Chapter 23: From Now On, This Is Also Your Home

Chapter 23: This Will Be Your Home Too

When Jian Ye woke up, the first thing that caught his eye was a pair of slender, well-proportioned hands.

The owner of those hands was replying to a message on his phone, his movements elegant and unhurried.

As if sensing his *"little dog"* had opened its eyes, Yi Siyu glanced up. "You're awake? Still tired? You can rest a bit longer."

"Hmm... no, did we reach the subway yet? I’ll get off now." Still groggy from sleep, Jian Ye reached for the car door without fully registering his surroundings. When he finally noticed the view outside, he froze completely.

??

???

Huh??!

The building before him was even larger than the nine-figure villa his parents had left him—the epitome of luxury mansions.

The teen turned stiffly toward the driver. "Did you take a wrong turn into someone’s estate?"

The man stepped out of the car and casually closed the door. "This is my home."

Jian Ye: !!!!!!

So *this* was the legendary estate of the Yi family—the #1 wealthy family in Yunjing.

If the original owner could marry into the Yi family, what else could he possibly want?

Forget love—who *wouldn’t* want a mansion like this?

Under the overwhelming impact of wealth, Jian Ye instantly transformed into a docile little spouse.

"Brother Siyu, why did you bring me to your house?" His voice sweetened eight times over.

Yi Siyu: "From now on, it’s your home too."

Jian Ye thought to himself, *That’s even better.*

This kind of luxury could turn anyone into a pampered slacker.

...

Inside, Jian Ye followed Yi Siyu into the grand hall, where four people—eight eyes—locked onto him at once.

He flinched. Their stares were like X-ray machines, making him feel as if he were smuggled goods.

"Why are you all here?" Yi Siyu said, surprised.

Normally at this hour, his dad and older brothers would be at the company, and his mother was supposed to be meeting her best friends. Yet there she sat, elegantly perched on the leather sofa.

Jian Ye hid slightly behind the man, peeking out just enough to show half his face. Usually quick with words, his mind went blank—he couldn't even remember how to greet them.

Yi Xiangcheng spoke first. "Why do you think we’re all here? Because you finally did something impressive."

*This must be Yi Siyu’s dad. Right out the gate with the snark—I should take notes.*

This family’s looks were next-level.

Mr. and Mrs. Yi have aged gracefully, still showing traces of their extraordinary youth—no wonder their sons turned out so handsome.

Yi Siyuan: "I dropped my coding halfway to rush back. If you hadn’t added me to the group, I might’ve missed my little brother’s big day."

Yi Sizhe glanced at the person beside him: "Yi Siyuan, second brother."

Yi Siyuan: "Hey, no offense meant. I’m just shocked Xiao Yu got married without anyone noticing."

Yu Xinran was the last to speak. She didn’t scold her son but had been watching the shy boy from the start.

Seeing him hide behind her youngest son, her motherly heart swelled with affection.

What an adorable kid.

"Xiao Ye, right? Is it okay if I call you that?" Yu Xinran's eyes remained warm and smiling.

This made Jian Ye feel instantly at ease, his nerves easing a little. It also finally unlocked his stalled social skills.

"Whatever you like, Auntie..." His voice was still timid, but he stepped out from behind the man on his own. "And... hi, Uncle. Hi, brothers."

Yu Xinran beckoned to Jian Ye, who obediently approached.

She immediately took his hand and guided him to sit on the sofa.

"You can call me that for now, but once you two have the ceremony, you’ll need to change how you address us, okay?"

Jian Ye instantly understood—later, he’d have to say “Mom” and “Dad.”

In his past world, he’d had no parents, and in this one, the original host’s parents were gone too. Jian Ye didn’t have strong feelings about it.

But now that he and Yi Siyu were legally married, suddenly having parents gave him a faint, fluttery feeling—like a pebble dropping into a lake, sending ripples outward.

Yu Xinran stroked Jian Ye’s soft, delicate hand. "You’re so slender. What do you like to eat? I’ll have the kitchen make it."

"I... I can just eat at home later." Jian Ye hadn’t expected the Yi family to be so welcoming, and now he was genuinely flustered.

"Come on, since you're here, stay for dinner. Today’s your and Xiao Yu’s wedding day—such a big day calls for a celebration!" said Yi Siyuan, the second brother.

He thought Xiao Yu’s spouse seemed different from the rumors. Based on first impressions alone, this kid was sweet and shy.

The eldest brother, Yi Sizhe: "I’ll have the kitchen whip up dishes from every region."

Yu Xinran smiled. "Yes, that’s thoughtful."

Jian Ye: !!!

Typical of a top-tier rich family! Are they rolling out a royal feast later?

How did Jian Xiao Ye luck out like this?!

Jian Ye facepalmed internally.

"System 748: Host, why the self-punishment?"

"Jian Ye: You picked up on that too?"

"System 748: The system can project your mental images."

"Jian Ye: ...I just feel like my overreaction earlier totally exposed my country bumpkin nature."

"System 748: What do you mean?"

"Jian Ye: Don’t you think ever since I got here, I’ve been like a country mouse in the city? Things that are normal to them are all first-time experiences for me. Do I seem too flustered?"

"System 748: Host is very composed. You didn’t even yelp or freak out."

"Jian Ye: ..."

"System 748: No need to stress, Host. They can’t see your inner thoughts—only this system can."

"Jian Ye: Should I give you a gold star for being amazing?"

"System 748: (⁄ ⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄ ⁄) Flustered~"

"Jian Ye: ..."

...

"I’ll take you upstairs for a look around." Yi Siyu noticed Jian Ye’s awkwardness and extracted him from the prying eyes.

Jian Ye nodded eagerly, thinking, *Bro, took you long enough to step in!*

Even a social butterfly like him was getting socially drained from all the small talk.

Yi Siyu seemed kinda icy and reserved, but his mother, Yu Xinran, was a total 180 in personality.

Earlier, he’d been answering older relatives’ nosy questions like a kid called to the principal’s office.

This wealthy family was nice, but it’d be even better if they cut the small talk.

"This is my room. Over there are my two brothers’. My parents are in another building, but they can come here through the covered walkway. Upstairs is the media room and gym, and..."

Yi Siyu carefully explained the layout of the house and the function of each room.

*Jian·Country Bumpkin·Ye* was getting major culture shock today. The house was so big—you could totally get lost in here.

A thief would need GPS to steal anything. But given the security level, not a damn fruit fly could sneak in.

"What’s this room?" Jian Ye pointed to the door at the end of the hallway.

It wasn’t because the door looked different—it was just the only one tightly shut.

Y’know how in books, these rooms are usually the protagonist’s forbidden zone?

Could it be… wall-to-wall shrine of photos and mementos of his White Moonlight?

Instantly, he wished he could retract it. Just as he was about to say “Forget it,” the other man opened the door for him.

"Care to peek?"

The boy immediately shook his head. "Curiosity killed the cat and all that."

Yi Siyu: "I insist you should be."

Jian Ye: "?"

Why was this guy weirdly pushy about...?

"Jian Ye: Is this meant to discourage me on purpose? Trying to show me how amazing his White Moonlight is, so I’ll feel inferior?"

"System 748: Host, your imagination is wild."

"Jian Ye: Isn’t it?"

The boy craned his neck to look and found himself staring into a space enclosed by display cabinets on all four sides.

Three walls’ worth of cabinets were packed with trophies, certificates, and medals.

Yi Siyu said evenly, “This is everything I’ve won in competitions since I was a kid—every honor, every award.”

His tone was flat, without a trace of bragging, as if winning them had been effortless.

Jian Ye couldn't help but be stunned.

He’d won awards in *every* competition since childhood...

Wait—did the author seriously give the main character this many perks?

Jian Ye scanned through them. Olympiad golds in math, physics, chemistry, biology—those were basically participation trophies for Yi Siyu. Then there were international wins in model aircraft contests, space city design, collegiate programming, global finance challenges...

Jian Ye inwardly groaned—what even *were* all these events?!

Row after row of trophies blinded him, making his eyes water. He finally blurted out, “Brother Siyu, you’re insane!”

A flicker crossed the man’s face—he was clearly eating up the praise.

“Oh, this one’s crooked,” Jian Ye remarked, turning back. “Can I touch it?”

“Knock yourself out.” To Yi Siyu, they were just trinkets, meaningless souvenirs from his life.

If the boy liked them, he wouldn’t mind giving them all away—just to see that gorgeous smile again.

Jian Ye had a touch of OCD, and seeing the tilted trophy bugged him. He had to straighten it.

But he overestimated his height.

It sat on the top shelf of the cabinet, requiring him to stretch onto his toes to reach.

Head tilted upward, his fingers barely grazed the base when the heavy trophy—like a stack of cards under pressure—toppled down suddenly.

Right at his face.

His eyes went wide in shock, his hands fumbling, too slow to stop it.

The man beside him watched closely, chest clenching instantly. In one swift motion, he yanked the boy backward.

He dodged the worst of it, but the sharp edge of the trophy still scraped across his forehead.

With skin as fragile and doll-like as his, even a small bump left a mark.

Of course, his left temple started bleeding instantly.

It wasn’t gushing, but blood seeped slowly from the wound, which quickly turned an angry red—painfully swollen.

Yi Siyu frowned hard enough to kill a fly.

Guilt and regret surged inside him.

At such a short distance, he still couldn't protect the boy.

He immediately took out his phone and called the family doctor.

Jian Ye squatted on the ground, holding his forehead, crying inwardly: What kind of "Forsaken by Heaven" am I?

"Author’s Note"

"Forsaken by Heaven": An internet slang term used to describe someone rejected by fate. No matter what they try, everything backfires—not only are they unlucky, but it seems like the universe goes out of its way to make things harder for them.

————

Jian the Jinx: If nothing's gone wrong yet, just wait—it will.

Er Tong: I heard that—*whack!* ╭(⊙o⊙)╮

Jian the Jinx: Scram! (╯°□°)╯︵┻━┻

Mr. Yi: Author, rewind—I promise next time I’ll protect my wife!