Yun Ya paused, a bit bewildered. "Isn’t this a bit too hasty...," she said. "Not hasty at all, the timing is just right. I’ll take care of the baby for you, don’t you worry about that." Zhuang Xiyue couldn’t hide her elation at the thought of future grandchildren. Yun Ya let out a soft sigh. "Aunt Zhuang... Yan Ke and I are..." "Sister Yun Ya, you’re here." Yan Ke’s voice interrupted her, and Yun Ya turned to look at him. Yan Ke gave her a playful wink and a smirk, causing her to press her lips together and cast her gaze downwards. "Mom, don’t you think it’s too early to talk about this? And you said you wouldn’t arrange marriages. Isn’t this exactly that? Yun Ya and I have a brother-sister relationship, and you’re forcing us to be a couple. Humph, you’re clearly causing trouble for us both." "Hey you little brat," Zhuang Xiyue took off her shoe, wanting to smack him on the face: "You haven’t walked as many paths as I’ve eaten salt. How dare you speak so insolently? If I were really arranging a marriage, I should find you a petulant and overbearing heiress to give you a run for your money." "I don’t mind, but then, Mom, you’d have to deal with a petulant daughter-in-law." Yan Ke shrugged nonchalantly. "Don’t even think about it. Yun Ya is the daughter-in-law your father and I are very satisfied with, no one else qualifies to be a Yan Family daughter-in-law," Zhuang Xiyue stated firmly, laying down the law. Yun Ya looked down, her hand hidden in her sleeve clenching into a fist. In the room upstairs, Yun Ya said indifferently, "If you hadn’t interrupted me just now, I would have told Aunt Zhuang the entire truth." While playing with Ah Jiu, Yan Ke said, "It’s more appropriate for me to say these things. You know how my mom is. If you had said it, you and my brother would have faced her wrath." "Meow," Ah Jiu stretched out its little tongue and licked Yan Ke’s fingers. Resting her elbow on the table and massaging her temples, Yun Ya said wearily, "So what should we do?" "My brother hasn’t contacted you lately, has he?" Yun Ya remained silent. Yan Ke let out a "heh": "This time my brother really crossed the line, no matter how busy, he should have contacted you. I’ll have to teach him a lesson this time." Yun Ya glanced at him. Yan Ke raised an eyebrow: "Does the engagement upset you?" Yun Ya nodded in understanding and smiled: "Aren’t you afraid of your brother...?" Yan Ke patted his chest proudly: "I’d walk through fire and water for my future sister-in-law, without hesitation..." Yun Ya’s lips curled into a smile: "OK." The two exchanged a knowing look, a look that only they could understand. "Sister Yun Ya, I’m afraid I won’t be able to take Ah Jiu with me. Better to leave it with you." Yan Ke stroked Ah Jiu’s head reluctantly. Ah Jiu clung to his sleeve, meowing plaintively as if loathing to part. Yun Ya took Ah Jiu from his arms and caressed its head with a smile: "Come home with me." Ah Jiu gave Yan Ke one last look before burying its head in Yun Ya’s embrace. When Yan Nanmo came home that evening, he appeared extremely pleased to see Yun Ya. It was rare for him to engage in an extended conversation with her. Yun Ya responded fluently, displaying neither subservience nor arrogance, impressing Yan Nanmo even further. "You’ve been nominated for this year’s Jiangzhou City’s Most Influential Youth Award," Yan Nanmo mentioned. Nᴇw ɴovel chaptᴇrs are published on novel·fiɾe·net This Most Influential Youth Award is essentially a government accolade for young individuals, held every five years. It’s akin to a calling card for Jiangzhou City, or more precisely, a spokesperson for the city. Selected by government officials, there are three criteria for eligibility: first, the nominee must be between fourteen and twenty-five years old; second, they must have made significant contributions to the city, society, and the public; third, they must be of good character and come from a reputable family. If one is chosen for this award, it’s not just about an increase in social status, but it’s also a tremendous leap for one’s personal image. Historically, recipients of Jiangzhou’s Youth Award have either been young geniuses with outstanding achievements or youth idols that the whole city admires, winning international awards and bringing great honor to the city. For instance, the previous award winner, Dong Xieyou, secured the prestigious international Best Actor award at the Venice Golden Lion Awards with his role in a movie, becoming Country Hua’s youngest international best actor. His contribution to film history earned him this honor. Dong Xieyou, now a steady force in the entertainment industry, stands shoulder to shoulder with Ming Han as two towering figures in the film community. Being from Jiangzhou, Dong Xieyou’s selection as the recipient of Jiangzhou’s Youth Award back then caused quite a sensation and further solidified the reputation of this Jiangzhou accolade. It’s an acknowledgment of personal value and influence, and even a mere nomination is enough for bragging rights for a long time. In recent years, with the rapid development of the entertainment and media industries, while the commercial value of celebrities has been exaggerated, their quality does not match up. Hence, many stars set their sights on this award, seizing the opportunity to enhance their prestige since it’s a government-endorsed recognition. Securing the award brings high-profile endorsements and film contracts flocking to them. However, winning this award is not an easy feat.