C5 Meet Your Parents!

"Get out!" Yan Zhimo shouted, pushing Yann Qiai away. "Disappear from my sight immediately!"

Yann Qiai stumbled but didn't argue back. She gave Yan Zhimo a long, meaningful look before turning on her heel and leaving the venue with grace.

Outside, Yun Yan was waiting. She was startled to see Yann Qiai emerge so suddenly, her eyes filled with a mix of emotions. She hesitated, unable to find the right words.

Yann Qiai ignored her, scanning the area. She realized her Porsche had already been driven away by the chauffeur. With a composed demeanor, she walked over to a black Rolls-Royce and opened the rear door.

"Have you been waiting long?"

Yann Qiai settled into the seat, glancing at the tall, handsome man beside her. His looks could only be described as striking, rivaling Yan Zhimo's in every way. However, his expression lacked Yan Zhimo's sharpness, replaced by a more reassuring presence.

"No, I just got here," Qii Linyue replied with a smile, though his gaze suddenly dropped to the neckline of Yann Qiai's dress.

Panicking, Yann Qiai looked down and noticed a conspicuous red mark on her collarbone—a mark clearly left by Yan Zhimo earlier. Mentally cursing Yan Zhimo, she maintained a calm smile.

"Did you bump into something?" Qii Linyue asked gently.

"Yeah... I accidentally hit it," Yann Qiai replied, going along with his assumption.

"Let's head somewhere first," Qii Linyue suggested with a reassuring smile, then instructed the driver, "To the mall."

"Oh, there's no need—" Yann Qiai quickly interjected. She knew Qii Linyue intended to buy her a gift, but she didn't want him spending money on her.

After all, they weren't really a couple.

"No worries, just go for it."

In the past, if Yann Qiai said she didn't need anything, Qii Linyue would readily agree and not give her anything. But this time, he was unusually insistent on having the driver take her to the shopping district.

Yann Qiai, feeling a bit uneasy, had no choice but to go along, unsure of what Qii Linyue intended to give her. When she arrived, she discovered it was just a silk scarf.

The off-white silk scarf had a delicate pattern that perfectly complemented her vibrant red dress. Yann Qiai suddenly realized that Qii Linyue wanted her to use it to cover the marks on her collarbone when meeting his family.

So, Yann Qiai quietly put it on without a word.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Qii," Yann Qiai greeted them sweetly and gently.

"This is some health tea for you, sir, and here's some fitness equipment... Ma'am, this is beauty tea for you, along with some skincare products. These are the best in the world right now..."

Yann Qiai introduced each of the lavish gifts she brought for Qii Linyue's parents.

Almost everything was among the most exclusive and sought-after items globally.

"Oh my, how thoughtful of you, dear. We feel so embarrassed to accept these..." Qii's mother said with a polite smile, taking Yann Qiai's hand and offering her a red envelope.

This gesture signified the Qii family's approval of Yann Qiai.

"This little envelope is just a token of our appreciation, you must accept it."

Inside the thin envelope was a card. Yann Qiai, unable to refuse, accepted it with heartfelt thanks, her smile radiant.

"Aunt, Uncle, Cousin, I hope I'm not too late?"

A familiar male voice came from the doorway.

Yann Qiai trembled, nearly dropping the teacup in her hand.

It was unmistakably the voice of the man who had just tried to harass her—Yan Zhimo!

He actually... calls Linyue's parents Aunt and Uncle? Calls Linyue Cousin?

Yann Qiai suddenly felt the world was incredibly small.

Just then, a man turned the corner from the hallway and, upon seeing Yann Qiai...

If Yan Zhimo's gaze could truly shoot daggers, Yann Qiai would be a porcupine right now.

"Cousin, you've got quite the eye," Yan Zhimo said through gritted teeth, staring at Yann Qiai.

"Thanks for the compliment, Cousin. I'm flattered," Yann Qiai immediately stood up, nodded politely at Yan Zhimo, and gave him a look of affectionate indulgence, like a sister-in-law to her younger brother.

She quickly lowered her head, avoiding eye contact with Yan Zhimo.

The awkward tension between them seemed to catch Linyue's attention. He glanced at both of them suspiciously before saying, "Dinner's ready, everyone. Let's eat. Thanks for coming, Cousin."

"No problem. After all, it's just the two of us in the family, right?"

"How are Aunt and Uncle doing?"

As they walked to the dining room, Linyue and Yan Zhimo started chatting about family matters.

Yann Qiai followed behind, feeling an overwhelming urge to curse.

Why is the world so small?

At the dining table, Yann Qiai ate her meal, not daring to look up, afraid that she might accidentally meet Yan Zhimo's eyes. But she couldn't keep her head down forever; she had to carefully watch Yan Zhimo, just in case he "accidentally" revealed her identity!

However, halfway through the tense meal, Yan Zhimo suddenly spoke up.

"Why do I feel like Cousin's girlfriend looks so much like my wife who disappeared five years ago?"