Feng Shi pulled the car into an apartment complex before finally stopping, glancing at Yang Yi in the rearview mirror, and saying, "Young Master, we've arrived."

"En!" Yang Yi responded and stepped out of the car.

To be honest, Yang Yi hadn't really intended to come, but because of what happened today, he felt he had to do something to ensure that this family wouldn't be dragged into further trouble. After all, Ling Bin was now dead by his own hand, and this whole affair had absolutely nothing to do with the Xia family. There was no need to implicate innocent people, which was the primary reason Yang Yi had come here.

Yang Yi and Feng Shi carried several gifts and circled the grounds a few times before climbing to the sixth floor, finally arriving at Xia Shiyun's doorstep. One couldn't deny that an apartment building was a different concept from other housing structures. While the facilities in this apartment weren't cutting-edge or particularly secure, at least it was quiet, and the air even felt fresher than in some other places. He pressed the doorbell.

"Ding-dong—Ding-dong!" It was still an old-fashioned doorbell, yet it sounded particularly pleasant, a sound that many in modern society were accustomed to.

"Coming," Xia Shiyun’s voice drifted from inside the unit. Moments later, the door opened. "You're here, come in."

Yang Yi and Feng Shi both offered faint smiles, exchanged pleasantries with the Xia family while holding the gifts, and then finally sat down. Thirteen-year-old Xia Yu was quite sharp; after serving the tea, she didn't forget to add, "Boss, please have some tea." But it was precisely this casual remark that immediately eased the previously very formal atmosphere, especially since Yang Yi and Feng Shi had brought gifts.

"Well, young man, I'll just call you Xiao Yi, is that alright?" Xia Tian, as the head of the household, spoke without the rambling nature of Xia Shiyun’s mother.

"Heh, Uncle, you're too kind!" Yang Yi replied with a gentle smile, his tone very amicable.

"Xiao Yi, you saved our family today, and now you've brought so many gifts. Alas, Uncle really doesn't know how to thank you." Xia Tian glanced at his daughter, intentionally or unintentionally; perhaps his toes knew what he was thinking.

But Yang Yi didn't pay it any mind, merely stating calmly, "Uncle, you exaggerate. This is no great matter, and besides, I am good friends with classmate Xia. Friends in need must naturally be helped."

"Heh, good. Later, you must have a couple of drinks with Uncle," Xia Tian said, seeing Yang Yi’s straightforwardness, immediately letting go of any reservation or awkwardness.

While Yang Yi and Xia Tian were chatting about something or other, inside the kitchen, Mrs. Xia asked Xia Shiyun, "Shiyun, what does your classmate Yang’s family do? That pretty girl who's always by his side—she seems quite interested in him, too."

"Mom, what are you talking about?" To be honest, Xia Shiyun had only known Yang Yi for a few days; how could she know what his family did? She only recalled fragments from her good friend Leng Yue and bits she’d heard at school about Yang Yi; otherwise, she knew nothing else. However, she was curious how her mother had discerned that the pretty girl was interested in Yang Yi, so she immediately asked back, "Mom, how did you know that girl is interested in Yang Yi?"

"That you wouldn't know," Mrs. Xia said, seemingly quite proud. After a slight pause, she added, "That’s the intuition and insight of a woman who has lived forty years."

"Alright, it’s time to eat. We shouldn't keep our guests waiting too long," Xia Shiyun felt completely defeated by her mother. She knew her mother's intuition existed, but sometimes it wasn't very accurate. However, after Mrs. Xia’s comment, Xia Shiyun genuinely started to feel that the other girl (Feng Shi) was interested in Yang Yi. After all, the way she looked at Yang Yi was clearly different. Thinking of this, Xia Shiyun suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of loss. She vigorously shook her head and meticulously stirred the soup...

"Dinner is served!"

The call for dinner immediately resonated deep within Yang Yi. Watching the Xia family busily preparing the meal, the fragrant, home-cooked food—this was the first time he had eaten such a meal since arriving in City A. A wave of emotion rose within him. "Is this what family is?" Yang Yi had never known who his own family was since he was young, nor whether he even had any relatives, but the only thing he knew was that he had a grandfather who had raised him since childhood.

"Come, Xiao Yi, Uncle toasts you with this glass. If it weren't for you today, our family might not have had the chance to gather like this again. Come, bottoms up!" Xia Tian said with a serious expression, immediately downing the brandy.

The brandy was a cocktail that Yang Yi himself had brought. Seeing that Xia Tian seemed to enjoy it, Yang Yi smiled faintly. "I toast you as well, Uncle!" With that, he imitated Xia Tian and drained his glass. For some reason, Yang Yi had been immune to alcohol since childhood; no matter how much he drank, he couldn't get drunk.

He recalled a time when, at the age of twelve, Yang Yi, out of sheer curiosity, and Fatty Lin had finished an entire bottle of medicinal wine hidden under Old Man Yang's bed. Both of them had ended up unconscious for two days and two nights. He remembered how acrid that wine was, with an alcohol content so high it was almost comparable to pure alcohol. Normally, people would feel tired after just a small sip, yet Yang Yi and Fatty Lin had chugged the entire bottle; it was no wonder they passed out.

However—it must be said—it was precisely because Yang Yi and Fatty Lin had finished that medicinal wine that they became immune to all forms of alcohol thereafter, whether it was baijiu, red wine, or even medicinal wine. For him now, the taste was present, but getting drunk was impossible.

"Good, Xiao Yi, I didn't realize your tolerance was so high. Come, have another glass." Xia Tian's usual demeanor became bold and generous. He wasn't as uptight as some parents; his nature was relaxed, not concerned with minor formalities. Yang Yi heard this, said no more unnecessary words, but simply smiled faintly and brought the wine to his lips.

The meal was filled with continuous laughter. Yang Yi and Feng Shi were both orphans and had never experienced such a family dinner. Thus, as they ate, they kept smiling, while a small glimmer of hope and thought lingered in their hearts: "Having a family truly is wonderful."

[Hehe, don't underestimate this chapter, your humble author has planted some seeds here. Brothers, you can try to guess. If you can figure it out, and if you don't end up spitting blood in the subsequent chapters, then I’ll call you a scoundrel!]