The next day, Chen Zhao dragged Jiang Yuzhou out to go shopping at the mall using the 50,000 yuan Qin Er had given him.
The two dined at an outrageously expensive Thai restaurant. Sipping his Tom Yum soup, Jiang Yuzhou asked, “Aren’t you afraid of getting caught coming out dressed in men’s clothes like this?”
“Don’t worry, Qin Er went home for these two days,” Chen Zhao said. “Women’s clothes are way too much trouble. My own clothes are so much more comfortable.”
“I just can’t feel at ease about this. Bro, are you really sure you’ll be fine scamming Qin Er like this?”
“What could possibly happen? He’s just a doctor. How much power could he possibly have? Once I run off, he won’t be able to do a thing about it,” Chen Zhao said, handing him a roasted chicken leg. “You’re just overthinking things.”
Jiang Yuzhou chuckled dryly. “I hope so.”
The food at the restaurant was excellent. Chen Zhao took some photos to post on his Moments, then paused, switched over to his alt account, and sent the picture.
Wanwan: [Brother, I’m eating now! Make sure to take care of your health and eat on time too. You can’t get a stomachache, or my heart will ache for you (cat poking head out)]
He waited a long time without a reply. It seemed the old man was busy.
Chen Zhao locked his phone, took a sip of water to clear the grease from his mouth, and suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure passing by outside the window.
“Lili?” Chen Zhao exclaimed in surprise.
Jiang Yuzhou looked out. A woman carrying a Gucci bag and wearing a dark blue long dress walked past, oblivious to them inside the storefront window.
“That’s Lili?” Jiang Yuzhou asked.
Chen Zhao: “Yeah. I have no idea what she’s doing here.”
They were currently in Jiangcheng’s CBD, the largest shopping center in the area, filled with luxury brand boutiques.
Could Lili be here to shop?
At that thought, Chen Zhao narrowed his eyes. Wasn’t it time for revenge? He grabbed Jiang Yuzhou and stood up. “Let’s go take a look.”
They followed Lili through the crowd and watched her walk into a Balenciaga store.
“Holy crap, she’s actually rich,” Jiang Yuzhou gasped.
Chen Zhao gripped a lamppost tightly.
Qin Er, oh Qin Er, you’ve really outdone yourself. You must have handed over your whole salary card for her to swipe.
Seeing Lili’s figure disappear inside, Jiang Yuzhou asked, “So, what’s the plan? Are we going in?”
“We are!” Chen Zhao led his best friend into Balenciaga with high morale and head held high.
A shop assistant came forward to greet them. “Hello, how can I help you today?”
Chen Zhao looked around the shop. “Uh, I…”
“Chen Zhao?”
As soon as Lili’s voice sounded, Chen Zhao turned back and saw her standing in front of the bag display, staring at him in surprise.
“You came here to buy stuff too?” she asked coldly.
What did she mean by he came here too? Why couldn’t he come? It was just Balenciaga. As for the prices…
Chen Zhao casually picked up a small handbag. 3,400.
He released his grip as if he had touched a hot potato.
Seeing him react this way, Lili snorted with a slightly disdainful tone. “Just go home. This isn’t a place you should be coming to.”
She walked over to Chen Zhao, picked up the small black calfskin bag, and said to the sales associate, “I’ll take this one.”
Chen Zhao hadn’t expected Lili to be so composed, showing neither panic nor a shred of guilt at seeing him.
He felt utterly humiliated.
“Wait a minute!” Chen Zhao called out to the shop assistant.
He had forgotten that he had 50,000 yuan in hand. What was a mere three or four thousand yuan bag to him?
Chen Zhao pointed at several bags in front of Lili. “Wrap all of these up for me!”
A big spender! The shop assistant’s eyes lit up. “Yes, right away! Please wait a moment!”
Under Lili’s astonished gaze, Chen Zhao puffed out his chest, pulled in his stomach, and strolled over. “You’re only buying one bag?”
“I just got a new girlfriend a few days ago, and her birthday is coming up soon. I plan to buy some gifts for her,” Chen Zhao sneered. “Thanks for taking the one I wanted the least.”
Lili glared at him. “You!”
Just then, the shop assistant returned and asked respectfully, “Your total comes to 34,000 yuan. Will you be paying by card or cash?”
Chen Zhao waved his hand magnanimously. “Card!”
After paying, Chen Zhao and Jiang Yuzhou carried their Balenciaga shopping bags out of the store, ignoring the stunned stare of his ex-girlfriend.
“Not bad, bro! You just pulled off a full-on revenge plot right there,” Jiang Yuzhou said. “By the way, where did you get so much money?”
Chen Zhao blinked. “What do you think?”
Jiang Yuzhou understood instantly. “Oh, from that scumbag.”
Chen Zhao nodded. It was money from Qin Er anyway, might as well use it.
“What are you planning to do with these bags?”
“Keep them. I have my uses for them.”
Chen Zhao checked the time. It was still early, after all that commotion, it was only 2:00 PM.
“Come on, my treat! Let’s go to KTV!”
Qin Er drove back to the old Qin family estate.
The Qin Manor was situated halfway up a mountain. Designed in a traditional Chinese architectural style, it featured winding corridors and upturned eaves, surrounded by layers of mountain peaks and dense trees, a clear testament to its long history.
The car drove through the main gate, navigated a long, winding asphalt road, and finally parked in the garage.
A servant took his car keys, and Uncle Sun stepped forward to greet him. “Second Young Master, you’re back. The master and madam are waiting for you inside.”
Qin Er looked up. By now, the setting sun was dipping below the horizon, casting a dark silhouette over the entire estate. The heavy roof eaves blocked out the sunset, and a few crows cawed as they flew past the rooftop.
Walking inside, the main hall was packed with people. Old Master Qin sat at the head of the room, followed by the eldest uncle and aunt, Qin Fang, and the younger generation.
When Qin Er walked in, a few children were kneeling down to kowtow to Grandfather Qin.
Seeing him, Qin Fang said, “Qin Er is here. Come and greet your grandfather.”
Qin Er closed his eyes for a moment before walking over. Grandfather Qin’s cloudy gaze fell heavily upon him, his brow furrowed tightly. “Qin Er, you’re late.”
Qin Er: “Work was busy.”
“Work,” Grandfather Qin scoffed coldly. “What future is there in that job of yours? You’re no better than a street beggar.”
Qin Er glanced toward the dining room, where the table was already set with bowls and chopsticks. Interrupting Grandfather Qin, he said, “Isn’t it your 90th birthday? Everyone is here, so we can eat now.”
Grandfather Qin: “Wait a moment. There’s someone you need to meet.”
Qin Er narrowed his eyes, a bad feeling rising in his chest.
Sure enough, a woman stepped out from the corner. She was wearing a Qipao, her hair styled high and held in place with a hairpin.
“Qin Er,” Grandfather Qin said, “This is the daughter of the Song family, Miss Song Aixing. Miss Song is cultured, sensible, and comes from a wealthy family. She’s a great match for you.”
Qin Er sneered coldly. “So you brought me back for a blind date. Using Grandfather’s 90th birthday as a stepping stone for my matchmaking is truly an immense honor.”
Grandfather Qin’s eyes widened with anger. “Are you asking to go kneel in the ancestral hall?”
Qin Fang panicked. “Qin Er, don’t talk nonsense!”
She walked down, took the young woman’s hand, and said, “Miss Song, why don’t you tell us, if you marry Qin Er, what will you do for him?”
Song Aixing nodded. Like a pre-programmed doll, she delivered the answer that satisfied Qin Fang the most. “Obey the husband before marriage, follow the son after his death, strictly abide by womanly virtues, and be a dutiful assistant to Mr. Qin.”
Qin Fang patted her hand in satisfaction. “Good, wonderful. We also have a rule here that after marrying in, you must take your husband’s surname. Can you do that?”
Song Aixing smiled and nodded. “Yes, I can.”
Qin Fang looked at Qin Er with a beaming smile. In Qin Er’s eyes, her smile was more venomous than a snake.
The corner of Qin Er’s mouth twitched slightly.
Grandfather Qin: “Let’s eat.”
Ten minutes later, everyone gathered in the dining room.
Even though it was a 90th birthday celebration, a joyful occasion with the family gathered together, not a single person spoke. The only sound was the clinking of bowls and chopsticks.
Qin Er had no appetite and barely touched his chopsticks.
At this moment, he actually caught himself thinking of Chen Wan.
If that girl were here, her sweet mouth would definitely be chattering non-stop with sweet words, her body leaning against his on purpose, soft and fragrant all over.
The contrast only made this meal feel all the more insipid.
After finishing the meal in complete silence, Qin Fang said, “Qin Er, this is Miss Song’s first time visiting our home. Why don’t you take her for a walk around the garden?”
Qin Er: “The meal is over. It’s time for me to leave.” He stood up.
“Stand right there!” Grandfather Qin slammed his walking stick against the floor. “Get back here! Since when did you become so ill-mannered?!”
“I say it all started when you went off to study medicine! Back then, I wanted you to study business, but you insisted on choosing medicine. Then you made those useless friends who corrupted you to this extent!”
Qin Er turned around abruptly, his phoenix eyes cold enough to freeze ice.
Grandfather Qin froze for a moment. He had forgotten that Qin Er was no longer a child, he was an adult with a mind of his own.
Yet, feeling that his authority as the head of the Qin family was being challenged, he pointed at Qin Er. “Go kneel in the ancestral hall!”
Without a word, Qin Er turned around to head to the ancestral hall. Qin Fang spoke up.
“Dad, don’t forget the main matter. Miss Song is still here.”
Grandfather Qin leaned back. “Come back. Go keep Miss Song company and chat with her properly.”
With his back turned to them, Qin Er said nothing and walked straight toward the ancestral hall.
“Qin Er, come back here!”
“Why hasn’t this guy Qin Er replied to my message yet?”
Chen Zhao grumbled to himself while lying on his bed.
In front of him were empty instant noodle containers and ice cream wrappers, while a lively variety show played on the TV.
After scrolling through TikTok and then WeChat Moments, Chen Zhao realized he had already seen everything once. Feeling thoroughly bored, he locked his phone and lay back on the bed.
Didn’t Qin Er go home today? Why hadn’t he replied to a single message? Was something going on at his house?
At that thought, Chen Zhao tentatively sent another message.
Shiri (10th): [Brother, are you there?]
Qin Er had been kneeling in the ancestral hall for two hours. Rows of ancestral tablets lined the hall, and the candles burned continuously, filling the air with smoke. He knelt straight on the cushion, his back unbending even after two hours.
Someone walked in. Qin Er didn’t turn his head.
“Brother, have something to eat.” Qin Er’s elder brother, Qin Quan, walked over carrying a few small dishes.
Qin Er remained silent. Qin Quan sighed, set the food down beside him, and knelt down next to his younger brother.
“Even though I work at the company, I keep making mistakes. Grandfather doesn’t feel comfortable handing the group over to me. Bringing Miss Song over this time was because he wants you to form an alliance through marriage with the Song family, so you can inherit the family business later.”
Staring straight ahead, Qin Er spoke in a voice devoid of life. “It’s normal not to be used to it at first.”
Qin Quan nodded. “True. But Qin Er, have you really never thought about coming back?”
“Never.”
“Qin Er, I really admire you. You have such courage.”
The elder Qin brother looked at him with a smile. “Alright, get up now. Time’s up.”
Qin Quan helped Qin Er up. Because he had been kneeling for so long, his legs were numb. He sat to the side to rest for a moment and ate a few bites of food.
The elder brother said, “When we were young, you were always strictly managed by Auntie. You never had time to play with the rest of us. Looking back now, you really had it hard.”
Hearing these words, fragmented memories resurfaced in his mind. Qin Er closed his eyes, veins bulging on his forehead in immense pain.
His phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID. “Excuse me, I need to take this call.”
Inside the ancestral hall, the candlelight burned quietly. Qin Er walked out under the corridor eaves.
It had just rained outside. The lotus flowers in the koi pond were bright and delicate, releasing waves of fresh fragrance. Qin Er’s mood instantly blossomed like those lotus flowers. He answered the call. “What’s wrong?”
“Brother,” came a girl’s delicate, sweet voice. “You finally answered! You’re not at home, and I’m so bored. I miss you so much.”
“It’s only been one day.”
“Well, a day apart feels like three autumns! So even half a day feels like one and a half autumns!”
After being suffocated the entire day, Qin Er was finally amused by her ridiculous logic and let out a genuine laugh.
Behind him, his elder brother was genuinely startled by his expression.
“Have you eaten?”
“Yes!”
“What did you eat?”
“Porridge!!”
“Chen Wan, don’t lie to me.” Qin Er looked out at the dark bamboo forest, his phoenix eyes narrowing dangerously. “If you lie to me, I’ll make sure you know the consequences.”
Dozens of kilometers away, Chen Zhao shuddered.
“Hahaha, how could I lie to you, Brother? I really drank porridge! Even though it was just delivery, hahaha.”
“Mm, understood.”
“What did you eat, Brother? Are you eating really well?”
Qin Er switched back to his chat screen and opened the family group. His elder brother had taken some photos during dinner, so Qin Er forwarded a few of them to her.
Chen Zhao tapped the images and was stunned.
Holy crap, this meal is practically at a Michelin three star level! Looks like Qin Er’s family is pretty wealthy.
He swiped through the pictures one by one. But when he reached the last image, Chen Zhao froze.
Opposite the photographer’s perspective sat a man in a white shirt and trousers, unmistakably Qin Er. But right beside Qin Er sat a woman.
The woman had a slender figure, her long hair pinned up with just a few stray strands resting on her shoulders.
Chen Zhao recognized her instantly.
It was Lili. It was definitely Lili!
Lili loved styling her hair and wearing clothes just like that!
Why was Lili at Qin Er’s house? Could they have already met the parents?!
Chen Zhao’s face turned pale instantly.
If they succeeded, wouldn’t they be getting married?!
At that thought, Chen Zhao gritted his teeth.
He would never let them live happily ever after!
“Brother, I feel a bit unwell.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Can you come back?”
Facing the phone, Chen Zhao managed to squeeze out two tears and sobbed, “My stomach started hurting again… Maybe the food delivery wasn’t clean…”
“If you can’t come back, Brother, it’s okay. I’ll be fine on my own… I’ll just take some medicine…”
Before he could finish, the sound of footsteps echoed from the other end of the line, shoes tapping rapidly against the wooden floorboards.
“Wait for me.”