Chapter 316: Past Events

After speaking, Huang Xinyu picked up her chopsticks, grabbed a piece of fragrant pork belly, and brought it to Lin Xiao’s mouth, coaxing him in a childlike tone, “Be good, open your mouth.”

Lin Xiao was speechless. He turned his head and glanced at Huang Xinyu, fully aware that she was doing this on purpose.

“Auntie Xinyu, let me do it myself. Just switch the chopsticks for a spoon, and I’ll manage.”

Huang Xinyu snorted softly, pretending to be angry as she glared at him. “Lin Xiao, since you call me Auntie Xinyu, that means I’m your elder. When an elder feeds you, shouldn’t you obediently comply? Or are you saying you dislike me and don’t want me to feed you?”

“How could I possibly dislike you? You’re overthinking it. I just don’t want you to get tired. I eat a lot and pretty fast, after all.”

“If you don’t dislike me, then open your mouth.” Huang Xinyu rolled her eyes at him, an unintentional charm flashing across her face. “Here, eat this piece of meat.”

Left with no choice, Lin Xiao opened his mouth and bit the pork belly from her chopsticks, chewing a few times before swallowing it down.

“How does it taste?” Huang Xinyu propped her chin on her hand, smiling as she gazed at Lin Xiao, her eyes unusually bright.

“Delicious,” Lin Xiao nodded, though, in truth, he hadn’t even registered the flavor.

To make it easier to feed him, Huang Xinyu moved her chair closer, pressing her soft body against his. Her delicate fragrance lingered around Lin Xiao’s nose.

She picked up a thick piece of fish, carefully removing the bones, then turned slightly and held it up to his lips.

“Come on, eat this. It’s good for your health.”

Lin Xiao lowered his head slightly and took the fish into his mouth. His gaze inadvertently drifted downward. The breathtaking view before him made his heart skip a beat.

Infinite splendor lies on perilous peaks.

No words could describe it more aptly.

From the slightly open collar of her blouse, he caught a glimpse of fair, supple skin, the curves perfectly accentuated, with the black trim of her undergarment barely visible. With each breath she took, the subtle rise and fall created an indescribable allure.

Just one glance left Lin Xiao parched and dry-mouthed.

Even his willpower seemed to have weakened after his fight with the Golden Claw Sect.

Huang Xinyu immediately noticed Lin Xiao’s abnormality. Following his gaze downward, her face flushed red.

Flustered, she quickly set down her chopsticks, covered Lin Xiao’s eyes with one hand, and shielded her chest with the other, pulling her collar together. Only then did she huff, “You little rascal, where were you just looking?”

Lin Xiao felt awkward. Although it had been unintentional, the embarrassment he felt now was no different from being caught red-handed. He couldn’t have felt more uncomfortable.

“Auntie Xinyu, I didn’t mean to…” Lin Xiao mumbled an explanation.

Of course, Huang Xinyu knew he hadn’t done it on purpose. Ultimately, it was because Lin Xiao gave her such a strong sense of security that she had unconsciously let her guard down. If it had been any other man, not only would he never have gotten the chance to peek, but he wouldn’t have been allowed within three feet of her.

Besides, deep down, there was a trace of something else in her heart—something she couldn’t voice aloud.

Biting her lower lip, Huang Xinyu stared at Lin Xiao’s face for a moment, then suddenly reached out and twisted his ear.

“No more peeking! That’s your punishment.”

After this brief interlude, the atmosphere between them quickly returned to normal, though it now carried a subtle hint of intimacy.

“Lin Xiao, don’t call me Auntie Xinyu anymore,” Huang Xinyu said softly as she fed him another bite.

“Then what should I call you?”

“Sister Xin, or Sister Xinyu. Either one works.” Huang Xinyu smiled charmingly. “Hearing you call me Auntie Xinyu all the time makes me feel like I’m getting old.”

“Alright, Sister Xinyu.”

“Since you’re calling me Sister Xin now, I’ll call you Xiao Xiao.”

Her eyes sparkled, as though ripples were dancing in their depths. “But this will just be between us. In front of Caixing, you’d better stick with Auntie Xinyu, or she’ll jump at the chance to tease me.”

“Got it,” Lin Xiao nodded, swallowing another piece of meat she fed him. “Sister Xin, do you want to tell me about Caixing?”

The smile on Huang Xinyu’s face faded, replaced by a hint of melancholy. “You’re not an outsider, so I might as well tell you. But after you know, promise me you’ll keep it a secret.”

Lin Xiao nodded solemnly. “I promise.”

“You’ve probably noticed already. Though Caixing and I look alike, I’m not her biological mother.”

Lowering her gaze, Huang Xinyu seemed lost in memories. “Caixing’s biological mother was my sister, Huang Yutong.”

Lin Xiao listened quietly without interrupting.

“When I was fourteen, our family tried to force my sister into marrying a man she didn’t love. She refused and ran away from home. It wasn’t until two years later that she returned, carrying a baby. That baby was Caixing.”

Her voice was calm but tinged with coldness as she spoke of the long-buried past.

“The Huang family is strict and traditional. As the daughter of the family head, my sister’s decision to defy the family and secretly have a child with an unknown man brought shame to the entire family.”

Her tone grew colder. “After that, many things happened. My father drove my sister out, forbidding her from ever setting foot in the Huang household again or having any ties with the family. No matter how much she begged, it was useless. In the end, she lost all hope and took her own life. As for the man she loved, he never once showed up; he never dared to confront the Huang family.

“Before my sister died, she saw through that man’s true nature and entrusted Caixing to me, begging me to raise her. But an illegitimate child with no clear background could never stay in the Huang family. So, I took Caixing, who was still just a baby, left the family, and moved to Jinghai. I’ve never set foot in the Huang household since.”

Huang Xinyu closed her eyes and let out a long breath. “That’s it. That’s the story of Caixing and me.”

Seeing the calm yet sorrowful look on her face, Lin Xiao didn’t know what to say. In that moment, any words would have seemed hollow.

He hadn’t expected their background to be so complicated, involving a reclusive, powerful family.

Indeed, the Huang family was one of the prominent families, standing on equal footing with the Wan, Le, and Zhao families.

“Sister Xin, you’ve had a tough time,” Lin Xiao finally said after a long silence.

Hearing his words, Huang Xinyu, who had still been somewhat somber, suddenly burst into laughter. “You really don’t know how to comfort someone, do you? At a time like this, aren’t you supposed to hug me and whisper some sweet words instead?”