Chapter 98
Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=1363950 This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com
"Hello, I'm Qin Yu, Wanshu's older brother." Qin Yu resembles his father, not as outstanding as Qin Teng and Qin Wanshu, but tall like Qin Teng, wearing a crisp suit. Though not very handsome, he still looks charming, his charm coming from confidence and strength.
"Do you need anything?" Zuo Qinghuan hadn't met Qin Yu before, but she found Qin Wanshu's older brother more pleasing than her younger brother. Because Zuo Qinghuan couldn't see through Qin Yu's true emotions, at least he seemed very polite without a sense of superiority.
"My grandfather wants to see you. Are you available to visit the Qin family now?" Qin Yu politely inquired. Qin Yu carefully scrutinized the person his sister liked, finding her somewhat different from his expectations. She seemed quite young, with very beautiful eyes and a rare innocence in her appearance, somewhat like a sweet girl next door, quite charming and not at all tiresome. It was somewhat surprising that Wanshu would like a girl who appeared so young and naive; Qin Yu had thought Wanshu would prefer someone more mature, with intellectual beauty, a tranquil and dignified woman.
After three months, Zuo Qinghuan's hair had grown quite a bit, just a little longer than ear length. Plus, today she was without makeup, resembling a youthful and innocent student, no wonder Qin Yu was surprised.
In the morning, Zuo Qinghuan's outfit made even Qin Wanshu sigh; it was fortunate they didn't go out together, or they would definitely be mistaken they’re from two different generations by passersby.
Zuo Qinghuan hesitated about whether to meet Grandfather Qin, feeling somewhat intimidated by the patriarch of the powerful Qin family.
"Don't worry, my grandfather is a reasonable person. He won't make things too difficult for you. Besides, aren't you also supposed to seek my grandfather's approval for Wanshu?" Qin Yu asked, knowing that gaining acceptance from the patriarch of the Qin family, especially for their most cherished Young Miss, wouldn't come easily.
"Okay, I'll go with you," Zuo Qinghuan thought it over. She couldn't hide under Wanshu's wing forever. At least now, she needed to make an effort for her, even though she felt nervous and uneasy about facing Grandfather Qin.
"Wanshu is my sister, but she's always been sensible in her actions. Since she chose you, there must be a reason. As Wanshu's brother, although I may not understand or agree with her choice, I will respect it," Qin Yu said expressionlessly, looking at Zuo Qinghuan in the rearview mirror.
"Thank you," Zuo Qinghuan said with a faint smile, not opposing was already showing support.
"Women are naturally more delicate and need protection. You seem even more delicate than Wanshu, how can you give her a sense of security?" Unlike Qin Teng, Qin Yu had a strong sense of responsibility. He believed it was a man's duty to protect women, including his mother, sister, and wife. But looking at Zuo Qinghuan, who seemed so fragile, Qin Yu felt worried. How could she protect his sister? Although he knew that Wanshu didn't actually need as much protection as he thought, as a brother, he still felt that his sister should be entrusted to someone stronger than her.
"One's strength shouldn't be judged by appearance," Zuo Qinghuan had been pondering the story of the wooden rooster recently, trying to strengthen her inner self.
"Is your inner self strong enough?" Qin Yu asked.
"Perhaps not enough yet, but I'll try," Zuo Qinghuan answered earnestly. She knew that Qin Yu meant no harm.
"If you're not strong enough now, perhaps my grandfather will crush you later," the girl's thoughts were simple. Qin Yu felt concerned for Zuo Qinghuan because, so far, few people had been able to resist his grandfather's manipulation tactics, and Wanshu was one of the few. Zuo Qinghuan still lacked the experience to handle his grandfather's tricks.
Zuo Qinghuan entered the Qin family's gates for the second time. The magnificent architecture seemed even grander than the first time, but Zuo Qinghuan couldn't muster any appreciation for the stunning building.
Qin Yu led Zuo Qinghuan into Qin Zheng's antiquated study, filled with many antiques meticulously polished to a shine, indicating the owner's fondness for these ancient items.
"Grandpa, Miss Zuo is here," Qin Yu said to Qin Zheng, who was carefully wiping a blue-and-white porcelain vase.
Because Qin Zheng had his back turned, Zuo Qinghuan couldn't see his face. Watching his silhouette, she felt he didn't resemble an eighty-five-year-old man at all. At most, he seemed to be in his sixties, with a straight back and no sign of stooping, and he appeared to be in excellent spirits.
“Mm, you can leave now," Qin Zheng said indifferently, without turning around immediately.
"Okay," Qin Yu said, then left the study, closing the door behind him.
Zuo Qinghuan felt a fluttering sensation in her heart, with no idea what to expect. What would he say to her? If he asked her to leave Qin Wanshu of her own accord, how should she respond?
After carefully placing the blue-and-white porcelain vase down, Qin Zheng turned to face Zuo Qinghuan. He seemed momentarily distracted when he saw her but quickly regained his composure.
"Are you Zuo Qinghuan?" Qin Zheng asked, his tone very friendly.
"I'm Zuo Qinghuan," she replied. She had rehearsed countless times the scenario of facing Qin Zheng on the way there. She thought Qin Zheng would surely dislike her, so if he didn't speak harshly to her, that would already be good. However, his unexpectedly friendly tone made Zuo Qinghuan even more anxious.
"You remind me of someone I knew in the past," Qin Zheng's tone sounded like a casual conversation.
Zuo Qinghuan just smiled in response, unsure how to continue. She had never interacted with someone of this age, especially someone of such high status in the political and business spheres, which created an undeniable pressure.
"No need to be too formal, just treat me as an elder," Qin Zheng said with a smile. He had long been accustomed to Zuo Qinghuan's reaction. In fact, the more uneasy and anxious she appeared, the easier she was to manipulate.
Zuo Qinghuan suppressed her inner discomfort and tried to treat Qin Zheng with a calm demeanor.
“Mm, you're Wanshu's grandfather, so that makes you my grandfather too," Zuo Qinghuan said boldly. Since Qin Zheng insisted on acting amiable, she decided to play along.
Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=1363950 This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com
A flicker of displeasure crossed Qin Zheng's mind. He wouldn't acknowledge her relationship with Wanshu, but he couldn't deny that this girl was not foolish.
"Do you like tea?" Qin Zheng asked.
"Wanshu likes tea, and following her, I've also come to enjoy it," Zuo Qinghuan mentioned Qin Wanshu, hoping to provoke Qin Zheng. After all, the more courteous Qin Zheng appeared, the more uneasy Zuo Qinghuan felt.
Qin Zheng, having seen all kinds of worldly tricks, naturally saw through Zuo Qinghuan's little game.
"That's good. Please have a seat, and let's chat as if it were a casual conversation," Qin Zheng poured tea for Zuo Qinghuan and himself, indicating she could drink. Zuo Qinghuan felt increasingly nervous as Qin Zheng personally poured the tea. She became more and more unsure of what Qin Zheng was up to.
However, Qin Zheng's demeanor indicated he was prepared to have a long conversation over tea. She reluctantly picked up the cup of tea poured by Qin Zheng and took a sip.
"Can you tell what kind of tea it is?" Qin Zheng suddenly asked.
Zuo Qinghuan shook her head. Although she had been studying tea lately, she wasn't skilled enough to identify all types of tea.
"I remember when Wanshu was ten years old, she could almost identify any type of tea," Qin Zheng spoke of Qin Wanshu with an air of affection and pride, but Zuo Qinghuan knew that this was just the beginning of getting to the point.
Author's Note:
My eyes are tired. The next chapter should be a key point.
Mr. Qin is a person who likes to use peaceful methods to solve problems.
