Though she had no concrete evidence, Qiao Zhao suddenly had this thought the moment she saw Jiang Yuanchao.

Remembering this person’s identity, Qiao Zhao quickly withdrew her gaze.

The feeling of being watched by the Jinlin Guards was not pleasant at all!

But before she could move away from the window, the tall man standing on the street had already sensed something. His gaze hooked toward the window where she was, firmly locking onto that graceful silhouette by the window.

One person stood at the window upstairs, the other stood on the street below, their gazes meeting.

Qiao Zhao raised her eyebrows and decided to strike first: “Big Brother Jiang, what a coincidence!”

What exactly about her was worth his surveillance?

Jiang Yuanchao was stunned for a moment.

In this instant, he suddenly understood Jiang He’s feelings.

When a surveillance target suddenly greeted you so openly and generously, the feeling was truly subtle.

Having never experienced such a thing in his life, Jiang Yuanchao didn’t know how to react.

The young girl by the window smiled brightly and waved at him: “Would Big Brother Jiang like to come up for some tea?”

“Oh—” Jiang Yuanchao instinctively responded.

The little girl dressed as a young gentleman added with a smile: “My father happens to be here too.”

Jiang Yuanchao’s extended leg hung in mid-air, nearly causing him to stumble and fall.

What did this little girl want? She wanted to invite him for tea with her father present? Logically speaking, shouldn’t she invite him for tea when her parents weren’t around to be normal?

Uh, no, wait – in any case, it was wrong for a little girl to invite a big brother she’d only met once for tea!

He couldn’t help but look more carefully at the little girl by the window.

So this little girl must have seen him before, right?

Or – secretly admired him?

Thinking of that day when the little girl enthusiastically introduced herself and asked where he lived, Jiang Yuanchao suddenly felt regret.

“Zhaozhao, who are you talking to?” A man poked his head out beside the window.

Under the bright sun, golden sunlight fell on that man’s handsome and extraordinary face, making his entire person seem to shine brilliantly, making it difficult to discern his age for a moment.

It wasn’t until the little girl smiled openly and said, “Father, it’s a big brother I happened to meet.”

Only then did Jiang Yuanchao come back to his senses.

So this was the little girl’s father, Compiler Li.

At this moment, he suddenly felt it was perfectly normal for the little girl to always call him Uncle Jiang. With such a father who looked only a few years older than himself, what else would she call him if not uncle?

Li Guangwen glanced at Jiang Yuanchao and patted his daughter’s head: “Don’t randomly call strangers big brother.”

After thinking, he added, “And don’t randomly call them uncle either.”

Calling someone big brother worried him that his daughter would be taken advantage of; calling someone uncle seemed like he would be the one at a disadvantage.

Li Guangwen looked at Jiang Yuanchao with scrutiny.

Jiang Yuanchao smiled stiffly in greeting, turned around, and strode away.

He walked until he was out of their sight before stopping and breathing a sigh of relief in embarrassment.

The early summer sunlight was warm. Jiang Yuanchao leaned against a tree, hiding most of his figure, his gaze never leaving Five Flavors Tea House.

Soon, he saw Li Guangwen emerge from the entrance, with the little girl dressed as a young gentleman following quietly and obediently beside him.

Li Guangwen looked quite unwilling, turning his head to say something to his daughter.

The young gentleman smiled gently and replied a few words, making the father laugh foolishly.

Jiang Yuanchao was momentarily entranced watching this.

Then he saw an elderly man around sixty years old leisurely stroll to Five Flavors Tea House. Li Guangwen stood rooted to the spot, and the young gentleman beside him pushed his father out with one hand.

At that moment, Jiang Yuanchao chuckled softly, then restrained his smile and looked at the elderly man with deepening eyes.

It was Minister of Rites Su He!

Why would Minister Su appear here?

Right, Minister Su also served as the Academy Director of the Hanlin Academy, and Li Guangwen was a Hanlin Compiler. It wouldn’t be strange for them to meet at a tea house beside the Hanlin Academy, but—

Jiang Yuanchao’s gaze returned to Qiao Zhao.

But why would Li Guangwen bring his daughter along?

This didn’t follow normal convention!

Could it be—

Jiang Yuanchao’s expression suddenly darkened.

Selling his daughter for advancement?

He saw the young gentleman bow to Minister Su, neither servile nor arrogant, with a comfortable and gentle smile on their face.

Jiang Yuanchao shook his head, suppressing this ridiculous notion. Seeing the three of them return to the tea house, he thought for a moment, then walked toward Five Flavors Tea House.

Minister Su followed Li Guangwen into the private room and only then took a careful look at Qiao Zhao.

Seeing the young gentleman’s delicate features but free and easy demeanor and bearing, completely without any feminine airs, he was secretly amazed and confirmed: “Compiler Li, is this your daughter?”

Li Guangwen looked pleased: “Of course, how could someone else’s daughter come out with me?”

Qiao Zhao silently lowered her gaze.

Father’s reasoning was truly sound – she was speechless.

Minister Su withdrew his gaze, nodded, and said: “Very well, Miss Li, let’s begin.”

Qiao Zhao smiled generously: “Please, Academy Director.”

Upon hearing this, Minister Su glanced sideways at Li Guangwen, thinking: This rascal knows I’m the Academy Director? Rare, truly rare!

The two sat facing each other. Qiao Zhao proactively took the black stones and smiled: “Please go first.”

Minister Su held a crystal-clear white stone, his smile somewhat playful.

In chess, the higher-ranked player takes white and goes first; the master takes white and goes second.

This little girl letting him take white and go first was acknowledging his status as higher than hers, yet confidently believing her skill was no less than his.

What an interesting little girl. He would test her skill level.

Thinking this, Minister Su unhurriedly placed two stones at star points.

Qiao Zhao held a black stone, pondered for a moment, then placed her stone.

One hour later.

Minister Su’s gaze was locked tightly on the board, murmuring: “It’s a divine draw!”

A so-called “divine draw” was a tie game.

One must know that the chessboard was like a battlefield – the probability of a draw was extremely rare. At least Minister Su hadn’t encountered one in several years.

He looked deeply at the calm-faced Qiao Zhao and said solemnly: “Another game.”

More than half an hour later, Minister Su was completely stunned: “A divine draw, another divine draw!”

Two consecutive draws – could it be a coincidence?

He stared unblinkingly at the young girl disguised as a young gentleman across from him, his eyes full of amazement, and waved his hand grandly: “Again!”

Li Guangwen, standing to the side, was even more excited, slapping the chair’s armrest: “Again, again!”

Minister Su lifted his eyelids to glance at Li Guangwen and said with a stern face: “Observers should remain silent!”

What was he getting excited about? Didn’t he know how to pour some tea?

“Please, Academy Director.” Qiao Zhao said this phrase for the third time, but this time it carried completely different weight in her opponent’s heart.

Minister Su nodded deeply with solemn eyes and proactively placed a stone: “Come!”

Another half hour passed. When the third draw appeared, Minister Su could no longer maintain the composure of a national minister. His gaze burned as he stared at Qiao Zhao and asked: “Girl, how did you do this?”

The appearance of draws was already rare, so what about intentionally created draws? Minister Su hardly dared think deeper.

This could only indicate one thing – the little girl across from him had skill far superior to his own!