My name is Lin Zhu, I’m 26 years old, a working stiff. I went back to the ancestral home for the New Year and got hounded by gossipy elders urging me to get married.

I was blunt. I said I don’t want to settle down. I’m not that desperate like you all.

The elders fell silent instantly and shifted their target to someone else.

I killed the competition. From then on, my days at the ancestral home were blissfully peaceful.

Until Linlin, my little sister, said she had a senior she was inviting over.

I saw the senior she gushed about—handsome enough to stir something in this big sister’s heart.

Unfortunately, he was Linlin’s crush.

At the same time, I noticed the girl always smiling beside him. Her face was all smiles, but she gave off a vibe that wasn’t easy to get along with. She was always pressed up against Linlin’s senior, her eyes never leaving him.

As Linlin’s big sister, I felt it was time to do something.

With a little trick, I got that Su girl to reveal her true feelings. She even admitted right in front of Linlin that she liked that senior, but Linlin still kept fooling herself.

Ugh! If you want to steal him away, just do it! If you hold back, you’ll end up getting crushed and left picking up the scraps!

Little Lan tried to be clever, creating a private moment for Linlin and her senior, but got a proper scolding from that Su girl.

I thought she’d be the biggest obstacle in Linlin’s quest to win him over, until I saw her roommate.

Anyway, this girl kept her head down, looking a bit insecure, but sharp as I am, I noticed she was always staring at Linlin’s senior.

Don’t you know the rule about not touching a friend’s man? Another schemer with ulterior motives!

The sky over the Lin family had darkened again.

As the oldest single girl of this generation, I felt it was time to step in.

“Speaking of playing house, I remember when Linlin was little, she loved using toy dolls and saying this is her eldest daughter, this is her second daughter…”

Lin Zhu laughed heartily, looking at Jiang Linyuan.

Step one, expose embarrassing past to bring them closer.

“Sister Bamboo! Stop spouting nonsense!”

Lin Yilin’s face instantly flushed red as she reached out to cover Lin Zhu’s mouth.

“So little Yilin likes kids that much? Then in the future, you can take care of my kids!” 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Jiang Linyuan grinned mischievously.

“Take care of your own kids yourself!”

Lin Yilin turned to Jiang Linyuan, huffing and puffing.

Lin Zhu sighed. If it were her, she would have said, “I’m the mother, of course I’ll take care of them.”

“Hehe, I have no objections either.”

Su Muzhi chuckled lightly.

“See, see! Senior Su agrees with me!”

Lin Yilin nodded seriously.

“No, what I meant was, I have no objections to what Jiang-classmate said.”

“…Huh?”

Lin Zhu facepalmed. Hopeless. She shot a glance at Lin Lan, who was still munching on chocolate nearby.

Step two, praise one by putting down the other to boost her image!

Lin Lan met her gaze, nodded, then looked at Su Muzhi, putting on an expression like she was facing certain death:

“This person is nowhere near as good as Sister Linlin! As a mom, she’s way too harsh! Sister Linlin is gentle and cute, and she can cook… uh, she can make noodles! Her instant noodles are super delicious!”

Sister Linlin, this is my final assist! Take it!

“Little sister! What nonsense are you spouting!”

Lin Yilin’s face was beet red. She quickly stood up, scooped Lin Lan into her arms, and covered her mouth.

Why are Sister Bamboo and Little Sister both ganging up on me! Waa! My image in front of Senior is getting ruined!

“Hehe, a disobedient daughter like you is better off not having.”

Su Muzhi glanced at Lin Lan and laughed coldly.

“Xiao Su, you can’t say that. Daughters are adorable. You have to cherish them.”

Jiang Linyuan said.

“I wouldn’t know. I don’t have a daughter. You can give me one.”

Su Muzhi said.

Whoa! A direct shot! Linlin, fire back!

Lin Zhu looked at Lin Yilin.

She stood between Jiang Linyuan and Su Muzhi, her face flushed red:

“Senior Su, you can’t joke about things like that! Matters involving relationships should be taken seriously!”

“Hehe, who says I’m joking?”

“You’re still denying it! Discussing this in public!”

“Hehe…”

Lin Zhu couldn’t bear to watch anymore. She shook her head, then noticed Zhang Juntang off to the side.

“S-Senior Jiang, want a snack?”

She pulled out a box of Pocky from who knows where and offered it to Jiang Linyuan.

“Oh, matcha flavor? I like this one. Thanks.”

Jiang Linyuan casually grabbed a few sticks and stuffed them into his mouth.

Zhang Juntang then wore a satisfied expression.

Holy crap! Another sneak thief!

Lin Zhu was shocked, then turned to Zhang Juntang:

“Can I have one?”

“…Would you like a different flavor? I have strawberry, chocolate…”

As she spoke, Zhang Juntang had already pulled out several boxes of Pocky, hiding the matcha one away early.

“Alright, I’ll try the strawberry flavor.”

Lin Zhu then looked over at Lin Yilin, who was still arguing with Su Muzhi about not joking about relationships, her face red. Lin Zhu was deeply troubled.

She chewed on the Pocky stick, letting out a long sigh.

Enemies on all sides.

“Sister Bamboo, I want some Pocky too.”

Lin Lan blinked her eyes.

Eat, eat, eat! All you know is eating! Such a glutton!

Lin Zhu grumpily pulled out a few sticks and shoved them at her. Lin Lan grinned foolishly.

Damn it, time for step three? Activate the ultimate carry!

If Linlin can’t do it, I’ll play for her first!

Then I’ll hand you the strategy!

“Hey there, little Jiang, I’ve recently taken a liking to a boy, but I’ve never chased a guy before. Can you tell me what kind of things boys like?”

Lin Zhu looked at Jiang Linyuan and asked.

“Huh? Sister Bamboo has a crush on someone?”

Lin Yilin, who had been arguing with Su Muzhi, turned her head curiously.

“Well, I do, but I’m a bit embarrassed to tell you guys.”

Lin Zhu said.

Su Muzhi glanced at her and chuckled.

Jiang Linyuan looked at Lin Zhu, then glanced at the D above her head. What’s big sister up to? Is it really appropriate to ask me that? Is she trying some weird assist for little Yilin again?

Faced with these tricks, Jiang Linyuan couldn’t even be bothered to use [Heart Slave].

“Sister Bamboo, there’s a five-year generation gap, you know. The person you like and I aren’t from the same era, so our interests probably won’t match.”

“But the one I like is a college boy, so I’m asking little Jiang.”

Lin Zhu said.

So you’re looking to keep a pure college boy, huh.

Jiang Linyuan rolled his eyes:

“Guys my age come in all sorts…”

“It’s fine. Just tell me what you like, little Jiang, and I’ll use that as a reference.”

Lin Zhu asked with a smile.

“Hehe, he likes hands.”

Su Muzhi said.

?

What the hell?

Lin Zhu was stunned.

“Ahem, Xiao Su, don’t talk nonsense. I just like beautiful things.”

Jiang Linyuan covered up.

You ask about hobbies, not his fetishes!

“Senior Jiang, he likes playing badminton and basketball. As for snacks, he loves matcha-flavored sweets the most, doesn’t like plain milk, and his favorite fruit is sweet oranges…”

?

A timid voice suddenly rang out, and everyone present looked over.

Zhang Juntang seemed to realize what she’d done. She buried her head, her body trembling as if she was about to cry:

“I… I was just making things up.”