Sponsored chapter (4/5)
After summarizing a few sentences, Li Xiangfu sensed an abnormal atmosphere but couldn’t decipher Tao Huaixiu’s thoughts. Unfazed, he asked, “Is there anything else?”
Tao Huaixiu shook her head, and as the dishes were already served, her expression normalized. She said, “Let’s go eat,” and headed towards the parking lot.
A few steps away, she turned back to Li Xiangfu, still standing, and added, “My offer still stands. You can reach out to me anytime when you leave the country.” She made a pistol gesture with her hand, but Li Xiangfu adhered to the principles of a law-abiding citizen.
Returning to his seat, Li Xiangfu found the tray on the table deceivingly light, as Qin Jin had already dealt with all the shrimp shells during his absence.
This was a new experience for Li Xiangfu – enjoying the fruits of someone else’s labor. After nearly finishing his meal, he asked, “Did my mother inquire about your understanding of me?”
Tao Huaixiu, usually sparing with words, had suddenly brought up the topic. She had likely already consulted Qin Jin.
Qin Jin nodded, taking a napkin from Li Xiangfu to wipe his hands. “My response seemed to displease her.”
Li Xiangfu gestured that it wasn’t a significant issue and reiterated, “Regardless of your answer, upon hearing mine, she will only pity you.”
Someone was setting an empty table nearby, catching Li Xiangfu’s attention. He overheard a conversation between a man and a woman at the neighboring table.
“It’s good to return to the spa tomorrow. There’s a special program to watch here at night.”
“Let’s come early to secure a good spot.”
Intrigued, Li Xiangfu inquired about the program’s start time and learned it was at nine o’clock. The eleventh floor’s guests had the privilege of reserving the first two tables.
As Qin Jin was one of the hotel’s shareholders, Li Xiangfu was currently staying on the eleventh floor for free. “Want to see?” he asked Qin Jin.
Chin Chin instructed the waiter, “Save two seats.”
After the meal, Qin Jin returned to his room for a video conference, while Li Xiangfu toured the neighborhood alone in a tour bus. He bought some special souvenirs to bring back. Half a day passed quickly, and when he returned to the hotel, he realized the program had already begun due to a delayed visit to the police station.
Pushing open the glass door, the lively drumbeats resonated with the air, overwhelming his ears. The venue was filled with people, but seats had been reserved for them.
“One of the shareholder’s privileges,” Qin Jin stated.
Li Xiangfu smiled, took his seat, and focused on the program, ensuring he wouldn’t miss any highlights. The hotel maintained a slightly higher air conditioning temperature for the comfort of small children in attendance, and as the audience grew, the atmosphere became a bit stuffy.
Qin Jin, an anomalous presence, stood out in the bustling environment. Yet, some individuals were drawn to him. On his right sat the daughter of the hotel’s major shareholder, who had secretly admired Qin Jin for a year. Today, she mustered the courage to take the first step, intending to offer him a drink.
However, her voice was drowned out by the crescendo of the dance music. Undeterred, she waited for the music to end, only to be interrupted by a sudden light eek.
“Your cuffs seem to be torn,” Li Xiangfu observed.
Qin Jin glanced over his hand, noting a subtle tear. The girl next to him, eager to recommend a familiar store, was about to speak when her voice was once again interrupted.
“Reach out,” Li Xiangfu said.
Following Li Xiangfu’s inspection, he remarked, “It’s not a significant issue. I’ll fix it for you when we go back.”
Qin Jin accepted, “That would be appreciated.”
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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“Sewing directly leaves a little bit of a mark, but I can cover it up with embroidery… do you like monograms or patterns?”
Qin Jin responded with a casual “Whatever.”
Two styles instantly materialized in Li Xiangfu’s mind, and he quickly rendered his judgment, “Patterns may be more distinctive.”
This time, the girl heard it very clearly, and confusion overwhelmed her as she contemplated under what circumstances a man would sew clothes for another man without a romantic involvement. Two minutes later, she closed her eyes in despair, attributing her unconventional thoughts to a lack of education, only managing to come up with the phrase, ‘A loving mother’s thread in her hand, and a traveling child’s clothes on his body.’
Stiffly standing up, the girl silently made her way out.
… She needed to escape this disheartening place.
Her first task was to purchase an overnight train ticket.
Distracted and not paying attention to her surroundings, she accidentally collided with someone on her way out.
“Sorry.” When she raised her eyes, the girl was stunned; even with sunglasses, the perfect face of the person in front of her couldn’t be concealed.
“It’s okay.” The person she bumped into lowered his hat, picked up the paper crane on the ground, and continued walking inside without looking back.
The contrasting emotions of joy and sorrow in human beings were evident. Li Xiangfu, for instance, hadn’t even noticed someone had left the table. He waved at the waiter and ordered two drinks.
Ordering two drinks was routine, and the items were swiftly delivered. On the tray’s side, there was a paper crane. The waiter glanced at Li Xiangfu, saying, “A lady asked me to bring it here.”
Such expressions of favor were common in hotels, and the waiter was accustomed to them.
Li Xiangfu unwrapped the paper crane, and a few scattered petals fell out.
After a moment of bewilderment, he picked up the two pieces that fell on his lap and counted a total of seven petals.
The shadow of eyelashes masked the emotions in his eyes as Li Xiangfu squeezed the petals in his hand with a bit of force. The dry petals instantly cracked, and he raised his head with a smile that didn’t quite reach the bottom of his eyes, saying, “It seems we’re not starting over with the reading of the files.”
There was no postcard, just a few petals – the first time receiving something different, more akin to a silent announcement.
Qin Jin also noticed the number of petals and narrowed his eyes, “Wait one more day; remember to tell me if you continue to receive petals.”
……
The day was filled with encounters. After leaving a thousand paper cranes, a very attractive woman politely declined the invitation of the man next to her and stepped gracefully into the boundless night.
As her phone beeped, the woman casually glanced at it and drove into an upscale neighborhood.
The house was unlit, and she spotted Qin Jiayu on the balcony, the moonlight blurring the silhouette of the other man in a soft glow.
The moonlight blurred his silhouette, lending him a softer look. In that moment, Qin Jiayu turned his face to the side, and there was a youthful quality on his face that only teenagers possess, making it plausible for him to be mistaken for a high school student if he wore a school uniform.
The woman took the initiative to speak: “The news being circulated is similar, suggesting that Li Xiangfu’s slip and fall was not an accident. Currently, most rumors in the community are pointing fingers at Qin Jin.”
Qin Jiayu, unable to discern his emotions, closed his eyes and stated, “There’s no need to investigate; it’s him orchestrating his own show. Otherwise, the rumors wouldn’t be so consistent.”
When he reopened his eyes, he inquired, “Did you send the stuff over?”
The woman nodded, “It’s all set. Li Xiangfu will receive a second letter after midnight.”
“Thank you for your hard work.” Qin Jiayu finally glanced at her.
The woman bit her lip, “You saved my life and helped me retain my property inheritance; these are nothing.”
Qin Jiayu sat on a chair, half-closed his eyes, appearing somewhat drowsy. This was the aftermath of four years ago, occasionally lapsing into extended periods of lethargy.
But the woman could see that he was evidently in a much better state and exclaimed, “Have you recovered?”
Qin Jiayu didn’t respond, conveying the intention to rest, and the woman lowered her eyes, saying, “I’ll leave first.”
The sound of her descent gradually faded away, and Qin Jiayu opened his phone, examining a photo of two teenagers standing on a sports field. Compared to the innocent image, after gazing at it for a long time, he suddenly chuckled and fixed his eyes on Li Xiangfu: “Finally, I can meet you, my friend.”
The last two words were imbued with a strong sneer.
—
After midnight, a profound silence enveloped the surroundings.
After Li Xiangfu finished his bath, he discovered an unsealed envelope containing six flower petals had been slipped into the doorway at some point.
He suddenly grasped the meaning of the petals: a countdown. Each petal represented a day, and once the petals reached zero, something significant would happen.
Sighing, Li Xiangfu was about to discard the items into the trash can when he accidentally noticed the envelope’s inside wall covered in ink. Opening it, he found a line of small words: “I’ve prepared a gift for our meeting. I hope you’ll like it by then.”
The three words ‘gift, our, meeting’ were written in red. Li Xiangfu used a cotton swab stick dipped in water to smudge it, putting it to his nose and detecting a faint scent of blood.
After staring at the blood-written words for a while, he unplugged his charging phone and dialed a familiar number. After a prolonged period with no answer, Li Xiangfu turned to call the home landline.
The phone was answered by Li Xichun: “I told you to report your safety before leaving home, but I didn’t ask for a midnight report.”
“The first thing I want to do is have Shasha answer the phone.” Li Xiangfu’s words were straightforward.
Li Xichun frowned: “At this late hour, the child is already asleep.”
“Go and lift his blanket; I guarantee he’s secretly disassembling and assembling robots inside.”
Li Xichun ascended the stairs, knocked on the door, and shortly after, Li Shasha opened the door, greeting ‘auntie’ with sleepy eyes.
Li Xichun entered without warning, lifted the quilt, and inspected the concealed parts.
Li Shasha remained silent for a moment.
As if gearing up for a confrontation, Li Xichun addressed the main issue first, “Your father called to speak with you.”
Going downstairs and picking up the phone, Li Shasha delivered the truth with a blank expression, “My robot might be confiscated.”
Li Xiangfu remarked, “Next time, remember not to mute your smartwatch.” After a pause, he added, “Qin Jiayu sent another card.”
He then proceeded to slowly read out the words inscribed on the card.
Upon hearing that the phrase “gift and meet” was written in blood, Li Shasha frowned, “Dad, this is a threat, suggesting that you are in danger.”
“Pretending to have amnesia doesn’t work anymore,” Li Xiangfu sighed, “In fact, I just want to treat the world gently, why do there always have to be people forcing me?”
After a moment of silence, he inquired, “What kind of character do you think Qin Jiayu is?”
Li Shasha quickly summed up, “Arrogant, self-confident, lacking moral values, with a paranoid personality.”
“Can nine years of compulsory education remedy that?”
Li Shasha replied, “It can’t.”
“What about a society based on the rule of law?”
Li Shasha was curious about why he asked this question but still asserted that it couldn’t.
Li Xiangfu continued, “What about the Three Obediences and Four Virtues?”
Li Shasha was stunned upon hearing this and then suddenly realized.
Risking some forgetfulness, he was of old age and not incapacitated. He could very well be sent by Qin Jiayu to Nuzun Kingdom.
Even if he endured, it would be too harsh. The virtuous people of the country might not be able to endure it. Encountering an evil eunuch could lead to being drowned or handed over to the people. Initially, in order to find a decent prominent family for Li Xiangfu, he had expended a considerable amount of effort.
If he wore his original clothes, he would have to endure smoking, drinking, and burning his hair, wearing down to a breaking point in less than half a year.
With a lump in his throat, Li Shasha said in a deep voice, “Dad, I am intimidated by my own capabilities.”
Author’s note:
Small theater 1:
What Li Shasha learned today:
Never mess with Li Xiangfu, who possesses a full level of combat skills.
Small theater 2:
Before the meeting:
Qin Jiayu: At last, we shall meet, my friend.
After the meeting:
Q.J.Y.: Friend, give me another chance!
Sorry for uploading the wrong chapter!
