51: Chapter 51 Qin Yi's Parents

In fact, while in the bedroom, Xu Qian had already heard most of the conversation between Qin Yi and Bai Lu.

Although they mostly discussed leasing office space, her unique feminine intuition told her that Manager Bai from the property management seemed to have quite a good impression of Young Master Qin. It was definitely more than just a property manager serving a property owner!

This couldn't help but cause quite a stir in her heart. An indescribable sense of tension and anxiety spread through her, making her feel insecure again. Her thoughts were like a tangled mess, and a feeling of regret quietly took root.

Young Master Qin was such a high-quality man—handsome, wealthy, and more importantly, his character was far superior to those ordinary rich second-generation heirs.

A man like that is someone any woman would probably like.

She truly regretted suggesting they live separately instead of staying with Young Master Qin. However, what was said was like spilled water; it was too late to go back on her word now.

Xu Qian was naturally the type of woman who overthought things and was somewhat indecisive. Faced with this situation, she felt even more conflicted and struggled internally.

She hesitated in the bedroom for a long while before finally steeling herself to walk out.

Seeing her like this, Qin Yi asked with concern, "What's wrong? You look like you have something on your mind. Is everything okay at home?"

Xu Qian quickly adjusted her emotions, forcing a stiff smile to her lips as she gently shook her head. "No, it's nothing. I probably just got a bit lightheaded from showering before eating breakfast." As she spoke, she gently rubbed her temples as if to alleviate her discomfort.

Qin Yi realized and a flash of apology showed in his eyes. "Oh, it's my fault. I forgot about that. I don't usually eat breakfast, so it didn't occur to me."

Manager Bai chimed in, "How about I have someone deliver some breakfast? There are plenty of fast-food places in the office building across from the community."

Hearing this, Xu Qian hurriedly waved her hand in refusal, an awkward smile on her face. "Manager Bai, there's no need for that trouble. It's almost eleven o'clock anyway; we'll just have lunch shortly."

Qin Yi nodded and stood up. "That works. Let's go now then. Manager Bai, would you like to join us?"

Manager Bai also stood up and politely declined his invitation with a smile. After all, the two of them were a couple; it wouldn't be right for her to tag along. "Thank you for the invitation, Mr. Qin. However, I'm still on duty, so I won't be going."

Afterward, Bai Lu and Xu Qian added each other on WeChat. The two of them saw Bai Lu to the door, where she bowed slightly to take her leave and added, "Mr. Qin, regarding the office building, I will report to the group immediately. I believe there will be a response soon. I'll message you on WeChat then."

Qin Yi replied with a "Good," and Bai Lu turned to leave.

Xu Qian stood at the door, watching Bai Lu's back as she took the elevator, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

After a brief rest, Qin Yi and Xu Qian chose a nearby restaurant and drove there.

...

At the same time, outside a village in Lanhong Town, Jingnan, a bus slowly came to a stop, and a middle-aged man with a slightly hunched figure stepped off.

He wore a somewhat old, grey short-sleeved work uniform. The mottled oil stains and sweat marks on it recorded the hardships of his labor. A few strands of white hair were scattered through his slightly messy hair, making him look particularly weathered.

This man was Qin Yi's father—Qin Jianye.

He walked with steady steps across a masonry bridge. In the shade of the trees by the bridge, several elderly men were leisurely playing chess and enjoying the cool breeze with palm-leaf fans.

Seeing Qin Jianye approach, one of the elderly men looked up with a smile, his chess piece pausing mid-air as he greeted him, "Hey, Old Qin! You're back early today. Want to come over for a couple of rounds?"

Qin Jianye gave a slight smile, a flash of loneliness in his eyes. He waved his hand and said, "No, it's lunchtime. I need to head home to eat." His voice was slightly raspy, carrying a hint of exhaustion.

At that moment, another middle-aged man around the same age as Qin Jianye chimed in, "Heh, Old Qin, why not come to my place for a drink at noon? My son brought back a bottle a few days ago—it's called, what was it, something Blue? He said it costs several thousand a bottle." However, when he said this, his attitude wasn't very sincere, and a faint look of mockery and disdain flickered in his eyes.

Qin Jianye heard the sarcasm in his words, but he only gave a faint smile and replied, "It must be Dream of the Blue. That's indeed a good liquor. Since it's a gift from your son, how could I be so bold as to impose for a drink?" As he spoke, he cupped his hands in a gesture of thanks and continued walking toward home.

However, before he had gone far, he heard that sarcastic voice again from behind: "What a joke, acting like he's actually tasted such fine liquor! As if I didn't know it's called Dream of the Blue! Hmph, 'that liquor is decent'—acting like he drinks it all the time! What a poser!"

Qin Jianye's figure stiffened. He sighed inwardly but didn't look back, continuing to walk silently with somewhat heavy steps.

The elderly man who had spoken first couldn't take it anymore and scolded, "Yan Lishi, what are you doing! Old Qin used to be a big boss, after all. What kind of fine liquor hasn't he had? What's the point of these sarcastic remarks now?"

Yan Lishi looked disdainful and snorted, "Tsk, stop acting like a good person! You said it yourself—that was in the past! Now he's just a day laborer who doesn't even own a piece of land. If it weren't for the fact that he was originally from our village, he wouldn't even have that dilapidated house to live in! And he's still putting on airs with me! Then there's his son, supposedly a student at Modu University, yet he spends his days delivering packages and food. I heard his son is already a senior and hasn't even gotten his diploma! My son is a proper civil servant with a government job; did I brag? Did I put on airs?"

"Yan Lishi, you really live up to your name. You're trying to compare yourself to Old Qin? You can't even compete. What's wrong with Old Qin doing day labor? That's called being able to adapt; otherwise, how could he have been a big boss before! In my view, Old Qin is a man of character. There's no telling when the Qin Family might stage a comeback!"

"Him? Pui! A comeback? In his dreams! Do you know how much money he lost in business? Tens of millions! I heard there are loan sharks involved too! With those loan sharks, the interest keeps piling up; he won't be able to pay it off in this lifetime. A comeback? It's more like a permanent downfall!"

"Enough, enough," another elderly man interrupted Yan Lishi. "He's already far away; what's the point of saying all this? Let's get back to the game!" As he spoke, he urged everyone to continue playing.

By this time, Qin Jianye's figure had already disappeared into the distant alleyway.

...

Qin Jianye walked for about another three or four minutes before finally arriving at the gate of his small courtyard.

This small courtyard, weathered by time, seemed unremarkable and even somewhat dilapidated compared to the surrounding two and three-story self-built rural houses. However, every inch of land and every brick radiated the warmth of home.

The courtyard gate was a classic red-painted iron gate. Having endured wind and rain, the mottled rust on the door seemed to record the passage of time.

Qin Jianye paused at the gate, his gaze lingering on the familiar door. He took a deep breath, and the frustration in his chest seemed to dissipate slightly with that exhale.

He lowered his eyes and adjusted his state of mind. He forced the corners of his mouth upward, trying to hide his inner disappointment and put on a happy front.

But in reality, his mood had already hit rock bottom.

He had spent the entire morning applying for a welder position, working a trial shift for half a day without even a sip of water, only to be rejected in the end because of his age.

The words of that company's HR manager seemed to still echo in his ears: "You're too old; we don't dare hire you."

He had worked hard all morning for nothing, not earning a single cent and even losing the bus fare for the round trip. What made it even harder to let go of was being ridiculed by that old bastard Yan Lishi at the village entrance.

But Qin Jianye had a principle he had held onto for many years: no matter how many difficulties and setbacks he encountered outside, he would never bring negative emotions home.

Home was his harbor, a place where his heart could find peace.

Having composed himself, Qin Jianye pushed the door open and walked into the courtyard.

The gate opened with a slow 'creak,' revealing several vibrant gardenia plants. They weren't tall, but their foliage was lush, with snow-white flowers dotted among the green leaves, emitting a faint fragrance. Whenever a breeze blew, the floral scent would gently drift.

These were his wife's favorite flowers. Even after moving from the bustling city back to this rural bungalow, her preferences had not changed.

Looking at these flowers, a warm current surged in Qin Jianye's heart. He looked around; although the courtyard was simple, under his wife's care, every corner revealed neatness and warmth.

Hearing the movement outside, the door to the main house was pushed open from the inside, and his wife, Wu Xiuhua, walked out wearing a dark-colored apron.

Seeing that it was Qin Jianye who had returned, a smile immediately appeared on her face, though she complained, "Husband, why are you just getting back? I called you all morning and you didn't answer. I was worried sick!"

Qin Jianye was stunned for a moment, only then remembering his phone.

He quickly pulled the phone from his trouser pocket. Seeing the more than ten missed calls on the screen, a sense of apology welled up in him. He smiled awkwardly and explained, "Sorry, honey. It might have been too noisy in the workshop and I didn't hear it. Was there something you called me for?"

"We'll talk about that in a bit," Wu Xiuhua urged with a smile. "Go wash your hands first, and change your clothes while you're at it. Look how dirty you are. Wash up and let's eat first."

Qin Jianye replied with a "Good." He then washed his hands and face in the basin in the yard. The cool water droplets washed away the dust and fatigue from his face, and seemed to wash away part of the gloom in his heart as well.

Afterward, he went to the inner room to change out of his dirty clothes before stepping into the main room.

However, when he saw the sumptuous meal of four dishes and a soup on the coffee table, he was stunned. There was meat and vegetables, and even an unopened bottle of white liquor. Was this a small celebration his wife had prepared for him?

He looked at his wife in confusion, pointed at the food on the table, and asked with a smile, "Honey, what's all this?"

Wu Xiuhua smiled and didn't answer his question directly. Instead, she pulled him to sit down and said tenderly, "You didn't eat breakfast this morning; you must be starving, right? Let's eat first. We can talk after dinner."