Sponsored chapter (5/5)
Li Xiangfu has consistently prioritized the psychological education of children.
In the face of self-doubt, he earnestly indulges in whimsy, saying, “Shasha, you are not a discarded star in the galaxy; you are the most brilliant pearl in the universe.”
…yet, he is also a walking human killer.
Of course, the last statement remains confined to the silent recitation within his heart.
Li Shasha seldom hears him utter soft words, and immediately, he feels his heart soften. Unable to resist, he speaks a few more words.
“The person who created me initially had the idea of inventing a high-tech learning machine.”
Li Xiangfu snorts softly at the revelation, understanding why there was an insistence on cultivating a ten-functional, all-purpose host.
He slowly closes his eyes, attempting to bury the memories of that archaic era’s feudal remnants. Gathering his composure, he says, “Go to sleep; I’ll arrange the vacation with the school.”
Li Shasha’s usually composed face shows a few ripples, “Dad, you’re not just an ordinary dad; you’re the best dad in the world.”
…
Much like consuming a rich dessert, Li Xiangfu bids ‘good night’ with an unchanged expression and quickly ends the call.
He enjoys a restful night’s sleep without any disturbing thoughts. Unfortunately, due to the lack of sleep, his mental state feels a bit sluggish the next day, with faint red bloodlines beneath his eyes after he washes up.
The hotel serves breakfast only at specific times.
Li Xiangfu, not wanting to contend with the crowd, arrives early. Qin Jin, accustomed to waking early, unsurprisingly crosses paths with him in the restaurant.
Upon closer inspection, the cold aura emanating from Qin Jin isn’t particularly prominent. His long legs and seemingly robust waist catch the eye. Before Li Xiangfu arrived, people inevitably stole a few glances at him.
However, after Li Xiangfu’s arrival, the wandering gazes unconsciously shift towards him. The human subconscious, aside from being drawn to beauty, tends to favor beauty that appears harmless.
Li Xiangfu, seemingly non-threatening, smiles warmly and approaches Qin Jin, saying, “Good morning.”
Qin Jin looks up, a slight tug at the corner of his mouth, “Good morning.”
When their eyes meet, Qin Jin furrows his brows, “Didn’t sleep well?”
Li Xiangfu takes out the small card he received yesterday from his pocket. After reading it, Qin Jin’s expression turns cold, “Don’t worry about it…”
Before he can finish, Li Xiangfu shakes his head, indicating that there is no need to worry at all.
Qin Jin raises his eyebrows.
“Regarding his arrival, I am waiting with bated breath.” His eyes fixated on the three words in red and Li Xiangfu said with a smile, “The ‘waiting’ is more like waiting for a rabbit.”
“Don’t they all mean the same thing?”
Li Xiangfu shakes his head, walks over to get a bowl of porridge, and sits down, licking the corners of his mouth in a state of eager anticipation. Seeing his behavior, Qin Jin understands that he already has a plan.
Yaochuan boasts air quality consistently ranking among the best in the country. As Qin Jin mentioned to Tao Huaixiu yesterday, the sky possesses an inexplicable allure to Li Xiangfu, prompting him to stare and observe from time to time.
At the moment, he looks out the window at the azure sky. Because of his good mood, old memories resurface.
“Your brother and I may be about to meet.”
The implication is that Qin Jin is perfectly capable of directly stating whatever entanglements exist between himself and Qin Jiayu.
Qin Jin calmly peels the eggshells, stating, “People’s emotions are complex; you don’t know what’s going on, and you won’t be lenient when you take action.”
“Cough…”
Li Xiangfu nearly chokes on the porridge, “I am the victim.”
Qin Jin retorts, “You have the power to turn the tide.”
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.
Presenting the peeled tea eggs and elegantly wiping his fingers, Qin Jin opened his mouth, saying, “Without your awareness, he’ll focus his pretense on showcasing the past, creating a favorable buffer stage.”
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At the moment, it appeared that the unresolved gap between himself and Qin Jiayu lingered, and excess emotion would only impede the swift delivery of the ‘Three Obediences and Four Virtues’ gift package.
After the meal, Li Xiangfu contacted Mr. Li, expressing his desire to bring Li Shasha along.
The elderly man promptly opposed, asserting that the child shouldn’t develop a playful disposition.
“The first time I saw this was when I was a child, and it was a very good time for me.”
These words reached Mr. Li’s ears, automatically translating to ‘Tao Huaixiu wants to see her grandson before she leaves the country.’ After a brief silence, he sighed, “Your sister isn’t busy for the next two days, so I’ll ask her to bring Shasha over.”
Mr. Li’s voice, typically steady and robust, was audible to Qin Jin as the restaurant had few patrons at the moment.
“Does your mom have any insights into what’s been happening with you recently?”
The question was broad, but Li Xiangfu understood its meaning. Not long ago, Li Anqing had mentioned that the old master had initiated a private investigation into certain matters, though it hadn’t been made public yet.
He coughed lightly, “Mom asked me to go abroad with her.”
Mr. Li’s tone took on a rare hint of doubt: “Escaping doesn’t seem like her way of dealing with things.”
Could this be an indication that she’s regaining her strength?
“Mom said that foreign homeowners have the right to shoot intruders.”
Mr. Li was left speechless.
In the eyes of Qin Jin, who sat across from him, emotions were also rare and complicated.
Upon finishing his tasks and putting down his phone, Qin Jin opened a photo in his album. “Take a look.”
With just a glance, Li Xiangfu’s eyes lit up with interest. The photo displayed a variety of musical instruments, exuding a distinct sense of the time. Qin Jin showed him another photo, this time featuring works by master painters.
Li Xiangfu zoomed in to inspect the seals, his eyes slightly widening. “Are they authentic?”
Qin Jin nodded.
“This man is a collector. If you’re interested, I can arrange for you to visit.”
Finding something of interest was a rarity, so naturally, Li Xiangfu nodded.
In less than ten minutes, the car was parked outside, and the foreign chauffeur opened the car window, nodding at Li Xiangfu as a greeting.
His professionalism was unwavering. When he served as a bodyguard, he was a professional, and as a driver, he was qualified. Pretending to be oblivious, he didn’t even make the slightest gesture of peeking through the rearview mirror.
The car headed toward the countryside.
During the journey, Li Xiangfu inquired about the collector, asking curiously, “Your friend?”
“Not exactly,” replied Qin Jin. “Just a friend with benefits.”
Engaging in business dealings with once high and mighty individuals, especially those elderly with a fondness for good appearances, can be challenging. In such instances, a collector can play a small but significant role.
“At the beginning, discussing harmony with the Bian family project was possible due to the mutual understanding from purchasing items that resonated with each other.”
Li Xiangfu pondered for a moment, “Your bid must have been quite substantial.”
Qin Jin smiled without responding until the car arrived outside a small villa, saying, “For businessmen, such relationships provide a greater sense of security.”
Standing at the door, Qin Jin entered a series of passwords directly, leaving Li Xiangfu surprised.
As the door opened, Qin Jin stated, “If you find something you like, feel free to take it. We can settle the bill later.”
At this point, Li Xiangfu suddenly realized that the other party had mentioned sending him for a visit, not as a middleman for introductions.
“Aren’t you coming in with me?”
“I have a meeting for a project at ten o’clock.” Qin Jin checked his watch. “With only twenty minutes left, I need to rush back to the city.”
Li Xiangfu’s throat tightened, and his voice was somewhat dry, “Shouldn’t we at least greet the owner?”
“The phone isn’t being answered; he’s likely in a state of inebriation again.” Qin Jin remarked, “The villa has a comprehensive surveillance and alarm system, so there’s no need to worry about deceiving the collector.”
The foreign chauffeur waiting nearby added, “This is how the boss used to acquire goods.”
The car swiftly departed, leaving Li Xiangfu alone.
Upon pushing the door, there wasn’t even space to walk on the floor. A mound of noodles cluttered the table, and medieval-style decorations adorned the walls.
Li Xiangfu tentatively took a step inside, calling out, “Is anyone here? Hello…”
His words were interrupted by a loud crash.
A disheveled man stumbled down the stairs, nearly sliding down the last three steps, and plopped down on the floor, saying, “Give me something to eat.”
The lingering smell of alcohol made one’s head spin.
“Food.” The hungover man pounded his fist on the floor.
Li Xiangfu never had a positive impression of drunks, but he caught sight of a flute lying on the corner cabinet, finding it quite appealing. So, he looked earnestly into the drunk’s eyes, “Can we negotiate a discount?”
The drunk hiccuped, “Nine and a half.”
“Deal.”
With the limited ingredients in the refrigerator, Li Xiangfu managed to prepare four dishes and one soup. The aroma of the food completely overpowered the scent of alcohol in the villa. The inebriated man’s soul seemed to undergo a transformation as he hungrily consumed the culinary creation of a chef certified as a master chef by the system itself.
As the drunkenness dissipated, the man’s eyes brightened, “My businesses have repeatedly failed, and I have long envied Qin Jin’s success in the business world. Let’s collaborate, and I guarantee we’ll break into the world’s top 100 within three years.”
Li Xiangfu remained unfazed, “I have no money.”
“But you have a craft. I’ll invest and partner with you to open a housekeeping company.”
“…”
Alcoholic: “If you don’t mind contributing more, I can make up for it by naming the company after you, and we’ll register a trademark in the future when it gains popularity.”
Taking a sip of soup, Li Xiangfu remarked, “This statement seems tailor-made for you; who in the world doesn’t know you?”
“…”
Politely declining this ‘kind gesture’ multiple times, Li Xiangfu’s eyelids fluttered as he attempted to ground the situation in reality, “There is only one person for me.”
“Let’s get started, your training.” The alcoholic gestured towards the meal table, “With this skill, certified nannies are guaranteed to win gold medals each.”
Forced to redirect the conversation, Li Xiangfu inquired about the price of the flute.
“One hundred thousand.” This price was more than a 50% discount.
After obtaining the account number for the payment, Li Xiangfu almost fled with the flute cradled in his arms.
The inebriated man blocked the doorway, “Leave your phone number first.”
The numbing effect of the alcohol had not completely worn off, and he was acting on impulse.
Li Xiangfu recited a series of numbers with no expression on his face, and the drunkard remarked, “Isn’t this Qin Jin’s cellphone number?”
“…”
Upon being discovered, Li Xiangfu casually recited a different series of numbers, and the drunkard attempted to confront him on the spot. However, Li Xiangfu stopped him and provided the actual number.
Just as his life-saving phone rang, glancing at the caller ID, Li Xiangfu breathed a sigh of relief and answered, “Pick me up, it’s not convenient here to find a taxi.”
After hanging up and sending the location, he offered an apologetic smile, “My son is on the way; I’ll be leaving first.”
Without further explanation, he walked out the door and continued until he reached the roadside. Making sure there was no one following him, he stopped and waited.
As the sun ascended higher in the sky, a taxi finally pulled up.
“Hotel Chante.”
After getting into the car and specifying the destination, Li Xiangfu instinctively ruffled Li Shasha’s head and called her ‘Sis.’
Li Xichun nodded, likely a bit fatigued from the plane journey, and didn’t say much.
While the drunkard was persistently engaging him in conversation, Li Xiangfu’s phone received several unread messages, and he opened each one sequentially.
Normally not an avid phone user, he had it lowered most of the time, sparking a bit of curiosity from Li Shasha, who leaned over to see, “Design?”
“Bian Shiqin wants to create a set of unique clothing, and she’s seeking advice from me on where to get the embroidery done,” explained Li Xiangfu. Then, recalling something from his conversation with Qin Jin about the project being confidential, he opted for a voice message, “Don’t forget to bring the shirt; I forgot to give it to you yesterday.”
After dealing with the first message, he turned his attention to the second unread message.
Glancing at the chat partner, Li Shasha was surprised, “Buddhist friend?”
Engrossed in a Sanskrit exchange, Li Xiangfu didn’t even lift his gaze when responding, “I added him when the abbot gave me the Buddha beads last time; we share some common interests.”
In the midst of the conversation, a call interrupted his texting.
Li Xiangfu furrowed his brow and answered the call.
On the other end, the drunkard began outlining his plan to embark on a sea adventure.
Growing a bit impatient, Li Xiangfu retorted, “I don’t run a company.”
“You won’t have to pay for it.”
“I don’t need your investment.”
“I don’t need you to invest in me… What, give me a guqin? Ah, that, um, this is not good…”
After about five minutes, the call finally concluded.
Li Xiangfu returned to his conversation with the abbot.
The taxi driver wore a puzzled expression; he had ferried all kinds of passengers, but this particular individual seemed different, not even a monk.
In that moment, Li Xiangfu sent a voice message in Sanskrit, narrating a few Buddhist stories concurrently. It was as if he had grasped a profound truth.
Taxi driver: “…”
No wonder he’s destined to drive a taxi; look at his talent.
Shortly after, Bian Shiqin unexpectedly called.
Li Xiangfu’s manner of dealing with people was consistently polite and courteous.
“I’m out of town, yes… Let’s make plans when I return. Bring the fabric samples….”
After confirming the end of the call, Li Xichun, who had been resting with closed eyes, suddenly glanced at him and said, “Little brother.”
“Uh?”
Li Xichun: “Let me check.”
“…”
Author’s note:
Li Xiangfu: Friends in common, no romantic feelings, no harm.
Li Xichun: …
“Just a friend with benefits” I’m going to assume this was a very direct translation and not Qin Jin just casually dropping the bomb that the drunkard Li Xiangfu was about to meet is his casual sex friend.