Chapter 687

"This is my big brother Kaijian. My father and mother were comrades-in-arms with Kaijian's father in the same company. Uncle Li was the company commander, my father was the political instructor, and my mother was the..."

Watching Liu Muhan started her storytelling mode: "Back then, my father's company was responsible for the rearguard. After desperately completing the mission, there were fewer than one in ten left, but they were still bitten by the Japanese soldiers..."

"At that time, it was Uncle Li who lured the Japanese soldiers away alone, allowing my father, mother, and other comrades to survive. So, our two families have a bond forged in life and death."

"If it weren't for Uncle Li, I wouldn't be here today. So, is there any problem with me saying that my nephew Li Ye is closer than blood?"

"Li Ye, are you a mute? Your Aunt Liu is here and you don't even introduce her..."

"So you're Mu Han, little sister? I've heard my dad and Uncle Liu mention you long ago. Li Ye is really something, he hasn't even called out to you after all this time..."

Because Watching Liu Muhan had gone abroad to study and hadn't attended Li Ye's wedding, and Li Ye hadn't proactively called her "Aunt" when they met today, Li Kaijian had just assumed she was one of Lu Jingyao's classmates!

As it turned out, after this detailed explanation, the other party was actually his "little sister" whom he had never met.

Li Kaijian glared at Li Ye, then exchanged pleasantries with Watching Liu Muhan: "Little sister Mu Han, where are you headed? Are Uncle Liu and Aunt Gao doing well?"

"My parents are doing great. I'm on a business trip to Britain this time; I never expected to run into you all here. Where are you all headed?"

"Oh, I'm on a business trip too. Our factory is launching a new project, and we've entrusted a Hong Kong company to introduce a set of urea production equipment for us. I'm going over to inspect the progress..."

"Then we're on the same flight today; we're transferring in Hong Kong."

"."

Watching Liu Muhan seemed to have reached some tacit understanding with Li Kaijian, and their pleasantries went on endlessly, leaving no room for others to speak.

Watching Wen Leyu's fingernails stopped scratching at Li Ye's skin; clearly, she, like Li Ye, had guessed something.

However, Lu Jingyao had gained a moment to breathe, and after her expression gradually returned to calm, a flash of sharpness flickered in her eyes.

When the airport announced that everyone should prepare to board, Lu Jingyao took a book out of her bag and handed it to Zhang Zui.

"When I went to visit Jiao Lingling yesterday, she gave me a Chinese translation of 'A Song of Ice and Fire.' She said you translated it. I was very surprised, so I asked to see it and discovered there were many parts that didn't match the original..."

Zhang Zui was stunned and glanced at Li Ye inadvertently.

Back when he had just returned from studying abroad, he had tried to get ideas from Li Ye about 'A Song of Ice and Fire,' only to be rejected by Li Ye. Now, being presented with a "pirated copy" in front of Li Ye, wasn't that embarrassing?

Of course, it was only a little bit embarrassing; after all, in the mainland, the concept of protecting copyright hadn't been taken seriously until many years later.

"Heh, in the eyes of a talented woman like you, Lu, my translation level is of course just average. I'm ashamed, I'm ashamed."

Zhang Zui said with a faint, humble tone, reaching out to take the pirated book back.

But a small hand, white, tender, and agile, was a step faster than him, snatching the book first.

After Watching Wen Leyu took the book, she flipped through it slightly and then put it into her own bag.

"This book is not bad. Sister Jingyao, lend it to me to read!"

"."

Zhang Zui wanted to say no, but after meeting Watching Wen Leyu's calm gaze, he couldn't bring himself to ask for it back.

Just then, it was time for Li Ye and the others to board. After a flurry of activity, the book seemed to become inconsequential.

After Li Ye and the others boarded the plane, they discovered that their seats and those of Li Kaijian and Li Juan were right next to Watching Liu Muhan and Lu Jingyao.

Lu Jingyao felt uncomfortable all over, so she whispered a few words in English to the flight attendant and changed her seat.

After she left, Li Ye asked Watching Liu Muhan: "What was up with that Zhang Zui today? He was inexplicable."

Watching Liu Muhan didn't avoid Gao Xiaoyan, who was still nearby, and said bluntly: "Lu Jingyao came to the capital this time and prepared gifts to thank Professor Zhang, but she was afraid that Professor Zhang would be angry about her not returning on time, making things awkward for everyone, so she insisted on dragging me along..."

"After we arrived, Zhang Zui proposed that Lu Jingyao invest 200,000 pounds in his small company. Lu Jingyao didn't agree on the spot, and Zhang Zui became very unhappy..."

"Besides, our two families tried to play matchmaker for me and Zhang Zui two years ago, but I didn't agree. After going there this time... anyway, it was very awkward."

"Zhang Zui probably thinks Lu Jingyao spoke ill of him in front of me; after all, he knows that Lu Jingyao and I have a very good relationship, and Lu Jingyao knows very well what happened during Zhang Zui's time abroad."

"He insisted on seeing me off today. I didn't want him to, but he came anyway. Maybe he wasn't intentionally looking for trouble today, but one thing led to another, and he just got jealous!"

Alright! Now it all made sense.

Zhang Zui's proposal to Watching Liu Muhan had been rejected, and he couldn't find the reason, only to discover that it was Lu Jingyao who was causing trouble behind the scenes.

Moreover, Lu Jingyao had clearly benefited from Professor Zhang's guidance to achieve her current wealth, yet when he asked her to invest a little money, she was noncommittal.

Zhang Zui might have come to the airport to see Watching Liu Muhan off today out of a last-ditch effort, but he didn't expect that upon seeing Li Ye, his jealousy would flare up, leading to this series of misunderstandings.

It was just that Zhang Zui thought it was only a misunderstanding, not knowing that an unprovoked disaster was quietly descending.

After Watching Wen Leyu and her sister Li Yue sent Li Kaijian and Li Ye through the gate, they turned around, left the airport, and drove at full speed, heading straight for Teacher Ke's workplace.

Watching Wen Leyu entered her mother's office with a tight face and "slapped" the pirated 'A Song of Ice and Fire' onto Teacher Ke's desk.

"Mom, piracy has reached our own doorstep. The criminals are so rampant—are you going to do something about it or not?"

Teacher Ke looked at her daughter, who was clearly acting strange, before flipping open the book to read.

After reading a few pages, Teacher Ke raised an eyebrow and asked: "Are you sure this is pirated?"

Watching Wen Leyu leaned forward, lying directly on her mother's desk: "That's definitely pirated! This area is under my jurisdiction now. I haven't authorized it, so how could it not be pirated?"

"Sigh~"

Teacher Ke shook her head and said: "The situation in the mainland is special; the piracy issue has never been truly regulated. I'll pass the word to the Ministry of Culture later and let them handle it!"

In 1985, the mainland had just established the National Copyright Administration under the Ministry of Culture to regulate piracy. It wasn't the same system as Teacher Ke's, but since it had provoked her own interests, she had to resolve it, even if it meant calling in a favor.

Everything is split three ways; all the income from 'A Song of Ice and Fire' included one-third for her, Ke Zhiyu. Although it was said to be Watching Wen Leyu's dowry, Watching Wen Leyu reported the accounts to her every month.

Women are extremely sensitive to those numbers representing currency; even a little less affects their mood.

But Watching Wen Leyu said nonchalantly: "No need for so much trouble. The author of this pirated book is a teacher at the Beijing Second Foreign Language Institute, and his father is a director there. Do you really need to go to the Ministry of Culture?"

"Oh~, then that's indeed unnecessary."

Teacher Ke leaned back into her office chair.

She was a big shot in the education system! Damn it, did a subordinate actually have designs on her private money? Had they rebelled?