Qin Sheng was at a similar age as Song Ruyu. And that was why the two Old Masters of the Song and Qin families made the engagement. What a coincidence that their daughters-in-law both got pregnant at the same time.
The engagement was made one day on an autumn afternoon. The two Old Masters hung out at Mount Xiang, a tourist attraction in Beijing, to enjoy the well-known sight of maple trees. Beijing was a middle-sized city in those days, so people standing at the top of Mount Xiang could have a complete view of the Forbidden City. But now the scene was ruined by the heavy smog.
Old Master Song started the conversation, smiling and asking, “Lao Qin, your daughter-in-law is about to deliver the baby, did you do any fortunetelling to find out the baby’s gender?”
Old Master Qin shook his head and said with a smile, “The Qin Family has had male inheritors in every generation up to now. I’m not worried. Mind your own business. Maybe your grandchild will be a girl.”
Old Master Song was flustered and said, “Hmph, I don’t believe that. I bet you’ll have a granddaughter and I’ll have a grandson.”
“OK, let’s bet on it. For your information, I’ve never lost.” Old Master Qin was particularly confident. “First of all, what will you bet? You must make it something worthwhile.”
Old Master Song giggled and said, “That depends on you.”
“So if I have a granddaughter and you have a grandson, or if I have a grandson and you have a granddaughter, then just let our grandchildren be a couple. But if we both have grandsons or granddaughters, just forget it, OK?” Old Master Qin said, smiling.
Old Master Song burst out laughing. “OK!”
That was the story of their engagement, and it had been forgotten by the two families for several years. And it had been 20 years since the incident happened that the Qin Family got into great trouble and Old Master Qin took Qin Sheng away from the dangerous battleground.
Old Master Qin had totally forgotten the matter, so Old Master Song wouldn’t have to keep his word. The so-called engagement was no more than a joke. But since the Qin Family used to help the Song Family and the Qin Family got involved in the trouble, Old Master Song then kept the engagement on his mind, hoping to put up with the Qins.
Old Master Song had mentioned this thing to Qin Changan several times, who had no idea about it at all and gave rather vague answers, for Qin Sheng seemed to disappear for an eternity and everything was unknown. He was afraid that the engagement would be troublesome to Miss Song.
But Old Master Song insisted on the engagement unless his granddaughter fancied someone else whom he also felt satisfied with. If not, the word would be kept until the two young people were 30 years old.
Qin Changan didn’t mind. He thought that Miss Song would be chased by somebody else and didn’t expect that Miss Song would still be single after all these years. Miss Song was really excellent and picky, so she remained single.
And now, Qin Sheng was found by him. Qin Changan had no other choice but to tell Old Master Song the truth. Old Master Song was wild with joy, which put Qin Changan in a deeper dilemma regarding the engagement.
And this was the cause of today’s blind date.
Old Master Song stared at his son and grandson, waiting for their responses. In terms of Song Hesheng’s position in the family, he didn’t deserve to participate in this talk. And this was the reason why Song Ruyu’s brother stayed in the living room and was not allowed by the Old Master to come in. But Song Hesheng being here for the Old Master was showing to him their family’s special expectation.
Song Hesheng disagreed with the engagement once he knew about it. Now that he met Qin Sheng, he was even more dissatisfied. Qin Sheng was by no means a match for his cousin.
“Grandpa, I think that Qin Sheng doesn’t match up with Yu’er.” Song Hesheng gave a curt answer, though he knew his grandfather’s feelings.
Old Master Song’s smile froze immediately and he said in a cold voice, “Hmph, I know your hypocrisy under your decent appearance. You must think I’m domineering. But you also gave such an answer without asking your cousin.”
“Grandpa, don’t bother to ask. We all know a lot of people who are much better than Qin Sheng and she didn’t like them,” Song Heshan claimed dismissively.
Old Master Song shot him an angry glare and said, “You have some feelings about the Qin Family, maybe because you were refused by Ran.”
“Grandpa, that was none of our business. I’m not that kind of person.” Song Heshan found Old Master Song’s thoughts funny and annoying.
Old Master Song still said in an annoying voice, “I know you, better than anyone else. If anyone comes down to your core interest, you’ll be extremely mean. You’re narrow-minded. Shut up. You two, say something. Fushun, you’re Yu’er’s father. You go first.”
Fushun, Song Ruyu’s father, was a researcher working in the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, who had influenced Song Ruyu a lot.
Song Fushun looked kind and friendly, without the arrogant and strong feelings like others in the Song Family. He rarely gave his own opinions in front of his father. Now he forced a bitter smile and said, “Dad, I think we should listen to Yu’er. After all, it’s her engagement, her marriage, and her life. If she likes him, we can talk more. If not, we shouldn’t force her.”
“Fine. I’ll ask her about it. But you mustn’t tell her a word. If I find out any that of you said something, you know the results,” Old Master Song said gruffly. He made particularly strict rules in the family and nobody dared to disobey him. But they didn’t expect that Song Ruyu had known about it much earlier.
Song Hesheng sighed with dissatisfaction. It was obvious that Old Master Song was not concerned about their opinions and had already considered Qin Sheng to be his grandson-in-law.
Song Hesheng’s father said, “Dad, maybe it’s a good choice for Ruyu to marry Qin Sheng. She has her own plans for life. Becoming a member of the Qin Family would guarantee her a great deal of resources. She couldn’t use our family’s resources easily for fear of other people’s comments. And maybe it’s also a good choice considering the Song Family’s future generation.”
Old Master Song thought for a while and said, “Yeah, you’re telling the truth. But for your information, you’re totally wrong if you think the Qin Family doesn’t match up with our Song Family. You have no idea of Qin Changan and his business, and you must have forgotten Qin Sheng’s brother on Mount Wutai.”
They didn’t get Old Master Song’s words. It was known to all that the eldest son of Old Master Qin became a monk several years ago. What could he do now?
Qin Sheng knew nothing about what the Songs were talking about. If he did, he would have rushed to Qin Changan at once.
At the same time, Qin Sheng and Qin Ran had finished their second New Year’s visit. The second host was also too deep to be measured. He had helped Qin Changan a lot these years. Qin Sheng felt familiar the moment he saw the elderly man, but he didn’t remember before he took his leave. When the name finally hit his mind, he was shocked again.
Qin Changan had informed all the hosts that Qin Ran was taking Qin Sheng to pay the New Year’s respects, or they would never deserve to drop in on this elderly man. Qin Sheng and Qin Ran were invited to stay longer and have lunch, but Qin Ran refused politely, for there were other guests.
If not observed particularly carefully, those previous big shots looked no more than common elderly people who were retired and stayed at home.
When they went back to the Qin Family’s siheyuan, lunch was not yet prepared. There were guests in the living room, a man and a woman, both in their 40s, dressing decently, and with good behavior. They sat beside Qin Changan, chatting and laughing.
“You’re back.” Qin Changan greeted Qin Ran and Qin Sheng.
Qin Ran obviously knew those two. She smiled and greeted them. “Uncle Hao, Auntie Chang, hello. Why did you come so early?”
That Auntie Chang was middle-aged, but still had great charm and dressed luxuriously. Since she sat beside Qin Changan, it could be seen that she was no common person.
The middle-aged woman smiled and said, “Your dad asked us to come. He says that he’s going to declare something important. We still have no idea what he’s going to say.”
“Actually, it’s fine if he doesn’t say it. I’m afraid he’s going to give me extra work for the Spring Festival, hahaha.” Uncle Hao was teasing.
They then shifted their attention to the young man standing beside Qin Ran, hiding their emotions properly with little change visible on their faces. But their staring at Qin Sheng was direct. “A stranger standing beside Qin Ran in the Qin Family’s siheyuan; of course he is not a nobody. Is he Qin Ran’s boyfriend?”
If it were true, this had to be what Qin Changan was about to declare. This young man would definitely have a position in the Qins’ company, so they had to treat him carefully.
Qin Sheng smiled and nodded to the two as a greeting. Qin Ran, of course, had an answer in her mind.
Qin Changan didn’t want to conceal anymore. He stood up slowly, with the two following and waiting for the answer.
Qin Changan looked at Qin Chang and said gruffly, “I’m formally introducing to you my son, Qin Sheng.”
The smiles and minds of both of them were frozen by this astonishing news. “How did Qin Changan have another son?”
A turning point had come…