Fu Juemin went upstairs and changed his clothes. By the time he’d tidied up and come down to the front hall, he found the short-haired girl from Saint Gong Girls’ School whom he had rescued a few days prior sitting stiffly on the sofa with another girl.

Someone was talking to them, and from a distance, Fu Juemin heard a familiar laugh.

"Second Uncle."

Fu Juemin walked over, looking at Fu Guoping on the sofa in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to discuss something with your father.

And I happened to run into your two young friends..."

Fu Guoping stood up from the sofa, patting Fu Juemin’s shoulder with a smile. "Well, I’ll let you all talk. I’m off to the study."

Fu Juemin watched Fu Guoping leave, then turned his attention to the two girls.

The servant had just announced them. The short-haired girl’s name was Jiang Yao. The other, of course, was Zhou Yunzhi, the one his predecessor had been so infatuated with.

This was the first time Fu Juemin had seen her since he’d transmigrated.

’Perhaps my predecessor’s memories beautified her too much.’ Seeing her in person, Fu Juemin felt she was just alright.

She did have the looks of a classic beauty: bright eyes, pearly teeth, and creamy skin. She wore a moon-white, wide-sleeved qipao with a tightly fastened high collar, giving her a delicate, scholarly grace.

But Fu Juemin had never been a fan of this "damsel in distress" type. ’She’s not as good as Xu Xinyi,’ he thought. ’At least Xu Xinyi has a great figure and is obedient and sensible.’

"My Second Uncle didn’t frighten you, did he?"

Fu Juemin sat down where Fu Guoping had been and spoke to the short-haired Jiang Yao.

’This girl was as feisty as a chili pepper when we first met, arguing with every word I said. Now that she’s in the Fu Family home, she’s so well-behaved she seems like a completely different person.’

"No, not at all..."

Jiang Yao waved her hands repeatedly and picked up a check. "Mr. Fu is very kind. He heard we were fundraising and even donated two thousand silver coins on the spot."

"Oh? My Second Uncle made a donation?"

Fu Juemin smiled, a little surprised, then cut to the chase. "So, what did you come to see me for today?"

"To return your gun."

Jiang Yao quickly produced a package from behind her back. Wrapped in a simple, embroidered white handkerchief was Fu Juemin’s revolver.

"About what happened last time..."

Jiang Yao stood up from the sofa and gave Fu Juemin a deep, formal bow. "Thank you."

"Don’t mention it."

Fu Juemin waved his hand dismissively, then picked up the revolver for a quick inspection. He noticed two bullets were missing.

"Well, say something!"

Across from him, having finished her thanks, Jiang Yao was secretly tugging on Zhou Yunzhi’s sleeve. She was getting impatient. "We agreed on this before we came, remember?"

Fu Juemin set the pistol down, watching Zhou Yunzhi with amusement.

The girl’s cheeks were flushed, whether from shyness or guilt, he couldn’t tell. She kept her head down, not daring to look at him. After a long moment, she finally squeezed out a "Thank you" as quiet as a buzzing mosquito.

Fu Juemin gave a breezy smile, said "You’re welcome," and turned to chat with Jiang Yao instead.

Looks aside, Jiang Yao’s personality was much more to Fu Juemin’s liking. Jiang Yao, for her part, probably realized that he wasn’t the spoiled brat the rumors made him out to be. The two of them hit it off, leaving Zhou Yunzhi completely sidelined.

They talked about everything from their classes at Saint Gong Girls’ School and personal hobbies to the recent disaster in the Southwest. As they chatted, Fu Juemin noticed Zhou Yunzhi start to speak several times, only to stop. It seemed she wanted to join the conversation but was too shy.

’In the end, Zhou Yunzhi is just a pretty student from the Republic era. Strip away the rose-tinted glasses my predecessor put on, and she’s just an ordinary girl.’

They chatted for a long time. Jiang Yao, her mouth dry from talking, habitually reached for the snack tray, only to find it embarrassingly empty.

"Locust Flower."

Fu Juemin turned to call for Locust Flower to bring a new tray, but Jiang Yao hurriedly stood up.

"We’ve been talking so long we lost track of time. We should be going."

"Let me treat you to a meal."

Fu Juemin pulled out his pocket watch to check the time. "We can eat here or go out. Your choice."

"HIC—"

Before he could finish, Jiang Yao let out a small, embarrassed burp.

She had single-handedly polished off three plates of pastries and fruit during their conversation. She was already full.

"I think... we’ll have to pass."

"Next time, then."

Fu Juemin smiled and instructed a servant, "Go to my room, bring down the phonograph, and have it delivered along with the two young ladies to Saint’s Achievement Street."

"You’re really giving it to us?"

Jiang Yao’s face lit up with surprise.

During their conversation, Jiang Yao had complained that the drama and dance clubs they had started didn’t even own a phonograph. Fu Juemin had offered to give them one, but she thought he was just being polite. She never expected him to actually mean it.

"Of course."

"You’re a true friend, Fu Lingjun."

Overjoyed, Jiang Yao patted Fu Juemin’s arm. Then, glancing at Zhou Yunzhi, she put on the air of a matchmaker and grinned. "If you ever need letters or flowers delivered in the future, you can count on me."

Zhou Yunzhi, mortified, immediately bowed her head.

Fu Juemin shook his head, exasperated. He asked the steward, Uncle Chen, to have the car brought around, then personally walked the two young women to the driveway.

Just as they reached the fountain by the gate, they ran right into Fu Guosheng and Li Tong, who were walking toward them.

Fu Juemin stopped and called out, "Father."

The two girls, Jiang Yao and Zhou Yunzhi, sensibly followed suit, greeting, "Master Fu."

"Friends?"

"Yes."

Fu Guosheng glanced at the two young women, gave a slight nod, and walked past them into the house.

But Li Tong, trailing behind Fu Guosheng, showed a flicker of unconcealable astonishment in his eyes the moment he saw Fu Juemin.

Fu Juemin knew Li Tong had likely noticed he’d achieved Blood Refining. Deciding not to hide it, he greeted him openly. "Uncle Tong."

Li Tong gave him a meaningful look but said nothing, following Fu Guosheng inside.

’The Bone Forging process is supposed to take six months to a year, and I finished it in less than two. It’s natural that he’d be surprised...’

Fu Juemin was just wondering how he would handle Li Tong’s inevitable questions when he turned and noticed that the ever-quiet and demure Zhou Yunzhi was staring fixedly at Li Tong’s retreating back.

"What is it?"

Fu Juemin asked, curious.

"That man... who is he to the estate?"

"You mean Uncle Tong?"

Fu Juemin said, "His name is Li Tong. He’s my father’s bodyguard and also the steward of our Fu Family’s Nursing Home."

Zhou Yunzhi said hesitantly, "I... think I’ve seen him somewhere before."

"What’s so strange about that?"

Jiang Yao, standing nearby, was unconcerned. "Master Fu donates to the school every year. It’s only natural that the people who accompany him would look familiar."

"It wasn’t at the school."

Zhou Yunzhi shook her head. "It was on the street in front of our drama club. I remember..."

Zhou Yunzhi named a date.

When Fu Juemin heard the date, his heart leaped into his throat.

That was the day his predecessor had been in the car accident and gotten shot.

A storm was raging in Fu Juemin’s heart, but his face remained impassive. He feigned a casual tone and asked Zhou Yunzhi, "What did you see Uncle Tong doing?"

"Perhaps I saw wrong, or maybe I misheard..."

Zhou Yunzhi said hesitantly, in a low voice, "I saw that gentleman standing with a group of people, talking.

That group of men were speaking Mandarin, and they called him..."

"Elder Ji."

?!

...

「Fu Family Garden.」

Fu Guoping casually placed a box in front of Fu Juemin. "The gloves you wanted. Take a look."

Fu Juemin’s eyes lit up as he eagerly picked up the box.

He opened it to find a pair of leather gloves lying inside.

At first glance, they appeared to be matte black, but a closer look revealed a subtle, deep blue-black luster that seemed to shift like the surface of a dark pool.

Fu Juemin was about to eagerly try them on when Fu Guoping said, "Careful."

He paused, startled. Subconsciously, he ran his fingers over the gloves and discovered that the back of the hand and the edge of the palm were studded with black-jade colored plates. Looking closer, he realized they were meticulously polished snake scales.

"I found the best tailor and micro-carving master in the provincial capital. It took them over half a month to barely finish the work.

This single pair of gloves used up the scales from nearly half a snake carcass. Even the thread is made from fine filaments twisted from the core of a hundred-year-old vine...

The cost is almost as much as a small car..."

Fu Guoping explained, shaking his head with a sigh.