"So, why exactly did you suddenly show up here?"

Su Shui stared at Lin Feng, who was huddled like a ball on the sofa.

"Of course I came to see my sister~"

"Cut the crap. You haven’t visited her once in the three years since she married me."

Under Su Shui’s knife-sharp gaze, Lin Feng finally surrendered.

"Well… there might be a few other little reasons~"

…………

……

"You mean Mom’s trying to set you up on a blind date?!" Su Shui gaped at Lin Feng.

Lin Feng sat obediently on the sofa and nodded slightly.

"If it’s such a good thing, why run away? If my parents had done that for me, I’d never have ended up with your sister—"

Su Shui grinned wide, completely forgetting Lin Ning beside him.

Hearing this, Lin Ning wouldn’t tolerate it. Her small hand crept up Su Shui’s waist.

Her fingers gently pinched a soft fold of skin, then twisted it a full 360 degrees.

Pain stiffened Su Shui’s body. He shot straight up from the sofa.

He lifted his shirt to check—a large patch of his waist had turned bruised and purple.

"Why so rough? Look how bruised it is!"

He shoved the mark toward Lin Ning’s face.

"Ugh, get away from me!"

Lin Ning shoved him off with a disgusted look. Su Shui plopped down beside Lin Feng instead.

"Scoot over, little bro~"

Su Shui forced himself onto the sofa with Lin Feng, who tried to bolt but got trapped in a shoulder hug.

"Why’s Mom so eager to set you up? You’re handsome—just a notch below me~"

Su Shui whispered in Lin Feng’s ear, arm draped affectionately.

"Because… because…" Lin Feng stammered, sneaking a glance at Lin Ning.

"Talk properly! Stop eyeing your sister!" Su Shui smacked his head.

"Because Mom’s desperate for grandkids, and since my sister hasn’t… you know…"

"My bad. I’ll try harder!" Su Shui thumped his chest, only to get kicked away by a crimson-faced Lin Ning.

"Anyway, I refuse to sit there smiling at some stranger! I’m not going back!"

Lin Feng clung to the sofa like a lifeline.

…………

……

"Hey, Mom!" Lin Ning and Su Shui huddled together, opening a video call.

"Oh, Xiao Ning! Su Shui’s there too. What’s up?" Lin Ning’s mother appeared on screen.

"It’s about the blind date you arranged for Xiao Feng…"

"Oh, so he ran to you. That kid—such a good opportunity, and he flees!"

"So about that…"

"I’ve given up. Neither of you gives me peace. Guess I won’t be holding grandkids anytime soon."

As the couple chatted, Lin Feng eavesdropped from the corner.

Hearing his mom had abandoned the matchmaking, he finally breathed easy.

"So should we send Lin Feng back?" Su Shui rubbed his hands eagerly, itching to ship the kid home.

Lin Feng leaped out, clinging to Lin Ning’s leg.

"I’m not going back! If you drag me, I’ll run away forever!"

Watching Lin Feng throw a tantrum on the floor, his mom sighed at Su Shui.

"Xiao Shui, take care of him for now. He’s stressed about college entrance exams. Let him stay with you to unwind."

Su Shui barely heard her—he just wanted to pry the kid off his wife.

"Leave it to me!"

He flashed Lin Feng a knowing smile.

But that grin sent a chill racing up Lin Feng’s spine.

"Honestly, I can take care of myself…"

That was Lin Feng’s peak survival instinct. Against Su Shui, the human devil, he had no choice but to submit.

…………

……

"Listen up! Living here means rules. Wake at 6:30, wash up, breakfast at seven, then off to school!"

Su Shui stood hands on hips, laying out Lin Feng’s senior-year schedule.

"Do I have to go to school?!" Lin Feng whined, trying to act cute to dodge it.

"You’re a senior. What else would you do?!"

"Stay home like you~"

"Guess 6 a.m. vocabulary drills will work for you~"

Su Shui squinted at him, oozing fake sympathy.

"Dear brother-in-law, as a youth of this new era, school is essential. But for my health’s sake, 6 a.m. is a no-go!"

Truly, limits are made to be broken—Su Shui had unlocked Lin Feng’s survival mode.

"Fine. You’ll stay in that room."

Su Shui pointed to the storage closet.

Lin Feng opened the door—dust nearly choked him.

Inside, junk overflowed: empty flowerpots with dirt, crumpled cardboard, a broken fan, a busted washing machine…

"Oh, and tidy your own room~"

Su Shui tossed that off lightly, then dragged Lin Ning to their bedroom, leaving Lin Feng frozen in the doorway.

"Why put him in there when we have guest rooms?!" Lin Ning frowned at Su Shui.

"To teach him life’s hardships! Chores build character!"

Su Shui declared it nobly, as if for Lin Feng’s growth. Who knew if he was just jealous over the leg-clinging?

Either way, the afternoon wrecked Lin Feng.

Covered in grime, he finally made the room livable.

But as the old saying goes: effort brings rewards. Digging through newspapers, he found several CD cases—covers plastered with scantily clad women.

He peeked around. Su Shui? Gone. Lin Ning? Gone.

"Perfect!"

Lin Feng stuffed the discs into his bag, planning a "critical analysis" later.

"Dinner!"

Su Shui’s shout from the kitchen made Lin Feng fumble the discs.

He shoved them away and dashed out, grinning.

"Xiao Feng~"

"Yes, brother-in-law!"

Kids are transparent—their faces give everything away.

Su Shui chuckled at Lin Feng’s nervousness.

"Find anything… interesting while cleaning?"

He shot a look only men understand. Lin Feng played dumb.

"No idea what you mean!"

He shoveled food into his mouth and bolted back to his room.

"I’m full!"

Inside, he locked the door, put on headphones, slid a disc into the drive, and grabbed tissues.

The player screen lit up—a busty European model appeared.

"Nice~" Lin Feng sighed, feeling certain parts react.

Just as things heated up, the scene shifted. The model morphed into a grotesque Bulgarian wrestler.

"Fuck! Mother—!"

"Damn you, Su Shui!!!"

Inside the room, Lin Feng nearly lost his manhood. Outside, Su Shui pressed his ear to the door, snickering.

"Kid, you’re still green if you think you can outsmart me."