Chapter 46: Please help me out, pretend to be my boyfriend

Ning Jinli scratched her head, "I don't know, it won't give me a hint."

Xiao Qidi held the milk tea, frowning in thought.

"Come on, try it, it's really good." Ning Jinli urged, then added, "By the way, that time you ran back from the hospital yourself, you said you could sense this place with your intuition—do you have any clues?"

Xiao Qidi imitated Ning Jinli, sucking a sip of milk tea through the straw.

The next second, a bright color appeared in his eyes.

"What did you think of?" Ning Jinli asked quickly.

Xiao Qidi said, "Mm... this thing is really delicious!"

Ning Jinli:...

Xiao Qidi gulped down the whole cup of milk tea upside down, licked the corner of his mouth, and said, "I have no clue; that feeling might just be my imagination."

Since we still can't find the reason for the spacetime portal's upgrade, Ning Jinli had to let it go; researching later when new clues appear is fine too.

"Do you like milk tea?" she asked.

Last time when we held his victory banquet, I wanted him to try cola, but he didn't take a sip.

I didn't expect him to drink the milk tea so quickly.

Xiao Qidi nodded, "The aroma is rich, mellow and sweet—it's indeed delicious. This drink is called milk tea; is it made from milk and tea? And what are those chewy round things?"

Ning Jinli said, "Pretty much. The chewy stuff we call pearls; this is pearl milk tea. If you like it, I'll buy you one every day, and there are many other flavors too."

Xiao Qidi clasped his fists, "Then thank you, Miss Ning!"

Ning Jinli smirked inwardly, who would've thought—our Huaxia's Xuan Zu emperor likes milk tea, hehe.

"Let me tell you some good news," Ning Jinli said, blinking her big eyes, "These past few days, my factory director has already hired the core management team; next, we can recruit staff for all departments and factory areas."

"I told the factory director not to reject those under thirty-five like other companies; as long as they're suitable, no age limit—we estimate we can initially provide over two thousand jobs for Xinghan City."

Xiao Qidi could understand every word Ning Jinli said.

But when combined to express a meaning, he only half-understood.

Although he didn't fully grasp the meaning, seeing Ning Jinli speak so happily, he listened attentively.

Ning Jinli continued, her eyebrows dancing with excitement:

"I also had the factory director obtain a special production permit for cold weapons, and we need to expand the building materials production area."

"Once this big factory is fully operational, we can properly build homes for the people of Lin Xian Village and turn Xi Tun Guan into Xuan Guo's super frontier garrison!"

"I actually wanted to get you some hot weapons, but the conditions don't allow it..."

"Oh right, Lin Xian Village has petroleum—what you called stone fat water—that's great stuff; maybe I'll build a branch factory there someday!"

"Well, these are just my rough early ideas, but the premise for all this is——"

Saying this, she paused slightly, looking at Xiao Qidi with a serious expression.

Xiao Qidi lowered his gaze to meet hers, "What is it?"

Ning Jinli patted his shoulder, "It's you, little brother—you at least need to stay alive and out of trouble for the next six months."

Xiao Qidi asked wistfully, "Do you want me to stay out of trouble, or do you want me to someday make the Huaxia nation stronger?"

"Oh, what's the difference?" Ning Jinli giggled, "Only if you're well can you lay a better foundation for our country thousands of years ago."

Xiao Qidi hummed, a profound look flickering in his eyes.

"Miss Ning, I have other matters to attend to; farewell."

Having said that, he turned and left.

Ning Jinli furrowed her brows, vaguely sensing that his attitude had turned cold again.

She didn't think much of it; after all, that's just his nature—hot and cold, with thoughts hidden deep.

——

After returning to Lin Xian Village, Xiao Qidi's mind kept replaying Ning Jinli's fantasies.

Factories and such, he doesn't understand.

But building homes for the people and creating Xuan Guo's super frontier garrison aligns with his wishes.

The authority of Xuan Guo now lies in others' hands; he is a king in name only, and he can even roughly guess why he would end up in the tragic fate Ning Jinli described in that secret history.

Xiao Qidi alone climbed a lone earth-and-stone hill near Immortal Cave, gazing far toward the Royal City of Xuan Guo, a chill surging in his eyes.

"You despise me, yet fear me, and still want to use me—you really have a knack for scheming."

"When Yu Guo deployed its fifty-thousand-strong army earlier, I still held a sliver of hope, sending people to you for reinforcements before being besieged here..."

"The result—hah... hehehe..."

Xiao Qidi let out a bitter, strange laugh, laughing and laughing until tears streamed down his cheeks, "You were once the people I trusted most!"

Until night fell, Xiao Qidi remained standing in the same spot.

After a night passed, he stood there thinking all night, making an important decision.

"Miss Ning probably wouldn't agree to me doing this," he said while descending the mountain toward Immortal Cave, his gloomy eyes full of resolve, "but even if she disagrees, I still need to inform her."

——

"Aunt Su? How did you come? You... discharged?" Ning Jinli had planned to go to the hospital early that morning to visit, but didn't expect her to come herself.

"What's going on?" Ning Jinli looked at the two bodyguards following Aunt Su.

Before the bodyguards could speak, Aunt Su took her hand and said, "I asked to be discharged early and also asked them to bring me here to see you; they couldn't resist my soft persistence, so don't blame them."

Ning Jinli's face was full of resignation.

According to the schedule, Aunt Su still needs to stay a few more days.

And during these days, Ning Jinli happens to have time to set up the villa.

She had it all figured out: once Aunt Su is discharged, she'll take her straight to the villa for a big surprise.

I didn't expect her to discharge herself early.

"Xiao Li, your factory is quite big, but…" Su Yi looked around, her face showing worry, "but why is it so deserted?"

Ning Jinli said with a grin, "Production was halted before, but we've only just started up again. Give it a while and you'll see—more staff will make it lively."

During her hospitalization, Ning Jinli had already told her that she had inherited the factory.

But she didn't mention those who had been schemed into debt by her uncle.

There's no need to let Su Yi suffer another fright over problems already resolved.

As for the spacetime portal, plus Xiao Qidi, Canglan Jade, and the fact that she now had several billion in savings because of it, she had originally planned to tell Su Yi everything.

But later she was kidnapped, and she had no way of finding out who the mastermind was or what their goal was.

So, to be safe, it's better not to let Su Yi know these secrets and related matters for now.

"Xiao Li, can you handle such a big factory? Don't overwork yourself." Su Yi still felt uneasy.

"You don't need to worry," Ning Jinli said, holding her hand to comfort her, "I'm an adult now—I've already graduated from university. You can just relax and enjoy your retirement from now on, hehe."

Su Yi's nose suddenly tingled, and her eyes welled up with tears.

"What's wrong?" Ning Jinli immediately tensed, "Are you feeling unwell?"

Su Yi wiped her eyes, smiling, and said, "No, I'm happy… In the blink of an eye ten years have passed, my little Li has grown up…"

Afterwards, Ning Jinli took Su Yi for a leisurely walk around.

The two leaned on each other as they walked and talked; although they had no blood relation, they looked just like a real mother and daughter.

"Xiao Li, how are things with Zhao Bin?" Su Yi asked.

Ning Jinli wrinkled her nose, "We broke up; from now on we have nothing to do with each other."

Su Yi blinked, a bit regretful, and said, "Ah, things were fine—why did you break up? You used to like him a lot, and he's good-looking, plus you went to the same university."

Ning Jinli felt a bit uneasy inside; if she hadn't praised that handsome-but-worthless guy to Su Yi as being out of this world, Su Yi wouldn't have reacted like this.

"Don't bring him up—it's all in the past," Ning Jinli stuck out her tongue, "I'll definitely find someone better in the future."

She said that only to comfort Su Yi.

Her first love turned out to be a four‑year deception; anyone would be left with psychological scars.

She definitely didn't want to go through that again.

Moreover, she now had things to do.

She had to open the factory, help Xiao Qidi change his fate—she was busy; there was no time for a damn romance.

"You really need to hurry up," Su Yi urged gently, "The sooner you find someone and marry, the more you'll have a partner to rely on. I'm not capable—I can't help you… I truly worry that someday you'll be all alone."

"What are you saying, Aunt Su!" Ning Jinli pouted, "If you hadn't taken me in, I wouldn't be alive today—you're the most capable person in the world! And as long as you're well, I won't be lonely."

Su Yi's eyes held an worry that couldn't be dispelled.

She still knew her own physical condition.

Although she'd had a kidney transplant and her life was saved, her constitution had always been poor, and she truly feared she wouldn't have many years left, leaving Ning Jinli alone.

"In short, you need to find someone soon," Su Yi said sternly, "Otherwise I'll find one for you."

Ning Jinli showed a troubled expression, "Ah, do we really need to rush like this…"

Su Yi said, "During my hospital stay I saw a few young, single doctors in the hospital—quite nice, attentive and gentle, and with stable jobs. Tomorrow I'll go help you set up a meeting, so we can arrange a blind date as soon as possible."

"Aunt Su, I…"

"Xiao Li, just listen to me, okay?"

"…"

Ning Jinli couldn't bear to refuse Su Yi and make her feel bad, but deep down she strongly resisted the idea.

Just then, a familiar figure walked out of the warehouse door.

"Huh? Who's that young man?" Su Yi's gaze was drawn to him.

He wasn't only tall and sturdy, but wore a tactical outfit, had an extraordinary demeanor, and a distinctive hairstyle that was hard not to notice.

"Miss Ning, so you're here." Xiao Qidi strode over.

A flash of inspiration went through Ning Jinli's mind, and she immediately told Su Yi, "He's my boyfriend right now!"

Su Yi's eyes widened in disbelief, "You got a boyfriend again so fast? Just now I heard you say that, I thought…"

Ning Jinli forced down her embarrassment, putting on a smile, "It's not that I hadn't prepared to introduce him to you yet—you pushed me into a blind date, so I had no choice but to tell you."

As Xiao Qidi approached, Su Yi's head slowly lifted upward.

When he came right up to her, she tilted her head back and exclaimed, "He's way too tall, isn't he? Must be over two meters!"

Ning Jinli hehe‑laughed, "Pretty close—about 1.98 meters."

"That young man looks really young," Su Yi couldn't help but examine him closely, "What's your name?"

Ning Jinli immediately said, "Just call him Xiao Xiao."

"Good, good, good," Su Yi broke into an auntie‑type smile, "Xiao Li, you're also quite tall—you two really are a good match."

A flicker of doubt passed through Xiao Qidi's eyes.

Before he could speak, Su Yi grabbed his hand, placed Ning Jinli's hand in his palm, and said, "You two had better treat each other well. How about this: I'll make a meal today, we'll eat together—Xiao Xiao, do you have time?"

Ning Jinli secretly gave him a glance.

Although Xiao Qidi didn't understand the situation, he went along with her and nodded.

Su Yi smiled and said, "You seem to be a rather introverted kid…"

"Ahem!" Ning Jinli discreetly poked Xiao Qidi in the waist with her elbow, "This is the Su Yi I told you about—don't be shy, say hello."

Xiao Qidi: …

He had a vague feeling that something was off—what on earth was going on?

"I, have met Su Yi." He uttered four words with a twitch of the corner of his mouth.

"Oh my, at first glance he looked like a soldier, but once he spoke he had the air of a scholar—not bad at all." Su Yi laughed even happier.

Just like that, Xiao Qidi was bewilderedly dragged into the car by Ning Jinli.

The car was driven by a bodyguard, with Su Yi sitting in the passenger seat.

Ning Jinli and Xiao Qidi sat in the back.

"Miss Ning..." Xiao Qidi lowered his voice, "Can you explain?"

Ning Jinli leaned against his broad shoulders, tilted her head close to his ear, and whispered, "Please help me out, pretend to be my boyfriend."

"Boy... friend?" Xiao Qidi frowned in confusion.

"Well..." Ning Jinli blushed inexplicably, "It's equivalent to the fiancé of an unmarried woman in your time."

Xiao Qidi's pupils contracted instantly, and a gloom gathered between his brows.

Ning Jinli feared he'd react in a way Su Yi would notice, so she mustered her courage, lowered his face a bit, wrapped her arms around his neck, leaned in closer, and whispered softly, "Please, just pretend, help me out, okay?"

She was actually quite afraid.

Earlier, when she jokingly offered herself in marriage, he sternly reminded her to behave herself.

Now asking him to pretend to be her boyfriend, she really worries he might fly into a rage.

"Miss Ning," Xiao Qidi said with a dark gaze, "This posture is really improper; please take your hands off."

Ning Jinli felt chills run through her body, as if the arms around her were a piece of ten-thousand-year-old ice.

But things have come to this point; she could only grit her teeth and say, "If you won't help me, I… I won't let you go, I'll keep holding you like this, otherwise… otherwise you might as well kill me."

Xiao Qidi's stern cheek twitched.

He glanced sideways at Ning Jinli and saw her small face flushed crimson, her eyes radiating a determination to face death.

Moreover, her slender arms tightened their hold even more.

Xiao Qidi exhaled a heavy breath from his nose, "Alright, I'll help you."

Ning Jinli let out a big sigh of relief, "Thank you thank you thank you, um… you'd better watch your speech later and try to speak like modern people—for example, don't call me Miss Ning, call me Jinli. Then, if you can stay silent, do so; let me tell Su Yi about your situation, and also—"

Xiao Qidi's eyes gradually narrowed, a cold light flashing in their depths.

Ning Jinli silently let go and whispered, "Maybe just let you see for yourself; I won't make any demands…"

Su Yi sat in the passenger seat, occasionally glancing at the two of them through the rearview mirror.

She couldn't hear what they were whispering about, only seeing them hugging and murmuring intimately, with Ning Jinli blushing.

The more she watched, the more she felt their relationship was truly good.

Even when Ning Jinli used to bring Zhao Bin to see her before, she had never noticed Ning Jinli being so affectionate with anyone.

Moreover, this young man, though he has an indescribable unique aura, somewhat aloof and introverted, yet gives her a feeling of being quite upright.

"Xiao Li, Xiao Xiao, Su Yi has a question for you two." Su Yi said with a smiling squint.

"What is it?" Xiao Qidi and Ning Jinli said in unison.

Su Yi turned her head, winked at the two of them, and asked, "When are you planning to get married?"