Hidden Level: Two Awesome Aunties, Onward (Bonus Update)

Fifteen minutes later.

Lin Yu returned to the first-floor hall.

The meal was ready, and everyone was chatting together.

Aside from waiting for Lin Yu,

they were also waiting for Xia Yiwei and her older sister, Xia Xiashan.

Judging by the time,

the two of them, along with Aunt Ruxue, should be arriving soon.

Lin Yu had already run multiple simulations in the past ten-plus minutes based on the scenario.

The focus of these simulations, of course, was no longer about clearing everything in one go,

but rather how to smoothly help Maomao navigate the crisis if she suddenly arrived.

Time was limited,

and Aunt Ruxue’s temperament was so unpredictable.

After several attempts, Lin Yu concluded there were three possible outcomes.

Two of them would lead to a good result today.

But if—

other unpredictable factors emerged, he’d have to improvise on the spot, tackling problems as they came.

After all, humans weren’t rigid, lifeless programs.

This feeling was like…

spending half a day diligently studying the "Underwear Formation" from a Gomoku tutorial, then eagerly challenging an opponent—

only to find they weren’t following the scripted moves at all!

As Lin Yu descended the stairs, he checked the location on the map once more.

And just like that—

a curveball arrived!

Lin Yu: “???”

When he saw the location, he could hardly believe his eyes.

Had Aunt Ruxue… lost her phone?

Why was her signal lingering in the nearby market?!

Sensing something was off,

Lin Yu pulled up Xia Yiwei’s phone number for a location check.

Lin Yu: “!!!”

No mistake?!

The nurse’s phone signal was also in the nearby market!

What in the world was going on?

Had Aunt Ruxue taken the Xia sisters to go grocery shopping?!

No, no, something wasn’t right…

In the "Virtual Aunt Ruxue" persona he’d constructed, there wasn’t a single trait suggesting she enjoyed markets or cooking.

Even if she felt it was impolite to visit a stranger’s home empty-handed and wanted to bring a proper gift—

knowing Aunt Ruxue’s personality, she wouldn’t buy it from a market!

Moreover, during his last-minute preparations upstairs, Lin Yu had confirmed Aunt Ruxue’s location twice.

The last time, she had already passed the street where the market was.

Meaning—

after driving past the market, had something happened in the car?

Something that made them turn back and waste time browsing the market?

It didn’t make sense!

If all else failed, he might have to resort to ruder methods…

Wiretapping!!

Out of self-imposed restraint, Lin Yu hadn’t planned to go this far unless absolutely necessary.

But with the situation spiraling out of control,

it seemed like he might not be able to handle what came next without it.

As his conscience wrestled with the dilemma—

an even bigger twist arrived!

“Ring-ring~ Ring-ring~”

“…”

Aunt Qimeng’s phone rang.

She quickly wiped her hands and picked it up, murmuring to Maomao:

“Hmm? It’s Yiwei calling… probably checking if we’re getting impatient waiting.”

Maomao looked puzzled.

She had tried calling Xia Yiwei several times, but each call had gone unanswered before automatically disconnecting.

Xia Yiwei often kept her phone on silent,

so Maomao hadn’t thought much of it—nor had she called Xia Xiashan.

She figured Xia Xiashan was driving, and calling might distract her.

Road safety came first.

But—

if Xia Yiwei had finally checked her phone, why hadn’t she called Maomao first?

Instead, she’d called Aunt Qimeng?

This genuinely confused her.

Lin Yu was equally baffled.

Hearing Aunt Qimeng’s muttering, he quickly moved closer to the dining table.

Perhaps—

if Xia Yiwei couldn’t directly contact Maomao or Lin Yu to relay information,

she might be using Aunt Qimeng as a messenger to pass along critical "intel."

A classic trope from movies and TV dramas!

“Hello, Yiwei, are you almost here?”

“Huh? Not Yiwei… is this her sister?”

“What? Du… what? I can’t hear clearly.”

“Sorry, it’s noisy here—hold on, let me move somewhere quieter…”

Lin Yu: “!!!”

In the noisy environment, Maomao hadn’t caught the words “Du… what.”

Du what… Du Ruxue!

Two possibilities:

First—

the call wasn’t from Xia Yiwei, but from Xia Xiashan.

Xia Xiashan had used her sister’s phone to call Aunt Qimeng,

hoping to inform Lin Yu and Maomao through her: Du Ruxue is here!

Second—

the caller was introducing herself… I’m Du Ruxue!

The first scenario was understandable, but the second was downright bizarre!

Watching Aunt Qimeng head to the kitchen, half-closing the sliding door behind her,

Lin Yu casually drifted closer, ensuring he could hear the details.

Unfortunately,

in this setting,

he couldn’t make out the voice on the other end—only Aunt Qimeng’s responses.

But—

just five seconds later,

his frustration vanished.

Because the crucial information had already spilled from Aunt Qimeng’s lips—

“Du Ruxue… Little Xue!!”

“Is it really you, Little Xue?”

“My goodness, it’s been so many years since I last heard your voice—it feels like a dream.”

“How did you get my number… wait…”

“This is Yiwei’s phone, so you know her?”

“Oh my, go on, I’m listening…”

“Maomao? Of course I know her—what?!”

“How can such a coincidence exist? Ah, my head’s spinning just trying to process this…”

“…”

Near the kitchen,

Lin Yu crumpled a paper cup in his hand: “!!!”

Aunt Qimeng’s words mirrored his own thoughts exactly!

It felt like a dream!

His head was spinning too!

Aunt Qimeng and Aunt Ruxue… actually knew each other?!

This—

was something Maomao definitely didn’t know.

The "Virtual Aunt Ruxue" simulation could never have uncovered this "hidden route."

Such a bombshell revelation left Lin Yu in a rare state of mental paralysis.

...

(Update complete. Tomorrow officially begins Aunt Ruxue’s arc! Hope you’ll show your support—take a moment to check out a quick ad if you can. Grateful as always!)