Xue Xing scratched his head sheepishly. "I haven’t seen my sister-in-law for a while, and I kind of miss her."

His eyes were filled with such pure innocence that no one would possibly misinterpret his words.

"Let’s go."

Half an hour later, the Rolls-Royce pulled into the parking area of the Lin Family Villa.

"Is...is this my sister-in-law’s house?"

Xue Xing had always thought his brother’s Xiangshan Villa was plenty luxurious, but compared to his sister-in-law’s home, it paled in comparison.

No, there was simply no comparison at all. It’s just like a castle. So fairies really do live in castles. The fairy tales didn’t lie.

Si Wen brought Xue Xing to the Lin Family’s reception hall and said to him, "Wait here for a bit. I’m going to find Xiao Xi, and we’ll head back together later."

"Huh? Can’t I go see my sister-in-law?"

"Don’t be silly. Your brother can’t even see your sister-in-law, so what makes you think you can?"

Xue Xing opened his mouth, unable to retort. She had a point.

If his own brother can’t even see his sister-in-law before the engagement, how could he expect to? As excited as he was before arriving, he was now equally disappointed. Still, it made sense. An engagement might not be a wedding, but if the groom hasn’t even seen the bride, what reason does a mere brother-in-law like me have to see her?

After settling Xue Xing in, Si Wen headed into the main villa. The Lin Family’s reception hall was in a separate building.

Not long after Si Wen left, Xue Xing’s phone rang. It was Xue Yang. He had already picked up Xue Yuanqing and the rest of the family, and they were all checked into their designated hotel.

As soon as he answered, Xue Xing said excitedly, "Bro, guess where I am right now?"

"Aren’t you with Si Wen?" Xue Yang asked nonchalantly.

"Yeah, but guess where we are now!"

Xue Yang glanced at the background behind his brother. It didn’t look like the Xiangshan Villa. Moreover, his sharp eyes noticed that the surroundings seemed to have been decorated, though it was hard to tell since the lights were off.

"You’re at the Lin Family Villa."

Xue Xing’s eyes widened in surprise. "Bro, you’re amazing! You guessed it right away. But I didn’t get to see my sister-in-law. Sister Si Wen went to see her. We’ll head back to the villa together later."

"Mhm. Do you want to talk to Mom and Dad? They’re in the next room."

"Nah, I’ll go see them tomorrow and explain the situation."

"New hairstyle?" Xue Yang asked, studying his brother.

Xue Xing touched his hair. "Yeah, Sister Si Wen took me to get it styled today. I don’t know how much it cost, though. Bro, I don’t want to owe Sister Si Wen anything."

"I know. I’ll settle it with her after this is all over."

"Thanks, bro."

It was one thing to owe his own brother, but he didn’t want to be indebted to Si Wen. He wasn’t sure why, but that’s just how he felt. He simply didn’t want to owe her anything.

Lin Xi’s room had been decorated with exquisite delicacy. The white wallpaper was adorned with colorful, translucent curtains. Light from outside filtered through them, casting a soft glow into the room. Two delicate, light-purple floral wreaths rested on the headboard, and the bedsheets were embroidered with tiny heart patterns. The table was laden with intricately carved cutlery—obviously imported from Europe—that gleamed with a soft metallic luster. Various arrangements of fresh flowers filled the corners of the room, as if to announce that the room’s owner was on the verge of finding happiness.

Lin Xi’s long hair draped over her shoulders. Her skin was fair, her eyes clear and bright. She wore a simple yet distinctive white shirt and a black skirt, paired with house slippers, looking both cute and enchanting.

A phrase surfaced in Si Wen’s mind.

A natural-born stunner. A true, natural-born stunner. If I were a man, I would snatch her up in a heartbeat and not give Xue Yang the slightest chance. Too bad I’m not a man. And I don’t like women, either.

"Xiao Xi, let me ask you... with the engagement coming up so soon, how do you feel?"

Lin Xi was a bundle of nerves. Hearing Si Wen’s question, she replied, "I don’t even know how to describe it."

After thinking for a moment, Lin Xi took Si Wen’s hand and placed it over her chest. The soft touch startled Si Wen, who instinctively tried to pull her hand back. "What are you doing?"

Lin Xi held her hand firmly. "Didn’t you ask what it feels like to be getting engaged? This is what it feels like."

Si Wen calmed down and focused on the pounding of Lin Xi’s heart.

THUMP-THUMP. It felt as if it was about to leap out of her chest. This was the first time Si Wen had ever felt someone’s heartbeat so directly.

"Isn’t this... a bit of an exaggeration?"

"Not at all. I’m not exaggerating in the slightest. My heart is actually a bit calmer with you here. When I’m alone, it’s really intense. I feel like it echoes in my chest."

"Come on. It’s not like you just met him. You’ve lived together for so long, so why are you still this nervous about the engagement?"

Lin Xi pulled the covers to her chest. "You wouldn’t understand. Living together and getting engaged are two completely different feelings."

The engagement would take their relationship to the next level. They would go from being two separate individuals to two people with a formal connection. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

"Alright, alright, my dear bride-to-be. If you’re this nervous now, what are you going to do tomorrow?"

"I don’t know! I’m so worried something will go wrong. If it does, I’ll have no idea what to do."

Si Wen comforted her. "Relax. The young lady of the Lin Corporation has attended countless grand events since childhood. Handling a small affair like an engagement will be no problem for you."

"Really?"

"Of course! When have I ever lied to you? Okay, it’s getting late. I should be going."

"So soon? Aren’t you going to stay the night?" Lin Xi pouted, clearly not wanting her to leave.

"Xue Xing is still waiting outside. I can’t just let him go back by himself."

Hearing this, Lin Xi didn’t press her to stay, though she was reluctant to see her go.

"Okay, then... Say hello to Xue Xing for me, and tell him I’m sorry I couldn’t come out to see him."

"Sure, I’ll tell him. Don’t worry. Xue Xing isn’t the petty type; he definitely won’t overthink it."

"I’m off!"

After saying her goodbyes to Lin Xi, Si Wen left.

Watching her friend depart, Lin Xi felt a complicated knot of emotions in her stomach. Tonight was destined to be a sleepless one.

「Elsewhere」

Xue Xing waited obediently in the reception hall. Before long, an exceptionally elegant woman who looked to be in her forties entered.

He quickly stood up. "H-Hello."

Auntie Shen placed a tray of fruit and juice in front of him and said with a kind smile, "You must be Young Master Xue Yang’s younger brother, right?"

"Ah? Yes, I am."

"You look so much like Young Master Xue Yang. You must be a very good kid, too."

Auntie Shen already saw Xue Yang through rose-tinted glasses, and by extension, she found Xue Xing quite agreeable as well.

Embarrassed by the praise, Xue Xing scratched his head. "Thank you..."