While the guests were all laughing together at Qin Yuran’s funny reaction, Lin Xuanyu stared at Su Wanyan from the corner, a cold glint flickering in his eyes. Then he stood up and walked toward Shen Guoxing’s side with deliberate steps. "Hi there," Lin Xuanyu said, softening his voice into a sing-song tone. To add to the effect, his mouth curled upward and his eyes turned into crescents with his smile. It was, in his mind, the epitome of sweetness.

Shen Guoxing, who was hugging Mo Xingxue’s pretty gift box, looked up at the uncle who greeted her. However, even after racking her brain, she couldn’t recall who this uncle was. So she just pressed closer to Mo Xingxue’s knees, seeking safety. Mo Xingxue looked coldly at Lin Xuanyu scoffing at his obvious act, before turning to Shen Guoxing with a soft and gentle smile. "Greet uncle back, Xing’er," Mo Xingxue reminded her kindly.

Shen Guoxing widened her eyes and nodded at Mo Xingxue. "I’m sorry, Uncle.. for not responding in time," Shen Guoxing apologized sincerely, even bowing her head slightly. She then mustered up a bright smile and greeted back, "Hi too, uncle!" Her voice was soft and polite, softening the hearts of the other guests.

However, Lin Xuanyu’s sweet expression faltered when he heard the title "uncle." His face was already crumbling when Mo Xingxue had addressed him that way, and now even this brat had called him uncle. Not once, but twice! It should be sweet big brother! Anything else like that is unacceptable! Lin Xuanyu fumed inwardly.

Although the corner of Lin Xuanyu’s mouth kept twitching, he shook his head and "kindly" forgave Shen Guoxing. "It’s okay~" he said, drawing the words longer to appear cute and harmless. But the way he gritted his teeth made it sound unsettling. Su Wanyan frowned.

He must be thinking about how he’s way too young to be called an uncle, she thought. She then walked up to her three beloved, ignoring how Zhao Yichen was still sprawled out on the ground due to being kicked aside by Qin Yuran.

Shen Guoxing blinked at Lin Xuanyu and felt a chill run down her spine, but she didn’t know why. Th-this uncle is scary.... Shen Guoxing thought. Just then, Lin Xuanyu opened his eyes wider while still keeping the smile on his face. However, it didn’t help Shen Guoxing feel less scared—instead, she felt even more unsettled. Lin Xuanyu’s eyes were.. cold. Deeply cold. It was like he was assessing what value she could provide for him.

Shen Guoxing felt dread. He got eyes.. eyes like those people.. Shen Guoxing thought, clutching the gift box Mo Xingxue gave her and pressing herself closer to Mo Xingxue’s legs as if she wanted to fuse with them.

Shen Guoxing shook the thoughts away. Su-surely he isn’t like those people, right? she asked inwardly. She looked at Lin Xuanyu’s eyes again, and the oppressive atmosphere felt even stronger.

While the other guests would lower themselves to meet her gaze and look at her with affection, Lin Xuanyu, on the other hand, was looking coldly at her and wasn’t lowering himself, staring down directly at Shen Guoxing with cold, calculating eyes.

Shen Guoxing looked pleadingly at Mo Xingxue. "Au-aunt," Shen Guoxing managed to get out, but her voice was trembling. Mo Xingxue also noticed it and frowned at Lin Xuanyu. "You’re scaring Xing’er, Teacher Lin," Mo Xingxue said bluntly, then stared daggers at him. Lin Xuanyu frowned, and before he could say anything else, Su Wanyan passed by him and picked up Shen Guoxing. "There, there," Su Wanyan said, patting Shen Guoxing’s back.

Shen Guoxing immediately tightly hugged Su Wanyan’s neck, her small body trembling as she remembered Lin Xuanyu’s cold gaze. It was so eerily similar to how the nurses had looked at her when they learned Aunt Wanyan was her guardian. Shen Guoxing still remembered how they didn’t look at her as a patient anymore, but as a tool to get closer to her Aunt Wanyan.

Shen Guoxing’s small body trembled again, causing Su Wanyan to frown at Lin Xuanyu. Still, she couldn’t outwardly show how angry she was at him. After all, the influence of the world’s will or as what she liked to call—plot armor—was still strong.

She didn’t want to go from cannon fodder to a minor villain just yet. Su Wanyan pursed her lips and clenched her hands. She turned to Lin Xuanyu, masking all her annoyance and anger, and maintained a neutral expression.

"What do you need from my Xing’er, Teacher Lin?" Su Wanyan asked, her voice still even. However, Mo Xingxue noticed how Su Wanyan’s tone sounded a bit aggressive. Mo Xingxue looked a bit surprised but thought it was valid—Lin Xuanyu was being inconsiderate of their Xing’er after all.

Lin Xuanyu turned to Su Wanyan, meeting her "gentle" eyes. His eyes watered, and he said pitifully, "Teacher Su...." He started, sounding heartbroken. "I just wanted to give her a gift," he said, his tone choked. He showed a plainly wrapped gift. Su Wanyan looked at the thing in his hands and then at Shen Guoxing’s reaction.

Shen Guoxing’s expression was still terrified, but her eyes showed hesitance. "Do you want to accept the gift or should Aunt Wanyan do it?" Su Wanyan gently whispered to Shen Guoxing.

Shen Guoxing pulled away and whispered back, "I’ll do it, Aunt Wanyan," she said in her childish voice. Su Wanyan smiled at Shen Guoxing’s bravery and couldn’t help but gently rub the tip of her nose with Shen Guoxing’s (Eskimo kiss), just like how she did it when the child was still in the hospital.

Shen Guoxing immediately pulled away. "I’m a jiejie, Aunt!" Shen Guoxing said righteously, protecting her jiejie pride. Su Wanyan laughed at her. "Who says big girls aren’t allowed to do that?" Su Wanyan asked, teasing Shen Guoxing.

Shen Guoxing was about to retaliate, but then she glanced at Mo Xingxue and paused. She crossed her arms and nodded thoughtfully, then shook her head. Then she put her right hand on her chin and nodded thoughtfully again. The guests watching her troubled expression couldn’t help but chuckle fondly at her, wondering what the child could be thinking.

Then she brightened up and pointed at Mo Xingxue. "If that’s true...." Shen Guoxing started excitedly, "then do it to Aunt Xingxue too!" Shen Guoxing said, puffing out her chest, feeling proud of her geniusness, entirely forgetting her fear of Lin Xuanyu. Su Wanyan and Mo Xingxue widened their eyes and looked at each other, failing to notice how they were both blushing.

"U-us?" Su Wanyan asked, her voice trembling. Shen Guoxing nodded repeatedly. "Yeah!" she said. Her eyes glinted with excitement. I’ll bring you two together! Shen Guoxing added another vow, although inwardly this time.

When Su Wanyan heard her say that, she felt her heart stuffy and her throat a bit choked. She looked at Mo Xingxue again, and Mo Xingxue also looked at her at the same time. Looking at Mo Xingxue, Su Wanyan felt there was some inexplicable tension that she couldn’t explain... nor understand...

The two of them evaded each other’s eyes, Su Wanyan looking at the excited Shen Guoxing, and Mo Xingxue at the dazed Mo Yan. The guests around them let out an "oohing" sound, causing the two of them to blush more.

Qin Yuran, who sat on the floor now, whispered at Zhao Yichen, "It feels like I’m back in high school where I teased my friends like this," Qin Yuran said quietly, but it was picked up by Su Wanyan’s enhanced hearing and the mic that was clipped on her clothes.

The chat, of course, cooed with the guests.

[Ooh, someone’s blushing~]

[KISS! KISS! KISS!]

[WE DON’T WANT NO ESKIMO KISS, WE WANT FRENCH KISS!]

[THE KIDS YEARN FOR A FRENCH KISS, YOU TWO!]

[They’re both red as a monkey’s butt.]

[LMAO]

[Sigh... I remember when my childhood sweetheart and I were like that... Good old days.]

[Me too, we used to do that thing at the gym when no one’s looking.]

[Sigh... Crazy how we both have the same experience. Me and my childhood sweetheart do that too.. even at the school rooftop.]

[Eh? Wait, are you by any chance.... Xun Li?]

[How’d you know? Are you.... Lu Tao?]

[So it really is you, Xun Li...]

[Lu Tao...]

[What in the name of K-Drama is happening?]

[SON I’M CRINE!]

While the barrage was getting sidetracked by the new internet couple’s story that was beginning to bloom, Gu Chengze, who was still seated in the corner, darkened his expression, his face looking like he had swallowed a bitter pill. His aura was getting murderous too as he glared at Su Wanyan. But the one who had the darkest expression was Lin Xuanyu.

His arms were still outstretched, holding the gift. He totally felt ignored and humiliated. Seeing as the two were in a lovey-dovey atmosphere and even the other guests were cheering them on. The attention should be on me! They should be swooning with my heartfelt gift! But.. but these idiots! Lin Xuanyu felt his chest tighten with humiliation, his eyes watering as he felt wronged. He glared at the four

—two big and two small. I’ll repay this humiliation tenfold! Lin Xuanyu vowed.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

HEHEHEHEHEHEHE