Chapter 167: Family Ties and Surprises

“Ran Ran is back? Quick, Mom wants to introduce you. This is your Uncle Fang, and that is Aunt Hui Hui. This is Fang Meng—you should know her, right? Xiao Meng said you two are in the same class?”

Lin Xiao Li got up and walked over to Lin Zheng Ran, gesturing for him to sit down.

Lin Zheng Ran nodded vaguely and greeted Fang Meng’s parents. He never imagined his family knew Fang Meng’s family.

What a coincidence.

“Hello, Uncle Fang. Hello, Aunt Hui Hui.”

Fang Meng’s parents’ eyes lit up at the sight of Lin Zheng Ran.

He looked even better in person than in photos, and everyone had just been talking about his top grades.

As the town champion and first in everything, this nearly perfect young man was impossible for elders not to like.

Fang Meng’s mom quickly chimed in, “Finally, we meet Ran Ran! He’s way more handsome in real life than in pictures and has such great presence!”

Fang Meng’s dad was thrilled, though he said little, adding, “What a fine kid.”

Lin Zheng Ran sat on the sofa at his mom’s urging.

He asked his parents, “Have Uncle Fang and his family known ours for a long time?”

Lin Ying Jun felt a bit like he was causing trouble for his son, but life was just unfair like that—some had childhood sweethearts, others didn’t.

Take his son, for example; he had at least four or five.

Lin Ying Jun said:

“Yes, your mom and I were university classmates with Uncle Fang’s family. We were close back then, but after getting married and starting careers, we lost touch. Now that the kids are grown, we’re reconnecting.”

“Oh, so that’s how it is.”

Lin Zheng Ran glanced at Fang Meng, who was staring right at him. She sat properly, more composed than Heqing, without any shyness.

After a moment of eye contact, Fang Meng spoke slowly, “Lin Zheng Ran, you know what? We’re childhood betrothed.”

The room fell silent; even the adults didn’t interrupt.

Lin Zheng Ran’s eyes widened in surprise, thinking he’d misheard. “What did you say?”

“I said we’re childhood betrothed.” She repeated it.

“Okay, I heard it that time…”

Fang Meng couldn’t help but smile as she explained, “It was something my parents and your uncle and aunt decided when they were young. If we like each other, we could get married after university.”

Shocked, Lin Zheng Ran turned to his parents, Lin Xiao Li and Lin Ying Jun.

They both grinned awkwardly, as if saying, “Ran Ran, it’s just an old arrangement. We can’t explain fate—it’s mysterious.”

Meanwhile, Fang Meng’s parents exchanged looks. Her mom whispered, “Did we ever tell Xiao Meng about getting married after university? It was just a childhood betrothal, right?”

Her dad, who liked Lin Zheng Ran a lot—especially after hearing about his skills from Fang Meng lately—lowered his voice: “They’re classmates, so maybe she’s saying this on purpose. Let’s not correct her.”

Fang Meng’s mom nodded, half understanding.

On the sofa, Fang Meng and Lin Zheng Ran locked eyes again.

Out of nowhere, Fang Meng added, “From now on, I’ll chat with you often, my childhood betrothed, Lin Zheng Ran.”

Lin Zheng Ran blinked, wondering what she was up to.

[This month, after you and the Empress of the Imperial City founded the Zheng Shi Sect, you two as the founding ancestors recruited immortal disciples, revised sect rules, and established sect ranks.]

[The sect branched out into three sub-sects, and Lily, who had been traveling with you, joined your sect right away and stayed by your side constantly.]

[Though Lily seems carefree daily, once in the sect, she didn’t cause any trouble—instead, she seriously helped expand it. After discussions, she joined one of the sub-sects, Little Bamboo Peak.]

[Little Bamboo Peak features misty clouds and steep mountains, a place filled with heavenly sounds, ideal for female disciples to cultivate. Lily became the first senior sister there and, with her lively personality, led the other junior sisters in training and growth.]

[One day, while out, you and Lily ran into an unexpected incident and had to share a room for the night. Despite various troubles, including the Demonic Cult Enchantress trying to catch you two, you still ended up under the moonlit flowers.]

[Soon after, a secret family message summoned you back to meet an old acquaintance. Curious, you returned only to discover your family had arranged another marriage for you years ago!]

[And the bride-to-be turned out to be Fang Meng, the assassin serving the eldest princess! Even fate marveled at your endless romantic luck—maybe all the beautiful women should just marry you.]

Lin Zheng Ran: “???”

[These events gave you a total cultivation level increase of three, energy boost of five, strength gain of ten, and stamina increase of five.]

[You successfully broke through the sixty-level Qi Refining bottleneck, rising from level fifty-nine to sixty-two.]

[Your current attributes are:]

[Spiritual Energy level: sixty-one (Foundation Establishment Stage)]

[Note: You can now clearly see the upcoming stages—Foundation Establishment, Body Refining, Qi Refining, Core Formation, Nascent Soul, Divine Transformation, Tribulation Passing. You can check them anytime but they won’t show every time.]

[Strength: Maxed out]

[Stamina: Eighty-eight (Unlocked: Lifespan limit breakthrough, enhanced physical strength, doubled cultivation ability)]

[Energy: Eighty-nine (Unlocked: Strong offspring, seven times a night capability)]

[All Things Affinity: Level two (You have an absolute talent for all things; all disciples you teach improve, and contract signers get triple enhancement)]

[Congratulations on unlocking a new talent skill: Strength Talent evolves into Spiritual Power—Spiritual Power, like All Things Affinity, has five levels. At level one, you can use spiritual energy to control objects, freeing you from physical fights.]

This breakthrough surprised Lin Zheng Ran because controlling spiritual energy was a clear step up from previous gains.

Time flew by after the childhood betrothal reveal, and before he knew it, a year and a half had passed.

Lin Zheng Ran had been incredibly busy during that time.

On the music company side, he shot music videos with Lily and got her on a few simple entertainment shows, finally putting her in the spotlight.

Lily launched her own music account, and in just a year and a half, she skyrocketed to minor fame. Even her uncle and aunt were amazed at how far she’d come.

The Zheng Shi Company affairs were more demanding than expected, with all sorts of groundwork. While Jiang Jingshi handled a lot, Lin Zheng Ran, as the general manager, pitched in. Thankfully, after a year and a half, the company’s foundations were solid.

Over at Zheng Shi Sports, Lin Zheng Ran had guided the members extensively in the past year, and they improved rapidly under his direction.

Still, compared to Heqing and Lily, they lagged behind. Lily was now the top singer at Zheng Shi Music.

Heqing followed suit; after joining Zheng Shi Sports, she trained and easily won the city district selection, securing the provincial spot.

In a year and a half, everyone moved from first year to second, then to third year of high school.

With less than half a year until graduation, only the final semester remained.