The Top Star Fell for Me at First Sight After I Transmigrated as a Dog-Like Streamer - Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Meeting the Family

Distracted for a moment, Bai Xun’s gaze drifted past the floor-to-ceiling window beside the aquarium, taking in an even more expansive view of the ocean.

His eyes widened as he skirted around the fish tank, crossed the living room, and stepped into the backyard. He pushed open a wooden gate to find fine, soft sand extending from the doorstep all the way to the horizon. The salty, humid sea breeze rushed in, instantly making him feel a few degrees more relaxed.

“From here, heading north is all private property. When you have time, we can walk along the beach or go sea fishing.”

Yu Congyue stood beside him, placing a pair of outdoor slippers by his feet. He gestured to define the area. “It rained a couple of days ago, so the sand is a bit damp. Some debris from the seabed might have washed up, so remember to wear shoes. Someone will be by later to sift the sand.”

“Okay.” Bai Xun slipped into the slippers and sat down on the steps in front of the gate. He looked around. “Who are your neighbors? I hope I won’t be bothering them.”

“In this row, except for the two houses at the very ends which were sold to outsiders, the rest belong to my parents and brothers.”

Yu Congyue followed his gaze. “But they don’t live here often, so you don’t have to worry about it being inconvenient.”

Just as he finished speaking, a notification chimed on his phone—an alert from property management.

He looked back. “Come on, your things are here. I’ll show you to your room.” After picking up the two small boxes and the suitcase at the entrance, the two of them headed up to the second floor. The moment the door at the end of the hall swung open, light flooded out. Once he saw the room in its entirety, Bai Xun nearly dropped his camera.

Yu Congyue caught it with lightning reflexes, glancing sideways to gauge his expression.

The bedroom was connected to a small study, with a massive window perfectly framing the coastline.

A king-sized bed sat quietly against the wall, covered in warm yellow linens without a single wrinkle. On the nightstand sat a chamomile-scented reed diffuser; the scent was similar to the one he smelled on Yu Congyue, but softer. It caused the nerves that had been frayed at the police station to finally unravel and relax.

He walked further inside. The lighting in the study was intentionally low, illuminated only by a warm, recessed LED strip beneath the shelving—gentle and easy on the eyes. The long desk was large enough for his entire equipment setup, the ergonomic chair was adjusted to the perfect height, and there was even extra space for his personal items.

“Yu-ge…”

Bai Xun took a deep breath and let it out slowly. His voice carried an irrepressible spark of joy, mixed with a hint of flustered uncertainty.

He instinctively looked away, blinking rapidly to suppress the swelling emotion in his chest.

This world shared many similarities with his original one, and Bai Xun had adapted quickly based on experience, fully expecting to “live alone just like before.” But this level of meticulous care—having every detail thought out in advance—was so sudden it left him at a loss.

“You’re being too good to me. I don’t know how to repay you.”

He meant every word.

Yu Congyue had been worried he wouldn’t be comfortable, but hearing that, he truly relaxed.

The night he heard Bai Xun was moving, he had people renovate this room overnight and confirmed the security with property management to solve every potential problem. Now, it seemed that at least this part of his gamble had paid off.

“Don’t talk about repayment,” he said, leaning against the doorframe with a nonchalant tone. “It’s because of me that you were targeted by that sasaeng in the first place. Just live here comfortably.”

Bai Xun accepted the kindness, secretly planning to repay the favor slowly over time.

He unpacked his boxes in the area without carpet. He didn’t have much; having made a clean break from his old life, he only brought two boxes of equipment and one suitcase of clothes. It took less than half an hour for the room to feel lived-in.

By the time they finished and headed downstairs, it was nearly dinner time.

“What do you want to eat tonight? I’ll order something.”

Yu Congyue took out his phone and flipped through a delivery app, looking up to ask.

Hearing this, Bai Xun walked straight to the kitchen. When he opened the refrigerator, he froze.

Contrary to the emptiness he expected, the fridge was neatly stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables. Meat, already cut and marinated, was stored in containers labeled with dates. A quick glance suggested there was enough for a week.

“There’s food in the fridge…” He snapped out of it and turned to Yu Congyue. “Then I’ll cook. Ge, do you have any dietary restrictions?”

“You just arrived today, I can’t let you cook.” Yu Congyue walked over, reaching out to close the door.

“Ge, ‘eating soft rice’ (living off someone) does taste great,” Bai Xun laughed, blocking the fridge with his body. “But if I do absolutely nothing while eating it, my conscience will haunt me…”

Before he could finish, he turned around, not expecting Yu Congyue to be standing so close. His nose bumped directly into a solid chest.

Both of them froze.

The air went silent for a moment; even the sound of their breathing became prominent.

A few seconds later, Yu Congyue cleared his throat and stepped back, as if afraid that staying close would lead to something “out of line.” He grabbed an apron from a hook and tucked it into Bai Xun’s arm.

“I have no restrictions,” he said, feigning composure. “Just make whatever is easy. Don’t tire yourself out.”

Yu Congyue knew nothing about the kitchen, so he found a spot out of the way and watched through the glass door as Bai Xun washed, chopped, and seared. He pretended to play with his phone, but after a few scrolls, he couldn’t help but switch to the camera to secretly snap a few photos of the busy figure. Just as he hit the shutter, the sound of the front door unlocking echoed through the hallway.

“Mom? Why are you here?”

Yu Congyue instinctively stood up straight, looking nervous.

He hadn’t had time to tell his family about Bai Xun moving in. He was afraid that if he couldn’t explain it clearly, he might scare the guy away, which would be a net loss.

“Congming’s friend sent over some pomfret, plus some fresh matsutake mushrooms and a ten-year-old duck. I thought you were home alone and probably not eating well, so I brought some over.” Xu Huiying directed the driver to move the items while adding slowly, “Why, am I not allowed in your house anymore?”

She strolled inside and quickly spotted Bai Xun working in the kitchen.

Her gaze sharpened instantly—though the sharpness was aimed entirely at her son.

“Oh my, what’s with the little puppy in there?”

Yu Congyue didn’t know where to start. Calling him a “partner” seemed too distant; calling him something more intimate felt premature.

Xu Huiying didn’t have the patience for his excuses. She reached out, opened the kitchen door, and greeted Bai Xun with a beaming smile, moving too fast for Yu Congyue to stop her.

“Hello, little puppy. I’m Congyue’s mother.”

“Xiao Bai, this is my mother. She was passing by to drop off some fish…” Yu Congyue scrambled to fill in the blanks, looking quite tense himself.

“Ah, hello Auntie! I’m Bai Xun. I worked with Yu-ge before and I’ll be bothering him for a while…”

Bai Xun hurried to dry his hands and came over to shake hers.

“It’s no bother,” Yu Congyue interjected from behind, reflexively denying the word.

Xu Huiying stepped aside, her eyes darting between the two of them. Finally, she looked back at her son, giving him a look that clearly said ‘You two have something going on,’ before smiling and patting Bai Xun’s shoulder.

“Xiao Bai, right? There’s no reason to make a guest cook. You stand aside. Congyue, go help.”

“Auntie, really, it’s fine. I’m a fast cook. If you don’t have other plans, please stay and eat with us.”

Bai Xun refused immediately, terrified that his “soft rice plan” would be ruined by losing control of the kitchen.

Seeing his sincerity, Xu Huiying gave up on the idea of pushing her son in to “help” (and likely cause a mess). She retreated to the kitchen door, standing with Yu Congyue as they watched the busy silhouette inside.

“So,” she whispered. “How long has this been going on?”

“Almost two months,” Yu Congyue answered honestly.

“Your progress is a bit slow.” Xu Huiying raised an eyebrow. “Look at Congming and Congji; why is your dating speed so far behind theirs?”

“Big brother and sister-in-law were high school sweethearts. And Congji falls in love with everyone he sees; he’s a different case entirely.” Yu Congyue threw up his hands helplessly. “I waited this long to find someone I actually like. I have to take it slow.”

“Did you tell Xiao Bai?” Xu Huiying went straight to the point after a two-second silence.

“Didn’t you tell me it should be a ‘slow-flowing stream’?” Yu Congyue recalled. “The stream is currently flowing, isn’t it?”

“I also believe I mentioned that the premise of a ‘slow-flowing stream’ is that the other person actually knows you like them.” Xu Huiying rolled her eyes. “Your father pursued me for four years without saying a word. If he weren’t so handsome, I would have thought I was being stalked. If you don’t say anything, how is he supposed to guess?”

Yu Congyue had been entirely focused on his career and studies until now, knowing nothing about romance. He looked blank for a moment, then his expression sharpened. He turned to pull open the kitchen door.

“What are you doing?” Xu Huiying grabbed him, looking baffled.

“Telling Xiao Bai I like him,” he replied matter-of-factly, his tone carrying the relief of someone who had finally “figured it out.”

“Now?” Xu Huiying face-palmed. “Do you think me standing here makes this a good time for a confession?”

She looked deeply at the busy “puppy” in the kitchen, then at her son—the block of wood with questionable emotional intelligence—and sighed.

“At least find a place where it’s just the two of you. Somewhere quiet, with a romantic atmosphere, and tell him slowly.”

She paused, then continued, “But for now, Xiao Bai seems like a great person—great personality, great abilities. Think it over carefully. Can you bring him home for New Year’s dinner?”

“I’ll try my best.” Yu Congyue thought about the timeline and nodded.

As Bai Xun stood at the stove plating the food, he felt a sudden chill on his back, as if someone were sizing him up. He turned around with a plate in hand, only to see the two of them standing at the door—one smiling far too kindly, and the other smiling with deep, unreadable meaning.

He instinctively shivered.

What… does that look mean?