He looked at He Qing, his eyes filled with inquiry and contemplation, making He Qing instinctively uncomfortable, as if she were being seen through.
"Xiao Xi, do I have flowers on my face, Auntie?" He Qing smiled gently.
"No, Auntie. Have we met before?"
Jin Xiao Xi looked at the woman in front of him, trying to search his past memories, but he had no impression of this woman named He Qing.
He Qing's heart skipped a beat. She smiled even more brilliantly, "Little one, you are so cute."
Zhao Qin also said with a chuckle, "Xiao Xi, your Aunt He has been abroad and only returned recently. Where would you have met her?"
Jin Xiao Xi glanced at He Qing again before retracting his gaze.
"Grandma, I have something to tell you today."
Seeing her grandson's serious expression, Zhao Qin raised her eyebrows in surprise and pulled Xiao Xi closer, "What is it? Have you been wronged over there? Grandma will help you seek justice."
As she said this, she felt even more disgusted with Su Ding.
A woman with nothing had managed to take her grandson away from her side. Her methods were truly brilliant.
"Grandma, let's talk in the study."
Jin Xiao Xi looked at his grandmother and said seriously.
He Qing glanced at the grandmother and grandson, frowning slightly. Although Jin Xiao Xi was just a child, she could sense a sharpness and insight in him similar to Jin Ye's.
What did this kid want to say?
Zhao Qin had always indulged her only precious grandson. She chuckled and patted his head, "What do you want to tell Grandma? You're so secretive. Alright, Grandma will go to the study with you."
She then said to He Qing, "Xiao Qing, then I'll go upstairs with the child."
He Qing smiled understandingly, "Okay, Qin Jie, you just accompany the child. No need to entertain me."
He Qing had been staying at the Jin family's house for several days, so Zhao Qin was not worried about her not adapting. She then took her grandson's hand and went upstairs.
They arrived at the study.
Jin Xiao Xi asked casually, "Where is Aunt He Qing from? How do you know her, Grandma?"
For some reason, he felt uncomfortable seeing He Qing.
In this regard, Jin Xiao Xi seemed to have extraordinary intuition. When he was young, Shao Lin had always come to the Jin family and cared for him, but he naturally disliked her. Even when Grandma later told him that Shao Lin was his biological mother, he still felt no closeness towards her.
Later, it turned out that he was not Shao Lin's child, and coupled with what Shao Lin had done to his mother, he was convinced that Shao Lin was not a kind person.
And then there was the Aunt Jiang his mother knew before. Although their relationship seemed good at the time, and she even visited their home, he felt an instant dislike upon first seeing that woman.
Later, that woman did try to seduce his father and create discord between his parents.
And now, He Qing in front of him.
She once again evoked a natural sense of defense in him, making him want to ask a few more questions.
"Your Aunt He Qing is from Jinghai, but she went abroad when she was very young. She only returned recently. It was when Grandma, your stepmother Su Ding, and Grandma Huang and Grandma Zhang encountered some trouble at Qingfeng Temple, and your Aunt He Qing saved us."
Zhao Qin didn't think much of her grandson's question and answered frankly.
She continued, "If it weren't for your Aunt He Qing, Grandma would have been killed by your stepmother… Aunt He Qing is a good person. Xiao Xi, you should spend more time with kind people in the future and don't believe sweet talk."
Jin Xiao Xi knew that Grandma was starting to brainwash him again.
He nodded perfunctorily, "I know."
"So, Xiao Xi, what did you want to tell Grandma?" Zhao Qin finally remembered.
Jin Xiao Xi then tensed his little face, looking serious and stern at Zhao Qin.
"Grandma, you have to tell me the truth."
Zhao Qin didn't know why, but she nodded. She was very attentive to her grandson's words.
Jin Xiao Xi then asked, "Were the negative online comments about my mother manipulated by you and Shao Lin?"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Qin froze on the spot.
Her expression changed several times, and she quickly tried to shake her head, but when she met her grandson's firm gaze, she felt as if she had been seen through.
Immediately after, she thought of Su Ding, and her anger flared!
"Xiao Xi, tell Grandma, was it Su Ding who instigated you to question me?!"
Looking at Zhao Qin's reaction, Jin Xiao Xi was already certain. He shook his head and said sternly, "I found out. I saw you and Shao Lin on the surveillance footage from Fuyi Jiayuan."
At that time, he had only shown his mother a snapshot of Shao Lin.
He had done this to protect Grandma, because he didn't want the conflict between his mother and grandmother to deepen.
He decided to resolve it himself.
"What? You found out?"
Zhao Qin's angry expression froze once again.
That's right, her grandson was a genius in computing. She hadn't expected that the top hacker hired by He Qing from abroad would be defeated by a seven-year-old child? It was unbelievable. If that were the case, did Su Ding also know?!
"Grandma, please don't target Mom anymore, okay?"
Jin Xiao Xi took Zhao Qin's hand and said earnestly, "Shao Lin is not a good person. She is using you. I haven't told Dad and Grandpa about this, but if one day Dad and Grandpa find out about this, Grandma you…"
Zhao Qin understood the unspoken words. If this were exposed, her influence in the family would continue to diminish.
But should she just let Su Ding bully her and not fight back?
Zhao Qin felt indignant.
Her expression became increasingly displeased, but she couldn't bear to lose her temper with her grandson.
"Xiao Xi, be good. Don't worry about adult matters."
"When you grow up, you'll understand Grandma's difficulties. Don't tell Grandpa and Dad about this, okay?"
Zhao Qin stroked her grandson's hair and said kindly.
Jin Xiao Xi looked at his grandmother's slightly tired face and knew it would be difficult to persuade her for now.
However, he hoped that the reminder of his father and grandfather would make Grandma stop.
Grandma was so good to him, he couldn't bear to hurt her.
"Mm, I understand, Grandma."
After they finished talking, they went downstairs.
He Qing was looking at her phone. Seeing them come down, she smiled and said, "Xiao Xi is such a handsome child, he really resembles his grandfather."
"Yes, he'll be very popular with girls when he grows up."
Zhao Qin smiled happily, finding more joy in praising her grandson than in praising herself.
Soon, it was lunchtime.
Jin Xiao Xi stayed for lunch. After sitting for a while, he heard his grandfather return.
As Jin He reached the doorway, he saw his grandson and his face lit up with joy, "Xiao Xi is here."
"Grandpa."
Jin Xiao Xi walked over and greeted him.
Jin He compared Xiao Xi's height and said with a smile, "It's only been a few days, and Xiao Xi has grown taller again. You'll be taller than your father in the future."
Jin Xiao Xi smiled and said, "I'll come back to see Grandpa and Grandma often in the future."
Jin He chuckled heartily, appearing very happy.
"Good, good."
Jin Xiao Xi followed his grandfather to the dining table, only to find his grandmother looking rather cold.
His grandfather glanced at his grandmother and didn't speak proactively, only chatting with Xiao Xi about school matters.
On the other hand, He Qing chatted with his grandfather for a few sentences.
Although she was polite, Jin Xiao Xi felt that He Qing's gaze towards his grandfather was a bit off.
It was somewhat like eyeing a valuable item.
Jin Xiao Xi observed the dynamics at the dinner table as he ate.
He realized that his grandparents were definitely in a cold war, but he didn't know why.
After the meal, Jin Xiao Xi went to the study with his grandfather to chat.
Zhao Qin sat on the sofa sullenly, ignoring everyone, her mind in a turmoil.
She could only confide in Shao Lin.
Shao Lin lived alone in a small apartment in a different district, cared for by professional doctors, with hackers helping her maintain and conceal her address. She continued to vent her dissatisfaction with Su Ding online.
Seeing Zhao Qin's message at this moment, she stopped her attacks and began to offer warm comfort, painting a picture for her of how Su Ding's true colors would eventually be revealed, and how Jin He and Jin Ye would apologize to her…
Gradually, Zhao Qin's mood improved slightly.
She looked up, about to ask Sister Zhang to pour her a glass of water, when she happened to see He Qing carrying a tea tray upstairs.
"Xiao Qing, where are you going?" Zhao Qin asked.
"Oh, I saw Mr. Jin and Xiao Xi go to the study, and I thought I'd bring them something to drink," He Qing said with a smile.
Zhao Qin looked at He Qing's smiling face and, for some reason, found it somewhat glaring.
As a guest, she shouldn't be so proactive.
She couldn't quite explain the feeling in her heart. If it was jealousy, she had never seen Jin He and He Qing cross any boundaries, but now…
"Let Sister Zhang send it. You don't need to trouble yourself," Zhao Qin said, feigning politeness.
"It's fine, no trouble."
He Qing smiled and then said ambiguously, "Qin Jie, are you jealous?"