Shen Xi was stunned, rendered speechless by his words.
Qin Si Ye, however, couldn't help but laugh out loud, "Doctor Shen, Chen Chen's IQ should be quite high, right?"
"Who knows? We haven't tested him. He's always full of tricks, though," Shen Xi replied, a mix of amusement and helplessness in her tone. "Mr. Qin, please have a seat."
Shen Xi had Sister Fang pour two glasses of water and glanced at the cake on the table. "Mr. Qin, you've bought too much cake. How could they possibly finish it all?" Yan Yan, quick with her words, interjected, "Who says we can't finish it? There are three of us. One for each person, isn't that perfect?"
Hearing this, Shen Xi's heart skipped a beat, thinking she might reveal Shuo Shuo.
Chen Chen quickly covered for her, "Yes, three people. Mommy likes cake too."
Shen Xi breathed a sigh of relief, grateful for Chen Chen's quick thinking. She picked up a cup from the table and took a sip.
Qin Si Ye smiled slightly, his gaze sweeping around the room. He then asked abruptly, "Did you buy this villa?"
"No, it's rented," Shen Xi replied.
"Are you getting used to living here?"
Shen Xi wasn't sure why he was asking that. Was he investigating public opinion in his capacity as a developer? She replied in a gentle tone, "It's quite nice."
For a moment, neither of them could find anything to say, and the atmosphere became awkward.
The two children, however, could no longer contain themselves. They opened their favorite cakes and started eating, their little faces soon turning into those of little messy eaters.
"Can't you two eat any slower?" Shen Xi said, torn between amusement and exasperation. "Mr. Qin, I apologize for the display."
"It's alright. This is their nature," Qin Si Ye said, looking at them with a soft expression, his eyes betraying his joy.
Just then, Sister Fang approached and asked, "Miss Shen, the food is ready. Shall we start dinner?"
Upon hearing this, Chen Chen stood up straight and wiped his mouth. "Uncle Qin, why don't you stay for dinner with us tonight?"
Yan Yan also chimed in, "Yes, Uncle Qin, you have to eat anyway when you go home."
The two children were very enthusiastic, but Shen Xi remained smiling, saying nothing. This was because Shuo Shuo was still hiding upstairs. If he saw Qin Si Ye, he would surely blame her for lying to him. But now, she could only brace herself and go along with it.
Qin Si Ye glanced at her and, understanding, stood up. "No, I have some important matters to attend to. Please enjoy your meal. Goodbye!"
Shen Xi saw him out the door. Qin Si Ye turned back to her, "Doctor Shen, are you coming to the Qin family tonight?"
"No, I won't be. The two weeks of acupuncture this month are finished," Shen Xi replied calmly.
"Oh." Time flies so quickly. Qin Si Ye stopped. "I've been quite busy these past few days and haven't been back. How is Grandma?"
"She's fine, everything is normal. Mr. Qin, if you have time, it would be best to accompany her for walks more often. For her condition, physical training is also very important," Shen Xi said seriously.
After seeing Qin Si Ye off, Shen Xi returned to the living room. Shuo Shuo had already come downstairs, and the three little ones were happily eating cake. "Now you're satisfied. Someone will be covering your cake expenses from now on," Shen Xi said, a hint of wistfulness in her voice.
"Mommy, isn't this the best of both worlds? It gives Uncle Qin a chance to repay you and saves you time," Chen Chen said, licking the cream from his fork and smiling at her.
"Mommy, come over, eat with us," Yan Yan beckoned to her.
Shen Xi rolled her eyes at them and walked towards the dining table. "I don't like sweets. I don't think you need dinner tonight."
After dinner, Shen Xi settled them down for the night. As soon as she returned to her room, her phone suddenly rang.
It was Han Hao Ming.
Shen Xi trembled slightly. Could there be news about Yin Zhe? Excitedly, she quickly answered, "Hello? Officer Han, hello!"
"Miss Shen, I apologize for calling so late. I was busy handling cases during the day," Han Hao Ming's deep voice came from the other end of the phone.
"It's alright. Officer Han, please tell me," Shen Xi replied gently, with a hint of anticipation in her tone.
"I've gathered some information about Yin Zhe. In the records of his disappearance investigation from that year, a witness saw him being carried into a luxury car after he fainted at the entrance of the Yin residence," Han Hao Ming said in a low voice.