We Are Your Family

Chen Feiyu observed his surroundings and saw that Ling Yun indeed had no intention of pursuing the matter further, which finally put his worried heart at ease.

At the same time, he completely extinguished any thoughts of pursuing Jiang Yingxue.

The unusual sparkle in Jiang Yingxue's eyes when she looked at Ling Yun was clear even to the dullest person. How could he compete with this "Brother Two Hundred Million"?

If he didn't know his place and angered Ling Yun, that would truly be digging his own grave.

He found an excuse, his demeanor respectful to the point of humility, and bid farewell to Ling Yun and the Jiang family, leaving their home almost as if fleeing.

As Chen Feiyu's figure disappeared outside the door, the invisible taut string in the dining room suddenly went slack.

Mother Jiang's gaze fell upon Ling Yun, gentle and focused, a look interwoven with pure admiration and affection.

"Xiao Yun," she said, her voice even softer, "you are so outstanding, your parents... must be incredibly proud of you, right?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them, fearing she had touched upon something sensitive.

Ling Yun's expression remained unchanged, and he calmly replied, "Auntie, I'm an orphan. I was raised by my adoptive parents. They... died in a car accident when I was in my third year of junior high."

His tone was devoid of emotion, as if stating a distant, settled fact.

The karmic ties were severed, and the consequences were his alone.

As for his adoptive parents' kindness... once he reached the Golden Immortal realm, reversing time and space wouldn't be impossible. Then, he could be by their side and repay their nurturing grace.

This calmness stemmed from absolute control over the future, not numbness.

Mother Jiang's heart felt as if it were being clutched by something, and her eyes instantly filled with apology and distress. "Oh, child... Auntie didn't know. I'm so sorry, so sorry..."

"It's okay, Auntie, it's all in the past."

Ling Yun comforted her in return, a faint, soothing smile even gracing his lips.

However, this overly calm smile and the lightly spoken "it's all in the past" felt like fine needles to the Jiang sisters, pricking their hearts with a subtle bitterness.

Had he grown accustomed to it? Accustomed to being alone, accustomed to the absence of familial warmth in this world?

A flicker of moisture appeared in Jiang Yingxue's clear, cool eyes. She suddenly stood up and walked directly to Ling Yun's side.

Without the slightest hesitation, she reached out her slightly cool hand and gently, yet firmly, placed it on the back of Ling Yun's hand, which rested casually on the table, looking somewhat lonely.

A genuine warmth passed through their skin.

"From now on," her voice was still clear and crisp, but carried an undeniable warmth, like newly melted snowmelt, "the Jiang family is your home. We... are your family."

"Yes, yes, yes!" Jiang Yingqing practically bounced up, her voice tinged with tearful urgency. She rushed to Ling Yun's other side in a few steps, tightly gripping his arm as if afraid he would disappear the next second. "Brother Ling Yun! Sister is right! From now on, we are your closest family! I... I'll protect you!"

The girl's palms were burning hot, filled with vibrant life force.

Jiang Mingyuan nodded steadily, his voice deep and resonant. "Xiao Yun, remember this. This is your home from now on. No matter what difficulties you face, whether it's with your career or your life, just ask. Don't be a stranger."

The warmth from her palm on his hand, the pressure on his arm, and the resolute promises in his ears converged into a strange, warm current that quietly flowed into Ling Yun's long-dormant heart.

A barely perceptible ripple crossed his eyes.

He nodded slightly, his Adam's apple bobbing. Finally, he only managed to whisper, "...Thank you, Uncle, Auntie, Yingxue, Yingqing."

In the blink of an eye, the wall clock pointed to five in the afternoon.

Ling Yun rose at the opportune moment. "Uncle, Auntie, Yingxue, Yingqing, thank you for your hospitality today. I have a live streaming task tonight and need to go back and prepare."

If you like this book, remember to add it to your bookshelf to avoid losing it next time.

"Xiao Yun, no matter how busy work is, it's not worth rushing this," Mother Jiang said with reluctance, earnestly trying to persuade him. "We have plenty of empty rooms at home. Why don't you stay the night?"

"Auntie, thank you. I appreciate the thought."

Ling Yun smiled apologetically. "The platform has arrangements, and I really need to go back and prepare. I'll visit again next time."

In reality, the more significant reason was his eagerness to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Hearing that it was work, Mother Jiang, though regretful, no longer insisted. "Alright then, work is important. Uncle Zhang! See Xiao Yun off. Please be careful on the road!"

Watching the car carrying Ling Yun drive out of the courtyard, Mother Jiang leaned against the porch, her gaze lingering for a long time, and sighed softly. "This child, the more I look at him, the more my heart aches for him, and the more I like him. If only he were our own child..."

Jiang Mingyuan put his arm around his wife's shoulder, his gaze deep. "We don't have the fate to have him as a son, but wouldn't he be even better as a son-in-law? Look at our two girls, their feelings are no longer hidden."

Mother Jiang's brow furrowed slightly upon hearing this, and worry crept onto her face. "That's true... but Yingxue and Yingqing, these two sisters... they are both my flesh and blood. What if later..."

"Children and grandchildren have their own fortunes."

Jiang Mingyuan patted his wife's hand, his tone carrying the magnanimity of someone who has experienced life.

"Xiao Yun, this child, has a will as firm as rock, and his abilities are unfathomably deep. His future achievements are limitless. Yingxue and Yingqing are still young. When it comes to matters of the heart... you can't force it, nor can you interfere."

"Let them experience it themselves. Whoever can truly open Xiao Yun's heart will depend on their own fate and abilities. As parents, watching from the side, protecting, and supporting is enough."

Mother Jiang fell silent for a long time, and finally sighed softly, nodding. However, the lingering worry between her brows remained clear.

Second-floor living room.

The crystal chandelier cast a soft light, but it couldn't dispel the stillness pervading the air.

Jiang Yingqing and Jiang Yingxue sat side-by-side on the spacious sofa, neither speaking first. Only the faint hum of the air conditioner could be heard.

An invisible tension flowed between them. Their gazes occasionally met, then quickly separated, as if silent currents were crackling.

"Sister," Jiang Yingqing finally couldn't hold back, turning her head abruptly, her voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible tension. "Do you... like Ling Yun?"

In almost the same instant, Jiang Yingxue's cool gaze also fixed on her sister's face. Her lips parted slightly, asking the same question: "Yingqing, do you like Ling Yun?"

Their eyes met, no longer evading each other. The stirrings, the persistence deep within their eyes, were instantly exposed under the other's scrutiny, with no possibility of concealment.

Jiang Yingxue's gaze was as calm as a deep pool, yet carried an unshakeable resolve.

She didn't look away, clearly, word by word, declaring: "Yes. I like him. I won't let go." Her tone was calm and undisturbed, yet contained a will as solid as rock, much like the decisiveness when she had placed her hand on Ling Yun's back earlier.

Jiang Yingqing was stunned by her sister's rare, almost sharp, directness, her breathing momentarily catching.

Immediately after, the apprehension in the young girl's eyes was quickly replaced by a spirited fighting will. Her cheeks flushed with excitement, and her voice was clear and loud, carrying the courage of burning one's bridges:

"I like him too! I like him very, very much! Sister, since we both like him, let's compete fairly!"

She suddenly reached out her hand, her little finger stubbornly raised, carrying the solemnity unique to a young girl, almost innocent, "No matter the outcome, neither of us can be angry with the other! We will always be the best sisters!"

Jiang Yingxue's gaze lingered for a moment between her sister's outstretched finger and her burning eyes.

The living room was so quiet that one could hear their heartbeats. A few seconds of silence felt infinitely stretched.

Finally, she also slowly extended her own little finger. Her movement still carried her usual cool restraint, but she gently yet firmly hooked her sister's.

"Okay," she uttered a single word, her voice slightly lower than usual. "We'll compete fairly. Remember, we are sisters."

Her fingertips were icy, but the strength with which she hooked her sister's finger was exceptionally firm.

The two little fingers tightly linked declared the opening of a battle.

Meanwhile, Ling Yun, completely unaware of this, was sitting in the car on his way home, gazing at the fleeting street scenes outside the window.