To catch the bandits, first capture the ringleader.

Looking at the brat who seemed to be making moves on his precious daughter, the car keys in Lin Shuxian's hand hit the floor with a clatter.

His gaze landed on the human pyramid formation on the sofa. His complexion went from a healthy pink to pitch black at a visible rate, and the veins on his forehead throbbed wildly.

Lin Jing, on the other hand, froze for a moment before her eyes erupted with the gleam of a hardcore shipper. She even instinctively covered her mouth to stop herself from screaming out loud.

Dad... Mom...

Lin Wanwan let out a shriek and scrambled off Chen Zhi in a panic. She stood to the side, completely at a loss, her face so red it looked like it might bleed. She wished she could dig a hole right there and bury herself.

It was over! Caught red-handed!

A boy and a girl alone in a room, in a compromising position, clothes disheveled... There was no way to explain this away!

In contrast, Chen Zhi's reaction was practically textbook.

He quickly stood up and smoothed out his slightly wrinkled T-shirt. There wasn't a trace of panic or shame on his face; instead, he revealed an incredibly natural, polite, and sunny smile.

Uncle, Auntie, you're back.

Chen Zhi gave a slight bow, his tone as calm as if nothing had just happened. Wanwan and I just finished a set of math papers. Just now, we were... well, taking a halftime break and sparring a bit.

Sparring, his foot.

Lin Shuxian's mouth twitched. Just as he was about to blow his top,

Chen Zhi gave him no chance at all, directly aiming his charm offensive at the family's supreme leader—Lin Jing.

Auntie, it's been a while. You're looking more radiant than ever. Chen Zhi stepped forward and naturally took the heavy bags from Lin Jing's hands. The moment you walked through the door just now, I thought Wanwan's older sister had arrived. Your skin is so well-maintained, you're practically aging backwards.

As the saying goes, to catch the bandits, first catch the ringleader. Flattery will get you everywhere.

Especially when it came from a handsome young man who could dish out compliments without skipping a beat during such an awkward moment.

Lin Jing was instantly coaxed into blooming joy. The shock of catching them in the act was thrown completely out the window.

Oh my, you sweet talker! Lin Jing beamed from ear to ear, finding Chen Zhi more pleasing to the eye by the second. Well, Auntie did recently switch to a new skincare set... Come, come, you must be exhausted! Sit down, sit down. Auntie will go cut some fruit for you. You're staying for lunch, no one is allowed to leave!

Then I'll have to trouble you, Auntie. I happen to be craving your cooking, Chen Zhi agreed with a smile, smoothly leaning into her hospitality.

Standing at the door, Lin Shuxian watched his wife instantly switch sides. He then looked at the punk who had just pinned his daughter to the sofa, his imaginary mustache practically curling with rage.

How could this kid be so thick-skinned?!

At the dinner table, the atmosphere was bizarrely harmonious.

Lin Jing kept putting food into Chen Zhi's bowl. Her enthusiasm was exactly like a mother-in-law looking at her son-in-law, growing more satisfied with every glance.

Xiao Zhi, eat some more ribs, you're growing right now.

This fish is good too, it's brain food.

Chen Zhi's bowl quickly piled up into a small mountain.

Lin Wanwan sat beside him, her head practically buried in her bowl. Her ears were still red, making her look like a frightened little quail.

Under the table, Chen Zhi lightly tapped her foot with his.

Startled, Lin Wanwan looked up, her gaze crashing right into Chen Zhi's smiling eyes. He blinked, as if saying: Handled it.

Biting her chopsticks, Lin Wanwan couldn't help but secretly press her lips together in a smile.

By the way, Lao Lin, Lin Jing said as she served her husband a bowl of soup, I heard from people over in the neighboring city that the Pei Group has been making big moves lately?

Lin Shuxian, who had been eating in silence, put down his chopsticks and nodded with a solemn expression.

Yeah, the Pei Group seems to be downsizing their operations lately. They've cut a lot of peripheral projects, so there might be some issues with their capital chain, Lin Shuxian sighed. And I heard things aren't peaceful inside the Pei family either. The second wife that President Pei married is no pushover, and she's trying every trick in the book to plant her own people into the company.

Chen Zhi, who was currently gnawing on a rib, paused his movements slightly.

The Pei Group. A second wife.

Wasn't this Pei Ningxue's family business?

It seemed the life of that wealthy heiress was much harder than he had imagined.

...

Monday morning.

The bell for morning reading had already rung ten minutes ago.

The classroom was filled with the sound of reading aloud. Chen Zhi sat in the back row, staring at his deskmate's seat.

The seat next to him was empty.

This was highly unusual.

Although Pei Ningxue had a cold personality, she was a well-behaved student who followed the rules. She had been chauffeured to and from school since the semester began, and had never been a minute late.

Reporting.

Just then, a clear, cold voice came from the classroom door.

The whole class instinctively looked up.

Pei Ningxue stood at the door, wearing a neat school uniform and carrying her backpack.

Those eyes, normally as cold and clear as ice and snow, were now bloodshot and revealed a trace of exhaustion.

Pei Ningxue pulled out her chair and sat down with gentle movements.

She kept her head down and took her textbooks out of her bag, the knuckles of the hand gripping the book spine standing out distinctly. The surrounding noise seemed to be blocked out by a barrier she brought with her, making her look completely out of place in this classroom full of youth and vitality.

Chen Zhi glanced at her, then quietly withdrew his gaze.

Although that system task was not yet complete, and he was indeed quite curious about just how far the Pei family drama Uncle Lin mentioned last night had escalated.

But he also knew what boundaries were.

Going up to her at this moment to ask if she was okay or what was wrong would yield nothing but an icy dismissal, and would be completely meaningless.

To complete the Save the Ex-Girlfriend task, he would have to wait until their relationship progressed step by step.

The morning reading bell finally ended. The moment their homeroom teacher, Sister Qian, stepped out, the classroom erupted into chaos.

The students, having held it in all morning, were a mess of chatting, doing last-minute homework, and rushing to the restroom.

Chen Zhi, having just finished his breakfast, felt around in his empty desk cubby. He remembered that he had just taken out the trash yesterday and forgot to line it with a new garbage bag today.

As a hygiene-conscious, upstanding youth of the new era, how could he go without a garbage bag?

He stood up familiarly, his target clearly set on Lin Wanwan's desk.

That girl's desk was practically a treasure chest. Snacks, stickers, garbage bags, mirrors, combs—she had it all.

Walking over to Lin Wanwan's seat, Chen Zhi was just about to speak when he noticed all he could see was the back of her head.

Lin Wanwan was slumped over her desk, her head almost completely buried between her arms. Her shoulders were heaving slightly. Did it look like she was crying?

Chen Zhi raised an eyebrow.

Why was she crying? Hadn't he just coaxed her back to normal yesterday?

Could it be that the math problems were too hard, her brain capacity wasn't enough, and she had a nightmare about it?