Before Gu Qiaoqiao could speak, Qin Yize continued, "Of course, these still need to be negotiated specifically with them, and coordinated with the relevant departments. In short, it’s not that simple. The progress this time is not much, but we can set a preliminary plan and send some people here to implement it."

"So do you have to run back and forth between two places in the future?"

Qin Yize frowned. Not only this place, but in the future, there will be many places he needs to travel back and forth to.

He nodded, his tone very serious, "Even if the Qin Family’s businesses are not dispersed, it’s impossible to have them in just one place. I always have to expand the territory and scale."

Gu Qiaoqiao laughed, she understood everything Qin Yize said, and she was very satisfied with their current life.

However, such farewells are different from those in the past.

Standing in one place for a long time will naturally attract the attention of others. Although this is an old neighborhood, there are many people coming and going, especially with people like Qin Yize and Gu Qiaoqiao appearing here, which naturally draws more attention.

So Qin Yize took Gu Qiaoqiao and went around another alley. This alley was better, not as dirty as the place where they stood just now, but that was relatively speaking.

Qin Yize carefully led Gu Qiaoqiao across the stones, and they managed to pass through safely.

After crossing this alley, it opened up a bit, but there was a strange odor wafting over from the front. It turned out to be a stagnant mud pool, so Gu Qiaoqiao quickly blocked her sense of smell.

The worst here was the stink emanating from the stagnant mud pool.

Not smelling it made it much better.

In no time, the two of them arrived next to the mud pool.

To manage this place would indeed require a lot of manpower, material resources, and financial resources.

However, if it’s not managed, this community would lose its natural advantages. When Old Grand Master Qin acquired this land, he considered this after all. He knew that back in the day, the river here was clear and sparkling.

Since it was once clear, it could be restored.

Because of the mud pool, there were not many people here, but there were a few children digging in the silt and playing with mud bubbles, their bodies, hands, and faces spotted with mud. But even so, they played with great joy.

Gu Qiaoqiao glanced over, then looked away.

These children were used to playing like this; it wasn’t something a few words could correct.

Once it’s cleaned up, it will naturally get better.

But Qin Yize didn’t want Gu Qiaoqiao to stay here for long. After roughly surveying the surroundings, he already had a basic outline in mind. Then he took Gu Qiaoqiao around the other side back to the road and drove away.

Passing by the vegetable market, they bought some vegetables, and then Qin Yize drove into the Cherry Blossom Community, parking the car outside the gate because he wasn’t sure if Uncle Junbai would need the car in the afternoon.

Qin Yize carried the vegetables and headed toward the gate of the courtyard, with Gu Qiaoqiao leisurely following by his side.

As soon as they reached the door, they heard an unfamiliar girl’s voice inside the courtyard.

Gu Qiaoqiao and Qin Yize exchanged a glance; the voice was young and couldn’t belong to Sister Xiao Shuang. Besides, Sister Xiao Shuang was busy now, not only training but also teaching classes.

So it definitely wasn’t her.

But they had just arrived in Sky Sea City and knew almost no one. So who could it be?

The door was locked. Qin Yize took out a key and opened the door. Gu Qiaoqiao pushed it open and walked in, immediately seeing two people sitting under the grape arbor in the northwest corner of the courtyard.

One of them was her uncle, Gu Junbai, and the other was a stranger, a girl who looked about seventeen or eighteen. She had a ponytail and a spirited demeanor, and she was very pretty.

She was resting her chin on her hand, talking to Gu Junbai.

And her uncle’s demeanor was the same as usual, but it was still apparent that his eyebrows were relaxed, as if the two had known each other for a long time. Gu Qiaoqiao, feeling a sudden impulse, had the strange thought: could this be the woman Uncle was looking for?

But she seemed too young.

When the two of them walked in, Gu Junbai raised an eyebrow and looked at Gu Qiaoqiao with amusement, beckoning her over. Gu Qiaoqiao walked over quickly, while Qin Yize smiled because both of his hands were full with groceries, and nodded at Gu Junbai before heading to the kitchen.

"This is who I was just telling you about, my niece from the Gu Family, Gu Qiaoqiao. She’s the one who will inherit everything from me." Gu Junbai’s voice was gentle but unmistakably proud, and then he gestured to the girl beside him and said to Qiaoqiao, "Qiaoqiao, this is my friend, Yun Luo. I’ve found her." 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Gu Qiaoqiao blinked, thinking she had guessed correctly, and asked, "Uncle, what should I call her then?"

It seemed like she wasn’t very young.

Yun Luo chuckled before Gu Junbai could reply, "This body’s younger than you, just call me Yun Luo, and I’ll call you Qiaoqiao. Doesn’t that make us close?"

Gu Qiaoqiao replied briskly, "Okay, then I’ll call you Yun Luo from now on. Is your home near here?"

Yun Luo nodded, "Yes, I was born here. I’m the eldest daughter of the second branch of the Yun Family."

"Ah, then you’re about to take the college entrance exam soon. You’re a college entrance exam candidate. My brother, Zishu, is also taking it this year."

"He’s the naughty one, right? I heard from Junbai that your brother wants to go to military school?"

"That’s his dream. He’s been preparing for several years now, and he’s passed both the interview and physical examination. Now it just comes down to the academic exams."

"..."

The two chatted happily.

At this time, Qin Yize leisurely came over. They made brief introductions, but since it was almost noon, Gu Qiaoqiao and Qin Yize went to prepare lunch, and Yun Luo made herself at home, as this was Gu Junbai’s house and akin to her own.

Ling Nan was not home, as he had been sent out on an errand by Gu Junbai.

During the meal, Gu Qiaoqiao noticed that Yun Luo was a very complex person.

She often frowned and seemed worried, as if she was burdened with heavy thoughts, yet she acted very open and generous.

These two complex emotions coexisted in one person, which was somewhat incongruous, but also seemed perfectly natural.

A person like this must have experienced something; otherwise, they wouldn’t have such an expression.

Gu Qiaoqiao quietly glanced at her uncle again.

He was no different from usual.

Are these two people really just purely friends?

Could it be?

At this moment, noticing Gu Qiaoqiao’s gaze, Gu Junbai glanced over with a slightly helpless warning, and Gu Qiaoqiao quickly lowered her head and focused on her food, avoiding any more needless speculation.

But Qin Yize merely smiled and remained silent.