You still say you don't want to chase after my sister

"Take a seat, I'll go get the dishes."

Xia Muzhu said to Lin Yu before heading to the kitchen.

Lin Yu nodded and walked to the dining table. Just as he was about to sit down, he suddenly felt a chilling, eerie sensation.

He immediately glanced around and saw Xia Yueshan standing on the other side of the table, his face dark and sullen, his pitch-black eyes filled with resentment and wariness.

What’s this kid’s problem now?

A big question mark popped up in Lin Yu’s mind.

Xia Yueshan turned his head to check on Xia Muzhu, who was busy in the kitchen, making sure she wasn’t looking their way. Then, clutching three bottles of drinks, he stepped closer to Lin Yu and whispered in a tone laced with betrayed anger:

"You lied to me!"

"I asked my sister—you’re not some hired thug she got to help me settle a score!"

"Tell me!"

"Are you being so nice to me just because you want to hit on my sister?"

Seeing Xia Yueshan’s furious expression, Lin Yu scoffed dismissively. He plucked a drink from the boy’s arms and flicked his forehead before murmuring:

"I’m not trying to hit on your sister—I’m trying to protect her!"

"Ow!" Xia Yueshan yelped, quickly setting the remaining two bottles on the table. He rubbed his forehead vigorously, waiting for the pain to fade, then glared at Lin Yu and mocked in a singsong voice:

"Ohhh, I’m not trying to hit on your sister~"

"I’m trying to protect your sister~"

"If you wanna hit on her, just admit it! Stop making excuses!"

Xia Yueshan curled his lip, looking down on Lin Yu for not having the guts to speak his mind.

"Xia Yueshan, I’m serious!"

Lin Yu fixed the boy with a stern gaze, enunciating each word:

"Your sister—"

"What about me?"

Xia Muzhu emerged from the kitchen, wearing heat-resistant gloves as she carefully carried a porcelain pot of soup. She glanced curiously at the two huddled together.

"Nothing."

"Yueshan here said you look especially pretty today."

"I corrected him—you look pretty every day."

Lin Yu rested a hand on Xia Yueshan’s head, his expression so earnest it seemed like he truly believed every word.

Flustered by Lin Yu’s sincerity, a faint blush spread across Xia Muzhu’s milky skin. She stood frozen for a moment before lowering her head slightly and murmuring shyly:

"Thank you."

Witnessing this, Xia Yueshan shot Lin Yu a furious glare.

Lin Yu! You still claim you’re not trying to hit on my sister?!

Lin Yu patted Xia Yueshan’s head dismissively, his expression screaming, "What do you know, kid?"

As the lavish dishes were brought to the table one by one, Lin Yu went all out during the meal, risking Xia Yueshan lunging at him for a bite at any moment, just to keep Xia Muzhu laughing.

At the same time, he subtly extracted the information he wanted.

Xia Muzhu truly had no boyfriend, no childhood sweetheart like Yu Kai, not even a single person in her life with whom she shared a remotely ambiguous relationship. Her daily routine was simple and predictable.

Groceries, cooking, occasional outings with friends or girlfriends, and when bored, reading romance novels or doing yoga at home…

Honestly, her lifestyle already mirrored that of a leisurely housewife who didn’t need to work.

Was this what they called a "born housewife prodigy"?

She was practically the textbook definition of a perfect wife—just missing the marriage part!

Lin Yu had pieced together these details through careful probing, but some information remained elusive.

For instance, the boy who appeared in the adult manga—the one lurking behind a door, peeking through a narrow crack at the steamy scenes unfolding in the bedroom.

Xia Muzhu didn’t reveal even a hint about him.

Lin Yu could tell she wasn’t deliberately hiding anything.

It was just that topics like romance or childhood friends didn’t trigger any association with that boy in her mind.

This left Lin Yu utterly baffled, scratching his head in confusion.

If he was the canon male lead, shouldn’t Xia Muzhu at least have some impression or fondness for him?

He needed to find a way to meet him.

Lin Yu rubbed his temples with his thumb.

If he could see the boy, he might recognize his familiar face and recall more fragments from the manga—maybe even remember the second male lead in the explicit scenes, helping him prevent the impending tragedy.

After dinner, Lin Yu stood up to leave, subtly signaling Xia Yueshan to follow him downstairs.

Seated on a bench outside, Lin Yu lit a cigarette and took a slow drag, waiting for Xia Yueshan to arrive.

After much deliberation, he’d decided to let the boy in on part of the truth.

After all, Xia Yueshan spent more time with Xia Muzhu.

If anything dangerous happened, he might actually be able to help.

Just as he was thinking this, Xia Yueshan emerged from the stairwell. He stomped up to Lin Yu and snapped:

"Spit it out if you’ve got something to say!"

Lin Yu looked up at the boy’s hostile expression and suddenly stood, grabbing Xia Yueshan’s ear and twisting it harshly.

"You little brat, who gave you permission to talk to me like that?"

"Ow! Let go!"

Xia Yueshan winced in pain but, convinced he had leverage over Lin Yu, refused to beg. Instead, he threatened:

"Or I’ll tell my sister!"

"That you bullied me!"

"And badmouthed you behind your back!"

"So she’ll hate you and never want to see you again!"

Lin Yu smirked coldly at the threat, tugging Xia Yueshan’s ear back and forth.

"You really think I’m trying to chase your sister?"

With that, he released the boy’s ear.

Stepping back, Lin Yu spread his arms and spun in a slow circle, as if presenting himself.

"See this?"

"See what?"

Xia Yueshan rubbed his ear, scowling.

"Take a good look at this aura of mine."

"This whole ‘drowned-in-the-gutter delinquent’ vibe!"

Lin Yu planted his hands on his hips, declaring it proudly, as if it were something to boast about.

Xia Yueshan rolled his eyes. "I’m not blind. Anyone can tell you’re bad news."

Lin Yu nodded approvingly, then asked with a faint smile:

"So tell me—do you really think someone like me, if I had a crush on your sister, would go about it in such a clumsy, roundabout way?"