This time, though, Li Bin didn't feel regret or that itch to dive back into social death for a reset.
He knew the deal between him and his cuñada Wen Lan would have to come out eventually.
Wen Lan would have to face the fact that he was her brother-in-law too.
Sure, his ballsy, reckless move just tanked their intimacy level back to 69 (Familiar), dropping 20 points.
But now Wen Lan knew how he felt, and that kiss they just shared—her first kiss—might've planted a seed in her heart.
Intimacy could climb again, but this hurdle he'd just jumped? He wasn't sure he could handle it that smooth next time.
As long as Wen Lan didn't flat-out reject him, his shots would only stack up. They lived under the same damn roof—plenty of chances to be alone.
Like the saying goes, love grows with time—Li Bin didn't buy that Wen Lan could turn him down one, two, three times.
"Click, click, click..."
The sound of the garage door rolling open echoed, and Li Bin glanced at his watch—shocked it was already 5 p.m.
His mother-in-law and wife, Wen Wan, were back home.
Li Bin, a little on edge, headed downstairs and snuck a peek at Wen Lan's door, feeling uneasy as hell.
He'd just had his moment, but if Wen Lan didn't get it—or spilled to her parents or Wen Wan out of guilt—he'd be fucked.
If it weren't for the system letting him bounce back from social death, Li Bin wouldn't even dare face his cuñada or the family. Just thinking about it made his pulse race.
Wen Lan's door was shut tight—Li Bin listened for a sec, no sound, so he went downstairs, still worried.
Knowing Wen Lan's personality, though, Li Bin could chill a bit.
She cared about her rep, shy and kinda soft. Spilling this wouldn't just screw him—it'd be a massive embarrassment for her too, since she'd been the one cozying up to him.
"Wow! What's up with you today, hubs? Why do you look so hot? Today... you're like a whole new guy—suddenly way more attractive!"
When Li Bin hit the bottom of the stairs, his wife Wen Wan stared at him, stunned, checking out his new fit.
Li Bin glanced at his clothes, remembering they were the new threads Wen Lan picked out. Gotta hand it to her—his cuñada had taste; this outfit made him look sharp as hell.
Plus, after snagging Wen Lan's first kiss, he'd scored 5 charm points—no wonder his wife thought he looked better. Even he'd noticed he was hotter in the mirror earlier.
"Oh? Really? If you like how I look, I'll grab more casual fits like this." Li Bin flashed a sly grin, winking at Wen Wan and striking a cocky pose.
"Huh? When'd you buy new clothes?" Wen Wan clocked right away that she'd never seen this stuff on Li Bin—it was brand new and a total switch from his usual style.
"Uh? I got it today when I went out. No one was home to cook, so I went with..." Li Bin tried to play it cool, but inside he was sweating bullets.
First time cheating on his wife—he felt guilty as shit. He'd just done something unforgivable with her sister, and now he had to act normal? Tough as hell. He was torn on whether to say he'd shopped with Wen Lan.
"Brother-in-law, didn't you know I was home? You went shopping without me? Really? You left me here alone, and I had to order takeout!! You're the worst!"
Right as Li Bin was stuck on how to answer, Wen Lan popped up at the top of the stairs, coming down while talking, bailing him out.
Li Bin was floored—Wen Lan was covering for him, feeding him a line to roll with. Plus, from what she said, she seemed set on keeping their outing hush-hush.
"Huh? Wen Lan, you didn't go out—how was I supposed to know you were home? I thought you were with Wen Ting." Li Bin turned, kinda awkward, to face his sister-in-law.
What blew his mind was her intimacy level—it hadn't just bounced back, it was higher than before the drop!
[Current status: Nervous, hiding, lying, scared, guilty]
[Intimacy level: 91 (Intimate)] How'd it hit 91?
What the hell happened?