Kang Wei went to get an answer from Shan Yujun.

The answer was unbearable.

He didn’t seek out Shan Yujun again, nor did he drink with Shao Guangrong, or confide in Xia Xiaolan.

The relationship seemed to have reached its end.

Xia Xiaolan felt quite guilty.

“I know the ‘Young Eagles Taking Flight’ program might have been the trigger. Ultimately, Senior Sister Shan and Kang Wei had completely different life plans. Without this teaching program, something else would have come up later, but…”

“But you still feel uneasy?”

Yes, she still felt uneasy.

Couples with mismatched life plans might break up, or they might not – who could say?

If they hadn’t broken up because of the “Young Eagles Taking Flight” program, Xia Xiaolan wouldn’t have cared at all.

Zhou Cheng understood her best, knowing what she was thinking:

“When two people like each other, whether they face differences or difficulties, they need to solve them together. A relationship can’t work with only one side making an effort. Kang Wei and his girlfriend are adults; they can decide for themselves whether to stay together.”

Xia Xiaolan tried to lighten the mood:

“You’re right, it’s their business to resolve. Now about us – are you sure you don’t want me at the office these two days? If I don’t go now, I’ll have to return to Pengcheng!”

Xia Xiaolan gave Zhou Cheng the choice.

She spoke with a teasing smile, clearly intentional.

Zhou Cheng knew it too.

But these days, Gao Fei was probably on leave, staying at the office with her daughter.

Fang Shizhong had originally lived next to Zhou Cheng; they were both bachelors in single rooms.

After marriage, Fang Shizhong didn’t move, but when Gao Fei had their daughter, things changed – the unit provided new accommodations for Fang Shizhong.

Not being neighbors with Fang Shizhong wasn’t an issue – Zhou Cheng didn’t envy Fang Shizhong’s larger house. To Zhou Cheng, anywhere was just a place to sleep.

If they were comparing houses, no one had more than he did.

He just didn’t want Xiaolan to face any discomfort.

Director Li’s wife wanted Xiaolan and Gao Fei to “make peace,” so Zhou Cheng thought it better to wait.

“Mm, if you have business in Pengcheng, handle that first. I’m following your advice about not taking random leave. Let’s see if we can arrange time off for Spring Festival… Will you be returning to Yunan for the New Year?”

Xia Xiaolan truly didn’t know whether to spend New Year in the capital, Pengcheng, or return to Yunan.

“I’ll ask my mother, but let’s try to spend it in the capital!”

Celebrating in the capital meant Zhou Cheng could see her and spend time with his family – two birds with one stone.

Grandmother Yu was getting old; it wasn’t good for her to travel back and forth.

As for Xu Zhongyi, he would naturally accommodate his elderly mother – wherever Grandmother Yu was, that’s where Xu Zhongyi would go.

Just as Xia Xiaolan was thinking this, Xu Zhongyi arrived in the capital.

The wealthy “Master Qiu,” after reuniting with Grandmother Yu, had already made plans, buying a quadrangle courtyard in Shichahai, just a minute’s walk from Xia Xiaolan’s home.

Two months had passed since the purchase, and Xu Zhongyi, being tactful, had asked Liu Yong to help with renovations.

The house cost over a hundred thousand yuan, but the renovation cost triple that.

Liu Yong wasn’t some unsophisticated bumpkin anymore – he’d done renovations for five-star hotels and golf clubs. There were many wealthy people in the world; Xu Zhongyi wasn’t the richest.

Xu Zhongyi didn’t demand luxury but asked Liu Yong to choose the best materials and finish the courtyard as quickly as possible.

He wanted the house ready before the New Year, convenient for visiting his mother in the capital.

After all, while Grandmother Yu could stay with Xia Xiaolan’s family, Xu Zhongyi couldn’t very well spend New Year at Xia Xiaolan’s home.

Only Old Tang, with his former ulterior motives, would do such a thing.

Xu Zhongyi arranging the house was meant as a surprise for Grandmother Yu. The neighbors had noticed the banging and clanging of renovation for two months but didn’t know the buyer’s identity.

This house was different from Xia Xiaolan’s – when she bought hers, it was vacant.

When Xu Zhongyi bought him, there were many tenants, similar to when Xu Jing sold their ancestral property… However, Xu Zhongyi had more methods available and managed to relocate the tenants without causing a fuss.

So the house’s transfer only sparked two days of neighborhood gossip.

The workers coming and going and the renovation noise constantly made their presence known.

Liu Fen knew the courtyard was Xu Zhongyi’s.

Xia Xiaolan knew too.

She recognized two workers as Liu Yong’s earliest employees.

Only Grandmother Yu didn’t know.

Neighbor Old Zhao, watching workers carry materials in and out, had gossiped with Grandmother Yu:

“Wonder what the new neighbors do, spending money like this.”

Counting down the hutong, who was the wealthiest?

The Xia family.

They could afford to buy a house, with just two or three people living in an entire quadrangle courtyard – how spacious.

They had all sorts of modern appliances.

And Liu Fen’s Citroën car – all symbols of wealth.

But when Xia Xiaolan’s family moved in with Grandmother Yu, they’d only done simple renovations, nothing this extensive!

Two months of constant renovation, demolishing all illegal structures, replacing everything from the ground tiles to the roof tiles. Only the courtyard’s frame remained – everything else was replaced.

Essentially building a new quadrangle courtyard.

No, even more troublesome than building new.

Old Zhao couldn’t understand today’s wealthy people – such wasteful spending.

Grandmother Yu hadn’t paid much attention then, casually responding to Old Zhao, “Some people just have money burning holes in their pockets – why care how they spend it?”

A few days after Xia Xiaolan returned to the capital, Xu Zhongyi arrived.

Liu Yong told him the house was complete and asked him to inspect it.

Only then did Xu Zhongyi tell Grandmother Yu.

“…!”

So Old Zhao’s wasteful spender was her son!

Grandmother Yu, usually unflappable, rarely found herself embarrassed. Xia Xiaolan was about to burst trying to hold in her laughter.

“This is Uncle Xu’s surprise for you.”

Surprise?

At her age, she couldn’t handle too many surprises.

Grandmother Yu looked around but couldn’t find her cane. Oh right, she’d forgotten it in Shangdu, hadn’t brought it to the capital.

With the cane, Xu Zhongyi might not have escaped another beating.

Xu Zhongyi: ???

Couldn’t understand what he’d done wrong again.

In his childhood, his mother wouldn’t let him get even a scratch, spoiling him completely – he’d never been beaten. Perhaps because of this, even in middle age, he had to make up for the beatings he’d missed as a child.

“At least you want to see the house, right?”

See the house?

No!

If she walked into that house, all the neighbors would know it was her family’s property.