Guan Da Gou's visit under the pretense of delivering gifts was merely a ruse to convey a message—Han Qian knew that much as he climbed the stairs, brow furrowed. He couldn't fathom what Guan hoped to gain by revealing all this to him. Lin Zongheng's wealth and influence were well known throughout the city, even the entire province. Would Tu Xiao truly risk offending someone like Lin Zongheng for the sake of someone as inconsequential as himself?
Han Qian couldn't make sense of it. As he stepped out of the elevator, he saw young Tu Kun leaning against the wall in her oversized school uniform, waiting at the door. When she caught sight of him, she hurried forward to take the items from his hands, lifting her face with a mischievous smile.
"Uncle, don't overthink it. I know exactly what's going on between you and Li Jiawei. Guan Da Gou only came here today to share all this as a gesture of thanks from Jiawei for what you did at school. I don't want Jiawei's family to owe anyone."
Smack!
Han Qian brought his hand down lightly on Tu Kun's smooth forehead, chuckling as he scolded,
"Little rascal, putting on makeup at your age? I helped Jiawei because his mother is my landlady. She's been kind to me, always looking out for me. You're still so young—focus on your studies."
Tu Kun stared at him, eyes wide with disbelief, her voice trembling in astonishment.
"You dare hit me? Han Qian, how dare you?"
Before she could react further, Han Qian had her by the nape of the neck, ushering her through the half-open door. Once inside, he gave her a light kick on the backside and laughed,
"You call me Uncle, I'll treat you like my niece. What, am I not allowed to discipline you?"
Miss Tu, who had never been touched by anyone in her life—especially since her mother's passing—had grown up spoiled beyond measure by her father. To be slapped and kicked today? She was furious, her chest heaving with indignation. Suddenly, she pouted and burst into tears, running to the living room to throw her arms around Wen Nuan and wail.
"Wen-jie! Uncle hit me! I was just being nice and helping him carry things, but he said I was too slow and kicked me, and he slapped my forehead too!"
Wen Nuan frowned at the tearful girl clinging to her arm, then lifted her gaze to Han Qian, her eyes glinting with an icy chill—not because he had struck Tu Kun, but because of *where* he had kicked her.
Though the day was warm, over thirty degrees, Han Qian couldn't help shivering. Muttering an excuse about helping with dinner, he fled to the kitchen, thinking to himself how challenging today's children could be.
After he left, Tu Kun let go of Wen Nuan's arm. The two girls went back to their respective business, ignoring each other as if the affectionate scene from moments earlier had never happened.
Dinner was so lavish that Han Qian hardly knew how to start eating. Even Wen Nuan, usually so cool and detached, couldn't help smiling.
There was a small pot of hairy crabs on the table. With a spoon in one hand, Wen Nuan reached out with the other, only to have her hand smacked by Han Qian's chopsticks. She frowned, and he frowned right back.
"You're a guest. The host hasn't started eating—what's your rush?"
"Oh, Han Qian, why are you picking on Nuan like that? We're all family here—come on, let her have one!"
The landlady placed a crab in Wen Nuan's bowl, and Wen Nuan, looking pitiful, shook her head and said softly,
"He doesn't eat crab, and he won't let me eat it either. I haven't had crab in such a long time."
That didn't sit well with the landlady, who gently smacked Han Qian's shoulder and chided,
"If you don't eat it, fine—but don't stop Nuan from enjoying it. That's just not right, Han Qian."
Han Qian swallowed his frustration. Just then, he noticed Tu Kun muttering something under her breath—he didn't catch the words, but he knew they weren't pleasant. Ignoring both girls, he asked about Li Jiawei's grades. The boy was aiming for a top high school, not a sure bet, but worth trying for. At least the second-ranked high school was secure.
Judging from his scores, a 211 or even a 985 university seemed within reach if he kept working hard. Jiawei's temperament was good, and the landlady didn't need to worry much.
Perhaps children from single-parent families matured sooner. The landlady seemed to take Jiawei's early romance in stride, as long as it didn't interfere with his studies or lead to anything inappropriate.
Han Qian thought of the landlady and then of Tu Xiao, sighing inwardly at the contrast.
When he married Wen Nuan, the old man had said he was too young to wed. Looking at today's kids, Han Qian felt ancient.
After dinner, the two youngsters went back to studying. Han Qian helped clean up the dishes, then left with Wen Nuan. On the way back, Wen Nuan murmured that she didn't like Tu Kun—such precocious scheming at her age had everything to do with her home environment.
And you, Wen Nuan, acting so smug—Tu Kun may be prematurely mature, but you're not even that!
No sooner had they gotten home than the two kids followed. Li Jiawei brought over a math problem he couldn't figure out—something about what color a bear would be if it fell into a pit. Han Qian scowled and cursed the question-maker's sanity, but Wen Nuan snatched the book and explained it patiently, weaving in geography and even biology. Han Qian, baffled by it all, retreated to the bathroom to do the laundry.
Wen Nuan, who claimed to be a cleanliness fanatic, had nothing but pale-colored clothes. Han Qian washed them one by one. Tu Kun squatted at the bathroom door, watching him with grave seriousness.
"Han Qian, you should be a househusband," she declared.
Han Qian looked up and smiled.
"Oh? Why do you say that?"
"Look at Wen Nuan—she doesn't seem like the type who'd keep a house tidy. Your home is spotless—there's not even a hair on the floor, and the tiles shine like mirrors. You're the one washing these clothes, and when I was at Li Jiawei's house, I saw you cooking in the kitchen too. Han Qian!"
Smack!
With a wet hand, Han Qian playfully slapped Tu Kun's forehead. She jumped up in anger, ready to fight back, but her arms were too short—no matter how she flailed, she couldn't reach him. After a final flick on her forehead, she sulked off to the living room to seek comfort from Li Jiawei.
Li Jiawei was studying, Tu Kun pestering him at his side. The two of them had a kind of sweet, puppy-love energy about them.
Around ten o'clock, Tu Kun's phone rang—Guan Junbiao had come to take her home. Han Qian saw the two kids out but didn't go downstairs himself, wary that Guan Da Gou might spring another revelation on him that he wasn't ready to digest.
Once the clothes were hung up and the chores done, Han Qian took a shower, changed, and lay down on the tatami to rest. He couldn't help thinking about Lin Zongheng. The man seemed like a brainless playboy, but his actions were anything but careless—and very generous too.
Forty grand, after all!