Chapter 82 – The Wenren Residence
The flight to the United States this time was quite long. For the first half, Lin Ganzhi was full of energy, having a blast playing cards with Wenren Yi. The two of them had considered inviting Yan Shengping to play.
Then, Yan Shengping had said something that was pure torture for single people, “I’m worried I wouldn’t be able to resist going easy on Ganzhi, which would ruin the fun of the game for you.”
For a moment, Lin Ganzhi almost believed that he and Yan Shengping were actually a couple. He was just too smooth. Lin Ganzhi’s face was so hot that it took him a full two or three minutes to cool down. The flight attendant who came by even asked with concern if he was feeling unwell, a comment that made Wenren Yi cover her mouth and laugh for a long time.
By the second half of the journey, Lin Ganzhi’s energy was mostly spent. His unlucky streak was on full display even in card games; nine out of ten hands he drew were terrible. After playing for several hours, he could count the number of times he’d won on one hand. Frustrated, he sat back in his seat and obediently played on his phone.
“Ganzhi, Ganzhi, want to come watch a movie?” Wenren Yi called out to Lin Ganzhi after she had rested up and regained her energy in the evening.
When there was no response after a few calls, she turned to look at him. She saw Lin Ganzhi sleeping peacefully in Yan Shengping’s arms, his head tilted perfectly against Yan Shengping’s chest. He looked completely at ease, his slightly chubby cheeks squished a little from pressing against Yan Shengping. Meanwhile, Yan Shengping held Lin Ganzhi with one arm and brought a finger to his lips, signaling her to be quiet.
Wenren Yi nodded. Despite growing up in a family full of important people, she felt a natural sense of pressure at that moment. But when she looked again, all she saw was an incredibly good-looking couple sleeping intimately, nestled together. For a moment, Wenren Yi didn’t know whether to say Lin Ganzhi had excellent judgment or was just clueless for falling for such a deeply hidden character.
But she had to admit, these two were so damn sweet!
Although she had no interest in business, someone like Yan Shengping couldn’t possibly be as down-and-out as the news reported, nor could he be manipulated by that fool Zhong Jingyi. If her grandfather really managed to cure his illness on this trip, it was entirely possible that the power dynamics in H City could shift in the future.
When they got off the plane, a stretch limousine was there to pick them up. Two foreigners in black suits addressed Wenren Yi as “Miss” in perfect Mandarin and then opened the car door for them.
Seeing such a scene for the first time, Lin Ganzhi’s eyes filled with admiration for Wenren Yi. After being forced to witness their public displays of affection for the entire trip, Wenren Yi finally felt like she had regained the upper hand. As soon as she got in the car, she opened a bottle of white wine for Lin Ganzhi and, while sipping, gave them a general rundown of her family situation.
“My family’s business is mainly based here in the United States. Because of my grandmother’s illness, several of the elders will be in the city recently, but whether they’re at the old residence depends on their schedules. My dad is the eldest son. He used to be a mercenary, so he sounds a bit fierce when he talks, but he’s basically not a bad person. I’ve told him about you, and he’s very welcoming. Then there’s my uncle, an old fox who managed to marry my master. He’s most likely not at home. The ones who live at the old residence year-round are my grandpa and grandma. They’re both very good-tempered, but Grandma has been a bit emotional lately because of her condition. If you see her, just treat her like a child and humor her.”
Lin Ganzhi nodded. Wenren Yi sounded relaxed when she spoke, but her expression looked pained when she mentioned her grandmother.
“What do the elderly like? We discussed it with our elders and bought a Suzhou embroidery shawl, a fishing rod, and some health supplements. Is there anything else we should get?” Lin Ganzhi asked.
“I was wondering why you two had so much luggage! No need, you’re being too polite. You didn’t even accept the manor I gave you last time, and now I’m getting all this for free,” Wenren Yi said, accidentally spilling the beans about the past.
“Manor?” Yan Shengping looked at Lin Ganzhi.
Lin Ganzhi coughed guiltily and nudged Yan Shengping’s shoulder, not wanting to bring up his own foolishness in front of Wenren Yi. “I’ll tell you the details when we get back.”
Yan Shengping was very receptive to Lin Ganzhi’s affectionate gestures. His eyes narrowed comfortably, and a single syllable rumbled from his throat like a contented large animal.
Wenren Yi: Cold, hard PDA is being shoved down my throat~
After about a two-hour drive, Lin Ganzhi finally arrived at what Wenren Yi called the old residence. He had known that Wenren Yi’s wealth was probably not ordinary, but he had likely underestimated the true meaning of her words. They drove into a place that resembled a forest park, and it took half an hour just to drive up the mountain. Only when they reached the summit did they see a cluster of buildings.
“Which building is yours, Wenren?” Lin Ganzhi asked as he got out and stretched.
“Huh? This whole mountain is my family’s,” Wenren Yi said nonchalantly. Her casual flex hit Lin Ganzhi right in the heart. Then, a group of servants came out to take their luggage. A silver-haired butler pushed open the several-meter-high doors, and the scent of wood and wild roses wafted out.
“Grandpa, Grandma, Grandpa! I’m back!” Wenren Yi tossed her bag on the sofa as she entered the living room. A servant quickly brought over snacks and tea.
“Yan… Yan Shengping, I think… I’m about to faint. Quick, hold me steady!” Lin Ganzhi, looking like a country bumpkin visiting a grand estate for the first time, tightly gripped Yan Shengping’s hand. Yan Shengping actually found this side of Lin Ganzhi exceptionally cute, a cute that was mixed with humor.
“Mm, I’m holding you. Feeling better?” Yan Shengping placed a hand on Lin Ganzhi’s slender lower back, half-standing behind him for support.
Lin Ganzhi clutched the corner of Yan Shengping’s shirt, trying hard to compose himself. It couldn’t be helped; it was normal for someone who had been poor for over twenty years to react this way when suddenly faced with such opulence. It was completely normal! Lin Ganzhi found himself a solid excuse, right up until he saw Grandpa Qin and another grandfather helping an old lady out.
“Grandma!” Wenren Yi’s face lit up at the sight of the old lady, and she stood up excitedly, striding forward to hug her.
But before she could embrace her, the two grandfathers stopped her. “Your grandma just took her medicine not long ago. Don’t bother her.”
The old lady smiled kindly. “You two are just too careful. What’s wrong with my dear granddaughter giving me a hug? It’s been months since I’ve seen her. I thought I wouldn’t see her until the new year. Come, my dear, give Grandma a hug.”
Wenren Yi shot a triumphant smile at her grandfather and grand-uncle, then wrapped her arms around her grandmother coquettishly. “Grandma, I missed you so much.” The over-170-centimeter-tall Wenren Yi put on a display of tough-girl tenderness.
Watching them, Lin Ganzhi’s eyes filled with unconcealable envy. Suddenly, a hand gently enveloped his, a slightly calloused thumb stroking his palm. Lin Ganzhi froze and looked up at Yan Shengping. Yan Shengping’s expression was unchanged as he stared straight ahead. For a moment, Lin Ganzhi couldn’t tell if this was part of the act or something else, but a warm current still flowed through his heart.
“Ganzhi, this must be your partner. The young man is very handsome,” Grandpa Qin noticed Lin Ganzhi and came over to greet them.
Yan Shengping respectfully greeted the old man before him. “We’ve come all this way to trouble you, sir. We’ve prepared a small gift for you and hope you’ll like it.”
As he spoke, Lin Ganzhi deftly pulled a gift wrapped in a dark green box from his bag and handed it to Grandpa Qin.
“A friend of mine helped me find this ancient Chinese medicine text. I hope you’ll like it,” Yan Shengping said with a demeanor that was neither servile nor overbearing. This instantly made Grandpa Qin take a liking to the young man before him. Plus, the gift wasn’t as tacky as what others usually brought. He accepted it with a beaming smile.
Over on the other side, Wenren Yi, having finished her affectionate display, finally remembered her two neglected guests and came over to introduce her grandparents.
Lin Ganzhi might not have much else, but his smile was particularly sweet. When he had volunteered at the nursing home before, the grandpas and grandmas there had adored him, always trying to set him up with their grandsons and granddaughters. Lin Ganzhi sweetly greeted the two elders and said some polite words, instantly coaxing them into broad smiles. Then, Yan Shengping, playing the supporting role, presented gifts to them. The old lady, who hadn’t been back to the country in years, fell in love with the shawl the moment she saw it, praising Lin Ganzhi and Yan Shengping for their good taste.
The fishing rod for the grandfather was also custom-made by someone Yan Shengping had found. An expert could tell its quality with a single touch. The old man had been a formidable figure in the business world decades ago, and a look of appreciation for Yan Shengping appeared in his eyes. This was a talented man.
“This… this is Elder Li’s Fragmented Scroll!” Grandpa Qin, who was sitting to the side, exclaimed in astonishment as soon as he opened his gift, his eyes filled with pleasant surprise.
Yan Shengping pretended to be an amateur and said, “A friend of mine likes to collect antiques. I was worrying about what to get you when he mentioned he had acquired this from an expert. So I took the opportunity to buy it for you. I couldn’t make heads or tails of it myself and was worried you might not like it.”
“Oh, how could I not? Little Yan, let me tell you, this is a real treasure,” Grandpa Qin said, patting Yan Shengping’s shoulder ecstatically. He then enthusiastically began to explain the value of the ancient text.
Lin Ganzhi watched from the side, marveling. Was this the same tsundere who was so picky about his food at home? He had charmed the old man so much that he was now calling him “Little Yan.” He was acting so well that Lin Ganzhi almost believed it himself. Who didn’t know that Yan Shengping had called Qin Feichen after dinner to prepare these gifts?
It had to be said, Qin Feichen was truly Yan Shengping’s number one fanboy. Not only did he not have any objections to preparing these things in a hurry, but he was also thrilled that Yan Shengping was finally willing to ask him for help. In the middle of the night, Qin Taotao had sent Lin Ganzhi a message, sounding utterly exasperated: “My brother is still working out in the gym. I haven’t seen him this excited since he came back.”
It made Lin Ganzhi wonder if Qin Feichen had feelings for Yan Shengping. If he did, Lin Ganzhi would pack his bags and leave immediately.
However, when he jokingly mentioned this to Yan Shengping, the expression on Yan Shengping’s face—as if he’d just eaten ten kilograms of scallions—completely dispelled that notion.
“Little Yan, how old are you this year?” the old lady asked, taking Yan Shengping’s hand, her face full of admiration.
“I just turned twenty-nine a few days ago.”
“Oh my, you really don’t look it. I thought you were only about twenty-five or twenty-six. I didn’t expect you to be the same age as my youngest son,” the old lady said, her gaze gradually becoming vacant as if she had drifted into a memory.
Lin Ganzhi frowned. Youngest son? Wenren Yi hadn’t mentioned that.
“Grandma,” Wenren Yi called out worriedly, but this time the old lady didn’t respond. She just sat there in a daze.
The old man sighed and stepped forward to support her. His usually stern face now showed a hint of pain. “It’s alright. This is a normal state after taking her medicine. I’ll help her to her room to rest.”
Wenren Yi nodded reluctantly.
Grandpa Qin picked up the conversation. “Old Brother Wenren, you go ahead and stay with her. Her condition is a bit more serious this year, but I’ll do my best.”
The old man nodded, said a brief farewell to Lin Ganzhi and Yan Shengping, and then helped his wife out of the living room.
Lin Ganzhi had a rough idea of what was going on and subconsciously glanced at Yan Shengping. Yan Shengping, sensing his gaze, habitually reached out and gently squeezed the soft flesh at the nape of Lin Ganzhi’s neck as a sign of comfort. Birth, old age, sickness, and death were all part of life; there was little an outsider could do to help.
After chatting in the living room for a while, Grandpa Qin led the three of them to his personal room. Upon entering, the familiar scent of a medicine cabinet filled the air. Grandpa Qin sat down at the desk and had Yan Shengping sit opposite him. The old man took Yan Shengping’s pulse for five or six minutes before letting out a long sigh.
“The last prescription was wrong.”
Huh? The two clueless boys’ faces filled with anxiety.