Master Qin? Who in the world is that?

Seeing the unusually tense expressions on the faces of the several young dandies, Ji Yi was utterly dumbfounded. She didn’t know anyone called ’Master,’ and besides, anyone addressed as Master Qin had to be at least several decades old. In her memory, the only middle-aged people she’d ever interacted with, aside from relatives and former colleagues, were few and far between. And none of them were named Qin.

Oh, wait, there was one. Mom’s close friend, Auntie Wei, married a man whose surname was Qin. But that couldn’t possibly qualify him to be called Master Qin, could it? With Uncle Qin’s honest-to-a-fault personality, how could these guys possibly call him Master Qin? Besides, Uncle Qin’s family is struggling and down on their luck, which makes the title ’Master Qin’ even more ridiculous!

So, in response to their question, she shook her head. "Master Qin? What’s his full name?"

"For now, we only know to call him Master Qin! We’re not sure of his full name. Do you really have no impression of anyone like that?" another dandy pressed, unwilling to give up. They wanted to get more information about this Master Qin from Ji Yi, hoping to find a way to curry favor with Qin Fan.

As for Qin Fan putting Wei Shihao in the ICU, for dandies of their standing, who would hold a grudge? Who would dare to? It wasn’t just them; even Wei Shihao himself, once he recovered, would have to bury his hatred so deep inside that no one would ever know. When he saw Qin Fan, he’d have to greet him with a smile and try every means possible to get on his good side.

That was just the way the world worked, and it wouldn’t change in ten thousand years. This wasn’t some twisted form of love and hate, nor was it a disregard for one’s dignity. The ones who dwelled on vengeance were either at the bottom of society or those of equal strength. The problem was, these guys were neither. Living in the elite circles of Beijing’s playboys, they understood the world’s values far better than most.

Unsure of what these prominent young masters from Beijing were thinking, Ji Yi pouted. Her bright, almond-shaped eyes darted around before she asked, "Is the Master Qin you’re talking about the landlord who collects rent in the urban village? If so, then I know him! He’s my mom’s best friend’s husband, and our families are very close! We’ve just seen less of each other these past two years, but my mom and I are planning to visit them to catch up soon!"

Damn it! What the hell is she talking about? A rent-collecting landlord in the urban village? Her mom’s best friend’s husband? What kind of bullshit is this?

"No, he’s very young, not even twenty. He’s currently attending university in Jinling!" the dandy explained patiently, despite cursing her inwardly.

He wasn’t sure if Ji Yi actually knew Master Qin, but Master Qin definitely knew Ji Yi. Otherwise, why would he have nearly kicked Wei Shihao to death over her name and a single insult?

"Not even twenty, very young, studying in Jinling? And his surname is Qin... Pfft! Don’t tell me it’s my little brother! Haha! You’ve got to be kidding me. I don’t know any Master Qin. In my social circle, the only Qins I know are the old gatekeeper and a former coworker, other than my landlord, Uncle Qin! You’ve got the wrong person!" The straightforward Ji Yi couldn’t help but let out a laugh the moment she thought of Qin Fan.

Although she felt sorry for and was fond of that silly little brother of hers, how could he possibly be Master Qin? It would be a blessing if he just stayed out of trouble, let alone become some ’Master Qin’! The very mention of him brought a bitter reminiscence to her face.

It’s been over a year. Silly little brother, are you okay? Is anyone still bullying you at school? Why did you block Big Sis’s WeChat and phone number?

As these bitter memories surfaced, Ji Yi sighed quietly to herself. She knew Qin Fan had blocked her because he didn’t want her pity. It was a futile show of strength from the abandoned son of the Qin family. Ji Yi understood all of this. But she couldn’t help it. When she thought of Qin Fan, her fondness for him was inseparable from her sympathy, because she knew all too well the suffering he had endured.

Just as her mind was tangled in these complex thoughts, one of the young dandies suddenly exclaimed, "He’s here! He’s here!"

He’s here?

At his words, the other young masters all spun around nervously, their eyes fixed on the entrance. The two women with them also looked over, their curiosity piqued. What kind of person could make these young masters so tense?

"Young Master Chang, Master Qin!"

Upon seeing Qin Fan and Chang Yuanyi appear, the group of dandies immediately hurried forward to greet them. When they faced Qin Fan, the respect and obsequiousness on their faces were palpable, as if the fact that he had nearly beaten Wei Shihao to death meant nothing to them.

The two women and Ji Yi stayed behind. However, the moment Ji Yi saw that face, still tinged with a hint of youthfulness, she froze, struck dumb as if by lightning. Her expression was a mixture of profound shock, bewilderment, and utter disbelief.

She had practically watched Qin Fan grow up, so she would recognize him even if he were reduced to ashes. But now, that little brother who had suffered countless hardships had transformed into the ’Master Qin’ who terrified these young scions? How could this be possible!

Her first thought was that she must be seeing things. She subconsciously raised a hand and rubbed her eyes forcefully. But when she looked again, the familiar features on that face remained unchanged.

"I’m mistaken. I must be mistaken!" she murmured frantically, shaking her head hard.

But after clearing her vision and looking intently one more time, that unmistakably familiar face broke into a smile she had never seen before. It was a display of confidence—a display of supreme confidence.

With a mental jolt, Ji Yi’s mind went completely blank as Qin Fan’s gaze met hers. She couldn’t believe it. She didn’t dare to believe it. How long had it been? Just over a year, and Qin Fan had attained this kind of status? If it weren’t for that face she was so sure she couldn’t mistake, Ji Yi would have dismissed it all as a preposterous fairytale.

While Ji Yi was frozen in a daze, her mind blank, Qin Fan pushed past the Beijing dandies in front of him. Step by step, he walked slowly toward her.

Seeing his figure draw closer and closer, Ji Yi was overcome with an unprecedented nervousness.

I’m afraid I have the wrong person, afraid of the devastating fall from heaven into Hell. For Qin Fan to finally shed the labels of "the Qin family’s abandoned son" and "cowardly good-for-nothing" is something I’ve dreamed of. Although our relationship is just that of childhood friends, as his big sister, five years his senior, I’ve long thought of him as my own flesh and blood. What sister wouldn’t want her brother to become a dragon among men, admired and respected by all? And just a moment ago, it seemed that dream had come true. But still, I can’t stop the fear from rising within me—the fear that this is a hallucination, a mirage, or worse, a case of mistaken identity!

Fortunately, her fear didn’t last long.

The next moment, Qin Fan stopped just a meter in front of her. Gazing at her delicate, beautiful, and flawless face, he swallowed hard and finally spoke.

"Big Sis, I missed you."