26: Chapter 26 Check-in

After transporting all their belongings to the new home, the three of them went to a restaurant for lunch. While ordering, Lin Yu specifically instructed the waiter: "Please make the dishes light and less spicy; it needs to suit Wanwan's taste."

This subtle thoughtfulness warmed the hearts of both mother and daughter.

Upon returning to the new home after the meal, the cleaning service had already left the place spotless. The three of them set to work making the beds and arranging daily necessities. The originally empty house gradually began to feel like a home.

After a brief rest, Lin Yu took the mother and daughter straight to a 4S dealership.

"I'm picking out a car for you to get around in. Something over 500,000. Take a look and choose one," Lin Yu said.

The salesperson immediately recommended: "Sir, this Volvo XC90 top trim is perfect for ladies. It has top-tier safety features, a spacious interior, a light luxury and elegant design, a stable chassis, and it's easy to drive and holds its value well. The on-the-road price is just over 500,000. It's suitable for both family use and daily commuting."

Su Manqin and Mu Wan sat inside the car. The upholstery felt comfortable, the view was expansive, and they both liked it very much.

"We'll take this one," Lin Yu decided on the spot. He paid immediately and arranged for the car to be delivered the next day with the license plates ready.

As dusk fell, the three of them found an exquisite restaurant to dine at. With the new house and new car, Su Manqin and Mu Wan were in high spirits, smiles never leaving their faces.

During the meal, Lin Yu looked at Mu Wan and encouraged her gently: "Wanwan, try to pick up the food with your chopsticks yourself. Practice slowly; you can do it."

Mu Wan hesitated for a moment, then obediently picked up the chopsticks. Her movements were slightly clumsy, but she still managed to pick up a mouthful of food.

"Great job, that's a big improvement," Lin Yu praised her immediately. "To reward you, I'll take you to the night market after dinner."

Mu Wan's eyes lit up instantly, and she nodded repeatedly.

The night market in Ze City was brightly lit and bustling with noise. The aroma of snacks filled the air, and there was a dazzling array of small accessories, toys, and clothing. Mu Wan looked around with curiosity.

She walked up to a claw machine and said with a smile: "I want to play the claw machine."

"Alright, I'll get some coins for you."

Mu Wan tried several times but didn't succeed, and she felt a bit discouraged. Lin Yu laughed and said: "Shall I teach you how to do it, Wanwan?"

At first, Mu Wan was a little resistant, but seeing the cute plush dolls in the glass cabinet, she was ultimately tempted.

Lin Yu gently held her hands from behind, guiding her to operate the joystick and press the button. A warm sensation spread, and Mu Wan's body stiffened slightly. For the first time, a strange feeling welled up in her heart—it was quite magical.

"Clatter—"

The doll dropped successfully.

"We got it!" Lin Yu picked up the doll and handed it to Mu Wan.

Holding the doll, Mu Wan beamed with a sweet smile, as happy as a child.

Afterward, Lin Yu bought her a bunch of exquisite hair accessories and small trinkets. The group's formation shifted from the mother and daughter walking in front to Mu Wan walking in the middle, and finally, it ended up with Lin Yu and Mu Wan walking side by side in the front, while Su Manqin followed silently behind.

Watching the back of her daughter and Lin Yu chatting happily, Su Manqin felt conflicted. She felt a sense of relief—Lin Yu was of good character, responsible, and incredibly considerate toward Mu Wan. Yet, deep down, she felt a vague unease, fearing that if her daughter found someone she liked, she might slowly drift further and further away from her.

When they returned to the new home, it was already late at night.

Lin Yu checked the time and said: "I'll stay in the guest bedroom tonight so I don't disturb your rest."

Su Manqin couldn't possibly raise any objections. Lin Yu had bought them a house and a car, and had even handed over two million in living expenses. She was filled with gratitude and nodded quickly: "Okay, okay, the room is all ready."

The night passed without incident.

The next morning, when Lin Yu woke up, Su Manqin was already in the kitchen preparing breakfast.

"Little Lin, you're up! Come over for breakfast after you wash up!"

"You got it!"

At the dining table, Su Manqin said: "The property management office just called to say the nanny will arrive soon."

"Then you two can taste her cooking at noon; if you're satisfied, keep her," Lin Yu said as he wiped his mouth and stood up. "I'm heading to work. I'll be back for dinner tonight."

"Alright, stay safe on the road," Su Manqin replied.

After greeting Mu Wan, who had just woken up, Lin Yu left.

He went to a fruit shop and filled the trunk of his SUV. Exquisite fruit gift boxes and heavy plastic bags were placed here and there, and the fragrance of fruit wafted into the cabin through the gaps. He started the car and drove toward the Jiangshanyin Residential Complex first—the renovation team had already started working on the new house he bought for his parents.

When he arrived at the apartment, the workers were already busy in full swing. The sounds of hammering and knocking were orderly, without any sense of chaos. Lin Yu carried two bags of fresh fruit into the house, and the renovation workers looked up and greeted him politely.

"Thank you for your hard work, everyone. Take a break and have some fruit." Lin Yu placed the fruit on a temporary table in the entryway and toured the construction site.

In the sky garden area, workers were crouching on the ground carefully applying secondary waterproofing. The coating was applied evenly and thickly, with no corner-cutting. Anti-slip tiles were stacked to the side, with clear patterns and a high slip-resistance coefficient. Inside the rooms, the floor heating pipes were being re-optimized and laid out, perfectly aligned. The plumbing and electrical upgrades were also being executed to high standards, with every detail handled extremely well.

"Don't worry, Mr. Lin. We are following the highest standards; we won't cut any corners," the foreman said with a smile.

Lin Yu nodded slightly: "Thank you all. Please keep a close eye on the quality."

Confirming that everything was in good order, he didn't disturb them further and turned to drive to the Min Shi Wei Tian store in the heart of the ancient city.

As soon as he parked, Mr. Xia and Xia Xiaotang came out from the store to greet him. Seeing the two bags of fruit in Lin Yu's hands, Mr. Xia hurried forward to take them, his tone filled with gratitude: "Chairman Lin, you are too kind! Please, come inside!"

The basic renovation of the store was more than halfway done. The layout was open and grand, and one could vaguely see how popular it would be in the future. Xia Xiaotang held a folder and reported the progress clearly: "Chairman Lin, the chefs we invited have all come to inspect the site. They provided professional opinions on the kitchen layout, which fully met the requirements. They are very satisfied with the salary and benefits. As soon as the renovation is finished, they can report for duty immediately."

Xia Xiaotang continued: "The finance staff, cleaning staff, security guards, and waiters have all been recruited. They are currently undergoing unified training, and the service standards are modeled after high-end restaurants. As for the manager position, we have selected a few candidates, but we haven't finalized the most suitable one yet."

Lin Yu nodded with satisfaction upon hearing this: "I trust you and your father to handle things. Take your time choosing a manager; we must select someone with sufficient experience and a strong sense of responsibility. There's no rush."

Xia Xiaotang's eyes lit up, and she added: "Oh, right, Chairman Lin. President Wang contacted me proactively, saying they have reserved space for us on the first and second floors of the Junlin Capital building to open a branch. They have even set up an independent entrance and exit. They have already coordinated with the renovation company for a 24-hour construction plan. They will do non-noisy work during lunch breaks and at night, so the progress will be very fast. They are using high-end environmentally friendly materials, striving to provide meals for employees and nearby customers one day earlier!"

"Not bad." Lin Yu looked at her with approval. "Keep up the good work. Let me know if there are any problems."

After encouraging them, Lin Yu said his goodbyes and left. Checking the time, he drove straight to the mall and picked out a few boxes of bird's nest and protein powder suitable for the elderly at the health supplement counter. He didn't message Su Qingxue in advance, planning to surprise her grandmother at the hospital.

In the hospital room, Su Qingxue's grandmother looked much better than before the surgery. Her cheeks had color, the incision was healing very smoothly, and the doctor said she could be discharged to recuperate in three to five days. Mr. Su was sitting by the bed talking to the old lady. Seeing Lin Yu walk in with supplements and fruit, both of them became instantly and incredibly enthusiastic. The look in their eyes as they gazed at Lin Yu was clearly that of looking at their own son-in-law—the satisfaction was unmistakable.

Lin Yu vaguely guessed that Su Qingxue had probably told her family quite a bit about him in private.

He chatted with them for over ten minutes. His speech was appropriate, his attitude humble, and he had the old lady laughing non-stop. When he stood up to leave, Mr. Su insisted on seeing him to the elevator and repeatedly urged him to come visit their home.

The elevator reached the first floor, and the metal doors opened slowly. Lin Yu looked up and happened to meet a pair of clear, gentle eyes.

Su Qingxue was in her nurse's uniform, standing tall. Her plain face was unadorned but exceptionally moving. She had just started her shift and was planning to visit her grandmother first, only to run into him unexpectedly.

"I just finished visiting your grandmother and bought her some supplements and fruit," Lin Yu said first, his tone natural. "There are two more bags in the car; take them and share them with your colleagues in the department."

Su Qingxue felt a warmth in her heart, and happiness was written all over her face.

Ding! Su Qingxue's intimacy +10

Current intimacy: 81

She said softly: "I looked up some housing listings online and screened a few good ones. I'll go take a look after I get off work."

"Okay. Do you not have a driver's license yet? Find some time to learn, and then buy a car so you can take your family around," Lin Yu replied. Su Qingxue was very tempted by this suggestion and decided to put it on her schedule.

She carried the fruit bags Lin Yu had handed her and watched the SUV drive away from the hospital gate, her cheeks flushing slightly.

Lin Yu's next stop was the Funeral Home.

Chu Yao came from a good family and had no financial worries, yet she chose to work at the Funeral Home. She never mentioned the reason, and Lin Yu never asked—everyone had their own secrets, and there was no need to pry.

He first found the supervisor, handed over a bag of fruit, and exchanged a few polite pleasantries before seeing Director Chu Yao in the office area.

The girl still had that cold demeanor, her ice-beauty aura undiminished. Upon seeing Lin Yu, however, she immediately blossomed into a smile. She took the fruit he brought and said she still had a little work to finish.

With some time left before lunch, Lin Yu returned to the car to wait. Having nothing to do, he opened Douyin and entered General Manager Ding's and Mo Niannian's live streaming rooms respectively. With a light tap of his finger, gift effects flooded the screen, and the atmosphere in the rooms was instantly pushed to a climax.

After these operations, Lin Yu's Douyin level soared directly to level 57, causing fans in both live streaming rooms to spam the chat, calling him a boss.

Just as he exited the live streams, his phone suddenly rang—it was a call from Fatty.

Lin Yu swiped to answer casually. A slightly tired voice came from the other end: "Old Lin, where are you? I just finished cleaning up the farm, and there's something I almost forgot to tell you!"

Fatty, whose real name was Li Hang, had hung out with Lin Yu from freshman to senior year of high school. He was his true, die-hard best friend.

Back then, Lin Yu hadn't yet experienced the harsh beatings of society. He was cheerful, full of vitality, and with his looks—rated over 80—he was the class heartthrob that half the girls in the class would steal glances at whenever he stood at the classroom door. But the class monitor didn't like him and would use his little clique to squeeze him out and make snide remarks, and every time, Fatty would slam the table and retort:

"Are you sour because he's handsome? If you have the ability, grow a face that's decent yourself!"

In the whole class, only he dared to be that blunt. He was also the only person who was still willing to joke around with Lin Yu after he started working at the Funeral Home post-graduation.

Li Hang was about the same height as Lin Yu, but he weighed over two hundred pounds. He had broad shoulders and a thick back, and his arms were thicker than most people's legs. His face was round but not ugly; the more you looked at it, the more honest and likable it appeared. His personality was even more carefree and open. He had a bunch of friends, and his family ran a farm in the township, so his conditions were a bit better than Lin Yu's.

Just last month, this guy had been dumped by his girlfriend because she complained that he always smelled like the farm, and that night he had dragged Lin Yu to a barbecue stall, gotten dead drunk, hugged a telephone pole, and wailed that he would never believe in love again.

And yet, just how long had it been? He was already bouncing around again.

Lin Yu leaned back in his seat and laughed: "What, did you recover from your heartbreak syndrome? Are you done hugging wine bottles and shouting that true love is innocent?"

Fatty paused, then became embarrassed and angry: "Get lost! That's all in the past! I'm calling you about serious business today!"

"Serious business? What serious business could you have—don't tell me your mom is urging you to get married again?"

"No! Tomorrow night, high school class reunion! Among the female classmates, there are school beauties and class beauties, all of them!" Fatty's voice suddenly rose, filled with vigor and spirit. "It's time for both of us to get rid of our single-dog status!"

Lin Yu laughed out loud on the spot: "Don't include me. If you want to get off the market, go yourself; I'm not a single dog."

"You're not?" Fatty scoffed. "Where do you get the nerve to say that? Who in the whole class doesn't know you—"

"What about my job! Who am I? A man who is drop-dead handsome, and currently has a batch of girlfriends," Lin Yu interrupted lightly, his tone incredibly annoying. "I can't even get through the rotation of accompanying them."

There was silence on the other end for three seconds, then an earth-shattering roar erupted:

"Lin Yu, can you make a draft before you brag?! A batch? Why didn't you say a reinforced company?!"

Despite the scolding, Fatty knew Lin Yu's looks and popularity with women, so he angrily added: "But... are you really no longer single?"

"What else?"

"Fine, you're awesome." Fatty couldn't be bothered to argue with him and directly issued an ultimatum: "Regardless of whether you're single or not, you must accompany me to the class reunion tomorrow! If you don't go, I'm breaking ties with you on the spot!"

He knew Li Hang too well. He looked rough and careless, but in reality, he was the most sentimental. He probably wanted to use the lively atmosphere to completely walk out of his last breakup.

"Fine," Lin Yu chuckled and compromised. "I'm afraid of you. I'll go with you tomorrow."

"That's what I'm talking about!" Fatty beamed with joy instantly. "Remember, don't be late. No need to dress up; don't overshadow my brilliance!"

"Got it, you fatso."

"Get lost, you little dog Lin!"

The two of them bantered a bit more before hanging up.

Just as he hung up, the passenger door was pulled open, and Director Chu Yao bent down and sat in.

A cold, delicate fragrance lingered in the cabin. The ice beauty turned her head to look at Lin Yu, her eyelashes long, her face exquisitely flawless: "Where are we eating?"