Chapter 1632

Standing at the entrance waiting for them were none other than Ye Heng'an and Mu Nuan, who had just gotten engaged a few days ago. Xiao Qingqing instinctively ducked behind the car seat, her face tense with anxiety. "Uncle, where exactly is this place? Why are Nuan and the others here?" "Just bringing you to have a meal with the family. What, afraid of being found out?" Of course she was afraid! If Nuan saw her here, she’d probably drop dead from shock. "We... we’re fake. You didn’t have to bring me along." Samuel chuckled softly. "At my age, once the family knows I have a girlfriend, they’ll dig for details. Do you think I can get away with not bringing you? And don’t mention the contract to anyone—not even Nuan. If the family finds out, it’ll be trouble. Sooner or later, the ‘ugly bride’ has to meet the in-laws. Come on out." With that, he pulled open the car door. Ye Heng'an had his arm wrapped around Mu Nuan’s waist as the two approached the car, cozy and affectionate. Mu Nuan flashed a bright smile. "Uncle, Auntie told us you were bringing your girlfriend today. We were dying to see what kind of girl could actually catch your eye!" As she spoke, she craned her neck to peek inside the car. At that moment, Xiao Qingqing had no choice but to step out. The second Mu Nuan saw her, her jaw practically hit the ground. She gaped at Xiao Qingqing, then whipped her head toward Ye Heng'an. Though he looked surprised too, he was far more composed than she was. Xiao Qingqing forced an awkward smile. "Nuan... Ye Heng'an..." Mu Nuan snapped out of her daze, slipping free from Ye Heng'an’s embrace and bounding over to Xiao Qingqing. Eyes sparkling with curiosity, she blurted, "Oh my god, Qingqing! What in the world is going on here?" Xiao Qingqing had no idea how to explain. Her cheeks flushed crimson as she struggled to find the right words. Samuel chuckled softly and said, "Nuan Nuan, save the girl talk for later. Let's head inside first—we shouldn't keep your in-laws waiting." "Ah—oh, right, of course!" Mu Nuan immediately grabbed Xiao Qingqing's hand and urged, "Come on, let's hurry inside!" She could hardly wait to see the look on Uncle and Auntie's faces when they met Qingqing. As they stepped into the house, just as she had anticipated, Eliana and Aidan were both visibly stunned. After exchanging greetings and sharing a casual meal, Mu Nuan quickly seized the opportunity to whisk Qingqing away under the pretense of showing her around. Eliana took the chance to sidle up to Samuel and whispered, "Samuel, you sly fox—bringing home such a young lady, huh?" "Calling it 'sly'?" Samuel arched an eyebrow playfully. "Don’t you think I won her over fair and square by spoiling her?" Hearing this, Eliana let out a quiet laugh. "I’ll give you that—you’re definitely more reliable than your second brother in this regard." "It’s not that he’s unreliable," Samuel countered. "For nearly twenty years, no matter how ruthless he’s been in business, around you, he’s been nothing but devoted. He’s dumped practically all his workload on me just so he could hover around you and stay in your thoughts. Even when you’ve brushed him off, he’d sit quietly by your side all day without complaint. He never so much as glances at another woman—he’s done everything right. I used to side with you, but now? I’m starting to stand with him." He paused, then added, "A few days ago, when I was back in the capital, Second Brother had a drink with me. He looked utterly miserable, saying he wanted to finally make it official with you. He’s afraid that if he doesn’t marry you in this lifetime, you might refuse to rest beside him after death. He said even eternity wouldn’t be enough time with you—he wants you in life and beyond." Eliana’s gaze grew distant as she turned to look at Aidan, who was deep in conversation with Ye Heng'an. So that explained all his recent murmurs about the future—he was already thinking about what came after. Samuel tapped his fingers lightly on the table in front of her. "What’s on your mind?" Snapping back to the present, she offered him a faint smile. "Just thinking your brother worries too much. Once we’re gone, dust returns to dust, and ashes to ashes—nature reclaims us all. Who cares about sharing a grave? Besides, with Heng’an’s temperament, do you really think he’d bury us apart? Unlikely. And honestly, I couldn’t care less." She took a sip of tea before continuing, "Enough about me and your brother. What about you and Qingqing? You’re serious, aren’t you? She still seems a little dazed—does she even fully grasp your intentions yet? Need any help from me?" Samuel smiled gently, his voice calm and measured: "I couldn't be more serious about this. There's no need for you to worry—I know exactly what I'm doing." In the starlit suite on the top floor, Mu Nuan pulled Xiao Qingqing inside and immediately gave her an excited nudge. "Spill it! What's going on? When did you manage to win over Third Uncle?" she asked, her eyes wide with disbelief. Xiao Qingqing pinched Mu Nuan's arm lightly, lowering her voice. "Keep it down! It wasn't like that—it was just an accident!" She gave a brief account of that night, carefully omitting any mention of the contract. Earlier, Samuel had warned her not to reveal their arrangement to anyone—not even Mu Nuan. Mu Nuan let out an impressed whistle. "Third Uncle has never brought a woman home before. Looks like he's planning to take responsibility for this. Can you imagine? If you actually married him—whoa, you'd become Auntie Qing to me and Hannah!" The word "married" made Xiao Qingqing bristle. "Marry him? Don’t jinx it! Do I look like someone who could handle that kind of life?" After just two days around him, she was convinced that this so-called "elder" exuded way too much intensity. The thought of being tied to Samuel made her shudder—she’d be miserable. Amused by her reaction, Mu Nuan leaned in closer. "Why so jumpy? You used to say I was exaggerating about how intimidating Third Uncle is. You always thought he wasn’t that scary!" Xiao Qingqing rolled her eyes. So what if she’d misjudged him before? She was finally free from his presence and didn’t want to keep talking about him. "Enough, Nuan. No more Third Uncle talk—it’s giving me a headache. Once he gets tired of me, we’ll break up, and that’ll be that!" Mu Nuan laughed and slung an arm over her shoulder. "You really think you can just walk away? Once Third Uncle sets his sights on someone, there’s no escape. Face it—you’re stuck!" Xiao Qingqing shot her a glare. Their relationship was purely contractual—she’d be free soon enough. But she didn’t want to wait that long, so she decided to probe further. "Nuan, besides your aunt, has Third Uncle ever been interested in anyone else? Like… a lover, maybe?" There was no way a man could stay single for twenty years just because of his sister-in-law. "That thing with Auntie Yun was twenty years ago—he’s long over it. As for other women…" Mu Nuan paused, thinking. "I’m not entirely sure, but back when we were still in the capital, I overheard Feng Zixiu teasing Third Uncle once. He said, ‘When are you going to introduce me to that girl you’re so crazy about?’ So… maybe?" That counted! It definitely counted! "Can you do some digging for me? I need to know who she is."