“Say you like him every day? Wear less clothes?? Pin him to the wall and kiss him???”
How could he possibly do any of that?
Who could do that?
Impossible!
This is completely impossible!
What nonsense is Aunt Tang spouting!
Zong Cheng felt as if his heated breath could melt his phone.
He suddenly regretted answering this call.
His fingers lightly brushed over his coat—its texture felt slightly unfamiliar, and when he inhaled carefully, he caught a scent he knew well, but which wasn’t his.
It was Yin Chen’s scent.
Hmm?
Zong Cheng gradually realized and tentatively asked,
“Aunt, did you see him?”
“? How would I know you like him if I didn’t see him?”
Aunt Tang seemed to think her nephew might be a little fool.
Zong Cheng asked again, puzzled, “But… he’s a guy. You don’t mind?”
He had thought…
“Hah.”
Aunt Tang immediately laughed in her soul.
“As if I didn’t know Xiao Chen likes guys. What, you think I wouldn’t be fair? Only Xiao Chen can like guys, but you can’t? Do I look like the double standard type to you?”
Zong Cheng silently thought: Aunt, you even know the term ‘double standard’—that’s pretty trendy.
But what he actually meant was…
His voice lowered slightly, “I thought you once said you hoped I’d marry and have kids early so the Zong family could continue.”
So he assumed Aunt Tang would object to this.
Kids can be surprisingly clever, she thought.
“That was just words outside to shut up people who meddle in others’ family affairs. Don’t take it to heart. Even if you’re the last heir of the Zong family, I wouldn’t make you marry someone you don’t like. Your Aunt has been through life, you’re only in your twenties. If you rush into someone, you’ll have to spend your life with them.”
She paused, “Life is long. If you don’t like the person, what will keep you going through it?”
Zong Cheng was silent for a moment, a warm feeling swelling in his chest.
“Alright.”
After hanging up, Aunt Tang let out a huge sigh and collapsed onto the sofa.
“Ah, my goodness, I hope I handled that okay just now.”
She picked up a small notebook and flipped through it repeatedly, with several books scattered around:
How to Properly Handle Adolescents’ First Crushes
Parenting 101: What You Should Know
How to Connect Heart to Heart with Your Child
She looked over her somewhat dog-eared notebook and patted her chest.
“All good, full marks. The rest is up to that little brat.”
Throwing the notebook aside, she slumped into the sofa and laughed while scolding:
“Both of them are troublesome little brats.”
With Aunt Tang’s wholehearted support, Zong Cheng still couldn’t immediately focus on pursuing anyone.
He had skipped the company’s annual party, sure, but there were still a few social obligations he had to attend.
Besides…
“Big bro! Dad! You’re my real dad, right? Do you remember updating? Open your comment section—they’re all calling you the king of skips, lining up every day asking if you’ve updated! New readers won’t dare to open your story! When will you update?!”
The editor was humble.
The editor was crying.
Zong Cheng: “….”
He’d only skipped a few days—was that really a big deal?
The editor wasn’t giving up, pleading again.
“Weren’t you hyped up before? I don’t understand, but why not get hyped again? I don’t ask for massive updates, just three a day, okay?”
Humble. So humble!
Too humble!
Whether as an editor or as a reader, why is he so humble?!
The editor cried violently.
—
Hit right in the heart, Zong Cheng exhaled slowly.
Shrimp and pig heart!
Why was this editor like this?
If he hadn’t sat down and remembered how Yin Chen had subtly tested him that night, would he even be flustered?
He did want to update properly to grab all of Yin Chen’s attention!
It was just… too hard.
Not wanting to recall this, Zong Cheng dismissed the tearful editor with the “three a day” excuse and mercilessly hung up.
Lying back on the sofa, he thought:
Yin Chen… what is he doing now?
Counting money.
The Yin family was rich; every year Yin Chen had the finance team audit their assets—a process dreaded by the accountants.
Joking aside!
This work is inhuman!
Each audit, Yin Chen’s wealth only seemed to grow.
And worse, every audit delivered psychological blows to them—how to endure that?
How could such a wealthy man exist alongside such poor souls?
So sour, like swallowing a lemon tree with soil.
After finishing, they all collapsed, gasping.
Wait?
Boss, you just bought this platform this year, how is it already profitable???
If it weren’t for that squad still wasting money!
They’d really be eating lemons!
As expected of Mr. Yin—everything he invests in flourishes.
Yin Chen glanced at the audit results, deep in thought.
Spending is hard.
At this rate, he’d never finish spending his money…
…
Well, at least it’s a good problem.
“Alright, work’s done. You may all go home and enjoy the holidays.”
Yin Chen stood, the finance team weeping with joy.
Finally, no more sour smell of money in their faces!
“Also, you worked hard this year. Post-holiday bonuses will be double.”
The team froze mid-step, quickly turning.
“Thank you, Mr. Yin!”
“Happy New Year, Mr. Yin!”
“Wishing you health and longevity, Mr. Yin!”
Oh my god!
What a godly boss!
They would serve Mr. Yin for billions of years!
Never leaving!
Once the team left, the large company felt eerily quiet.
Apart from a few cleaning staff and security who came daily, Yin Chen’s footsteps echoed sharply, the sound reverberating back to him.
A few steps in, he paused.
Accustomed to being secretly watched by staff, the silence felt odd, almost uncomfortable.
And…
Rubbing his brow, he thought it strange: twenty-plus years of life like this never felt odd, but after just a few months now, he felt uneasy returning to the empty house alone.
By the way, Zong Cheng should be home for the New Year too, right?
No one to play games with tonight…
…
Tsk.
Yin Chen opened a green app on his phone.
Gugu gu.
He could almost hear the sound.
“Pigeon, pigeon pigeon, pigeon pigeon pigeon.”
All a flock of pigeons, sighing.
Reaching the last novel, he clicked with little hope.
The leave note changed.
“Back to updating tomorrow, three chapters a day.”
He rubbed his eyes—surely he misread.
Checked again.
Three a day. Not a mistake.
Maybe clicked the wrong story.
Expressionless, he exited and re-entered.
Still the same.
The king of skips would update three chapters a day during the New Year?
Had he changed?
Instantly, his slight gloom vanished, replaced by joy.
Indeed, happiness can be this simple!
Even better!
That night, Yin Chen received a chapter update.
And Zong Cheng logged in as usual to play games with him.
“Good evening.”
Zong Cheng’s voice was low and soft, like a cello playing near his ear.
Yin Chen thought: Huh, Brother Zong’s voice is nice.
In a story, this would basically be the male lead, right?
A bit clumsy, though.
He recalled the blank look on Zong Cheng’s face when he handed him the coat—it almost made him laugh out loud!
Suppressing his mischievous thoughts, he smiled softly.
“Good evening.”
So tense!
So tense!
Didn’t know what to say!
Zong Cheng gripped his phone tighter.
Strange.
Even though separated by a network, he couldn’t see Yin Chen’s expression.
Why!
Why did it feel even more nerve-wracking?!
What was Yin Chen’s expression now?
Why wasn’t he speaking?
Wrestling with his thoughts, a female voice suddenly came through the headset.
“Ah, why are you guys parachuting at the airport? There are so many people, I’m scared! Protect me, big brother.”
?
Zong Cheng paused mid-jump.
Had he opened full mic?
Yin Chen was also surprised.
What’s going on?
Where did the female voice come from?
Both looked at the team; Zong Cheng realized with a shock.
He forgot to cancel the four-person squad!
Now, besides him and Yin Chen, there were teammate #1 and #3.
The girl was teammate #1.
Gasp.
Zong Cheng doubted his intelligence for the first time.
He’d sensed he forgot something.
Now Yin Chen would think of him…
Even imagining it, Zong Cheng felt his romance was hopeless.
Meanwhile, Yin Chen muted his mic, bowed his head, quietly laughing for a while.
Of course Zong Cheng wouldn’t stay indifferent and play games—he’s still the Zong Cheng he knows!
Neither spoke; teammate #1’s mic spoke again.
“Are you guys big brothers? Should be, right? I’m a little sister, can you protect me? I don’t ask you to help me win, just… don’t let me die too fast? I can sing! I’ll sing for you; my voice is super nice.”
Zong Cheng found her voice surprisingly agreeable.
Yin Chen, distracted, was picking up guns.
Zong Cheng felt oddly guilty.
“No, singing affects my ability to hear enemies’ footsteps.”
Teammate #1 paused.
Where did this steel-hearted straight guy come from?
Yin Chen nodded while looting.
“Yes, it affects. Don’t sing.”
?
Teammate #1’s eye twitched.
This guy is really a reinforced concrete straight man.
Is there even such a rare breed nowadays?
Author’s note: Yesterday’s focus ↓
Netizen: Qiu Xiaolan
I found it →→ “Wear less clothes” ←←
【Nod, yes, exactly.】