As for whether Lin Ruoyue has a girlfriend, Lin Chen needs to see her again to confirm that.

What if they really do have it?

"Then I'll pry it away for you. I wonder if my dear older sister will be very pleased?" Lin Chen smiled slightly.

...

Lin Chen later took a bus back to the county town, intending to tidy up his home and make final preparations for starting school. However, he was startled when he opened the door to his residence.

Wang Nanshan wasn't there, but Liu Xinxin was inside, and the restaurant table was already laden with various dishes, their aromas filling the air. Liu Xinxin was busy in the kitchen, looking every bit the dutiful wife and loving mother.

"You're back, little brother Lin Chen? Come in quickly, I'm making your favorite braised pork intestines, snail rice noodles, and herring rice. Just wait a little while, it'll be ready soon."

Liu Xinxin spotted Lin Chen and said with a smile, seemingly not at all surprised by his appearance.

"Sister Xin Xin...no...who told you I like to eat...ugh..."

Lin Chen covered his nose, feeling as if he had entered a biochemical laboratory! He forcibly suppressed the urge to ejaculate.

However, setting aside the "delicious food" on the table, Lin Chen at this moment seemed like a warm scene of a husband returning home from work, with his wife having prepared a meal and waiting for him.

However, a child's cry ruthlessly shattered his beautiful fantasy.

"Ya Ya, be a good girl! Quickly call me brother!"

Liu Xinxin's voice brought Lin Chen back to reality.

She held her child, Ya Ya, in one hand, and looked at Lin Chen with a beaming smile. Ya Ya, perhaps out of excessive maturity or the innocent charm of a child, called her "brother" "dad" instead of "dad"!

Hello, Dad!

Ya Ya's voice was clear and melodious, but it almost made Lin Chen spit out a mouthful of blood!

Liu Xinxin covered her mouth and chuckled softly, then quickly corrected Ya Ya: "It's brother, not father! You naughty Ya Ya, why are you calling him that?"

Ya Ya, however, was not to be outdone. She raised her little head and said seriously, "It was clearly Mom who told Ya Ya that this is my dad!"

"Hey, you little brat, shut up! Don't say another word!"

Liu Xinxin's face flushed red, and she hurriedly covered Yaya's mouth with her hand. At the same time, she glanced at Lin Chen behind her, her eyes revealing a hint of embarrassment.

Lin Chen was incredibly embarrassed, practically scratching his head in frustration. To ease the tension, he had no choice but to change the subject, asking, "Sister Xin Xin, where did Uncle Nan go? And what about Fourth Uncle? Why haven't they come back yet?"

Liu Xinxin explained, "My dad and Uncle Nan are both away on a project. I knew you would be back today, so I specially prepared dinner in advance for you."

After saying that, Liu Xinxin carried Yaya to a seat, then went to the kitchen to tidy up before inviting Lin Chen to sit down as well. She picked up a piece of large intestine and placed it in Lin Chen's bowl, her movements skillful and virtuous, which warmed one's heart.

Every man longs to come home tired to a gentle and loving wife who has prepared a meal for him. At that moment, they are like a family of three, warm and harmonious.

However, Lin Chen knew that this warmth was only temporary. He rationally told himself that he couldn't indulge in this illusion. So, he mustered his courage and said to Liu Xinxin, "Sister Xinxin, I'm sorry. Actually... I'm afraid I can't be Yaya's father."

The atmosphere at the table froze instantly, and Liu Xinxin stopped eating. She lowered her head, and Lin Chen couldn't see the change in her expression. But after a while, Liu Xinxin raised her head, still smiling, as if she had been amused by something funny.

“Brother Lin Chen, I know that you, Jiaqi, and Tiantian are a better match. You don’t need to worry about me. I have Yaya, a good job, and a place to live. I’m already very content.”

Liu Xinxin's voice was calm and firm, but she deliberately lowered her head, not wanting Lin Chen to see the tears in her eyes.

Lin Chen sighed deeply, his heart filled with helplessness and guilt. He solemnly said, "No matter what, Sister Xin Xin, you'll always be my sister! As long as I'm here, I won't allow anyone to bully you, or Ya Ya!"

After saying that, Lin Chen took the initiative to put a piece of herring on Liu Xinxin's plate and some snail rice noodles on Ya Ya's plate as well.

Then Yaya casually added, "Thank you, Daddy!"

This left Lin Chen both amused and exasperated.

...

As August drew to a close, Lin Chen's latest piano piece, "The Eighth Chapter of the Night," composed for Jiang Jiahan, was officially released. Upon its release, the piece immediately became the center of online discussion, sparking heated debate among countless music fans.

"The Eighth Chapter of the Night," with its profound musical realm and ultimate artistic expression, has captivated countless listeners, leaving them unable to extricate themselves. That profound musical realm seems to possess a kind of magic, compelling them to listen to it again and again.

Even many professional audio engineers gave this song extremely high praise and scores. This piece not only caused a sensation in China, but also became popular overseas, sparking heated discussions and a craze among music fans worldwide.

With overwhelming media coverage, the song seemed to be touched by magic, its downloads and popularity skyrocketing, firmly occupying the top spot on the national music charts for three whole weeks.

In just half a month, the song generated an astonishing revenue of nearly ten million, like a golden dream that dazzled the eyes! And all of this is far from over. With the continued hype from the media and the passage of time, this number continues to climb, seemingly without end.

Jiang Jiahan, a name that was once unknown, has now become an internet celebrity. Countless media outlets, like sharks smelling blood, have swarmed to her, vying to interview her.

This craze not only made Jiang Jiahan famous, but also boosted the reputation of Jiang's Entertainment Company, making it shine like the rising sun.

According to incomplete statistics, the market value of Jiang's Entertainment Company has at least doubled compared to a month ago, a figure that is astonishing.

At this joyous occasion, Lin Chen extended his heartfelt congratulations to Jiang Jiahan and took the opportunity to further discuss the company's future development plans with her. Originally, Lin Chen's idea was to poach Liu Tiantian and Cai Xiaokun from "Tokyo Not Hot" company to their Jiang's Entertainment Company.

However, with the changing circumstances, his thinking has now undergone a complete transformation.

Instead of going to great lengths to poach talent, why not just acquire "Tokyo Not Hot" directly? That's the so-called acquisition plan!

However, with a market value of 100 million, acquiring 100% of "Tokyo Not Hot" is still quite difficult for Lin Chen, Jiang Jiahan, and others. But acquiring a stake first is feasible.

Jiang Jiahan showed unprecedented support for Lin Chen's idea. Even though it sounded somewhat crazy, she agreed without hesitation. She knew that as long as Lin Chen was there, nothing was impossible.

As for "Tokyo Not Hot" company, although Liu Tiantian and Cai Xiaokun's sudden popularity brought them considerable profits and traffic, they also knew that without Lin Chen's contributions and support, they would never have achieved what they have today.

Therefore, they were very happy when Lin Chen expressed his intention to invest, because it meant that they would be more closely bound to Lin Chen and create a more brilliant future together.

Of course, Lin Chen didn't reveal his intention to completely acquire them in the future. After all, now was not the time; revealing the plan too early would only scare them.

In addition, Jiang Jiahan told Lin Chen some good news: her father's condition had recently improved, which made her very happy. She felt that this was a sign of good fortune coming her way, so she insisted on treating Lin Chen to a meal to discuss their next steps and plans.

How could Lin Chen not know what Jiang Jiahan was thinking? He said speechlessly, "Please, who would have dinner at a love hotel? Professor Jiang, could you tone it down a bit, or rather, put on a better performance?"