Seeing Meng Jiangchu greet him with a smile, Li Guanqi rose to his feet in welcome.
Meng Jiangchu patted him on the shoulder and laughed. "Good lad! You actually managed to bring Hu Shouqing along?"
Li Guanqi smiled faintly and replied softly, "It was mostly thanks to Elder Han and the others... Besides, the Seventh Domain really is short on people right now."
Meng Jiangchu let out a soft sigh and nodded gravely. "Indeed. The Eight Generals went out recently, yet they only managed to convince two seniors to come.
"You, on the other hand, brought back five all at once.
"If memory serves me right, that young man is Zhou Shiyu from the Six Ancients Sacred Sect, isn't he?"
Li Guanqi nodded slightly. Meeting the older man's gaze, he made no attempt to conceal his selfish motive. "Zhou Shiyu is practically one of our own. As for the Eight Generals... with him there, at least nothing will go awry.
"Besides, he is a stubborn man who sticks stubbornly to principles—or, to put it more politely, upright and unyielding."
The two sat down in the courtyard to chat, while Meng Wanshu poured tea for them with a gentle smile.
Inside the house, the woman watched this heartwarming scene with a smile, bustling back and forth in the kitchen.
Accepting the teacup, Li Guanqi noticed that Meng Wanshu seemed quite different from before.
He looked at her and asked via a gentle voice transmission, "Are you certain there are no lingering issues with the Bingqi inheritance inside you?"
Meng Wanshu looked up at him in slight surprise, wondering why he would ask such a question.
Seeing her reaction, Li Guanqi smiled wryly. "Before, your temperament and overall demeanor were clearly influenced by the Bingqi inheritance.
"Back then, beneath your natural aloofness, there was an added chill of disdain for common mortals in your eyes.
"Perhaps... you noticed it yourself later on."
Meng Wanshu did not deny it. She merely smiled warmly and nodded.
She was not naturally warm or outgoing, but neither was she someone who slaughtered the innocent or held the world in contempt.
Her coolness was simply her innate personality; she was disinclined to take the initiative in approaching others, making her somewhat passive in social interactions.
Yet the change from before had clearly gone beyond her own character.
Because of that realization, Meng Wanshu had begun to enter seclusion with increasing frequency.
For long stretches of time, she was nowhere to be seen.
She understood that only by growing stronger could she diminish the inheritance's hold over her.
Catching Li Guanqi's meaningful look, Meng Wanshu smiled and understood what he needed. "Father, I'll leave the two of you to talk. I'm going to help Mother with the cooking."
Meng Jiangchu nodded with a smile. Once she was gone, he watched Li Guanqi pour the tea and chuckled. "Speak up. What is so secret that you had to keep it from Wanshu?"
Li Guanqi set down the teapot and looked up at the man, his gaze calm. "I went back to Fulong Village."
Meng Jiangchu's hand paused as he lifted his teacup. Taking a light sip, he said softly, "You... want to ask why I went to Fulong Village back then?"
Li Guanqi nodded slightly. "If I recall correctly, Grandfather once said that you arrived more than ten years ahead of time.
"Even though you only went as an avatar, why that place?"
Meng Jiangchu did not answer right away. He leaned back in his chair, a dazed look in his eyes.
After a long silence, he said softly, "As you know, the lifespan of cultivators like us spans tens of thousands of years.
"In our daily lives, we naturally keep an eye out for news regarding unusual fortunes and blessed lands.
"Back then, I caught wind of some information claiming a tremendous opportunity might be hidden there. That was why I went."
Li Guanqi turned the teacup gently between his fingers. "Could it be that someone passed this news to you, Father-in-law?
"But... how did Zhang Qixuan find out as well?
"Could the person who told you have been the same person?"
The man furrowed his brows, a look of reminiscence surfacing in his eyes as he spoke in a heavy voice. "No one told us that news.
"It came from an auction at the Tianji Pavilion. A jade pendant had been shattered into fragments and put up for bid separately, and I bought one of them.
"The other two pieces were bought by other people. One of them was likely Zhang Qixuan.
"As for who bought the third, I do not know... It might have been that old man surnamed Lu who lived in the village back then."
Li Guanqi nodded slowly, his brow furrowing as confusion filled his eyes.
A secret treasure...
*So no one told them directly?*
*Such a coincidence? Did someone calculate that Grandfather would bring me to Fulong Village at that exact time?*
The more Li Guanqi thought about it, the more unsettled he felt...
Given how powerful Su Xuan was, who would dare divine the heavenly secrets to plot against him?
"What are you two chatting about? Dinner is ready!"
The woman's call rang out, and both Li Guanqi and Meng Jiangchu stood up in unison to help carry the dishes.
Meng Jiangchu waved his hand with a slightly awkward cough. "Go on. I'll give you a chance to make a good impression."
Li Guanqi smiled. It seemed his father-in-law was truly terrified of Aunt Li.
Throughout the meal, Li Guanqi remained somewhat distracted, Meng Jiangchu's words echoing constantly in his mind.
This differed from what he had anticipated.
The others could tell he had things weighing on his mind, but none of them pressed him.
Only Li Guilan's chopsticks never stopped piling food onto Li Guanqi's plate.
Li Guanqi did not mention that he had discussed proposing marriage with Lu Kangnian during his trip back.
There would be plenty of time to bring it up once everything was properly settled.
After dinner, Li Guanqi did not linger long. He stood up and said with a smile, "Mother-in-law, Father-in-law, I'll take my leave first.
"I've just returned and have a lot to attend to, and I also need to pay Grandfather a visit."
The two nodded with warm smiles, not pressing him to stay.
Meng Wanshu curtsied gently. "Father, Mother, I shall head back to the White Jade Tower as well."
Once the two of them left, Li Guilan tugged on Meng Jiangchu's sleeve and whispered, "Did Guanqi go see his grandfather to discuss proposing marriage?
"Why didn't he mention a single word of it at the table..."
Seeing the worry on her face, Meng Jiangchu took her hand and smiled. "What is the rush? Guanqi isn't a child; he knows what he's doing.
"Besides... he went back to Beiliang City this time to pay respects to his mother and elder sister.
"His spirits are bound to be low. If you can avoid bringing it up right now, it's best not to."
Li Guilan's heart gave a sudden jolt. Her eyes reddened, and she looked toward the doorway with an aching heart. "He went back this time?"
Meng Jiangchu sighed, murmuring with mixed emotions, "Yes. He hadn't returned in decades—not because the boy has a hard heart, but because he couldn't bear to face it...
"For a man who values bonds and affection so deeply to endure staying away for decades, the weight he carries must be immense."
Both of them felt an ache in their hearts and murmured words of comfort to one another.
Outside, Meng Wanshu held Li Guanqi's arm, saying nothing.
Li Guanqi looked straight ahead, reaching down to pat the back of her hand as he spoke softly.
"Next time, come back with me to see them."
Hearing this, Meng Wanshu's brows relaxed, and a soft smile graced her face. She nodded and said tenderly, "Alright. I'll do whatever you say."
Chapter 1433