Chapter 1434: Chapter 823: Arrogant Wild Man, Degenerate Gentleman (Second Update)
The coldest time of day is just before dawn, at four or five in the morning. Jiang Shiyi had never felt this so deeply before, but today he finally sensed the chill all over.
A gust of cold air blew from all directions, chilling him to the bone.
The two stood in silent confrontation, seemingly both startled, as no one spoke until someone came down from upstairs. The man appeared to be in his sixties or seventies, out for his morning exercise. Upon seeing Jiang Shiyi standing at the Lin Familyâs door, he couldnât help but give him a second glance and then turned to recognize a familiar face.
"Old Lin, up so early, buying breakfast?"
"Yes." Linâs father smiled.
"And whoâs that young man...?" Curious about who was standing at their door so early in the morning.
"Just a relative."
"Havenât seen him before." The elder chuckled, "The young man looks quite handsome. Is he married or seeing someone?"
Jiang Shiyi just chuckled awkwardly, not daring to speak.
For the first time in his life...
He felt intimidated!
"Heâs Youyouâs cousin, a distant one. We ran into him at a wedding yesterday." Linâs father explained with a smile.
"No wonder I havenât seen him before. Iâm off to exercise." The elder twisted his waist as he walked downstairs, and once he left completely, the entire stairwell returned to dead silence.
Jiang Shiyi had never felt intimidated in his life...
Strangely, he felt a bit scared.
Watching him approach with things in hand, whether intentionally or not, the noise of his footsteps on the stairs seemed to pound on his heart.
Until he was beside him, Jiang Shiyi stiffly called out:
"Uncle."
Linâs father responded indifferently, walked directly to the door, pulled out his key, opened the door, and went inside.
Jiang Shiyi stood at the door, neither entering nor retreating, feeling exceptionally awkward.
Linâs father entered the house, turned his head to glance at him, "Come in."
"Mm." Jiang Shiyi could only comply, and after entering, he turned around to close the door.
"There are slippers in the shoe cabinet, grab a pair and change into them." Linâs father placed the soy milk and fried dough sticks down, barely looking at him as he spoke.
Jiang Shiyi had a mild cleanliness obsession, refusing to wear othersâ things. The Lin Familyâs slippers were evidently prepared for guests, very clean yet not brand new. But at this point, he couldnât care about any obsession, and could only put them on.
He even tidyed up the shoes Linâs father had just changed out of.
Linâs father stared coldly, letting out a slight snort:
Brat, whatâs with the well-behaved act now, thinking tidying up shoes would smooth things over?
Dressed primly but not doing anything proper, he had clearly misjudged him earlier, simply a âwolf in sheepâs clothingâ.
...
Linâs father had drunk a lot yesterday, and vomited in the night. It wasnât that he woke up early, but rather didnât sleep well all night.
Last night he kept his wife awake too, he rose early to buy breakfast to appease her, hence why he ran into Jiang Shiyi.
Lin Luyouâs mother had also not rested well, tending a drunkard last night. Hearing the sound of the door opening and finding the place beside her vacated, she came out from the room, still in her pajamas.
"Old Lin, why are you up so early..."
Her words halted upon seeing a stranger standing at the entrance hallway, stunned for quite a moment.
"Hello, Auntie."
Linâs mother glanced at her husband, then at Jiang Shiyi, and finally at the clock on the wall.
Five thirty, whatâs this about...
She stiffly nodded, hurriedly turned to change her clothes, and quickly came out again, thinking she saw wrong, staring at Jiang Shiyi for a long time, "Are you here to see Youyou?"
She only knew they were colleagues, but even visiting a patient doesnât happen before dawn.
"Auntie..."
Jiang Shiyi, usually ingenious and eloquent, was genuinely at a loss for words this time.
"Iâll go wake Youyou." Linâs mother still hadnât caught on and prepared to go wake up her daughter.
"Leave her be, let her sleep more. I have something to say to him alone." Linâs father had already placed the purchased breakfast on the table.
Linâs mother hurriedly moved to her husbandâs side, "What do you need to say to him? Whyâs this child here so early? Where did you meet him?"
"Stop asking so much, my head is muddled too."
"Youâre just not sober from the drink, huh."
"..." Linâs father was choked, "Iâm not sober, I woke up when I saw him."
"Why are you glaring fiercely at him, donât scare the child." The couple muttered in low voices, and Linâs mother still smiled at Jiang Shiyi.
Linâs father let out a cold snort, couldnât help but complain internally:
Who dares scare him, clearly this lad made me jump out of my skin.
Coming out from his place early in the morning, could it be that he stayed there overnight?
Just the thought that thereâs a wild young man who stayed right under his nose for so long without him knowing anything, the longer he stayed, the more he did, and the more it made him fume...
Back in the day, when he went to his father-in-lawâs home, he was always extremely cautious and respectful.
Yet this kid showed up quietly and wanted to sneak away, as if treating their home like a hotel.
Moreover, if you come openly, weâll treat you as a guest, offering the best food and drink. Sneaky like this, without saying a word, clearly thereâs something shady.
Are todayâs young people all so brazenly audacious?
He simmered with anger inside, yet he was a mild-mannered person who almost never argued with anyone. Before losing his temper, he ended up aggravating himself.
"Then sit down, donât just stand there," Linâs mother was still very welcoming to him.
"Thank you, Auntie, but no need, Iâm fine standing," Jiang Shiyiâs mind was also in turmoil.
This matter...
Itâs really impossible to explain clearly.
Under normal circumstances, even if the relationship is exposed, admitting it wouldnât matter, but spending the night makes this thing unspeakable.
"Why stand? Hurry up and sit," Linâs mother smiled, ready to go wake her daughter but was stopped by her husband. She frowned, puzzled, as her daughterâs colleague came over while she was still asleep. What kind of manners is this?
...
Lin Luyouâs parents, just by looking at their faces, one could tell they are extremely kind people. The husband suddenly turned stern, making the mother curious, though she refrained from saying anything in front of outsiders.
After Linâs father sat down, he had started eating breakfast without inviting the guest, which made Linâs mother find it even stranger.
"Sorry, I only bought three breakfasts," he remarked to Jiang Shiyi, meaning he wasnât included.
Linâs mother found it even more puzzling; not letting him stand idly, yet now speaking to the guest this way, she nudged her husband, feeling he was a bit too much.
She frowned, walked over to Jiang Shiyi, preparing to pull him down to sit, "Ignore your uncle, sit down quickly. Why come so early?"
At that moment, her husband stated:
"He didnât come early, he probably stayed the whole night."
"What are you talking about?" Linâs mother frowned.
"What am I talking about? When I came back with breakfast, he was just sneaking out of our place, sneaky like a thief, closing the door and rushing off, and I caught him red-handed."
Linâs mother: "..."
The atmosphere instantly turned exceedingly odd.
Linâs mother, who was initially dragging him to sit down, released her hand and stood beside her husband.
...
Lin Luyou was still asleep at this moment, unaware that her home was in turmoil.
Linâs father barely slept last night, suffering from a hangover, feeling miserable, and now seeing Jiang Shiyi made his head throb even more. He had privately discussed him with his wife.
The couple had a good impression of him, feeling he matched well with their daughter. However, considering the Jiang family background, they were always worried about their daughter being wronged if she married into an influential family, hence Jiang Shiyi wasnât their top choice for a son-in-law.
But if the two truly end up together, and if he genuinely loves their daughter and makes her happy, as parents, naturally they wouldnât say much, just...
Sneaking around right under their noses for an entire night, what does this mean?
Treating them with disregard?
Or just too arrogant and reckless?
Linâs father suddenly thought of Jiang Chengsi, who was recently famous in Beijing for being with Si Qingxiao. Reports about him were widespread, and everyone knew he was wild and loved to play.
Looking at Jiang Shiyiâs behavior now, suddenly feeling...
Indeed, like real brothers, both doing such outlandish things?
Jiang Shiyi took a deep breath; since he had been caught, he might as well confess first.
"Uncle, Auntie, it was inappropriate of me, I apologize first. Iâm sorry." Jiang Shiyi said and bowed to them.
"I actually arrived last night. It was pretty complicated at the time, so I stayed in Youyouâs room..."
"Youyou?" Linâs father frowned.
"Team Leader Lin." Jiang Shiyi corrected the address, prompting an old father to snort coldly.
"I planned to leave after you went to sleep to avoid misunderstanding our relationship."
"Staying in my daughterâs room is already beyond misunderstanding," the Lin Family had very good upbringing, and Lin Luyou wasnât someone who would casually bring a man into her room. Linâs father frowned, "Thereâs no need for lengthy explanations..."
"If thereâs nothing between you two, thereâs no need to hide from us. Just clarify it, hiding is when there is something."
"Come on, when did you two start?"
"..."
Jiang Shiyi didnât expect Lin Luyouâs father to be so straightforward.
Jiang Shiyi coughed lightly, "This yearâs Lantern Festival."
Linâs father was dumbstruck; that was during winter, now itâs summer already, meaning theyâve been together for several months, yet his daughter hadnât told the family anything, leaving him somewhat uncomfortable inside.