The Tycoon’s Enchanted Mermaid
Chapter 218: Return to Capital City

Chapter 218: Chapter 218: Return to Capital City

"Mr. Qin, your phone call." The maid handed the mobile phone to Qin Yu with both hands.

Qin Yu took it, and his brows furrowed when he saw the caller ID—it wasn’t a private number and there was no saved name.

However, judging by Qin Yu’s expression, Ah Da could vaguely guess who it might be because if it were a call from Tang Bufan and the others, Qin Yu wouldn’t reveal such a hint of coldness in his eyes.

He clearly disliked it.

Before answering the call, Qin Yu didn’t forget to glance at the curious baby in his arms, his idle hand gently rubbing her hair.

Ah Da felt a sweetness inside, leaning against his shoulder and gazing adoringly at his handsome profile, pondering how comfortable she always felt whenever Qin Yu stroked her hair and head.

How strange.

Of course, like the stroking from last night, she didn’t care for that, or rather, it scared her a bit.

Qin Yu cradled Ah Da with one arm and held the phone with the other.

"Hello."

A woman’s voice, sounding of some age, came through the receiver, "Third Young Master, this is Mrs. Zhang. Do you have a moment right now? I hope I’m not disturbing you."

Mrs. Zhang? Who is that?

Ah Da silently repeated these two words. She herself was clueless about Qin Yu’s relatives and the family’s situation, having only met some of his family members at a museum and not being familiar with them at all, moreover, Qin Yu didn’t seem to like his own family much.

They caught each other’s eye for a moment, Qin Yu’s gaze fixed on Ah Da while he responded to Mrs. Zhang, his long fingers playing with her hair, his voice and demeanor appearing casual and indifferent.

"I’m not busy, what’s the matter?"

The person on the other end hesitated for a moment before saying slowly, "Yesterday, while cutting flower branches, the old lady accidentally tripped over the stairs and is now hospitalized for treatment. The old lady heard that you and Miss Su were not in Capital City and initially thought not to inform you, but she’s been worrying about seeing Miss Su, so much that it disturbs her sleep at night. It was Mrs. Zhang who took the liberty of calling you, I hope you don’t hold it against me."

"Third Young Master, if you have time, could you bring Miss Su back to visit the old lady, or perhaps just give the old lady a call, it would put her mind at ease."

Mrs. Zhang is the housekeeper of the Qin Family’s ancestral home, having managed all the trivial matters of the household for decades with dedication and duty, and she is also the person whom the old lady trusts the most closely.

Usually, the younger generation of the Qin Family would at least show some respect for Mrs. Zhang, treating her as part of the Qin Family.

Qin Yu was the exception.

Hearing Mrs. Zhang mention herself, Ah Da also felt lost; the old lady actually knew about her—had Qin Yu mentioned her?

Qin Yu’s expression didn’t change much; he simply looked down at the little girl in his arms. Ah Da met his eyes for a couple of seconds, utterly confused, even raising her hand to touch her face and hair, asking softly.

"Do I... have something on my face?"

"No." Qin Yu’s lips curled up slightly.

Hearing this, Ah Da glared at him irritably, but since he was on a phone call, she couldn’t make a big fuss, only giving him a warning look to continue the call properly.

"I’ll get back to you tonight." Having said that, Qin Yu flipped the phone onto the table and hung up the call.

He didn’t give Mrs. Zhang a chance to say more.

Seeing this, Ah Da felt for the first time Qin Yu’s dislike for the Qin Family, his attitude openly indifferent.

Qin Yu placed his fingers on the back of Ah Da’s neck, his fingertips pinching her soft flesh, and his palm applied pressure to lift her head. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Do you want to go back?"

"Ah?"

Ah Da froze for a moment, suddenly realizing he was asking if she was willing to return; she hurriedly bounced the question back to him, "If you go back, I’ll go back, okay? Why ask me?"

He was the true member of the Qin Family, but he was asking her, which clearly meant shirking responsibility—Ah Da muttered to herself.

Seeing her look annoyed, Qin Yu couldn’t help but chuckle, leaning in to whisper in her ear, "It doesn’t matter to me what the Qin Family thinks, the only important thing is, my girlfriend’s opinion comes first, how does that reason sound?"

"If you don’t want to go back, then we won’t."

Ah Da’s cheeks warmed, and she glared at him coquettishly. How had he suddenly become so enlightened, parading out one endearment after another.

Qin Yu bowed his head, apparently wanting to kiss her again, but Ah Da skillfully leaned her head back, covering his mouth with the palm of her hand.

"We’re talking, no other actions allowed."

Qin Yu gazed at her deeply, his expression a mix of amusement and seriousness.

Ah Da thought back to what Mrs. Zhang had said about the old lady being hospitalized—Qin Yu’s paternal grandmother had been injured and was in the hospital—it probably wouldn’t be right for him, as her grandson, not to visit. People might criticize him behind his back.

"In this situation, I think it would be better for you to go back for a while," Ah Da seriously advised him.

Qin Yu took her hand from his lips and gently squeezed it, saying softly, "You go with me."

Ah Da was taken aback, somewhat at a loss. Meet Qin Yu’s family? She wasn’t mentally prepared and was a little scared.

"I... Are your family members easy to get along with?"

Originally, Ah Da wanted to refuse, but when she met Qin Yu’s gaze, she suddenly changed her decision. Perhaps deep down, she had been looking forward to understanding more about Qin Yu.

His family, his history.

Hearing her soft voice and seeing her timid eyes, Qin Yu felt an itch in his heart as if it had been lightly brushed by the tail of a kitten.

He pulled her close with force, his hand caressing her cheek, murmuring, "Why be afraid? You’re mine, they wouldn’t dare do anything to you."

Ah Da’s lips curved into a slight smile; she wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him a peck on the corner of his mouth.

Having decided to return, the two of them didn’t delay. The next day, they left Malaya Island directly by private helicopter.

First, they returned to Wuqiong Water Pavilion, where Ah Da took a shower and changed into a clean set of clothes, her hair neatly braided into a single plait, her face tender and fair, refreshed. Qin Yu took her by the hand and led her to the car, the black vehicle speeding toward the hospital.

They arrived at the private high-end hospital by three in the afternoon. The fees were unaffordable to ordinary people, making it exclusive to the wealthy. Different from a public hospital, the environment was beautiful and tranquil, with only a few medical staff moving about.

Long Qi stayed in the car, while Qin Yu, holding Ah Da’s hand, entered the private elevator. As the elevator ascended, Ah Da’s heart also rose. Although Qin Yu had said he would protect her, she couldn’t stop herself from feeling nervous and apprehensive about meeting his family.

Like when she met Qin Yu’s older brother at the museum, Ah Da had felt his ill-intentions only hidden beneath a seemingly gentle yet falsely serene and mild-mannered demeanor, likening him to a wolf in sheep’s clothing, secretly lying in wait.

And then there was Aunt Xiao from the museum, whose gaze also held strangeness when seeing her.

Qin Yu forcefully opened Ah Da’s clenched palm, his fingers weaving through hers, interlocking tightly.

"Don’t you trust me?"

Ah Da shook her head, looking up at him, "It’s not that I don’t trust you, it’s just that I don’t know any of your family members or their names. What if I embarrass myself..."

"Coward," Qin Yu pulled her close, pinching her waist and giving her lips a light peck as if touching water with a dragonfly’s wings, quietly saying, "Don’t bother with them; just act as if they don’t exist."

"It’s not you who would be embarrassed; you obviously don’t care," muttered Ah Da, frowning and taking her frustration out by fiercely grabbing his clothes.

Just at that moment, the elevator doors opened. Ah Da quickly pushed him away to straighten her slightly wrinkled skirt and hairpin, and followed Qin Yu out of the elevator, heading down the hallway towards the other end.