When Lin Jie saw the few people whispering mysteriously among themselves, he didn't think too much of it.
His mother quickly put away the things in her hands and rushed into the kitchen to prepare dinner. Lin Jie originally wanted to help, but the moment he stepped in, he was promptly shooed out. Left with no choice, he gave up and let her be.
Just then, after hesitating for a while, Zhu Zhuqing walked out of the room and headed downstairs.
She had woken up earlier upon hearing the commotion from the courtyard.
At first, not seeing Lin Jie beside her left her a little flustered, but then she remembered—this was Lin Jie's home—and her nerves quickly calmed.
However, upon hearing voices in the courtyard, she immediately guessed that Lin Jie's mother must have returned. Her heart tensed again with nervous anticipation. After struggling with herself for a while, she finally came down.
Lin Jie was chatting with Lin Ran and the Duo'er sisters when he saw Zhu Zhuqing walking down the stairs. Smiling, he went over to greet her.
Lin Ran and the two sisters looked surprised at the beautiful girl descending the steps.
"Awake?" Lin Jie asked gently, taking her hand.
"Mm." Zhu Zhuqing nodded slightly, still a bit nervous. Her eyes glanced at the others on the sofa, then looked at Lin Jie.
"Big Brother, who's this sister? Is she… my sister-in-law?" Lin Ran asked curiously.
Lin Jie nodded. "That's right. She's your sister-in-law. Her name is Zhu Zhuqing. Zhuqing, this is my little sister Lin Ran—just call her Ranran. And these two are Duo'er and Xiao Li. My mom's in the kitchen. I'll introduce you in a bit."
"Really? She's really my sister-in-law?" Lin Ran exclaimed in surprise.
Though Zhu Zhuqing was known for her cool demeanor, that was just her outer shell. Toward those she considered family, she was always gentle.
With a soft expression, she said, "Ranran, Duo'er, Xiao Li—hello. I'm Lin Jie's girlfriend. You can call me Zhuqing."
Upon hearing Zhu Zhuqing confirm it herself, Duo'er's smile faltered ever so slightly, though she still greeted her with polite warmth.
"Mom! Mom! Big Brother brought home a sister-in-law!" Lin Ran shouted as she ran off to the kitchen.
Lin Jie couldn't help but chuckle at her excitement.
His mother, who had been busy cooking, stepped out with a look of pleasant surprise on her face.
Her gaze fell on the elegant young woman standing beside her son, and a light sparked in her eyes. Turning to Lin Jie, she asked, "Xiao Jie, whose daughter is this young lady?"
Zhu Zhuqing, standing beside Lin Jie, immediately lowered her head in shyness—just like a daughter-in-law meeting her in-laws for the first time.
"Mom, her name is Zhu Zhuqing. She's my girlfriend. Zhuqing, this is my mother," Lin Jie introduced.
"Hello, Auntie. I'm Zhu Zhuqing. I'm… Lin Jie's girlfriend," she said, blushing slightly.
"Good, good. It's nice to meet you, Zhuqing. Why don't you stay here and chat with Xiao Jie and Ranran for a bit? Dinner will be ready soon." Lin Jie's mother gave her a kind, approving smile before heading back into the kitchen.
Soon after, a bountiful dinner was served. Lin Jie helped bring the dishes to the dining table. The six of them sat down, chatting and eating together.
Lin Jie's mother took a seat right beside Zhu Zhuqing, speaking to her with ease and warmth—as if they'd known each other for years. On the other hand, Zhu Zhuqing was clearly still a bit stiff and reserved.
Watching the two women interact, Lin Jie couldn't help but smile to himself. This shy side of Zhu Zhuqing was simply too adorable. She was nothing like her usual cold and distant self.
Though she sat in front of a bowl piled high with food, he suspected she probably wouldn't be able to finish even half of it.
During dinner, Lin Jie asked Duo'er and Xiao Li about how things had been over the past few months. He also learned that his little sister Lin Ran had just graduated from a mid-level Spirit Master academy. Now twelve years old, her Spirit Power had already reached Rank 27. For someone her age, this was impressive—more than enough to qualify for a high-level Spirit Master academy.
Lin Ran's Martial Soul was a lotus flower, making her an auxiliary-type Spirit Master. Some time ago, Lin Jie had given his mother a Nine-Grade Immortal Ganoderma, and he'd given Lin Ran a rare spirit herb shaped like a lotus flower—called the Crystal Snow White Lotus. It wasn't a true immortal-grade herb, but its medicinal effects were certainly not inferior.
After consuming it, Lin Ran's Martial Soul underwent a mutation, gaining a unique innate talent—Purification.
This ability was incredibly rare and powerful. It could dispel all negative statuses, cancel crowd control effects, and even suppress inner demons and evil thoughts.
When Lin Jie learned of this ability, he had been stunned.
He had already made arrangements to send Lin Ran to Shrek Academy to study. Under Liu Erlong's guidance, she would not only receive top-tier education but would also be close enough to home for regular visits.
That evening's meal lasted several hours. Most of the time, Lin Jie's mother and Zhu Zhuqing were chatting—with Zhu Zhuqing doing most of the answering and his mother doing most of the questioning.
After dinner, as they finished cleaning up, Lin Jie brought up his suggestion.
"Mom, Ranran is old enough to attend a high-level Spirit Master academy now. I'd like to enroll her at Shrek Academy. Erlong-jie is there too—she can keep an eye on her. And the academy's not far from here, so Ranran can come home whenever she wants."
He turned to his sister. "Ranran, what do you think?"
"Shrek Academy? That's the school that won first place in the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament, right? The one you go to?" Lin Ran asked excitedly.
Shrek Academy's name was now famous across the continent. She naturally knew all about it—and also how difficult it was to get in.
Lin Jie nodded. "That's right. Erlong-jie is there, and Zhuqing will be too. You can go to them anytime if you need help."
After thinking for a moment, Lin Ran agreed. She had already graduated from her mid-level academy, and moving up was the next logical step. Shrek really was the best choice.
Life in the Heaven Dou City outer district was relatively simple. Lin Jie's mother was a commoner, and the Duo'er sisters usually helped her run their small shop. Their days were quiet and stable.
The Duo'er sisters had undergone Martial Soul mutations, retaining some feline features. Lin Jie had instructed them to wear accessories to hide these traits, so no one in the outer city took much notice.
When Lin Jie first bought them, both were Spirit Masters with Spirit Power at Rank 29. Though not incredibly powerful, it was more than enough to protect themselves from ordinary threats. They had only been captured because they'd run into a powerful slave-hunting group.
Fortunately, Heaven Dou City had decent law and order now, so there were few dangers to worry about.
The sisters' Martial Souls were ordinary cats—but due to mutation, they each developed physical traits like ears and tails. Duo'er had black cat ears and a black tail, while Xiao Li's were pink.
Both had a starting Spirit Power of Rank 6, which was decent. Over time, Lin Jie had helped them cultivate using lightning body tempering techniques, which improved their training speed.
Back when Lin Jie had raided the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, he'd taken nearly all the spirit herbs. Not all were immortal-grade, but many had similar medicinal potency. One of those was the Nine-Grade Immortal Ganoderma he gave to his mother, and another was the Crystal Snow White Lotus given to Lin Ran.
He had also given the Duo'er sisters each a rare spirit herb to temper their bodies, which significantly improved their constitutions.
Now both in their early twenties, Duo'er and Xiao Li had Spirit Power around Rank 30—respectable for their roles as agility-type attackers.
When Zhu Zhuqing learned that their Martial Souls were feline-type, she grew immediately interested. The three of them spent a long time chatting about Spirit Abilities and cultivation. With similar Martial Souls and personalities, they hit it off quickly, developing a sense of mutual understanding and camaraderie.
But Lin Jie noticed something else.
Even though the sisters were getting along well with Zhu Zhuqing, their eyes sometimes carried a trace of envy when they looked at her.
He also noticed that his mother often pulled the Duo'er sisters aside to whisper something to them.
Lin Jie continued chatting with his mother, sister, and the sisters late into the evening before finally returning to his room to rest.
Originally, his mother had planned to arrange a separate room for Zhu Zhuqing. But knowing the two were already together, she let them share a room instead.
What Lin Jie didn't know was that after they returned to their room, his mother secretly called Duo'er into her own and spoke with her privately. No one knew what they discussed.
—
In the bedroom, the bathroom lights were still on.
In the bathtub, Zhu Zhuqing sat with her face flushed a deep red, sharing a bath with Lin Jie.
She had gone in alone to wash up, but Lin Jie—still as mischievous as ever—slipped in after her.
Though they had bathed together before, Zhu Zhuqing still felt shy, especially since this was Lin Jie's home. That made her embarrassment all the more intense. When Lin Jie teased her, she could only offer half-hearted resistance.
Soaking in the warm water, Lin Jie enjoyed Zhu Zhuqing's gentle care. In that moment, he felt as if life had no more regrets.
Afterward, Zhu Zhuqing's face was still flushed. Her long hair draped like silk over her bare, snow-white shoulders. With her eyes half-lidded and a hint of lazy charm, she clung tightly to the man she loved.
After a short rest, Lin Jie carried her in his arms to the bed. The two soon drifted into a peaceful, satisfied sleep.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
During this time, Lin Jie stayed home, spending time with his family. Zhu Zhuqing, too, was now fully accepted by Lin Jie's mother and the rest of the household.
Though quiet and reserved by nature, Zhu Zhuqing's coldness was only a form of self-protection. Now that she had found her family here, she no longer needed it.
And so, she opened up more—fitting in well with Lin Jie's mother, his little sister, and the Duo'er sisters. Their interactions were warm and easy, just like family.