Summer in Jiangcheng was the longest of the four seasons—scorching in the heat and bitterly cold in winter—yet it couldn’t deter waves of young people from coming here to pursue their dreams.
Located on the outskirts, the Zhi family’s ancestral home occupied a special position, backed by the eastern mountain range. Legend had it that this place held the best feng shui in all of Jiangcheng.
Beneath the old residence were several hot springs, making it warm in winter and cool in summer, with temperatures perfectly suited to human comfort.
Grandpa Zhi’s courtyard, Bitan Residence, was situated at the easternmost end, connected to the Buddhist hall.
Having grown accustomed to a vegetarian diet and Buddhist practices, the elderly man’s meals were always timed and measured, never excessive.
Considering the dietary habits of other family members, he never forced everyone to eat together, leaving it to the children’s own preferences.
Thus, only on two fixed days each month would the others gather at Grandpa Zhi’s Bitan Residence for lunch.
Today happened to be one of those shared meal days, and with the recent uproar over the marriage alliance between the Zhi and Ye families, naturally, the entire family would be present in full attendance.
Zhi Yuanhong rose from before the Buddha statue and had just entered the front hall when he saw the father and son duo stepping through the courtyard gate.
“Father,” Zhi Hanke called out as he ascended the steps ahead.
“A-Bo is back,” Zhi Yuanhong remarked, looking at the fashionably dressed young man behind him.
Zhi Bo, who had been walking beside his father, stepped forward and greeted, “Grandfather.”
Zhi Bo was Zhi Yuan’s elder brother, and notably, the two were twins. Though they shared similar appearances, their temperaments differed.
Unlike his younger brother, Zhi Bo did not work in Jiangcheng but oversaw the Zhi family’s cross-border operations with intercontinental groups.
He spent most of the year traveling on business, yet Zhi Bo was also very filial. Whenever he was home, he would make it a point to join Grandpa Zhi for dinner.
“Where’s A-Yuan?” the old man asked.
Zhi Hanke and his son took their seats opposite Grandpa Zhi. Hearing the question, Zhi Bo glanced toward the Buddhist hall door draped with beaded curtains.
“He’ll be here shortly.”
Meanwhile, the butler had already instructed the servants to bring over the freshly brewed tea.
Zhi Hanke handed a tea box to a servant. “This is the new tea just produced this year from Daishan. Since you enjoy white tea the most, I picked these leaves myself.”
Grandpa Zhi signaled the butler to accept it. “You’ve been thoughtful.”
Zhi Bo lifted the teacup, using the lid to skim off the foam. He looked at the old man and asked, “Grandfather, as soon as I landed, I heard the rumors outside that you’ve already chosen a marriage partner for A-Yuan.”
Upon hearing this, Grandpa Zhi rotated the prayer beads in his hand. “It’s been a long time since our family has held a joyous occasion. All three of you young men have reached marriageable age. Regardless of whether you find someone suitable or not, preparations must begin in advance.”
Zhi Bo smiled brightly and asked, “Then which family’s young lady have you chosen for me?”
Grandpa Zhi merely glanced at him. “Do you need my help choosing?”
Among his three grandsons, Zhi Bo was the least concerned about finding a woman. Since coming of age, gossip about him had never ceased.
Compared to the aloof Zhi Huai and the overly upright Zhi Yuan, what Zhi Bo needed most was self-restraint.
“And about the girl you’ve chosen,” Zhi Bo continued, “I heard she has some difficulty with her legs?”
Even though he wasn’t the one marrying her, since she would be entering the Zhi family as his sister-in-law, he couldn’t simply ignore the matter.
So these past couple of days, he had heard quite a bit of news.
Zhi Yuanhong glanced at him, “She only injured her legs and feet, she’ll recover in due time.”
Zhi Bo then nodded, understanding clearly in his heart that even if the old master cared less for Zhi Yuan than for Zhi Huai, he wouldn’t go so far as to choose a disabled person for him.
As the two were speaking, the bead curtain rustled softly. After a crisp clinking sound, the person who had been staying in the prayer room walked out.
Whenever entering or leaving the prayer room, the old master would require him to wear softer clothes, but his wardrobe mostly consisted of black and white.
So most of the time, he would just casually throw on a white shirt or a hoodie and come over.
Zhi Huai took a seat opposite Zhi Bo, showing no intention of greeting either of them.
They were clearly used to it. Zhi Hanke smiled and said a few words to him, but receiving no response, he didn’t press further.
Just moments ago, the atmosphere had been harmonious, but with his arrival, it suddenly turned strange.
“Everything is ready, let’s eat first,” the old master broke the silence.
Without exception, the dishes on the table were all vegetarian. However, the Zhi family’s chefs were skilled; even without meat, they could make the food look, smell, and taste delightful.
As everyone took their seats, Zhi Yuan finally arrived at Bitan Residence.
“Grandfather, Father.”
He greeted politely.
After receiving the old master’s acknowledgment, a servant pulled out a chair for him to sit.
“Why are you so late today?” Zhi Bo glanced at his younger brother.
Zhi Yuan nodded, accepting the rice served by the butler, and said to his brother, “There were some tricky issues at the company. The Jiangdong development project hasn’t been finalized yet.”
Zhi Bo was about to say something more when his gaze was drawn to the bandage revealed as Zhi Yuan’s sleeve slid up.
“What happened to your hand?”
Both the old master and Zhi Hanke were drawn by his words, noticing the bandage wrapped around Zhi Yuan’s wrist, which Zhi Bo was gripping tightly.
“What’s going on here?” Zhi Hanke asked with concern.
Zhi Yuan pulled his hand free and tugged his sleeve back down, “It’s nothing, just a minor injury.”
Zhi Bo saw clearly that he had switched hands because he couldn’t lift the bowl. If he couldn’t even lift a rice bowl, it couldn’t be just a minor injury.
“You’ve always been cautious. Since childhood, you’ve rarely been injured. What exactly happened?”
Zhi Yuan didn’t answer his elder brother’s question. Instead, he glanced up and looked across at Zhi Huai, who was eating unhurriedly.
His temperament had always been like this—if it involved people or matters he didn’t care about, he wouldn’t spare even half a glance, even if they were happening right before his eyes.
However, the old master sensed something amiss from his gaze.
“Men bumping and bruising is normal. Don’t make a big deal out of it,” Zhi Hanke advised Zhi Bo.
They weren’t children anymore; making a fuss over such a minor injury at the dinner table was rather unbecoming.
“He’s gentle by nature. I’m not worried about him picking fights with others; I’m worried he might be taken advantage of,” Zhi Bo replied in a cold, detached tone.
“Elder brother, I’m fine,” Zhi Yuan said indifferently, flexing his wrist, “See? It’s perfectly fine.”
Though these twins were born at the same time and looked alike, their personalities were worlds apart.
The dinner table fell silent again. Zhi Hanke thought for a moment and decided to ask the old master.
“Actually, considering their ages, all three of them are about the same. You’ve chosen the Ye family’s young lady for A-Yuan, but what about for A-Huai?”
Before the old master could respond, the bodyguard responsible for the front hall walked over.
The butler stepped forward to listen to his report, and even his typically expressionless face changed slightly.
“Old Master, there’s a restaurant manager at the front gate who says he’s here to find Miss Ye Fei’s fiancé.”
Before Zhi Yuanhong could say anything, the man who had been dining all along set down his bowl.
Zhi Huai took a wet wipe and leisurely wiped his slender, well-defined fingers, speaking elegantly as he did so, “Please show him in.”
Upon hearing this, the three father and sons seated at the table turned their heads in unison to look at him…