Su Lin and Han Yutong's popularity was considerable, and every move they made was under the gaze of the media.
The next day, photos of their date were leaked.
In the pictures, they were intimate, entering and exiting together, looking incredibly sweet and firmly confirming their relationship.
Previously, some had suspected their romance was a publicity stunt, a mere ruse to attract attention, as there were no other displays of affection beyond a single photo of them holding hands.
But this time was different. Not only were there pictures of them holding hands, but also of them hugging and a suspected kiss. No matter how reluctant the fans were, they had to admit that the two were indeed together.
"My OTP is real, lick lick lick!"
"Before, I could only fantasize about them dating through various fan edits, but today it's finally confirmed!"
"A spring for visual lovers, their appearance compatibility is too high!"
"The Civil Affairs Bureau has been brought to you, please get married on the spot and give us lots of sweetness!"
"Besides Young Master Yan and Su He, this pair is my second favorite OTP!"
Fans who appreciated their looks cheered and rejoiced as if it were New Year's.
This was precisely the result Su Lin wanted.
Because of this surge in popularity, their public recognition was further solidified, and invitations poured in like snowflakes, keeping their managers' phones ringing off the hook.
Of course, Su Lin's main goal was to appease his family.
After Tang Jiaojiao urged him a few times, Su Lin chose a date and brought Han Yutong back to Huajingyuan.
As the groom's relatives, Su He had arrived early, bringing her adorable son, Lu Ziyi, who had just learned to walk.
Han Yutong was led in by Su Lin, their fingers intertwined, truly looking the part.
Tang Jiaojiao and Su He exchanged a glance, put away their scrutinizing gazes, and smiled, inviting them in.
Tang Jiaojiao was always warm and quickly livened up the atmosphere.
Han Yutong blushingly called out, "Auntie," and nodded at Su He. "Miss Su."
"Don't call me Miss Su, call me Sister," Su Lin said playfully as he pulled her to sit on the sofa. At home, he seemed much more relaxed than in front of outsiders.
Han Yutong bit her lip but couldn't bring herself to say it.
Su He, on the other hand, was indifferent; it was just a name. The little one in her arms saw Han Yutong sitting opposite and immediately wriggled free, toddling unsteadily towards her. "Huggy..."
Han Yutong was unexpectedly flattered.
Just as she reached out to pick up the little one, Su Lin beat her to it.
"Call me Uncle," Su Lin said, lifting him onto his lap and pinching his cheek as he instructed.
The little one, still in the babbling stage, had unclear pronunciation. "Diu...diu..."
"It's Uncle!" Su Lin corrected him.
"Diu...diu..."
"Un...cle..."
"Diu...diu..."
Su Lin was exhausted. The two looked at each other innocently, their big eyes wide.
Su He laughed heartily from the side. "Well done, Duoduo!"
It was truly her son to be able to stump Su Lin!
Su Lin glared at Su He exasperatedly. "You're truly my mother's son, always going against me!"
"Haha..." Su He laughed heartily without any pretense. "Of course, my son sides with me! If you have the guts, have a more formidable one!"
Su Lin couldn't counter this and pursed his lips in annoyance.
Han Yutong watched the siblings bicker, unable to join in. She could only blush and sip her tea daintily.
Tang Jiaojiao, fearing she might neglect Han Yutong, had a servant bring out fruits and snacks and started a casual conversation with her. However, as an open-minded parent, she didn't pry too much into Han Yutong's family background, mostly discussing work-related matters. She didn't even ask how she and Su Lin met or how they got together.
This made Han Yutong, who had been holding her breath as if waiting for an exam, breathe a sigh of relief.
Su Dazhi, not very skilled at conversation, sat by the side, helping to peel fruit.
Han Yutong felt a little embarrassed.
By noon, Su Chen and Su Ying's families had arrived one after another, and the villa became lively. The family was harmonious, the atmosphere warm but not boisterous.
Lu Yanbei was the last to arrive, as the Lu Group was relatively far from here.
The moment the little one saw him, he abandoned Su Lin and ran towards him with his short legs. "Dad... Daddy..."
Lu Yanbei adjusted his glasses and bent down to pick him up.
Su He walked over and linked her arm with his. "You're the only one missing!"
Lu Yanbei held his wife's hand and slowly walked into the living room.
The other members of the Su family rose to greet him.
It wasn't Han Yutong's first time seeing Lu Yanbei, but she still couldn't help but feel excited. In her heart, Lu Yanbei was like snow on a cloud, noble and aloof, completely in a different world from mortals like them.
She had originally thought that this man, who stood on a pedestal, would be unapproachable in private, but she never expected him to be like this in everyday life.
He would patiently feed the child, gently tie his wife's hair, use his hands, which earned fortunes daily, to help clear the table, play chess with his father-in-law, and listen to his mother-in-law's ramblings with a smile...
Han Yutong found it incredible.
Seeing Han Yutong's gaze linger on Lu Yanbei and Su He from time to time, Su Lin couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. But he couldn't show it too obviously in front of everyone, so he decided to distract her in another way.
"Shall I show you my room?" he suddenly said.
Han Yutong looked up in surprise. "Your room?"
Before she could refuse, Su Lin took her hand and stood up. "I'll take her upstairs for a tour."
Tang Jiaojiao smiled and waved at him. "Go ahead, the room is all tidied up. If you feel tired, you can lie down for a bit."
Han Yutong had been relatively calm, thinking she could go to Su Lin's room to review her performance today and avoid any loopholes being discovered. However, Tang Jiaojiao's words made her cheeks burn.
A man and a woman, alone in a room, the atmosphere was particularly romantic.
Han Yutong felt her face burning intensely, about to explode.
Su Lin calmly led her up the spiral staircase, seemingly unfazed. But only he knew how wildly his heart was pounding and how his palms were subtly sweating.
After leading Han Yutong into the room, Su Lin finally let go of her hand.
Han Yutong rubbed her chest and asked softly, "Did I say anything wrong just now?"
Su Lin put a finger to his lips, signaling her to remain silent for now.
Han Yutong cautiously surveyed her surroundings and realized that his room was connected to another room. Was he afraid of eavesdropping?
Coming out to the terrace outside the room, Su Lin suddenly pulled her into his arms.
Han Yutong jumped in surprise and instinctively tried to push him away.
"Don't move, someone is watching," Su Lin said softly, encircling her slender waist and whispering in her ear.
Han Yutong immediately stopped struggling and let him hold her.
After a long while, she asked tremulously, "Is... is it over?"
Su Lin looked at the empty courtyard and a mischievous smile curved his lips. "My mother is watching, so you'll have to bear with me a little longer..."
Han Yutong let out a soft hum, obedient to the point that one couldn't help but want to kiss her.