you’ve really decided?”
Lin Yunxu paused, then replied softly, “When have I ever acted recklessly?”
“Fair enough. What do Uncle and Aunt think?”
“They haven’t said it outright, but I can tell—they’re quite satisfied with him.”
“That’s good. If he passed their standards, he must be impressive. By the way, my sister knows him—she said he’s really handsome.”
Curious, Yu Jingfeng added, “You’ve been on several blind dates—what attracted you most? Don’t tell me it’s just his looks.”
Lin Yunxu replied matter-of-factly, “He has many strengths—but liking someone for their looks isn’t shallow. Looks matter.”
“With a face like mine, why shouldn’t I choose the one I find most attractive?”
He had always been close to his extended family. To him, they were not just relatives, but friends.
Because he was cautious with outsiders, the people he truly trusted were his family.
They had given him unconditional love and protection since childhood.
So in front of them, he never hid his true self.
“Think about it—after a long day, you come home and someone’s wriggling all over you. Would you pick someone ugly or someone good-looking? Do you even need to think about it?”
Yu Jingfeng: “…I don’t get you guys. I’m straight—no one’s wriggling on me. And why are you the one getting wriggled on?”
Lin Yunxu replied calmly, “Wrong. The issue isn’t being straight. The issue is—you’re single.”
Yu Jingfeng: “…”
Then Lin Yunxu heard him shouting from afar, “Dad! Mom! Your precious nephew just insulted me!”
Lin Yunxu couldn’t help but laugh, lowering his head.
He set down his small shovel and stood up, about to refill the watering can—
When he turned around, he saw Ji Zhanming and Lin Zhang standing by the door.
Lin Yunxu: “……”
The air fell completely silent.
Utterly, deathly silent.