Liu Yan Looks at Lin Yan, Mother-in-Law Looks at Son-in-Law

Outside the gate, Lin Xiao looked at his surroundings with a sense of nostalgia.

Having been away from the Lin Clan for many years, returning to this place brought back a flood of memories from his youth, leaving him feeling deeply sentimental.

He thought of his late friends, and combined with the kindness Lin Yan had shown him this time, a bold idea suddenly surfaced in his mind.

Come to think of it, Qing Tan is not yet betrothed.

And I have noticed she seems to have feelings for this boy, Lin Yan. We know Lin Yan's background well, so perhaps...

Lin Yan was unaware of Lin Xiao's thoughts. Seeing them approach, he took the initiative to step forward and greet them with a smile.

"Uncle Xiao, Aunt Liu, Qing Tan, Lin Dong, what brings you all here?"

Lin Xiao's train of thought was interrupted by Lin Yan, but upon seeing the young man, he appeared quite moved.

"Lin Yan, you have grown so much?"

"Hmm, sturdy build, striking features, a true talent! You are truly your father Lin Quan's son!"

Lin Xiao did not hold back his praise for Lin Yan.

He then generously acknowledged that he owed his recovery to Lin Yan's help.

"Lin Yan, thank you so much for this time."

"After using your medicinal pills, my internal injuries have completely healed."

"If it weren't for your pills, I don't know how much longer I would have remained a cripple."

Lin Dong also stepped forward, cupping his hands with a sincere expression as he thanked him: "Brother Lin Yan, I will keep your kindness in my heart. If you ever need anything in the future, even if it means walking through fire or water, I, Lin Dong, will never refuse!"

Hearing this, Lin Yan waved his hand with a smile. He did not become arrogant because of the gratitude from Lin Dong's family; instead, he said quite gently: "Uncle Xiao, what are you saying? You and my father were close friends, and he considered you a brother while he was alive. Therefore, when you were in trouble, it was only natural for me to step in."

Having said that, Lin Yan patted Lin Dong on the shoulder: "As for you, little brother Lin Dong, you are too kind. Since you have called me brother, do you really think I would let you walk through fire and water?"

"We are all family; there is no need to be so formal."

Lin Yan replied to Lin Dong and Lin Xiao with a smile.

As for the Lin family, after hearing these words from Lin Yan, their eyes sparkled with admiration.

Lin Dong secretly marveled at Lin Yan's eloquence. Even though they were just a few sentences, coming from Lin Yan, they felt as refreshing as a spring breeze.

After hearing these words, even someone as guarded as Lin Dong felt a surge of warmth, wishing he could treat him like a blood brother. This showed just how skilled Lin Yan was with his words.

Lin Xiao and Liu Yan, after hearing this, looked at Lin Yan with growing appreciation.

They had already heard from Lin Dong and Qing Tan that Lin Yan's strength was impressive, but they hadn't expected that, upon meeting him, they would find his character and conduct to be equally excellent. Such maturity at a young age made them both give him a mental thumbs-up.

As the saying goes, the student surpasses the master!

This boy, Lin Yan, was truly exceptional!

Afterward, Lin Yan invited the Lin family inside to sit, brew tea, and chat.

The more Lin Xiao and Liu Yan observed the boy, the more outstanding they found him to be. Especially Liu Yan, who, as she watched him, began to look at him with the eyes of a mother-in-law vetting a potential son-in-law.

"Qing Tan, it seems you are at the age where you should be thinking about romance, right?"

Liu Yan whispered, testing the waters beside Qing Tan's ear.

Upon hearing this, Qing Tan couldn't help but blush. After stealing a cautious glance at Lin Yan, she quickly looked away: "Mother~ you are just teasing me."

Liu Yan let out a pleasant laugh. Although she didn't say anything more, she felt that the two children were becoming an increasingly perfect match.

The Lin family stayed with Lin Yan for a while longer.

However, they did not linger, as they had come in a hurry and, having not visited in so long, felt it would be impolite to stay for a meal.

"Lin Yan, if you have time, feel free to visit Uncle Xiao's home. You are about the same age as Dong'er and Qing Tan; you can cultivate your friendship and spar with each other during your training."

"We shall take our leave for today."

Lin Xiao soon bid farewell to Lin Yan.

He then led his family back home.

Lin Yan watched them leave, and Yao Lao's figure appeared only after they had departed.

"That family is quite decent; they are worth befriending."

Yao Lao offered his own assessment.

He never judged friends by their strength; as long as they suited his temperament, he would befriend them.

And clearly, the Lin family suited his temperament perfectly.

"However, there is something strange about that boy, Lin Dong."

"I can always sense a peculiar aura coming from him."

Yao Lao stroked his beard as he spoke.

"That? It should be his own stroke of fortune."

Lin Yan smiled at this, not saying much more.

Before he had activated the system and received Yao Lao's help, he had indeed coveted the Stone Talisman himself.

But in the eyes of Lin Yan now, it was nothing special.

After all, Lin Dong had Little Marten, and he had Yao Lao.

Naturally, he no longer felt envious of Lin Dong's opportunities.

He quickly resumed his cultivation.

In the days that followed, he would occasionally drop by Lin Xiao's house for a visit.

It wasn't that Lin Yan wanted to scrounge for meals; it was mostly that he couldn't refuse their warm hospitality.

After the incident last time, Liu Yan would have Qing Tan bring over some delicacies every few days.

She would claim that she had made too much and wanted to share some.

But in reality, Lin Yan knew their family's situation, so those delicacies made from monster meat were mostly things Lin Xiao had specifically gone out to hunt.

Therefore, Lin Yan would occasionally go hunting himself. Firstly, it helped him gain more practical combat experience, and secondly, it allowed him to return the favor; after all, it didn't look good to keep eating and drinking for free.

Through these interactions, Lin Yan gradually became more familiar with Lin Xiao's family.

In particular, Lin Dong and Qing Tan, who had been very respectful but somewhat distant when facing Lin Yan before, had changed.

Now, that distance was basically gone. In their spare time, the two would even take the initiative to find Lin Yan, calling out "Brother Lin Yan" with great enthusiasm whenever they saw him.

"Oh? Lin Dong, are you cultivating here? Is Uncle Xiao home?"

Today, Lin Yan had nothing to do, so he had gone to the back mountain to hunt a monster.

The monster was a wild boar, and since Lin Yan couldn't finish it alone, he simply carried it over, intending to eat it together at Lin Xiao's house.

As he arrived at Lin Dong's doorstep, he noticed Lin Dong was in the middle of cultivation and walked up with a smile.

"Yeah, the Clan Competition starts in a few days, so I need to cultivate properly to show what I can do when the time comes."

Lin Dong smiled as he answered Lin Yan.

"Then, do you want to spar?"

Lin Yan smiled and said to Lin Dong.

Since Lin Dong wanted to cultivate, he could help him practice, and besides, he was actually quite curious about how strong Lin Dong was right now.

"Sure! Brother Lin Yan, wait here for a moment. I'll take this monster to the house for Mother to prepare, and then we can start!"

Lin Dong agreed immediately, then spoke to Lin Yan with great excitement.