Yile Residential Area, Unit 2.
The Sang family of three sat in the living room.
Lin Yueyin and Sang Changfeng spoke in unison: "You mean, he's recovered?"
Faced with the eager questioning from Mrs. Lin and Comrade Sang, Sang Lu nodded:
"Not fully, but it's a good sign."
"Where there's a first time, there'll be a second!" Mrs. Lin was optimistic.
"What was the first thing he said?" Comrade Sang's concern was a bit unconventional.
Sang Lu: "He called my name."
"Oh~" Sang Changfeng suddenly flashed a knowing smile and patted his thigh. "Not bad at all. He’s got a bit of my style."
"What style is that?" Lin Yueyin gave her husband a puzzled look.
Sang Changfeng answered without hesitation: "The style of doting on my wife."
Sang Lu: "?"
Lin Yueyin: "..."
Sang Changfeng looked at his daughter and said, "Only someone you care deeply about would unconsciously call out their name. Even in my sleep, I call your mom’s name."
"Cut it out. Every time you fall asleep and I try to grab the remote, you just yell, 'Don’t turn off the TV, I’m watching!' Never once have you called my name," Lin Yueyin pushed her husband lightly, laughing. "So, the TV is your true love?"
Sang Lu burst into laughter.
Lin Yueyin rolled her eyes at her husband and steered the conversation back on track, turning to her daughter:
"Lu Lu, you should take better care of Feng Yan. His condition is truly torturous—just thinking about it makes me feel awful for him. And with his parents gone so early, his grandfather is the only elder left in his family."
Sang Lu paused.
Her mom kept referring to him as "that boy" and "poor thing."
It felt… a little off.
Feng Yan was nearly six-foot-three, with well-defined abs and pecs, and an aura so intense most people couldn’t even look him in the eye. If he were sitting here right now, her mom definitely wouldn’t be able to say those things so casually.
Noticing her daughter’s distracted expression, Lin Yueyin frowned:
"I’m being serious here. Pay attention."
Sang Lu straightened her face. "I am."
Lin Yueyin continued, "Find some time to bring Feng Yan home for dinner. You’ve been married for months now—it’s about time. Otherwise, it’ll seem like our family isn’t happy with him as our son-in-law."
Sang Lu’s sunny confidence and unwavering self-worth were inherited entirely from Mrs. Lin.
When discussing bringing Feng Yan home, Mrs. Lin framed it as "so it doesn’t seem like we’re unhappy with him," not "in case he’s unhappy with us."
Sang Lu mulled over her mom’s words and murmured, "That’s actually a great idea…"
For one, she genuinely wanted Feng Yan to get along with her family.
In the worst-case scenario—if she ever got controlled by the plot again—Feng Yan might, out of goodwill, look after her parents.
Secondly, her family’s relaxed atmosphere might just thaw that icy exterior of his and help him overcome his inner demons.
At the banquet, Feng Yan had only spoken four words.
Sang Lu hoped that next time, she’d hear him form a complete sentence.
With a small spark of hope, she gave Mrs. Lin an "OK" sign.
"No problem. Once things calm down at the station, I’ll ask him when he’s free, and we’ll come over for dinner."
Sang Changfeng chimed in, "Just give me a heads-up on the date so I can buy groceries."
He added, "This is great. Now when relatives ask if I’ve had a drink with my son-in-law, I’ll finally have something to say."
Hearing her dad’s words, Sang Lu stiffened, alarm bells ringing in her head.
Just as she was about to speak, Mrs. Lin beat her to it.
"Stop obsessing over those distant relatives of yours. Haven’t we had enough trouble with them lately?"
Sang Changfeng adored his wife and spoiled his daughter, but his one flaw was being too soft-hearted.
He’d lent money to distant relatives multiple times in the past, leaving them with a pile of unrecoverable debts.
After the recent stir caused by Zhuang’s Mother in the neighborhood, Lin Yueyin had no choice but to reveal that Sang Lu was married.
Somehow, the aunts and uncles got wind of it and started dropping by every few days. Within minutes of sitting down, they’d start subtly probing Sang Lu, hoping she could get their sons or daughters jobs at Feng Corporation.
Lin Yueyin’s expression turned stern as she listed her husband’s past failures in loan recovery.
She issued an ultimatum.
"Sang Changfeng, listen carefully. If those people try to use Lu Lu for their schemes again, don’t blame me for embarrassing you in front of others…"
Sang Changfeng had been about to argue.
After all, they were family—shouldn’t they help each other?
But seeing his wife’s resolute tone, he knew she meant business.
He immediately shut his mouth and raised his hand in surrender.
"Don’t worry, dear. I won’t let anyone take advantage of Lu Lu."
...
Same residential area, Unit 3.
Zhuang’s Mother barged into the room without warning, startling the occupant.
"Ugh, Mom! How many times do I have to tell you? Knock before entering!"
"I gave birth to you. Do I need your permission to enter your room?"
Zhuang Xiao muttered under her breath and rolled her eyes.
Zhuang’s Mother snapped, "I can’t stand seeing you laze around like this! Look at you—no job, nothing! You can’t even compare to that Sang girl next door, who at least has a proper job at the TV station. I thought you’d at least marry well and outshine her, but what happened?"
Zhuang Xiao rolled her eyes again.
Zhuang’s Mother’s temper flared. "You dare give me attitude? Because of you, I’ve lost all face! And you have the nerve to glare at me?"
Zhuang Xiao threw her phone onto the bed in frustration.
"I’m not glaring at you! I’m just furious—furious that Sang Lu gets everything handed to her on a silver platter!
The other day, I saw Second Aunt’s family carrying bags of gifts straight to Unit 2.
I waved at them, and they completely ignored me."
Zhuang’s Mother scoffed. "Probably sucking up to the Sangs."
Zhuang Xiao: "And Third Uncle’s family—they came to the neighborhood but didn’t even stop by our place."
Zhuang’s Mother sighed. "They think we’re beneath the Sangs now."
"How is that fair?" Zhuang Xiao’s tone shifted. "The only reason the Sangs have any standing is because Sang Lu married into wealth. But everyone knows high society isn’t for just anyone. There’s no way she’s living some perfect life in the Feng family."
Zhuang Xiao prided herself on being clever. Even she wouldn’t dare claim she could navigate the complexities of a wealthy family.
So how could Sang Lu?
"Being angry won’t change anything. You’re just not as good as Sang Lu, and now even our relatives look down on us," Zhuang’s Mother said disdainfully.
Zhuang Xiao bit her lip, deep in thought. "If they look down on us… then we’ll just have to make them look up to us again!"
Zhuang’s Mother: "And how do you plan to do that?"
"What good does it do them to flock around the Sangs? Here’s the plan, Mom—invite Second Aunt, Third Uncle, and their families. Tell them we’re treating them to a getaway at the most luxurious hot spring resort in the city. When they compare, it’ll be obvious which family has real power and which one’s just putting on a show."
Zhuang’s Mother gasped. "But that’ll cost a fortune!"
"Don’t worry about the money. I’ve got it covered."
She could sell a few of the bags her boyfriend had bought her.
Whether one's life is truly remarkable isn't solely for oneself to decide—the opinions of others matter just as much.
Zhuang's Mother finally allowed a relieved smile to grace her face.
"That's more like my sensible daughter—sharp-minded and full of ideas."
...
That evening,
When Sang Lu returned to Qinghe Bay from her parents' home, the clock had just struck eight.
Feng Yan was lounging in the living room, flipping through a foreign-language newspaper.
His legs were crossed, his posture relaxed against the sofa.
As Sang Lu stepped in from the foyer, he lifted his gaze to meet her.
Unlike usual, Sang Lu didn’t greet him with her usual silent glance when their eyes met.
Instead, she walked straight over and settled beside him.
On her way back, she’d given it some serious thought.
Her mother’s words made sense—where there was a first time, there’d inevitably be a second.
She needed to take the initiative, to talk more with Feng Yan.
To keep tossing questions his way.
Who knew? Maybe in some fleeting moment, inspiration would strike him again, and he’d actually respond.
A playful glint lit up Sang Lu’s eyes as she fired off three questions in rapid succession.
"Oh, reading the paper? What’s the news about? Anything big happening internationally lately?"
"The weather’s been lovely, don’t you think?"
"Oh, right! My parents asked me to invite you over for dinner sometime. So… when would you be free?"
Feng Yan paused, momentarily caught off guard.
He noticed the subtle encouragement in Sang Lu’s expectant gaze—
The kind of look one might give a child...
And she’d deliberately emphasized the words "when would you," drawing them out with exaggerated weight.
A vein twitched near Feng Yan’s temple. "..."
