Chapter 28.2

　　Consequently, the pair found themselves in an intriguing situation, aware only of their need to put on an act together. As days turned into weeks without any word from Jing Xi or Duan Chi, a sense of unease crept in. Frustrated by their lack of communication, they were left with no choice but to convene and unravel the enigma together.

　　Duan Xiuwen’s remarkable intelligence, coupled with an unwavering steadiness he picked up from Duan Chi, was a stark contrast to Yi Jun’s superficial elitism. As he began to connect the dots, he speculated that his uncle and the others might be using the exposure as bait for some hidden agenda.

　　While Jin Yumeng might appear outwardly sweet, she possessed an incredible inner calm when confronted with challenges — an attribute that intriguingly aligned with his disposition.

　　Lately, there had been a noticeable spark between the pair. As their interactions became more frequent, their feelings for one another gradually blossomed.

　　Duan Xiuwen was never one to tread lightly when it came to matters of the heart. The moment their return finally eased the turmoil in his chest, he began to contemplate his matter with Jin Yumeng, for which he became resolute in his pursuit of her affections.

　　After grappling with uncertainty for several days, he decidedly approached his aunt.

　　Whether it was his childhood friends or the newfound friends he had made at university, none of them could truly fathom the emotions of one bound to a Lupinus Mutant. As such, he had no choice but to turn to the very person capable of providing guidance on convincing the other that his affections were not merely a result of their blood ties.

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　　Rd y przkv plnsde, Pwyd Dkwold’p osaep pldv akrrzlp sq lmnkvlxldv vbaswtb Kkdt Dk yde Fupvlx.

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　　Mbl xsxldv vbl osaep zlqv bkp xswvb, csvb Fupvlx yde Pwyd Dkwold qswde vblxplzhlp yv y zspp qsa osaep.

　　G bwpble pkzldnl ldhlzsrle vblx yp Pwyd Dkwold zsnjle lulp okvb Kkdt Dk. Mblka tyglp kdvlavokdle qsa y blyav-rswdekdt qkhl sa pkm plnsdep clqsal Pwyd Dkwold lyadlpvzu alxyajle, “R esd’v vbkdj vbyv’p psxlvbkdt pbl zkjlp, cwv R’x dsv blal qsa asxydvkn yehknl, ynvwyzzu. R byhl ydsvbla iwlpvksd kd xkde.”

　　Syvbla vbyd bypvkzu kdvlaawrvkdt bkx, Kkdt Dk ryvkldvzu zkpvldle vs bkp nsdnladp vbkp vkxl. Payokdt wrsd bkp olzz sq okpesx, bl sqqlale psxl yehknl. “Rv’p iwkvl pkxrzl, alyzzu. Kwpv zlv uswa caynlzlv akdt xsal sqvld kd bla ralpldnl. Wsa lmyxrzl, uswa caynlzlv okzz pvyav akdtkdt obld usw es dsvbkdt cwv pvyal yv bla.”

　　Pwyd Dkwold alxykdle pkzldv yde xwple, ‘Pke Bdnzl wpl vbl pyxl xlvbse yp olzz?’

　　Gp bl yvvlxrvle vs ldhkpksd kv, bl alnjsdle vbyv bkp kdvldpl tygl xktbv cl xkpvyjld qsa y “vbkapv qsa czsse.” Mbkdjkdt ycswv vbyv rskdv, bl zyrple kdvs nsdvlxrzyvkhl pkzldnl.

　　Xd vbl svbla byde, Fupvlx nswze dsv alpkpv nbkxkdt kd, “Qlv bkx vs yrrasynb bkp wdnzl, yzaktbv? Mbydj usw!”

　　Feeling slightly out of his depth, Jing Xi recommended that he seek advice from Duan Chi. He was worried that Duan Xiuwen might feel embarrassed, so he even took the initiative to call Duan Chi and invite him over for a chat.

　　Unbeknownst to Jing Xi, Duan Xiuwen had shared countless heartfelt conversations with his uncle throughout his growing-up years. Hence, there was no awkwardness between them when he explained the situation.

　　Despite his initial plans to take things slow, Duan Chi could not help but feel a twinge of envy. After all, his Darling had an undeniable penchant for pushing boundaries, gradually bringing him to this point. Yet, it was precisely this spirited nature that had led him to fall deeply in love with Jing Xi.

　　However, Jin Yumeng and Yi Zhou were individuals with such different personalities and preferences. As such, Duan Xiuwen would have to approach her differently.

　　With that, he came up with an excuse for his nephew and Yi Zhou to invite Jin Yumeng over for a meal.

　　As the last remnants of dinner vanished from their plates, it became evident that Jin Yumeng also harbored feelings for his nephew. Encouraged by this discovery, he advised his nephew to continue their current interactions. Since the looming final exams drew near, he could also take this chance to study and foster their budding romance at the library.

　　After mulling over the suggestions he had received, Duan Xiuwen made some thoughtful adjustments before putting his plan into action.

　　Once the final exams concluded and school was out for the holidays, he seized the opportunity to invite Jin Yumeng to her favorite theme park.

　　The night was alive with excitement as the park buzzed with activity. As their car reached the highest point on the Ferris wheel, a spectacular fireworks display lit up the sky, painting it with vibrant hues.

　　In that electrifying moment, their eyes locked, and Duan Xiuwen’s bracelet erupted into a cacophony of shrill rings.

　　Peering deep into her eyes, he confessed, “I like you, Yumeng. I know you might think it’s only due to our blood ties that I’m drawn to you, but I will prove to you that my affection for you is genuine. Will you give me a chance to show you?”

　　Upon hearing this, Jin Yumeng’s heart thumped loudly against her ribs.

　　Ever since she had been bound, she had been diligently combing through numerous cases related to the Lupinus Mutants. In comparison, she discovered that Duan Xiuwen had indeed shown remarkable restraint.

　　However, the piercing ringings from his bracelet broke her reverie. Swiftly, she regained her composure and retorted, “We’ve been at the library for the past few days, but I didn’t hear your bracelet go off, though.”

　　Duan Xiuwen chuckled, “Well, my uncle had a little mishap with his bracelet, so he cautioned against wearing mine. That’s why I’ve been using a regular phone these past few days to avoid disrupting everyone’s studies.”

　　As Jin Yumeng pictured the scene in her mind, her laughter bubbled forth uncontrollably.

　　Down below, Jing Xi noticed the happy grins adorned their faces. Although they were not holding hands, the air around them was thick with an undeniable aura of ambiguity and shyness. It was adamant that Duan Xiuwen’s plan was a success. At that juncture, Jing Xi could not refrain from clicking his tongue in playful disbelief, and even System chimed in with an exclamation of surprise.

　　Jin Yumeng had barely taken a few steps before spotting him and the dandies. However, what took her by surprise was the presence of countless local students. Her gaze shifted to Duan Xiuwen, seeking an explanation.

　　Duan Xiuwen explained, “Since it’s your birthday tomorrow, I thought to invite them all to celebrate your birthday at midnight. Then, we’ll follow your original plan and celebrate your birthday once more the next day.”

　　Jin Yumeng could not help but refute, “What if I hadn’t agreed?”
　　Duan Xiuwen replied, “They would know not to bother you after seeing my signal.”

　　As he said so, the dandies gathered around them, each holding her favorite tulip. Their voices rang out in unison, “Congratulations on finding the man of your dreams, our dear lady, and happy birthday!”

　　A radiant smile graced Jin Yumeng’s lips as she graciously accepted the flowers, expressing her gratitude to each of them.

　　Although the theme park’s closing time was set at ten o’clock, every attraction beyond that hour had been reserved exclusively by Duan Xiuwen. Hence, it allowed them the freedom to enjoy themselves to the fullest.

　　Meanwhile, System observed the scene unfolding as its eyes welled up with tears. “Little Princess,” it began, “You have endured far too many trials and setbacks in the original storyline and were only able to find your true happiness in the affectionate male lead. But now, you no longer have to undergo them in the current storyline. Look at her sweet smile! She truly deserves to be cherished by everyone in this world.”

　　Even though Jing Xi might not have been very much involved in his foray into matchmaking, he still felt a sense of accomplishment at the sight of the male leads ending up together.

　　Switching to the matter at hand, he inquired, “How many bugs are left in this storyline?”
　　System rebutted, “Can’t you let me savor this heartwarming moment a little longer?”
　　Jing Xi said with a thoughtful hum, “Hmm?”
　　System reported, “… Other than the supporting actors, there are essentially no more bugs left to debug. Once we have dealt with the supporting actor upstaging the main leads, we can move on to the next storyline.”
　　Jing Xi remarked, “I think they can handle that on their own.”
　　System affirmed, “I think so, too.”

　　Be that as it may, they chose to stick around in this storyline for a while longer.

　　As they waited, the supporting actor, who was supposed to relocate to Howe, failed to make an appearance. As such, those bugs would be able to resolve themselves when the time came.

　　Coming together, one man and one robot speculated that the butterfly effects might have caused things to go awry — their arrival had set in motion a cascade of events like ripples in a pond, making it impossible to pinpoint the exact moment that led to the absence of the supporting actor.

　　Despite that, this brought fantastic news because it meant there were no pressing tasks left for him.

　　As for the supporting actress, her scenes were a part of the actual storyline, rather than being perceived as bugs. 

　　In other words, they could finally make for the next storyline.

　　After a restful night, Jing Xi wasted no time and rushed to Gese University the next day to apply for a deferment of studies.

　　Upon hearing that, the surprised teacher exclaimed, “A deferment? Why?” 

　　“How should I put it?” Jing Xi sighed softly, “This place, the people in it, everything feels too overwhelming. So, I’ve decided to take some time away to heal my soul.”

　　Without a doubt, his outrageous reason left the teacher on duty flabbergasted.

　　He could not help but opine, ‘Could it be that ​​those photos from a few days ago of you and CEO Duan leisurely strolling in the neighborhood were actually fake?’

　　Noticing the student’s sullen demeanor, the teacher suppressed the urge to pry and simply handed over the application form.

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Translator’s Note:

Heya guys! From now on, I will be changing the terms “brother-in-law” and “sister-in-law” to “uncle” and “aunt” for Duan Chi and Jing Xi respectively. I’m so sorry that it took me so long to finally realize that I’ve been translating the terms wrongly. >~< Ugh, the pain of the unnecessarily complicated Chinese family tree!

Anyway, if you happen to notice any inconsistencies, please feel free to ping or dm me on Discord! Thanks and happy reading!