He greeted politely, but inwardly cursed ten times over.
Representative Zhao grinned and posed a timely question, “Mr. Qin, who is this…”
“Traffic jam,” Qin Jin cut to the chase without beating around the bush. “I overheard someone discussing my relationship with the Li family. As a courtesy, I thought I should reciprocate.”
As the preface and the afterword contradicted each other, Representative Zhao’s smile gradually faded. However, he refrained from an immediate argument. Recognizing Qin Jin’s stature, he knew there might be details he was unaware of.
Playing the role of the ‘mobile phone presenter,’ Li Xiangfu finally found a purpose and explained softly, “When I was conversing with Mr. Qin, Mr. Ling happened to be engaged in a discussion with his companions.”
Representative Zhao, being astute, quickly pieced together what had happened. His sharp gaze landed on Zhao Cheng, who appeared timid, and he glanced in their direction, prompting him to silently curse ten more times in his heart.
How would he lead the group in the future if his son lacked the foresight to check his surroundings before speaking ill of others?
Suppressing his frustration towards Zhao Cheng, Representative Zhao took the initiative to take responsibility, stating, “I failed to instill proper values in my son. I’ll personally go to both families to apologize when I bring Cheng back later.”
Li Xiangfu blinks at this admission. This was precisely why he avoided getting involved in business. It required flexibility, occasional consideration for the opinions of the younger generation, and proved to be quite frustrating.
He’d much rather be in the limelight on the stage.
“Phase floats.”
Li Xichun’s voice suddenly reached them from behind. She walked over in high heels, complaining, “I’ve been looking for you for a long time. Why are you here?”
Not being acquainted with Representative Zhao, Li Xichun nodded casually.
Li Xiangfu clarified, “I just went to grab a bite.”
“I also want to…” Li Xichun began saying a few words before her expression turned pale. “What the hell is this?”
The atmosphere, which had finally settled, plummeted with those words.
Li Xichun couldn’t be blamed for her reaction. Li Xiangfu was originally leaning sideways, but upon hearing her voice, he abruptly turned around. Qin Jin’s face appeared on the phone screen, suddenly imprinted in the eyes of the onlookers.
Representative Zhao couldn’t help but regard Li Xichun with a newfound respect. Even in such circumstances, she refrained from reflexively expressing strong disapproval. Miss Li’s family demonstrated a remarkable level of manners.
“It’s Qin Jin.” Li Xiangfu, unfazed by embarrassment, calmly tapped the screen. “Qin Jin is live.”
“…”
Whether he’s alive or not, Li Xichun is determined to remove the oxygen tube for her brother with her own hands.
“Turn me back,” Qin Jin calmly stated.
A sudden horn sound echoed from the other end of the video. Someone appeared to be talking to Qin Jin, and faint words like ‘open to traffic’ reached their ears.
Communicating face to face through the mobile phone, Li Xiangfu mentioned, “The signal is not good. If everything is fine, I will hang up first.”
Qin Jin gave a slight nod.
As Li Xiangfu’s finger pressed the end button, two sighs, expressing different sentiments, escaped almost simultaneously.
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.
Representative Zhao felt relieved, while Li Xichun opened her beautiful eyes and fixed them on him. “Follow me.”
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Li Xiangfu recalled Li Xichun’s fondness for strawberries and handed her a piece of strawberry-flavored cake, saying, “Qin Jin has been provoking me.”
“…”
Li Xiangfu continued to recount the facts calmly, “Qin Jin’s attitude when mentioning Qin Jiayu is also very strange. It doesn’t resemble that of a biological brother.”
“Half-brother,” Li Xichun specified.
“They are still blood-related,” Li Xiangfu picked up a cup of customizable cocktails and shook it. “Let’s put aside the discussion about their brotherly relationship for now. Qin Jin is being excessively attentive to me.”
Li Xichun was equally puzzled by this, but with a generalized mindset, she intended to firmly caution him to reduce contact.
However, at this moment, Li Xiangfu added, “The circle is so vast that if you don’t see it when you look up, you won’t see it when you look down…”
“Look down and disappear, but you’ll see me spinning on the TV.” The words he had contemplated drifted away in the wind, and a spinning top on the stage suddenly materialized in Li Xichun’s mind, prompting her to take over the words involuntarily.
“…”
Li Xiangfu wore a complex expression. “Sister, you’ve changed.”
Li Xichun replied, “We’ve all changed.”
The person picking up their meal at the rear overheard only the latter part of the conversation. As he walked away, he couldn’t help but mutter to himself, “Have you become a psychopath…”
For the first time, Li Xichun resented her exceptional hearing. Her chest rose and fell violently several times, as if she had taken two deep breaths. She was certain that she had never spoken like this before.
So, since when did she start speaking without thinking?
Upon careful reflection, Li Xichun quickly pinpointed the time frame. It was during those days when Aunt Zhang was away, leaving only the three of them at home. Listening to Li Xiangfu play the piano daily and enduring Li Shasha’s pseudo-philosophical musings eventually led to adopting a similar mindset.
“I’ve probably stayed at home for too long this time.” Li Xichun twitched the corner of her mouth, contemplating whether to move out again.
‘Bang’!
A loud noise erupted ahead.
Their conversation was abruptly interrupted. Li Xichun instinctively tried to look in that direction but was restrained by Li Xiangfu: “Get down quickly!”
The people around them, including those who had previously dismissed them as eccentric, immediately huddled against the wall, shielding their heads.
“What happened?”
“What’s wrong?”
Those in close proximity exchanged confused glances. After a while, someone remarked, “Someone knocked something down over there.”
A particularly timid individual, resembling a Mediterranean, cautiously emerged from under the table only after ensuring there was no danger. His face was still adorned with cake remnants, and he didn’t bother wiping it off as he glared at the culprit.
In an instant, several pairs of eyes focused on Li Xiangfu. Calmly patting the dust off his body, he explained, “I’ve faced gun battles abroad, so I’m naturally a bit more sensitive.”
The onlookers were taken aback. They hadn’t expected such an incident.
Li Xichun promptly grabbed his wrist, her lips trembling: “What did you say?”
Li Xiangfu avoided eye contact and merely stated, “There’s no place that’s absolutely safe.”
Perhaps an earthquake could strike here the next moment.
The Mediterranean wiped his face, feeling like he had heard a valid reason. He walked over to Li Xiangfu and said, “It’s sad to say I’ve also experienced such a situation.”
Li Xiangfu glanced at him without revealing much.
Li Xichun wanted to say something but felt a lump in her throat. It took her a while to articulate, “You should have informed us about such a significant matter.”
Li Xiangfu responded with a vague ‘hmm.’
Many people study abroad every year, and whatever happens to them is often chalked up to unfortunate circumstances.
“…”
After a brief silence, Li Xiangfu lifted his head and sighed with reflection, saying, “When I was losing money, I realized for the first time how expensive dental implants can be.”
Li Xichun’s expression shifted, asking, “How did you confront the person?”
Li Xiangfu cleared his throat, explaining, “Dad was summoned to the school, and he said the same thing before witnessing the injuries.”
Li Xichun responded, “Well done.”
“A school bully, taking advantage of his privileged background, insisted on forcing a girl into a romantic relationship, even going so far as to kiss her forcefully. I witnessed it and gave him a lesson.”
Without intending to demean anyone, Li Xiangfu’s appearance during high school didn’t meet typical standards and couldn’t be compared to ordinary bullies. Surprisingly, Li Xichun remarked, “A girl actually confessed to you?”
Li Xiangfu found the name familiar and, upon recollection, shared, “I remember a senior two levels above me who led others to block my way to school because his crush had confessed to me.”
Li Xichun recalled that he used to avoid joining in such activities. The past was long gone, and Li Xiangfu timely changed the subject, suggesting, “Let’s go see what performance Luo An is about to present.”
Not far behind, Li Xiangfu quietly asked Li Xichun, “Who is performing the duet with Luo An?”
“Yuan Boyuan, the Yuan family made their fortune in the real estate business.”
Sensing the situation, Li Xiangfu set down his wine glass, raising an eyebrow, “I’m certain I play a significant role in this drama.”
“…”
……
A false alarm is essentially a blessing; at least, nothing unfortunate occurred.
The mere sound of a gun battle is enough to make people shudder, so no one blamed Li Xiangfu for his recent actions and considered them quite pitiable.
However, the discomfort extended to the person responsible for the noise. Luo An stood in the vicinity where the gifts were stored, his body slightly tense.
As planned, he pretended to accidentally drop something as Bian Shiqin passed by, intending to catch his attention. However, the outcome turned out to be entirely different from what he had anticipated.
The guests, who had previously hidden in embarrassment, now looked at him with disapproval.
“…” Luo An just wished to convey that it was none of his business.
Fortunately, the objective was eventually achieved. The packaging bag that fell to the ground was made of paper, and the leather bag emerged directly from it.
“I apologize,” Luo An smiled apologetically, “I accidentally dropped the gift while putting it away.”
The light illuminated the natural checkered pattern, casting a sparkling luster.
Bian Shiqin furrowed her brow slightly, “Is this bag of yours made of crocodile skin?”
Luo An nodded.
Upon receiving the confirmation, Bian Shiqin pursed her lips and softly remarked, “Oh,” expressing mild interest.
It was apparent to everyone that she didn’t particularly like this gift.
Bian Shiqin, never one to embarrass others publicly, repeatedly took responsibility for the incident. Luo An was even more embarrassed, saying, “Sorry, I didn’t think things through.”
The atmosphere became momentarily awkward.
At this juncture, the young man who had entered with Luo An stepped forward to smooth things over and said leisurely, “The number of crocodiles is limited and rare, and the skinning process is even more unbearable. Miss Bian, being kind-hearted, probably feels she can’t bear it.”
Li Xichun:……
Bian Shiqin felt a bit embarrassed. Meanwhile, Luo An facilitated an opportunity for Yuan Boyuan to engage in a successful conversation with Bian Shiqin. After a few words, he suddenly inquired, “Do you like Transformers?”
Yuan Boyuan reasoned, “I wasn’t sure what to give, so I brought the figure. If you don’t like it, you can auction it off.”
“How can I do that?” protested Bian Shiqin.
Bian Shiqin disagreed, asserting, “A gift is a heartfelt gesture; mentioning selling it diminishes its value.”
Despite Bian Shiqin’s refusal, Yuan Boyuan shook his head, suggesting, “If you keep things you don’t like as decorations, they’ll only gather dust. This is a rare collectible figure. You can sell it online for a good price and donate the money to a stray animal shelter. Consider it an added blessing for your birthday.”
From behind, Li Xiangfu tilted his head and queried, “Sister, why haven’t you reached my part yet?”
Li Xichun was left speechless, muttering, “My pursuits are normal, and my brain is intact. Why must you involve me?”
As she finished, Yuan Boyuan unexpectedly lifted his gaze, eyes drifting over in apparent surprise, and greeted proactively, “Junior, are you here too?”
Li Xiangfu grinned, and before departing, he playfully turned his face and silently mouthed, “It’s my turn.”
The author has something to say:
Li Xiangfu: It’s a pity that there is no appearance fee.
Thanks for the chapter!
Camping 🏕️