Qin He put on a look of regret, and only after sighing did she realize the atmosphere at the dining table was a bit off.
She looked up at Ming Yuzhu, her mother’s eyes carrying a teasing smile as she remained silent.
Qin Yun let out a cold laugh, "Yes, because of a life-saving favor, she fell for him."
Qin He covered her embarrassment with a light cough.
Xu Wanwan narrowed her eyes and glared at Qin Yun, "Heh."
After breakfast, Gu Qichen’s car arrived. He entered the Qin household, greeted Ming Yuzhu respectfully, and then left with Qin He.
As they were leaving, Qin Yun couldn't resist calling out from behind, "You must be home before nine tonight!"
Qin He paused for a moment, feeling like she was being monitored even more strictly.
On the way to the old mansion, Qin He leaned against Gu Qichen’s shoulder. Gu Qichen was holding a document and reading it.
Qin He glanced at it, "Yang Hao’s file?"
"En, some information from prison. Yu Jing investigated a few more of his cellmates. Here's a comprehensive evaluation."
Qin He took it and read for a while. Overall, Madam Gu’s judgment this time was correct; this Yang Hao was indeed not a good person.
The two thefts were not due to poverty or the need to attend school.
He had dropped out long ago, and the money from the thefts was used to buy a mobile phone.
Looking at Yang Hao's past romantic history, Qin He felt a bit dizzy. Most of his ex-girlfriends were hostesses from entertainment venues.
Qin He grew angrier as she read, "This isn't a matter of Ranran being blind anymore!"
As for indecent assault, he was caught red-handed on the subway. He wouldn't have gone to jail, but Yang Hao was too arrogant and fought back, causing intentional injury.
Qin He’s eyes were filled with frustration, "Has Ranran seen this information?"
Gu Qichen’s gaze was cold, "No. Even if she saw it, she wouldn't believe it."
Qin He thought for a moment. Gu Ranran wouldn't listen to anything right now. Whether she would believe this information if she saw it was another matter.
The car soon arrived at the Gu family’s old mansion. Qin He greeted Madam Gu and Old Madam Gu upon arrival, then went to see Lele.
Lele had just finished his baby food, so Qin He held him while chatting with Madam Gu on the sofa.
Madam Gu smiled broadly. She found Qin He, her former daughter-in-law and future daughter-in-law, to be increasingly pleasing and likable.
"I had someone bring me some ginseng from Changbai Mountain a while ago. I'll give you some to take back to your mother when you leave tonight."
Qin He smiled, "Thank you, Aunt."
Madam Gu only hoped that Qin He would change her address one day. However, she was preoccupied with Ranran’s situation recently and didn't have the mood to urge Gu Qichen to bring his wife home sooner.
After a while, Old Madam Gu felt unwell and insisted on taking a stroll in the back garden.
Several maids helped the old lady go.
Qin He glanced at the clock on the wall, her brow furrowing slightly.
"It's eleven o'clock."
According to Qingcheng customs, it was important to arrive early when meeting parents.
Was Yang Hao planning to arrive at the last minute?
Another half an hour passed, and Madam Gu's expression turned grim. Lele was already hungry, so Qin He handed him over to the nanny.
At 11:40, there was a sound at the entrance.
Qin He immediately stood up and walked outside.
A motorcycle was parked outside. The rider was a man with medium-length yellow hair tied back.
He had a handsome face, but Qin He disliked his eyes, which gave off a slippery and shrewd impression.
The first thing he did after dismounting was to scan the Gu family mansion.
Then, he turned sideways and helped Gu Ranran off the motorcycle.
Qin He's expression turned cold, and she looked at Gu Qichen, "He drove a motorcycle with Ranran, and they weren't even wearing helmets!"
Were they trying to die!
Gu Ranran, however, was excitedly holding Yang Hao's hand and walking towards them.
They exchanged a smile, looking very affectionate.
Reaching Qin He, Gu Ranran smiled and introduced, "This is Qin He, my sister-in-law, whom I've often mentioned to you."
Yang Hao stared at Qin He for three seconds and then smiled, "Hello, sister-in-law."
Qin He pursed her lips, always finding Yang Hao's gaze unsettling. It felt sticky and unpleasant, as if it had substance.
But with Gu Ranran present, Qin He still smiled, "You and Ranran are not married yet, so you don't need to call me sister-in-law. Just call me by my name."
Yang Hao’s first impression of him was not good; he didn't seem good enough for Gu Ranran.
Yang Hao raised an eyebrow and grinned, "Okay, Qin He."
Gu Qichen, standing nearby, subtly shifted his gaze.
Gu Ranran, who was usually afraid of Gu Qichen, also feared he might scare Yang Hao.
"This is my brother," Gu Ranran added. "You can call him brother too."
Qin He looked at Gu Qichen's expression and felt he might throw Yang Hao out at any moment. She smiled and tightened her grip on Gu Qichen’s hand.
Gu Qichen’s expression was frosty, "Mr. Yang, how old are you?"
Yang Hao looked at Gu Qichen's face and felt a chill run down his spine.
This was different from the way he usually saw him interviewed on financial news. The Gu Group CEO in the news seemed distant and noble, yet polite.
But the man in front of him felt as if his gaze was unfathomable and carried a strong sense of pressure.
Yang Hao chuckled sheepishly, "Twenty-eight."
Qin He glanced at the blissfully happy Gu Ranran, "Since you're here, let's go inside. Don't stand outside."
Yang Hao followed Gu Ranran into the house. Gu Ranran, holding his hand, carefully went to introduce him to Madam Gu.
"Auntie, I'm very sorry. We were late due to traffic on the way," Yang Hao said.
Madam Gu had already been briefed by Gu Qichen and Qin He. Although her face was cold, she managed a reluctant acknowledgment.
In Qingcheng, according to local custom, the groom's family must bring a gift of four types of items when meeting the bride's parents for the first time.
However, Gu Ranran had clearly never been in a serious relationship and didn't know this, and Yang Hao, who had never seriously dated anyone, also didn't know.
Madam Gu didn't consider Yang Hao as Gu Ranran’s boyfriend and didn't care about such matters.
"The food is ready. Let's go eat," Madam Gu said, standing up and gritting her teeth.
They entered the dining room.
Gu Ranran looked around, slightly confused, "Mom, where are Grandma and Lele?"
Madam Gu's voice was a little cold, "An old person and an infant can't wait to eat. They've already eaten and gone to rest."
These words were somewhat implying that Gu Ranran and Yang Hao were late.
Qin He quietly looked at Yang Hao. His expression remained unchanged, but the sleeve of his left hand twitched slightly.
Qin He’s gaze was sharp, and she immediately understood.
He was signaling Gu Ranran under the table to help speak for him.
As expected, Gu Ranran immediately said, "We were stuck in traffic on the way, so we arrived a bit late."
Madam Gu wanted to get angry but managed to restrain herself.
Qin He had told her earlier that if she made a scene today, Gu Ranran might actually decide to elope with Yang Hao.
Qin He lowered her head and ate, planning to discuss what she needed to know after the meal.
After lunch, Madam Gu went upstairs with a cold face, "I'm going to take a nap. Qichen, He’er, you two can show him around."
Qin He acknowledged.