Hearing Lin Xi’s words, Lin Yinxue’s heart was filled with utter astonishment.

She had not expected Lin Xi to have such deep-rooted affection for Xue Yang.

Nor had she anticipated that her trust in him would be so profound that even his past didn’t matter to her.

But isn’t this what young love is all about? Fervent and prolonged. Affectionate and devoted. Even if it means being shattered to pieces, even if they know they’ll hit a wall, they are still willing to give it a try. They would never give up otherwise.

Honestly, Lin Yinxue greatly admired Lin Xi’s courage.

If I had been as brave as Xiao Xi back then, or even just a little braver, would the outcome be different now? The answer is a definite yes. If I had been resolute enough, I could have been with the person I loved. But now, even if I know the result would have been different, what could I do about it? Perhaps, over these two decades, the love between us would have worn away through the trivialities of life. Sometimes, getting what you want isn’t necessarily a good thing. Besides, life doesn’t offer a chance to start over. What’s past is past. The people and things you miss will never return.

Lin Yinxue took Lin Xi’s hand and chuckled softly. "You, you’re always so naive. Auntie just hopes your fervent passion isn’t betrayed."

My Xiao Xi is so beautiful, so innocent. She deserves the best.

Lin Xi beamed. "Auntie, don’t worry. I believe in Xue Yang. He won’t let me down. He’ll love only me in this lifetime."

Indeed, she had that much faith in Xue Yang. Unconditional trust.

"Get some sleep. Tomorrow, you’ll be the most beautiful princess there."

After saying that, Lin Yinxue started to get up, but Lin Xi grabbed her again.

"Auntie~" she pleaded, shaking Lin Yinxue’s arm like an adorable kitten.

"Don’t worry, I know. I’ll call your fiancé in a bit and make sure he doesn’t have a chance to embarrass himself tomorrow."

Hearing her aunt say this, Lin Xi smiled sweetly. "Thank you, Auntie~"

Lin Yinxue stroked her head. "Go to sleep."

With that, she walked out.

Her aunt’s words had completely set Lin Xi’s mind at ease.

She lay in bed, pulled the covers over herself, and closed her eyes. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Tomorrow, I’ll be a beautiful bride.

...

After hanging up with Lin Xi, Xue Yang grabbed his clothes and headed to the bathroom for a shower.

He had brought his parents back to the Tongfang Residential District, and they were already asleep in the next room.

About ten minutes later, he came out, drying his hair.

Just as he sat on the bed, his phone rang. It was an unknown number.

Who could be calling so late?

Worried it might be an emergency, Xue Yang picked up the phone and answered.

"Hello."

"Xue Yang?" The voice on the other end belonged to an unfamiliar woman.

A very pleasant voice. From the sound of it, she must be a very refined woman.

"You are..." Xue Yang asked.

A soft chuckle came through the phone.

Xue Yang was momentarily stunned, wondering what she found so amusing.

"Still answering calls at this hour?" This time, the voice was languid and seductive.

If this call had reached any other man, they would probably have been utterly enchanted.

"Because I’m not asleep yet," Xue Yang replied truthfully.

"Then why didn’t you hang up after hearing a woman’s voice?"

Xue Yang furrowed his brow. Sounds like she’s looking for trouble.

With that thought, he prepared to hang up.

Sensing his intention, the woman on the other end quickly said, "Alright, I’ll stop teasing you. My name is Lin Yinxue, Xiao Xi’s aunt. Technically, you should call me Auntie."

"Auntie."

Hearing Xue Yang call her Auntie without the slightest hesitation, Lin Yinxue laughed.

Xue Yang was bewildered. Didn’t you just tell me to call you Auntie? What’s so funny?!

"I tell you to call me that, and you just do it without even checking if I’m telling the truth. You’re so easy to tease."

I should have called him earlier. I could have teased him more. A look of regret flickered across Lin Yinxue’s face.

If it weren’t for the fact that she was Xiao Xi’s aunt, Xue Yang really would have hung up. How bizarre.

"Okay, I’m really not teasing you this time. Let’s add each other on WeChat. I’ll send you the itinerary for tomorrow’s engagement ceremony. You should memorize it while there’s still time."

Xue Yang’s frown eased slightly. "Thank you, Auntie."

"Aren’t you curious why I’m sending you the itinerary so late?"

"I am curious."

"Then why don’t you ask me?" Lin Yinxue grew even more curious.

She had already changed into comfortable loungewear. Although she was approaching forty, her skin was still as taut, moisturized, and radiant as an eighteen-year-old girl’s. Under the light, it looked like a piece of exquisite mutton-fat jade, glowing with a soft luster.

A true stunner!

Though perhaps a touch less so than Lin Xi, she was still a rare beauty. Moreover, she possessed a maturity Lin Xi did not. A mature, beautiful woman held a fatal attraction for men.

"You were planning to send it to me anyway, weren’t you? In that case, what difference does it make if it’s early or late?"

"Poised in a crisis, calm and composed. You truly are no ordinary man. No wonder my brother and Xiao Xi like you so much," Lin Yinxue praised generously.

Xue Yang was a bit perplexed, not quite understanding what she meant.

Of course, I know Xiao Xi likes me. But Lin Zhenhai... perhaps he does, too? But I don’t think it’s to the extent she describes.

However, the thought that Lin Zhenhai was willing to entrust his only daughter to him filled Xue Yang with a sense of gratitude that outweighed everything else.

All I want in this life is to be with Lin Xi and work hard to provide for her. Nothing else is important.

"By the way, I heard you once had a girl you liked for six years. Can you tell me why you stopped liking her?"

Xue Yang had anticipated this kind of gossip from Lin Yinxue. With a clear conscience, he wasn’t afraid to discuss his past.

"At first, I was naive. I thought beauty was the same as love. But as I slowly came to understand the true meaning of love, I realized that wasn’t it at all. It was just the stubbornness of youthful folly," he explained.

"So, you’re saying you like Xiao Xi because she’s beautiful, too?"

Lin Yinxue seemed intent on setting a trap. If Xue Yang’s answers tonight were unsatisfactory, tomorrow’s engagement ceremony probably wouldn’t go smoothly. After all, she was the one who had organized the entire event. Whether it went well or not was up to her.

Xue Yang understood this perfectly.

Logically, this was the time he should be trying to get on her good side, saying all the right things and doing his best to distance himself from his history with Chen Ying.

But he didn’t.

PS: To the readers who have followed the story this far, thank you so much.