Chapter 140 - 112: Welcoming Evolution

Chapter 140: Chapter 112: Welcoming Evolution

Not long after.

Gu Qing and Xia Shuran walked out of the martial arts hall and got into a black car driven by Xia Dongsheng.

Once the two had buckled their seatbelts, Xia Dongsheng stepped on the gas. The car pulled away smoothly, heading toward the home of Xia Shuran’s family.

Throughout the entire drive, Xia Dongsheng kept a stony expression. Whenever his gaze flickered to the rearview mirror and landed on Gu Qing in the back seat, his look would turn even more hostile.

Gu Qing could understand.

After all, in the man’s eyes, he was the wild boar come to root up his precious cabbage. It would be a miracle if he looked happy about it.

...

「Just before twelve-thirty in the afternoon.」

The black car drove steadily, finally coming to a stop in front of an impressive standalone villa.

Gu Qing got out of the car. Looking at the large villa before him, he couldn’t help but feel surprised.

’Holy cow. So my little junior is secretly a rich girl?’

’Then again, it makes sense when you think about it.’

’After all, with a family that can run such a large martial arts hall, how could her parents not be wealthy?’

’It just goes to show that my junior keeps a pretty low profile at school. She never gave any indication that she was loaded.’

Stepping into the yard, Gu Qing curiously took in his surroundings.

The courtyard was surrounded by an exquisite garden, with flowers of all colors blooming vibrantly.

When the wind blew, it carried a faint, pleasant floral fragrance.

In a corner of the courtyard was a small decorative pond with clear water, where koi fish swam back and forth.

In addition, two trees were planted in front of the villa’s door.

One was a jujube tree. The other was also a jujube tree.

Overall, the entire garden was artfully arranged, creating a scene that was both serene and elegant.

Crossing through the garden in the courtyard, the three of them stopped at the villa’s front door.

Xia Shuran stepped forward for a facial scan. With a BEEP, the door unlocked.

She then turned back to Gu Qing, her smile bright as she said:

"Let’s go in, Senior."

"Okay."

Gu Qing gave a simple reply and followed Xia Shuran inside.

The house was very spacious, visually estimated to be over three thousand square feet.

The floor was paved with light-colored marble tiles, polished and elegant.

The furniture followed a modern, minimalist style, with a light gray sofa paired with a natural wood coffee table, creating a look that was both generous and soft.

The walls were free of complex decorations, adorned with only a few simple art pieces.

Potted green plants were placed in the corners, providing a perfect accent.

The overall atmosphere was clean and warm.

"Senior, please have a seat on the sofa. I’ll go get you a glass of water."

As Xia Shuran spoke, a little idea popped into her head. She deliberately picked up a cup she often used herself and went straight to the water cooler to fill it.

’I might not get the chance to use the cup my Senior always uses, but having my Senior use the cup *I* always use... that seems pretty good too.’

Just then, a graceful figure emerged from the kitchen.

It was Xia Shuran’s mother, Chen Shulan.

She had delicate features and fair skin, looking to be not even forty years old. Her eyes were filled with a gentle smile.

"Ranran, you’re back."

Chen Shulan said with a smile, looking at her daughter.

The words had barely left her mouth when her gaze immediately shifted to Gu Qing on the living room sofa, and her eyes instantly lit up.

’My goodness, what a handsome young man!’

’He’s even better-looking than the celebrities on TV!’

’My daughter’s senior is so much more handsome in person than in the photos!’

For a moment, Chen Shulan found herself stunned by Gu Qing’s good looks.

In her nearly forty years of life, it was the first time she had seen such a handsome young man in person. A sense of gratification swelled in her heart.

’My darling daughter is so capable, actually managing to bring such a handsome senior home.’

’Tsk, tsk. She definitely inherited her mother’s good looks.’

’Truly, the student has surpassed the master!’

On the sofa, Gu Qing also noticed his junior’s young-looking mother.

He glanced at Chen Shulan’s face, his eyes falling on the tag floating above her head:

—[Martial Arts Grandmaster]

’Hm? What’s this?’

’My junior’s mom looks so gentle and delicate, nothing at all like a martial artist. Why does she also have a [Martial Arts Grandmaster] tag floating over her head?’

’Am I judging a book by its cover?’

’Is she just the type who looks slim in clothes?’

’And that once they’re off, she’s all rock-hard muscle, looking bigger than anyone else?’

Gu Qing speculated internally.

At the same time, Chen Shulan snapped out of her daze by the kitchen doorway. She walked slowly into the living room and smiled warmly at Gu Qing. "You must be the Gu Qing that Ranran is always talking about, right?"

"Hello, ma’am."

Gu Qing greeted her with a smile.

Chen Shulan said enthusiastically, "Thank you so much for looking after our Ranran at school. Please, make yourself at home, play on your phone. I’m just going to head back to the kitchen to finish up. I’m making a big meal to welcome you."

"You’re too kind, ma’am."

"Not at all. Just wait until you try my cooking."

Chen Shulan gave a gentle smile, then turned and went back to the kitchen to get busy.

Xia Shuran brought over a glass of plain water and placed it on the coffee table in front of Gu Qing.

"Senior, I’ll put your water right here."

"Okay. Thanks, Shuran."

Gu Qing offered a polite smile.

...

「More than ten minutes later.」

Nearly ten steaming, home-cooked dishes were brought to the dining table by the mother and daughter of the Xia Family, each one a feast for the senses.

The four of them sat down and began to eat. The atmosphere at the table was reasonably harmonious.

The father, Xia Dongsheng, kept his head down and ate, rarely speaking. He would only offer a brief reply when his daughter or wife spoke to him directly.

The mother, Chen Shulan, was quite talkative. She placed food on Gu Qing’s plate while cheerfully making small talk.

Her gaze fell on Gu Qing, and she asked with a curious expression, "Xiaogu, if you don’t mind me asking, what do your parents do for a living? And how many people are in your family?"

She threw out the two questions in succession, filled with the natural concern of an elder.