Chapter 36: The Clown Turns Out to Be Me?

Qin Chuan considered himself to be soft-hearted, especially when faced with a beautiful woman's tears; his heart felt as entangled as the misty rains of Jiangnan, leaving him utterly incapable of refusing. Even though he knew that Liu Qingcheng's tears were most likely the work of a skilled actress, Qin Chuan still found himself lost in her repeated calls of "Daddy, darling, brother-in-law."

The moment he agreed to help her make connections, Liu Qingcheng, who had been pitiful and tearful just seconds before, immediately transformed into a radiant smile, her charm blooming like a flower—much like Su Daji, triumphant after her sinister plot against Bi Gan.

"Bye-bye, darling, good night!"

With those words, Liu Qingcheng hung up, leaving Qin Chuan yearning for more. Honestly, among all the women he had met so far, Liu Qingcheng was the most adept at flirting... No, the most romantic.

As he weighed the figures, appearances, and temperaments of Lan Jin, Liu Qingcheng, and Lin Wanyu, Qin Chuan drifted into sleep, caught in indecision.

That night, he had a dream teeming with spring's warmth, so much so that upon waking the next morning, he couldn't help but rub his waist.

The housekeeper had already prepared breakfast. After washing up, Qin Chuan joined Lan Jin and Lan Weimin at the table. During the meal, he mentioned his intention to help the Lan family connect with the eldest daughter of the Long family.

To his surprise, Lan Jin had no idea what he was talking about, and Lan Weimin showed little interest, leaving Qin Chuan—who had hoped to subtly showcase his cleverness—quite frustrated.

"The Lan family is indeed prominent in Binhai, but compared to the Long family, you're still far behind. Don't you want to reach greater heights?" Qin Chuan tried to entice Lan Weimin.

But Lan Weimin didn't display the expected ambition; instead, he turned the conversation around to enlighten Qin Chuan.

"You can never earn all the money in the world. Life is but a few decades long—why make it so exhausting? The Lan family has grown so much; we have enough wealth for three lifetimes. It's time to enjoy life, play with grandchildren, and live out our days in peace—isn't that delightful?"

Qin Chuan was about to counter with arguments like "a leader must remain vigilant" and "business is like rowing upstream—if you don't advance, you fall behind," but Lan Jin cut him off.

"Grandpa's right. How carefree it is to be a worry-free third-generation rich. Lord Qin, the times have changed; young people should seize the moment and enjoy life."

Three black lines appeared on Qin Chuan's forehead. It seemed the most important gene in the Lan family was their Buddhist-like detachment. But was Grandpa right, and did Dad not have a point?

"I suddenly feel a bit upset. No acupuncture treatment for you today," Qin Chuan said with a blank face.

Lan Jin, acutely aware of a patient's attitude toward their doctor, immediately made a dramatic pivot.

"But Grandpa, I think Brother Chuan makes a good point too. Although the Lan family is thriving now, vigilance is an essential quality for any family leader, so..."

Lan Weimin suddenly took over, "So you should represent Grandpa and meet with the Long family's eldest daughter. If a partnership comes out of it, so much the better—but there's no need to force it. Mr. Qin, I'll leave the matchmaking to you."

Hearing this, Qin Chuan was a bit stunned. Although his attempt to showcase his wisdom had finally yielded results after some coaxing and threats, the atmosphere felt odd, as if he'd been caught in someone else's scheme.

Lan Jin was even more dumbfounded. Meeting the Long family's eldest daughter on Grandpa's behalf was basically acknowledging her as the future successor of the Lan family. So all of Grandpa's Buddhist detachment had been a trap for her from the start?

"Qin Chuan spent half the morning showing off, but in the end, the clown was me!"

Lan Jin's lips twitched, and her appetite for the lavish breakfast vanished.

Seeing their reactions, Lan Weimin stroked his goatee and smiled without saying a word, feeling quite accomplished for successfully pulling one over on Qin Chuan.

The next two days were leisurely for Qin Chuan, with the most exciting moments being the acupuncture treatments for Lan Jin.

Lan Jin, who had been shy and awkward at first, gradually became bold and flirtatious, making the sessions a trial for Qin Chuan. His desires and principles warred fiercely in his mind; if he hadn't been resolute, he would have succumbed to temptation long ago.

Because of this, Lan Jin grew bolder in their interactions, thoroughly confident that Qin Chuan would never cross the line beyond mere verbal flirtation.

What she didn't realize was that each daring tease brought her ever closer to offering up her First Blood.

Qin Chuan endured and enjoyed, holding out until the appointed day to visit the Liu family.

"Do you want to come along?" Qin Chuan asked Lan Jin deliberately.

She had been quite playful these past two days, and Qin Chuan decided it was time for Liu Qingcheng to teach her a lesson—otherwise, if he ever lost control, the consequences could be disastrous.

Had he asked her this two days earlier, Lan Jin would have hesitated, fearing both the wolf and the tiger. Her first encounter with Liu Qingcheng had left her at a disadvantage—especially with Lin Wanyu there to back her up.

But now, Lan Jin was full of confidence and agreed without hesitation, "Of course I'm going. Isn't this exactly when a shield is most useful?"

"Well done! I'm proud of your confidence and courage!" Qin Chuan gave her a hearty thumbs-up.

Lan Jin blushed, but still struck a pose of invincibility, speaking with a tone that looked down on all others, "I'm unbeatable below the level of sinking fish and falling geese; above the level of closing the moon and shaming the flowers, it's a draw. What can Liu Qingcheng possibly do to me?"

"Yes, that's the spirit! Lan Jin, remember, you must keep that rebellious attitude—never mind the outcome, but never lose your momentum." Qin Chuan clenched his fist in encouragement.

Lan Jin seemed oblivious to the deeper meaning behind his words. Buoyed by his praise, she straightened her considerable chest and strode confidently onto the business car.

Ah Wei, witnessing all this, couldn't help but twitch at the corners of his mouth, especially after seeing Qin Chuan's dazzling smile. He became more certain of his suspicions—the young lady was likely to return from the Liu family trip with her feathers plucked.

"Ancient wisdom truly never lies," Ah Wei muttered under his breath.

"You mean the saying 'big chest, small brain'?" Qin Chuan's voice suddenly sounded behind him, startling Ah Wei—especially since Qin Chuan had spoken exactly what he was thinking.

"The son-in-law is a genius! He can even read minds?" Ah Wei exclaimed, both surprised and subtly buttering him up, proud of his own cleverness.

But Ah Wei was clearly too young, underestimating the treachery of human nature. Qin Chuan countered with a move of his own, giving Ah Wei a taste of life's bitterness.

"Jin, Ah Wei says you have a big chest and a small brain," Qin Chuan shouted.

Moments later, the car window rolled down.

Lan Jin's face was cold as frost as she said, "Ah Wei, when we return from the Liu family, you'll be cleaning the old mansion's sewers for a month."

"......"

Looking at Qin Chuan's innocent, smiling face, Ah Wei was left bewildered in the wind.