Qian Zhi's expression shifted again and again when he saw Si Yifan and Yang Qing disembark with Qian Tong.
But he was, after all, the second master of the Qian Household. A little wind and rough water like this hardly troubled him.
When Si Yifan greeted him, Qian Zhi stepped forward with a smile. "Master Si, has all been well?"
Si Yifan gave him a look that was almost a smile. "Quite well. These past two days, I've taken in the sights at sea and gained quite a few insights."
Qian Zhi laughed heartily. "You truly are a man who follows his heart, Master Si."
After disembarking, Qian Tong kept instructing his men to handle the cargo they had brought back from this voyage. He ignored Qian Zhi, letting him escort Si Yifan, Yang Qing, and the others to the Qian Household's mansion.
"I've always heard that shipbuilding was your only interest, Master Si. I never expected you to have the leisure to come out to sea for pleasure."
Qian Zhi looked from Si Yifan to Yang Qing, his smile never reaching his eyes. "But the winds and waves at sea are fierce. Unless you have pressing business, Master Si, you would do well to return early."
"There's no need to rush," Si Yifan said. "Fortunately, we ran into your elder brother, so this journey hasn't been wasted."
Yang Qing sat to one side without saying a single word, watching Qian Zhi and Si Yifan's lively exchange.
Just then, Qian Tong sent someone to invite them to the main hall for a meal, finally putting an end to their duel of sharp tongues.
To Qian Zhi's surprise, however, Qian Tong had arranged the banquet not in the main hall, but in the main courtyard where he lived.
This change sent