Zhao Zhaodi smiled so hard that wrinkles appeared at the corners of her eyes. She was as enthusiastic as if she had seen her own granddaughter, and she tried to take Ye Nian'an's arm as she spoke.
Ye Nian'an subtly moved half a step to the side, avoiding her touch, and said in a calm tone, "Let's skip the small talk. The reason I agreed to come over was simply because I was a little curious..."
“I think I made myself very clear before, yet you still dare to come to my door and say you have something to discuss with me.”
"I'd like to see what else you have to say."
Zhao Zhaodi's hand froze in mid-air, and the smile on her face faded a bit. She cursed the girl in her heart for not knowing what was good for her, but she still smiled apologetically: "Of course, of course, it's windy outside, let's go inside and talk, let's go inside and talk."
"Alright."
Ye Nian'an stepped over the threshold with a leisurely gait, as if this were her own home.
Watching her retreating figure, Zhao Zhaodi quietly tugged at Zhao Jiadi's sleeve, her voice extremely low: "Old Zhao, what do you think... is Ye Nian'an's visit this time a blessing or a curse?"
"Judging from her attitude, am I going to trick us again like last time?"
Just thinking about the gifts she had given away last time made Zhao Zhaodi's heart ache.
So much money was spent, but not even a splash was made.
Zhao Shikai continued as before at the police station, showing no sign of Ye Nian'an intervening on his behalf.
Could it be that Ye Nian'an agreed so readily this time because he wanted to test their "sincerity" so he could squeeze a hefty sum out of them?
Zhao Jiadi sighed, his brows furrowed: "Madam, don't forget, the young master is still inside..."
The rest of the sentence was left unsaid, but the meaning couldn't be clearer.
For Zhao Shikai's sake, even if it's a trap, we have to accept it.
"well!"
Zhao Zhaodi gritted her teeth and made up her mind: "He's still my own son! I'll give it my all one last time!"
She thought to herself that if Ye Nian'an accepted the gifts but didn't do anything this time, they would have no choice but to accept their fate.
After all, the Zhao family was in the wrong first, so they couldn't very well go and demand an explanation from the other party, or they would only make a fool of themselves.
The two quickly followed Ye Nian'an's footsteps, watching her casually look around the courtyard, their hearts pounding with anxiety.
Ye Nian'an didn't care what Zhao Zhaodi and Zhao Jiadi were whispering about behind her back.
She slowly surveyed the courtyard, her eyes sweeping over the water vat in the corner, the flowerpots under the eaves, and even the old porcelain vase on the windowsill—
This isn't just a casual stroll; they're marking the Zhao family's "treasure."
The layout of this courtyard house is simple; you can see the whole thing at a glance in such a small space.
The door to the east wing, with its brass lock, looked like a storeroom used for storing firewood, rice, oil, and salt.
The windows of the west wing were covered with paper very tightly, and there wasn't even a speck of dust on the door hinges. It was also the largest room in the courtyard, either the main hall or the room where Zhao Zhaodi lived.
Ye Nian'an had already asked Song Yan to find out how wealthy the Zhao family was in the past.
During that extraordinary decade, they voluntarily surrendered several boxes of antiques and calligraphy, sought protection from the cultural relics bureau, and relied on their connections built up in their early years to smooth things over, thus avoiding having their home raided.
Unfortunately, the eldest son's wife and granddaughter did not survive that winter. The Zhao family remained tight-lipped about how they died, only saying that they contracted a sudden illness.
However, Ye Nian'an knew very well...
Why would a family like that hand over all their assets?
Every wealthy family would keep some savings for emergencies.
Given how generous Zhao Zhaodi was when she came to Ye Nian'an to ask him to let Zhao Shikai go, she must have some even better treasures hidden away.
If we find any small yellow croakers, escape rooms, or anything like that, we'll take everything, including the cabinets and boxes!
Ye Nian casually strolled around, confirming the location of Zhao Zhaodi's room, the storeroom, the toilet, and the exit point at the back, before finally arriving at the main room.
Zhao Jiadi was unaware that his family's assets had been targeted. He quickly brewed a pot of fine Biluochun tea for Ye Nian'an. The tea leaves unfurled in the hot water, filling the room with their aroma.
The pastries on the table were also exquisite; they were hibiscus cakes from Daoxiangcun, a rare treat these days.
Ye Nian'an picked up her teacup, took a sip, and then slowly chewed on a piece of hibiscus cake, showing no intention of speaking.
The main room was very quiet, with only the rustling sound of her eating, which made Zhao Zhaodi and Zhao Jiadi breathe even softer.
"Eat slowly, eat slowly, there's plenty more."
Zhao Zhaodi said politely, but in her heart she was thinking about how to ask Ye Nian to let Zhao Shikai off the hook.
Ye Nian'an looked up, a few crumbs of pastry still clinging to the corner of her lips, and spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Okay, then remember to pack some tea and snacks for me when I leave, so I can take them back with me."
"..."
Zhao Zhaodi's smile froze a little.
She was just being polite, but Ye Nian'an responded so smoothly.
It was as if he had been waiting for her to say that, leaving her speechless for a long time.
Ye Nian'an took another sip of tea, and seeing that she didn't move, she raised her eyebrows high: "What? Is this not good enough? Is this how you treat your guests?"
"Sure! Why not!"
Zhao Zhaodi snapped out of her daze and quickly slapped her thigh, laughing, "Take as much as you like!"
"Old Zhao, did you hear that? When Comrade Ye Nian'an leaves later, go to the storeroom and pack a few more bags of pastries, and also take that jar of Longjing tea with you!"
"I...I understand."
Zhao Jiadi was also speechless with shock at Ye Nian'an's words.
Only after Zhao Zhaodi reminded him did he finally come to his senses.
Ye Nian'an patted the pastry crumbs off her hands, finally looked up at Zhao Zhaodi, her tone no longer as nonchalant as before.
"Alright, now that everything has been said, there's no need for you to beat around the bush. Just say what you want to say. Pretending to be polite will only waste everyone's time."
Zhao Zhaodi felt uneasy under her gaze. She rubbed the calluses on her hands, coughed twice, and then spoke, her voice trembling with a hint of flattery: "Ahem... Comrade Ye Nian'an, actually, the reason I asked you to come here this time is still about Shikai's matter."
"Could you please make an exception and go to the police station to issue a letter of understanding to Shikai?"
"With your letter of forgiveness, Shikai can get a shorter sentence... He really knows he was wrong; he just acted foolishly in a moment of confusion. Please give him another chance, okay?"
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