The Rich Stepfather Became Popular After Slacking Off - Chapter 25
After that, the three of them began their meal.
Seeing that there were only two lonely little meatballs left in the big round dish, Lin Yi felt a twinge of guilt.
So he took the initiative and said to Huo Jihan, “Mr. Huo, you should try one of these meatballs. They’re really good.”
As he spoke, he couldn’t help but swallow slightly.
Seriously, those meatballs were delicious.
Huo Jihan paused and looked across at Lin Yi.
Although Lin Yi was saying all this, he couldn’t stop glancing at the plate, clearly reluctant to part with those meatballs.
Without saying a word, Huo Jihan picked up his chopsticks, took one meatball, and placed it in Lin Yi’s bowl.
Then he picked up the other and put it in Huo Mianmian’s bowl.
Lin Yi looked at the meatball in his bowl, his expression lighting up with delight, though he refrained from eating it right away. Instead, he asked, “You’re not having any?”
Huo Jihan replied flatly, “I don’t like them. You two go ahead.”
Lin Yi: “!!”
Just the words he was waiting for!!!
Without hesitation, he grabbed the meatball from his bowl and stuffed it into his mouth.
Like he was afraid Huo Jihan would change his mind at any second!
At that moment, the butler walked into the dining room to see if Lin Yi and the others needed anything.
The first thing he noticed was the empty dish on the table.
After all, the other dishes were still mostly full, so that one stood out clearly.
Seeing this, the butler smiled at Huo Jihan and said, “I didn’t expect you to be such a fan of this—”
But before he could finish, Huo Jihan raised a hand to stop him.
The butler didn’t understand at first, until he noticed Lin Yi and Huo Mianmian happily munching on the meatballs.
Instantly, he realized what had happened.
So Mr. Huo had ordered the dish, but ended up giving it all to Mr. Lin and the young master.
The butler’s face was filled with genuine relief and satisfaction.
He had been in this household a long time and had formed a deep emotional bond with the family.
Now, seeing how Huo Mianmian had grown livelier thanks to Lin Yi, and how Huo Jihan himself seemed to be thawing a little, he couldn’t be happier.
That day, Lin Yi took his sports car out for a casual drive, and while passing by a shopping mall, decided to stop in for a bite.
He had been eating rich food at the villa for too long lately. Naturally, he needed a change of pace now and then.
After finishing his meal, he strolled out of the mall slowly when a furious shout rang out behind him.
“You bastard! You’ve got some nerve showing your face in front of us again!!!”
Everyone nearby was startled by the outburst and turned to look.
Lin Yi wasn’t the type to enjoy drama, so he didn’t pay it any mind and kept walking until a group of people stepped in front of him.
Lin Yi lazily lifted his eyes and saw that it was the Lin family.
Leading the charge was Father Lin, who hadn’t shown up in ages. He was glaring furiously, and clearly the one who had shouted just now.
Behind him were Mother Lin and Lin Jie, then a whole crowd of relatives, including He Nian’s family.
Apparently they’d been shopping too. Talk about enemies meeting by chance.
It was only now that Lin Yi realized the furious shout had actually been aimed at him.
Father Lin blocked his way again and roared, “You ungrateful wretch! How dare you show your face to us?!”
Lin Yi stuffed his hands in his jacket pockets, stood there lazily, and chuckled, “I was just walking. Who exactly came up to whom?”
Father Lin was big, loud, and aggressive. “Answer me—why did you treat your mother and little brother like that recently?!”
Lin Yi raised an eyebrow. “What did I do to them?”
Mother Lin and Lin Jie had smeared his name online, then made a scene on a reality show…
Yet now he was the one at fault?
Father Lin snapped, “Don’t you dare act like it’s nothing! Because of you, the family business and your brother’s studies are in ruins. Today you’d better give us an explanation!”
Because of the spectacle that Mother Lin and Lin Jie made at the reality show, the family had become infamous for all the wrong reasons.
Their small factory had limped along before with a few clients, but after the incident, those clients started backing out. No one wanted to work with a family known for abusing their eldest son and framing him.
Father Lin begged and pleaded, but no one would give him the time of day.
The business was basically dead.
As for Lin Jie—after his outburst on the livestream, people began digging. His record of skipping class, fighting, and harassing girls came to light. Under public pressure, the school expelled him.
All these things had left the Lin family livid and helpless.
They couldn’t find Lin Yi’s new address, and he had blocked their numbers. All they could do was fume.
Now, by sheer chance, they’d run into him.
Naturally, they were itching to rip him apart.
After hearing Father Lin’s words, Lin Yi sneered. “You want an explanation? You think that’s going to happen?”
He hadn’t even asked them for compensation yet, and they had the nerve to demand answers from him?
Father Lin was so enraged his blood pressure probably spiked. “You little bastard! You need a good beating, don’t you?!”
As he spoke, he rolled up his sleeves like he was about to start swinging.
Mother Lin was wailing and cursing off to the side.
Lin Jie looked like a rabid dog, ready to lunge at Lin Yi and tear him to shreds.
The other relatives started chiming in.
“Xiao Yi, you really crossed the line this time. That’s your mother and your brother—how could you embarrass them like that?”
“Exactly! Now the family’s business is ruined, and Xiao Jie can’t go back to school. You should take full responsibility!”
“Karma’s real, you know. Cold-blooded people like you—aren’t you afraid the heavens will punish you?”
“Xiao Yi, how can you live with yourself being this heartless? You’re asking for retribution.”
“……”
Listening to them, Lin Yi just laughed. “Wow, you people really have no shame, do you?”
Now he finally understood why the original host of this body had been so emotionally repressed.
With a family like this—manipulative, overbearing, and absurd—and with the original host being such a soft-hearted person, it was no wonder he’d been bullied all his life.
Just then, one of the relatives pointed at him and snapped, “Xiao Yi, is that any way to talk to your elders? Don’t you have any manners?”
Lin Yi let out a cold laugh. “Nope, I’ve got no manners. So what? What are you going to do about it?”
That relative was momentarily speechless. “You—”
Before he could continue, Lin Yi cut him off, “Also, why do you people think you can stand on my turf and talk to me like this? Are you going to leave on your own, or do I need to call security to throw you out?”
Another relative asked suspiciously, “When did this place become your turf?”
Lin Yi looked down at him with a lazy smirk. “Just now. I’m about to buy this shopping mall. Satisfied?”
The way he said it so casually—yet with such a sharp edge—made that relative instinctively step back. Still, he forced himself to act tough. “Who would believe that? You don’t have that kind of money!”
The rest of them stared at Lin Yi too.
He said lazily, “Don’t forget, I’ve got someone powerful backing me now. The last thing I lack is money.”
Unlike the original host, who never dared mention these things to protect himself, Lin Yi had no qualms about leveraging his advantages.
It was a huge asset so why shouldn’t he use it?
The crowd fell into silence as Lin Yi’s words reminded them that he had married into the powerful Huo family. He was no longer the same person they used to push around.
With a backer like that, what was buying one mall? He could probably buy ten, a hundred, and not even blink.
A sour wave of envy rippled through the crowd.
Especially He Nian. When he heard that, he clenched his jaw.
A man like Huo Jihan should have been his!
Why, why did Lin Yi get that kind of marriage arrangement?
The others might’ve been jealous, but they tried to act nonchalant.
“So what if he married into a rich family? Big deal. Try achieving something on your own.”
“I’d rather eat my steamed cornbread than touch your delicacies.”
“Yeah, coarse grains are healthier anyway.”
“……”
Lin Yi raised a brow and said calmly, “You done? If so, kindly get off my turf. Otherwise, I really will call security.”
The group exchanged uneasy glances, unsure if he was bluffing.
That’s when the original host’s second aunt—He Nian’s mother—seized the moment to boast, “Don’t be afraid, everyone! Our Nian Nian’s a big celebrity. Who doesn’t know him? What security would dare touch us?”
Reassured by her words, the others straightened up a little.
“Right, we’ve got Nian Nian!”
“It’s just unbelievable. They’re cousins, yet one’s in the sky and one’s in the mud.”
“I heard Nian Nian often helped Lin Yi in the industry. He’s too soft-hearted—shouldn’t have wasted that kindness on such an ungrateful brat!”
“Lin Yi’s probably eaten up with jealousy seeing how many fans Nian Nian has.”
“……”
He Nian quickly said, “Please, don’t talk like that. He’s my cousin—helping each other is normal.”
But the others wouldn’t let it go.
“Nian Nian, you’re too sentimental for your own good.”
“Exactly. You mean well, but not everyone deserves your kindness.”
“……”
The group had been hanging around for quite a while, and with both Lin Yi and He Nian being public figures—even with masks—it wasn’t long before someone recognized them.
Not far away, two girls linked arm-in-arm glanced over and suddenly lit up with excitement, immediately covering their mouths to stifle their screams.
They exchanged a quick glance, then hurried over, visibly thrilled.
The surrounding relatives instantly began to whisper.
“Those two girls must be here to get Nian Nian’s autograph, right?”
“Who else? You think they’re here for Lin Yi?”
“Smart girls. They clearly know who the real star is.”
“Bet someone’s burning up with jealousy right now. But too bad—no one likes an ungrateful brat.”
At that moment, He Nian stepped forward, trying to hush them modestly, “Everyone, please don’t say that. Actually, my cousin has been gaining some popularity recently on that parenting show.”
The relatives immediately chimed in.
“Nian Nian, you’re still defending him? You’re too kind!”
“Seriously, the show helped him, sure, but he’s still nothing compared to you.”
He Nian shook his head with a sigh, acting like he just couldn’t stop them.
By then, the two girls had already arrived.
He Nian straightened his expression and smiled warmly at them. “Hello, where would you like me to sign?”
The girls looked confused by his sudden approach. They exchanged a glance and politely said, “Sorry, we’re actually here for Lin Yi.”
He Nian: “……”
His expression stiffened, and his face turned ghostly pale.
The other relatives froze.
Wait… they weren’t here for He Nian?
The two girls didn’t seem to notice the awkward atmosphere. They beamed as they bypassed He Nian and ran straight to Lin Yi. “Hi Lin Lin! Could we please get your autograph?”
Lin Yi, who had been standing to the side watching the show, raised an eyebrow in surprise. He hadn’t expected the girls to come for him.
He smiled. “Sure.”
He was wearing a black mask, so only his eyes were visible but when he smiled, those peach blossom eyes curved into dazzling crescents, sparkling like stars.
The girls looked like they might explode from joy.
Lin Yi signed their notebooks, and they gushed out a few blessings before bouncing away, practically skipping with happiness.
As soon as they left, the scene turned awkwardly quiet—like someone had hit the mute button.
None of the relatives dared look at He Nian’s face.
Lin Yi had seen enough of this ridiculous performance. He turned to leave.
After all, why waste time with a bunch of brain-dead relatives when he could go home and play with his precious kid?
Just as he took a step forward, Father Lin charged at him. “Who said you could leave?!”
Lin Yi didn’t even look back. He just kept walking.
Father Lin clenched his fists and stormed after him, raising his arm to punch but before he could get within striking distance, several bodyguards appeared out of nowhere and tackled him to the ground.
“Ahhh! Help! It hurts! Oh God, it hurts!!”
Father Lin was screaming bloody murder.
Mother Lin turned pale and started trembling. “W-Who are you people?! Why are you attacking my husband?!”
No one answered.
Just then, a man strode over.
He wore a perfectly tailored black suit, and his presence was so commanding that it felt like the air around him froze as he walked past.
His dark eyes were sharp and glacial—just a glance from him was enough to freeze someone in place.
The bodyguards immediately straightened up respectfully.
It was clear this man held real power.
The relatives were so intimidated, none of them dared lift their heads.
A few of the more timid ones looked like they might faint.
Lin Yi, on the other hand, was stunned when he recognized the man.
What the hell? Why is he here?
But the most shaken of all was He Nian.
The moment he saw Huo Jihan, he froze completely. His mind went blank, and everything else faded into the background.
There was only that man—tall, cold, and devastatingly handsome—walking closer.
Step by step, Huo Jihan stopped beside Lin Yi, looked down at him, and asked, “What are you doing here?”
He was half a head taller than Lin Yi, and when he looked down with those deep, unreadable eyes, it felt like he could peer straight into Lin Yi’s soul.
Lin Yi thought, I should be the one asking you that.
He answered honestly, “Just wandering around, really.”
He hadn’t expected to bump into such a trashy crowd. Had he known, he never would’ve come.
While they were talking, He Nian stepped forward.
He stared at Huo Jihan, voice trembling. “M-Mr. Huo… hello.”
Huo Jihan glanced at him once, then looked away almost immediately. Then he asked Lin Yi, “Who’s that?”
Lin Yi thought for a moment, then said, “No idea. Probably just some random extra.”
He said it offhandedly.
Huo Jihan actually nodded. “Mm. Let’s go. Time to head home.”
Not once did he spare another glance for He Nian.
Then he and Lin Yi walked away side by side.
Only He Nian stood frozen in place, his face alternating between red and pale.
How could this be?
Why didn’t Huo Jihan even look at him?
This wasn’t how it was supposed to go at all.
After walking for a while, Lin Yi and Huo Jihan reached a sleek black Rolls-Royce.
Assistant Li Feng stepped forward and opened the door for them.
Lin Yi twirled his car key. “I drove here myself.”
Huo Jihan replied calmly, “Let the bodyguard drive your car back.”
Lin Yi nodded. “Sure.”
It’d give him a chance to ride with Huo Jihan and ask some things, anyway.
They both got in, and the Rolls-Royce rolled smoothly onto the road.
Inside the car, Li Feng was in the front seat driving.
Lin Yi and Huo Jihan sat in the spacious back seat.
Lin Yi looked around the luxurious interior.
If he had to describe it in two words: pure opulence.
It had clearly been customized after purchase—plush space, leather seats, even a velvet rug on the floor. Everything screamed money.
There was also a faint scent of cologne, probably the same one Huo Jihan used.
After glancing around, Lin Yi turned to the man next to him and got to the point. “By the way, Mr. Huo, can I ask to get a little of my allowance in advance?”
After all, he got five million yuan every month. He was just asking to use some ahead of time.
Huo Jihan turned to him. “Is it urgent?”
Lin Yi shrugged. “Not really. But you saw that shopping mall back there, right? I’m thinking of buying it. Might appreciate the value.”
He wasn’t just bluffing earlier.
In his past life, he’d worked in investment banking. Spotting value was practically muscle memory now.
That mall had potential—he’d observed enough during his stroll.
Of course, the other reason was that it’d be satisfying as hell. With five million a month, why not buy a mall just to piss off his annoying relatives?
Problem was, he didn’t have enough cash on hand hence the early withdrawal.
Huo Jihan nodded. “Alright. You have full control over that money.”
Something about the way he said it made it sound like Lin Yi could do whatever he wanted and that Huo Jihan would always have his back.
Lin Yi raised an eyebrow and joked, “You’re really letting me? Aren’t you worried I’m just blowing money for fun?”
Huo Jihan said in his deep voice, “It’s fine. After all, I am the thigh you’re hugging.”
Lin Yi choked. “Cough—what?!”
Wait a second. How did he know what I said earlier?
So he’d been there the whole time?
Also, hearing Huo Jihan say something like “hugging my thigh” with such a straight face—it was surreal.
It made him feel like this aloof iceberg of a man was suddenly… kinda down-to-earth?
After finally recovering from his coughing fit, Lin Yi asked, “So… you were listening the whole time?”
Huo Jihan didn’t deny it. “Mm.”
He hadn’t been eavesdropping on purpose.
It was just that he happened to be passing by in the car and saw Lin Yi through the window. He seemed to be caught in some trouble.
So Huo Jihan had ordered Li Feng to pull over. While waiting and watching, he also responded to some foreign client emails.
Lin Yi stared at him, not sure how to feel. He decided to ask, “So what did you think? After watching the whole thing?”
Huo Jihan paused, then said, “You’re good at roasting people.”
His expression had been casual throughout, but every line he delivered had cut straight to the point—like he had full command of the situation.
Lin Yi almost choked again.
What kind of weird response was that?
Still, it was a response.
And honestly, Lin Yi had no intention of winning points with Huo Jihan anyway. He replied, “Well, it’s all from experience. Practice makes perfect, right?”
Back in his investment banking days, he’d dealt with a lot of dumb clients.
People who didn’t know anything but still liked to boss him around.
Back then, he had a sharp temper and a strong sense of pride, he never tolerated that crap. He would roast them on the spot.
Those clients would get red in the face, swearing they’d never work with him again but they always came crawling back because Lin Yi’s skills were top-tier. Even dumb clients wouldn’t mess with their money.
What Lin Yi enjoyed most was watching them squirm—angry, powerless, and still needing him.
Since coming to this world, his temper has mellowed.
Maybe it was dying once that did it. He didn’t have that youthful arrogance anymore.
Besides, he’d lucked into a marriage with a man as powerful as Huo Jihan. He didn’t even have to work, and money showed up in his account every month.
Why not enjoy life as a salted fish?
Salted fish don’t get angry—they just lie around and vibe.
As Lin Yi drifted off into his own memories, Huo Jihan turned to look at him.
He saw a relaxed Lin Yi, eyes soft with a faint smile, completely lost in thought.
From this angle, he could see the perfect curve of Lin Yi’s jaw and those long, fluttering lashes.
They trembled ever so slightly enough to make anyone’s heart skip.
For some reason, Huo Jihan suddenly felt… something strange.
Lin Yi was sitting right next to him, yet somehow, it felt like he was worlds away
Lin Yi and Huo Jihan returned to the villa twenty minutes later.
The butler came to greet them. Seeing the two arrive together again, his face lit up with a gratified smile.
Lin Yi quickly clarified, “We just happened to bump into each other this time.”
The butler nodded. “Oh, I understand, I understand!”
Even as he said that, he still looked at the two with a warm, knowing gaze, like he could already picture their blissful future together.
Lin Yi: “……”
Yeah, I really don’t think you understand at all.
Still, he didn’t bother arguing over pointless things because it really wasn’t important.
At that moment, Huo Mianmian came trotting over, looking up at Lin Yi with his head slightly tilted.
Seeing the little guy being so sweet and obedient instantly warmed Lin Yi’s heart. “Baby, did you miss me?”
Huo Mianmian nodded his tiny head right away.
Lin Yi smiled. “I found lots of fun places this time. I’ll take you with me next time, okay?”
Huo Mianmian got even more excited, his eyes sparkling like the brightest stars in the night sky.
Since it was a hot day, Lin Yi went to the fridge and pulled out a few popsicles, handing one to Huo Mianmian.
So the father and son lazed on the couch, eating popsicles together.
Lin Yi ate quickly.
At first he just licked at it slowly, but soon enough, he was crunching away, finishing one in no time.
Huo Mianmian ate at a much more leisurely pace. Every now and then, he’d shiver from the cold and stick out his little tongue in protest.
Lin Yi finished one, then unwrapped a second and before long, he was working on a third.
That was a little excessive.
Across from them, Huo Jihan was giving instructions to Li Feng about some work.
Then he noticed the rustling sounds from Lin Yi’s side, raised his dark eyes, and reminded him, “You’re eating that many cold things?”
Lin Yi replied casually, “It’s fine. It’s just three popsicles.”
Huo Jihan looked at him, expression unreadable. “Don’t eat too much cold stuff.”
Lin Yi, still unsatisfied, put on an innocent look. “But I already unwrapped this one.”
As he spoke, he stared at Huo Jihan without blinking.
Huo Jihan paused.
Lin Yi kept watching him. “Just one more, alright?”
Li Feng, who was quietly watching this unfold from the side, thought to himself: There’s no way he’s getting away with that. Boss Huo is famously strict. No one can change his mind.
Yet to his shock, the next second, Huo Jihan relented. “Just this once.”
Lin Yi instantly smiled, raising an eyebrow. “Great.”
Whatever, I’ll just eat this one now and figure out the rest later.
Li Feng: “……”
Why do I feel like I just got force-fed a mouthful of dog food?
Storyteller Starlightxel's Words
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