Bai Wanjun stood nearby, convinced that her husband and she had already done everything they could for Shi Han. She wore a tight, displeased expression and shot a sharp glance at her daughter.

“The family has put so much effort and care into you. Just stay home and behave—stop causing trouble and making us worry.”

Shi Han stood silently, a dark line appearing on her forehead. When had she ever asked this family to help her find a university?

Frowning, she didn’t argue. Instead, she walked straight to Father Shi and asked,
“Can I borrow the household registration booklet for a few days?”

“What do you want this time?”

“I want to transfer my registration out.”

Bai Wanjun blinked in disbelief before bursting out laughing, “Transfer your registration out? Are you crazy? What has this family ever done to wrong you? Why would you want to do that?”

Shi Han said nothing. Her almond-shaped eyes fixed steadily on Bai Wanjun.

For some reason, Bai Wanjun felt uneasy under that gaze and continued, “To register separately, you’d need a property deed. Are you seriously expecting us to buy you a house?”

“You only need to lend me the household booklet. Nothing else.”

Father Shi’s face darkened with anger.

Looking for trouble and thinking that could intimidate him?

He slammed his hand down on the table with force. “You’ve gone too far. Didn’t you say you didn’t want to be part of the Shi family? Fine—get out of my house right now, and don’t ever come back!”

Shi Han’s eyes turned ice-cold.

The Shi family was pushing her to the edge.

The noisy living room fell abruptly silent, but the tension in the air sharpened to a breaking point.

Just then—

“What do you mean ‘don’t come back’? Who do you think you’re telling that to?!”

A sharp voice cut through the room from outside the door, heavy with authority and low pressure.

At the same moment, a figure appeared in the doorway.

Leaning on a cane, he entered, narrowing his eyes as he surveyed everyone in the room.

The moment Father Shi met that gaze, his bravado in front of Shi Han vanished instantly, replaced by an involuntary shrinking of his neck.

Even Bai Wanjun and Shi Yin looked more intimidated than Father Shi, not daring to lift their heads.

Father Shi bent slightly at the waist, stammering, “Dad, dad…”

“Who exactly did you tell not to come back just now?”

“N-no one…”

The elderly patriarch wore a black Tai Chi outfit, walking at a measured pace, but his presence was commanding without raising his voice.

His gaze swept over everyone in the living room, then turned away with obvious disdain—until it landed on Shi Han. His stern expression softened gradually, even breaking into a faint smile.

“The little girl has returned from abroad. Have you enjoyed yourself over there these past two years?”

Except for Shi Han, everyone else in the Shi family felt their hearts leap into their throats.

Two years ago, when Shi Han suddenly disappeared and no one could find her, they feared the old man’s wrath and lied, saying she had gone overseas.

Bai Wanjun anxiously tried to catch Shi Han’s eye, but Shi Han was too stunned, her gaze fixed on the old man.

“Abroad…?”

Shi Han looked at the unfamiliar elderly man before her. From the way her father had addressed him, she guessed his identity—her biological grandfather, Shi Bei.

But…

She had no memories of him at all. In fact, this felt like the very first time they were meeting.

Shi Bei studied his granddaughter as if she were a stranger, letting out a soft snort.
“Gone abroad to run wild for two years, and now you don’t even recognize your grandfather. Seems like these years have worn me down quite a bit.”

Though it sounded like a reproach, there was no trace of anger in his voice.

He absentmindedly touched the wrinkles on his face, a little unsure of himself.

“How come I don’t feel much different from two years ago?”

The old man’s gaze flicked behind him.

Butler Song who was about the same age, immediately stepped forward and whispered, “Master, you do look a bit older.”

“…”

Shi Bei cleared his throat twice, lowering his eyes to avoid the awkwardness. That’s when he noticed the suitcase beside Shi Han and frowned.

“Xiao Han has finally come back. Someone should hurry and take her luggage upstairs.”

None of them seemed very perceptive—no wonder his granddaughter got upset and pretended not to recognize him.

Shi Bei cast a subtle glance at Bai Wanjun without saying a word.

“Hurry up already.”

“All right, all right.”

Bai Wanjun quickly stepped forward, a cold sweat forming on her forehead.

They all disliked Shi Han’s bad temper, but her grandfather was different—he practically doted on Shi Han, even putting her ahead of his grandson, Shi Xuan.

She thought to herself, if it weren’t for Shi Bei’s long-term illness and frequent hospital stays, Shi Han would have been spoiled beyond reason by now.

With a forced smile, Bai Wanjun approached Shi Han, her eyes silently urging her to back down. Then she reached toward Shi Han’s suitcase.

“You must be tired. Give me the suitcase, and I’ll have someone take it upstairs for you.”

=^_^=