[Orient Express: What in the world is going on here?]
[Dynamite: @What a big universe, could you please speak in simple terms? Thank you.]
[What a big universe: Li Xiangfu adopted a child who looks exactly like him.]
An ellipsis floated across the group.
Even those accustomed to lighter topics were caught off guard.
[Popular among thousands of girls: Exactly the same? How old is the child?]
[What a big universe: About six or seven years old.]
[Popular among thousands of girls: …I’m starting a conspiracy theory.]
Liu Yu was also curious to know more about the situation as if he hadn’t stated a minute ago that he was leaving. He occasionally looked up to converse with Li Xiangfu, and his subordinates swiftly responded to the messages.
“Chatting with friends?” Li Xiangfu casually inquired, sitting on the left-side sofa, peeling melon seeds for Li Shasha to munch on.
Liu Yu chuckled nervously and was about to stow away his phone when a new message popped up in the group:
[Orient Express: Haha, Li Xiangfu has no shame at all, even mentioning adoption deliberately. The follow-up move was deliberately keeping the child aloof, evoking sympathy from the old man, and urging the old man to personally apply for the child’s household registration, expediting the process of the child’s full integration into the Li family.]
[Popular among thousands of girls: @Orient Express, that analysis is amazing! He really is a man who has dealt with three illegitimate brothers!]
[Dynamite: Bros flexing on the public screen.]
The conversation buzzed back and forth with several groups chiming in, and Liu Yu frowned at the flurry of “awesome” from Yi Shui. However, he found some insight in it.
In his experience, such practices were unheard of in prominent families. They usually coached their children to please the elders. However, if one wasn’t careful, their motives could be glaringly obvious. Conversely, deliberately keeping a child at a distance would undoubtedly trigger distress in the elders.
Pondering this, Liu Yu couldn’t help but sneak a glance at Li Xiangfu. The latter was leisurely peeling melon seeds. It appeared to be an image of an affectionate father and a dutiful son, yet there was no communication between them throughout the whole process.
He cleared his throat, and as Li Xiangfu turned his gaze towards him, he inquired, “About this child’s biological mother…”
“Adopted,” Li Xiangfu stated casually, “Of course, he was abandoned by his parents.”
Unexpectedly, he spoke about this so openly in front of his children. Liu Yu cursed inwardly at Li Xiangfu’s lack of discretion.
On the other hand, Zhao Kai later realized he hadn’t informed his boss about the child. He had only mentioned that friends would be visiting Li Xiangfu in the evening. Hesitating on how to broach this matter, he picked up his phone several times, only to put it aside.
Li Xiangfu used Li Shasha as an excuse: “Let’s plan to meet another time. He didn’t sleep well on the plane.”
“Sure,” the disdain in Liu Yu’s eyes disappeared, and he chimed in with a smile, “After these busy days, we should definitely plan a get-together. I’ll host.”
Li Xiangfu smiled slightly, saying, “Okay.”
This smile had the power to captivate. Liu Yu had truly witnessed the so-called three-part taunt and four-part carelessness in the past, but the five-part reluctance and five-part graceful acceptance were a first.
Graceful?
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
He cringed at his choice of words.
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Coafg rfflcu boo atf ybatfgrbwf eclcnlafv uefrar, atf wbbciluta bearlvf atf tberf kjr rfgfcf, rqjgxlcu Ol Wljcuoe’r lcafgfra lc qijslcu atf uedlc. Ktf yfjealoei rmfcfgs veglcu atlr vfilutaoei alwf ijmxfv atf qgfrfcmf bo j ubbv uedlc.
Before his time travel, Li Xiangfu spent whatever amount of living expenses his family sent him every month. However, now that he’s traveled back in time, the balance on his card is pitifully small after buying plane tickets. A better piano wouldn’t come cheap, and there was a dark history in front of him, eliminating any chance of wrongdoing. During this period, the family would undoubtedly be extremely strict about pocket money.
Li Xiangfu closed the door, and an idea struck him as he saw Zhao Kai.
He winked at Li Shasha first, sharing a few instructions in a hushed tone.
Li Shasha hurriedly turned on the TV, clutching the remote and browsing through on-demand videos that piqued interest. It seemed to be connected to their experiences abroad. Zhao Kai noticed a trend towards foreign movies as he scrolled through.
“Brother Zhao,” Li Xiangfu suddenly spoke.
Zhao Kai chuckled nervously, “Little Master, I don’t quite fit the ‘brother’ title.”
“What era are we in? There are still many ‘little masters’ around.”
Initially, ‘Little Master’ was a playful moniker. Li Xiangfu recalled that in his youth, those around him would playfully call him “Xiangfu.” Later, after numerous troubles, the most common term outsiders used was “Li Xiangfu. Please, young master, exercise patience.”
Over time, this appellation gained traction.
Li Xiangfu smiled wryly, “It does sound nice to be called by one’s name.”
Reluctantly, Zhao Kai addressed him as Xiangfu, with a subconscious inkling that the sudden conversation was not without reason.
Unexpectedly, Li Xiangfu shared something inconsequential, “Thank you for coming to pick me up today.”
Zhao Kai reciprocated with a few polite words, and both parties fell into a momentary silence. The only sound in the spacious living room was the TV playing.
Before the atmosphere could grow more tense, Zhao Kai considered that with Liu Yu gone, Li Xiangfu would likely cause fewer problems. He contemplated leaving while watching TV, pondering what to say, but his attention was captivated by the unfolding plot.
In a dim basement, a bound individual crouched on the ground, enduring painful kicks and coerced into divulging details about their past life. The captor was a young, handsome man. Once he gathered enough information, he plucked several strands of the victim’s hair, then returned to the mansion and intentionally wound the hair strands around a comb.
After flicking off the water from his hand, the man looked up and caught a glimpse of half of his clothes reflected in the mirror.
A slow grin spread across his face. He retrieved a knife from his pocket, dashed out, and seized the old housekeeper who was attempting to escape. Underneath his refined appearance, a hint of ferocity was evident: “Indeed… you’ve started to question my identity. “It’s futile.”
The camera rewound to reveal that a real wealthy man had run away with someone due to a same-sex love affair a few years ago. Shockingly, his lover had sinister intentions and had imprisoned him without his knowledge. He had also made himself appear identical and returned at an opportune moment.
The father of a wealthy young man was seriously ill and extremely joyful for his son’s return. Only the housekeeper, who had been working in the household for decades, was acutely aware that something was amiss.
This foreign film was known for its incredibly realistic bloody scenes.
He raised the knife and brought it down. The dagger pierced into the old housekeeper’s body, causing blood to gush out.
“Oh!” The old housekeeper screamed as the knife struck his waist.
Zhao Kai felt as if he had been stabbed in the kidney, and his body trembled.
“Ah!”
Another thrust.
Zhao Kai’s expression grew even more strained.
Delving too deeply into certain thoughts can be unsettling. For instance, he distinctly recalled that Li Xiangfu appeared to be devoid of any moles. Yet, presently, a minuscule mole had emerged at the corner of his eye, in close proximity to his lashes, adding a touch of allure.
Did this young man purposefully select such a movie for on-demand viewing? Could he be conveying a distress signal?
Li Xiangfu abruptly rose from his seat, asking, “What would you like to drink?”
Zhao Kai replied, “No, I’ll head back…”
Li Xiangfu didn’t provide him an opportunity to decline; he had already moved to the kitchen, inquiring, “Juice or wine?”
Zhao Kai felt a lump in his throat. Goosebumps layered his neck, as if a cold blade rested there. He didn’t dare to act impulsively, fearing that he might provoke the other party and receive a stabbing blow.
“Vodka,” his throat moved, “on the rocks.”
At this juncture, he desperately needed a potent beverage to bolster his resolve.
As he gazed at the scene of Li Xiangfu serenely preparing the broken ice, Zhao Kai contemplated turning to converse with Li Shasha opportunistically. The child’s eyes flickered, and he cautioned, “Dad is watching us.” Zhao Kai stiffly turned his neck, the ice pick glinting coldly, while Li Xiangfu looked in their direction, sporting a half-smile.
With great effort, Zhao Kai tugged at the corner of his mouth, attempting to find something to say: “You don’t need so much ice.”
“Alright.” His voice was as gentle as fresh candied fruit, but he couldn’t ascertain whether the candied fruit was tainted.
Such a smile sent shivers down Zhao Kai’s spine. He swiftly pushed aside all anxieties and sent a text message to his boss: If any situation arises, please respond promptly.
The phone call came swiftly, and the old-fashioned voice sounded slightly impatient: “What kind of trouble has he landed in now?”
Coincidentally, Li Xiangfu approached with a wine glass. Zhao Kai struggled to articulate the situation clearly and could only stammer. Fortunately, he had an astute boss who didn’t press for details. It seemed that he intended to make a return trip.
Zhao Kai was nearly moved to tears by his boss’s prompt actions.
The movie was fast-forwarded, and the child remained still, sitting quietly. As he resumed watching, Zhao Kai once again had a gut feeling that this was a distress signal.
Li Xiangfu set down his wine glass and suddenly circled around behind the sofa. Zhao Kai immediately straightened up, attempting to appear composed, and pulled out his lighter while pretending to smoke by the window.
“No smoking,” Li Xiangfu lightly frowned, wagging a finger. “Children shouldn’t be exposed to the smell.”
Outside the floor-to-ceiling window, the sound of tires on the pavement confirmed it was the boss’s car. Zhao Kai’s only thought at that moment: I am saved!
The door swung open, and the night’s chill swept in.
The newcomer stood tall and poised, exuding a distinctly different aura from Li Xiangfu. As the eldest son of the family, Li Huaichen had a commanding presence. Even in a crowded space, simply standing there demanded attention.
Seeing his visibly concerned brother, he squinted and tossed the keys aside. However, he didn’t react the same way Zhao Kai did upon meeting Li Xiangfu.
Zhao Kai moved closer to his boss, cleared his throat, and subtly gestured in Li Shasha’s direction.
Li Huaichen spoke expressionlessly, “I’ve become more competent.”
He had done so many reckless things, to the extent of nearly jeopardizing his own life, so the possibility of him harming someone else wasn’t surprising.
He remained silent. Li Huaichen was so reserved that he refrained from openly discussing certain matters in front of the children.
Fearing that the recently calmed atmosphere might tense up again due to the adoption matter, Zhao Kai desperately winked, hoping this young master, oblivious to the world, would halt the falsehoods.
Unfortunately, Li Shasha affirmed, “I was adopted.”
Zhao Kai, evidently an outsider, struggled to steer the conversation back, saying, “Xiangfu has changed so much that I almost didn’t recognize him when I met him at the airport today.”
The crucial point lay in the emphasis of the first half of his sentence.
Li Shasha began to focus intently on the TV again, and the scene replayed—the old housekeeper being stabbed.
“Ah!”
That scream seemed to echo in Zhao Kai’s heart, fervently hoping his boss could perceive something on his own. He couldn’t articulate suspicions like ‘I think your brother might be an imposter’ himself.
In the living room, three adults and a child sat in silence, their attention fixed on the TV.
After a while, Li Xiangfu stood up and went to the bathroom. As he passed by Li Huaichen, he ran his fingers through the gaps in his long hair, blinked, and his eyes conveyed a message—look at this hair, it’s black and glossy.
Upon returning, his fingertips inadvertently brushed against the cool back of his hand… Observe the veins, long, slender, and distinct.
His hint appeared to have finally worked. Li Huaichen’s thin lips moved slightly, and he finally voiced what the other person wanted to hear: “You’ve changed so much this time you came back, to the point where you don’t resemble my brother.” He paused and added, “Contacting foreign countries to verify their whereabouts takes too long, so it’s most convenient to conduct a direct test.”
Zhao Kai gasped upon hearing this. Li Huaichen was so direct—what if Li Xiangfu was indeed an imposter and was provoked to violence to silence them?
As expected, Li Xiangfu hesitated. “There’s no need to be so demeaning.” He was surely about to expose himself. Zhao Kai sought an excuse to slip away, but before he could act, he heard Li Xiangfu assertively state, “You can’t do a paternity test. Unless you pay.”
His plans to escape were halted. Zhao Kai’s eyelids twitched, and he couldn’t help but glance at his boss. Unexpectedly, the latter didn’t seem surprised at all, as if he had anticipated him saying this all along.
“How much?” Li Huaichen inquired calmly.
Li Xiangfu’s demeanor softened slightly at this, “Fifty thousand for the hair, and it’s pulled out at 1.5 times the rate; I support blood collection by a qualified professional on the spot… one hundred thousand.”
The author has something to say:
Small Theatre:
Li Xiangfu: To excel at your work, you must start by honing your tools.
Li Huaichen: If you’ve got something to say, just say it.
Li Xiangfu: I want to flaunt, but I lack the funds for props.
Li Huaichen: …
I tweaked the setup a bit, and the main character is now twenty-four years old~
This seems interesting
Please reformulate “You want me to undergo an appraisal. Unless you pay”, thank you.
Fixed!