No sooner had Qin Shou arrived at the airport than he was summoned back to the Qin family’s old residence by a phone call from Old Master Qin.
His good mood, which had lasted all morning, evaporated.
Qin Shou’s face turned icy cold, and the driver nervously turned the car around, heading for the old Qin family home.
The Qin family’s old residence is on Xiangzhang Road, reportedly once a prince’s mansion.
It’s an area where many of the capital’s wealthy and influential families are clustered.
The Qin family, with shallow roots and no strong backing in the capital, purchased this mansion at great expense to build their influence.
A single mansion might not mean much to long-established families.
Most families with a bit of history would have one or two old residences passed down through generations, not to mention the ancestral homes of some ancient families, which have been inherited for generations, accumulating not just increasingly valuable land but also an undeniable family heritage.
This is what defines an “old family.”
The Qin family, having risen to prominence later, lacked this kind of family heritage.
While the old established families in the capital, passed down to the present day, might not have the same financial wealth as the Qin family, their intricate network of connections was something a hundred Qin families couldn’t match.
To break into this circle, the Qin family needed substantial capital.
The old mansion on Xiangzhang Road was the Qin family’s first step into the capital’s upper circles.
***
Facts proved that Old Master Qin’s method was effective.
The old saying, “iron-clad dynasties, flowing noble families,” was not without reason.
A large number of the capital’s old families appeared deeply rooted and unbreakable, but in reality, in this era, with numerous family members and extravagant lifestyles, coupled with scholarly families often being poor at managing finances, most families struggled to make ends meet to maintain their so-called family honor.
They were like a towering tree, outwardly splendid but inwardly beginning to wither.
The Qin family, as the new wealthy elite in the capital, was like a fresh stream.
The old families lacked money, and the Qin family lacked connections.
The two immediately hit it off, each getting what they needed, leading to a win-win situation for many years.
By Qin Shou’s father’s generation, the Qin family, if not completely dominating the capital, no longer needed to rely on the old families’ whims.
***
From afar, Qin Shou looked at the old Qin family residence.
The massive mansion was hidden behind layers of tree shadows, exuding an inexplicable sense of twilight, like an aging giant beast; after its peak, came decline.
In the living room.
Old Master Qin sat in the main seat, Qin Shou’s father, Qin Feng, sat on his left, and his uncle, Qin Rui, sat on the right, followed by his aunt, Li Zhen.
Qin Shou had always been impatient with the Qin family’s convoluted dealings, so he cut straight to the chase, “Why did you call me back?”
“Hmph!”
Qin Rui snorted, looking at Qin Shou with ill intent.
Aunt Li Zhen, beside him, nudged him and smiled, “Ashou, your grandfather called you back this time mainly for your marriage.
You’re not getting any younger, it’s good to settle down early so someone can take care of you outside.
My niece from my mother’s side happens to be…”
“Is this your idea?”
Qin Shou interrupted Li Zhen, looking directly at Qin Feng, who sat above.
Qin Feng averted his gaze, eyes darting, not meeting Qin Shou’s.
“You’ve reached the age to get married.”
Qin Shou scoffed, “You don’t need to worry about my marriage.”
He then leisurely stood up, his gaze sweeping over Qin Rui and his wife.
“I don’t like women. Aunt, you wouldn’t want your niece to marry in and live like a widow, would you?”
“Nonsense!”
A teacup smashed by Qin Shou’s feet with a dull thud, the spilled tea soaking the carpet.
Old Master Qin’s veins throbbed on his forehead, his face grim.
“Is that your attitude towards your elders?”
Qin Shou felt even more disgusted, and his face grew more impatient.
“You meddle less in my affairs. Don’t blame me for disregarding kinship if your hands stretch too far!”
Qin Shou’s gaze was cold, and his words were impolite.
“It’s better for people to know their place.”
After speaking, he left without waiting for the reactions of those present.
Stepping out of the Qin family mansion, even the air seemed to freshen.
Qin Shou pinched his brow, letting out a long breath.
Dealing with the Qin family was far more tiring than negotiations.
Unfortunately, the events of that year hadn’t been fully investigated, so he couldn’t completely break ties just yet.
Qin Shou leaned back against the chair, his face weary.
“To East Xuefu Road, No. 27.” First, pick up the kitten, and buy all the necessary pet supplies along the way.
“Yes.”
***
~ At the Lin family’s home ~
Lin Xiao was currently in a staring contest with Su Yu.
Su Yu was cautiously arching his body, his pupils narrowed to thin slits, intently fixated on the man across the sofa.
“Little darling,” Lin Xiao slowly approached Su Yu with a dried fish, trying to coax him, “Be a good boy, don’t move.”
“Meow-ao!”
“Damn idiot, don’t move so you can grab Dad and pet his balls?! Pervert!”
Watching Lin Xiao approach step by step, Su Yu tensed his body, pushed hard with his hind legs, and leaped behind Lin Xiao.
Before Lin Xiao could react, he swiftly climbed to the top of the bookshelf.
“Meow!”
Su Yu looked down at Lin Xiao from his high perch, baring his teeth in a challenging grin, though his furry face made it impossible to tell.
Lin Xiao looked at the kitten perched on top of the bookshelf, baring its teeth.
His liver ached with anger.
Unfortunately, his height was a critical flaw; he couldn’t reach the top of the bookshelf.
Realizing this, Lin Xiao grew even angrier, circling around to find tools to make a ladder.
“Hey, you little hussy, this old man doesn’t believe he can’t deal with you!” he muttered, then prepared to drag the nearby sofa over to stand on.
“D-ding-dong!”
The timely sound of the doorbell saved Su Yu.
Lin Xiao ground his teeth, glaring at Su Yu on the shelf.
“Don’t you dare run!” he growled, then turned to open the door.
***
And when he opened the door, he was met with the chilling face of his boss.
Years of ingrained physical instinct kicked in immediately.
Lin Xiao straightened his back, lowered his gaze, and said, “Good evening, CEO Qin.”
He was utterly meek and well-behaved, with no hint of the battle he was preparing for a second ago.
Qin Shou nodded and said, “I’m here to pick up the cat.”
With that, he bypassed Lin Xiao, eager to go inside and find his cat.
“Daddy’s here to pick you up, my good boy.”
However, he didn’t find him.
“Where’s my son?”
His mood instantly soured.
Qin Shou looked at Lin Xiao with a dark face.
“Where’s the cat?”
Sensing the BOSS’s low pressure, Lin Xiao’s mouth twitched.
Maintaining a smiling face, he pointed to the bookshelf.
“It’s playing on the bookshelf.”
Then, in his mind, he cursed Su Yu ten thousand times!
***
Qin Shou looked up, his gaze meeting Su Yu’s, who was closely monitoring the situation on the ground.
A mysterious staring contest.
Su Yu tilted his head, greeting Qin Shou.
“Meow!”
‘My son actually knows how to tilt his head to act cute, I’m hopelessly addicted to the head tilt.’
Qin Shou’s mind was frantically scrolling, but his face remained impassive.
He opened his arms and clapped his hands.
“Come down.”
Su Yu hesitated, quickly weighing the pros and cons between the “seductive bitch” and the “cool CEO.”
He then decisively jumped into the cool CEO’s embrace.
Yes, in Su Yu’s mind, Lin Xiao had already been stamped with the label of “seductive bitch.”
Lighting a candle for Lin Xiao, because the CEO’s heart was exceptionally biased.
***
Qin Shou steadily caught the now plumper Su Xiaoyu.
A man who was 1.9 meters tall, his arm strength was no joke; it felt incredibly secure.
He cradled the entire cat in his arms, rubbing it contentedly.
Qin Shou’s cloudy mood turned sunny, and the expression on his face softened considerably.
“You’ve worked hard.”
Lin Xiao smiled, his gaze fixed on Qin Shou’s nose.
“You’re too kind, CEO Qin.”
Very professional.
Su Yu gave a disdainful glance at Lin Xiao, who had been feigning a serious expression since Qin Shou entered the room.
He scoffed inwardly, “There are so many drama queens these days. Why’s a perfectly good seductive bitch pretending to be frigid?”
Having successfully picked up the cat, Qin Shou happily detoured to the pet supermarket with Su Yu.
This pet supermarket was the largest and most well-stocked among several pet malls in the capital.
Qin Shou, holding Su Yu, first went to grab a small shopping cart.
This type of pet-specific shopping cart was designed similarly to a child’s stroller.
There was a separate small basket in front of the handlebar, with a pet-specific non-slip mat at the bottom, making it convenient for pets to sit in the cart and shop with their owners.
Qin Shou carefully placed Su Yu in the basket, his expression cold, but his voice gentle.
“Sit still, I’m taking you shopping.”
It was a complete split personality.
Su Yu stayed in the basket, his cat eyes wide and round, curiously looking at the various brightly colored trinkets around him.
Su Yu was very fond of small animals; in middle school, he had always wanted to raise a golden retriever, but unfortunately, someone in his family disliked them, so he never got one.
He hadn’t expected his first time buying pet supplies to be for himself.
Life was full of surprises indeed.
Watching Su Yu clinging to the basket, peering left and right, his long tail swishing behind him, Qin Shou felt his heart melt.
Resisting the dangerous urge to stroke that furry tail, Qin Shou gripped the shopping cart handle and strode towards the feline supplies section.
The man and the cat excitedly browsed the supermarket for a long time.
Cat beds, cat toys, scratching posts, catnip, and all sorts of other random little things filled the entire cart.
Ignoring the surprised glances of others, Qin Shou pushed the cart to the cashier.
His aloof demeanor successfully scared off a bunch of girls who wanted to strike up a conversation.
After the attendant placed the items in the trunk, Qin Shou sent the driver back on his own and personally drove Su Xiaoyu home.
***
The house Qin Shou bought was in the Third Ring Road, a very simple apartment in a complex.
Compared to his current net worth, the house seemed quite modest.
Jixiang Community had excellent greenery, and being close to a university, most of its residents were school teachers and students.
Every morning and evening, there were young people jogging, old men and women doing square dancing, and passersby chatting and laughing in twos and threes.
It was noisy but full of life, bringing a rare calm to Qin Shou’s often agitated heart.
This was the life he had always longed for: stable yet lively, full of pleasant everyday sounds.
As a child, he was confined to the lifeless old Qin family mansion.
Now that he had the ability to break free from the shackles the Qin family had placed upon him, and had personally built a home that belonged solely to him, he still felt something was missing.
He turned his head to look at the kitten, which was dozing off on the car seat, its head nodding.
Qin Shou’s gaze softened, the coldness he had feigned during the day receding.
He gently picked up the sleepy Su Yu, who habitually rubbed against his hand and let out a meow.
Qin Shou chuckled, and softly said to the kitten in his arms, “This is my home. From now on, it’s your home too.”
Now, let’s go home together.
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