Xiao Liyan walked towards Gu Qichen and Qin He after speaking.
The woman wanted to chase after him, but after thinking of something, she ultimately did not dare.
Yan Chen, hands in his pockets, glanced at the woman. "You got what you wanted, so hurry back. Otherwise, you'll get nothing at all."
"Liyan, I truly love you!" the woman gritted out.
Xiao Liyan had already reached Gu Qichen and looked at Qin He with a smile. "Qin He, where are you going? It's all my fault today for startling you. I apologize."
Qin He smiled. "It has nothing to do with you. I was actually looking for an opportunity to thank you for what happened at the bar before."
"That, it was a small matter," Xiao Liyan said with a smile.
After only a few words with Qin He, he felt a cold gaze fixed on him.
Turning his head, Gu Qichen's expression was stern. "Are you done chatting? If you are, take your woman and get lost."
Xiao Liyan looked innocent. "She and I have already broken up."
The woman stood not far away, unwilling to leave, gazing at them with tears in her eyes.
Yan Chen, standing nearby, said, "This road, Qichen, you're heading to the Gu family's old residence, right? I haven't visited Grandma Gu since I came from Haicheng this time. Shall we go together to pay our respects?"
Xiao Liyan nodded in agreement.
Gu Qichen saw through their intention to watch the show and sneered. "As you wish."
He turned and opened the car door. "Qin He, get in."
Not far away, Yan Chen, who was getting into his car, made a "tsk tsk" sound.
"When you talk to us, it's 'as you wish,' but your voice was so gentle when you called Qin He."
Xiao Liyan drove, a teasing smile on his face. "Yan Chen, it seems Qichen is serious this time."
Yan Chen was indifferent, resting his elbow on the car window. "Forget it. Qin He stayed under his nose for two years, and he could still ignore her. I think he's just acting out because he's lost something, and it'll pass in a while."
Xiao Liyan raised an eyebrow. "Shall we make a bet?"
"That depends on the stake."
"Your newly opened restaurant."
As they chatted, when Song Nuan was mentioned, Yan Chen sneered. "Someone like Song Nuan, I wouldn't even want her as a bed warmer. I don't know how Qichen has been blind for so many years."
Xiao Liyan sighed slightly. "The fog of affection. Don't you remember Song Nuan saved Qichen when he was a child? Childhood experiences have a profound impact on people."
"I heard Lu Mingxi is pursuing Qin He lately. There were even rumors online before," Yan Chen said, stroking his chin.
Xiao Liyan gave a cold laugh. "He can't win against Qichen."
Yan Chen frowned, a little worried. "Old Gu doesn't need to be romantic at all; he's like a block of ice. Lu Mingxi is an old hand at charming women, and Qin He is the eldest daughter of the Qin family, raised under their protection. How could she possibly outwit Lu Mingxi? She might actually be coaxed away."
"Yan Chen, the three of us grew up together. How has your judgment of people not improved at all?"
"What do you mean?" Yan Chen gritted his teeth.
"Gu Qichen is not an unfeeling block of ice. When he wants something, have you ever seen him fail to get it?"
Xiao Liyan glanced at Yan Chen mockingly. "And as for Miss Qin, she's not as foolish as you think. Someone who could hold up the Qin Corporation when Qin Yun was injured, can she be an ordinary person?"
Yan Chen thought for a moment. "You have a point."
The two cars drove one after another into the Gu family's old residence.
Old Mrs. Gu heard that Qin He had arrived and came out to meet her before she even entered the house.
"He'er, do you miss Grandma?" the old lady asked with a face full of smiles.
Qin He helped Grandma Gu, her gaze falling on Gu Qichen, who had just gotten out of the car. There were several distinct black smudges on his white shirt.
They were chestnut stains from when he had an accident earlier.
Xiao Liyan and Yan Chen also got out of their cars. In front of Grandma Gu, they were as refined and polite as aspiring young men.
"Hello, Grandma Gu."
"Grandma Gu."
Old Mrs. Gu recognized them and smiled. "You two mischievous monkeys, I haven't seen you in ages. Have you grown taller, Xiao Chen?"
The group entered the main hall. It was the weekend, and Gu Ranran was also at home.
She raised her eyes and saw Qin He, her small face complex.
She was angry that Qin He hadn't given her face at the Joint Department before, but deep down, she still acknowledged her.
In the end, she just coldly ignored her with a sulky expression.
Yan Chen saw Gu Ranran and, as usual, teased her. "Ranran, have you missed Brother Chen?"
Gu Ranran snorted. "Brother Chen, I'm already a college student. Don't talk to me like you're coaxing a child."
Xiao Liyan, on the other hand, smiled and stroked Gu Ranran's head. "How have your studies been lately?"
"It's okay."
Yan Chen glared. "He's treating you even more like a child! This double standard of yours isn't good."
While they chatted and laughed, Qin He sat steadily, talking with Old Mrs. Gu.
Gu Qichen sat to the side, listening to them talk about everyday matters.
Quiet here, action there.
The atmosphere in the hall was joyful. Old Mrs. Gu was also happy. "Seeing you children today makes me so happy. You can't leave tonight; I'll have the kitchen make your favorite dishes!"
The group naturally had no objections.
After spending some time with Qin He, Old Mrs. Gu reluctantly went for her nap.
When Qin He returned after seeing off Old Mrs. Gu, she sat on the sofa, listening to the others playfully bicker.
"Qin He, you call me Brother Yan, so it feels a bit distant for me to keep calling you Qin He. Can I call you He'er?" Xiao Liyan asked with a smile.
Qin He narrowed her eyes. "You can."
This Xiao Liyan was cunning and mischievous, the type to play dirty. His words were always about making concessions to gain advantage, so polite that you couldn't find fault, making it hard to refuse.
Yan Chen, standing beside them, said, "Then He'er should call me Brother Chen from now on. Don't worry, this 'Brother' title won't be in vain. I'll protect you in Jiangcheng!"
Gu Qichen silently added, "We don't need your help."
Yan Chen curled his lips, revealing a row of pearly white teeth as he smiled. "So, does that mean He'er is protected by you?"
Gu Qichen sneered.
He still had to call Qin He by her name, and Qin He called him by his full name, or Mr. Gu for business matters.
Who would have thought that these two would become Brother Yan and Brother Chen!
As the conversation grew boring, Yan Chen suggested playing Mahjong, and they moved to the side hall.
Gu Ranran didn't know how to play Mahjong, so she sat obediently next to Gu Qichen, hoping to scam some pocket money. "Brother, if you lose, it's yours; if you win, it's mine. How about it?"
Gu Qichen grunted in agreement.
The remaining Qin He, Xiao Liyan, and Yan Chen were on their respective sides.
After a few rounds, Yan Chen's mouth twitched slightly.
Xiao Liyan's eyes held a smile. "Gu Qichen, are you deliberately feeding Qin He cards?"
Qin He, holding a red dragon, was also a bit puzzled.
The cards she should have claimed were always played by Gu Qichen. She had thought it was a coincidence.
Gu Qichen's expression was calm. "Coincidence."
Yan Chen gritted his teeth. "You're truly not being a decent person. Liyan, it looks like we two have to team up."
After playing Mahjong for a while, Qin He felt a bit tired. She looked at Gu Ranran. "Do you want to play?"
Gu Ranran had also figured out a thing or two by now. "Yes."
Qin He gave up her seat to Gu Ranran and went to sit on the sofa nearby, picking up some snacks from the table and eating them, then drinking some juice.
Gu Qichen, while playing Mahjong, his gaze occasionally drifted to the sofa.
At the end of a round, he threw a Mahjong tile onto the table. "I'm not playing anymore. It's not interesting."