31: A good meal

A complex emotion instantly welled up in Chen Rui's heart.

To put it deeply, he was jealous. He was jealous of Lin Yu's talent and even more scornful of him for wasting his talent so much!

To put it simply, in his first two years of university, he had never been able to win Su Qingxue over because, at that time, Su Qingxue still held a glimmer of hope for this childhood genius, expecting him to soar after a brief period of obscurity!

It turned out to be him.

Su Qingxue noticed the change in her boyfriend's demeanor beside her. She subtly reached out and intimately squeezed his hand under the table.

She leaned into his ear and whispered at a volume only they could hear.

"Don't cause trouble today."

An atmosphere of "awkwardness" quickly solidified and spread through the Lin family's living room.

Su Qingxue subtly withdrew her hand. She felt the intense emotional fluctuations of her boyfriend beside her. She said no more, simply watching Lin Yu as Lin Yao pulled him into the house.

Five years.

He seemed to have changed, yet also not changed.

His face was still that familiar one, but it had shed the youthful immaturity and assertiveness of the past, gaining an inscrutable calmness. His physique was still slender, but his posture was upright, without any hint of dejection.

Most importantly, the persistent, indifferent, and obsessive aura that had clung to him for five years was gone.

In its place was a settled, almost indifferent composure.

This made Su Qingxue feel a touch of unfamiliarity.

"Oh dear, look at my memory!"

Mother Lin finally recovered from the huge emotional surge. She wiped away a tear, and a brilliant smile instantly bloomed on her face.

"Lin Yao, you little girl, what a big surprise you've pulled off! I thought... sigh, never mind, never mind!"

She quickly walked over to Lin Yao, grabbed Lin Yu's hand, and examined it repeatedly.

"You've gotten thinner, really thinner! You definitely haven't been eating well outside!"

Father Lin also walked over. He patted Lin Yu's shoulder, his lips moved, wanting to say something, but in the end, it only turned into a long sigh.

"It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back."

Lin Yao, seeing the lively scene in the room, was belatedly surprised.

"Mom, Aunt Su, Sister Su Qingxue... why are you all here?"

"Your Aunt Su and Su Qingxue are here to help you pick a boyfriend! We thought you really found one!" Mother Lin playfully glared at her daughter, but the smile in her eyes couldn't be hidden.

Her son was back.

This was a huge blessing for the Lin family.

Nothing else mattered.

The family was finally reunited.

Mother Su also chuckled, playing peacemaker: "This surprise is good, this surprise is really good! Xiao Yu is back!"

Mother Lin slapped her thigh, full of energy, "You all sit, don't be shy! Xiao Yu, you sit too! I'm going to the kitchen right now!"

Mother Su was a sensible person. She knew that the Lin family surely had a lot to say to each other at this moment, and it wasn't appropriate for her to stay.

"Dear sister, we won't disturb your family reunion. We'll just..."

"Hey, don't leave!" Mother Lin grabbed her, "What's our relationship? You're not an outsider! You must stay for dinner today! Su Qingxue and... Chen Rui, right? You both stay too, it's a good chance for Xiao Yu to get to know you!"

Mother Lin's enthusiasm was irresistible.

Mother Su thought about it. She and Mother Lin were indeed like sisters, and staying at such a time could be considered sharing in their joy.

Su Qingxue was Lin Yao's best friend and had also grown up with Lin Yu, so it was reasonable for her to stay too.

Thus, Chen Rui became the only outsider.

He stood there, unsure whether to stand or sit, feeling completely uncomfortable.

This feeling further intensified the resentment and frustration in his heart.

Fortunately, the Lin and Su families were all very welcoming.

Father Lin motioned for Chen Rui to sit down and proactively started a conversation: "Xiao Chen, what kind of work do you do?"

"Uncle, I work as a consultant for a security company," Chen Rui replied politely, not forgetting to add, "I provide security solutions for some major clients; the work is relatively relaxed."

"Good, stable, stable is good!" Father Lin nodded repeatedly.

In the living room, the elders chatted.

Lin Yao, like a cheerful little bird, chirped around Lin Yu, telling him about the changes in the family over the past few years.

Lin Yu listened quietly, occasionally nodding, his gaze sweeping over the familiar yet unfamiliar furnishings in the living room, finally landing on the uneasy Chen Rui.

This person... has animosity towards me.

Very obvious animosity.

The aroma of food soon wafted from the kitchen.

A large round table was laden with a rich spread of dishes.

Mother Lin untied her apron, her face flushed with excitement, and called out, "Dinner's ready! Don't be shy, grab your chopsticks! Xiao Yu, eat more of this, your favorite sweet and sour pork ribs!"

The meal was eaten in a warm and harmonious atmosphere.

At least on the surface, it was.

The conversation at the dinner table revolved around Lin Yao's upcoming professional awakening and Su Qingxue and Chen Rui's future wedding plans.

No one touched upon the most sensitive topic—Lin Yu's past five years and his future.

Until halfway through the meal.

Father Lin had two glasses of wine, his cheeks flushed. He looked at his son, who was silently eating beside him, and finally couldn't hold back.

"Xiao Yu."

The moment he spoke, the atmosphere at the dinner table instantly froze.

Mother Lin immediately gave him a warning glance.

But Father Lin ignored her.

He looked at Lin Yu and spoke in a tone of discussion.

"Look, you're back now, and a person can't always be idle. Let bygones be bygones. Find a proper, stable job in the future; that's better than anything."

At these words, everyone stopped using their chopsticks.

Su Qingxue lowered her head, pretending to pick up food.

Chen Rui's lips, however, unconsciously curved into a smile.

Here it comes.

The family judgment session.

He was curious to hear how this former genius would answer this question.

Lin Yao looked at her brother nervously.

Lin Yu put down his chopsticks and wiped his mouth with a napkin.

He didn't look at his father but calmly surveyed the room.

Finally, he spoke.

"Dad, regarding work, I have my own arrangements. You don't need to worry."

His answer was calm, without excitement or impatience.

But it was this calmness that choked all the lectures Father Lin had prepared in his throat.

"You... what arrangements do you have? Don't tell me you're going to get involved in those..."

"Old Lin!"

Mother Lin slammed her chopsticks on the table, her voice suddenly rising.

"Are you determined to make trouble today?!"

She pointed at the table full of dishes, then at Lin Yu.

"Our son finally came back after so much trouble! The family is happily having a meal! Why do you have to bring up those upsetting things?!"

"No lecturing! No one is allowed to lecture at this dinner today!"

Mother Lin was truly angry.

Father Lin was stunned by the shouting. Seeing his wife's red eyes, he finally swallowed his words, picked up his wine glass, and drank it in one gulp.

A small storm was thus forcibly suppressed.

However, the atmosphere at the dinner table could no longer return to its previous harmony.

Chen Rui took all of this in.

He sneered inwardly.

His own arrangements? What arrangements could a good-for-nothing who had been out of society for five years possibly have?

He was probably just relying on his parents' pampering to continue being a parasite.

He increasingly felt that coming here today was a mistake.

Sitting and eating with such a family simply lowered his own standing.

He glanced at Su Qingxue beside him.

Su Qingxue seemed to sense his thoughts and gently nudged him with her foot under the table.