"Your father-in-law has met Qi Min long ago, hasn't he? He knows about your relationship, right?"
Old He stared at Qin Guan, who was lost in a daze, and demanded sharply, "Qin Guan, what are you thinking about? I'm asking you something, speak up!"
Qin Guan swallowed, finally reining in his wandering thoughts.
Had his father-in-law met Qi Min? – This question wasn't hard to answer.
But as Qin Guan opened his mouth, he didn't know how to say it.
In the room, uniformed police officers moved constantly around him. They seemed to possess a strange power, capable of sucking away the air around him.
Otherwise, why did he feel it getting harder and harder to breathe?
The question was easy enough to answer, but how to say it was the trouble.
Because some words, some things, seemed insignificant, but just a light tug could unravel so much content, so much that couldn't be made public.
Qin Guan was a professional lawyer. He knew the importance of a "statement" all too well, and understood that every word he said right now needed to be chosen with extreme caution.
But he couldn't hide it.
Because his father-in-law had indeed met Qi Min long ago.
After Qi Min and Qin Guan got involved, she occasionally came to his home, Guanlan Court.
Of course, most times it was for work-related reasons – Qi Min wasn't his personal assistant. Initially, she was an assistant for the entire law firm. To put it nicely, she was an assistant; to put it bluntly, she was a general dogsbody.
Fresh graduates with law degrees were a dime a dozen. Without experience and without having passed the bar exam, most firms hardly hired them.
Even if they were hired, it was usually for menial tasks.
Naturally, Qin Guan had skipped this step thanks to his father-in-law's connections. Qi Min was different. The firm hired her purely because she was decent-looking and quick-witted – she started as a receptionist, handling all sorts of odd jobs.
Therefore, she often needed to deliver materials and documents to the lawyers.
Every time she came to Qin Guan's home, Qi Min was very thoughtful. She would call ahead to inform them, considerately bringing Little Pear some fruit or small toys. She would sweetly call Xu Ruyi "Sister-in-law" and affectionately address Qin Guan's father-in-law as "Uncle," over and over.
She even acted as a lubricant between Qin Guan and his father-in-law – the plan to quit and start his own firm had been swiftly abandoned by Jin after Qin Guan couldn't secure funding due to his father-in-law's strong opposition. Qin Guan had no choice but to return to the firm.
He hid all his emotions well, but his father-in-law couldn't. After that, the father-in-law's attitude towards him noticeably cooled. Qin Guan hinted about it to Xu Ruyi a few times, but Xu Ruyi was oblivious. "Dad's sulking with you? I didn't notice. Don't you know Dad? That's just his temperament. Probably a bit unhappy. He gets like this when he's unhappy, doesn't talk much. No need to persuade him, he'll be fine in a few days!"
It was Qi Min, instead, who keenly sensed something was wrong. After asking Qin Guan and learning it was a minor tiff between father-in-law and son-in-law, she came up with an idea. With Qin Guan's permission, she immediately put it into action – she would quietly watch the father-in-law practice calligraphy in his study, admiring the strength and vigor of his brushstrokes, while cleverly fabricating that Qin Guan often praised his father-in-law's calligraphy and character at the firm.
Then, in front of the father-in-law, she would praise Qin Guan's steadiness, capability, diligence, ambition, and intelligence. More importantly, she emphasized Qin Guan's devotion to his family, his wholehearted loyalty to Xu Ruyi and his daughter.
"Lawyer Qin is famous in our firm as a Five Goods husband, a Five Goods father, and a Five Goods son! A good husband – that's thanks to Sister-in-law's nurturing! A good son and a good lawyer – I think that's Uncle's achievement! In a family, the role model set by the elders is truly immense!"
Qi Min's words hit the father-in-law right where it mattered.
After she mediated like this a few times, the father-in-law's attitude towards Qin Guan gradually returned to normal.
"Work hard, good opportunities will come in the future. Also, remember to rest, balance work and leisure." One evening after dinner, the father-in-law suddenly dropped this remark. Dropped onto the dining table along with it was a membership card for a golf club – a new card, freshly applied by the father-in-law in Qin Guan's name.
This was the father-in-law extending an olive branch.
He was trying to use this mere 20,000 yuan card to cover up his ugly, shameful selfishness in that earlier matter.
Such a clumsy tactic.
Qin Guan saw right through it, but he still "respectfully" and "gratefully" accepted the humiliating card – when under someone else's roof, one has to bow their head. The assets were all in the father-in-law's hands; he couldn't exactly force the issue.
Besides, the opportunity was already gone. The firm Jin was operating behind the scenes soon announced its opening. Qin Guan had lost his chance to join.
He was filled with resentment and anger, but he could only obediently wait for the next opportunity.
"So? Did I complete my task okay?" Later, when he took Qi Min to that luxurious golf club, she swung her club stylishly and laughed, seeking credit. "But actually, it's not really my credit. It's mainly because you're outstanding enough. Your father-in-law understands in his heart too – you are a dragon, destined to soar to the heavens!"
Qi Min really knew how to talk.
She had always been a qualified mistress.
She was smart, self-aware, knew her boundaries, and could expertly gauge the limits.
In front of Qin Guan's family, she appeared to be nothing more than a friendly, capable female subordinate.
So, for over two years, his relationship with Qi Min remained hidden from his father-in-law, Xu Ruyi, and all the watchful eyes at the firm.
The father-in-law's suspicion likely arose on Little Pear's third birthday.
His daughter was born in winter but loved swimming most – her birthday wish that year was to eat cake in a swimming pool.
To fulfill Little Pear's wish, the father-in-law generously booked out a small hot spring pool in the suburbs, inviting a few relatives, friends, and Little Pear's playmates from her early learning class.
Xu Ruyi naturally invited Qi Min too.
Because she was the daughter's favorite "Auntie Minmin."
The plan for the day was: everyone would soak in the hot springs first, then blow out candles and eat cake with the children, play in the water, then shower, change clothes, and head to the restaurant for a buffet.
The weather was good, the setting was nice, and everyone enjoyed themselves thoroughly in the water.
Perhaps because the hot spring water was quite warm, Qin Guan got thirsty. When he got up midway to get water in the lounge, he happened to run into Qi Min.
Qi Min was dripping wet. Her swimsuit clung to her curvaceous figure, exuding a unique allure. Seeing no one around, the bold woman even stood on tiptoe to kiss Qin Guan, then playfully snatched the cup from his hand and took a few sips.
Just as Qi Min was laughing and drinking, Qin Guan saw his father-in-law.
The father-in-law stood at the entrance to the lounge. He hadn't seen them kiss, but he must have seen Qi Min drinking from his cup.
What kind of relationship between a man and a woman involves sharing a cup?
Any adult knows perfectly well.
The father-in-law certainly knew – otherwise, why did he immediately turn and walk away without a word?