Chapter 494: Drinking Tea and Collecting Books

"Heh heh, just a kid."

Li Li Xuewu casually swirled his wine glass, offering no explanation regarding Zhou Zhou Changli's identity.

"I've already inspected the house."

Master Dou lifted his canvas bag, pulled out a paper-wrapped bundle, and unfolded it to reveal a four-open house floor plan the size of a newspaper sheet.

"I spent the whole morning touring around and the entire afternoon busy working on this at home."

As he spoke, he rotated the paper toward Li Li Xuewu and pushed it forward.

Li Li Xuewu gestured with his hand to indicate he could see it clearly, then pressed his palm down on the paper.

True to his expertise in traditional architecture, Master Dou had brought the entire courtyard complex vividly to life on this sheet of white paper.

"Patron, you may state your requirements, and I will draft the proposal."

There was no need for Li Li Xuewu to understand the drawings in detail; as long as the instructions were clear, that would suffice.

Studying the floor plan, Li Li Xuewu said, "There must be a parking lot, and there must be a restaurant, both large and small."

"There must be a hotel, a small cinema, and venues for fitness, wrestling, table tennis, tennis, and badminton."

"There must also be a literature and art gallery, a high-end lounge..."

Listening to Li Li Xuewu rattle off his list, Master Dou simply kept his head down and wrote continuously, finally categorizing Li Li Xuewu's requests into several distinct zones.

"You want a comprehensive sports zone, a comprehensive dining zone, a comprehensive management zone, a comprehensive accommodation zone, and a comprehensive leisure zone."

Tilting his head to examine the floor plan, Master Dou said, "This estate comprises four courtyards in total; everything you mentioned can fit inside."

While speaking, he pointed out several independent courtyards and areas, assigning homes for each of Li Li Xuewu's requirements.

Finally, tapping the open space inside the eastern gate, he said, "This spot is suitable for the parking lot; it aligns perfectly with the carriage gate, so no modifications are needed."

"Good, your arrangement is excellent."

Li Li Xuewu nodded and pointed to the rear cover houses, saying, "Two stories are not enough; add another floor for them, and do the same for the inverted seat houses—make them two stories as well."

"No problem."

Master Dou moved the beer glass at his hand aside, used a pencil to annotate what he had just said, and simultaneously recorded Li Li Xuewu's new requirements.

"The exterior facade must remain completely authentic."

Li Li Xuewu tapped the blueprint and said, "If materials are lacking, find a way; go dig them out from elsewhere."

"Understood."

Master Dou nodded in agreement, then asked, "Relaying the electrical wiring and sewage pipes may damage the original decorations, and laying sewage pipes in front of the gate is a project that truly cannot be completed in a short while."

"Slow work yields fine results; I'm giving you one year."

Li Li Xuewu naturally understood Master Dou's implication, yet he still emphasized, "Be absolutely certain to prioritize safety; I will have people constantly monitoring security here."

"Rest assured, I take pride in the precision of my work."

Master Dou put away the blueprint; seeing that Li Li Xuewu had allotted such a long timeframe, he realized there was another purpose behind it.

But since he was the worker, he naturally would not ask the patron why such a generous amount of time had been granted.

Was having extra time not a good thing?

After giving Li Li Xuewu a guarantee, he added, "This is only the broad outline; in these next couple of days, I will prepare the design project proposal for you to review before we finalize anything."

"It seems you have acquired genuine knowledge."

Smiling, Li Li Xuewu handed meat skewers to Master Dou and signaled to the boy to pour beer for him.

While the two conversed here, no one disturbed them; everyone else had moved to the other end of the table to talk and eat.

Seeing that the conversation here had concluded and most people had finished their tasks, the crowd began gathering around the table.

Tonight, men and women, old and young, all capable of drinking took cups and filled them with beer; during this rare leisure time, everyone drank heartily.

Li Li Xuewu could not stay drinking with everyone indefinitely; after chatting briefly with a few individuals, he went out the door.

Tonight, he had an appointment to meet Following Lou Jie's parents.

He had checked his watch upon leaving, so he arrived at Following Lou Jie's home right on time.

Businesspeople place great emphasis on punctuality, and Li Li Xuewu held deep respect for this nominal father-in-law whom he had met only once.

In this era, Si Jiucheng had quite a few villa districts, but most were concentrated in the Dongcheng District, after all, this area had long been the wealthy quarter.

The Xicheng side contained mostly official residences and the former sites of Wang Fu and government yamen.

There is an old saying in Si Jiucheng: "The East is wealthy, the West is noble, the South is poor, and the North is lowly."

The East's wealth stemmed mainly from the numerous old imperial granaries in Dongcheng; in early years, Si Jiucheng had only thirteen granaries in total, yet Dongcheng accounted for seven of them.

Furthermore, Dongcheng hosted many merchants, with gold shops and banks basically concentrated there.

Therefore, the claim of "East is wealthy" absolutely holds water.

As for "West is noble," it refers to the people in Xicheng being either rich or noble, with Wang Fu and official mansions everywhere.

In early years, Si Jiucheng boasted as many as one hundred and thirty-two princely mansions, and over seventy of them were located in Xicheng.

Interestingly, across the entire Qing Dynasty, thirteen Emperors fathered one hundred and eighteen imperial sons, and at least eighty percent of these princes' Wang Fu were established in Xicheng.

Hence arose this notion of "East is wealthy, West is noble."

"South is poor" refers to the fact that Nancheng of Si Jiucheng was mostly inhabited by "the poor," namely common folk who made their living through hard labor.

According to the tradition of the poor helping each other, Nancheng was also the part of Si Jiucheng with the most human warmth.

Various time-honored brands, ethnic minority enclaves, Tianqiao, and other chaotic areas were all located in the Nancheng vicinity.

"North is lowly" refers to the area within Beicheng—not the old northern outskirts of Si Jiucheng—where the residents mostly engaged in lowly professions.

For instance, teahouses, theaters, and brothels were intermingled there, so-called members of all walks of life mixing together like fish and dragons.

Of course, these were all classifications of people from the old society, dividing humans into nine ranks based on their professions.

Whether it was the Misses in the Eight Great Alleys, the peddlers carrying goods through the streets and lanes, or the performers practicing martial arts and selling their skills at Tianqiao, according to the old society, they were all lowly commoners ranked beneath others.

Especially actors, whose status was even lower.

How low were they? They were even one rank lower than the Misses in the Eight Great Alleys.

Because Beicheng was full of the "lowest nine streams," or rather, the poorest commoners at the very bottom of society at that time, the saying "Beicheng is lowly" came into being.

Of course, these were sayings left over from the old society; only a glimpse of history could still be seen in the architecture and local customs.

People in later generations saw less of it, but it is still seen now.

However, the Four Nine Cities had undergone the baptism of many war-torn eras, and several "Great Marshals" had stationed themselves in the Four Nine Cities.

The Great Marshals of that time all liked to live in Dongcheng because there were villas there, and it was much more modern.

Now, if you talk about where is poor, lowly, wealthy, or noble, it is not so accurate; after all, the big shots who lived in Dongcheng back then might be sweeping the streets in Nancheng now.

Who can say for sure?

Speaking of the granaries, Li Li Xuewu's set, the Haiyun Granary where Gu Ning lived, was one of the thirteen granary locations.

It was also a villa district built later; exactly when it was built or for whom Li Li Xuewu did not inquire in detail, nor did he check.

Up to now, he still did not know what kind of people the neighbors living front, back, left, and right were.

The Lou family originally lived in Dongcheng, always had, being a wealthy family.

It's just that later, large villas and large manors were too conspicuous, so they moved to live in smaller properties.

Whether the large villa was donated or sold, Li Li Xuewu did not know; the place where the Lou family lives now is actually not a residence, but an office location.

It might be an office building Mr. Lou bought when he started his business early on; to appear "humble," they moved over here.

This was also what Following Lou Jie told Li Li Xuewu, saying there were still houses over on Xinzhongjie, all guarded by former servants.

Otherwise, how could one say this period was relatively chaotic? Even into the nineties, there were still messy stories.

The early servants, one didn't know if it was because the masters were too good or because they were used to being servants; some old men and old women, until they died, continued to respectfully address them as "Master, Master."

Although they were all citizens now, according to what Li Li Xuewu knew, Following Lou Jie's family still had servants doing work.

Of course, they were no longer called maids or old ladies now; they were called chefs, drivers, and nannies.

Strange names, but the work done was still the same work; Li Li Xuewu did not find this strange.

Just like now, Li Li Xuewu parked the car at the entrance, and a man in his fifties, with a neat side-parted haircut and wearing a Zhongshan suit, stood at the door to welcome him.

Don't misunderstand; it was not Mr. Lou, this was the butler.

When he came last time, it was during the New Year; perhaps he had been sent home for a family reunion, so he wasn't seen; this time, Li Li Xuewu got to see what was called noble heritage.

Following Lou Jie said her family was not originally from Jingcheng, but from the south, and had moved to Jingcheng along with their ancestors who were officials.

Falling leaves take root; several generations of wealth.

Liu San'er had seen gold bars and such; Li Li Xuewu had not seen any. Today's demeanor was truly an eye-opener.

"Director Li, Mr. Lou is waiting for you."

"You've worked hard."

Li Li Xuewu glanced at the man, nodded, and did not follow his traditional style; he carried a net bag and walked into the house.

Perhaps knowing the relationship between Li Li Xuewu and the masters, this butler did not dare to say anything and followed Li Li Xuewu all the way.

When they reached the door, he even opened the door for Li Li Xuewu.

"Thank you."

Li Li Xuewu smiled and said thanks, then casually entered the foyer.

Following Lou Jie had long heard the commotion at the door; at this moment, she was standing in the foyer waiting for him.

"Why did you come so late?"

"Hehe, a guest suddenly came to the house."

Li Li Xuewu did not say that he was punctual now; he found an excuse that wasn't really an excuse to reply to Following Lou Jie.

Because at her parents' house, Following Lou Jie was still relatively restrained, having to consider her parents' face.

Although her mother had agreed that she could make her own decisions, her father had never expressed an opinion.

Lately, he had not said anything about her leaving Li Li Xuewu, but he also had not said anything with a positive attitude.

Seeing Li Li Xuewu enter, Mrs. Lou stood up and greeted, "Li Xuewu has arrived."

"Greetings, Auntie, for troubling you."

"No need for politeness; your Uncle Lou has been waiting for you."

Mrs. Lou's surname was Tan; it was said her cooking skills were superb.

Perhaps the reason she could be a concubine for Lou Ban Cheng and the reason Mr. Lou kept her by his side instead of sending her to Hongcheng was not only her good looks; her skills were certainly a key reason.

Looking at it now, Li Li Xuewu thought another reason Mrs. Lou was kept in Jingcheng was her impeccable etiquette in dealing with people.

It was not that the Tan family were all cooks and good at serving people; rather, the environment of living in luxury had shaped Mrs. Lou to maintain smiles and politeness even towards a "special" friend like her daughter.

Mr. Lou was different; due to his status, although he was not as resistant to Li Li Xuewu as before, he did not stand up or offer any polite gestures.

He was Following Lou Jie's father and also an elder; Li Li Xuewu naturally had to give Following Lou Jie face and also possess the cultivation befitting his own status.

"Greetings, Uncle Lou."

Li Li Xuewu first defined his identity for today; unlike the butler at the door who called him Director Li, he expressed his attitude.

That was, he had come today as Following Lou Jie's "boyfriend," as a private personal relationship.

The butler calling him Director Li was not random; it was also tacitly approved by Mr. Lou earlier, just to test Li Li Xuewu's attitude.

Don't look at the fact that the Lou family were once great tycoons and big shots; that was back then.

This September was the final installment of the ten-year installment for the Lou family to collect the compensation funds from the Rolling Mill.

That is to say, by this September, the Lou family would have absolutely no connection with the Rolling Mill.

Not just the Rolling Mill; Mr. Lou had also settled the share purchase installments for his stakes in other enterprises one by one.

He was just a little boy parading with a gold brick; anyone with a bit of ability might be eyeing him.

Let alone someone of Li Li Xuewu's status; wanting to deal with Mr. Lou would be quite easy.

Some say the more a person cares about something, the more they lack it.

Now that Father Lou cares so much about Li Li Xuewu's attitude toward him, it shows Father Lou lacks security; too much money can truly bite the hand.

He is now afraid both of others snatching his money and of his own people scheming against his money.

Especially Li Li Xuewu, whose identity is right here; if Li Li Xuewu does not tell him to leave, he cannot run anywhere.

At his age, won't he be picked apart by Li Li Xuewu until all his lifetime assets are taken?

After all, his daughter's elbow has already bent into the other person's bed; perhaps the other person already knows how much money his family has and where it is.

Otherwise, why would Father Lou meet Li Li Xuewu, and why would he allow his daughter to invite the person into their home?

He is also a donkey dropping, shiny on the surface.

Li Li Xuewu did not care about the Lou family's money; even if they were rich for three generations and wealthier than a nation, there is now nowhere to spend it.

Even if Father Lou slept on gold bricks every day, he might not even get to eat meat; what's the use?

Of course, if things opened up, Father Lou would transform again and become a respectable person.

But he must have a lifespan to live.

Li Li Xuewu placed the net bag in his hand on the coffee table, smiled, and let Father Lou's wife arrange for him to sit on the single sofa seat near Father Lou.

"Uncle Lou, Following Lou Jie told me you have great research on jade. I went to the frontier a while ago and bought a stone there; people told me it was Hetian jade. I don't understand, so please give it your expert eye."

"If you don't understand, why did you buy it?"

Father Lou said nothing else, glanced at Li Li Xuewu, then casually picked up the glasses resting on the sofa armrest and put them on.

Li Li Xuewu reached out, took the net bag he had casually grabbed from the kitchen of the side house—Sister Yu's vegetable bag—and took out the stone to hand it to Father Lou.

The butler thoughtfully brought a flashlight and pulled the desk lamp over, turning it on toward the stone in Father Lou's hand.

Father Lou took the flashlight, frowned, and examined it carefully; everyone in the family held their breath, waiting for his judgment.

Following Lou Jie was especially nervous; this was Li Li Xuewu's first formal contact with her father, and she feared Li Li Xuewu's face might not hold up, ruining the impression over a single stone.

Even the teacup she brought for Li Li Xuewu trembled a bit.

Li Li Xuewu reached out proactively, took hold of the teacup, and also held Following Lou Jie's hand; then, under Father Lou's wife's gaze, he patted Following Lou Jie's hand to offer comfort.

Following Lou Jie was also made somewhat awkward by Li Li Xuewu's hint and her mother's gaze, and her nervousness decreased a bit at that moment.

Li Li Xuewu sat back on the sofa, calmly blew on the tea leaves in his cup, and then took a shallow sip.

After all, this is the Lou family; even a tiger that dies does not lose its posture; this tea is truly fragrant, smelling good and tasting good.

Although he joked with Dong Wenxue and Li Huide that he could not appreciate tea and did not recognize tea, that was all just playing dumb.

It was only to amuse the leaders; in his past life, sitting in the government office, he had dealt with this stuff.

He had drunk the good stuff and the bad stuff; he was just young now. Even if he understood, he had to pretend not to; otherwise, who would give him tea leaves next time?

Remember, in the workplace, leaders will always use capable people, but the ones closest to them will certainly be those with less ability than themselves.

If your ability exceeds their management capacity, they will either use you fiercely, constantly assigning you work under the guise of "the capable bear more burdens," or they will put a high hat on you.

Or they will transfer you away, saying they are helping you onto the horse and seeing you off for a stretch, when in reality they fear you are too outstanding and will replace them.

What Li Li Xuewu needs to do now is hide his strengths; if he can, he must pretend he cannot; if he cannot, he must pretend even more that he can.

When it is time to be capable, be very capable; when it is not time to be capable, say you will go back and discuss it with the division.

"How much did you pay for it?"

Father Lou turned off the flashlight in his hand, put down the stone, waved his hand, and signaled the butler behind him to remove the desk lamp.

"Not expensive, ten thousand yuan."

Seeing Father Lou frown slightly at him after looking, Li Li Xuewu held up one finger while gesturing and answered.

"How much?!"

Father Lou said nothing, while Following Lou Jie, standing aside, let out a voice of shock that trembled.

Father Lou looked at his daughter, then at Li Li Xuewu, shook his head slightly, and said, "It is good seed material, but not worth that price."

Saying this, he pointed at the stone on the coffee table and added, "For this kind, if the state buys it, it is only sixty to eighty yuan per kilogram."

After stating the price, Father Lou looked at Li Li Xuewu and said, "Young man, earning money must be done with both feet on the ground; being a person must also be done with both feet on the ground; under no circumstances should you take shortcuts."

Li Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow; those words sounded a bit grating. Was he saying he bought the stone wanting to get rich overnight by taking a shortcut, or was he saying he had done that to Following Lou Jie, which counted as taking a shortcut?

Seeing Li Li Xuewu at a loss, Following Lou Jie frowned, looked at Li Li Xuewu, and asked, "Why didn't I see this expense in the accounts? Did you really spend ten thousand yuan to buy such a stone?"

Father Lou's wife knew her daughter managed Li Li Xuewu's finances; she did not know the exact amount, but seeing the two about to quarrel over this ten thousand yuan, she intervened with her daughter.

"Alright, the money is already spent; consider it learning."

Saying this, she advised Li Li Xuewu, "In the future, never invest too much in industries you are unfamiliar with."

"Thank you, Uncle Lou, for your guidance; thank you, Auntie, for your concern."

Li Li Xuewu first smiled and thanked Father Lou and Father Lou's wife; then, under Father Lou's gaze as if looking at a madman, he turned his head and nodded to Following Lou Jie to confirm, "It was indeed ten thousand yuan."

With Following Lou Jie's eyes wide open, he added, "But not one piece."

"How many?"

Following Lou Jie thought Li Li Xuewu had bought more than just this one piece; if it was ten or eight pieces, then the trip from Gangcheng to the frontier would have been in vain for them.

Hearing Li Li Xuewu's words, Father Lou thought the same; he had already picked up his teacup, sat back on the sofa with a gloomy face, and looked at Li Li Xuewu as if seeing a fool.

Perhaps this person trained in the army, had an investigative mind and a governing mind, but his business mind was certainly all used for growing his body and taking shortcuts.

Father Lou's wife, looking at Li Li Xuewu now, did not think this "son-in-law" was so stupid; rather, she felt her daughter might be very tired.

A roughneck is destined not to care for or look after people, nor to manage a household; yet he is also male-chauvinist; accumulating wealth is impossible.

"Ten tons."

"What?!"

"Ah?!"

"Pfft~~~!"

Inside the room, apart from the old butler standing at a distance with no strong reaction, Following Lou Jie and Lou's father and mother by the sofa stood as if cast by a paralysis spell, staring blankly at Li Li Xuewu.

Li Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow, pursed his lips, and placed the teacup in his hand onto the coffee table.

He then explained with utter nonchalance, "A friend, our relationship is quite good. He said he had some jade in hand and asked if I wanted it. I asked if it was real, he said yes, so I took it all."

"Ten tons?"

Following Lou Jie looked at Li Li Xuewu in disbelief; she seemed to understand now that the ten thousand yuan Li Li Xuewu mentioned earlier was not for a single piece.

"Mm."

Li Li Xuewu nodded and said, "He was in a hurry, so it was cheap."

Following Lou Jie pressed on in disbelief, "Ten tons for ten thousand yuan?"

"Heh, are you dreaming?"

Li Li Xuewu smiled and pushed Following Lou Jie, who was staring at him, saying, "Ten thousand yuan per ton, and ten tons? Is this robbery?"

"That's pretty much the same as robbery."

Lou's father wiped the tea from the corner of his mouth with a handkerchief and, with trembling hands, placed his teacup on the coffee table.

This young man has no martial ethics; his speech even takes a huge breath in the middle.

Following Lou Jie had already figured out the math by now and looked at Li Li Xuewu in disbelief, asking, "Did you really spend one hundred thousand yuan to buy ten tons of jade seed material?"

"Heh, what else?"

Li Li Xuewu glanced at the jade material on the coffee table and said, "Would I joke with Uncle Lou by claiming I just picked it up on the street?"

"Your deal is worth it."

Seeing her husband embarrassed, Lou's mother quickly took over the conversation and said with a smile, "We only knew you worked for the public sector; we didn't expect you to have such financial power."

"It's not my own."

Li Li Xuewu's proper smile gave Lou's mother a very good impression; he looked good before, and now he looks even better.

He knows how to be a person, knows how to do things, and knows how to make money; this young man is truly good.

"It belongs to my childhood friend."

Li Li Xuewu explained, "We all come from poor backgrounds and wanted to earn a living to support our families; isn't this why we set up a scrap recycling station and do some small business on the side?"

Lou's father looked at Li Li Xuewu; he now seriously suspected this person was showing off.

Small business? Is there any small business with a transaction volume of one hundred thousand yuan?

How would he know? As Li Li Xuewu put it, he even wanted to go to the borderlands to see if the jade business is really that easy.

But that was just him thinking, or just saying it.

He is not a young man just out of the cradle, nor is it his first day doing business; how could he not understand what was being said.

This was a response to his earlier probing, and also a reassurance for him.

The intent was to explain that he is not greedy for his money, saying he can easily make a fortune with just a casual effort.

He admits this; just because Li Li Xuewu bought jade at ten thousand yuan per ton doesn't mean others can buy it too.

Business isn't done like this; without his status, who could casually go to the borderlands, and who could have the confidence to buy ten tons of jade, and jade at such a low price?

Long ago there was a saying: having connections in the court makes it easy to be an official.

This saying is useful for public servants, and even more useful for merchants.

Even if they do nothing, just raising a hand or moving a pen is better than them working themselves to death.

But now it seems this young man has clearly defined his position; he does not admit these are his, but rather his childhood friend's.

Lou's father had of course investigated this recycling station and the backgrounds of these people; they were just a group of fallen sons.

To put it bluntly, they were just one step away from begging on the streets.

Only Li Li Xuewu had some status, and that was gained in recent years; his father hadn't earned him any confidence.

If the time were turned back twenty years, Lou's father wouldn't even have looked at him.

But times have changed; their days are like Wang Wang Erxiao celebrating the New Year—getting worse year by year.

The opportunities after equality gave these people the possibility to turn over and become masters; even a physician's child could take a capitalist's daughter as a concubine for his son.

How did that saying go?

This world is too crazy; even a rat can be a bridesmaid for a cat.

The crazier part is yet to come; the young man hadn't even started talking after entering the room before he threw out one hundred thousand yuan for him to see.

A doctor's child, a few fallen families, people who pick up horse manure, telling you: in half a year, starting from nothing, would you believe it?

Probably only the supporters of those big shots in later generations who hire people to write autobiographies and give motivational speeches about how effort leads to tomorrow would believe it.

Whether others believe it or not, Lou's father certainly doesn't.

Now he has to re-examine this special son-in-law.

"Old Zhong, is the study ready?"

"It is already prepared, Mr."

The butler, Old Zhong, stepped forward half a pace, bowed slightly, and answered; after replying, he stepped back again.

Lou's father raised his hand, gesturing toward the study upstairs, and said to Li Li Xuewu, "I heard you like literature; I have a few books here, see if you like them."

"Oh? A surprise like this today?"

Li Li Xuewu smiled, rose with Lou's father, and while smiling, glanced at the butler.

Damn, his ideal needs to be changed; earlier he said he wanted to struggle until he had a private female secretary.

Now it seems that is too damn low, too damn vulgar.

Vulgar!

Too vulgar to bear!

How can a female secretary compare to this old butler in style and depth?

Li Li Xuewu decided he would strive until he could afford ten such servants, and even when going to the toilet, he would arrange for two to follow.

When he needed to squat on the pot, he must hear one of them greet him with a mouthful of London accent: "May I help you, sir?"

The other must be like the Lou family, with a mouthful of authentic Si Jiu City old tone: "The latrine is ready, Mr., awaiting your presence at any time."

"Take your father's and Li Xuewu's teacups upstairs."

Lou's mother stood by the sofa, signaling the daughter who was staring eagerly at Li Li Xuewu to serve the tea, while also signaling the butler, Old Zhong, that there was no need to go upstairs to help.

This butler knew the host and the guest had matters to discuss; seeing Lou's mother give the order, he bowed slightly and went about his own business.

Lou Watching Lou Xiaoe smiled, carried two cups of tea, followed the footsteps of her father and Li Li Xuewu upstairs, and delivered them to the study.

The reason they met Li Li Xuewu in the living room today was entirely her father's idea.

She also knew this was a test.

If Li Li Xuewu passed the test, naturally they would go upstairs to discuss topics of a further nature; if he did not pass, then today would truly be just a casual meeting and conversation.

Of course, even if he did not pass, her parents would not obstruct the relationship between her and Li Li Xuewu, because the two currently had no relationship at all.

If you called them boyfriend and girlfriend, neither could admit it.

If you spoke of a closer relationship between man and woman, that was even more unacceptable to current society.

So, right now, the two were merely friends.

But now Li Li Xuewu not only passed the test, he also played a trick on her father, which made Lou Watching Lou Xiaoe feel delighted.

Seeing her daughter whose elbow had already turned inward and could not be pulled back, Lou's mother smiled helplessly, and after the figures of the three disappeared from view on the stairs, she sat back down on the sofa.

Having married into the Lou family and engaged in scheming for half a lifetime, she had finally managed for the first and second branches to voluntarily follow her son to Hongcheng to seek refuge, thinking she would live with him in the mainland.

Unexpectedly, the situation has changed again.

She was left behind by her husband not only because she had the skill to cook, nor only because she had the ability to deal with people, but because she was the most worthy of being abandoned and sacrificed.

Saying it this way seems cruel, but the fact is exactly so.

She was the youngest wife, had no son, and had given birth to two daughters; her status in this house could be imagined.

Her husband did not let her go, ostensibly saying she had no son to rely on and feared she would be bullied in Hongcheng.

In reality, he left her and the children behind in the mainland; if the situation changed, he might use them as hostages while he fled.

Later, after many years without seeing the situation change, and seeing the daughters grow up one by one, he finally permitted them to marry.

This marriage also had sacrifice and purpose; the eldest daughter, Lou Xiaoying, married a transport driver, and the second daughter, Lou Watching Lou Xiaoe, married the child of the family's former servant.

The goal was to make their family's "commoner" bloodline even purer.

But looking at it now, not only is half the hope gone, but possibly all of it has been shattered.

Her two daughters were all sacrificed in vain, and her husband's purpose was not achieved.

Why say so?

Because the driver the eldest daughter married was both arrogant and poor, and simply did not associate with this side of the family.

Relying on his worker status, he looked down on the family, yet still envied the Lou family's wealth; otherwise, why be "unrecognizable to six relatives"?

The second daughter was the same; thinking the youngest daughter was beloved, she was given to the servant she had lived with for half a lifetime, and Xu Xu Damao was also raised right under their eyes.

Never in a million years did she expect that knowing a person's face does not mean knowing their heart, and so many troubles would arise.

Sometimes she thought she had sacrificed her whole life, and even her two children were being sacrificed.

But fools have fools' luck; her second daughter, though appearing simple and honest, had seen her luck turn, and misfortune had turned into blessing.

Her husband calculated and schemed, and all his previous arrangements were in vain; instead, this second daughter, after her divorce, turned misfortune into blessing and brought a turning point to the family.

Now seeing Li Li Xuewu talking with her husband on equal footing, with clear demeanor and status, she felt content.

What title or no title? If you speak of fighting, or of being a concubine being hard, could it be harder than marrying a laborer and spending a lifetime giving birth, washing clothes, and cooking for a man?

They are all concubines, yet their hearts are unsatisfied; it is just being pretentious.

Following Lou Jie did not think as much as her mother, but she indeed wanted Li Li Xuewu to be able to chat well with her father.

Even if she never wanted Li Li Xuewu to give her any promise or title in her life, as long as he treated her well and treated her family well, she would be content.

After placing the teacups on both sides of the desk, Following Lou Jie wanted to sit on the nearby sofa.

But her father did not want her to hear what they were about to discuss; he waved his hand to signal her to leave.

In this house, Following Lou Jie could act spoiled and unreasonable, but she could not make a scene in formal settings.

Seeing her father's signal, she could only look at Li Li Xuewu eagerly, then walked out the door.

Li Li Xuewu smiled looking toward the doorway, then lifted his teacup and took a sip.

Sitting behind the desk, Lou's father looked at Li Li Xuewu carefully once more, then lifted his teacup and asked, "What kind of books do you like to read?"

"Heh, you wouldn't really have invited me here to read books, would you?"

Li Li Xuewu chuckled lightly, placed the teacup in his hand back in its original spot, and then casually leaned back in his chair.

Lou's father pressed his lips together, looked at Li Li Xuewu from above his teacup as he scanned the study, raised an eyebrow, and lowered his head to take a sip of tea.

He knew young people generally disliked beating around the bush, but this young man before him was different; wasn't he on a path to officialdom? Did he have no patience at all?

Li Li Xuewu looked at the bookshelf on the wall; unlike the traditional Chinese hundred-treasure cabinet, Lou's father's study was equipped with a Western-style bookshelf.

And very Western, with the classical atmosphere of England and France, and in dark colors; it was obviously specially designed.

"This used to be my father's office."

Lou's father put down the teacup in his hand and explained, "Back then, the Empress Dowager still existed in Si Jiu City; the studies of the compradors at that time were just like this. My father said this was the trend of the year."

"Indeed classical."

Li Li Xuewu nodded and said affirmatively, "A few hundred years of old capitalist empires are not for nothing; one can see their dedication from the smallest details."

Lou's father moved his eyebrows but did not take up Li Li Xuewu's thread of conversation; he did not know Li Li Xuewu's views on such matters and feared saying the wrong thing would cause the young man opposite him to misunderstand.

"I took over my father's post at thirty, considered an outstanding existence among peers."

Lou's father looked at Li Li Xuewu very affirmatively and said, "But I must say, among all the young people I have ever seen, you are the one who surprised me the most, and the one who makes me most... amazed."

"Thank you."

Li Li Xuewu nodded slightly to express his gratitude, his face full of humility and kindness, yet what Lou's father saw was confidence and composure.

"To be honest, Watching Lou Xiaoe is not worthy of you."

Lou's father shook his head slightly and sighed, "I am not talking about age, but the heart."

Fearing Li Li Xuewu might misunderstand, Lou's father pointed to his own chest while speaking.

"Hehe, perhaps this is fate."

Li Li Xuewu smiled and said, "I am a very selfish person; I want everything I like, but I never weigh my own worth, and I caused my father a lot of trouble since I was young."

Lou's father naturally understood what Li Li Xuewu meant, but it was not about the beatings he received for causing trouble in his childhood.

From the very beginning, he felt this young man had some ability, up until the admiration he felt just now downstairs.

He thought he had already raised his view of Li Li Xuewu high enough, but now it seemed it was still far from enough.

It was not that he was arrogant and looked down on young people, nor that he could not look the other person in the eye to communicate and converse, but rather that the other person possessed profound cultural foundation and artistic thinking.

If Li Li Xuewu were not sitting right across from him, if Li Li Xuewu's home were not in the Sihe Academy, he would never have believed this was a twenty-year-old young man.

What was I doing when I was twenty?

Probably fighting with young nobles for headscarves!

Lou's father shook his head slightly and said, "I do not oppose your relationship; I only oppose meaningless relationships and irresponsible relationships."

Lou's father spoke with clear pauses, and pointed slightly at the table with his finger to emphasize, "She is my daughter; I will not allow her to degrade herself, nor will I allow anyone to treat her lightly."

"You think I am... hahaha!"

Li Li Xuewu smiled without finishing his sentence; this laughter was the best response to Lou's father.

Lou's father also chuckled lightly, laughing "hehe" continuously along with Li Li Xuewu's laughter.

The mother and daughter sitting downstairs heard the laughter coming from upstairs and also smiled; as long as they didn't start fighting, it was fine.

If they really did start fighting, the one who would suffer would definitely be...

"Hahaha~"

After laughing for a while, Li Li Xuewu pointed to the study's environment and said, "I once thought of having a study like this, then filling it with books, but my father said I was a blind man breaking corn, hehe."

"Hehe, youthful recklessness."

Lou's father understood Li Li Xuewu's meaning; he was not talking about books, but people, men, and women.

"Who hasn't had an age that makes people hate them?"

While speaking, he picked up the teapot on the table and actively refilled Li Li Xuewu's tea, continuing to explain, "When I was young, I fought with others over women, fighting until our heads bled, using knives and guns."

Seeing Lou's father's slightly shaking head, Li Li Xuewu could imagine how flamboyant these wealthy young masters were.

And now that Lou's father could tell him these things, it meant he acknowledged Li Li Xuewu's existence and also acknowledged Li Li Xuewu's identity intervening in the Lou family.

"I won't."

Li Li Xuewu thanked Lou's father for pouring the tea, reached out to take the teapot, and refilled tea for him.

The first time must wait for Lou's father to pour tea for him, because he was the guest and Lou's father was the host.

Because of the age difference and the purpose of today's conversation, waiting for him to pour tea for him represented acknowledgment.

Now that Li Li Xuewu took the teapot and poured tea for the other person, this represented knowing propriety, representing his respect for the other person, acknowledging the other person, and also establishing his own status as a junior.

"Now I truly have a study, but for every book, I must carefully savor and read it, and only if I feel it is worth owning will I place it in the study, just like you."

Li Li Xuewu put down the teapot, pointed to the bookshelf behind Lou's father, and said, "Every book can express your knowledge and cultivation, rather than using these books to serve as a facade."

"Drink tea."

Lou's father nodded with a smile, indicating he understood Li Li Xuewu's meaning, tapped the table lightly with his finger, and signaled Li Li Xuewu to drink tea.

Li Li Xuewu nodded with a smile, toasted Lou's father, and waited for the other person to lift his teacup before he lifted his own.

The two had been clashing from the moment they entered; they were not fighting over anger, nor was there a need to determine who was higher or lower.

Li Li Xuewu did not have the malicious fun of suppressing his father-in-law.

What the two were competing for was who would hold the initiative in this communication and conversation.

Lou's father understood very well that he was naturally at a disadvantage compared to Li Li Xuewu in terms of status; if Li Li Xuewu were really coming for the money...

Even taking ten thousand steps back, if Li Li Xuewu were really coming for both the person and the money, how would he respond?