Chapter 260 - 178: Don’t You Think This Is More Exciting?
As midnight approached, Lin Jiang finished his nocturnal activities.
[You completed a picnic with an NPC. Physique +1]
[You successfully subdued a Little Demon in the wild. Martial Force +1]
An extra point of Martial Force. Not bad at all.
[You have gained favor with NPC Jiang Xiaoqi. Affinity +30]
[Affinity: 80]
[Reward: 3,000,000 Specialized NPC Development Fund. Has been deposited into your account.]
Thirty points this time!
Lin Jiang recalled that their last "private theater lesson" had only yielded twenty points.
This outdoor excursion, on the other hand, gave him thirty.
That told him something.
’Looks like Jiang Xiaoqi is into this sort of thing. This is the right way to develop her.’
And right on cue, a red exclamation mark appeared over Jiang Xiaoqi’s head.
He hadn’t even finished Chen Jingxian’s main quest, and now another one from Xiaoqi had arrived.
"Brother Jiang, I’m sorry, but I have to go home. I can’t stay with you tonight."
Jiang Xiaoqi said, fidgeting with her skirt.
"It’s okay. As long as everything went smoothly."
"Mhm."
The two got into the car, and Lin Jiang started driving in the direction of Jiang Xiaoqi’s house.
During the drive, Jiang Xiaoqi was glued to her phone, messaging her mother. It seemed she was trying to explain why she was coming home so late.
Lin Jiang was finally starting to understand why Jiang Xiaoqi had the personality she did.
Her parents were strict, which had, to some extent, suppressed the development of her true nature.
That’s why she had developed such a contrasting persona.
’Then again... that’s not a bad thing.’
As he drove, he opened Jiang Xiaoqi’s main quest.
[Quest Name: Grow Bigger and Stronger]
[Quest Description: Open two noodle shops within one month.]
[Quest Reward: Craft Fruit Wine Recipe, 40 EXP]
Not a bad reward.
He had discussed this with Liang Shuhuo before, and she had confidently assured him that opening two shops within a month would be no problem at all. In fact, she could likely get it done much sooner.
This quest wouldn’t be difficult. He just had to follow the plan.
There wasn’t much traffic at night, so he soon arrived at Jiang Xiaoqi’s home.
"Brother Jiang, I’ll be heading in now," Jiang Xiaoqi said, unbuckling her seatbelt.
"Okay, I’ll walk you to your door."
"I can get back on my own. It’s already past midnight; you should head home and get some rest."
"I’m a guy, I’ll be fine." Lin Jiang gestured out the car window. "Besides, the streetlights in this complex aren’t very bright, and with all these trees, what if some creep is hiding and decides to try something?"
"I just feel bad troubling you."
"You didn’t seem to feel bad when you were telling me to play my cards faster, biting your rabbit head, and ordering me to attack."
"Hey! That’s completely different," Jiang Xiaoqi said, covering her face. "Brother Jiang, stop it! You’re making me blush."
Once Pandora’s Box was closed, Jiang Xiaoqi reverted to her sweet, shy girl persona.
The slightest mention of such topics was enough to make her blush beet red.
"Come on, it won’t take long."
"Thank you, Brother Jiang."
"What’s there to thank me for? You already paid me back just now."
With that, Lin Jiang got out of the car and walked with Jiang Xiaoqi toward the entrance of the residential complex.
"Xiaoqi."
Just as they reached the gate, a voice called out.
They looked over and saw Jiang Guobin and his wife standing at the entrance to the complex.
"Dad, Mom, I told you not to wait up for me. I could have gotten home by myself."
Back in the car, Jiang Xiaoqi had been texting Liu Liping about this very thing.
Liu Liping had insisted on sending Jiang Guobin out to meet her, but Jiang Xiaoqi had repeatedly told her there was no need.
With her Pandora’s Box closed, Jiang Xiaoqi was back to being incredibly shy and was embarrassed for her family to see this.
Ever since their last dinner together, her family had been constantly pushing them to speed things up. After all, it would be difficult to find a better potential son-in-law than Lin Jiang in all of Zhonghai.
Jiang Xiaoqi knew that Lin Jiang was usually very busy, and she worried that if her parents saw him, they would pressure him about their relationship and put him in an awkward position.
But sure enough, she ran right into them.
And both of them had come out to wait.
"Oh, Xiaojiang is here too!"
Seeing Lin Jiang, Liu Liping beamed and hurried over to greet him.
"It’s so late, thank you for going to the trouble of bringing Xiaoqi home. You must be exhausted."
"It’s what I ought to do. I had to make sure she got home safely," Lin Jiang replied politely.
’I was originally planning to walk her to her door anyway. But now that her parents are here, I guess they can take it from here.’
"Uncle, Auntie, I’ll be heading off now."
"You’re already here, why leave now? Come on up and sit for a while."
"It’s getting a little late. If I go up now, I’ll be disturbing your rest."
The older couple exchanged a glance.
They realized he had a point. If it were seven or eight in the evening, they would naturally insist he come up for a bit.
But it was already past midnight, so having him come up was indeed a bit inappropriate.
But Lin Jiang was here now, and for the two of them, this was a rare opportunity they didn’t want to miss.
"You’re already boyfriend and girlfriend, what’s so inappropriate about it? Just stay the night. Don’t go."
Hm?
’This old routine again?’
Hearing Jiang Guobin say this, Liu Liping chimed in as well.
"Yes, yes, exactly! Stay the night. There’s no need to be so formal."
Jiang Xiaoqi kept her head down and didn’t say a word, but her eyes were filled with eager anticipation.
"In that case, I’ll have to impose on you, Uncle and Auntie."
Lin Jiang didn’t mind. What was one more night crashing at someone else’s place?
"Listen to you. We’re all family now, it’s no trouble at all!"
Jiang Guobin was grinning from ear to ear.
He knew Lin Jiang was a busy man. Now that there was an opportunity to push their children’s relationship one step further, he, as the father, had to seize it.