Bai Chenggang didn't knock when he came back. He just used the key Xu Changqing had given him to open the main gate. After closing it behind him, he called out to Shen Weimin, who had heard the noise.
He told the two of them not to come out, heading straight for the main house like he owned the place. As he walked up the steps into the central room, he took off his hat and overcoat and made his way to the west room.
"Brother Gangzi, you're back! Where's that Cheng Gang? Didn't he come with you?" Xu Changqing asked, lying through her teeth without so much as batting an eye.
Bai Chenggang shot her a look. Tossing his overcoat, hat, and scarf onto the daybed by the window, he couldn't help but laugh. "You silly goose, why are you playing dumb?"
"I didn't leak anything."
