The secretary had a background in finance, and as he attempted to calculate the age difference, a peculiar expression gradually crept across his face.
So, even before going abroad, or even earlier, during his more carefree days, Li Xiangfu had already strategically left a hidden clue, ensuring he wouldn’t be completely cast out of the family if he strayed too far in the future.
Subconsciously, he glanced at his boss’s demeanor. Qin Jin lifted his gaze slightly, his eyes piercing, creating a palpable sense of tension. The secretary wisely averted his gaze in time.
The driver finished reversing, and the car smoothly moved onto a wider street. Trees on both sides whizzed by, presenting a vibrant scene that sharply contrasted with the cold expressions within the car.
Change was a constant.
The day before, everyone’s attention was fixated on Li Xiangfu, but within a single night, he was replaced by a child. While most people viewed this with a spectator mentality, there were a few aiming to stir the waters.
“Snap!”
A plan landed heavily on the desk. Luo An reclined in his swivel chair and rubbed his brows, clearly not in the mood to peruse the plan again for a while.
The department head stood opposite him, cautiously inquiring, “Should we revise the content?”
Luo An waved his hands and spoke with a headache, “That playboy Li Xiangfu apparently fathered a child a long time ago.”
Luo An and Li Xiangfu’s tumultuous relationship could be traced back to junior high school. Back then, they were classmates, and Luo An’s family background paled in comparison to Li Xiangfu’s. Later, his unforgettable first love fell for Li Xiangfu, admiring the latter’s courage to explore the world.
Following Li Xiangfu’s mishap, Luo An pretended to be a supportive friend on the surface but covertly fueled discord between them. He clandestinely bribed the media to concoct excuses, implying that the missing individual had met their demise at the hands of Li Xiangfu.
However, the newspaper was intercepted before its publication, and Mr. Li personally delivered a stern warning to him.
Li Xiangfu had taken an extended hiatus from school due to injury and emotional strain. Upon his return to China, he had a period of idleness. On the other hand, Luo An had joined the company early through parental connections and had excelled in the past two years.
The department head, ingratiatingly placed in his position, was seen as a trusted associate. He echoed Luo An’s sentiments, stating, “Whether the old man acknowledges it or not remains uncertain. In two days, there’s an engagement celebration for the youngest son of the Lin family. People from both the Li and Qin families will attend. Li Xiangfu’s involvement with Qin Jin…”
“What involvement!” Luo An tossed the plan at him disdainfully. “Don’t say things you shouldn’t.”
He had been discreetly stirring up trouble regarding this matter but had been caught. With Qin Jin now in the spotlight, he didn’t want to offend both families simultaneously due to Chen Zhima’s messy affair.
Rolling his eyes, Luo An suddenly gestured, and the supervisor approached, asking, “What is it?” “I heard that
Mr. Li has been on vacation recently. I’ve arranged a few trustworthy individuals to spread word about the child and expose it to the old man.”
The supervisor looked puzzled.
Luo An regarded him as if he were a simpleton. “Proactively, to shift the focus towards the fact that Li Xiangfu had strategically planned this move to mend the father-son relationship. The more calculated the motive, the better.” He tapped his fingers on the table twice. “And look into
it. Encourage a few thoughtless individuals to purposefully approach the old man to congratulate him on his grandson, feigning flattery.” The
department head grasped the implications. “The old man is known for his stubbornness. He might utter angry remarks in public, like disowning the child or denying the connection. This way, he won’t lose face immediately and publicly acknowledge the child’s identity.”
Luo An nodded. “Have you got it all?”
The department head looked at him admiringly. “I’ll ensure this matter is handled splendidly.”
Luo An gestured with two fingers, signaling that he could leave.
After the door closed, a weary sigh filled the office. One more complication was worse than one less. Luo An preferred not to confront Li Xiangfu directly. However, he was someone who couldn’t ignore irritating factors. When he first discovered Li Xiangfu’s covert actions, he mercilessly exposed the supposed friendship, causing significant tension between them.
Now that Li Xiangfu had returned, it was imperative to eliminate any possibility of him accessing the family’s core power, lest it become a latent threat.
—
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.
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The ‘father and son’ exchanged peculiar words of modesty. Li Shasha remarked, “You’re so generous.”
As they left the supermarket, Li Xiangfu only held an ice cream in his hand.
“Why don’t you wander around for a bit?”
“It seemed like someone was following us just now, but they’re gone now.” Li Shasha nonchalantly licked the cream on his face and said, “I want to buy a few more books to read.” “Okay.”
Across the street, there was a bookstore, and business had been slow lately. The boss greeted them warmly upon seeing a customer: “Buying for your children?”
Li Xiangfu nodded.
Boss: “Children’s books are over here…”
Li Xiangfu declined the offer: “It’s fine, I’ll show him around.” Li Shasha preferred shopping alone, but he wasn’t tall enough to reach the books. The two of them were quite efficient, finishing in less than five minutes. They proceeded to the checkout.
Four or five hefty books were stacked on the table.
“M Theory,” “A Brief Talk on Quantum Mechanics,” “Why are Magnets Magnetic”… just reading the titles could give some adults a headache.
“It might be a bit early to read these now,” the boss commented, his eyelids twitching.
“It’s getting late.” Li Shasha displayed a cautious attitude beyond his years and made his decision: “They’re all books suitable for the early stages of enlightenment.” The boss forced a smile, already feeling like flying without even recognizing the words.
With a heavy bag of books in tow, the two exchanged smiles as they left.
Li Xiangfu: “Starting tomorrow…”
Li Shasha: “You play the piano and sing, while I read and enjoy tea. The peaceful and free years will be peaceful.”
Li Xiangfu bent down and extended his hand… Bang! The duo completed a hearty high-five.
—
Gossip has a way of spreading swiftly, almost at the speed of light.
In merely half a day, the news of the child had traversed the conversations of various individuals, young and old, and propagated through word of mouth to the resort.
Mr. Li dreaded the heat the most. Summer often left him breathless, necessitating at least a month’s stay at the resort. Even if his youngest son returned, he would wait for two days before returning to prevent falling ill from anger.
As it turned out, the vacation was not a cause for concern. In the afternoon, multiple people mentioned, seemingly out of nowhere, that he had a grandson.
“What’s the current talk outside?”
His cherished fishing rod was casually set aside, a testament to his foul mood.
The bodyguard acted as his eyes, providing an honest account of the gathered information. “Everyone is discussing the young master’s motive for bringing the child back.”
Mr. Li’s countenance darkened.
In this world, no matter how affluent you may be, you can’t halt the flow of gossip. When he went to the restaurant for dinner in the afternoon, two individuals seated by the window swiftly fell silent. One of them awkwardly picked up a cup, taking a sip of water, seemingly aware of what had been discussed earlier. They feigned indifference.
Some individuals were unsure how to act. As soon as the old man sat down, a young vacationer respectfully greeted him and casually mentioned seeing Li Xiangfu with a child while going to the supermarket in the morning.
“The child has good genes, evident at first sight, and looks absolutely adorable. They’ll turn out great as they grow up.”
The young vacationer complimented without reservation.
Mr. Li’s eyelids twitched, and he responded with a cold demeanor, “Is that so? Why wasn’t I aware that I have a grandson?” The
young man was taken aback, standing there in an awkward silence.
Others looked at him with a mix of sympathy and sarcasm, not offering flattery, and he found himself in a dehumanizing predicament.
Awkwardly pursing his lips, the young man shifted uncomfortably and uttered, “Please enjoy your meal, I won’t disturb you.”
Afterward, he left the restaurant, embarrassed.
Once at a safe distance with no one around, he sent a message: [ok.]
He then received a reply from the other party: [Come to the company tomorrow to discuss the contract.]
The young man smiled and pocketed his phone. He was sent by Luo An’s supervisor to handle matters of right and wrong. He wasn’t concerned about leaving a negative impression on Mr. Li. After all, he would never reach the point of conducting business with the man in his lifetime. Present interests held greater importance.
Moreover, the old man would never target an unknown individual over a trivial matter.
…
Li family.
Aunt Zhang had completed her cooking duties and realized it was nearly time to leave. After inquiring if there were any additional requests, she packed her bag and headed home.
A few years back, to show appreciation for her decades of service to the family, Mr. Li had gifted her a house nearby, making her commute to work convenient.
Li Xiangfu spent some time playing puzzles with Li Shasha and then glanced at the clock.
“I don’t think my elder brother will be back tonight.”
Li Shasha placed the final puzzle piece: “So… Dad, how unpopular are you?”
Li Xiangfu remained silent.
After admiring the completed puzzle for a few seconds, Li Shasha sat up, crossing his legs, and commented, “It’s okay if others don’t like you, but they’re your family.” Li Xiangfu affectionately tousled his soft, wavy hair: “Blood can’t excuse all faults, and patience can wear thin eventually.”
After a thoughtful blink, Li Shasha gained a deeper understanding of human nature.
Li Xiangfu helped him move the puzzle to the table and gently pressed it under the protective glass, where it looked delightful as a decoration.
After a while, the lights dimmed, and the entire villa suddenly plunged into darkness.
Unlike typical children who might scream, Li Shasha remained composed. “Looks like a power outage.”
The battery on his phone was fully charged. Li Xiangfu sat by the window, continuously switching between apps, entering and exiting games, realizing he had lost interest in electronics. His enthusiasm for gadgets had faded.
The air conditioner ceased running, and the room grew increasingly stuffy. As the remaining coolness dissipated, he opened the window.
At this moment, the trees outside appeared motionless, devoid of any breeze.
Li Xiangfu suddenly stood up, as if he had made a decision, and turned to say, “Let’s go to the courtyard.” Under the bright moonlight, the carefully tended flowers and plants in the courtyard exhibited a dark hue, and an artificial fountain stood at the center. Li Xiangfu observed his reflection in it, a trace of disdain crossing his brows.
Amidst the sultry weather, the buttons of his shirt were securely fastened, and his sleeves showed no sign of being rolled up, snugly enveloping the skin beneath.
Having resided in the Nuzun Kingdom for over two decades, regardless of his rebellious nature, there were certain inviolable rules, such as attire, that had become ingrained habits over the years.
Drawing a deep breath, he resolved that from this day forward, he would completely cast aside those old and decadent rules.
Simultaneously, Li Huaichen had just gone to the resort to pick up the old man.
Observing the darkness from a distance, Mr. Li frowned. “We haven’t had a power outage in years.”
Upscale communities typically have contingencies in place for utilities like water and electricity.
Li Huaichen remarked, “It’s probably an emergency.”
The garage couldn’t be opened, so the car was parked outside. He used his phone for illumination. “Be cautious.” “I’m not at the point where my eyesight is failing,” Mr. Li retorted. Despite not being very old in terms of actual age, his hair had prematurely turned gray.
Li Huaichen took the lead and focused on the road. “Did you return early because of my younger brother’s child?”
Mr. Li sneered upon hearing this. “He’s accountable for the consequences of his actions outside. Whether the child grows up well or poorly is his responsibility, his life.”
The implication was clear: he wouldn’t meddle in the child’s upbringing or family affairs.
The room was enveloped in darkness, and Li Huaichen noticed the open door at the back. “Seems like it’s in the yard. After all, you wanted to meet him.” Mr. Li closed his eyes, letting out a heavy sigh. “Go and check.”
The wind finally picked up. In the courtyard, Li Xiangfu stood by the fountain, his fingers seemingly glued to the buttons.
“I can,” he softly whispered, giving himself a psychological nudge.
Unbuttoning a few buttons, the young man slowly extended his arms, his shirt fluttering in the wind, and his long black hair dancing in the night breeze. Li Xiangfu tilted his head slightly, and a single beautiful tear traced down the corner of his eye.
“I feel free—”
The air carried not only the fragrance of flowers but also the scent of liberation.
Li Shasha, standing nearby, applauded emotionlessly. “Congratulations, Dad, you did it.”
Li Xiangfu wasn’t content and began running around the fountain. He had only unbuttoned a few buttons, yet he experienced the exhilaration of ‘running half-naked’.
After several rounds of running against the wind, Li Xiangfu stopped and bent over to catch his breath. His voice quivered as he said, “Starting tomorrow, I’ll wear short sleeves…” He slowly extended his arms and gazed at the sky. “Embrace the freedom of short sleeves—”
Observing this scene from a few meters away, Mr. Li fell silent for a moment, then retreated to the living room. He reconsidered his decision to let go, even reconsidered his stance on involvement, and stated firmly, “Starting tomorrow, my grandson’s needs will be taken care of. I’ll do my best to organize his daily life, education, and upbringing.”
He could overlook the child’s association with a failed biological father, fueled by years of accumulated disappointments, but he couldn’t let the child be influenced by a father grappling with mental issues.
The author has something to say:
Li Shasha: There are villains plotting against us.
Li Xiangfu: Oh, then I’ll find a way to counter them.
Li Shasha: No need, you’ve already fought back.
Li Xiangfu:? ? ?
Oh no, LXF, your child might be taken away by your own grandfather!
I like how Mr Li was initially cold-hearted and was determined to leave the system for LXF to take care but when he saw how he behaved, he decided to not let him parent the system.
Thanks for the chapter ~~~
LXF has shitty friends. Hopefully he can make some better ones. I don’t really want the current ones to be redeemed.
The child’s gender keeps changing. Referenced as ‘her’ and ‘she’ and also grandson (he).
Thanks for pointing it out! I’ll fix them tomorrow 🌸
So,is the system’s original gender of a “male” and after becoming a child ,a female?🤔💭
No, System’s pronoun is He after becoming human. I’m quite busy rn I’ll fix them soon >.<
Oh,I see! 😌
Shitty friends need to be slapped to the moon so hard 🔥 and lmaoo mr. Li secretly cares for the wellbeing of his ‘grandson’ hahaha
I was laughing so hard that i look crazy hahahahhaha he did run buck naked right? 😂 😭
“He couldn’t let the child be influenced by a father grappling with mental health” ahahaha 🤣