"I'm Shen Yiran," his companion introduced herself politely, with a slight bow of the head. "We didn't mean to intrude — just wanted to greet our neighbors properly."
"Not at all! It's rare to have such courteous young people these days. Please, come in for a moment. We just brewed some jasmine tea."
The living room inside was modest but cozy, with soft lighting and tasteful decor. A few toys were scattered around the edge of the carpet, and classical music played faintly from a speaker.
As Lin Wei stepped inside, he glanced subtly at each family member — taking note of expressions, dynamics, and energy. There was something... interesting here. Harmonious on the surface, but the app in his pocket faintly pulsed as if alerting him to the undercurrents.
Target type: Activated.
For now, he simply smiled and said, "It's a lovely place. Thank you for having us."
"Wow... those two girls looked really fierce." Lin Wei muttered inwardly as he took a slow sip of the jasmine tea offered by Jiang Qinghe.
His eyes briefly drifted toward the two daughters — Yuxin, the older one, had barely smiled and only offered a curt nod when introduced.
Her posture remained firm and protective, almost like a bodyguard in casual clothes.
Meanwhile, Yuhan, younger but equally sharp-eyed, had narrowed her gaze just enough to make Lin Wei feel like a suspect under quiet interrogation. Neither of them had touched the tea.
They reminded him of the tougher seniors back at his university club — the kind who'd flip a table if someone crossed a line, no matter how polite they seemed. It wasn't exactly unfriendliness; it was more like a wall, subtly warning him not to try anything stupid. Noted.
"They act like they're guarding a shrine," he thought with a dry laugh in his mind, watching the way their eyes followed every small move he made.
Despite that, Madam Jiang Qinghe was the complete opposite. Her smile was sincere, her tone warm, and she seemed genuinely happy to have new neighbors.
Every time she spoke, her voice brought a strange sense of comfort — a blend of calm and grace that reminded him eerily of Xueyin, a person from his past who carried herself with effortless elegance.
"I'll probably keep my distance from those three," Lin Wei thought again, glancing at the daughters. "They don't look like the type to warm up easily. But the mother… she's different. Kind, intelligent — and real. That kind of presence is rare."
Just as he placed the empty teacup down gently on the table, he noticed Shen Yiran subtly shift beside him. Her eyes had been scanning the room just as carefully as his. She met his gaze for a brief second and gave a faint nod — as if acknowledging the unusual family energy without saying a word.
Ding.
His phone buzzed in his pocket. Just once.
NTR Target Scan Completed — Type: Fragile Core / External Defense Variant
Family Unit: Medium Resistance. Opening thread: Jiang Qinghe — Emotional Warmth Access Key Detected.
After coming back to the apartment, Lin Wei finally decided to lay low, feeling all the tiredness catching up to his body.
In that moment, Shen Yiran, who was back in her room, felt tired and completely collapsed on her bed, looking breathless. As if she tried to catch up to her emotion, but today, her body was totally in heat for some reason, as she picked up the toy from her backpack to relieve herself, or else, it might get her in a dire position in front of the new boss's vision.
'That was completely weird...' It was after relieving herself that Yiran lay on her bed thinking about it weirdly. It was the first time that she felt this sensitive in her entire lifetime, and it was on the same day that she came to work for her boss.
'But it is alright! Now.' She reassured herself under her breath, letting the sigh escape fully this time. The quiet hum of the room contrasted starkly with the day's hustle, but the silence was welcome.
After composing herself, Shen Yiran reached over to her side drawer and pulled out a slim, leather-bound diary. Its spine was slightly worn—used often, handled with care. She opened to a fresh page, the ink of her pen ready.
This was her ritual.
A habit that had begun years ago while working under Lin Wei's father—before everything changed. Back then, it was a matter of survival in the corporate world: dates, names, movements, impressions, and angles. Now, though, it had taken on a more personal weight.
May 12
Unpredictable yet intentional. Spends without hesitation but understands social dynamics.
Sharp—more than I expected. Perhaps hiding depth behind the casual tone.
Generous to a fault? Gave away 15M credits like it was nothing. Flexing or confident?
Kindness is not calculated. Noticed especially when talking to elders.
Kindness is not calculated. Noticed especially when talking to elders.
He avoids "Master Lin." Prefers simple titles. —Humanizes him.
Side note:
Also… the girls next door. Jiang Yuxin and Yuhan — strong personalities. Defensive, like they've been burned before. The mother… unusual. Background check pending.
+
A soft knock echoed faintly from the corridor. Probably just some hallway noise, but it snapped her back into the moment. She closed the diary with a quiet snap, placed it back into the drawer, and exhaled one last time. Tomorrow would be more eventful than today; she could feel it.
Lin Wei, on the other hand, hadn't even thought about dinner until he heard a knock at the door. When he opened it, he found his personal secretary, Shen Yiran, standing there with the same polite smile she always wore—and dinner already prepared.
"Thank you. I was completely spent," he said sincerely, hoping his gratitude came through.
She simply nodded with a gentle smile, and the two made their way to the dining table. There, he was surprised to see a generous spread of dishes.
"This is amazing! It's been a while since I've had such a feast. Usually, I just eat a single dish with rice or something simple. But tonight feels luxurious," he said with genuine appreciation, digging in.
As he ate, the flavors seemed to awaken his mind. He found himself thinking again about the four remaining status points he hadn't allocated since reaching Level 2. Maybe tonight would be a good time to review and decide—especially if he wanted to make life, and those NTR quests, a little easier.