Chapter 5: Oh No, I've Been Exposed

“Thank you, Uncle!” Ye Huan, fully embracing his dramatic side, sat down with a sense of restraint.

He perfectly embodied the awkwardness and nervousness of meeting the parents for the first time—a performance worthy of an Oscar!

“You and Xixi are already married, so why are you still calling me ‘uncle’?” Lin Canglan feigned displeasure.

Ye Huan quickly backtracked, “Dad…”

Lin Xi was utterly defeated by Ye Huan’s shamelessness, thinking to herself that his skin was as thick as a fortress wall—if it were made into a bulletproof vest, even a nuclear bomb wouldn’t tear it apart.

“Ah… what a good son-in-law, what a good son-in-law!” Lin Canglan quickly agreed, then clasped Ye Huan’s hand, showering him with praise.

Meanwhile, Lin Xi’s mother, Li Meiya, played the role of the supportive sidekick, echoing Lin Canglan’s sentiments.

Lin Xi quietly admired Ye Huan’s acting, thinking that since her parents liked him so much and she was already married to him, the three of them were united. Surely now her grandfather wouldn’t force her to marry that wild fiancé he had arranged.

Ye Huan felt nauseated by Lin Canglan and Li Meiya’s sweet talk. He knew very well that these two didn’t like him for who he was but for the fabricated academic credentials and the identity as founder of a billion-dollar company about to go public—both concocted by Lin Xi.

*Creak…*

At that moment, the door to the private room opened, and Lin Tai walked in.

Instantly, the joyful laughter inside the room froze. Lin Xi, Lin Canglan, and Li Meiya all looked guiltily at Lin Tai.

They already foresaw the fury Lin Tai would unleash upon learning that Lin Xi and Ye Huan had registered their marriage!

“So, you’ve arrived, boy!” Lin Tai smiled kindly upon seeing Ye Huan.

“Just got here!” Ye Huan rose, smiling as he shook Lin Tai’s hand.

This scene left Lin Xi, Lin Canglan, and Li Meiya exchanging glances, their faces full of questions.

Lin Tai knowing Ye Huan caught them off guard.

But then Lin Canglan and Li Meiya both breathed a huge sigh of relief.

“So you and Ye Huan know each other, Dad? That makes things easier, haha…” Lin Canglan said with a relaxed smile.

Li Meiya smiled as well.

In their eyes, Lin Tai and Ye Huan were old acquaintances, and Lin Tai seemed to like Ye Huan. Therefore, even if Lin Tai learned about Ye Huan and Lin Xi’s marriage registration, he wouldn’t be angry and wouldn’t break them apart.

Lin Xi was both shocked and embarrassed at this moment!

Shocked because her grandfather actually knew Ye Huan;

Embarrassed because if her grandfather was familiar with Ye Huan, he must know him well, and that meant the fabricated identity she concocted for Ye Huan would soon be exposed.

This slap in the face came too quickly—she was caught off guard!

---

“So your name’s Ye Huan, huh? I’ve known you for years but only just learned your name!” Lin Tai teased Ye Huan, then looked at Lin Canglan and asked,

“What do you mean by ‘that makes things easier’?”

Lin Canglan, feeling guilty, forced out,

“Well, Dad, today Xixi and Ye Huan registered their marriage. Just now, Xixi’s mom and I have learned some things about Ye Huan. Anyway, I’m very satisfied with this son-in-law. As for the marriage you arranged for Xixi, let’s just forget about it, haha, hehe…”

Li Meiya continued, “Dad, there’s an old saying: it’s better to tear down a temple than to ruin a marriage. Xixi and Ye Huan have been in love for years and deeply care for each other. Please support and bless them and stop forcing Xixi to marry a stranger!”

Seeing her parents support her, Lin Xi summoned courage and said,

“Grandpa, I’m sorry, but I won’t marry that stranger you arranged. I don’t even know his name, what he looks like, his job, or his personality. I wouldn’t be happy marrying him.”

She then linked arms with Ye Huan, showing a resolute stance that she would marry no one but him, signaling Ye Huan to show his support.

Ye Huan immediately kissed Lin Xi hard on the cheek, suppressing a laugh as he said to Lin Tai,

“No one can tear us apart!”

Lin Xi almost gagged from the grossness of Ye Huan’s kiss but was very pleased with his attitude.

Lin Tai was stunned, taking a moment to react. Then, looking at Ye Huan, he half-joked, half-scolded,

“Well done, boy. I’d been worried that Xixi would never marry you, so I sent her to the airport to pick you up, hoping you two would get to know each other and develop feelings. Didn’t expect you two were already together and even registered your marriage.”

“You used the word ‘together’ perfectly to describe my relationship with Lin Xi!” Ye Huan said, biting back a laugh.

Lin Tai twitched at the corner of his mouth, thinking this guy was a bit too outspoken!

At that moment, Lin Xi, Lin Canglan, and Li Meiya were all completely bewildered.

“You’re the one Grandpa told me to pick up at the airport?” Lin Xi asked Ye Huan in disbelief.

“That’s right!” Ye Huan nodded, grinning widely.

“I’m the man you’re supposed to marry. Surprise? Unexpected?”

He smiled at Lin Xi, waiting eagerly for her reaction.

This was the moment he had been waiting for!

He expected Lin Xi to explode with anger, go crazy, and regret registering their marriage.

But he was disappointed!

Lin Xi’s expression was calm, leaving him feeling as if he had punched a cotton wall—utterly disappointed!

“Aren’t you surprised at all? Not even a little?” Ye Huan asked, puzzled.

“Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m very happy with this outcome!” Lin Xi said, looking at Ye Huan with a radiant smile—fiery and dazzling!

---

Ye Huan: “…”

Seeing Ye Huan look as dejected as a withered eggplant, Lin Xi suddenly felt ecstatic, thinking she had totally won this round!

In truth, the moment Lin Xi learned the truth, her anger skyrocketed, especially when Ye Huan kissed her during his declaration—it nearly made her furious enough to claw him to death.

But the anger vanished almost instantly!

She had agreed to a marriage contract with Ye Huan partly to use it as leverage against him, and partly to reject the marriage her grandfather arranged.

Now that it was confirmed Ye Huan was actually the stranger her grandfather had arranged for her to marry, her goal was achieved.

Without that stranger, she could focus entirely on using the marriage contract to get back at Ye Huan!

“Fate!” Li Meiya smacked the table excitedly.

“Who would have thought, Dad, that the man you arranged for Xixi to marry is actually her boyfriend? What a coincidence! Even a drama couldn’t write something this perfect. Fate, it must be fate!”

“Waiter!” Lin Canglan called out loudly. When the waiter arrived, he urged,

“Bring out the food quickly! This afternoon, I’m going to drink with my good son-in-law until I’m drunk!”

Afterwards, seeing Ye Huan, Lin Tai, and Lin Xi still standing, he said,

“Dad, why are you all still standing? Sit down, sit down! Good son-in-law, sit next to me.”

The three of them immediately sat down. Lin Tai took Ye Huan’s hand and asked,

“What kind of work did you do overseas? I’ll arrange the same position for you at Lin Corporation.”

Lin Xi, Lin Canglan, and Li Meiya were about to answer, but before they could speak, Ye Huan said himself,

“Butcher.”

He was in the slaughtering industry—not animals, but people!

Lin Xi: “…”

Lin Canglan: “???”

Li Meiya: “???”

Lin Xi panicked, silently cursing Ye Huan for being so foolish as to ignore the job description she had devised. Now their cover was blown!

But she really hadn’t expected Ye Huan to be a butcher!

“Xixi, what’s going on?” Li Meiya glared at Lin Xi and demanded,

“You said Ye Huan was the founder of a billion-dollar company on Wall Street about to go public? How did he become a butcher?”