Mini World Game Console-Chapter 651 - 652: All-in on Lin Xianyu

Since there were too many people for lunch today, Ren's mother made a decisive decision to eat out, even if it meant paying an extra 10% service charge because of the holiday rush on the 29th day of the year-end festivities—not because the food outside was exceptionally tasty, but because the presence of waiters and the sounds of other customers would keep the atmosphere from becoming too awkward.

The principle was the same as having the TV on during a meal; although the TV programs were boring, the sound of chewing alone could make the meal seem even more depressing and awkwardly unforgettable.

After all, this meeting was truly beyond everyone's expectations, including Gu Yueyan.

It was also fortunate that the meeting was so sudden. They could only go to the restaurant at the last minute. Luckily, this meant they could only sit in the lobby, where the noisy environment gave them plenty of buffer time.

"I thought you guys were coming back only on New Year's Eve," Gu Yueyan started, staring at Gu Yuexuan, "Didn't you say you still had a mission on the 29th?"

"I did have a mission," Gu Yuexuan replied. "I had to escort a senior officer back to his hometown."

Gu Yueyan frowned slightly, looked at her father, and said, "…Are you joking with me?"

"No, I only found out yesterday that the senior officer I was supposed to escort was our dad," Gu Yuexuan mercilessly shifted the blame to their father next to him. "I was fooled too. I had to rush here by high-speed rail last night and didn't even have time for dinner with my brothers."

"If I hadn't come back a day early, how would I know you had prepared such a big 'surprise' for me?" Gu Wenyi spoke indifferently.

At that moment, Ren Suo suddenly interjected, "Indeed, it really is a big surprise."

The table suddenly fell silent, everyone giving Ren Suo strange looks, only he remained calm, "Yueyan, stop hiding it. Tell your dad and brother about your body."

PFFT—

Ren Xingmei spat a mouthful of Pu'er tea onto Ren Suo's face.

CRACK—

Gu Yuexuan fared a bit better; he hadn't drunk his tea yet, so he just crushed the teacup with his bare hands.

Ren's father's and Ren's mother's eyes widened, Gu Wenyi's pupils constricted sharply, and suddenly someone dashed over to embrace Gu Yueyan, "Class president, how could you keep this from me!? Do you still consider me your friend!?"

This even scared Ren Suo almost enough to knock over his teacup, while Gu Yueyan also snapped back from Ren Suo's shocking words, looking at the familiar face in surprise, "Xianyu!?"

Aside from Gu Wenyi, who was slightly unfamiliar with her, everyone else knew this quirky college girl well. Ren Suo wiped the tea off his face, asking in surprise, "What are you doing here?"

"I came to eat with my family," Lin Xianyu naturally replied, then lowered her head to touch Gu Yueyan's stomach, "Class president, we just had Sichuan hotpot together half a month ago, it shouldn't be an issue, right? And during the last combat training before the holiday, Class President, how could you exert yourself so much..."

As Lin Xianyu began to speak more and more outrageously, Ren Suo quickly stopped her, "Xianyu, what are you talking about?"

"It's you who's talking nonsense," Gu Wenyi's deep voice roared like a sulfur-smelling Demon, "What has happened to my daughter's body? What exactly did you do?"

"Well, of course, I had a part in that too," Ren Suo proudly stated, with a look that begged for a beating, even making Ren's father and Ren's mother involuntarily want to distance themselves a little. Ren Suo had grown up now. He had become a powerful Cultivator, able to stack very thick armor and withstand the deadliest blows, but his parents were still ordinary people!

However, Ren's mother suddenly realized something and, remembering Ren Suo's boastful nature, loudly demanded, "Son, speak clearly, what are you talking about? Do you think you're a fortune teller speaking in riddles?"

"I just wanted you to guess," Ren Suo took Gu Yueyan's hand, facing everyone's gazes, and lifted her hand up, declaring,

"Yueyan is now a Third-turn Cultivator!"

"..."

Gu Yuexuan silently gathered the pieces of the teacup and handed them to a waiter. Gu Wenyi, who was about to stand up, sat down again, while Ren's father and Ren's mother heaved a sigh of relief, and Ren Xingmei handed Ren Suo a tissue to wipe his face.

Lin Xianyu looked at Gu Yueyan with disappointment, "What, it's just that you're a Third-turn Cultivator now..."

Ren Suo blinked, "Aren't you happy? Yueyan has the same Cultivation as me now... and the same Cultivation as you two!"

Being watched by Ren Suo, Gu Wenyi shook his head and said, "No."

The next second, an almost palpable pressure descended on Ren Suo, the immense pressure pinning him in place, and the emotion named Fear swiftly spreading in his heart.

But it was just a momentary thing. Ren Suo quickly recovered, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with the tissue, and looked at Gu Wenyi in shock.

Pressure from a Fourth-Stage Cultivator!

Gu Wenyi had actually advanced to the fourth transformation!?

What was this? The Grandmaster of Ancient Martial Arts showcasing his undiminished brilliance yet again?

However, Ren Suo seriously thought about it. Gu Yuexuan's and Gu Yueyan's cultivation aptitudes were both excellent, so it was normal for Gu Wenyi's aptitude to be high as well. Moreover, Gu Wenyi was highly valued by the upper echelons, and he certainly wouldn't lack guidance in Cultivation Techniques. Maybe he was even among the earliest batch of cultivators, and now, advancing to the fourth transformation seemed not so unusual.

No wonder I couldn't see Gu Wenyi on the leaderboard; it turns out he advanced to the fourth transformation this month.

It had been a long while since Ren Suo had felt the pressure from a Fourth-Stage Cultivator. Even though he had a girlfriend with a Fourth-Rank Cultivation, she had never used her Cultivation to suppress him. But maybe that would happen in the future.

But the fact that Gu Wenyi was a Fourth-Stage Cultivator made Ren Suo's heart skip a beat—oh no, now I'm completely outmatched! And it's to the extent that I can't even withstand a beating!

What if Lin Xianyu or my mother accidentally let slip my ulterior motive? Would I be beaten to a pulp by my angry father-in-law?

With that thought, Ren Suo subconsciously touched the Spiritual Energy Coordinate Necklace around his neck.

Rather than facing an angry Fourth-Stage father-in-law, it's better to voluntarily go to my fourth transformation girlfriend; maybe there's still a glimmer of hope!

At this moment, Gu Yueyan looked at Ren Suo with a curious expression, "How did you know I've reached the third turn? I was promoted just yesterday... If it wasn't for the fact that advancing to the third turn was urgent, I wouldn't have come a day late..."

Ren Suo coughed, and while scratching the palm of Gu Yueyan's hand under the table, he pretended to say, "I just know."

He was interrogated by Gu Yueyan early in the morning, and at the time, he hadn't reacted, but afterward, he grew suspicious—I, Ren Suo, have always acted in a way that shouldn't lead to me being beaten up by a Low-Level Cultivator, right?

Then he secretly used "data stream" to check on Gu Yueyan, and to his surprise, her Cultivation was "3rd-turn 0%", the same level as his!

This finally allowed Ren Suo to breathe a sigh of relief—thankfully, it was just being beaten up by a Cultivator of the same level.

After all, the "Mysterious Sovereign's Secret Records" significantly boosted his Physical Condition, and upon reaching Third-turn Cultivation, the difference in strength between male and Female Cultivators was almost negligible. Besides, Cultivators with high aptitude naturally had a slightly stronger Physical Condition; Gu Yueyan catching up to him now was quite normal.

Ren Suo, considering his profession as a Healing Cultivator, had very lenient standards for evaluating his Combat Power.

Actually, Ren Suo seemed to have heard a strange, calm voice in his dreams, and now he finally realized—he must have taken Gu Yueyan's three-star Key while she was embracing him.

Gu Yueyan, who had advanced to the second turn two months ago and then crossed into the third turn, was moving almost as fast as Dong Chengling, but that was normal—during their time in The Dark Side of the Moon, Gu Yueyan used the excuse of 'grinding Cultivation' to spend time with him. Now, Ren Suo was the one being pursued, but at least they had also gained some experience.

Even Ren Suo, by grinding experience, was just a step away from the fourth transformation. The experience Gu Yueyan accumulated was only enough for her to advance to the third turn, probably because she was distracted by thoughts of romance all day.

It proved that romance benefits the less diligent party more.

Although he was caught up by a girl a few years younger than him, Ren Suo was quite pleased; after all, the more "big thighs" to cling to, the better. However, he noticed that the expressions of the others were a bit off, and he asked, "You all... seem not very happy?"

"Happy, of course," Gu Yuexuan said grumpily. "It's just my sister advancing to the third turn. Of course I'm happy!"

Ren's mother chuckled and said, "Happy, very happy. Yueyan is really amazing." It felt as if Gu Yueyan's achievement in her mother's eyes was equivalent to her taking first place in the entire grade.

At that moment, Lin Xianyu very familiarly dragged a chair over, sat next to Gu Yueyan, and crisply asked, "Uncle, Aunt, Big Brother, Big Sister, can I join you for dinner?"

"Aren't you here to eat with your family?" Ren Suo asked.

"I told my parents that I was full and slipped away early," Lin Xianyu stuck out her tongue and said. "Relatives kept showing me pictures of boys, asking me what I thought of this one or that one. I didn't want to stay there anymore."

Ren Xingmei also asked, "But you're full, aren't you? Are you going to stay and watch us eat?"

"It's different. Eating with annoying relatives fills me up quickly, but eating with you all, I can still eat a bit more!" Lin Xianyu clenched her fist and said very determinedly, "I'm willing to burn the last bit of my strength for my stomach!"

"Then stay and eat with us," Ren's mother hurriedly said. Now, she wished for as many people as possible. After all, another girl had come looking for her son. With more people and noise, the others would hopefully be mindful of their image and not start a fight—Ren's mother wasn't really afraid of fights, but unfortunately, she didn't have a leg to stand on!

If it weren't for Ren Suo's messy affairs, Ren's mother would have happily dragged the other party to discuss auspicious days and all sorts of wedding arrangements. What could she do now? She was also in Despair.

Lin Xianyu's gaze constantly shifted between the Ren and Gu families, her excitement clearly showing. Gu Yueyan whispered to her, "Why are you here?"

"I really just came across this place while having dinner; it's just such a coincidence."

Lin Xianyu replied, "As I was passing by, I was thinking about you and Big Brother Ren. Then I suddenly had this strange premonition, and when I looked this way—hey! I just happened to see Big Brother Ren!"

Ren Suo remained silent. He didn't need to think to know it was definitely because of their Bond.

He could also identify bonding partners in a crowd at a glance; others could naturally spot him just as easily.

Wait a second, this side effect of the Bond Relationship seems very suitable for catching cheaters... But Ren Suo quickly relaxed: he wasn't planning any sneaky affairs, so why fear being caught? 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Gu Yueyan nodded and asked, "So... your hometown is also in Baiyun City?"

"Hmm."

"You came here to eat, so you must live nearby, right?"

"Hmm."

"Then why didn't you tell me?" Gu Yueyan asked, puzzled.

Lin Xianyu blinked and casually made an excuse, "You never asked me."

If it hadn't been for the sheer shock of what she had seen and heard, Lin Xianyu would have preferred to pretend she didn't see them at all.

She had long known that Ren Suo was from her hometown. To avoid potential complications, she obviously chose to conceal this information. After all, why would she bother looking for Ren Suo during the holidays when she could just lounge at home and lazily pass the time? There was nothing fun outside anyway.

If Lin Xianyu had voluntarily leaked this information, would the class president suspect that she and Big Brother Ren were from the same hometown? Would Big Brother Ren use this as an excuse to find her and cause trouble? Considering that Big Brother Ren seemed to attract trouble wherever he went, Lin Xianyu suspected that if she revealed her home address, Big Brother Ren might just show up at her door in his capacity as a Healing Cultivator to 'provide services'.

The wise way to handle a problem is not to solve it but to eliminate it. By simply playing dumb and hiding this information, she could enjoy a peaceful and undisturbed holiday.

Even though she had now revealed this information, Lin Xianyu still believed she would have a pleasant holiday—at least, it was very pleasant right now.

"How long did it take to drive here?"

"An hour and a half. Nansha isn't far from Baiyun."

"That's quite fast."

"Yes, especially since I heard your son's voice when I called my daughter."

This is incredible! Lin Xianyu watched intently as she ate her boiled chicken.

After the small talk, Gu Wenyi turned to Ren Suo, "So, Ren Suo... I'll just call you that. What do you plan to do?"

Everyone immediately became quiet; even the noise of the hall couldn't interfere with their hearing.

"Yueyan has four more years until she's twenty-two," Ren Suo said calmly. "We have plenty of time to deepen our understanding. During this period, many unexpected things might happen, leading to changes in our relationship..."

The Gu family father and son understood Ren Suo's point: his relationship was heading towards marriage, but since Gu Yueyan was still young, they needed to take things slowly. Over the next four years, many things could happen. Their feelings might change, and it wouldn't be unusual for young couples to break up after graduation.

Thinking this way, Gu Wenyi also calmed down. He was quite an old-fashioned man. His upbringing of his son, Gu Yuexuan, was entirely in the style of a feudal patriarch, but he couldn't bring himself to be strict with his daughter.

His daughter was academically excellent, had high Cultivation, and was of suitable age. Could he, as a father, watch over his daughter her whole life and forbid her from dating? After all, he had promised his late wife to take good care of their daughter.

Also, to be fair, Ren Suo was a good match. He had saved his daughter's life, was strong, had promising prospects, and despite his noteworthy abilities, he had a mild temperament. Both Deputy Director Qiao of the Tactical Bureau and Teacher Bai from the Heavenly Lotus Academy held him in high regard. He truly was a suitable partner.

Gu Wenyi naturally missed the subtext in Ren Suo's words: that in the future, many things would happen that could change their relationship, but this change might not necessarily mean separation. It could also lead to a relationship involving more people...

Although Gu Wenyi didn't catch this, out of fatherly instinct, he still didn't have a good impression of Ren Suo, this pig who had rooted up his precious cabbage, "Alright, they're your young people's affairs, and I won't interfere too much. But I hope you promise me one thing..."

"Do not harm my daughter."

Gu Wenyi stared at Ren Suo, again subtly exerting a bit of Four Levels Pressure, "I mean, in every sense. She is still young, and you two are not married."

Gu Yueyan blushed a bit, but Gu Wenyi kept his gaze fixed on Ren Suo. He had also been alarmed by Ren Suo's earlier remark, 'Your daughter's body has undergone some changes, and I played a big part in it,' and didn't hesitate to use his Fourth-Rank Cultivation to intimidate Ren Suo.

Naturally, Ren Suo promised right away, instantly lightening the atmosphere at the dinner table. Ren's mother, displaying her excellent negotiating skills, attended to all the guests, bringing the rhythm of the table back to normal family chatter.

"...Ah, so you went to Lian River to test the combat power of the Tactical Cultivators there."

"Yes, Lian River has many powerful Cultivators, and Ren Suo is among them." Gu Wenyi didn't mind praising Ren Suo when it didn't involve his daughter.

"Oh, my son isn't that strong. He just lazes around playing video games all day," Ren's mother said modestly, then changed the topic, "Then do you know Deputy Director Qiao Muyi of the Lian River Countermeasure Bureau?"

Except for the Gu father and son, everyone else at the table felt a sudden jolt in their hearts.

Ren's father lowered his head, pretending to play with his phone. Ren Xingmei sipped her tea delicately. Even Lin Xianyu slowed her eating pace, her eyes sparkling with a bright Radiance.

Ren Suo blinked, instinctively holding Gu Yueyan's hand, and noticed that her palm was also sweaty.

"It's okay," he whispered.

No matter what, he wouldn't blame his own mother, and definitely not Gu Wenyi. He was ready.

If worse came to worst, I'll just get beaten half to death and then go to Cheng Ling's to lie low for a while...

As everyone pretended to be casual while actually paying nervous attention, Gu Wenyi nodded and said, "I know her. Among the Third-turn Cultivators, her strength is actually not far off from the top few."

"Is Yiyi that amazing~?" Ren's mother exclaimed. "When I first met her, I just felt a connection with her, so I even made her my Foster Daughter."

Gu Wenyi just said, "Oh," and didn't think much of it. Ren's mother also didn't continue, thus silently ending the topic, letting everyone breathe a sigh of relief.

After dinner, Gu Wenyi asked Gu Yueyan to go home with them. Naturally, Gu Yueyan was reluctant. After a brief negotiation, they compromised—she would return at night.

It just so happened that Gu Wenyi had friends in Baiyun City too, and he planned to take his son to visit them that afternoon. He allowed Gu Yueyan to continue her date with Ren Suo during this time.

But just to be safe, Gu Wenyi still took Gu Yueyan's ID card.

Gu Yueyan didn't mind in the least and cheerfully pulled Ren Suo away from the restaurant. Ren Suo, however, was first pulled aside by his mom for a private chat, "If the other party loses their temper, can you beat them?"

Ren Suo understood what his mom meant and shook his head, "Can't beat them. I can only escape, at best."

"Escape, at best... Hmm, then I'm not worried about you," Ren's mother nodded and said. "I've said before, I won't interfere in your relationships. But to ask me to help you deceive others? That's impossible."

"...?" Ren Suo looked at his mom, slightly puzzled, "You just now…"

"Just now, I didn't lie," Ren's mother said calmly. "I really did feel a connection with Yiyi, that's why I made her my Foster Daughter. It has nothing to do with you. When they ask later, that's what I'll say. Any future dealings Yiyi has with our family will be based on that relationship, not your messy affairs."

Ren Suo looked at his mom, moved, and put his arm around her shoulders, speechless with choked emotion—Mothers really are the best!

"Don't get the wrong idea," Ren's mom swatted his hand away, snorted, and said. "I'm doing this for Yiyi's sake. Those Gu people are from the Sky Capital Countermeasure General Bureau and seem to be very powerful. What if they cause trouble for Yiyi because of you?

I don't want Yiyi to be called a home wrecker or be ostracized because of you. It's just not worth it!

I don't care about you, but if Yiyi suffers such unjust accusations because of you, then don't come back to see me. I'll turn your room into a nursery, and your father and I will have a second child."

"That would be a third child, actually," Ren Suo corrected his mom's slip of the tongue.

"Nag, nag, nag!" Ren's mother slapped Ren Suo on the head with each word. "So you really think you can nag your way into several wives... Go, go on, accompany the young lady. Don't stand here being an eyesore. Just looking at you annoys me."

When Ren Suo and his mom came out, the Gu father and son had already driven away. It seemed their thoughts were similar to Ren's mother's—out of sight, out of mind.

Ren Suo also knew that he couldn't just stay cooped up at home that afternoon. As he walked closer to Gu Yueyan, he thought about where to go next.

Lin Xianyu was also preparing to say goodbye, "Then, Class President, Big Brother Ren, I wish you a happy marriage and may you have children soon…"

"Classmate Lin, aren't you going out with them?" Ren's father suddenly asked.

Lin Xianyu was taken aback, "Me?"

"It's more fun with more people," Ren's father said nonchalantly. "My son isn't the type who likes to play outside. Whenever he goes out, he only ever goes to internet cafes."

Gu Yueyan hadn't seen Lin Xianyu for a while either. Seeing her now, she was also very delighted and pulled Lin Xianyu, saying, "Let's go together. I've never been to Baiyun City either. You can show us around somewhere fun."

Everyone just assumed Ren Suo was a hopeless homebody who didn't know any fun places.

Lin Xianyu was also somewhat tempted; after all, closely observing the class president and Big Brother Ren was quite an interesting prospect. She tended to act on her impulses, so she nodded and said, "Then I'll be the third wheel today, a 60-watt, high-power one at that!"

Ren Xingmei also chimed in, "Then I'll come too. I haven't been out shopping with my brother for a long time!"

Thus, three beautiful young women with distinctive charms walked down the street with Ren Suo, who was looking at his phone.

Watching their departing figures, Ren's mother asked Ren's father, puzzled, "What are you trying to do? Didn't our son say he and Xianyu don't really have anything going on? Aren't things chaotic enough for you?"

Ren's father rolled his eyes. "So, you're allowed to be fickle and pick your favorites, but I can't go all-in on one stock?"

"What are you talking about? You bought stocks? I heard the A-shares are pretty risky right now, Old Ren, be careful."

"It's a manga term; you wouldn't understand. Anyway, I'm sure I won't lose."