Why didn't you tell me earlier that my little sister is still waiting for me?

Soon, a simple yet delicious breakfast was placed on the table: golden-brown sunny-side-up eggs, perfectly toasted toast, and steaming hot oatmeal porridge. Yang Tao was indeed hungry, so he didn't hesitate and sat down to eat quietly.

After finishing the last bite, Yang Tao put down the spoon, took a tissue and wiped the corner of his mouth, then looked at Lin Bufan opposite him, his tone deliberately calm and distant: "Thank you for breakfast. However, this does not mean that we have any relationship. What my mother said yesterday..."

Before she could finish her words, Lin Bufan immediately put down the cup in his hand and said in a tone so sincere that it was almost solemn: "Don't worry, Manager Yang, I understand. Yesterday, Aunt Xue misunderstood because she loves her daughter so much. I won't take those words seriously, and I won't use them to have any improper thoughts or entanglements with you. I am really sorry if my appearance and this misunderstanding have caused you any trouble and trouble. If necessary, I can go and explain clearly to Aunt Xue right now and say that nothing happened between us, that she was mistaken, and that the responsibility is all mine. I promise that it will not affect your reputation."

Lin Bufan's words were fluent and natural, his attitude was frank, and he even seemed a little anxious to distance himself from the matter, fearing that it would burden Yang Tao.

Yang Tao was stunned for a moment, completely at a loss.

These are my words!

How...how did Lin Bufan say it first? And he said it so decisively, so thoroughly, and so...disinterested?

An indescribable feeling of suffocation and anger suddenly rose up, completely overcoming the momentary sense of relief and satisfaction from enjoying the delicious food. She had imagined that Lin Bufan should have taken the opportunity to pull back, or at least show some regret and reluctance, instead of being so impatient to draw a line in the sand!

She suddenly put down the tissue, two small flames ignited in her beautiful almond-shaped eyes. She glared at Lin Bufan, her voice unconsciously rising with the anger of being teased: "Lin Bufan! You...what do you mean by this? Just because of what happened yesterday...yesterday, you can just pretend nothing happened today, pat your butt and walk away, and even go to my mom to clear yourself of all wrongdoing? Are you the kind of person who relies on your mouth to deceive young girls all day long, and when they...when they have the slightest bit of...you immediately pull away and wash yourself away completely, without caring about other people's lives at all, right?"

The more she spoke, the angrier she became, as if Lin Bufan was really a scumbag who would deny his deeds even after putting on his pants.

Lin Bufan was a little stunned by Yang Tao's sudden outburst. He blinked, his face full of innocence and confusion. "Manager Yang, what's the point of saying that? I'm... not doing exactly what you want. Don't you hope that we're fine, that yesterday was just a misunderstanding? I took the initiative to clarify things, so how can it be said that I'm lying and disassociating myself from the matter?"

Lin Bufan spread his hands, his expression even more helpless. "Then according to what Manager Yang said, what should I do? Refuse to leave, insist on taking responsibility for you, and then be kicked out by you? Or should I go and tell Aunt Xue right now that yes, yes, yes, we have a problem, and I will take responsibility, and then wait for you to get even angrier?"

Yang Tao was left speechless by Lin Bufan's words, her face flushed red, her chest heaving, but she couldn't find the right words to refute him. She knew she was being unreasonable and her emotions came out of nowhere, but she just couldn't control her anger.

Finally, she could only stand up angrily and point at the door: "You...you get out! I don't want to see you now!"

Lin Bufan looked at Yang Tao's angry expression, but instead of leaving, he burst out laughing. He stood up and walked over to Yang Tao, his eyes filled with a mischievous yet gentle smile: "Okay, okay, I won't tease you anymore. Look how angry you are, your face is red.

How could I not recognize him? Although I, Lin Bufan, may be unruly at times, I’m definitely not the type to disown someone just because I pull up my pants. Besides… I haven’t even taken off my pants yet!”

Seeing that Lin Bufan still dared to act so unruly, Yang Tao was so angry that she grabbed the sofa cushion and threw it at Lin Bufan: "You still want to take off your pants?! Lin Bufan, you stinky hooligan!"

Lin Bufan smiled as he took the cushion, then took Yang Tao's wrist and gently led her towards him: "I'm just making an analogy. What I mean is that I'm serious about you. I'm not a scumbag who'll just play around and leave. I came here today to take responsibility, right? Although there was a misunderstanding about Aunt Xue's responsibility yesterday, my responsibility is sincere. I want to formally and seriously pursue you, Manager Yang Tao. From the first time I saw you in the hotel, I felt that you were very different. The day we spent together yesterday made me even more certain... I just want to be with you."

Yang Tao hadn't expected Lin Bufan to say this so bluntly. She was stunned for a moment, the anger on her face gradually giving way to surprise and a subtle hint of shyness. She subconsciously avoided Lin Bufan's overly focused gaze, but her heartbeat involuntarily quickened.

"Who... who asked you to take responsibility..." She muttered softly, but her tone softened, not as sharp as before: "Don't be so self-indulgent..."

"Whether you're being sentimental or not, you'll have to try to find out." Lin Bufan said with a smile. Seeing Yang Tao's attitude soften, he immediately stopped and said, "Okay, you're not angry anymore, are you? I'll wash the dishes as an apology. Manager Yang, please be magnanimous and forgive my rude words just now, okay?"

As he spoke, he began to clear the dishes on the table with quick movements, and walked into the kitchen humming a tuneless little tune.

Yang Tao watched Lin Bufan busy in the kitchen, the sound of running water gurgling, and the inexplicable anger in her heart gradually subsided, replaced by a complex and slightly sweet feeling. She walked to the coffee table, picked up the bouquet of champagne roses, lowered her head and gently sniffed it, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curl up slightly.

Meanwhile, the scene at Xue Sumei's home was quite different. She was humming a cheerful tune, wiping the coffee table in the living room with deft hands and feet, her face filled with unconcealable joy.

Su Qing, who was sitting on the sofa reading a book, was infected by her good mood. He put down the book and asked with a smile: "Auntie, what are you so happy about? Look at the corners of your mouth, it's almost stretched to the back of your ears."

Xue Sumei straightened up and raised her chin proudly: "What else could it be? Of course it's our Taozi's lifelong event! I think this time there's an 80% chance of success!"

Su Qing was a little confused: "How do you know there is a way? What did Taozi tell you?"

"Why would Taozi say that?" Xue Sumei said with a confident look on her face. She lowered her voice with a hint of pride, "I was the one who told Xiaolin that Taozi would be resting at home after her night shift. Look, I just got the news, and Xiaolin has already come to her house with the things in his hand! This guy is really quick to act!"

Su Qing got anxious when she heard this and quickly stood up: "Aunt! You... why did you take the initiative to tip them off? This... this is so inappropriate! Young people are just getting along, and you're interfering..."

Xue Sumei waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, I don't call this interfering. I call this rationally utilizing resources and creating opportunities! If it weren't for my guidance, would Xiaolin have known Taozi was resting today? How could he have seized the opportunity to perform so quickly? I call this strategic support!"

The more she spoke, the more she felt that her decision was wise. She picked up her phone and prepared to change her shoes and go out. "No, I have to go check on Taozi. If they need anything or the atmosphere gets awkward, I can still help to bring them together..."

Seeing her aunt in such a state of turmoil, Su Qing quickly stepped forward to stop her, and said with a mixture of laughter and tears: "Aunt! My dear aunt! Please don't go! There are just a few signs of trouble. If you go, what if there is another misunderstanding like last time, or if Taozi feels embarrassed, then it will really do more harm than good! What is most needed now is for them to be alone together and cultivate their relationship. If you go, it will be like a searchlight, making them uncomfortable."

Xue Sumei, feeling her niece's rebuke, thought it made sense. She put down her bag in frustration, but she had no outlet for her excitement. She paced around the living room twice before her eyes suddenly lit up. "It's okay if you don't go! I'll call Lan Caiping!"

Su Qing was even more confused: "Why did you call Aunt Lan?"

Xue Sumei perked up instantly, her hands on her hips, as if she were about to win a battle. "Qing'er, you don't know! Didn't her Weiwei just find a boyfriend with some money? Look how proud she is of herself. She brags to me every now and then about how capable her future son-in-law is, how he works for a Fortune 500 company, and how he treats her Weiwei so well... I'm almost getting calluses from hearing so much!"

She snorted, raised her chin, and her face was filled with the four characters of "proud". "Now our Taozi found this Xiaolin, he is handsome, has a successful career, is considerate and knows how to cook for us! He is so much better than the one she has been with for several years, and she has never seen him before! Such good news, of course I have to share it with her quickly, talk about it! And let her know what a truly good son-in-law is, so that she won't be so proud every day!"

Su Qing couldn't help but shake her head and laugh as she watched her aunt, eager to try. Her aunt and Aunt Lan were a pair of living treasures, rivaling for decades over everything, from their youth, competing over who had the best positioning, who got the lead role, who received the most love letters, to the present, over whose daughter would find a husband first. This kind of "love-hate" friendship had long been an integral part of their lives, and no amount of her words would do.

Xue Sumei didn't care what her niece thought. She couldn't wait to pick up the phone, find the number she knew by heart, and dial it with a touch of her finger. Her face was flushed with excitement as if she was about to "get revenge."

The phone rang a few times before it was picked up. Lan Caiping's voice sounded a bit puzzled: "Hello? Sumei? The sun has risen in the west today, and you actually took the initiative to call me?"

Xue Sumei cleared her throat and tried to make her voice sound as normal as possible, but a hint of pride still leaked out from her tone: "Look at what you said, it's normal for old sisters to call each other to say hello!"

Lan Caiping snorted and laughed on the other end of the phone: "Come on, Xue Sumei, don't I know you? No one would come to you for no reason, let alone call me on their own initiative. Tell me, what good news do you have to share with me?" She emphasized the word "share", and it was obvious that she was prepared for it.

Xue Sumei didn't beat around the bush and said in a deliberately nonchalant tone, "It's actually nothing serious, it's just...our Taozi seems to have made a friend recently."

"Friends?" Lan Caiping immediately grasped the key point, her voice tinged with caution and curiosity. "What friends? Male or female?"

"Of course it's a man!" Xue Sumei's voice rose unconsciously. "He's a nice guy, handsome and tall. Most importantly, he's very capable at such a young age. He's opened several companies and is now the boss of one!"

Lan Caiping was silent for two seconds, seemingly digesting the news. Then her tone became somewhat nonchalant: "Oh... starting your own company... a lot of young people these days run shell companies. What about us Taozi? Don't be the type who just says nice things to please us."

"Oh my! Look at what you said!" Xue Sumei immediately raised her voice, as if facing a huge challenge. "Our Xiaolin is not that kind of person! He's a real young talent! He cares deeply about our Taozi! He knows Taozi is tired after working the night shift, so he bought some groceries and went to visit her early this morning. I think he's probably making breakfast for Taozi right now! So thoughtful!"

She specifically emphasized the words "make breakfast" and "thoughtful".

Lan Caiping on the other end of the line keenly caught the "loophole" in Xue Sumei's words and immediately chuckled with obvious doubt: "Wait, Sumei, don't rush to praise me. You said this guy... he has opened several companies and is a big boss?"

"Yes!" Xue Sumei said proudly, "A serious big boss, young and promising!"

"Haha..." Lan Caiping's laughter was filled with a hint of understanding and "I saw through it a long time ago." "Sumei, I'm not saying anything bad about you, but you're just too honest and easily fooled. Think about it, who wouldn't be incredibly busy running a company? They wish there were 48 hours in a day! They have meetings one after another, social events one after another, and the phone ringing non-stop. Forget making breakfast for people, it's considered a blessing to be able to eat a hot meal on time!"

She paused, her tone becoming more "confidential," but in reality, she was showing off and criticizing him. "Take our Weiwei's boyfriend for example. He's an executive at a major international company, one of the Fortune 500! He's so busy... Oh, I feel so bad for Weiwei! We had originally agreed to have a formal meeting between our parents today, and we were all getting ready to go, but then he called from overseas with an urgent project, and he had to fly overseas right away! He couldn't even afford a quick meal! This is the busy life of someone who's doing big things!"

Lan Caiping changed the subject, her voice filled with "concern" and "reminder" for Xue Sumei: "Look at this Xiao Lin you mentioned... the big boss? He still has plenty of time to hang out at your Taozi's place and diligently make breakfast? Sumei, we've all been through this, doesn't this sound... a little too far-fetched? You'd better be more careful, find out more, and don't be fooled by some people's smooth talk and superficial efforts! These days, there are many people who use the guise of being a boss to deceive young girls, especially mothers-in-law like you who are anxious to marry off their daughters and think everyone looks like a good son-in-law!"