Qinglan was stunned when she saw Fu Hengyi again.
He walked in from outside, dressed in a gray casual outfit, his posture upright. The sunlight streamed over his back, making him look as if he were coated with a layer of golden light.
He was already quite handsome, and this scene added a touch of holiness to him. For the first time, Qinglan was dazzled.
Fu Hengyi entered the living room, his eyes meeting Qinglan's gaze directly. He nodded with a smile, which was his way of greeting.
Qinglan abruptly shifted her gaze, like a child caught peeking—slightly uneasy—but the tips of the ears hidden by her long hair quietly turned red.
"Grandpa, I'm back. Grandpa Shen, long time no see." Fu Hengyi greeted warmly. Although he spent many years in the military, his temperament was not harsh or rigid. Without his uniform, he was more like a gentle nobleman.
Old Sir Fu, seeing his grandson return, waved his hand. The orderly pieces on the chessboard were instantly disrupted. "No more playing, no more playing."
Old Sir Shen gave him a resigned look. "You old fellow, your chessmanship is terrible. You cheat every time you're about to lose."
Old Sir Fu had long been immune to such reproaches. "Who's cheating? Didn't you see my grandson is back? And it's almost lunchtime."
Speaking, he disregarded Old Sir Shen, pointing at Qinglan with a bright smile. "Hengyi, this is your Grandpa Shen's granddaughter, your sister Qinglan. You used to play together as kids, remember?"
Qinglan was speechless at Old Sir Fu's introduction.
Fu Hengyi nodded with a smile and extended his hand to Qinglan. "Fu Hengyi, nice to meet you."
Qinglan looked at his large hand in front of her, extended her hand, and clasped it. His hand was large and rough, calloused at the fingertips, not abrasive, slightly ticklish.
"Qinglan Shen." Just three simple words, no more.
They had just met a couple of days ago, but both chose to forget it at this moment.
Old Sir Fu seemed unsatisfied with their awkwardness. "Qinglan is not one of your subordinates, why so serious? It's only been, what, ten years? How come you're so cold now? Back when you were kids, you even held her and said she was the prettiest little sister you'd ever seen."
With these words, two of the four people present stiffened.
Fu Hengyi looked helplessly at his grandpa, while the heat that had just receded from Qinglan's ears slowly returned.
Old Sir Fu didn't care what expression Hengyi had now. This brat hardly took any leave to come home. If he didn't seize the time to foster feelings between them this time, when would he ever hold a great-grandchild?
"Your sister Qinglan is introverted. She doesn't have many friends in Beijing. Now that you finally have some time off, and since it's been over ten years, take your sister Qinglan out more. There are many fun and tasty places in Beijing," Old Sir Fu suggested.
Old Sir Shen, who had remained silent, finally noticed something was off. This old fellow seemed to have other intentions rather than merely rekindling friendships. No wonder he was invited over to the Fu Family under the guise of a visit—it was because he had an eye on his granddaughter.
Realizing this, old Sir Shen's face darkened, and his eyes looked as if they would shoot fire towards Old Sir Fu. Yet, with the juniors present, he couldn't make a scene, and his heart simmered with anger.
"Lanlan, it's getting late; we should go." Old Sir Shen didn't want to stay any longer. If they lingered, his innocent granddaughter might be taken away by the two cunning members of the Fu Family.
In Old Sir Shen's eyes, regardless of whether it was the mischievously childish Old Sir Fu or the gentle Fu Hengyi, they were full of cunning.
Knowing Old Sir Fu's intentions, Old Sir Shen no longer viewed Hengyi with admiration for his excellence, but rather as if looking at some lecher.
"Oh come on, it's already lunchtime, stay and eat before leaving. Afterward, I'll have Hengyi drive you home," Old Sir Fu insisted, not caring much about whether Old Sir Shen stayed or not. But if Qinglan left, who was his grandson to develop feelings with?
Once Old Sir Shen realized the intention, he wouldn't give Old Sir Fu the chance. Pulling Qinglan along, he prepared to leave.
"You brat, go see your Grandpa Shen off." Watching the backs of the Shen family grandfather and granddaughter quickly depart, Old Sir Fu glanced at his stationary grandson, exasperated.
Now Hengyi fully understood his grandpa's intention; judging by Grandpa Shen's reaction earlier, it's likely he had caught on too.
"Grandpa," Fu Hengyi called helplessly.
Old Sir Fu snorted. "Grandpa, what grandpa? Get going."
"Grandpa, she's only twenty-one this year."
Your grandson is already thirty-one and aren't afraid of gossip about an old cow eating young grass?
Old Sir Fu genuinely didn't mind that. If anything, he might boast, "My grandson can captivate young ones, that's his skill. If you've got the guts, try it yourself."
Old Sir Fu glared, full of iron without steel. "What about being twenty-one? Twenty-one is an adult. If you weren't dilly-dallying about getting married and having kids, would I be so anxious? Enough prattle, hurry and see off your Grandpa Shen."
Fu Hengyi, resigned, could only step out to catch up.
Luckily, the compound was large, and the Fu and Shen families weren't too close. Old Sir Shen was indeed old, and his pace was slow, so Fu Hengyi quickly caught up.
"Grandpa Shen," Fu Hengyi said upon catching up. "That's just how my grandpa is; please don't take offense."
While Old Sir Shen disapproved of Old Fu meddling in matchmaking, he had watched Fu Hengyi grow up, knew his character well, and could not truly be angry at an old friend. With Fu Hengyi speaking up, even the last trace of annoyance dissipated.
"With all these years of friendship, who doesn't know that old geezer's temper better than I? It's fine, just go back."
"I'll see you home first."
Old Sir Shen waved his hand. "No need. It's only a few steps. What could happen in this compound?"
In the end, Fu Hengyi still sent Old Sir Shen and Qinglan back home.
"My grandpa's words, don't take them to heart." Before leaving, Fu Hengyi leaned over and whispered in Qinglan's ear.
The low, pleasant voice seeped into her ears like a cello solo. Qinglan briefly lost her composure, remembering a phrase Yu Xiaoxuan once used, "So pleasant it makes your ears pregnant."
Watching his tall and striking back depart, Qinglan herself didn't notice the ripples stirring in her previously calm gaze.
Meanwhile, upon hearing from Sister-in-law Song that it was Fu Hengyi who had escorted Old Sir Shen back, Shen Xitong rushed out without even tidying up herself. To her disappointment, she didn't see the figure she longed for.
Staring at the empty tree-lined path, Shen Xitong's eyes betrayed her disappointment. She hadn't seen him in three years.