After becoming a widow, I became the apple of a rough man's eye.

The word "sister-in-law" was drawn out with an extremely long final syllable, carrying a hint of playfulness that was hard to define.

Li Dongye's pores instantly opened up; the instinct of encountering a natural enemy in the wild made him react before he even thought.

He took a half step to the side and forward, then shrugged, completely shielding Lin Qingqing behind him.

That was too fast, and too possessive of its food.

Mu Wenbin didn't move. He was wearing his crisp military uniform, and he didn't even change his posture. Only when his view was blocked did he slightly raise his chin and look at Li Dongye's tense face.

Mu Zhenbang coughed, breaking the momentary tension.

"Wenbin, don't scare your brother."

Mu Zhenbang pointed to Li Dongye, his tone carrying the authority of the head of the family, as well as a hint of protectiveness towards his son who had been lost and found again, "This is... Miss Lin, a friend of Yunqi, who accompanied him all the way here."

"Friends?" Mu Wenbin pondered the word, his gaze sweeping over Li Dongye's shoulder and then glancing behind him.

Lin Qingqing lowered her head, revealing only half of her snow-white neck and slightly red ear tips.

She was very obedient, as obedient as a kitten that had just been weaned, nestled in Li Dongye's tall shadow, even her breathing became soft.

"Since we're friends, then I called you the wrong person."

Mu Wenbin withdrew his gaze, and his imposing aura subsided slightly, but the discomfort of being stared at by a ferocious beast did not disappear.

He stretched out his hand to Li Dongye. His palm was large, his knuckles were thick and strong, and there were thick calluses on the base of his thumb, marks left from years of handling guns.

"Mu Wenbin. Your eldest brother."

Short, concise, and unquestionable.

Li Dongye looked at that hand.

Having spent so many years in Qingshan Village, he had been in countless fights. For him, a handshake was either a polite gesture during business negotiations or a reluctant reconciliation after a fight.

But the hand before him represented another class, a power he had never encountered before.

He took a deep breath and reached out his hand.

The two hands are clasped together.

Li Dongye's hands weren't soft either; years of gripping the steering wheel, moving goods, and repairing cars had left his palms covered in calluses and tiny cuts. His two rough palms pressed together felt like two pieces of sandpaper rubbing against each other.

The next second, a tremendous force came through my palm.

Li Dongye's brow twitched, and he suddenly gripped the handle tightly. He was a self-taught fighter, his strength honed by carrying hundreds of kilograms of goods, giving him a brute force.

The two forces silently battled in mid-air.

Mu Wenbin looked into Li Dongye's unwavering eyes, a hint of surprise flashing in them. Then, a crack appeared in his otherwise cold and indifferent demeanor, revealing a barely perceptible expression of admiration.

It's a male, and it hasn't been spoiled.

"Welcome home, Yunqi." Mu Wenbin released his hand and patted him on the shoulder.

"Alright, alright, stop standing there." Liu Shuyan wiped away her tears, a smile on her face. Although her eyes were still a little red, she looked much more energetic. "The food is getting cold. Aunt Wu, quickly heat up the soup. Yunqi, Qingqing, go wash your hands and eat."

The restaurant is very large.

A long, rectangular mahogany dining table sits in the center, covered with a white lace tablecloth. Above, a crystal chandelier casts a soft, almost dazzling light.

The table was laden with dishes.

Braised pork belly, steamed sea bass, boiled shrimp, and several other delicate stir-fries that Li Dongye couldn't name.

Each dish is small in portion, but the presentation is very elaborate, with radish flowers carved on the edge of the plate.

Li Dongye sat to the left of Mu Zhenbang, with Lin Qingqing sitting next to him. Mu Wenbin sat opposite them.

Li Dongye felt extremely uncomfortable after the meal.

In Qingshan Village, eating is like a battle. Several brothers sit around an eight-immortal table, their chopsticks flying as they eat; if they're even a little slow, the meat is gone. They eat meat in big bites and drink wine from large bowls—it's pure bliss.

But here, eating is like carving flowers.

Liu Shuyan kept putting food on Li Dongye's plate, and the delicate little porcelain bowl quickly piled up into a small mountain.

"Yunqi, try this lion's head meatball. Mom made it by hand. You..." Liu Shuyan was about to cry again as she spoke, so she quickly turned her head away to wipe her tears.

"Thank you... Mom." Li Dongye's "Mom" was still a little hesitant.

He picked up his chopsticks, grabbed the lion's head meatball, and stuffed it into his mouth in one bite.

It's too soft, not chewy at all, and melts before you can even swallow it.

Across from him, Mu Wenbin was slowly and methodically picking out fish bones.

The tiny thorns were picked out and placed in the bone dish beside him. He ate without making a sound, even his chewing movements were very small, revealing a refined upbringing ingrained in his bones.

Li Dongye chewed the meat in his mouth and suddenly felt like a wild boar that had wandered into a porcelain shop.

"Yunqi, these past few years... driving cars outside, has it been tough?" Mu Zhenbang picked up his wine glass, took a sip, and tried to keep his tone gentle.

"It's alright." Li Dongye swallowed the food in his mouth, trying to sit up straight. "We have a car, so we won't go hungry. It's just that the roads are a bit rough, and sometimes we run into highway robbers, so we have to fight back."

"Robbery?" Liu Shuyan was so shocked that she stopped eating. "There are robberies?"

"There's plenty more." Li Dongye chuckled, trying to ease the tension. He reached into his pocket for a cigarette, but then remembered they were at the dinner table and pulled his hand back. "That was a few years ago. Things are much better now. Besides, I always keep weapons in my car; most people wouldn't dare get close."

"Have you prepared your weapons?"

Mu Wenbin put down his chopsticks.

He took a napkin, gently dabbed it at the corner of his lips, then lifted his eyelids, his piercing eyes staring straight at Li Dongye.

"What kind of thing is that? A controlled knife? Or a homemade gun?"

Li Dongye paused.

"A crowbar and a wrench." Li Dongye met his gaze, his tone hardening slightly. "For repairing cars. What's up, brother?"

"Now that you're back, you should put away those old habits of the underworld." Mu Wenbin's tone was calm, but carried the lecturing tone of a superior. "The Mu family doesn't follow those rules."

Li Dongye tightened his grip on the chopsticks, his knuckles turning white.

He wanted to slam his chopsticks on the table, as if to say, "This is my only routine; if you don't like it, don't watch."

But he sensed Lin Qingqing's nervousness beside him.

Lin Qingqing secretly stuck her foot out from under the table and gently kicked him.

Li Dongye's anger vanished instantly with that kick, and he turned to look at Lin Qingqing.

Lin Qingqing was drinking soup with her head down, taking small sips. Noticing his gaze, she turned her face to the side, her big, watery peach blossom eyes blinking rapidly, full of soothing and flattery.

"Big brother is right." Lin Qingqing put down her spoon, her voice soft and sweet. "Fourth brother... Yunqi used to do this just to make a living, he had no other choice. Now that he's home, he'll definitely change."

Mu Wenbin's gaze shifted to Lin Qingqing.

That scrutinizing gaze returned, as if trying to peel away her docile exterior to see what was hidden underneath.

"Miss Lin," Mu Wenbin spoke, his tone even colder than when he had spoken to Li Dongye, "You two grew up together?"

"Yes." Lin Qingqing nodded, grabbing Li Dongye's clothes under the table and squeezing them tightly. "We're from the same village, I... I'm his cousin."

"Cousin?" Mu Wenbin raised an eyebrow, a half-smile playing on his lips. "A distant relative?"

"Yeah, it's very far." Lin Qingqing forced a lie, "We're relatives beyond the fifth degree of kinship, we just call each other that according to seniority."

"Oh—" Mu Wenbin drawled, "A cousin beyond the fifth degree of kinship, yet Yun Qi still protects her so much, it seems their relationship is indeed very good."

Anyone with half a brain could hear the doubt in Mu Wenbin's tone.

These days, if a lone man and woman travel a long distance together and protect each other like this, no one would believe they're just cousins.

Just as Li Dongye was about to speak, Mu Zhenbang interrupted him.

"Alright, let's eat." Mu Zhenbang clearly didn't want to interrogate his son at the dinner table. "Let the young people handle their own affairs. Wenbin, you should say less."

Mu Wenbin shrugged, picked up his chopsticks again, and said nothing more.

But the occasional glances he cast at Li Dongye still made him feel uneasy.

This meal was like chewing wax.

After finally finishing their meal, everyone moved to the living room for tea.

"By the way, where's Hongying?" Liu Shuyan glanced at the clock on the wall. "It's already this late, why isn't she back yet? Didn't we send someone to call her?"

The atmosphere in the living room noticeably changed when the name "Hongying" was mentioned.

Mu Zhenbang frowned, his face darkening.

"That kid went to a class reunion," Mu Wenbin said coolly. "It's supposed to be a reunion, but who knows where he's fooling around again. Mom, you spoil him too much."

"He's still just a child," Liu Shuyan said somewhat awkwardly. "Besides, he'd be overjoyed if he knew his second brother had been found."

"Happy?" Mu Wenbin scoffed. "He probably just thinks there's someone else to divide the inheritance with."

"Wenbin!" Mu Zhenbang hissed, "How dare you speak like that?"

Mu Wenbin didn't refute, but just leaned back on the sofa, staring coldly at the ceiling.

Li Dongye sat to the side, holding a teacup in his hand, feeling like an outsider.

In this family, everyone has their own temper and place, and he just doesn't fit in.

Just then, a loud rumbling sound came from outside the gate.

The roar of the high-displacement motorcycle engine was arrogant and ferocious, and even through the thick doors and yard, it still made people tremble.

Then came the screeching sound of brakes.

"Bang!"

The door was kicked open.

The cold wind, carrying the chill from outside, rushed in.

A young man wearing a leather jacket and sporting striking blond hair strode in.

With a cigarette dangling from his mouth, he walked with a swagger, his arrogant and domineering manner even more excessive than that of Li Dongye, who once reigned supreme in the county town.

His gaze swept around the living room before finally settling on Li Dongye.

That look was full of criticism, disdain, and undisguised hostility.

The young man took the cigarette out of his mouth, tilted his head, raised his chin at Li Dongye, and gave a wicked smile.

"Has our place been turned into a shelter? Why are they bringing in all sorts of cats and dogs?"