Chapter 52: Number 10 Courtyard
Since Gu Wanrong lived so close, Yu Yingying said, “You kept saying it’s a long story. Come to my place, and you can tell me slowly.” She pulled Gu Wanrong towards her home.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Gu Wanrong said, caught off guard. “It’s a bit abrupt to just go to your house.”
“What’s wrong with that? Only my second brother and grandfather are home tonight. Everyone else is out,” Yu Yingying said nonchalantly, determined to take Gu Wanrong home.
Unable to resist, Gu Wanrong reluctantly went with her.
Sigh, I was just thinking about avoiding Xie Xian, but he’s Yingying’s brother. I can’t avoid him now.
Entering the courtyard, they passed a screen wall and entered the main hall, where an old man and a young man sat on the sofa.
“Grandpa, Second Brother, this is my good friend, Gu Wanrong. I’m taking her to my courtyard,” Yu Yingying said, mainly introducing Gu Wanrong to her grandfather.
The old man, Xie Zhenjiang, looked at Yu Yingying warmly when he heard her voice. He then turned his gaze to Gu Wanrong, observing her with a subtle, serious expression.
Though Xie Zhenjiang had dyed his hair black, time had left its mark on his face. His wrinkles were undeniable, but while his imposing aura was softened, his authority was still palpable. Gu Wanrong felt his scrutiny and grew nervous, her heart beating faster.
“Hello, Mr. Xie. I’m sorry to disturb you,” Gu Wanrong greeted Xie Zhenjiang nervously, her voice trembling slightly.
Noticing Xie Xian also watching her, she felt embarrassed and greeted him politely, “Mr. Xie, we meet again!”
Xie Zhenjiang noted that Gu Wanrong wasn’t looking around nervously, which gave him a good impression. He spoke to her kindly, “Young lady, you’re Yingying’s friend, right? Just call me Grandpa Xie. Don’t be nervous, relax.”
Gu Wanrong nodded obediently, still nervous.
Yu Yingying felt Gu Wanrong’s stiffness. “Grandpa, let’s go to my courtyard!” She pulled Gu Wanrong away.
“Goodbye, Grandpa Xie, goodbye, Mr. Xie,” Gu Wanrong nodded to them before leaving with Yu Yingying.
A strange sense of familiarity with Xie Zhenjiang arose; she felt she’d met him before.
Yu Yingying comforted Gu Wanrong, “Yuanyuan, don’t be afraid of my grandpa. His aura is intimidating, but you’ll get used to it.”
Yu Yingying’s courtyard had a lush osmanthus tree, currently in full bloom. The fragrant golden flowers hung heavily from the branches, carpeting the ground below.
“It smells wonderful,” Gu Wanrong exclaimed.
“Do you like the scent of osmanthus?” Yu Yingying asked delightedly. “I love lying on the rocking chair under this tree at night during this season.”
“That sounds idyllic.”
They chatted as they went inside. Yu Yingying’s reception room was decorated in a fresh, homey style.
“Yuanyuan, you’re the mysterious owner of number 10! Why didn’t you live there before?” Yu Yingying asked curiously.
How can I say that I got it from a system’s blind box? I can’t. The property deed from the system lists my name as the owner from birth.
“You know I’m from C City,” Gu Wanrong changed the subject. “Why ‘mysterious owner’? Is there something I don’t know about number 10?”
“So much!” Yu Yingying said, preparing to tell a long story.
“I’ve lived in Qingnan Hutong since I was little. Everyone knows each other. I was always curious about your locked-up number 10.
I asked older kids, but they didn’t know anything. We kids planned to sneak in, but my brother told our mom. We were stopped.
The parents warned us not to go near number 10. They said there was an owner, but wouldn’t say more. It made us even more curious.
But that’s not the most important part.
Si Jiu City has many wealthy families, but just having wealth isn’t enough to live here.
The weakest family in these three hutongs is the Zhang family, limited to the Ministry of Transport. They live in the outermost hutong. The families in Qingnan Hutong are all top-tier, deeply rooted in various sectors.
You, the owner of number 10, are mysterious, yet you live in the largest courtyard in Qingnan Hutong. How are you so amazing?”
Gu Wanrong was amazed. She just wanted a large Siheyuan, and the system gave her this special one.
She listened without showing her surprise, to avoid raising suspicion.
I don’t even know my own background! It’s all from the system. I can only maintain this mysterious persona.
Wait, what’s Zhang Shi’s connection to the Zhang family? They share the last name. I remember online that his family had a logistics company, and the Zhang family works mainly in the Ministry of Transport.
After Yu Yingying finished, Gu Wanrong avoided explaining why she didn’t live at number 10, bringing up Zhang Shi, “Zhang Shi’s family owns a logistics company. Are they related to the Zhang family you mentioned?”
“Hmm, maybe,” Yu Yingying guessed. “But I never met him before college. Even if they’re related, it would be distant.”
“Yeah, Zhang Shi didn’t seem to know you at school,” Gu Wanrong thought, noting how Zhang Shi flirted with many girls but didn’t seem to be interested in Yu Yingying.
“Didn’t Xu Rong brag about how impressive Zhang Shi is in Shanghai? It seems his family is a branch of the Si Jiu City Zhang family,” Yu Yingying recalled Xu Rong’s bragging, supporting their guess.
…
The girls gossiped about Zhang Shi and the Zhang family, Xu Rong’s obliviousness, and planned a trip to the Beijing Film Academy to see a play.
After they left, Xie Zhenjiang slowly questioned Xie Xian about Gu Wanrong’s identity. She was the first friend Yu Yingying had brought home, and he wanted to learn about her character.
Xie Xian’s answers were unremarkable, except that Gu Wanrong was the owner of number 10, which had a new sign yesterday. Xie Zhenjiang’s eye twitched involuntarily.
He hid it well; Xie Xian didn’t notice.
At the nearby Su family home, Su Houwen asked Su Min’an about his work, “Qian Yuan Group paid 19 billion in cash, a young woman?”
“Yes,” Su Min’an replied, wondering why his grandfather was focusing on Gu Wanrong.
“Her last name is Gu?” Su Houwen nodded, asking, “Is Gu Residence hers?”
“Yes,” Su Min’an confirmed again. He was more puzzled now; his grandfather already seemed to know the answers, just seeking confirmation.