The elegant woman standing before them was none other than Meng Qiuqiu's mother—the Third Mistress of the prestigious Meng Family of Jiangnan.
The moment Meng Qiuqiu saw her, he immediately rushed forward.
"Mom!"
The Third Mistress opened her arms and pulled her son into a warm embrace. Her eyes were filled with affection as she carefully examined him from head to toe.
"My precious son, you've finally come home."
Meng Qiuqiu quickly wriggled free from her embrace, looking slightly embarrassed.
"Mom, I'm fine!"
He patted his chest proudly.
"I've spent a whole month training at Qingfeng Camp. I've already transformed completely!"
The Third Mistress couldn't help smiling at her son's exaggerated confidence.
Only then did Meng Qiuqiu remember his companions.
He quickly turned around and pointed at Zhao Mu, Zhuo Yun, and Lu Yan.
"Mom, these are my friends from Qingfeng Camp."
The three immediately stepped forward politely.
"Greetings, Madam."
The Third Mistress nodded with a gentle smile.
"I've heard Qiuqiu mention all of you many times."
Her gaze swept across the three young men.
"He often says that you treat him like a brother."
The warmth in her voice instantly eased much of the tension they had been feeling.
Before anyone could respond, she lightly clapped her hands.
A servant immediately approached carrying a silver tray covered with red velvet.
Three black cards rested neatly upon it.
The moment Zhao Mu saw them, he recognized what they were.
Universal Black Cards issued by the Imperial Bank.
Only people with substantial wealth could qualify for such cards.
The Third Mistress smiled.
"Since this is your first visit, please accept these small gifts."
The three young men were stunned.
A welcoming gift?
And it was a bank card?
As expected of one of the wealthiest families in Jiangnan.
Even their greetings involved money.
Zhao Mu quickly waved his hand.
"Madam, this isn't appropriate."
"We couldn't possibly accept such valuable gifts."
The Third Mistress merely smiled.
"Don't be so formal."
"If the Meng Family lacks anything, it certainly isn't money."
Her tone was calm and natural, as though she were discussing something entirely ordinary.
"For the Meng Family, money is simply a tool."
"Being willing to spend money on someone means that we value them."
The statement left Zhao Mu speechless.
He suddenly understood where Meng Qiuqiu had inherited his habit of making friends through extravagant spending.
The source was clearly his mother.
Seeing their hesitation, Meng Qiuqiu grinned.
"It's family tradition."
"Every first-time guest receives a gift."
At that point, refusing again would only seem rude.
The three exchanged glances before accepting the cards.
"Thank you, Madam."
The Third Mistress nodded approvingly.
"Good."
She then personally led them into the villa.
The moment Zhao Mu stepped inside, he was stunned.
Luxury.
That was the only word he could think of.
Even terms such as "magnificent" and "splendid" seemed inadequate.
The villa was breathtaking.
Every decoration appeared to have been carefully selected.
The pillars featured intricate carvings.
The walls were decorated with priceless artwork.
Even the stair railings were crafted from rare wood that emitted a faint, soothing fragrance.
Yet despite the overwhelming wealth on display, the residence didn't feel vulgar.
There was no sense of flaunting riches.
Instead, it radiated the elegance and refinement of a family that had accumulated wealth over generations.
This was true aristocratic luxury.
The heritage of old money.
The Third Mistress invited everyone to sit.
Servants immediately served tea and refreshments.
She chatted with the young men casually, asking about their experiences at Qingfeng Camp.
Her manner was gentle and approachable.
Unlike many powerful nobles, she showed no arrogance toward ordinary people.
Gradually, Zhao Mu and the others relaxed.
The nervousness they had felt upon arriving completely disappeared.
After asking several questions about training, the Third Mistress suddenly reached out and pinched Meng Qiuqiu's cheek.
Her eyes filled with concern.
"Son."
"You've lost weight."
Meng Qiuqiu blinked.
"Huh?"
The Third Mistress looked heartbroken.
"You must not have been eating properly."
"My poor child."
She carefully examined him again.
"The camp food must be terrible."
"Later, I'll contact Qingfeng Camp and donate a batch of military supplies."
"I'll have them build a special kitchen for you."
"We can even send our family's chefs over."
"Wouldn't that be better?"
The room fell silent.
Zhao Mu, Zhuo Yun, and Lu Yan stared blankly.
Build a private kitchen?
Donate military supplies?
Send personal chefs?
For one student?
This level of wealth was completely beyond their imagination.
Meanwhile, Meng Qiuqiu shook his head repeatedly.
"No, no, no."
"That's unnecessary."
The Third Mistress looked surprised.
"Why?"
Meng Qiuqiu replied seriously.
"You taught me to keep a low profile."
"I don't want my classmates to think I'm special."
The three boys nearly choked.
Low profile?
Was he serious?
The same person who wore expensive Ember Remains on every finger?
The same person who casually pulled out Rank Two treasures whenever he encountered a problem?
That was considered low profile?
The three exchanged speechless looks.
As expected, wealthy people's understanding of the world was fundamentally different from theirs.
The conversation continued pleasantly for some time.
Eventually, Meng Qiuqiu looked around curiously.
"Mom, where's Dad?"
He hadn't seen his father since arriving home.
The Third Mistress sighed.
"Your father?"
"He accepted a military procurement order two days ago."
"He's already gone to the front lines."
Meng Qiuqiu nodded.
For businessmen, constantly traveling was perfectly normal.
After chatting a little longer, he suddenly stood up.
"Mom."
"I'm going to visit Grandpa."
At the mention of Grandpa, everyone's expressions became more attentive.
Meng Qiuqiu's grandfather was none other than Meng Hecai.
The current head of the Meng Family.
President of the Meng Clan Chamber of Commerce.
One of the most influential businessmen in the entire Southern Kingdom.
Although he was already over a hundred years old, he remained remarkably healthy.
While most business affairs had been delegated to his three sons, the true authority of the Meng Family still rested firmly in his hands.
As the future heir of one branch of the family, Meng Qiuqiu naturally needed to report his experiences after returning from Qingfeng Camp.
The Third Mistress nodded.
"Go."
"Your grandfather has been asking about you."
Then she looked toward Zhao Mu and the others.
"Take your friends with you."
The three were startled.
Even they had to go?
After leaving the villa, Zhao Mu quietly leaned toward Meng Qiuqiu.
"Do we really need to meet your grandfather?"
Meng Qiuqiu grinned.
"Of course."
"Our family loves making friends."
"As Grandpa always says, more friends mean more opportunities."
"Besides, he'll be happy to see that I've made friends like you."
Only then did Zhao Mu understand.
This invitation had clearly been planned from the beginning.
Meng Qiuqiu wanted to introduce them to his grandfather.
Not as ordinary classmates.
But as trusted friends.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)