The train rattled along the tracks, carrying them home. Inside the private compartment, the atmosphere was light and warm.
Grandpa Xie Zhong looked at the chessboard, then at Zhu Yanyi. "Ani, your public statement won't bring down the Chen or Bai families."
Zhu Yanyi grinned, her eyes bright. "I didn't plan to knock them down right now."
She picked up a chess piece, tapping it gently against her palm. "The statement is just a setup. Cutting meat with a fast knife hides the danger inside. I prefer a dull knife. It’s slow, but over time, they’ll see their meat getting smaller and smaller."
She wasn’t reckless. She never did anything without a plan. This statement was just the surface. Her real moves were waiting in the shadows.
"Oh?" Xie Zhong raised an eyebrow, curious. "Can you tell Grandpa?"
She wanted to see how much her little granddaughter had grown.
"Of course." Zhu Yanyi smiled softly. "Hong Kong isn’t ruled by just the Chen family. They’ve been around longer, so other strong families stay quiet to avoid their glare. But there’s another family, the Shangguan family. They’re just as strong as the Chens."
She leaned forward slightly. "The current head, Shangguan Haohan, has a son who is very sick. No one can cure her."
Xie Zhong understood immediately. "So, you’ve already sent word about how skilled you are?"
"I had Aohan get me the boy’s medical records," Zhu Yanyi said calmly. "I looked at them. Something happened during her kidnapping. It twisted her mind, causing anorexia. It’s easy to treat if you can untie the knot in her heart. If not…" She shrugged. "I can just make her forget."
Making someone forget the past was easy for her.
Xie Zhong chuckled, pointing a finger at her. "You little fox."
"Don’t blame me, Grandpa!" Zhu Yanyi pointed at the board. "Even if you try to confuse me with words, you can’t deny it. You lost this game."
Xie Zhong sighed and set his piece down. "Fine, I admit defeat." He began sorting the pieces. "One more game. I won’t believe I can’t beat you."
The door slid open. Yan Aohan walked in. "Grandpa, I checked the dining car. Nothing light enough for you. I’ve arranged for food to be delivered at the next stop."
Xie Zhong looked at her. She knew about Aohan and Zhu Yanyi now. She knew Aohan’s character well. "That’s too much trouble."
"Not at all," Aohan smiled gently. "Grandpa’s body is just recovering. He can’t eat greasy food."
"Right," Xie Zhong said, changing the subject. "You handled the Chen family. What about the Bai family?"
Zhu Yanyi laughed. "The Bai family is an ethnic minority, but they have plenty of internal fights. I heard they’re split into left and right factions. The right faction attacked you. So, I plan to contact the left faction. I don’t want anything from them. I just want to help them suppress the right side."
"The Bai family splits into factions, but they unite against outsiders," Xie Zhong noted. "Are you sure you can divide them?"
Zhu Yanyi smiled mischievously. "The person I sent isn’t an outsider. Of course, it’s someone from within the Bai family." She made a playful face.
Xie Zhong understood. The Bai family united only against external enemies. If the enemy came from within, they would split.
She sighed. "Ani, your strategy skills are quite good."
"I’m just talking theory," Zhu Yanyi said modestly. "Aohan did most of the work." She looked at her with a sweet smile.
Yan Aohan’s face softened with tenderness. "What’s the difference? Everything mine is yours. Why worry?"
His heart was already one with hers.
Zhu Yanyi beamed. Xie Zhong watched them, smiling. "It’s good that Aohan is coming back with us. It’s time for relatives and friends to know you’re getting engaged in March."