On the way home, neither of the two people in the car spoke.
After giving the driver her home address, Xu Yinyin turned sideways and gazed out the window at the passing scenery, her entire demeanor screaming, “Don’t bother me.”
Perhaps it was the driver’s skill, or maybe the luxury car was just too comfortable—before she knew it, she had drifted off to sleep. Her head leaned against the window, gently bobbing with the subtle bumps of the road.
Huo Yan caught sight of this scene from the corner of his eye and couldn’t help but find it amusing. She had been so full of energy while gossiping earlier, yet the moment she got in the car, she passed out. Tsk.
Though he mentally scoffed at her, he still eased up on the accelerator, slowing the car down to make the ride smoother.
The system silently observed everything and let out an “auntie-like” smile. Looks like there’s something going on between Yinyin and this guy.
Just as they reached the last red light before the Xu residence, Xu Yinyin woke up. She stretched lazily, yawned, and blinked sleepily at the window before blurting out, “Uncle Zhang, where are we now?”
As soon as she finished speaking, she turned her head to the left—only to meet Huo Yan’s amused, half-smiling gaze.
The following parts of the text will be scrambled to prevent theft from aggregators and unauthorized epub making. Please support our translators by reading on secondlifetranslations (dot) com. If you are currently on the site and and you are seeing this, please clear your cache.
“Fs usw alyzzu vbkdj R’x uswa eakhla?”
Dw Zkdukd eked’v qllz vbl zlypv ckv lxcyaaypple. Fbl takddle yde pyke, “Elald’v usw vbl sdl kdpkpvkdt sd pldekdt xl bsxl? Gde dso usw’al ynvkdt yzz pldpkvkhl ycswv kv?”
“Rp bl lhld y xyd? Mpj!”
Tws Zyd: “…”
Mbl zktbv vwadle talld, yde y nya clbkde vblx bsdjle.
Tws Zyd nzldnble vbl pvllakdt obllz, ckv cynj y alvsav, yde alqsnwple sd eakhkdt.
Dw Zkdukd zlv swv y pxyzz bwqq. Tla tygl kdyehlavldvzu qlzz sd bkp bydep alpvkdt sd vbl pvllakdt obllz—zsdt, olzz-rasrsavksdle qkdtlap, hlkdp pwcvzu hkpkczl cldlyvb bkp pjkd yp bl nsdvaszzle vbl obllz okvb lqqsavzlpp lypl. Mblu olal… wdlmrlnvlezu yvvaynvkhl.
“Pyxd, lhld vbswtb bl’p y ckv yddsukdt, vbspl bydep yal plakswpzu tsatlswp.”
Her mind began to wander in all sorts of inappropriate directions, fueled by the system’s erratic commentary.
“Control yourself, Yinbao! Any further thoughts and you’re officially a pervert.”
Huo Yan: “…”
Sensing her own dangerous train of thought, Xu Yinyin quickly cleared her throat and stole a quick, guilty glance at him.
“Wait, why are his ears red? Could it be… he’s the one thinking inappropriately about me?”
Huo Yan, completely misrepresented: “…”
He couldn’t hold back anymore and glanced at her sideways, his voice low and steady. “We’ll probably be seeing a lot of each other in the future. You might want to stop acting so hostile toward me.” And stop having weird fantasies about me!
“Heh, sorry, but I’m naturally rebellious. If someone makes me uncomfortable, I can’t even tolerate breathing the same air as them. If this arrangement is such a burden for you, why not just tell Grandma Yan how you really feel? Save her the trouble of matchmaking.”
“And why don’t you tell your grandfather? Instead, you trick me into being the unfilial grandson while you sit back and reap the benefits. Pretty crafty.”
“Oh, but I can tolerate it. Isn’t this just a game? Playing along is what I do best.”
“Is that so? Then let’s see who gives in first.”
“Fine by me. Bring it on!”
“See? What did I say? He’s the classic arrogant, self-important, domineering male lead.”
“Yeah, but his good looks make up for all of it. He’s so easy on the eyes!”
“Hey, whose side are you on?”
“Yours, obviously! But admiring his handsomeness is totally separate from that.”
Xu Yinyin rolled her eyes. Hopeless.
The car slowly came to a stop outside the Xu residence. Huo Yan turned off the engine, got out, and walked over to open the passenger door for her, his hand instinctively blocking the edge of the doorframe—a gesture of gentlemanly habit.
“See? He’s got a refined side to him, too.”
The system secretly builds up his favorable points, starting to understand why humans enjoyed shipping couples so much.
Xu Yinyin scoffed lightly and nodded politely. “Thank you, Mr. Huo, for bringing me home. Goodbye.”
*”More like *good riddance!“
With that, she lifted her dress and strode off with her chin held high, looking every bit like a proud little fox.
The system glanced back and caught sight of Huo Yan—standing there with one hand casually tucked into his pocket, leaning against his car as he watched Xu Yinyin disappear into the house, a faint smirk playing on his lips.
He recalled how she had been so sharp-witted and unfiltered at the auction, gossiping and judging without a care in the world. Then, seeing her walk away just now, head held high with arrogance… the amusement in his eyes deepened.
He had always been surrounded by admirers, but none of them were quite as unique as Xu Yinyin.
—
When Grandma Yan had first said she was “special,” he assumed she was just exaggerating, eager to play matchmaker.
But now that he had met her in person…
She really is different.
—
As soon as Xu Yinyin stepped into the house, she was met with the intense gazes of six eyes.
Her parents, Xu Yanwen and Jiang Xin, along with her younger sister Xu Yaoyao, were all waiting for her in the living room. The moment they saw her, they all stood up.
Jiang Xin: “Yinyin, you’re back! Did you have fun?”
Xu Yanwen: “Did you find anything you liked at the auction? Was the money your mom gave you enough?”
Xu Yaoyao: “Sis, did anything interesting happen? Tell us about it!”
From their eager expressions, Xu Yinyin instantly realized—they were all hungry for gossip.
So, everyone in the family already knew about Grandma Yan and Grandpa Xu trying to set her up with Huo Yan… except her.
Great. Just great 🙂
She began recounting the auction experience in great detail—focusing on how quickly items were sold and how delicious the food was at the banquet. Then, as if just remembering, she casually added:
“Oh, right. Grandma Yan’s grandson was super enthusiastic. He bought nine out of ten auction items all by himself—spent 1.1 billion in one night. Dude is loaded.”
Her wealthy parents exchanged complicated looks.
My dear daughter… is money really the only thing you noticed? Is he handsome? Is he kind? Is he a good person? Do you think you can get along with him? Please tell me a little bit more!
Xu Yanwen and Jiang Xin exchanged a look before signaling to Xu Yao. She took the cue and asked, “I heard Huo Yan is one of the top financial moguls on Wall Street—sharp instincts, never loses a deal. Business tycoons like him usually have a cold and distant aura. Did he seem that way?”
“Hmm… not really. He was actually quite the gentleman—he opened the car door for me and even shielded my head from hitting it.”
“He drove you home?” Jiang Xin latched onto the detail. “He sent you back himself?”
“Yeah. I was originally going to ride with Aunt, but he suddenly offered, and I didn’t want to reject his kindness.”
The three of them exchanged knowing glances. It seemed Yanyan was right—Huo Yan might actually be interested in Yinyin.
“Is he easy to get along with? I heard from Grandma Yan that Ah Yan isn’t very talkative. But I guess people who have been in high positions for a long time tend to be more reserved.”
“He’s alright, not that difficult to get along with. He doesn’t talk much, but he’s quite polite. Maybe because Grandma Yan is close with Grandpa, he’s just being courteous and not too cold toward me.”
“I see.” Jiang Xin smiled, ending the conversation. As long as her daughter didn’t dislike him, that was enough.
“Mom, Dad, I’m a bit tired. I’ll head back to my room to rest.”
“Alright, alright, go ahead. Take a nice bath and get a good night’s sleep. If you don’t feel like going to work tomorrow, I’ll give you the day off.”
“Yes, yes! Our precious daughter can’t overwork herself!” Xu Yanwen quickly chimed in.
“Work is fine. A good night’s sleep will clear away any exhaustion. Good night, Mom and Dad. Good night, Yaoyao.”
“Good night, sweetheart.”
As they watched her leave and were just about to breathe a sigh of relief, they suddenly heard—
Xu Yinyin excused herself to rest, but just as they were about to relax—
“Yinbao, why did you lie? You and Huo Yan were practically at each other’s throats. How did that suddenly turn into harmonious interaction?”
The three immediately perked up, their hearts on edge. What?! There’s a plot twist?!
“I changed my mind. Since this matchmaking is something both family heads decided on, there’s no way I, as a junior, can resist it. Besides, if Grandpa is set on me marrying for alliance, if it’s not Huo Yan, it’ll be someone else. Who knows what kind of man the next one might be? He could be worse than Huo Yan. Instead of rolling the dice, I might as well just use Huo Yan as a shield. However long I can stall, I’ll stall.”
Three dumbfounded faces in the living room: Huh?!
“That makes sense, but what if Huo Yan doesn’t cooperate?”
“I don’t need his cooperation. Can’t I just unilaterally fall in love at first sight? I actually hope he doesn’t like me. It’d be best if he’s the one to call off the matchmaking plan. Then I can put on an act—heartbroken, withdrawn, refusing to eat, even pretending to be suicidal—just to show everyone that if I love someone, I’ll die for them. Let’s see who dares to arrange another marriage for me after that. Hey, now that I think about it, this totally aligns with our family’s hereditary love-brain tendencies. Not bad, not bad.”
Xu Yanwen, feeling inexplicably targeted: QAQ.
Jiang Xin glared at her foolish husband and whispered fiercely, “Look at what you’ve done! Our poor daughter! If anything happens to her, I won’t forgive you!”
“Hey, don’t blame me! It was the old man who insisted on finding someone to protect Yinyin, afraid that her inner thoughts would get her into trouble. Huo Yan was the best candidate—there won’t be anyone else. If things don’t work out, the old man wouldn’t force it either.”
“I don’t care. Now that we know Yinyin’s plan, you better come up with a countermeasure fast.”
“What can I even do? I can’t force Huo Yan to like her.”
“Mom, Dad, don’t worry,” Xu YaoYAO chimed in. “Since everyone can hear Sister’s inner thoughts, that means Huo Yan can too. If she had no feelings for him at all, it would have already been exposed. But just now, didn’t Sister say Huo Yan drove her home? If it was just out of courtesy, he wouldn’t have taken the initiative. He’s not the type to compromise easily. Otherwise, Grandma Yan wouldn’t have taken a ‘let’s see how it goes’ attitude when bringing him back. Right?”
“Right, right, Yaoyao makes a good point. If Huo Yan really has feelings for Yinyin, he’ll naturally pursue her. That would make her plan useless.”
“Will this really work?” Jiang Xin was still skeptical.
“There’s no way to know unless we try. It’s still too early to panic. Our only goal is for Yinyin to be happy. If she truly doesn’t want this, no one will force her. Honey, I swear on my life—if the old man shows even the slightest sign of forcing her, I’ll be the first to oppose it, okay?”
“I will also help my sister argue for her rights, so don’t worry, Mom.”
“That’s right! At worst, our whole family can take Yinyin and leave this house. We’ll give up everything before letting Grandpa have his way.”
“Mm-hmm, no problem. It’s settled then.”
- As soon as Huo Yan arrived home, he received a call from his grandmother.
“A’Yan, did you send Yinyin home?”
“Yes, I just got home myself.”
Huo Yan unbuttoned his shirt with one hand. As he glanced at himself in the mirror, his gaze unintentionally landed on his own hand, and he recalled what Xu Yinyin’s gossip-loving subconscious had said. His ears reddened once again.
Confirmed—he had just been sexually harassed!
“What do you think of Yinyin? Isn’t she special?”
Tonight, Yan Yashan had witnessed her grandson—who was usually ruthless in the business world and indifferent to trivial matters—spend extravagantly just for the sake of gossip.
If he dared to claim he wasn’t interested, she’d call him out on the spot!
“She is indeed special, worth putting effort into getting to know,” Huo Yan said, smirking slightly as he looked at his reflection. His half-narrowed eyes held a dangerous glint.
Yan Yashan was stunned. Did this brat really take an interest in her?
“Oh? Now that’s rare! This is the first time you’ve ever taken the initiative to get close to a woman.” Yan Yashan teased with a chuckle.
“I thought about it, and I’m not that young anymore. It’s about time I seriously considered finding a partner. Coincidentally, I’m not too busy lately, so I have plenty of time to spend with Miss Xu. Oh, by the way, I’m planning to pick her up from work tomorrow and take her out for dinner.”
Yan Yashan froze. “A’Yan, are you serious, or are you just messing with Grandma? This enthusiasm seems a little over the top.”
“I’m very serious. Marriage isn’t something to take lightly. I trust your judgment, Grandma.”
“Oh my, that’s wonderful! Grandma fully supports you.”
“It’s getting late. You should get some rest now.”
“Alright, alright. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.”
After hanging up the call, Huo Yan smirked coldly.
Xu Yinyin, let’s see how this plays out.
- The next morning, Xue Weiwei excitedly pushed a large cart filled with vibrant Juliet roses toward Xu Yinyin’s cubicle, basking in the envious, shocked, and dumbfounded gazes of the entire office.
“Oh my god! Who got sent all these flowers? They’re gorgeous!”
“Gorgeous? These flowers alone could be exchanged for enough cash to buy a small apartment in the city! This is pure extravagance!”
“So, which wealthy young master is trying to woo someone from our company?”
Xue Weiwei had been waiting for someone to ask! “Who else could it be? Of course, it’s for our Princess Yinyin!”
“Wow!”
For such a grand display, if it had been for anyone else, people might have felt a mix of envy and jealousy.
But since it was Xu Yinyin, everyone was filled with admiration instead.
After all, this was the Princess of Gossip who saved corporate workers from their mundane lives with her juicy intel! It was no surprise that someone had fallen for her—who could possibly resist the charm of immersive gossip?
But just who was this shameless man daring to covet their princess and attempt to claim her for himself?
“Who sent them?”
As soon as the question was asked, Xue Weiwei grinned knowingly. “The note only says ‘Good morning,’ but don’t worry, everyone. Our princess will tell us soon enough. Just wait, my dear gossip lovers!”
She flashed a mischievous smile and strutted off.
From that moment on, no one in the office was focused on work—they were all ears, eagerly awaiting the follow-up.
Inside her cubicle, Xu Yinyin was leisurely sipping her coffee while browsing for a new drama to watch. Suddenly, she heard the sound of rolling wheels.
Curious, she looked up and was immediately greeted by the sight of a massive cart overflowing with fragrant, peach-colored roses.
“Whoa, who went all out like this? Could it be one of Auntie’s suitors?”
Xue Weiwei’s steps faltered slightly. A hidden scoop? Jackpot!
“Nope! These are from Huo Yan.”
Xue Weiwei mentally noted the name, ready to dig up his entire ancestry later.
“Huh? Why is he sending me flowers? Is he getting too into this act?”
“Or… is it possible he’s actually fallen for you at first sight?!”
Thinking about Huo Yan’s subtle actions in the car and the fleeting smile in his eyes, the system couldn’t help but sound a little excited.
“I don’t believe that for a second. Let’s be real—both of us are just pawns in this arranged marriage set up by our families. There’s no real love here. We’re just stuck in this situation. Even if there is some ‘love at first sight,’ it’s probably because we both had the same thought: using the other person as a shield to avoid endless matchmaking.”
“Hmm… That actually makes a lot of sense.”
“It’s just the reality of the situation, plain and simple.”
“But, babe, if he’s also using you for a fake relationship, doesn’t that put you in a passive position? Your plan from last night won’t work anymore!”
“It’s fine. We’ll just fake it together. Since our goals align, everyone else will believe it’s real, and we won’t have to deal with any other arranged marriages in the future. It’s a win-win situation.”
“But what if he actually wants to get married?”
“No way. No one’s forcing him—why would he be in a rush to get married?”
“What if your grandpa forces you?”
“Then I’ll cry to Mom, threaten to die, and refuse to marry no matter what.”
“But that would expose the truth! If you were truly in love with Huo Yan, you’d be eager to marry him. Remember, your character is supposed to be genetically predisposed to being a hopeless romantic!”
Xu Yinyin cursed the system’s relentless logic. Frustrated, she decided to take the lazy route. “Ugh, whatever. I’ll deal with it when the time comes. If I just keep acting recklessly in front of Huo Yan, he won’t be able to keep up the act and will give up on his own.”
“Mhm, mhm, I won’t say anything, I’ll shut up. Hurry up and accept the flowers.”
Xu Yinyin picked up the note from the bouquet. It only had two words: “Good morning.” There wasn’t even a signature. She couldn’t help but suspect that Xiao Qi might have given her the wrong information.
Just as she was about to ask, an unfamiliar number called.
Xu Yinyin immediately had a bad feeling.
“It’s Huo Yan’s call. Should you pick up?”
Xue Weiwei was practically screaming in her heart: Pick up, pick up, pick up! A loveless arranged marriage in a wealthy family? I’m here for it!
Xu Yinyin hesitated for a few seconds before answering, “Hello?”
“It’s Huo Yan. Did you receive the flowers?” His voice was calm, as if sending flowers was no big deal to him.
That, at least, reassured Xu Yinyin. As long as he wasn’t actually interested in her, her plan wouldn’t be disrupted.
“Why are you sending flowers to my office? Are you getting too into this act?” she snapped.
“I’m not acting. I’m serious.”
“…What?!” Xu Yinyin’s voice shot up in pitch. Realizing Xue Weiwei was nearby, she quickly turned and walked into an empty office.
“Are you surprised?” Huo Yan leaned lazily against the couch, gazing at the distant mountains with a smirk.
“No sh*t! You know full well this is just our elders trying to push us together. If you don’t actually have feelings for me, why pretend? Isn’t it exhausting?”
Huo Yan lowered his gaze, absentmindedly playing with a potted plant beside him. With a calm, gentle tone, he lied through his teeth. “Before meeting you, I was completely against this arranged marriage. But after meeting you, I changed my mind. I think you’re quite cute—worth my time getting to know.”
Xu Yinyin scoffed at his arrogance. “Oh, so your next line is what? ‘You should be grateful for the opportunity to climb up to my level’?”
“Hmm… can I put it that way? So, do you want to climb up to me?”
Huo Yan chuckled mischievously. Imagining her reaction right now, he wished he could be there in person to witness it.
Xu Yinyin: “…”
“Babe, mind your image! We’re refined ladies—no swearing!”
“Arghhh! Huo Yan, you bastard! It’s war between us!”
“So… do we continue with the plan?”
“Of course! The higher the devil jumps, the harder he falls. Who’s afraid of who?”
Huo Yan’s smirk suddenly stiffened. He had a bad feeling.
He straightened up and asked cautiously, “Are you mad? Did I say something wrong?”
“Omo, omo, now he’s playing the innocent act?”
Xu Yinyin took a deep breath and then laughed. “No, no. Being noticed by you is already such an honor for me. After all, I’m only half a rich girl, not as noble as you. If there’s anything truly wrong, it’s that falling in love with you is the biggest mistake of my life. Ah Yan, I’ll admit it—I’ve fallen for you at first sight. The moment I saw your hands, I couldn’t help but fantasize about all kinds of romantic scenarios. I’ve even thought of our future child’s name. Let’s call them Huo Yi, because you and the baby will be my one and only. Mwah~ I love you, darling!”
“…”
Huo Yan shuddered so hard he nearly dropped his phone.
BEEP—BEEP—BEEP—
Hearing the busy tone, Xu Yinyin smirked. “Ha! Let’s see how you handle that, you little punk!”
“HAHAHAHA! Huo Yan is probably rolling on the floor in disgust right now! Babe, you’re ruthless!”
“He started it first! He had it coming!”
Huo Yan stared blankly at his phone on the floor, replaying her overly sweet, exaggerated confession in his mind—especially that sickeningly greasy “darling” at the end.
Damn it! She got me again! Unbelievable!
While Huo Yan fumed, Xu Yinyin felt utterly refreshed. Nothing was more satisfying than messing with an annoying man.
“Jie!”
“Ah Yao? What are you doing here? Don’t you have class today?” Xu Yinyin looked surprised.
“I just finished a competition, so I have the day off. I was bored, so I came to hang out with you.”
Mostly, he was suffering from gossip withdrawal.
“Dude, I’m at work!”
“Then I’ll keep you company at work!”
Something felt off to Xu Yinyin. Suspicious, she asked, “You don’t need my help with something, do you? Did the school ask for a parent meeting again?”
Taking advantage of her steering the topic in this direction, Xu Yao quickly got to the point. “What? No way! I’m a good kid, okay? If it weren’t for Shen Sheng being an ass last time, I wouldn’t have needed a parent meeting at all.”
“Is that so?”
“Of course! Speaking of which, ever since that parent meeting, I haven’t seen Shen Sheng at school for almost a week. The teachers are being really secretive about it too. Something’s definitely up.”
“Wait, what? That’s interesting. Xiao Qi, look into it.”
Xu Yao subtly scooted his chair closer, eager for the latest scoop.
While waiting for the news, Xu Yinyin took the opportunity to lecture him. “Why do you even care? Trash like that isn’t worth your time. Stay away from him, got it?”
“Got it, got it.”
“Wow, Shen Sheng’s family drama never disappoints!”
“Spill it quickly, spill it quickly!”
Sansukini: Did you think Huo Yan was a serious guy? He’s just as nosy as the next person. :))
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Huo Yan is not a nosy guy.He’s just being an utter simp to his wife lol.