He fell asleep just lying there, and when he opened his eyes again, it was already three o'clock. Reaching for his phone, he saw several missed calls, all from the landlady. He called her back, and she said she was cooking at home and invited Han Qian and Wen Nuan to join her.
Han Qian didn't refuse. He got up, dressed, and went downstairs to look for Wen Nuan. Not home? He called her, and Wen Nuan hesitated, not saying where she was, just telling Han Qian she would be back in half an hour.
At the city bureau, Wen Nuan placed one of the two packs of cigarettes she had stolen from Li Jinhe on the table and said coyly,
"Uncle\~\~ just give Tu Xiao a call, will you? Han Qian and Guan Da Gou had a fight, and with that dog's temper, he's definitely going to cause trouble for Han Qian."
Li Jinhe wasn't at all shy about accepting his niece's gift. He tore open the pack, lit a cigarette, and scolded her with a smile,
"If your mom finds out you stole the cigarettes she brought back from the army for Old Wen, won't she kill you? You little traitor, if you didn't have something up your sleeve, you wouldn't come see your second uncle. And when did you start caring so much about Han Qian? We used to have to persuade you to be kinder to him. What's changed? Turned over a new leaf?"
Wen Nuan grinned sheepishly, scratching her head.
"I couldn't help it—you all keep praising him. Even my cousin keeps calling me, asking when I'll bring Han Qian home. I have no idea how those two got so close."
Li Jinhe laughed.
"Well, I have to thank Han Qian for that. You know what your cousin was like as a kid—spoiled rotten because he had me to run errands for him. Who knew Han Qian would manage to tame him? Not only is he less arrogant, but he's also scoring surprisingly high on his exams these days—I almost thought he was cheating! And Han Qian's smart, too. All those annual reports I've had to write lately? He did them. Even if you hadn't said anything, I was going to call Tu Xiao myself. Does that dog think I can't handle him?"
"Hehe, thank you, Uncle."
"Don't mention it. But listen to your uncle, Nuan. Han Qian may not come from the best background, but think about it—your eldest uncle, your mom, and I all grew up poor. Don't put too much stock in where someone comes from. Han Qian's smarter than most people, and he can help you a lot. At the very least, he'll protect your position at Changxiang. And when it comes to family, we can all see how well he treats you, can't we? So just live your life and stay close to your relatives. Your mom and your eldest uncle might not be speaking to each other, but what's that got to do with you younger folks? Right? And besides—he fought with that Guan Da Gou? Good for him! That's what a real man does. You two should hurry up and have a baby—"
Before he could finish, Wen Nuan jumped up and ran away. Nothing scared her more than relatives asking about kids.
At six o'clock, Han Qian and Wen Nuan went to the landlady's house downstairs, hoping to help with dinner and stay busy. The door was opened by Li Jiawei, who greeted Han Qian with a cheerful "Uncle!" and called Wen Nuan "Auntie."
Han Qian was slightly embarrassed, but Wen Nuan accepted it with a smile. She changed her shoes and went straight to the living room sofa, settling in like a woman of the house.
The landlady's apartment was spacious—over 150 square meters, with three bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, a dining room, and a study. It was clear that Jiawei's father had once made a lot of money. When Han Qian entered the living room, he noticed the girl from the school earlier curled up on the sofa, looking like she had been there more than once.
The living room had a cozy, sunken design, with sofas on all four sides. The young girl, Tu Kun, sat across from Wen Nuan, a blanket draped over her legs. She wasn't exactly pretty, but she had an air of sophistication that was rare for someone so young.
Standing off to the side, Han Qian and Li Jiawei both sensed an undercurrent of tension—an unspoken rivalry had begun between the two women. Han Qian offered to help in the kitchen, and Jiawei quickly followed.
Wen Nuan knew this girl was Tu Xiao's daughter, and Tu Kun had seen photos of Wen Nuan. Wen Nuan had grown up in an official and merchant family, while Tu Kun came from more of a streetwise background. Woman and girl—or rather, two girls—had already decided they didn't like each other, especially after Wen Nuan found out that Guan Junbiao had hit Han Qian.
Neither spoke. Wen Nuan scrolled through her phone while Tu Kun fiddled with a magazine. About ten minutes later, Tu Kun's phone rang—a brand-new iPhone.
"You're downstairs? Uh-huh, uh-huh, got it. Wait there."
She hung up and walked toward the kitchen. She clearly disliked Wen Nuan but was sweet to Han Qian, calling him "Uncle" and saying she had ordered some fruit and gifts that had just arrived—could he help bring them up? Li Jiawei quickly offered, saying Uncle was a guest, but Tu Kun insisted Jiawei stay and help her with some questions.
Han Qian realized the girl probably had something to say to him alone. He smiled, asked Wen Nuan if she wanted anything to drink, and headed out. Before he could finish his question, Tu Kun was already there with a teapot.
"Have some tea, Sister Wen. Tea is good for your stomach. And you're so pretty—so much prettier than in your photos. Your skin is flawless."
"I know."
Wen Nuan's shameless, unrepentant tone always made people sigh. Han Qian, shaking his head, headed downstairs. Outside the building, he saw Guan Da Gou, decked out in a flashy red suit and floral shirt, pacing around with bags in his hands. When he spotted Han Qian, he grinned and jogged over.
"Uncle—"
"Get lost. I don't have a nephew as old as you."
Han Qian took a step back, startled. Guan Da Gou laughed nervously and put his bags down, smiling.
"The young lady told me to call you that. A dog has to listen to its master, right? I've never cared much for smooth talkers or big shots—only for people with real strength. I lost fair and square when you beat me, and I bear no grudge. I only found out back at the office that Wen Nuan is your woman. I was in the wrong first, so if you want to kill me or whatever, just do it."
Han Qian frowned. Guan Junbiao's sudden change of attitude was unsettling. Still frowning, he took the bags and shook his head lightly.
"No need. You cursed me, I hit you. We're both grown men—no hard feelings. It's over."
"Glad to hear it! But let me ask you one thing, if you don't mind—do you know someone named Lin Zongheng?"
Han Qian's heart gave a little jolt. He already knew what Guan Da Gou did for a living, and hearing that name made him uneasy. He forced himself to remain calm and nodded slightly.
"Yes, I know him."
Guan Junbiao pulled out a cigarette, thought better of it, and put it away. When he looked up again, his eyes were cold, and he spoke in a low voice.
"His people reached out to me—offered forty grand to break Han Qian's legs. That's you, isn't it?"