Old Master Zhong arrived at Gu Yue Zhai with Zhong Luochen supporting him.
Zhang Qingrui was already waiting in the main hall, and she led the two of them upstairs to Zhang Li Lanfang's room.
Old Master Zhong and Zhang Li Lanfang silently looked at each other without saying a word. After a while, Old Master Zhong finally spoke. "I'm here to return the thing to you, Luochen."
Hearing Old Master Zhong's instruction, Zhong Luochen quickly opened the brocade box in his hands. Zhang Li Lanfang glanced at it and nodded.
Zhang Qingrui took the brocade box from Zhong Luochen.
At this moment, Zhang Li Lanfang said, "Qingrui, put this thing back where it was. Remember, make sure it's properly secured."
"All right, Grandma." Zhang Qingrui replied softly.
Zhang Li Lanfang continued, "Boy from the Zhong Family, your grandfather and I have some things to discuss in private. You should leave too."
Zhong Luochen hesitated, but Old Master Zhong waved his hand. "It's fine. Wait for me outside."
Zhong Luochen could only say, "Miss Zhang, if you don't mind, I'll accompany you to put the thing away. How about it?"
Zhang Qingrui said indifferently, "No need."
Zhong Luochen smiled faintly and did not press her.
Only after the two young people had left did Old Master Zhong sigh. "Lan Fang, have you been well all these years?"
Zhang Li Lanfang adjusted her qipao, then turned to the side and looked toward the window without looking at Old Master Zhong. She said blandly, "At least I've lived better than you, you old bastard who nearly ended up in a coffin."
Old Master Zhong smiled bitterly. "I really should have ended up in a coffin. I have you to thank for this. If you hadn't lent me the Black Card, I probably wouldn't have been able to make it here to see you one last time."
Zhang Li Lanfang said indifferently, "It was your family's boy who brought the Jade Lock to me. I took it as settling some of the debt from back then. I came to see you today not because I'm happy you survived your crisis, but to see what you sold to extend your old life, and how pathetic you look because of it. Seeing you like this makes me happy."
Old Master Zhong sighed again. "Lan Fang... Do you still remember what happened back then?"
Zhang Li Lanfang let out a cold laugh. "What? Did you want me to forget? Or are you saying that after all these years, an old woman like me should have become senile and forgotten?"
Old Master Zhong hurriedly said, "That's not what I meant! We all know that we wronged you back then... After that incident, we were filled with guilt. We had intended to take good care of the Zhang Family, but we never expected you to disappear overnight without saying goodbye. Later, we found out that you had come here. We wanted to look for you, but we were afraid you hadn't gotten over it, so we kept delaying until now."
As he spoke, Old Master Zhong's voice took on a hint of a sob. "We... I, in truth, didn't have the face to come see you. If I hadn't taken a trip through Ghost Gate Pass this time, sigh..."
Zhang Li Lanfang only let out another cold laugh. "Don't pretend to be pitiful in front of me! I know your tricks too well! Hmph, you had the same faces back then, spouting lofty principles and forcing my husband to go to That Place in the name of righteousness! All these years, there hasn't been a word from him. I don't even know whether he's alive or dead. Well, well! Very good indeed! You really still had the nerve to come see me!"
Old Master Zhong shook his head. "Say whatever you want. I came here this time for only two things."
Seeing Zhang Li Lanfang's indifferent expression, he could only continue. "First, to thank you for lending me the Black Card. But you said it was repayment for the debt from back then... My life has been extended, but the price was considerable. Let's consider this matter settled. Second, I hope you'll agree to marry your granddaughter to my Luochen."
"What?" Zhang Li Lanfang slammed her palm against the table in disbelief and fury. "Say that again!"
Old Master Zhong hurriedly said, "Hear me out first. This marriage will bring your granddaughter benefits and no harm. Listen, I intend to make Luochen the heir to all my property. After your granddaughter marries into our family, it won't be long before she becomes the legitimate wife of the head of the Zhong Family... You should understand what I mean. If it hadn't been for Sixth Brother's sacrifice back then, our families wouldn't have what they have today. I owe him, and I'll repay that debt, no matter how much it takes."
Zhang Li Lanfang immediately sneered. "You make it sound nice... But in the end, doesn't everything still go to you Zhongs?"
"The child will bear the Zhang surname." Old Master Zhong said quietly, "If they marry, their first child will be surnamed Zhang. Boy or girl, that child will inherit all the Zhong Family's property in the future."
"You..."
Old Master Zhong suddenly stood up, then supported himself against a chair and knelt before Zhang Li Lanfang. Tears streamed down his face. "Lan Fang, we wronged you. Old Man Zhong is here to kowtow and apologize to you!"
Bang, bang, bang.
Three dull but heavy thumps of the head.
As Zhang Qingrui was walking down the corridor, she suddenly heard something breaking. She hurried around the corner and exclaimed in alarm, "Manman, what happened to you?"
One of Gu Yue Zhai's receptionists had fallen to the floor. Broken teacups lay beside her.
The receptionist's name was Manman. She was a young woman who had worked here for half a year, so Zhang Qingrui naturally knew her.
"I... Young Lady, I'm sorry. I was bringing tea to the old madam and the guest, but I accidentally..." Manman said in terror. "I'm sorry. I'll pay for the broken teacup."
"Pay for what?" Zhang Qingrui hurriedly helped her up. "Look at you. Your foot's been cut by the porcelain and it's bleeding. This is a workplace injury. If anyone has to compensate you, it should be us."
"Ah, Young Lady, no, please don't!" Manman hurriedly shook her head. "I'm the one who's clumsy... Really, it's fine."
"Your foot is still bleeding. We can't just leave it like this." Zhang Qingrui said, "Come to my office. I'll stop the bleeding first. I have some medicine there."
"Ah, Young Lady, how could I trouble you again...? I can handle it myself."
"You've sprained your foot too, haven't you? Can you walk?" Zhang Qingrui said. "All right, don't be so polite. I'll support you."
Inside the general manager's office, Zhang Qingrui was rummaging through another cabinet beside the bookcase. "Strange, I remember putting it here. How did it disappear?"
Manman quickly glanced at Zhang Qingrui, then at the brocade box she had hastily placed on the coffee table. Gritting her teeth, she quickly opened the box.
She pulled an almost identical Black Card from inside her clothes and swapped it with the Black Card in the brocade box.
Suppressing her pounding heart, Manman pocketed the Black Card she had stolen and then composed herself. "Young Lady, I think the bleeding isn't serious. Why don't I handle it myself? Didn't the old madam have a guest? Don't waste your time on me."
"Found it. It had fallen here." Zhang Qingrui turned around and came over, quickly applying medicine to Manman's wound. "This used to have a name. It was called Golden Wound Medicine. Doesn't it look like something from an ancient costume drama? Its effects are excellent, though, and it won't leave a scar."
Manman watched the white powder fall onto the wound on her leg. The bleeding stopped instantly, and the wound began to feel cool. She could not help exclaiming, "Amazing! But this is something only a noble person like you, Young Lady, could use. For rough people like us, a bandage is enough."
Zhang Qingrui carefully wiped Manman's wound. "No matter how roughly a girl was raised, she still has to take good care of herself. If you don't even cherish yourself, who do you expect to cherish you?"
"I think I'm fine now." Manman suddenly said.
Zhang Qingrui said, "How about this? You've sprained your foot too. I'll give you the rest of the day off so you can see a doctor. If it still hurts tomorrow, take another day off. This counts as paid leave for a workplace injury, so don't worry."
"Thank you, Young Lady." Manman quickly replied.
Zhang Qingrui smiled, picked up the brocade box, and supported Manman out. She then headed straight to the storage room.
She opened the brocade box and took out the Black Card. After looking at it, she could not help but freeze. Somehow, it no longer gave her the same feeling as before.
She was somewhat puzzled, but her grandmother had already checked the item when it was delivered, so there should not be a problem. Besides, her grandmother had warned her ever since she was little not to touch the thing too much.
Although she was curious, she could more or less sense the Black Card's eeriness. She quickly put it away and locked it up.
Before long, she returned to Zhang Li Lanfang's room.
"Grandma, has Old Master Zhong from the Zhong Family already left?" Zhang Qingrui asked Zhang Li Lanfang in surprise.
Zhang Li Lanfang said, "Did you put the thing away?"
Zhang Qingrui nodded. "I've returned it to its original place."
Zhang Li Lanfang suddenly said, "Child, come here."
Zhang Qingrui walked over to Zhang Li Lanfang. The latter gently took her hand and said, "What would you do if I asked you to marry Zhong Luochen?"
"Grandma, why are you suddenly..." Zhang Qingrui's expression shifted slightly, but her excellent upbringing kept her composed.
"Answer me first. Would you agree?"
Zhang Qingrui immediately shook her head.
Zhang Li Lanfang smiled bitterly. "I knew that would be your answer. But what if I wanted you to marry him regardless of whether you agreed or not?"
"Grandma... Are you joking?"
"Do I look like I'm joking?" Zhang Li Lanfang said heavily. "You've always asked me what happened back then... I'll tell you the truth now. Then you'll understand why I made this decision."
As for where Ren Ziling worked, Luo Qiu had visited several times. The woman occasionally forgot something and had him deliver it to her.
However, taking a bus there would have been too troublesome.
Fortunately, that place was within the city, meaning it was somewhere he could reach at will.
The club generally located its owner's teleportation based on the impressions in the owner's memories. The deeper the impression, the more accurate the teleportation.
Fortunately, he had been there several times, so he still had some impression of Ren Ziling's office. Luo Qiu took one step forward at home, and with his next step, he was already standing inside the office.
Ren Ziling's office inherited the same style as the rooms in her home, faithfully embodying deep disorder and filth.
Luo Qiu sighed and casually placed the documents on the desk, but at the same time noticed a picture peeking out from beneath them.
Curiosity was something Luo Qiu could never give up. He moved the documents aside and took out the picture to look at it.
"What is this woman investigating?"
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