Once dinner was finished, the two of them tidied up the table, and by then, night had completely fallen.

Yuan Yu glanced over at Lin Xiao, her hands wringing nervously at her chest, her eyes filled with hesitation. But finally, she gathered her courage and said, "Lin... Brother Lin."

"What’s the problem?" he asked.

"Lin... Brother Lin, you... you... weren't you staying at the small inn nearby yesterday? Have you found a permanent place to stay yet?" As she voiced these words, Yuan Yu's cheeks turned progressively rosier. But maybe due to the extremity of the situation, her initial stammer faded and she ended up speaking her mind in one smooth flow.

"If you haven't found a place to rent yet, you could stay here. My mother is in the hospital, and there's an empty room in the house."

Having voiced the proposition, Yuan Yu felt as if she had deflated, her face burning as she lowered her head, not daring to meet Lin Xiao's eyes. It was as if she had gone mad, inviting Lin Xiao to live with her for the second time.

‘I'm just treating Brother Lin as my actual brother, isn't it normal for a brother with no place to live to stay at his sister's house?’ Yuan Yu repeated this mantra to herself.

"Alright, I haven't found a place yet anyway." Lin Xiao responded with a grin.

At his words, a wave of relief washed over Yuan Yu. Her greatest fear was being rejected by Lin Xiao. This was the second time she'd invited him to stay with her.

Although she convinced herself that Lin Xiao hadn't heard her the first time, the courage she mustered to extend these two invitations had depleted all of her bravery. If Lin Xiao rejected her, she wasn't sure if she'd have the courage to face him again.

Simultaneously, as she breathed a sigh of relief, Yuan Yu also felt a wave of shyness wash over her.

This was the first time she was going to live with a boy apart from her late father and brother. Moreover, she was the one who had initiated the invitation, not just once, but twice.

The thought of spending the night alone with Lin Xiao sent her heart racing.

Little did Lin Xiao know about the turmoil in Yuan Yu's heart. Initially, he had ambiguously turned down her first invitation, taking into consideration Yuan Yu's reputation. Although he needed to be close to them to take care of them, he planned to look for a residence close to Yuan Yu’s house.

However, today's events made him realize the danger Yuan Yu faced living alone, as a single woman.

Thankfully today, the only disturbance was from two little admirers who, given their acquaintance, didn't dare to cross the line. But what if someone else were to harass Yuan Yu? Or worse?

Lin Xiao had made a vow to care for his brother, Yuan Yong's mother and sister. If anything were to happen to Yuan Yu, killing those who hurt her wouldn't solve anything. So Lin Xiao changed his mind and agreed to live in Yuan Yu's house.

He was known for being decisive and prompt in his actions, never dawdling. Having agreed to reside at Yuan Yu's place, he moved his luggage from the inn to her home.

Yuan Yu's home was modest. Despite having two bedrooms and a living room, the bedrooms were small, about half the size of an average room. The rooms were adjacent to each other with the bathroom located just next to them.

Given the layout of the house, accessing the bathroom from either room was somewhat inconvenient for a man and woman sharing the space.

To minimize awkwardness, as soon as Lin Xiao arrived at Yuan Yu's house, he took advantage of the time while Yuan Yu was tidying up the room and quickly took a shower.

After freshening up, Yuan Yu also finished arranging the room. Lin Xiao then entered with his luggage.

The room Yuan Yu had prepared was originally hers, adorned with pink wallpaper and paper cranes by the window, adding a faint, pleasant fragrance to the air. The entire room embodied a young girl's romantic sentiments. However, Lin Xiao wasn't bothered. After a brief glance around, he closed the door, lay on the bed, and fell asleep.

At five in the morning, Lin Xiao woke punctually.

He carefully got out of bed, dressed, and then cautiously opened the door. Yuan Yu's faint breathing indicated she was still in deep sleep.

Lin Xiao silently moved to the living room, gingerly opened the front door, and carefully closed it behind him, fearing he might disturb Yuan Yu.

Descending the staircase, he left the apartment building. The day hadn't broken yet, most people were still asleep, and only a few pedestrians dotted the streets. But Lin Xiao was accustomed to this. He swiftly arrived at the park where he trained daily.

As was his routine, Lin Xiao engaged in his daily practice.

Around half-past six, Lin Xiao, who had been sitting cross-legged, abruptly opened his eyes and looked into the distance.

He noticed an elderly man with white hair observing him with curiosity.

At that moment, the white-haired man also met Lin Xiao's gaze. He said, "Young man, don't misunderstand. I'm just surprised to see a fellow practitioner, that's all."

At this moment, the elderly man was taken aback. He often practiced here, but he had been away for a few days due to some obligations. He didn't expect to return to find such a skilled young man in his absence.

Although he couldn't discern Lin Xiao's exact level of cultivation, he suspected it was no less impressive than his own.

"You're too kind, sir." Lin Xiao had realized by then that this white-haired man was a martial arts practitioner, and his skills seemed substantial.

"Are you new to Jinghai, young man?" the elder asked.

Lin Xiao nodded, "Yes, I haven't been in Jinghai City for very long."

They chatted tentatively for a while, but Lin Xiao had to excuse himself due to work obligations. As he was leaving, the older man gave him a business card.

"If you find the time, feel free to visit me."

"I will."

Lin Xiao accepted the business card. It read ‘Chen's Martial Arts School,’ with Chen Jinsong underneath, along with a contact number and address. Lin Xiao nodded, pocketed the card, and left the park.

This wasn't Lin Xiao's first encounter with a martial artist. He had come across some during his assignments with the Dragon Sword Team, even sparring with them.

However, this white-haired man was the first martial artist Lin Xiao had met since his retirement, here in Jinghai City. Therefore, he decided to hold onto the business card with the intention of visiting Chen's Martial Arts School when he had the opportunity.

***

Meanwhile, at Yuan Yu's home, the girl slowly awoke and stretched, her enticing figure on display.

Since learning about her brother's sacrifice and her mother's illness, she hadn't slept as peacefully as she had that night.

Knowing Lin Xiao was near gave Yuan Yu a rare sense of security, and her typically sensitive heart felt comforted. This was also why she woke up later than usual. Typically, she would be awake by six.

"Are you awake, Little Yu?" A knock sounded from outside, followed by Lin Xiao's voice.

"Ah, Brother Lin, I... I'm awake now," Yuan Yu responded, startled. She quickly climbed out of bed.

"Good. Get ready as soon as you can. I've bought breakfast and will drop you off at school later."

"Okay... okay..."

She quickly dressed, her mind spinning with random thoughts.

"I'm such a mess. Why did I wake up so late? Brother Lin must think I'm lazy!"

Despite her inner turmoil, Yuan Yu dressed quickly.

When she finally stepped out of her room, Lin Xiao was taken aback by her appearance.

‘So beautiful.’ His usually composed demeanor faltered for a moment.