When Xiao Yufan arrived at the foot of Kunlun Mountain, he couldn’t help but sigh in admiration. No wonder this was a hidden aristocratic family—this place was truly a paradise untouched by the mundane world.
It was said that the land shapes the people, and indeed, this was a pure and serene place. Otherwise, how could it have nurtured someone as lively and enchanting as Lin Jiayao?
“Let’s go!”
Now that he had arrived, Xiao Yufan naturally couldn’t back down. At worst, her father might throw him out, but since he’d already made her his woman, even being expelled wouldn’t change anything.
Nodding, the two of them walked in. Along the way, many people greeted Lin Jiayao warmly, which showed that she held a high status in the Lin family.
However, most of their curious glances were directed at Xiao Yufan. It was obvious to everyone that she had brought a man home, and their relationship was self-evident.
“Honey, I can feel quite a few hostile glances coming my way. I guess I stole their most precious flower, so they must really dislike me, huh?”
Under the scrutiny of so many eyes, Xiao Yufan felt a bit uneasy. Why were they staring at him like that? After all, he was a grown man. Though he sensed no real malice, he still felt a bit creeped out.
“Giggles, is my husband already scared? Wait until you meet Father, you might be even more nervous!”
With a light laugh, Chu Mengyao’s eyes shimmered with a charming allure, though her expression also carried a hint of displeasure. “Stole their flower”? What an unpleasant way to put it…
“Scared? Me? Impossible! After all, he’s my future father-in-law. How could he possibly mistreat me?”
Xiao Yufan replied helplessly. He knew if Xiao Dao and the others found out that he was nervous about meeting a man, they would definitely laugh at him for being the young master. After a moment’s hesitation, he responded playfully.
Without her leading the way, Xiao Yufan probably would have gotten lost. Although the people around seemed ordinary, he could sense that some of them were true masters of internal martial arts.
This made him reassess the strength of the hidden aristocratic families with a new perspective.
“Dad, Mom, I’m back!”
Soon, the two arrived at Lin Jiayao’s home, and the girl’s face lit up with a smile. Being away for so long, how could she not miss her parents?
“Haha! My daughter is finally back!”
Moments later, a rough voice echoed from the inner courtyard. Xiao Yufan’s expression darkened. This father-in-law-to-be sure had a loud voice, but maybe someone like that would be easy to get along with.
An older man stepped out, followed by a woman, and behind them came an older gentleman—Lin Zheng, the head of the Lin family.
Then came a man whose beauty was hard to describe. While the word “beautiful” was usually reserved for women, it fit him perfectly.
“Dad, Mom, Grandpa!”
Lin Jiayao respectfully bowed slightly to the three elders. Looking at the man beside them, she seemed to recall something, biting her lip with her pearly teeth.
“Jiayao has returned. Your father and grandfather were just talking about calling you back. What a coincidence we meet like this!”
The beautiful man finally spoke, but his eyes flickered toward Xiao Yufan with a hidden, sharp killing intent.
“This man wants to kill me!” Xiao Yufan instinctively realized. Moreover, he noticed the greedy glint in the man’s eyes when he looked at Jiayao.
“Fate? I don’t think so. Cousin Junyu is getting prettier and prettier. If I didn’t know you were a man, I might have called you cousin sister instead…”
Lin Jiayao quickly responded, but the expression on the man from the Guo family turned sour. Long ago, the Guo and Lin families had arranged a marriage between him and her.
His lips twitched violently—this comment had clearly struck a nerve. Because of his looks, he had been mocked as a “pretty boy” and even become a laughingstock to some.
“Jiayao, how can you speak to Junyu like that? Apologize quickly!”
Seeing Guo Junyu’s expression darken, Lin Zheng frowned slightly. The Guo and Lin families had a long-standing alliance, and this marriage was crucial for their relationship. He didn’t want any complications.
Of course, in his eyes, Xiao Yufan had already been completely ignored—he was merely seen as Jiayao’s bodyguard.
“Never mind, I know Jiayao didn’t mean any harm.”
Although Guo Junyu was clearly displeased, he understood that Lin Zheng’s words were just polite formalities. He might be arrogant, but he knew not to overstep in front of elders, especially when he still wanted to win over Lin Jiayao.
“What a fortunate match! The Lin family is truly blessed to have someone like Junyu as a son-in-law!”
Lin Zheng was very satisfied with Guo Junyu and smiled happily. Although the proposal had come suddenly, since there had been a prior engagement, he wasn’t particularly surprised.
“Son-in-law?” Chu Mengyao’s expression changed slightly, her beautiful eyes flashing with anger. Seeing that Xiao Yufan’s expression remained calm, she exhaled in relief. She didn’t want her man to misunderstand anything.
“Yes, Guo Junyu has come to propose. You know, you two had an engagement before…”
“I refuse!” Before Lin Zheng could finish, Lin Jiayao’s voice rang out. Her man was right beside her—how could she not be furious?
Why did the Lin family have the right to decide her future? She wasn’t a puppet to be controlled by the family!
Hearing Lin Jiayao’s strong words, Lin Zheng’s expression stiffened. Her parents also looked uneasy. They knew it was somewhat unfair to her, but marrying into the Guo family wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Guo Junyu’s face darkened as well. He had heard about Lin Jiayao’s activities outside the family, which was why he had come to renew the engagement. But seeing her react so strongly, his brows furrowed.
“I also refuse…”
As the atmosphere grew heavy, Xiao Yufan finally coughed lightly and gently took Lin Jiayao’s slightly trembling hand into his own. This gesture instantly angered Lin Zheng.
“Who are you? Get out of my house, or else…”
“Can’t you tell she’s my woman?”
If Xiao Yufan had felt any slight respect for the elderly man before, it was now completely gone. Under such a threat, his expression turned cold and grim.
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