His expression became even more genuine as he faced his usually doting grandmother. "Yes."
"You still want to talk about it?!" Grandpa Qin suddenly stood up. "I did it for your own good! That person holds a significant position in the Jiang family, and even I couldn't find complete information on them."
The thought of spending an entire day only to receive a blank information page sent a shiver of fear down his spine.
Fortunately, he had been vigilant this time and investigated. Otherwise, who knew what the Jiang family would have done to his grandson?
"Ningyi, I taught you from a young age, 'A gentleman does not stand under a crumbling wall'..."
"She's not from the Jiang family, Grandpa. And the information you found isn't about her either." Qin Ningyi looked calmly into Grandpa Qin's eyes. In a psychological battle, steadfastness was key.
Only by being sufficiently firm could he make Grandpa Qin doubt and buy himself enough time.
"Do you think I'll believe you just because you say so?" Grandpa Qin thought he knew his grandson well enough. "If her background were truly clean, and you were truly set on this person, wouldn't you have brought her home for us to see?"
"I will."
He spoke with such earnest conviction that Grandpa Qin's anger deflated like a punctured tire.
"She's really not from the Jiang family?"
"No."
Grandpa Qin, soothed by Grandma Liu, sat down. "I'll continue investigating. If I find out she has any connection to the Jiang family, your relationship must end immediately."
"Until I find out, I'll have someone protect you."
This was his final compromise.
It was rare for his grandson to have someone he liked so intensely after so many years. He didn't want his grandson to be hurt, nor did he want him to remain lonely.
"I can protect myself, Grandpa. I don't want her to be scared."
Grandpa Qin was about to say more when Qin Ningyi interrupted him.
"Please."
He lowered his eyes, concealing all his emotional fluctuations. His smile was faint and gentle, his voice carrying a barely perceptible tremor of unease.
At that moment, a cool, eerie breeze blew in from outside the door, chilling his heart and leaving him with an inexplicable sense of discomfort.
Grandpa Qin said no more, tacitly agreeing to Qin Ningyi's request.
The rest of the meal was rather somber, with no one bringing up the matter again.
After dinner, Grandpa Qin returned to his study. He had to continue having people investigate the Jiang family. He didn't intend to start by targeting Qin Ningyi; he just needed to prove that no one from the Jiang family was near his grandson.
Back in her room, Grandma Liu kept Su Nianzhu behind. "Nianzhu, you know the girl Ningyi likes, don't you?"
She had been puzzled before. Qin Ningyi had become increasingly mature and understanding over the years. What had prompted him to send Su Nianzhu back to care for her? Now, seeing his attitude towards that girl, she could guess some of it.
Su Nianzhu had been instructed by Qin Ningyi not to tell Grandpa Qin about Huo Rou.
Now, with Grandma Liu asking, she hesitated about whether to answer or not.
"Did Ningyi tell you not to say anything?" Grandma Liu guessed as she saw Su Nianzhu's conflicted expression.
Su Nianzhu nodded. She had already disappointed her son; she couldn't make another mistake.
Although she didn't believe a Chinese person like Huo Rou could have any connection to the Jiang family...
"Alright, I'll ask him myself." Grandma Liu picked up her cane and started to walk out. "Don't follow me; I want to have a private chat with my grandson."
She found Qin Ningyi sitting on the swing under the loquat tree in the courtyard.
Looking at the lush, canopy-like loquat tree, Grandma Liu couldn't help but smile. This peculiar tree in the courtyard had been planted by Qin Ningyi himself years ago.
Her usually proud and self-possessed grandson, who acted like a little adult, had uncharacteristically planted a tree himself and then had a swing made for it.
Later, during a holiday, her grandson had returned and sat under that tree, his lonely silhouette very similar to how he looked now.
"Ningyi," she called out.
Qin Ningyi turned, a faint smile already on his face. "Grandma, why are you out so late? Be careful not to catch a chill."
He took off his jacket, walked over, and draped it over Grandma Liu's shoulders. Then, he helped her to a stone bench under the tree.
"My little Ningyi is still as sensible and thoughtful as ever," Grandma Liu praised him with a smile.
"Can you tell me about that girl?" Grandma Liu asked, looking at the loquat tree. "Is she the childhood friend you were looking for all those years ago?"
Everyone in the Qin family knew about that incident, but only she truly cared.
Qin Ningyi followed Grandma Liu's gaze to the loquat tree.
In the deep darkness of the night, a hint of unusual emotion finally appeared in his eyes. As a cool breeze blew past, he said softly, "No."
The leaves of the loquat tree rustled. He smiled. "Grandma, you still remember?"
"Of course. For someone you searched so hard for, someone for whom you personally planted a tree based on a promise, how could I not remember?" Grandma Liu said as a matter of course.
"Then... was it the person who got Mr. Wang's calligraphy for you?" Grandma Liu's guess hit the mark again.
"Yes." Qin Ningyi smiled. "Grandma, you always guess so accurately. I must have inherited this talent from you."
"Your talent is the result of your hard work. The only ones I can guess accurately about are you and your grandfather."
She considered her grandson the most responsible young man in the Qin family; everyone praised his early maturity and dependability. But in her heart, this grandson was the most repressed and had suffered the most.
If even she, his grandmother, couldn't understand him, what would he do?
"Can you tell me about her? I don't care about the Jiang family or anything else. Your grandfather's obsession is just that, an obsession. I only care about your happiness."
"She's... very good." Qin Ningyi thought of Huo Rou's bright eyes, and his heart felt warm. "Very smart, knows so many things. Sometimes, in front of her, I feel utterly incompetent."
"So capable?" Grandma Liu was a little surprised. It was rare for someone to make Qin Ningyi feel insecure.
"Yes. And there's so much more about her that I don't know." Qin Ningyi sounded a little helpless.
"Does she like you?"
This was a question Qin Ningyi had never heard an answer to from Huo Rou, even though she was his girlfriend.
"I think so..." He suddenly felt a wave of uncertainty.
Grandma Liu teased, "Seeing your lack of confidence, you'll have to work hard to keep her heart."
Qin Ningyi also smiled, admitting, "Yes. I need to try harder."
Love can make people anxious and insecure. She saw the uncertainty in her usually proud grandson and was reminded of Grandpa Qin from years ago.
"Ningyi, if a person hides their emotions for too long, it might lead those around them to misunderstand."
Qin Ningyi looked at Grandma Liu in confusion, seemingly not understanding the meaning behind her words.