Qian Duoduo nearly wet himself.
He never imagined Ye Qiu would be the one standing before him.
“Bloody hell, good thing I didn’t swing just now, or I’d be dead!”
The thought of how Ye Qiu dealt with Young Master Zhang in Beijing sent shivers down Qian Duoduo’s spine.
Only now did he realise why Ye Qiu hadn’t thumped him back in the capital.
It was because Ye Qiu was his cousin.
“Duoduo, what’s wrong?” Zhu Xuemiao frowned, displeasure creeping onto her face as Qian Duoduo scrambled to hide behind her in a panic.
With so many eyes on him, Qian Duoduo wasn’t about to admit he was scared of Ye Qiu. Clutching his stomach, he said, “Mum, I’ve got a sudden bellyache—I need the loo.”
“Go on then!”
Zhu Xuemiao didn’t think much of it and waved him off.
Qian Duoduo bolted into the old residence, but instead of heading to the toilet, he found a corner and偷偷 kept an eye on Ye Qiu’s every move.
“Didn’t see that coming—this bloke’s my cousin.”
“When he gets ruthless, even Young Master Zhang gets a pasting.”
“Cao Chunmei, Qian Rong—good luck to you!”
…
Ye Qiu knew why Qian Duoduo legged it, but he couldn’t care less.
Stepping out of the car, he scanned the crowd with a grin, “Hi everyone, I’m Ye Qiu.”
What a handsome chap!
The relatives’ eyes lit up—except for Cao Chunmei and her daughter.
Zhu Xuemiao chuckled, “Jinglan, your son’s a proper looker. Got a girlfriend? Shall I set him up with someone?”
“Thanks, Second Aunt, but I’ve got a girlfriend,” Ye Qiu replied, then added with a twist, “That said, if you’ve got a good match, feel free to introduce her. Girlfriends are like soldiers to Han Xin—the more, the merrier.”
Pfft!
The crowd burst into laughter.
“Scumbag!” Qian Rong muttered.
Ye Qiu ignored her.
Zhu Xuemiao covered her mouth, giggling, “Jinglan, your son’s not just handsome—he’s a right laugh. No telling how many girls will fancy him.”
Qian Jinglan shot Ye Qiu a mock glare, “Spouting nonsense again.”
Cao Chunmei pointed at the Maybach, “Jinglan, what’s the deal with this car?”
Qian Jinglan said, “It belongs to one of Qiu’er’s mates.”
“A mate?” Qian Rong sneered, “What kind of mate of his could afford a luxury car worth millions?”
Qian Jinglan blinked, “This car’s worth millions?”
“Let me tell you, it’s not just millions—only billionaires can buy one,” Qian Rong said, eyeing Ye Qiu. “You rented it, didn’t you?”
Ye Qiu didn’t bother arguing with the daft woman and stayed quiet, leaving everyone to assume Qian Rong was right.
Cao Chunmei took on a lecturing tone, “Jinglan, you really need to keep your son in check.”
“It’s normal for young lads to care about appearances, but this goes beyond that. To put it bluntly, he’s playing the big shot.”
“Renting this car must cost tens of thousands a day—can you even earn that in a year?”
“All this just to show off in front of us—is it worth it?”
“Besides, I’ve been to your place. I know exactly what your situation’s like.”
Qian Jinglan replied calmly, “You’re right, sister-in-law. I’ll discipline Qiu’er going forward.”
But Cao Chunmei wasn’t done. She turned her reprimands onto Qian Jinglan.
“Jinglan, I’m not having a go, but your son’s like this because of you, in large part.”
“When Rong’er and I saw you this morning, your hair was white, your face full of wrinkles. But now?”
“If I’m not mistaken, you’ve dyed your hair black and had some beauty jabs—cost a pretty penny, didn’t it?”
“I mean, coming back home—did you really need to go that far?”
“Even if you’d turned into a fright, who’d laugh at you?”
“It’s your vanity that’s rubbed off on your son. What’s the saying? The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree—or in cruder terms, a crooked beam warps the rafters!”
A cold glint flashed in Ye Qiu’s eyes.
Insult me, fine—but my mum? You’re asking for it.
He was about to snap, but Qian Jinglan gave him a look, signalling him to hold his tongue.
For over twenty years, Qian Jinglan had faced far worse taunts than this. Cao Chunmei’s words barely rippled her calm.
Besides, this was her eldest brother’s wife.
“You’re right to scold me, sister-in-law. I’ll watch myself in future,” Qian Jinglan said, still composed.
Cao Chunmei felt a pang of frustration.
She’d hoped to rile Qian Jinglan up, make her storm off with Ye Qiu in a huff.
That way, her and Qian Rong’s secret plot to get Qian Jinglan to sign the pledge would stay buried.
But Qian Jinglan wouldn’t take the bait, leaving Cao Chunmei feeling like she’d punched cotton.
Shame—no row, no drama.
Zhu Xuemiao thought it a pity, then said warmly, “Jinglan, don’t stand about out here. I’ll take you inside!”
“Thanks, Second Sister-in-law.”
Qian Jinglan thanked her and led Ye Qiu briskly into the Qian residence.
As he walked, Ye Qiu took it all in.
The Qian family’s old home was a courtyard house. The vermilion gate exuded an ancient charm, its brick walls like steadfast guards, solid and unyielding, covered in moss that whispered of a century’s history.
Flanking the gate stood two stone lions, their expressions stern.
In front, an ancient cypress tree, thick-trunked and leafy, heightened the courtyard’s old-world feel.
What caught Ye Qiu’s eye most was the couplet above the door.
“One clan, nine jinshi; five generations, four imperial tutors!”
Penned by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty.
Ten words that spoke volumes of the Qian family’s prestige.
Crossing the threshold, Ye Qiu saw a central skylight well in the courtyard.
On either side, a dozen rooms, meticulously laid out, with intricately carved window lattices—antique and elegant.
It clicked for Ye Qiu: this was a four-courtyard house.
Courtyard homes ranged from one to five courtyards and beyond.
In ancient times, only the elite lived in such places, with strict rank-based housing tiers.
First-rank officials typically had three-courtyard homes. A four-courtyard setup, a “grand mansion,” was for lords and princes.
Clearly, the Qian ancestors had basked in imperial favour.
“Second Sister-in-law, how’s Father doing?” Qian Jinglan’s face turned grave as she entered the residence.
“The old man’s not doing well. As for the details… well, you’ll see when you meet him. I’ll take you in!”
Zhu Xuemiao was about to lead Qian Jinglan to the back courtyard when an untimely voice piped up behind them:
“Hold on!”
