Chapter 801: Don't Ask Too Much, Just Say Yes or No

November 27, Monday morning.

Li Luo gradually woke from a warm dream, half-asleep, feeling a kiss on his face.

He thought it was a dream and ignored it, but soon he was kissed again.

Someone stole a kiss from me…

Li Luo instinctively wanted to open his eyes, but realizing the kiss had been on his right cheek, he knew who it was.

So he timed the intervals between each kiss, counted silently after the next one, then instantly turned his head right and precisely caught the soft lips.

"Mmm!"

"Heh…"

Li Luo smiled and pinched Ying Chanxi's blushing cheeks, whispering, "Stealing kisses first thing in the morning? That's pretty naughty."

"I didn't…" Ying Chanxi replied softly, her face flushed, "Why did you suddenly turn your head?"

"I wanted to see who was stealing kisses from me."

"You've been awake a while?"

"Yeah, for a little while."

"Then why didn't you open your eyes?"

"I wanted to see which female rogue was so bold as to sneak kisses while a fine young man was sound asleep," Li Luo chuckled, pulling Ying Chanxi into his arms and blowing warm air against her ear, "You kissed me seven times—so addictive?"

"Y-you woke up so early?" Ying Chanxi's cheeks burned as she pouted, "That's entrapment, you know."

"Do you even know what 'entrapment' means?" Li Luo chuckled, "That would only count if I deliberately lured you—I was just lying here with my eyes closed, sleeping. That's entrapment?"

Of course it counts… because whenever she saw Li Luo's profile, she couldn't help but want to kiss him… but she could never say that aloud.

So she just huffed, burying her blushing face into the crook of his shoulder, refusing to look at him.

Li Luo held Ying Chanxi's soft body, stopped teasing her, reached for his phone, checked the time—it was still a few minutes before six.

He didn't rush to get up, opened Douyin, and glanced at it.

Ying Chanxi had lifted her head again, leaning against his shoulder, watching the phone with him: "Are you checking your Douyin followers? How many did you get?"

"Over three million," Li Luo smiled satisfied, "Just over a weekend, that many new followers—this collaboration was definitely worth it."

"Yesterday I already got some advertising resources from Aunt Yuan's studio—I'll try to coordinate them this period," Ying Chanxi whispered, "I'm also overseeing the company's renovation."

"By early next month, part of the office will be ready for use—I'll start operations with the staff and the advertising resources."

"Let everyone get familiar with the work, get the company running smoothly."

"Oh, by the way, I forgot to tell you something."

"What?" Li Luo glanced again at Yan Zhusheng's follower count—it had also surged past three million, just tens of thousands behind his own.

At this rate, she'd surpass him in a couple days.

"It's about Lawyer Tian," Ying Chanxi whispered, "He told me he plans to open his own law firm soon."

"I asked him earlier if he could recommend suitable legal department staff."

"After learning we're serious about building the company, he analyzed it and suggested I outsource legal and accounting work in the early stage."

Li Luo understood what Lawyer Tian meant after hearing Ying Chanxi's words.

If Ying Chanxi actually hired legal staff, she'd no longer need to rely on Lawyer Tian.

For Lawyer Tian, who had collaborated with Li Luo for years, suddenly losing this source of income, he naturally wanted to hold on.

★￠O

But from the company's perspective, Lawyer Tian's advice was correct.

Although Chongran Culture had existed for years, its official business operations had only just begun.

Ying Chanxi planned to hire no more than twenty employees initially; excluding legal and accounting roles, the number would be even smaller.

In this early stage, outsourcing is indeed more convenient.

And cheaper.

"You decide on this," Li Luo didn't care—he'd worked with Lawyer Tian for so long, they'd essentially been outsourcing legal services anyway.

Their cooperation had been fine.

Since the company was just starting and had no immediate plans to expand, continuing the outsourcing arrangement wasn't a problem.

It would also ease some of the management pressure and burden on Ying Chanxi.

When Ying Chanxi's actual ability and experience improve, and Chongran Culture begins expanding steadily, they can consider hiring legal and accounting staff then.

Ying Chanxi nodded gently against Li Luo's chest, already having made up her mind.

At this moment, Li Luo had opened Yuan Wanqing's Douyin account.

The follower count displayed there had surpassed fifteen million!

Even combined, Li Luo and Yan Zhusheng had less than half of Yuan Wanqing's followers.

That's the power of a top singer…

And this was only because Li Luo and Yan Zhusheng had joined Douyin at the same time as Yuan Wanqing and appeared together in the same live stream.

Otherwise, the gap would've been even wider.

Li Luo had no complaints—Yuan Wanqing becoming more popular was better; after all, next year, when her studio's contract with Huayue Film and Television expired, she'd come under Chongran Culture.

When he first reincarnated back, Li Luo never imagined he'd reach this point…

Back then, he'd only planned to write some Online Novels for pocket money, then slowly consider investing in stocks after turning eighteen, earn enough for financial freedom, and retire.

But step by step, he'd ended up here.

Life is unpredictable, after all.

Li Luo gently patted Ying Chanxi's shoulder, turned his head to look at the three girls beside him, and felt a sudden wave of emotion.

For him, this was the best outcome possible.

Besides this, he had nothing more to desire.

Thinking of this, Li Luo couldn't help turning to kiss Ying Chanxi.

"What are you doing…" Ying Chanxi muttered, though her lips couldn't help curling slightly.

Li Luo smiled, thinking of how his childhood sweetheart from his past life, once distant as strangers, now rested in his arms—he felt utterly fulfilled.

"Time to get up," Li Luo whispered. "Can you wake up your senior?"

"Mm." Ying Chanxi nodded, finally pulling away from Li Luo's arms and turning to look at Xu Youyu, still fast asleep.

Meanwhile, Li Luo turned over and patted Yan Zhusheng's cheek: "Zhusheng, wake up."

"Won't get up unless you kiss me." Yan Zhusheng said with her eyes closed.

"... When did you wake up?"

"Seven kisses, then I'll get up." Yan Zhusheng didn't answer, yet somehow she did.

Li Luo couldn't help laughing, extending his finger and tapping her cheek seven times.

Yan Zhusheng immediately opened her eyes—then saw it was Li Luo's finger, and immediately scowled: "Li Luo, you tricked me."

"You're easy to trick."

On the other side.

Ying Chanxi had already gently shaken Xu Youyu awake.

"Senior, wake up, it's time to go jogging with us."

"Mmm… no… let me sleep a little longer." Xu Youyu rolled over, burying her head under the pillow like an ostrich, her whole body radiating resistance.

"Didn't we agree on this yesterday?" Ying Chanxi pulled the pillow away, sighing. "Look at this again—when will you ever fix your habit of oversleeping?"

"Wuuu~ spare my life~ let me sleep a bit longer~" Xu Youyu wriggled on the bed like a worm, emitting strange moans. "Can I just run tomorrow instead? Skip today?"

"Tomorrow's tomorrow—today you can't back out." Ying Chanxi shook Xu Youyu's body vigorously, making her tremble with each motion.

Xu Youyu, shaken until her drowsiness nearly vanished, reluctantly opened her eyes, lying like a salted fish on a scorching asphalt road—completely lifeless.

"Ahh… I'm dead…"

"Stop dawdling," Li Luo chuckled, watching Xu Youyu's performance, pinching her cheek. "You're awake now—don't go back to sleep. Come jogging with us."

"I think I saw my soul drifting away… Aah!"

As Xu Youyu spoke, Li Luo stepped to the bedside, scooped her up in his arms, lifting her entire body into the air.

Her soul naturally settled back onto her body.

"You're going to scare me to death—you didn't even warn me!" Xu Youyu clung to Li Luo's neck, grumbling.

"Now you're awake, right?" Li Luo chuckled, carrying Xu Youyu into the bathroom.

The two younger sisters followed behind, entering the restroom together to wash up.

It was truly rare to see four people crammed together washing up like this.

After all, with Xu Youyu's irregular schedule, it was nearly impossible for all four to gather at once.

"Once we move to the villa, the master bathroom will be much roomier—we won't have to squeeze like this anymore," Ying Chanxi said, jostled between Xu Youyu and Yan Zhusheng.

"Actually, being cramped isn't so bad," Xu Youyu grinned, brushing her teeth, then suddenly wrapped her arms around Ying Chanxi and squeezed her tightly. "Do you dislike me, Xixi?"

"I don't…" Ying Chanxi's cheeks softened from the pressure; she glanced sideways at Xu Youyu, then down—then silently huffed inside.

But then she turned to look at Yan Zhusheng on the other side—and let out a pleased little hum.

After washing up, Li Luo led the three girls out of the bathroom, changed clothes, and the four of them set off.

Heading toward the southern gate of Qianjiang University, Xu Youyu marched ahead with proud, upright posture.

Li Luo glanced at her and chuckled: "Someone who doesn't know would think you're about to enter an international marathon."

"What are you talking about?" Xu Youyu rolled her eyes. "I only leave my room once in a while—can't I be energetic?"

"That's the spirit," Li Luo patted her shoulder, grinning encouragingly. "Keep it up—we'll do this again tomorrow."

"Fine, we will!" Xu Youyu, still full of bravado before even starting, lifted her chin and snorted in agreement.

The four arrived at the morning jogging starting point at the southern gate, scanned their faces at the check-in station, then stepped into the sunlight and began jogging slowly.

But after covering barely half the route, Xu Youyu was already gasping for breath, face flushed red—completely done.

Forced by Li Luo and the others to finish the entire course, she barely managed to scan her face at the final checkpoint, then collapsed entirely onto Li Luo's shoulder.

"I'm dying… I'm dying…"

"Don't stop—just walk a little," Li Luo supported her arm, finding her pitiful state both amusing and exasperated. "If you could keep this up for a month, you wouldn't be this exhausted after running."

"Dying once in a while is fine—do you want me to die for thirty days straight?" Xu Youyu panted irritably.

"If you keep dying for thirty days, you'll become immortal," Li Luo laughed. "Isn't that a good reward?"

"Hmph, shut up," Xu Youyu puffed her cheeks, then, while Ying Chanxi and Yan Zhusheng weren't looking, leaned close to Li Luo's ear and whispered: "That counts as paying back one interest payment."

"Mm." Li Luo nodded with a smile. "Still owe me more tomorrow?"

"Just once in a while is enough," Xu Youyu quickly clung to his arm, whispering pleadingly. "Next time, pay back some other way, okay? Brother~"

"What other way?"

"What kind or style do you want? I can fulfill anything," Xu Youyu blinked innocently, seductively tempting him. "Tell me—I'll prepare it."

"I need to think about it."

"Why think? What do you want—teacher or student?"

"I'm tired of that."

"How about secretary or female boss?"

"Didn't we try that already?"

"You're so picky—I'll think again." Xu Youyu strained her mind, then her eyes lit up; she leaned close to Li Luo's ear, blowing warm air: "How about delivery guy and female customer?"

Li Luo: "... Where did you even learn these things?"

"Don't ask so much; just say whether you want it or not."

"……I'll consider it."

Xu Youyu was simply too skilled; Li Luo always found himself powerless against him in this regard.

He was the one with the greater psychological age, yet he always ended up being led around by Xu Youyu's nose.

But it didn't matter anyway—once they got to bed, he would hold absolute advantage.

Xu Youyu had the mechanism but no physical stamina; on the battlefield, he was ultimately at a disadvantage and could only be defeated.

"I still have to meet with Miao Yifeng to discuss cooperation," Ying Chanxi said to Li Luo after returning home. "He was also interested in your other new songs. What are your plans?"

"We can cooperate, but the only song I can release for now is 'Live With All My Might.' The other songs must wait until next year's promotion." Li Luo said. "If Douyin is truly interested, I can also provide some other new songs."

"Huh? You have more new songs?"

"Yeah… they're all songs suited for Douyin." Li Luo scratched his cheek, a little embarrassed. "They're pretty watered-down, so there's no point giving them to Aunt Yuan or Zhusheng—better to just sell them straight to Douyin."

"Hmm… I'll try negotiating with Miao Yifeng then."