Third Uncle seemed to recall something and asked with concern,
"By the way, where are you staying now?"
"If it's close to my place, you can come over anytime you crave Hu City cuisine. It’s just a matter of adding an extra pair of chopsticks—don’t feel shy about it..."
His words were sincere, though at this moment, he had no idea.
The young woman who had stirred such pity in his heart was, in fact, the buyer who had snatched away the courtyard house he’d intended for someone else.
But Chi Heng clearly had no intention of hiding this.
Right in front of Third Uncle, he explained the entire matter from start to finish.
He had found the house a few days prior.
The reason was simple: upon returning to the country, his workplace had assigned him a shared dormitory.
Having lived alone since childhood, he preferred peace and quiet and wasn’t keen on sharing a room with others.
So, the day after arriving in Capital City, he began inquiring about houses.
"When I contacted the owner, he did mention that someone else had already shown interest in the property."
At this point, Chi Heng’s gaze drifted back to Jiang Si. "I apologize—I thought he was just trying to raise the price at the last minute..."
He had already said this earlier.
Jiang Si’s expression remained unchanged as she listened.
Truthfully, it was understandable.
For the Qin family, an extra thousand or two made little difference.
Otherwise, they wouldn’t have gone out of their way to buy a courtyard house just for a two-year stay in the country.
What surprised her, however, was that after explaining everything, Chi Heng added with utmost sincerity,
"This was my oversight. Since you saw the house first, it should rightfully be returned to you..."
"No need."
Before he could finish, Jiang Si cut him off.
She had liked the house, but it wasn’t irreplaceable.
Perhaps it was subconscious instinct, but she instinctively wanted no ties to this person.
Nor did she wish to owe him such a significant favor.
Seeing he still had more to say, she refused outright, "I’ve already asked someone to look into other properties. There’s no need for you to trouble yourself."
Her words were as blunt as they had been in childhood—enough to leave someone speechless.
But Chi Heng seemed accustomed to it. He said nothing more.
After finishing his tea and sitting for a while longer, he stood to take his leave.
Out of courtesy, Third Uncle and Uncle Zhong escorted him to the end of the alley with a flashlight.
Only when his figure disappeared into the night did Third Uncle slowly make his way back to the main house.
His eyes fell on the boxes of pastries Chi Heng had brought, and his thoughts returned to the dinner conversation.
After a long pause, he turned to Jiang Si, who was quietly sipping her tea.
"Si Si... are you wary of him?"
He had sensed something amiss the moment Chi Heng stepped inside.
Especially when the topic of the house came up—the aversion in her eyes had been unmistakable.
Third Uncle didn’t think Jiang Si was wrong to react this way. He just didn’t quite understand.
"You two actually got along quite well as children."
"Back then, you were both young. That boy Shian would come knocking at dawn every day, refusing to leave unless his family dragged him home after multiple attempts."
Recalling the past, Third Uncle couldn’t help but chuckle.
"He was thoughtful too. Whenever he had something tasty, he’d always save a portion to bring to you..."
Jiang Si listened quietly.
She knew everything Third Uncle said was true—but that was the past.
She didn’t know how to explain it to him.
After a long silence, she set down her teacup and suddenly asked,
"Third Uncle, if I had accepted his offer and bought that courtyard house, what do you think would have happened next?"
What would happen?
Third Uncle was momentarily stumped.
But Uncle Zhong, who had been silently tidying the tea set, quickly offered his take.
Knowing the old man well, he reasoned that if Jiang Si accepted such a significant favor, Third Uncle would inevitably feel obliged to look after Chi Heng in the future.
At the very least, with so many empty rooms in their courtyard house, the old man would surely insist on having him move in—both to honor past ties and for mutual support.
Third Uncle blinked in surprise.
Uncle Zhong had a point.
Jiang Si thought so too. She continued the hypothetical scenario:
"If he moved in, wouldn’t I have to see him every time I visit you?"
"And if we wanted to chat privately, wouldn’t we have to be cautious?"
For most families, casual conversation wouldn’t be a big deal.
But theirs was different.
Father Huo’s rank alone meant that even an offhand remark or an ordinary-sounding schedule could carry hidden significance.
Not to mention her master’s side of things.
For months, Jiang Si had been visiting her master’s home two or three times a week.
On the surface, it was to catch up—but in reality, each visit came with specialized training tasks.
With this in mind, she added, "Third Uncle, did you know he changed his name?"
Third Uncle was taken aback. "He changed his name?"
"Yes. He’s no longer Qin Shian—he goes by Chi Heng now."
Jiang Si wasn’t sure why she had fixated on this detail.
Chi Heng?
Third Uncle and Uncle Zhong exchanged glances. If they remembered correctly, Mother Qin’s maiden name was Chi.
So he had taken his mother’s surname?
In the Jiang family, this wouldn’t raise eyebrows—after all, Shen Xiuwen had married into it.
But the Qin family had eight generations of only sons. Grandpa Qin was deeply traditional, placing immense importance on lineage.
By no means would the Qins have allowed such a change.
"What’s wrong?" Third Uncle noticed Jiang Si’s gaze lingering on the pastries.
He picked one up for closer inspection. "Is there something off about these?"
Upon examination, they seemed ordinary—just premium treats from Capital City’s time-honored brands.
Jiang Si knew the pastries themselves were fine.
"The pastries aren’t the issue."
She paused. "It’s just that this apology feels... excessively deliberate."
Bringing gifts to apologize could be chalked up to good manners.
Choosing expensive, renowned brands might simply reflect the Qin family’s wealth.
But these particular shops were scattered far apart. Gathering all of them in a short time was no small feat.
If it were merely thoughtfulness, that would be one thing.
But what if it wasn’t?
Connecting the dots, Jiang Si found the implications unsettling.
With so many courtyard houses in Capital City, what were the odds they’d zero in on the same one?
Why did he happen to move on the very day they were signing the contract?
And how did he "coincidentally" recognize Third Uncle when coming to apologize?
Jiang Si didn’t believe in that many coincidences.
If it wasn’t a coincidence, then this was a meticulously planned and calculated scheme!
And this was precisely what Jiang Si couldn’t wrap her head around.
Logically speaking, the wealth accumulated by the Qin family was enough to secure their prosperity for generations.
If it was just about money, there was no reason for him to return and wade into these troubled waters.
But if not for money, then what was his motive?
Uncle Zhong hesitated at this point, glancing at Jiang Si with unspoken words.
He didn’t say anything at the moment, but after Guard Chen escorted Jiang Si back to the old mansion, he couldn’t resist mentioning it to Third Uncle.
"Master, do you think that Qin boy is stirring up all this trouble… for Miss Si’s sake?"
Truth be told, he’d noticed it during dinner.
Though the Qin boy hadn’t spoken much, his gaze kept drifting toward their young miss.
And then there were the pastries he’d brought.
Uncle Zhong had unwrapped each box to check—while there were many varieties, every single one was a favorite of Miss Si’s.
Third Uncle didn’t deny it either. Having lived most of his life, he’d seen all kinds of people.
"The way that boy looks at Si… it’s hardly innocent."
Uncle Zhong chuckled at this—so he hadn’t been mistaken.
After all, he’d seen that very same look in their young master’s eyes countless times before.
"You know, every time that Qin boy visited in the past, the young master’s face would darken like thunder…"
At this, Uncle Zhong couldn’t help but sigh.
Who knew how the young master would react now, knowing this man had not only returned to the country but also had ulterior motives toward Miss Si?
As if sensing the conversation from afar, Huo Tingzhou—thousands of miles away—picked up the phone and dialed the old mansion.
He didn’t know what had come over him. He’d already called in the afternoon, but since he hadn’t gotten to speak to his wife, his heart felt strangely hollow.
So the moment dinner ended, he timed his call perfectly.
Jiang Si was surprised when she answered, teasing him lightly.
"Didn’t you already call this afternoon?"
Then she glanced at the two little ones, Suisui and Zhaozhao, sound asleep on the couch.
"They’re already fast asleep. If you want to talk to them, call earlier tomorrow."
Huo Tingzhou faltered.
The kids couldn’t even speak yet—what was there to talk about?
Seeing his wife’s attention was elsewhere, he steered the conversation elsewhere.
"How was work today? Everything go smoothly?"
"Not really."
Though he wouldn’t be back anytime soon, Jiang Si saw no reason to hide it from him.
Over the next few minutes, she recounted everything—how her design proposal had been questioned, how the courtyard house deal had been snatched away.
Huo Tingzhou’s grip on the receiver tightened. No wonder her voice had sounded so subdued today.
Just as he was about to offer some gentle reassurance, Jiang Si spoke again.
"Huo Tingzhou, there’s one more thing I need to tell you."
She rarely addressed him so formally by his full name.
His heart skipped a beat. "What is it?"
A brief silence followed before Jiang Si finally said,
"That person is back."
Huo Tingzhou was confused. "Who’s back?"
The line went quiet for a few seconds. Then, softly, she answered:
"Qin Shian—"
