Looking at the astonished expressions of his parents, Xue Yang had no choice but to take them on a tour of the entire villa.

"Is this villa really yours?!" Zhong Hailan was so surprised she didn’t know what to say.

Her son seemed almost too outstanding. She didn’t know if this was a good or a bad thing. She was genuinely worried—if one day her son and Xiao Xi’s relationship ran into problems, how would he cope? Would everything he owned turn to nothing? She believed in her son’s true capabilities, but... they couldn’t be a strong pillar of support for him. Their family lacked anyone influential enough to help their son even a little. If one day their relationship truly fell apart... Zhong Hailan didn’t dare to imagine it.

Xue Yuanqing shared the same thoughts. His son’s excellence should have made him happy, but for a moment, he wasn’t sure how to react.

Xue Yang placed his hands on Zhong Hailan’s shoulders and smiled. "Dad, Mom, you should believe it now."

"I... believe you... But son, where did you get so much money?"

Opening that new energy vehicle dealership had cost a fortune. Although the business was doing well, it was impossible to recoup the investment in a short time. At the very least, it would take about three years just to break even before it started turning a profit... Could this also be a wedding gift from Lin Xi’s family? If that’s the case, it would make sense. After all, for a prominent family like Lin Xi’s, giving a villa like this as a wedding gift was entirely plausible.

Xue Yang explained with a smile, "This is a gift from Si Wen to Xiao Xi."

"From Si Wen!?"

The expressions on Xue Yuanqing and his wife’s faces were priceless. Their gazes shifted toward Si Wen, who was petting a cat not far away. It was hard to fathom the price of such a large villa, especially in a place as expensive as Yancheng.

"Yes, Auntie, this is a gift from Si Wen to me," Lin Xi explained. "But it’s also because Xue Yang helped her that she gave us such a large villa. You don’t need to overthink it; I have a handle on things."

The help he had given Si Wen was more than enough to justify the price of this villa. Furthermore, with the development of the overseas market, the profits were becoming even more considerable. However, Xue Yang hadn’t explained these details to his parents yet because it would take too long.

Zhong Hailan pulled Xue Yang aside and whispered, "Xiao Yang, is it really okay for you to be so indebted to Si Wen?"

"Mom, what are you worried about?"

"Si Wen is a girl, after all. It’s not good for you to keep owing her favors."

Xue Yang understood. His mother was worried about him getting into a complicated situation with another woman.

"Mom, you’re overthinking it. My relationship with Si Wen isn’t what you imagine. We’re just ordinary friends. Occasionally, when I have free time, I help her manage her company. She gave us the villa to thank me, and also because she’s good friends with Xiao Xi. Besides, the villa is registered in Xiao Xi’s name. So, if Xiao Xi and I were to break up one day, I naturally wouldn’t be able to live here anymore."

"Xiao Yang... you..."

Zhong Hailan was at a loss for words.

"Never mind," she finally said. "You’re grown up, and you know what you’re doing. You’re our only son. As long as you’re happy, nothing else matters to your father and me."

Besides, hasn’t he been very happy during his time with Xiao Xi? Not just happy, but highly motivated as well. Only someone truly in love would have unlimited motivation, right? Unlike before, when he was like a robot who only knew how to study. Honestly, if her son had really ended up with that other girl, she wouldn’t have been happy at all. That girl never truly had her son in her heart. Even if she had agreed to be with him because of his persistence, her heart wouldn’t have been in it. That kind of situation would have forced her son to spend his whole life trying to please her, with no time for anything else. Even after graduating from Yanbei, his future would have been limited.

This made Zhong Hailan appreciate Lin Xi even more.

She’d heard that Lin Xi didn’t used to like studying. It was because she met her son that she found the motivation. And because her son was at Yanbei, she worked incredibly hard to get in as well. Isn’t true love—the kind that lasts—always a two-way street?

Seeing the change in Madam Zhong’s expression, Xue Yang knew she had come to terms with everything.

He intentionally asked, "Mom, would you and Dad be sad if your son was a kept man?"

Zhong Hailan lifted her chin high and said proudly, "My son doesn’t need to be kept by anyone."

"Don’t listen to what others say. Someday, they will realize how wrong they were."

Seeing her son so confident, Zhong Hailan’s worries were completely dispelled.

The mother and son finished their conversation and returned to Lin Xi’s side.

"Xiao Xi," Zhong Hailan began, "we’ve been here long enough. Your uncle and I have decided to go back tomorrow."

Xue Yang was bewildered.

She hadn’t mentioned this to me just now.

"Then... I’ll arrange a private jet for Uncle and Auntie," Lin Xi offered.

She was also reluctant to see Zhong Hailan and her husband leave. Throughout their stay, she and Xue Yang had been accompanying the older couple all around Yancheng. As they spent more time together, she grew to like these two endearing elders even more. They were incredibly supportive of any plans, never complaining, and would occasionally offer their own small suggestions. The four of them planned their routes together, and even when unexpected things happened, no one got upset; they would just immediately work together to create a new plan. They were just so emotionally supportive and easygoing.

"Xiao Xi, there’s no need for that," Zhong Hailan said kindly. "Just book regular plane tickets. Don’t go to so much trouble."

Lin Xi was about to say something else, but Xue Yang beat her to it. "Okay, I’ll book the tickets right now." He then gave her a reassuring look.

Lin Xi nodded slightly and said no more.

They respected her way of life, so naturally, she would respect their choices. This was the unspoken understanding they had developed over their days of traveling together.

"Alright," Zhong Hailan replied with a smile.

That evening, they didn’t go out to eat. Instead, they went to a nearby supermarket, bought groceries, and cooked in the villa. Naturally, Xue Yuanqing and his wife handled the cooking.

Smelling the familiar and delicious aroma of the home-cooked meal, Lin Xi’s eyes sparkled. "It’s been so long since I’ve tasted Uncle and Auntie’s cooking. I’ve missed it so much."

Zhong Hailan brought a pot of soup to the table and said, "The ingredients here are a little different from what we have in the countryside, so the taste might not be exactly the same. Remember to come back and visit when you have time. I’ll also have your uncle send you some ingredients regularly."

Lin Xi’s eyes flickered with excitement. "Okay!"