Chapter 887: Seizing the Opportunity

Yan Zhusheng's presence made the matter at the dinner table gradually seem absurd and humorous, dispersing much of the original heavy atmosphere.

The key was that Yan Zhusheng gave no impression of feigning ignorance—she had genuinely spoken those words from the heart.

This left the elders utterly at a loss for what to say.

Xu Rongsheng and Cui Suling had never expected that, behind closed doors, Li Luo had not only developed a deep relationship with their own daughter but also a significant one with Yan Zhusheng.

Originally, they had thought the greatest threat was Ying Chanxi.

Now, it felt as if Xixi was the easiest to bully?

"Li Luo," after seeing his strategy targeting the girls and their parents had no effect, Ying Zhicheng finally turned his gaze to Li Luo himself, "since you finished speaking, you haven't said another word."

"Don't let the girls stand in front—speak up yourself."

"Are you truly so indifferent to our elders' dignity that you insist on doing this?"

Hearing Ying Zhicheng call his name, Li Luo first sighed, then took a deep breath to gather himself, turned to look at Ying Zhicheng, then at Xu Rongsheng, and slowly said: "Uncle Ying, Uncle Xu, Auntie Yuan, Auntie Cui—what do you think is the reason people marry?"

Ying Zhicheng hadn't expected Li Luo to suddenly ask such a broad question, so he answered: "Of course, to live with someone you love."

"From a rational standpoint," Xu Rongsheng took over, his expression calm, "it's to form a family to withstand unknown life risks and improve survival chances and living standards."

"Of course, emotional bonds between partners must also be considered, or the risk of betrayal arises, contradicting the original goal."

"From a macro perspective, modern society enforces monogamy partly to minimize oppression of women in marriage."

"It also aims to ensure as many men as possible can find partners, form families, strengthen familial responsibilities, and reduce social unrest among lower-class men."

"Of course, there are many other reasons—I won't list them all."

As a professor in the College of Literature, Xu Rongsheng naturally spoke at length on these topics with ease.

Li Luo listened quietly and attentively, then asked: "Then, from the most fundamental perspective, do you think our four of us living together violates any of those purposes?"

"We genuinely love one another—there is no emotional risk."

"Though we're still in university, each of our careers is thriving, and we face no material hardships."

"So ultimately, the only thing truly blocking us is the rule itself."

」」

Xu Rongsheng listened, took a deep breath, and looked at Li Luo with a deep, solemn gaze.

But he said nothing more, only nodded slightly, then stood and said to Xu Youyu: "Let's go."

"Huh?" Xu Youyu blinked, "Go—go where?"

"It's time to go home," Xu Rongsheng said, patting Cui Suling's shoulder, then turned to Li Guohong and Lin Xiuhong: "We've disturbed you these past days—we'll take our leave tonight."

Saying this, he grabbed Xu Youyu's wrist and pulled her upstairs.

Cui Suling followed behind, sighing helplessly, glancing at Lin Xiuhong as if to say something—but said nothing, only trailed after Xu Rongsheng with a gloomy heart.

Li Guohong and Lin Xiuhong sat frozen in place, their eyes fixed on Li Luo, faces filled with worry.

But Li Luo merely stood there, gently shaking his head at them to signal not to worry, letting Xu Rongsheng's family go upstairs to pack.

At this point, Ying Zhicheng, seeing the scene, also felt there was nothing more to discuss.

With so many people at the table, many things couldn't be said openly, so he imitated Xu Rongsheng, stood up, and waved to Ying Chanxi: "Come with me to the neighbor's—we'll talk properly."

Hearing this, Ying Chanxi turned to look at Li Luo; seeing him give a slight nod, she obediently stood, whispering "Okay."

Ying Zhicheng noticed this detail, his eye twitching, his mood souring further.

His precious daughter, when he called her to come home, still had to look to another man's approval.

Thinking of this, the anger he'd barely suppressed surged back into his chest—he nearly punched Li Luo right then.

But remembering how, after boxing Li Luo earlier, his daughter had rushed over in distress, scolding him for being too harsh, Ying Zhicheng immediately held back.

At that moment, Yuan Wanqing also stood, waving to Yan Zhusheng: "You come too—we'll talk at home."

"No," Yan Zhusheng didn't care, immediately rising and running to Li Luo's side, wrapping her arms around him tightly, "I don't think there's anything to talk about—I already said everything I wanted to say."

Seeing her daughter's attitude, Yuan Wanqing's eyebrows twitched; she covered her face, unsure what to do.

In the end, it was because she'd been too busy with her career to properly accompany her daughter that Yan Zhusheng had become so dependent on Li Luo.

But honestly, perhaps because she'd seen so much in the entertainment industry, Yuan Wanqing was the least resistant to this situation.

Marrying three wives—this was rare even in the entertainment industry, but only because most people were just playing around.

Who's serious?

Li Luo was willing to take responsibility for the future happiness of three girls—in the entertainment industry, he was practically a moral exemplar—

But—Yuan Wanqing glanced at the stormy-faced Ying Zhicheng and decided it was better to say nothing.

She had already done her best to convince Ying Zhicheng to accept Ying Chanxi and Yan Zhusheng being with Li Luo.

Now with Xu Youyu added in, even in her view, Li Luo had gone too far.

It was a bit too much.

Thinking of this, Yuan Wanqing felt a pang of anger, walked to Yan Zhusheng's side, tugged her arm—but couldn't move her—so she whispered: "Stop acting up—it's not like we won't let you come back. Go with me first, don't make your father angry."

Hearing this, Yan Zhusheng blinked, then looked up at Li Luo.

Li Luo, hearing this, softly hummed in agreement, patted Yan Zhusheng's slender waist, signaling her to go with her mother.

Seeing this, Yan Zhusheng finally let go, obediently followed Yuan Wanqing, and on her way out, turned back to wave at Li Luo and the others.

"We'll be going then," Ying Zhicheng said to Li Guohong, then called for Grandpa Ying; the five of them went downstairs and returned to the neighbor's house.

Now, the living room held only Grandpa, Grandma, Li Guohong, Lin Xiuhong, and Li Luo himself.

After confirming they had all left, Lin Xiuhong sighed in distress: "Look, look—I told you, laying it all out like this—what parent could handle it?"

"But I never imagined Old Ying had actually agreed to let both Chanxi and Zhusheng marry you?" Li Guohong still couldn't believe it, struggling to imagine this was the choice Ying Zhicheng would make.

"Cough—sort of," Li Luo coughed, "but they still don't know about Youyu—so we'll have to explain that clearly."

"So what now?" Lin Xiuhong sighed helplessly, "They've all been taken away—don't end up with no bride at all."

"Don't worry," Li Luo exhaled deeply, his tense body gradually relaxing, "we never expected to settle everything at once."

"Things like this need to be handled step by step, slowly."

"Anyone normal wouldn't agree to something like this right away, so we expected this."

Hearing this, Lin Xiuhong felt slightly relieved: "Then what will you do next?"

"Just wear them down," Li Luo said, spreading his hands. "Xu Shu said he's coming home tonight, so we'll go back on the seventh. Let them cool off tomorrow first."

"At least you have a plan," Lin Xiuhong sighed, pressing her hand to her chest. "I didn't dare breathe properly just now—Ying and Xu's presence was too intimidating."

"What presence does Ying have?" Li Guohong, his childhood friend, sneered, then added, "But Xu—he's surprisingly calm. Doesn't even seem angry."

"That's just how Xu Shu is," Li Luo smiled. "According to Youyu, Xu Shu has never once lost his temper with her since she was a child."

"How can anyone put up with that?" Lin Xiuhong gasped.

"So we're set on going back on the seventh?" Li Guohong asked again.

"You two can go back later—spend more time with Grandpa and Grandma," Li Luo said. "I'll handle this myself."

"No problem," Grandpa waved his hand toward Li Luo. "First, sort this out. Your Grandma and I are waiting for you to bring back three daughters-in-law."

"Exactly!" Grandma chuckled. "Your Grandpa and I have been chatting with Ying Grandpa these past few days."

"When you left after New Year last year, what did I tell him? I said, isn't it fine if you take all three girls?"

"See? I was right all along."

Seeing that Grandpa and Grandma were in good spirits, Li Luo breathed a little easier.

At that moment, footsteps came from the staircase—Xu Rongsheng descended with Cui Suling and Xu Youyu, pulling suitcases behind them.

Stopping by the living room, Xu Rongsheng nodded to them and said, "Then we'll take our leave."

With that, Xu Rongsheng turned to drag his suitcase downstairs.

Li Luo hurried after them to see them off.

But when they reached the courtyard, Xu Youyu instinctively pulled out her BMW key, preparing to get into the driver's seat.

Seeing this, Xu Rongsheng stepped forward, took the key from her hand, and tossed it into Li Luo's arms.

"You sit here," Xu Rongsheng said simply, pointing to the back seat of his own car, signaling Xu Youyu to get in.

Xu Youyu glanced at Li Luo, saw him silently slip the key into his pocket, pouted, climbed into the back seat of her father's car, and started typing furiously on her phone.

Outside the car, Li Luo received a message and pulled out his phone to check.

【Xu Youyu】: Leave the car with you for now—remember to bring it back for me later!

【Li Luo】: From your dad's tone, is the car going back to me?

【Xu Youyu】: What? Say that again and I'll bite you.

【Li Luo】: Don't worry—I know there are still traces of us in the back seat. I won't sell it.

【Xu Youyu】: Hmph~ Once I get my parents sorted out, we'll do it again~

【Li Luo】: Just once?

【Xu Youyu】: You're terrible! My parents are furious, and you still have the nerve to tease me?

【Li Luo】: I believe it'll end well in the end.

【Xu Youyu】: I think so too, hehe.

Watching Xu Rongsheng drive out through the courtyard gate, Li Luo stood at the gate, waving toward the receding taillights, still texting flirtatiously with Xu Youyu.

After seeing off the Xu family, Li Luo returned to the second floor, chatted with Grandpa, Grandma, and his parents, then went upstairs to his room around nine p. m.

He tidied up the floor mattress, lay on the bed, exhaled deeply, rested his right hand on his forehead, and stared at the ceiling, still dazed.

He looked around—no soft female body, no warmth. Tonight would be sleepless.

He sighed softly, got out of bed, and sat at his desk.

Besides the big revelation, he had other work waiting.

【Qianzhou】: Three minutes until deadline—don't forget to upload the new chapter.

【Chongran】: Yeah, I know.

【Qianzhou】: We've allocated all the promotional resources for this new book to you—even external promotion channels are being used.

【Qianzhou】: Qidian plans to push you toward the absolute top tier. Don't miss this chance.

【Chongran】: Don't worry—I've got it under control.

In truth, Li Luo's mind wasn't on this at all, but he'd prepared in advance—he had thirty thousand words of stored drafts.

Even if he wrote not a single word from now until launch, these drafts would carry him well past the release date.

That window is the breathing room he gave himself to handle family matters.

"I wonder how Chanxi and Zhusheng are doing."

At exactly nine-thirty p. m., Li Luo published three chapters totaling ten thousand words.

The End of the Sequence officially began.

But Li Luo paid no attention to backend data or reader feedback—he was still thinking about where the three girls were right now.

Then, around ten p. m., after his shower and ready to sleep alone, he suddenly heard footsteps in the hallway outside.

The next second, the door opened.

In the dim room, a tall, furtive figure slipped in, expertly sliding into Li Luo's warm bed.

In the dim room, a tall, furtive figure slipped in and expertly crawled into Li Luo's warm bedding.