Lin Shu slept until he woke naturally. Glancing at his phone, he saw it was already ten o’clock. His disciplined younger sister and Su Nuan had messaged him at 6:30 and 7:00 respectively. A flicker of shame washed over him.
The first thing after getting up was hanging the clothes he’d forgotten to dry last night. After brushing his teeth and washing up, he nibbled on some bread and drank milk to quiet his stomach.
Though it was still early, there wasn’t much to do at home. He decided to check in at the shop—see if his dad needed help. He hadn’t seen the old man in days and wondered what he’d been busy with.
Dumping his backpack’s contents onto the bed, he sorted through them: spiked shoes, a pack of tissues, a towel, a water bottle, Yunnan Baiyao spray, kinesiology tape, sports supplements, and a crumpled piece of paper—the dating contract he’d signed with Su Nuan last night, its corners already wrinkled.
He tucked the contract into a drawer beside Gu Chuchu’s love letter. Then he packed his training gear—jersey, sneakers, wristbands—into his backpack and rode off on his beloved bicycle.
“Young master, didn’t bring your little girlfriend today?”
“Boss-in-training, want some veteran advice?”
The moment he entered the gym, the idle coaches teased him. Jiang Yan swatted their heads with a stack of flyers. “No work? Go hand these out and bring in customers! Shu, the boss wants you in his office after you arrive.”
“Got it. Heading up now.”
The office was on the second floor, next to the reception room. Beside it lay the coaches’ break room—where Lin Shu usually napped at noon. His father, gray streaking his temples but still powerfully built, sat before a computer reviewing the shop’s video analytics. His sharp-featured face carried not age, but quiet authority.
“Dad, what’s up? Why not tell me at home?”
“You were sleeping soundly. Son… I have something important to discuss.”
“What if I remarry? What do you think?”
“Huh? *What?*” Lin Shu blinked in confusion. “Remarry? So suddenly? With who?”
Right after the divorce, Lin Shu had hoped his parents might reconcile. But nearly three years had passed. At first, they’d asked him about each other through him—their reluctant messenger. Lately, those questions had faded. His dad only ever inquired about his sister’s grades and health now.
“Someone you know. An old friend. Auntie Liang.”
“Oh. *Auntie Liang.*”
Next door’s music café belonged to Liang Xuewei. By day, it was a quiet Western-style restaurant; after nine PM, it transformed into the Oxygen Bar—a non-alcoholic lounge with live singers. Though close to his dad’s age, Auntie Liang embraced new trends effortlessly, mastering social media and short videos. When Lin Shu proposed promoting the gym online, she’d offered sharp advice and even redirected customers their way. She’d been instrumental in reviving his dad’s business.
Though the Oxygen Bar was calmer than typical bars, drunk patrons sometimes caused trouble. That’s when his dad and the burly coaches would step in. Just seeing them usually made troublemakers back down. The neighboring shops had grown close—but Lin Shu had never sensed romance between his dad and Auntie Liang. Besides, she reportedly had plenty of suitors: wealthy businessmen, singers, artists…
“Think about it,” his dad said gently. “After your mom and I split, this house stopped feeling like a home. How long has it been since we ate together here? A house needs a woman’s touch.”
“Auntie Liang’s great. Honestly, Dad… you might be the one falling short.”
On second thought, their marriage wasn’t so shocking. Both were single parents. At their age, practical companionship mattered more than grand passion.
“*Ahem.* Leave me some dignity, you rascal,” his dad chuckled. “Auntie Liang values my steadiness. She needs security—her first marriage to a playboy scarred her. She won’t repeat that mistake. Her daughter, Caiyi—you’ve seen her around, right?”
Lin Shu vaguely recalled a girl with dyed blonde hair, always in trendy clothes, slinging a guitar case. They’d never spoken, only exchanged nods.
“Caiyi’s deep in her rebellious phase. It’s… complicated. Liang Wei spoiled her early on, trying to make up for past neglect. Whatever Caiyi wanted, she got. Bad grades? ‘As long as she’s happy.’ Now she’s obsessed with music, bands, live-streaming—refuses to study. Liang Wei’s desperate for someone to rein her in. Not to ‘reform’ her… just to get her back in a classroom.”
“So that’s partly why Auntie Liang chose you?”
His dad *looked* intimidating—kids often cried at the sight of him. Even Lin Shu’s sister still flinched around him. But could he really play the strict stepfather? Lin Shu doubted it. The man would probably spoil his new daughter rotten, trying too hard to win her over. Auntie Liang’s plan might backfire.
“You got into First High through the sports track, right? Caiyi’s been playing music for years. She has raw talent.”
“Hmm. How are her academic grades?”
“…Not great.”
“Then it’ll be tough. The special admissions exam for First High is next week. Other schools hold theirs within the month. Even if they waive academics for the audition, she still needs to hit the minimum high school entrance score.”
“Ugh. If only she were as easy as Yi-Yi,” his dad sighed, scratching his head. “So… you approve of us?”
“Of course. It’s your life. Your happiness matters.”
As his dad said, their home had felt hollow for years. Auntie Liang and Caiyi might fill that silence. Besides, Lin Shu planned to rent an apartment with his sister later this year. This change wouldn’t disrupt him much.
A new sister in her rebellious phase wouldn’t bother him. Strangers didn’t become family overnight. Shared meals and late-night talks built kinship—not forced cohabitation.
His real headache? Breaking the news to his mom and sister. Should he keep it quiet for now?
“I’ll tell Xuewei right away. Let’s all have lunch together. Oh—and I heard you have a girlfriend?”
“Just a classmate!”
“No need to explain. I’m open-minded. As long as studies don’t suffer and you stay safe… You’ve always been mature. Need more allowance?”
“I’m fine! Really. I’ll ask if I need more.”
Right after the divorce, conversations between them had dwindled. Lin Shu worked part-time at the gym for pocket money, so his dad’s go-to question became, “Allowance enough?”
“I worried you’d lost interest in girls after the divorce. My bad. Once we move in with Xuewei and Caiyi… bring your girlfriend home then.”
“I *told* you, she’s not—! I’m hitting the weights. Call me when lunch is ready.”
*Sigh.* His dad’s trust was sweet… but encouraging teenage romance? Something felt off.
Word had already spread among the coaches about his dad and Auntie Liang’s remarriage. No grand wedding—just a private gathering at her café later.
Though not their first meeting, Lin Shu wanted to make a good impression. After a quick shower to wash off sweat, he headed next door to the “Music Oxygen Bar”—a name echoing his dad’s “Forest Fitness Lifestyle Hub.”
The moment he stepped inside, tension crackled in the air. Auntie Liang, in a simple long dress and heels, stood facing a blonde girl. The dye job looked cheap—or deliberately uneven—the ends fading back to black.
The girl wore a black wide-sleeve crop top, revealing delicate collarbones, and ripped jeans exposing patches of pale skin at her knees and thighs. Bracelets clinked on her wrist; tiny heart earrings dangled. Her light makeup accentuated pretty features, yet somehow dimmed her natural glow.
*This must be Liang Caiyi.*
“I will *never* let your half-baked band perform here,” Auntie Liang said sharply. “It disrespects our venue, the other bands waiting their turn, and our customers.”
“You’re just picking on me! Last night’s band wasn’t better—singer forgot lyrics, drummer rushed ahead, total mess by the end!”
“And what’s *your* band’s flaw? Why won’t I give you even a warm-up slot?”
“You just said their mistakes! Yours are worse! You act like you’re perfect! How many times must I correct you? No change at all! Still think I’m nitpicking? *This* is your ‘good attitude’?”
Caiyi’s lower lip trembled. Words failed her. She spun around, tears welling. “I HATE YOU THE MOST, MOM!” She stormed toward the exit, nearly colliding with Lin Shu. He sidestepped just in time.
“Caiyi…” Auntie Liang sighed, shoulders slumping. “That girl grows wilder by the day. I’d planned lunch together today—but she bargained: ‘I’ll come if you book my band next.’”
“Should we chase her?” his dad suggested.
“No. She’s stubborn. My fault—I spoiled her rotten. Sorry you had to see that, Shu.”
“Every family has its struggles.”
“We’ll be family soon.”
“Yeah.”
“Let’s eat. She’ll come back when she’s hungry.”
Though Caiyi was absent, lunch revolved entirely around her.
From Auntie Liang’s stories, Lin Shu pieced together his soon-to-be stepsister:
Bottom of her class. Hated school. Skipped lessons constantly. Auntie Liang got called to the principal’s office weekly. Caiyi had even roped other girls into forming a band—terrifying their parents. This latest group was a last-minute scramble, hence the terrible coordination.
“Why not make a deal with her?” Lin Shu asked. “Let her perform once—if she promises to focus on studies after?”
“I’ve considered it. But giving in now would only encourage worse behavior. I have standards for performers here. If skill lacks… stage presence must compensate.”
*So sheltered. Never stumbled, never learned pain.* But his own sister was equally protected. What made Caiyi so different?
