The moment she stepped over the threshold of the main hall behind the old man, Qiu Yihe saw Qiu Wu already hurrying forward to greet them.
His face wore a perfectly measured smile, his steps quicker than usual; from afar he cupped his hands in salute, posture lowered to the utmost.
"Old Jiang, I hope I'm not disturbing your rest?"
The old man gave a faint nod, tone betraying neither pleasure nor anger: "You certainly know how to pick your moments—my pre-rain Dragon-Well has just been awakened."
The hall was classically Chinese: at the far end stood two carved pear-wood armchairs flanking a small cloud-marble table reserved for serving tea to guests.
Below the armchairs, four long benches lined each side, their surfaces polished by years of use.
Beside every bench stood a narrow side table, just wide enough for teacups and sweet plates.
The old man walked straight to the main seat and sat, spine erect, exuding authority without raising his voice.
Qiu Wu dared not sit as an equal; he perched on the edge of a side chair, back slightly bent, smile still perfectly in place.
Jiang Cheng had meant to take the host's bench to the old man's left.
But as his gaze swept the hall he spotted Qiu Yihe in the fourth row on the right.
The first two rows ahead of her were occupied by her two cousins, heads together in whispered conversation, eyes flicking repeatedly toward him.
The instant he met Qiu Yihe's fire-laden stare his rear lifted reflexively from the seat.
A teasing grin curved his mouth; he changed direction, crossed the open floor, and dropped onto the empty place beside her.
Seeing this, Qiu Yihe lowered her voice and drawled, "Well, what rare wind blows the great Young Master Jiang here? I thought you were lost among the flowers and weeds outside, forgetting which way your own gate opens."
Jiang Cheng put on an innocent, bewildered look and lifted a brow at her.
He leaned to her ear, murmuring just loud enough for her alone: "Flowers outside can't match the thorny rose at home."
Qiu Yihe shot him a scathing glare. "Oh? And do you remember the faceful of exhaust you gave me the other day when you drove off?"
Jiang Cheng gave a dry laugh. "Hey, don't twist facts—you said you didn't need a ride, and I wasn't even the one driving…"
That stoked her anger. "When I say 'no' you take it as final?"
"Ah~" Jiang Cheng feigned enlightenment, gaze drifting to the rise and fall of her chest. "So it was 'refuse only to entice.' You should've said so sooner—I'm always 'hard' when there's a 'ball' in play, as you've tested yourself…"
Another Girl might have needed a moment to decode that.
But Qiu Yihe, no stranger to bawdy banter, caught his meaning in a heartbeat—especially with that look in his eyes.
Her mind flashed back to him pinning her against the restroom door.
The image fit the idiom perfectly. With elders present she dared not continue; she jerked her face away, ears burning.
She was genuinely furious.
Yet she could do nothing to him.
Even blacklisting him didn't faze him.
Still, every time they met he had to tease her.
He'd dangle hope before her without ever committing.
Utter scumbag!
The scene did not escape her cousins in the front row.
The polite smiles on their lips froze.
They exchanged a glance, sour resentment brimming but kept silent out of respect for Old Jiang.
The old man sipped his tea after observing Jiang Cheng and Qiu Yihe.
He turned to Qiu Wu as if idly: "I hear your Girl Qiu Ya has been posted to a new position?"
Qiu Wu's eyes lit; he bent even lower, smile widening. "Your news is always first-rate! She made it into Regulatory Review only thanks to your backing—how else could she manage? I'm deeply grateful."
Before the words settled, Qiu Ya piped up: "Grandfather, Sister is amazing—right after joining she filed a proposal to seal narcotics-offence records; it's already in preliminary review!"
That snagged Qiu Yihe's attention.
Her teacup halted halfway; she looked toward Qiu Li.
"Seal narcotics records? What bill did you submit?"
Seeing Qiu Yihe's curiosity, Qiu Li struck a superior pose.
She explained unhurriedly: "In the revised Public Security Administration Punishments Law, we add a clause to seal petty drug-offence records so they can't be freely searched."
She spoke as if it were trivial, missing how Qiu Yihe's face darkened.
Qiu Yihe's knuckles whitened around the cup, leaving faint dents in its rim.
She drew a slow breath to smother the surge of rage, yet her voice still trembled.
"Why hide those records? Do you know each one was bought with the blood of narcotics officers?"
They knew she worked in law enforcement, but none realized she herself was a narcotics officer.