While Lin Youxi tended to Mei Fang’s injuries, his father Mei Lijun called.

“We’re at the community gate—security needs registration. What’s your unit number again?”

“How can you forget… Building 3, Unit 1302… Ow ow ow!”

“Did I hurt you?” Lin Youxi asked softly, “I’ll be gentler.”

“No no, keep going…” Mei Fang continued the call. Mei Lijun’s voice dropped to a whisper:

“Son, if you’re… occupied, we can come later?”

“Occupied with what? Stop imagining things! YuanYuan’s parents are already here—just come up.”

As Mei Fang and Lin Youxi busied themselves indoors, the Mei family arrived. Xia Yuan sprinted to open the door, beaming at the sight of them.

“Uncle Mei! Aunt Xiang! You’re here!”

“YuanYuan-jie!” Little Mei Ya barreled into Xia Yuan’s arms. Stroking the girl’s hair, Xia Yuan marveled, “YaYa, you change every time I see you! Last spring you only reached here—now you’re past my chest!”

“Hehe~ Because I never pick at food! I drink milk every day!” Mei Ya declared proudly. “Big Brother said astronauts need height, so I’m growing fast!”

“That’s my girl!”

Though Mei Lijun and Xiang Xiaoxia felt complex seeing Xia Yuan—after all, she’d broken up with their son—her unchanged warmth eased their reservations.

Xiang Xiaoxia grasped Xia Yuan’s hands. “Our YuanYuan grows more beautiful each day! Being a star suits you.”

“But you’ve lost weight…” Mei Lijun scratched his head. “Not eating well—oof!” His wife elbowed him sharply.

Xia Yuan laughed awkwardly. “I… may have overindulged earlier. Ah Fang and I did fitness routines together.”

“Teenagers shouldn’t diet! You were perfectly healthy before—”

“W-well, portion control matters…” She ushered them inside. “Let’s chat properly seated!”

In the living room, Xia Xun and Yu Ling rose to greet them. The ever-jovial Mei Lijun boomed: “Teacher Yu! Old Xia! Good to see you!”

Yu Ling smiled. “Xiaoxia-jie, you look younger than ever!”

“Coming from you? Impossible! Standing with YuanYuan, you two could be sisters!”

Compared to their warmth, Xia Xun remained terse, nodding slightly. “Director Mei. Xiaoxia-jie.”

During Mei Fang and Xia Yuan’s relationship, he’d reverted to their childhood “Lijun-ge.” This renewed formality spoke volumes.

Unfazed, Mei Lijun slung an arm around Xia Xun. “Enough with ‘Director’! After decades, ‘Lijun-ge’ works fine!”

Xiang Xiaoxia chimed in, “Exactly! We’re practically family.”

Under combined pressure—including from his wife and daughter—the usually formidable businessman Xia Xun meekly agreed to revert to the familiar address.

When Lin Youxi and Mei Fang emerged, all eyes turned to the former.

“Uncle Mei, Uncle Xia, Aunt Xiang, Teacher Yu… welcome.”

Where Xia Yuan radiated sunny confidence, Lin Youxi exuded graceful poise. Xiang Xiaoxia itched to praise her but restrained herself for Xia Yuan’s sake.

Mei Lijun, however, gaped openly. “Youxi! You’ve… blossomed! Like a star yourself!”

“Dad,” Mei Ya groaned, “you recycled the same line from New Year’s!”

“But it’s truer now! She’s… matured!”

Their effusive compliments, though innocent, subtly needled Xia Xun.

Xia Xun’s Displeasure +10

“Enough chatter!” Mei Fang interjected. “Dinner’s ready—YuanYuan and Youxi cooked all morning.”

“You didn’t sleep in, did you?” Xiang Xiaoxia frowned.

“Of course not! I helped!”

“Good. These girls are their parents’ treasures—not your maids. Support each other equally.”

Mei Fang feigned hurt. “No sympathy for my injury? Just scolding?”

“Men don’t need coddling! Bosses shouldn’t whine.”

Laughter erupted, dissolving tensions.

Xia Xun’s Displeasure -10

At dinner, Lin Youxi announced, “YuanYuan’s skills have improved tremendously.”

“I only made the wood ear pork and this braised chicken…”

Xia Xun immediately sampled the chicken. “Excellent. Better than your mother’s current cooking.”

“Must you compare?” Yu Ling swatted him playfully.

Xiang Xiaoxia tried another dish. “This huangmenji rivals restaurant quality!”

“Youxi taught me everything,” Xia Yuan demurred.

Noticing her father favoring her dishes, Xia Yuan nudged him. “Try Youxi’s too!”

Meanwhile, Mei Ya whispered to Mei Fang: “Youxi-jie’s food is better… YuanYuan-jie’s is salty. Why not just say she cooked everything?”

“Adult matters,” Mei Fang patted her head. “How’s school?”

“I’m untouchable! Everyone begs for your autographs!”

“Autographs? No. But merch? Unlimited.”

“Yay! Best brother!”

“Stay humble though. No bullying.”

“As if! I’m your sister.”

Earlier, Mei Fang had commissioned Guo Yun to design chibi mascots of the trio—which his uncle eerily claimed to have “seen in dreams,” unsettling Mei Fang.

Throughout the meal, Lin Youxi and Xia Yuan remained the stars. Initially wary of showing favoritism, Xiang Xiaoxia relaxed seeing their genuine bond and openly doted on Lin Youxi—who deftly included Xia Yuan in every response, winning her parents’ approval.

Post-dinner, Mei Fang did dishes alone until Mei Ya joined. During the house tour, parents noted approvingly that the girls still shared a bedroom—proof their friendship survived the “dog man” Mei Fang.

“All set!” Xia Yuan clapped. “I’ve booked a villa—hot springs tonight, skiing tomorrow, then New Year’s countdown!”

Mei Lijun marveled, “YuanYuan plans everything now! No assistants?”

“Ah Fang is my assistant!” She impulsively grabbed Mei Fang’s hand. “He handles all my—”

Catching everyone’s stares, she froze. Mei Fang tightened his grip. “Industry sharks abound. Youxi and I vet everything—we’d never trust outsiders.”

“Stop treating me like a kid!” Though long accustomed to intimacy, public displays as his “ex” flustered Xia Yuan to crimson-eared mortification.

The Mei couple panicked—wasn’t this inappropriate in front of Lin Youxi?

Yet Lin Youxi merely rested her chin on her hands, smiling. “He’s right. YuanYuan is our baby.”

“I! AM! NOT!”

Her adorable outrage sparked collective laughter.

Though carefully avoiding direct mention of Mei Fang and Lin Youxi’s relationship, boundaries emerged during departure: Lin Youxi deliberately rode with the Mei family.

Mei Ya pouted. “Why not shove Brother to YuanYuan-jie’s car? I want cuddles!”

“Respect their family time,” Xiang Xiaoxia chided, then asked Lin Youxi gently, “Youxi… seeing YuanYuan and Ah Fang so close… doesn’t it bother you?”

“Not at all. We’ve always been this way.”

Finally free to flaunt their romance, Lin Youxi clung to Mei Fang’s arm. “Even when YuanYuan dated him, we stayed close. Childhood bonds transcend jealousy.”

“I… see.” Xiang Xiaoxia bit back further questions—she wouldn’t play the villain.

“Just don’t let yourselves be taken advantage of.” She sighed. “That dog son of mine…”

“Hey! If I’m a dog, then you’re—”

“Correct. A dog father.” She pointed at Mei Lijun. “Like father, like son.”

“Wife! I’ve been good today!”

Mei Ya raised a hand. “Can we not debate canine genealogy? I refuse to be a dog daughter.”

“Depends on your behavior.”

Through the rearview mirror, Xiang Xiaoxia watched Lin Youxi whisper lovingly to Mei Fang—the ideal daughter-in-law by any measure.

Yet imagining Xia Yuan in that role felt equally right. Despite the breakup, their bond seemed unshaken.

Why would she ever leave him?

No artifice could mask such feelings so completely.

It made no sense…

“So, Ah Fang,” Xiang Xiaoxia finally asked, “what do you think was YuanYuan’s real reason for breaking up?”