Chapter 1236: Deep Bonds Between Siblings, Undermining Each Other

Zirui: "I suspect it's man-made and not a real haunting; how could there be ghosts in this world? But they don't believe me..."

Zihan was incredibly anxious: "Don't let your judgment influence my sister's ghost story. Sister, good sister, hurry and tell us, you're killing me with suspense."

Shi Ran did not let Zihan down and finished telling it very quickly—I didn't see anything.

The four younger brothers:...

Zihan was incredibly anxious: "Didn't see anything? How could you not see it? So many people saw it, it's described vividly on the internet, people are saying all sorts of things, how could you not have seen it, Sister?"

Shi Ran spread her hands and spoke the truth: "I really didn't see anything. We were eating in the restaurant, and just as we were about to leave after the meal, we saw all the chefs in the back kitchen rush out, some of them even holding kitchen knives, pots, and pans."

"Someone among the chefs shouted that there was a ghost, and at that moment the power went out, so the customers in the restaurant all followed suit and ran outside, and we ran out too."

She said to Zichen: "Many people didn't pay their bills and just ate for free. Do you need me to note down the customers who ate for free? I can draw what table they sat at and what they all looked like."

Shi Ran had an excellent memory.

Not only did she have a talent for mathematics, but she was also quite good at drawing.

She was especially skilled at sketching; as long as she had seen a scene or a person, she could basically reconstruct it with a pen.

Sheng Zichen:...

Is that the point?

Isn't the point that the restaurant was haunted?

He muttered: "No wonder you're so pretty, but haven't dated since your breakup; you're not cute at all."

"What did you say?" Shi Ran was already on the verge of losing her temper.

Zichen jumped behind Litian, playfully making a face and sticking out his tongue: "I said don't always act so rational and calm everywhere; you'll scare all the boys away. I know what kind of girls boys like; I have experience."

"I'll give you experience!" Shi Ran took off her Spring Shoes and threw them; although Litian was blocking in front of Zichen, and although Litian was half a head taller than Zichen, the shoe still flew over Litian and landed accurately on Zichen's head.

"Ten rings," Zihan said.

"I'll give you ten rings?"

Zichen picked up the shoe that had fallen to the ground and threw it at Zihan!

He didn't dodge at all, and it didn't hit him either.

"Missed target, missed target," Zihan made a face and stuck out his tongue, trying to anger his big brother.

But even if the big brother wanted to settle the score with him, it couldn't be now.

Because the big sister was already chasing after him...

When there are no tigers in the mountains, the monkeys claim to be kings.

This saying couldn't be more appropriate to describe the current Sheng Family.

Grandparents were traveling the world, and Mom and Dad were busy trying to find the whereabouts of their great-aunt to save her.

There were only five children at home now, and no one was there to stop them from turning the place upside down!

L Country.

At the Presidential Palace, Qi Heng sat in his office, the corners of his mouth turned up, sitting with his legs crossed.

He amiably instructed his Secretary: "Go bring the tea set over, along with the Pu'er I just acquired; I want to have a taste."

"Yes."

The Secretary agreed and went down, returning shortly with a pot of brewed tea.

Seeing it wasn't what he had in mind, Qi Heng lost his temper and explained patiently: "Tea isn't drunk like this. Bring over the tea set I brought from Jiangzhou, and get a barrel of mineral water; I will brew the tea for you to drink myself."

L Country was not very skilled at drinking tea and basically knew nothing about the tea ceremony.

In recent years, more people from Jiangzhou had been doing business in L Country, bringing some of Jiangzhou's tea culture with them.

They drank tea now too, usually just by putting it into water and boiling it, or by pouring boiling water over a large pot and calling it a day.

Qi Heng had stayed in Jiangzhou for a long time and always lived in the Sheng Family, so through constant exposure, he had learned a bit about how to brew tea.

Today he was in a good mood and high spirits, preparing to brew a pot of good tea himself.

There was a brand-new tea set in the Presidential Office.

It was pure purple clay.

That tea set was something Sheng Hanyu had originally given to his father, but his father found it troublesome and had never used it.

He was prepared to use it.

Jiangzhou people emphasize that slow work produces fine results; this saying makes sense. Some things cannot be rushed; by being a little slower, one will instead achieve better results.

The Secretary took out the tea set and unpacked it.

It took half an hour just to wash, dry, and bring it over.

Is it really necessary to go through such trouble just to drink tea?

There were dozens of utensils of all sizes, and the Secretary had no idea what these small cups and bowls were for.

But that didn't matter; the President was in a good mood today, and the gloom on his face had been swept away, replaced by a smile—this was a good sign.

At the very least, those of them working under the President could relax a bit more.

The Pu'er was an aged tea cake from an ancient tree, hard as iron.

Qi Heng thought for a moment, then followed the method he had learned in Jiangzhou to wash the cups.

Rolling the cups and teapot in boiling water, then adding the tea, pouring in boiling water and discarding it, then pouring in boiling water again—this was the true way to brew tea.

He let it steep for a little while.

The color of the tea soup gradually became rich, yet red without being murky, crystal clear.

Qi Heng skillfully filtered it, poured the soup, filled two small tea cups to eighty percent, and personally handed a cup to the Secretary: "Have a taste."

The Secretary was flattered, took the tea cup with both hands, and drank it in one gulp—ugh! The taste was indeed different!

"Delicious!"

He praised it sincerely.

Qi Heng, however, shook his head and said softly, "That is not how you drink tea. To savor tea, watch me."

He picked up the teacup, first gave it a sniff, and only then placed it to his lips to take a light sip.

"Good tea, it lives up to its reputation."

If only he could share such good tea with Shi Ran, how wonderful that would be?

This thought appeared in his mind, but it was only for an instant, and it quickly vanished.

He had more important things to do now.

The reason Qi Heng was in such a good mood was that he had obtained the geographical location of the Ji Family and the defense maps for every area.

But he did not intend to go to the Ji Family himself.

He hated Zhu Qingrui to the bone, yet he did not want to go head-to-head with him.

He had already done the thing of harming the enemy by one thousand while destroying eight hundred of his own once, and he did not intend to do it a second time!

After savoring the tea, he had someone summon Wang Yong.

Wang Yong was very unwilling to see him; upon hearing that the President wanted him to go to the Presidential Palace, he refused repeatedly: "Not going, not going, not going. What kind of bullshit President, he's just a muddle-headed fool."

"I have never seen such a thick-skinned President. He confiscated my eldest brother's assets, yet still has the nerve to shamelessly go and beg my niece to reconcile. What a huge face he has; I reckon the Presidential Palace isn't big enough simply because his face is too big!"

"Hahahaha..." A burst of laughter erupted.

Recently, news came out from the government that they wanted to expand the Presidential Palace and were calling for national tenders, but very few people were willing to take the bid.

Large capital was waiting and watching, while small capital had the heart but not the ability, so the plan had been shelved ever since.

Everyone chimed in, one after another, mocking the President.

"Isn't that the truth? I've lived to this age and have never seen a President end up like this, personally going abroad to solicit investment. He truly lives up to his degree in economics, putting what he learned to use."

"Forget it, what 'putting what he learned to use'? Don't go gilding his face; isn't it just because he has no other choice? Although his father wasn't much either when he was around, at least he kept his word on the surface. With him, there's none of that at all. If he doesn't go himself, what else can he do? Could it be that he wants to be kicked out of office a second time?"