Chapter 40: First Visit

Now that the college entrance exam results were out, the next step was naturally choosing universities and majors—a process with just as many twists and turns as the exam itself.

But for top scorers like Lin Xiyue and Xia Jinnian, it all came down to personal preference.

So, on the day after the results were released, Lin Xiyue arranged to visit Xia Jinnian’s home to fill out their applications together.

As for why she needed to go to Xia Jinnian’s home—Lin Xiyue was essentially going to support her best friend.

Because, unsurprisingly, both of them wanted to apply to Guangnan University, though they hadn’t finalized their majors yet.

Lin Xiyue was well aware of the Xia family situation. Jinnian wanted to major in music, but her mother believed she should choose something more practical.

Under normal circumstances, this probably wouldn’t be up for debate—but things were different now.

Whether it was the projected 2 million sales of “Meteor Shower,” or winning the “Sound of the Future” competition, these all proved that Xia Jinnian had real talent as an idol. She wasn’t someone who should live a quiet, ordinary life.

This might change her mother’s mind—might even convince her to agree.

So, close to noon, Lin Xiyue appeared in front of the Xia household.

“Remember to greet Jinnian’s mother politely. Mind your manners. Don’t leave a bad impression, okay?”

Xu Wei had driven her daughter there and gave her a last round of reminders before leaving. Lin Xiyue nodded quickly.

Don’t worry—this is my mother-in-law. How could I not take this seriously?

She entered the compound and found the staff dormitory where the Xia family lived—a small, old two-bedroom unit.

It was her first time visiting in this life, but not her first time “coming to Xia Jinnian’s home.”

Yes and no—because in her past life, Lin Xi (her past self) had visited often, trying to win over her difficult mother-in-law. She knew this place as well as her own home.

She pressed the slightly off-center doorbell with practiced ease. Footsteps sounded inside.

“Xixi, you’re here?”

Xia Jinnian opened the door, looking even more nervous than Lin Xiyue.

After all, this was her best friend’s first visit, and the topic they were discussing—university majors—was a sensitive one. No wonder she was anxious.

“Miss Lin is here?”

Xia’s mother came out from inside. Though she didn’t look particularly excited, her expression was pleasant enough—a good sign that made Lin Xiyue relax.

“Auntie, hello. You can just call me Xiaoyue~”

She placed the small gifts she brought onto the table. It was her first visit—of course she couldn’t come empty-handed.

“Oh, Xiaoyue, you’re too polite. You didn’t need to bring anything.”

But seeing the gifts did improve Xia’s mother’s mood.

“You two girls chat first. I’ll go cook.”

It was the weekend, so she had no work today.

Lin Xiyue followed Xia Jinnian into her bedroom—small enough to only fit a bed and a desk—so she sat on the bed.

Then she casually lay down, inhaling the faint scent lingering in the blanket. It was Jinnian’s scent, and it calmed her instantly.

“My mom seems in a pretty good mood today. She even bought tons of groceries this morning after hearing you were coming.”

Jinnian lifted her foot and lightly kicked the girl on her bed.

“You come in and immediately lie on my bed, huh?”

“Hehe, it’s because it smells like my Jinnian baby 🤤.”

Lin Xiyue even buried her face in the blanket and inhaled dramatically. Jinnian’s face turned bright red instantly.

“Ugh! You’re so gross, stinky Xixi! This is your first time in my house—if you’re like this already, I don’t even want to imagine the future!”

“Pfft, adorable~”

Seeing the red-faced girl biting her lip, Lin Xiyue grinned. She loved seeing Jinnian flustered.

“Okay, back to the main topic—are you really confident you can convince my mom to let me major in music?”

“Of course. With me here, you can relax. Easy win.”

She rolled over on the bed. She knew Xia’s mother’s personality all too well.

Xia’s mother was extremely conservative. Even now, with proof of Jinnian’s talent, she would still worry:
What if she becomes irrelevant someday? And she has no other skills—then what?

The best way to address this concern was simple:
Prove that Jinnian could earn a lifetime’s worth of money in a short time. Then there would be nothing left to worry about.

“Lunch is ready~”

Xia’s mother called from outside, and the two girls hurried out.

For an ordinary household, the spread on the table was clearly meant for welcoming an honored guest—showing her attitude toward Lin Xiyue.

“Xiaoyue, try Auntie’s cooking. We don’t have anything fancy—just simple home dishes.”

Lin Xiyue sat down and immediately began her flattery mode, praising every bite—including the rice—so much that even Jinnian couldn’t stand it.

She’d eaten her mother’s cooking for eighteen years—she knew exactly how it tasted. No way was it as amazing as Xiyue claimed. It was pure flattery.

But it worked. Xia’s mother couldn’t hide her smile and even jokingly scolded her daughter:

“See? You always say Auntie Zhang’s cooking smells better than mine. Xiaoyue knows how to appreciate food—you’re the one who doesn’t know how good you have it.”

Jinnian was speechless. Clearly, her best friend had done her homework—every word hit her mother right in the heart. Meanwhile, she, the actual daughter, felt like the outsider.

“So, about your university applications—have you girls decided anything?”

Her mother’s question made both girls tense up. No matter how much flattery came before, they still couldn’t escape this topic.

“Well… Auntie, Jinnian and I both want to apply to Guangnan University’s music program. With our scores, getting admitted shouldn’t be difficult.”

“Mm… admission won’t be a problem. It’s just that this path is unstable. Jinnian should learn a skill with long-term prospects.”

Exactly what Lin Xiyue expected. Xia’s mother wasn’t wrong—just very conservative. That made things tricky.

“Auntie, just this month, Jinnian can earn over 300,000 from digital sales alone. And we’ve already received many magazine and performance offers. Next month’s income will only increase.”

“You’ve seen it—the posters of Jinnian and me are all over Guangnan City. And this is only the beginning.”

“We’re even competing for the theme song of a well-known movie. If we get it, her visibility and income will rise even more.”

“This path is clearly full of promise. Please trust me. I’m Jinnian’s old friend—her best friend. I would never harm her.”