Chapter 8_3

A group of people played by the lake until the sun set in the west and then they all flocked back to the city. It was only after a meal together in the evening that they each went their separate ways to enjoy the night life. Qu Xiaojuan had Yao Bin take her back to the Ode to Joy; she said she simply couldn't hold on any longer, even though the night was just beginning to unveil its enchanting figure.

The streets were congested on a Saturday afternoon, and Andy, honoring an appointment, drove for half the day before finally arriving at Tan Zongming's doorstep. Even though Tan Zongming personally came out to greet her and opened the door himself, she still complained relentlessly, "Who, huh, lives so remotely, wasting precious life on four wheels?"

Tan Zongming only smiled in response, directing Andy to park the car in the garage before striking back, "Are you sure the route you took didn't include a long detour?"

"Unless the taxi driver leading the way in an empty car fooled me. Huh, you've already gotten your hands on a Panamera? Trade with me, this Xiaobai is too ostentatious now."

"Little sister, look at the turbo on the tail and tell me if it's not high-profile. Which of my cars isn't? If you're set on swiping my new car, at least come up with a better excuse."

"I've just met four kids, a GT2 won't fit them all, so I have to borrow this Panamera. Otherwise, I'll turn hostile in the next second."

"Such gratitude for a cup of rice, such enmity for a scoop of grain. Find the keys yourself, damn it, I've only driven the car twice since it was delivered. We'll be waiting for you in the backyard."

Andy laughed heartily, diving into the car to grab the keys. But once the keys were in her hand, she sat in the seat, taking several deep breaths, before getting up to get out. Following the cobblestone path to the backyard, she saw another middle-aged man already seated by a pond with two white geese floating on it. Tan Zongming introduced him as his old friend Yan Luming, who had been helping Andy with information about her brother. Yan Luming shook hands with Andy, but his first words were, "I expected you'd be a beauty, and indeed you are."

Andy replied to Tan Zongming with a smile, "Old Tan, you didn't give Mr. Yan a detailed introduction of our relationship."

"I think Mr. Yan's assumption was not unfounded. Besides a fiancée, who else would dare to waltz into my garage like it's their own?"

Andy said to Yan Luming with a laugh, "I just asked Old Tan for the latest car that arrived. There's now a vendetta between this car lover and me. The statistics show that the type of beauty Old Tan likes isn't the kind I am, especially for a middle-aged man like him, numbers tend to be more reliable than words."

Yan Luming replied, "The statistics also show that rashly interrupting a conversation between a man and a woman often leads to an untimely death without even knowing how. Let's get back to the point. In the past month, I personally visited Miss Andi's hometown to conduct a field investigation and found that many of the young men there have left to find work, with populations having spread all over the coastal areas in recent years. I did a few sample surveys and realized that the cost of finding someone is not only astronomical, but many people, unless they're wanted and appear on police networks, might never be found again, nor are they likely to return to their hometowns. Therefore, I feel that I cannot complete the task of finding your brother and I am truly sorry. I wanted to apologize to you in person."

Andy was taken aback, her first reaction was to look towards Tan Zongming. Tan Zongming spread out his hands, "Mr. Yan just went into great detail with me about what he has been doing over the month; even if we ignore the cost, many practical problems are unsolvable. It's all up to luck from the heavens. However, Mr. Yan's personal visit wasn't fruitless, he has clarified your background, and he's also discovered the birthday that you've unfortunately been unaware of. I asked Mr. Yan to tell you himself, should I step out for a moment?"

Once again taken aback, Andy eventually said, "I was being willfully blind. Mr. Yan, going to such lengths to find my brother, I should have realized that you could uncover my past. Old Tan, there's no need for you to leave, you always said I was odd, and after hearing this, you'll understand."

"If you don't want your past to be dug up, I can assure you that this matter stops with Mr. Yan and won't be spread further. I won't ask either. Some things don't necessarily have to be clarified."

Andy thought for a while before responding, "I want to understand, I have many questions in my heart waiting to be answered. Old Tan, you said it's a curse to have a too capable mind, to remember too much from infancy, it's just burdensome. Please, Mr. Yan, spare no details."

Upon hearing this, Tan Zongming instructed the housekeeper to bring over a big bottle of water and placed it directly in front of Andy. True to form, Andy didn't hesitate to take a big gulp to steady her nerves. Watching all this, Yan Luming wondered, "Why aren't you two a couple?"

"I suffered greatly from Andy's hands at work, a memory that's fresh. A female colleague with too sharp a mind is terrifying, suitable for friendship, not for marriage."

This book is first published by Xiaoxiang Academy and is not to be reproduced anywhere else!