Where did he go again?

After signing the contract, returning to the hotel to pack our luggage, and buying some local specialties nearby, Zhao Xinze and I boarded the earliest flight back to Tianhai.

As soon as I got off the plane, the Daxi 4S dealership called to inform me that my car repairs were complete and asked when I would be free to pick it up.

After a brief thought, I decided to go to Daxi tomorrow to pick up the car and pay a visit to An'an at President Ye's house along the way.

Instead of returning directly to Xu Zhixia's villa after landing, I headed first to Bijiang Grand Mansion. I had expected Ji Leqing to instruct the property management to delete my information after I moved out, but to my surprise, my face scan still successfully granted me entry just like before.

The elevator doors opened, and Ji Leqing's shoes were sitting in the entryway, suggesting she was likely at home.

Stepping into the living room, I saw Ji Leqing sitting on the sofa, carefully reviewing a document in her hands.

"Leqing."

"Jiang Jian, why are you back?"

Ji Leqing looked extremely surprised by my sudden appearance. She casually placed the document on the coffee table and stood up to walk toward me.

I placed the local specialties I had brought on the floor. "Xinze and I took a trip to Rongcheng and brought back some local delicacies for you. I wasn't sure if you'd like them."

Ji Leqing glanced at the items on the floor, her expression as calm as ever. "Thank you. It's thoughtful of you to still remember me."

I prepared to leave after dropping off the items, but Ji Leqing suddenly remembered something and said, "Wait a moment, I have something for you."

With that, she walked briskly back into the room. A short while later, she emerged holding a familiar white medicine bottle, walked over, and handed it to me.

"My senior fellow apprentice from abroad brought this back for me. It's the latest generation of the medicine you've been taking. This kind of item can't be sent through regular logistics because it's easily held up at customs. Take it back and try it. Let me know immediately if you experience any adverse reactions."

Taking the medicine bottle, I saw the label was still densely packed with English letters. I could barely make out a few common terms, while the rest were presumably obscure Western medicine ingredients.

Opening the bottle, I noticed the contents were different from the previous one. The original tablets had been replaced by a liquid encased in gelatin shells, much like fish oil. While fish oil was yellow, these capsules had a reddish tint.

"How should I take this?"

"Taking too much medication inevitably leads to a certain degree of drug resistance. When your stomach pain is severe and the previous medicine isn't working, take one of these new pills. Store them away from light, as they are sensitive to heat."

"I understand. Thank you, Leqing. It must have taken a lot of effort for you to get these two batches of medicine for me."

"Why are you being so polite? This medicine is still in the research phase anyway, and the physical data you provide plays a crucial role in its development."

Hearing Ji Leqing's words, I recalled the conversation between her and Lin Xingfan that I had accidentally overheard before moving out. I tightened my grip on the medicine bottle and finally spoke up.

"Leqing, I heard part of the conversation between you and Fanzi last time. Does Professor Chen want me to go to the laboratory to assist with the research?"

Ji Leqing froze for a moment, then responded somewhat unnaturally, "You heard wrong..."

"You don't need to hide it from me anymore. I am willing to cooperate, but I need to wait until the Long'an project is finished, settle my mother into a nursing home, and completely hand over Jianhai to Xinze so I have zero worries left. Can we do it then?"

Seemingly caught off guard by my voluntary agreement, Ji Leqing bit her lip, her brows slightly furrowed. "Jiang Jian, are you really sure about this? No one can guarantee whether you will suffer irreversible damage during the research process..."

I curved the corners of my lips and smiled lightly. "I'm already in the late stages of stomach cancer. What kind of damage could possibly exceed the damage the cancer cells are already inflicting on me? The worst-case scenario is simply dying a little earlier."

Seeing how unconcerned I was, Ji Leqing's mood grew heavier instead. She gently pushed me toward the door. "Hurry up and leave. I still need to discuss the research matter with Professor Chen, and you are not allowed to say things like that anymore."

As I stepped into the elevator, I waved at Ji Leqing. "I'm heading out."

Whether my eyes were playing tricks on me or not, the moment the elevator doors closed, I thought I saw a single line of clear tears on Ji Leqing's face.

After leaving Bijiang Grand Mansion, I took a taxi to the doorstep of the elderly Xu couple and rang the doorbell.

Elder Xu's resonant and powerful voice came through the intercom on the door. "Who is it?"

"Grandpa Xu, it's me, little Jiang. I'm back from Rongcheng."

Hearing my voice, Elder Xu immediately laughed, and the gate opened right after. I walked in carrying my things.

Elder Xu opened the front door of the house. "You literally just got off the plane. Why didn't you go home to rest first before coming over?"

| "I had both of you on my mind. Did you receive the cured meats I mailed to you? Did I buy the right ones?"

"You bought the exact right ones. Coincidentally, Grandma Xu is cooking dinner right now. Go wash your hands quickly and get ready to eat."

Without allowing me any room to decline, Elder Xu pulled me inside and casually set the local specialties aside.

The fragrance of meat drifted from the kitchen as Grandma Xu carried out a clay pot. Moving quickly, I rushed over to place the heat-insulating mat on the dining table.

"Oh my, little Jiang is as sharp-eyed as ever, unlike your Grandpa Xu, who just stands there dumbly like a block of wood."

Opening the clay pot, a wave of steam mixed with rich aroma rushed toward us. It turned out to be claypot rice.

The grains of Xiandao rice were plump, elongated, and shimmering with a crystal-like luster. Topped with thinly sliced Chinese sausage, cured pork ribs, pickled mustard greens, and salted egg yolk 'phoenix nests,' it was garnished with vibrant green scallions.

The scent of rice blended with the savory aroma of cured meats, making anyone's mouth water.

I followed Grandma Xu into the kitchen and helped carry the remaining two dishes—steamed sea bass and blanched choi sum—to the dining table.

"I was actually worried I cooked too much, but little Jiang arrived at the exact right time."

"Little Jiang, why haven't you accepted the money I transferred to you?"

My chopsticks paused mid-air. I had thought Grandpa Xu had forgotten about the matter, but ultimately I couldn't escape it.

"You gave way too much, and those things weren't worth that much money..."

Elder Xu's expression immediately shifted. He put down his tableware, put on a stern face, and looked straight at me.

"Little Jiang, this is where you're in the wrong. It's not about the money. The items themselves may not be expensive, but the sentiment behind them is priceless. Once we finish eating, I'm going to hand you hard cash, and you must take it. If you don't, don't ever set foot in my house again."

"Fine, fine, fine, I'll accept it! Grandpa Xu, please don't get angry!"

What a stubborn little old man.

After finishing the meal and leaving Elder Xu's house, I looked down at the thick roll of crisp red banknotes in my hand and sighed helplessly.

Upon returning to Xu Zhixia's villa and stepping inside, I immediately sensed something was amiss. I distinctly remembered putting my slippers away into the shoe cabinet before leaving, so why were they sitting outside?

The shoe cabinet in the entryway contained disposable slippers prepared for guests, and Xu Zhixia certainly wouldn't have been bored enough to move my slippers. So who on earth had touched them?

Staring at the slippers on the floor, I frowned, took out a new pair of disposable slippers to change into, and then picked up my slippers and tossed them straight into the trash can. A minor issue.

After boiling and drinking my traditional Chinese medicine that evening, Xu Zhixia still hadn't returned. I wondered if she had gone off to a club to drink her sorrows away again.

After a moment of thought, I called Xiao Zhu. "Xiao Zhu, where is Xu Zhixia right now?"