332: Chapter 332 Buy tickets! Get on the bus!

The journey was silent.

It wasn't until the car stopped downstairs at Jindi Shangfeng and he saw the familiar surroundings that Jiang Ye's depressed mood finally eased just a little bit.

Taking a deep breath and adjusting his facial expression, he pushed open the door to 1601.

The scene inside the door made him pause slightly.

His mother, Xu Man, was chatting and laughing with Lin Wanxing as they tidied up the living room. The floor was covered with various holiday decorations—lanterns, spring couplets, "Fu" characters of all sizes, and window paper-cuts. The atmosphere of the upcoming New Year suddenly became intense.

"Mom? Why are you here?" Jiang Ye asked with some surprise as he changed his shoes.

"..."

Xu Man looked up and glanced at him. The smile on her face faded at a speed visible to the naked eye, and then...

As if she hadn't seen him at all, she turned around expressionlessly and walked into the kitchen, carrying a stack of cut window decorations, without even saying hello.

"???"

Jiang Ye scratched his head in confusion, leaned over to Lin Wanxing, who was busy organizing spring couplets, and lowered his voice to ask:

"Wanxing, what's going on? When did My Mother get here? Who is she... angry with? It wouldn't be me, would it?"

"Uh..."

Lin Wanxing looked up towards the kitchen, a hint of awkwardness on her face.

She hesitated for a moment, feeling that this matter needed to be explained clearly to him, so she also lowered her voice and explained softly:

"Auntie came over after six o'clock this morning and knocked on the door to ask me to go to the morning market to buy New Year's goods. Then... she casually asked where you went."

"And then?"

"I... I just told the truth, saying you went to find Ye Cheng to spend Valentines Day together."

Lin Wanxing paused, her expression becoming even more awkward: "Then Auntie... um... her expression just didn't seem right."

Jiang Ye's mouth twitched: "Uh... if I'm not mistaken..."

"She thinks... that at such a time of family reunion... cough, although it's not New Years Eve, it is just after Little New Year and close to the Spring Festival, leaving me alone at home to go spend Valentines Day with someone else is... is neglecting me and making me feel wronged."

Lin Wanxing tried hard to organize her words, recalling the scene this morning:

"Auntie was holding my hand and comforting me earlier, saying you were inconsiderate and telling me not to take it to heart... I tried to explain, saying we aren't in that kind of relationship and it's normal for you to go find your girlfriend, but the more I explained, the more... her gaze toward me..."

"Pity? Yes, exactly, pity. She thinks I'm putting on a brave face and speaking well of you. Later, I saw her eyes turning red, looking like she was about to wipe away tears, so I... I didn't dare to explain anymore. I could only go along with her and say 'It's okay, Auntie, I don't mind,' and then she just got more... uh..."

"...?"

After hearing this, Jiang Ye blinked, then blinked again.

Comrade Xu Man... wiping away tears?

He immediately put on a serious expression that said "I understand, this is serious," and lowered his voice:

"Oh! My Mother is great in every way, but she's just too emotional and very easily empathizes! Please don't have any psychological burden, but from now on, don't bring this up in front of her again. The more you mention it, the more she'll think you're putting on a brave face and the more she'll feel sorry for you."

"But the problem is..."

Lin Wanxing also sighed and slightly frowned: "Isn't this a bit too outrageous? Auntie... how does her logic work? Doesn't she know that Ye Cheng is your girlfriend?"

"My Mother's thinking is a bit... um... traditional and complex."

Jiang Ye nodded profoundly: "In any case, leave this historical legacy issue to me to handle. Don't worry, in as short as three to five months, or as long as thirty to fifty years, I will definitely be able to make her slowly understand the pure roommate relationship between us."

Lin Wanxing: "..."

Thirty to fifty years?

The efficiency of this family in solving problems is truly breathtaking.

Watching Jiang Ye's serious demeanor, she was completely speechless and could only roll her eyes at him, letting him figure it out for himself.

"Alright, I'm going back to change my clothes first, you go ahead and tidy up."

Seeing Jiang Ye preparing to return to his room to change, Lin Wanxing seemed to suddenly remember something and gently tugged on his arm:

"Hey, wait a moment."

"Hmm?"

She walked quickly to the entryway cabinet, took a not-too-large package, and handed it to him: "Here, your package. It arrived yesterday afternoon, I signed for it for you."

Jiang Ye took it casually, glanced at the sender information, quickly tore open the outer cardboard box, and a new message immediately popped up in the system notification bar:

[Ding! Detected that the host has received a gift from Su Ning: one Leica camera, system estimated value: 32,000 yuan. Triggered 1000% cashback, received 320,000 yuan!]

Tsk, Comrade Xiao Su is not bad!

Although she's a bit dramatic, she's becoming more and more generous with her gifts!

He grinned and was about to head back to his room with the camera box when Lin Wanxing tugged him again.

"Uh... wait a second more."

Jiang Ye paused: "What's wrong?"

"Also..."

Lin Wanxing coughed, her expression a bit unnatural: "There's one more thing."

As she spoke, she turned and walked quickly back to her room, paused at the door for two seconds as if building up mental courage, and then came out holding a dark blue velvet gift box.

Walking up to Jiang Ye, she hesitated for a moment, then reached out and handed the box over: "For... for you. *Cough*... a return gift. You... don't think too much about it!"

"For me?" Jiang Ye's eyes widened instantly.

Seeing his surprised expression, Lin Wanxing subconsciously pulled back her outstretched hand a little, quickly emphasizing:

"Let's be clear beforehand! You must not overthink it! This... this is a New Year's gift! Yes! Just a New Year's gift! It doesn't mean anything else! It's just... just to thank you... and Auntie for inviting me to spend the New Year together, and also... for your care at usual times and such."

"Yes, yes, yes! I understand! Absolutely doesn't mean anything else!"

Jiang Ye was overjoyed inside, but he tried hard to put on an extremely serious expression on his face, nodding repeatedly, his tone sincere:

"This is a pure, noble New Year's gift full of revolutionary friendship! I promise not to overthink it!"

"..."

When Lin Wanxing saw his "sleazy" face, she knew he must have misinterpreted it, and she was so embarrassed she could have dug out a three-bedroom apartment with her toes inside her slippers.

But the gift was already out, and there was certainly no reason to take it back.

She took a deep breath, gritted her teeth, and shoved the gift box directly into Jiang Ye's arms: "Anyway, that's what it means! A New Year's gift! Remember that!"

"Oh, thank you, Coach Lin! How embarrassing!"

Jiang Ye was being polite with his words, but his hands were not slow at all, swiftly unwrapping the packaging.

The box opened to reveal a simple and stylish LV men's belt. The leather quality was very good, and the familiar LV logo was engraved on the metal buckle.

At the same time, the notification bar in his mind refreshed again:

[Ding! Detected that the host has received a gift from Lin Wanxing: one LV men's belt, system estimated value: 8,600 yuan. Triggered 1000% cashback, received 86,000 yuan!]

Eighty-six thousand!

Although this amount of money wasn't much compared to the hundreds of thousands in cashback from Ye Cheng and Comrade Xiao Su, its significance was extraordinary!

What did this signify?

It signified Lin Wanxing!

Coach Lin!

This "fortress" who had always held her line, was the thinnest-skinned, and the hardest to conquer, finally...

Finally started to take the initiative to buy a ticket and "get on board"!!!

An indescribable sense of accomplishment instantly washed away the depression that had been building up in Jiang Ye's heart.

"Wanxing, I..."

He was just about to say something flirty to consolidate this hard-won victory, when Xu Man suddenly poked her head out of the kitchen and snorted expressionlessly:

"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and come over here to help peel the garlic! You have no sense at all!"

"Coming, coming!"

Jiang Ye replied, carefully closed the belt box, put it aside with the camera box, and walked quickly toward the kitchen.

"This guy... must have misunderstood, right..."

Lin Wanxing watched his back, touched her slightly hot cheeks, and let out a helpless sigh:

"Forget it, let him misunderstand. When Little Ye comes back, everything should be able to get back on track... right?"