Chapter 903: Is He a Bad Person?

Lou Yu was stunned by Li Xuewu's words. Feeling the change in the other party's tone, his heart skipped a beat.

Then, steadying his mind, he slowly raised his head to look at the calm son-in-law drinking tea opposite him, feeling as if the air in the room was about to freeze.

How did he know?

Or rather... when did he know, and how would he react?

"The affection of licking a calf is a matter of course."

Li Xuewu put down the teacup in his hand, looked directly at his cheap father-in-law, and asked with an irresistible tone: "But with such an arrangement, how can you account for Following Lou Jie's affection for her father and her righteousness like Mulan?"

Lou Yu frowned deeply; Li Xuewu's words hit him directly in the heart.

Silence was his defense for being unable to answer this question, and also a response to what he had done.

Li Xuewu sat on the chair with his legs crossed, drinking tea slowly, his thoughts turning several times.

"Money, you are still obsessed with the issue of ownership, failing to see the social attributes and essence of capital."

He sighed with a difficult and helpless expression and said: "From the transition of new democracy to socialism, this period of time, the full development of the economy and the rapid stabilization of the social structure cannot be separated from the support of capital."

"However, since you chose to stay, you have to accept the transformation of this socialist economic system; this is a default attitude."

Li Xuewu tapped the armrest of the chair with his finger, looked at Lou Yu earnestly, and asked: "The redemption economy has been implemented for so many years; you yourself are clear about the future of this policy, right?"

Answering Li Xuewu was still Lou Yu's silence. He was clear that Li Xuewu's question didn't need him to answer, just as the answer he wanted to know couldn't be obtained from Li Xuewu.

"Social capital originates from society and is applied to society. If you forcibly change its attributes, you will inevitably suffer backlash."

"Of course~"

Li Xuewu spread his hands and said: "Capital attributes have their essential detachment and selectivity."

"But the people who control capital are restricted, and the situation is not something that can be chosen or confronted."

He looked at Lou Yu very seriously, expressing his attitude and opinion on this matter.

Lou Yu frowned slightly, looked up at Li Xuewu, and felt slightly unconvinced in his heart.

"So, what is your choice? Submission to the detachment of capital, or have you already made a choice..."

"My life is up to me, not heaven."

Li Xuewu pointed his finger at the tea table between the two and said: "I have the capital to choose and regulate."

"And you!"

"Don't!"

He leaned forward slightly and said to Lou Yu: "Even if I detach and cash in capital, it is for the purpose of social operation, and the final result is not to become a springboard for your capital flight."

"I advise you one thing."

Li Xuewu sat up straight and said to Lou Yu: "When you are in the midst of blessings, you must cherish them. Following Lou Jie has the heart to revitalize the family business, and I will definitely help her with all my strength."

"And then?"

Lou Yu was quite composed, pressing his hand on the lid of the teacup, and asked with a calm tone: "Who is this blessing I'm cherishing for?"

"Heh~"

Li Xuewu laughed out loud, lightly saying: "Your question has truly opened up a new ideological situation for me."

While speaking, he nodded with a smile and said: "Are you afraid that you won't have a place to rest in your old age, or are you afraid that I will swallow the name of your Lou family?"

"Not necessarily~"

Li Xuewu had a moment of loss and frustration; he didn't expect himself to be so unbearable in the other party's eyes.

Lou Yu opened the lid of the teacup and sipped the tea; everything was said without words.

"Speaking of which."

Li Xuewu adjusted his attitude, narrowed his eyes slightly, looked at Lou Yu, and asked: "Do you think you still have an opportunity to exploit?"

"What do you mean?"

Lou Yu's hand holding the teacup paused slightly. He looked at Li Xuewu and asked: "Is it that you think I won't live to that age, or that you don't want me to live to that age?"

"Hmm, that's a question."

Li Xuewu nodded and said: "It really makes it difficult for me to choose!"

"If I say I'm tired of you, it's not from the heart, and it's also unfair to Following Lou Jie's sincere heart."

"But if we talk about respect~"

Li Xuewu looked into his eyes and shook his head slightly, saying: "The things you've done really aren't presentable."

Lou Yu raised his head slightly, not showing the shame he should have, but was completely calm.

Li Xuewu looked at his subtle expression and couldn't help but laugh, saying: "I wish you a long life, happiness as vast as the East Sea, and a life as long as the Southern Mountain."

"Hmm, it sounds like the truth."

Lou Yu put down the teacup in his hand, nodded, said a sentence, and then leaned back against the sofa backrest.

"But I have a clear conscience for what I've done. I didn't touch your share, did I?"

"Whose? Which share?"

Li Xuewu looked at him amusedly and asked back: "Are all the businessmen of the older generation like this?"

"You don't even want credit and morality, and you don't even care about family affection. It seems the filial children and virtuous grandchildren in Hong Kong are truly Hong Kong people as they say."

"I didn't betray you."

Lou Yu frowned at this moment, looked at Li Xuewu, and said: "Credit or morality, that's all my own money."

"Absurd!"

Li Xuewu looked gloomy, looked at him, and asked: "Do you still remember the capital attributes I just told you about?"

"Your money?"

He pointed at Lou Yu without any politeness and said: "In the mainland, it's yours; you can tell me to withdraw shares and stop doing it at any time."

"However!"

Li Xuewu's attitude was very serious as he leaned forward to look at him and said: "Once it crosses the sea, that money only has your name on it; it has nothing to do with you, understand?"

After speaking, he frowned and pointed at the tea table, saying: "You are also an old man in the business world; don't you understand the principle of 'buy and leave'? Why do I have to tell you this?"

"Robber mentality."

Lou Yu looked up slightly, looked at Li Xuewu, and said: "You are no different from them."

"Or rather!"

He raised his voice slightly, looked at Li Xuewu, and said: "You are them, even more direct, even more barbaric, and unreasonable."

"Hmm, you said that well."

Li Xuewu suddenly laughed again, looking like a lunatic.

"I talk to you about economics, you talk to me about morality; I talk to you about morality, you talk to me about the situation."

"Oh my~ I just said that the businessmen of the older generation wouldn't be so unbearable; were you planning to play this with me?"

He straightened his body amusedly, looked at Lou Yu, and said: "I was just thinking, human hearts are not ancient; was it because those with good hearts were eliminated long ago, and those who survived were those who adapted to social changes?"

"If you have something to say, just say it directly, or even if you use foul language."

Lou Yu flicked the dust off his body, looking indifferent, and said: "There's no need to be so euphemistic with the words you use to scold me."

"Look at what you're saying, how could it come to this?"

Li Xuewu's face always carried a smile. At this moment, seeing his cheap father-in-law still looking fearless, he asked with lowered eyes: "Do you think I will be concerned about Following Lou Jie's feelings and not dare to move the Lou family in Hong Kong?"

"You dare!"

"You dare~"

Lou Yu calmed his excitement and doubt, replacing it with the realization of the second sentence.

"You people, your methods are nothing more than strong-arm robbery, or intimidation; I've seen it clearly long ago."

"Hmm~~~"

Li Xuewu let out a mocking and disdainful sound from his nostrils, then looked at him amusedly and asked: "Are you afraid that Following Lou Jie will move against the Lou family before I do?"

"Oh my~ what you think is really..."

"Hmm, that makes sense!!!"

Li Xuewu also looked like he had just understood, pointed at Lou Yu, and said: "Your worry is not unreasonable; Following Lou Jie doesn't have a shred of good feeling for them."

"Hmm~~~ then let me guess, how do you plan to transfer assets..."

He tapped his fingers, looked up and pondered in his heart, muttering: "All projects were planned and prepared by you, so these projects might have been planted with traps by you."

"However, you also know that the attention on the Oriental Times Bank is too high, which is not conducive to your layout, so..."

He thought for a circle, then looked at the other party with interest, raised his eyebrows, and asked: "You also have such confidence in the real estate industry in Hong Kong?"

"Or"

Li Xuewu asked meaningfully: "You have confidence in me?"

"..."

Lou Yu looked at Li Xuewu in silence, obviously having had his mind read.

Li Xuewu also tricked out the content he wanted, stood up amusedly, and walked around in the office.

"Are you trying to use your left hand to pour into your right hand, and cash out the part that belongs to the Lou family from me?"

"Then have you ever thought about where you will place Following Lou Jie if you do this?"

"Own son, own grandson, but not own daughter?"

Li Xuewu stood still, hands in his pockets, tilted his head, and teased Lou Yu: "I don't know if Aunt Tan knows about this."

"If she knew that the person she had been taking care of with all her heart was treating the two of them like this, would she have to boil a bowl of medicine with added ingredients for you?"

He was truly ruthless to the core. Lou Yu threatened him with Hong Kong affairs, and he turned around and threatened Lou Yu with Aunt Tan.

Really, if Li Xuewu really told his wife about this, what would the result be?

Lou Yu himself was also thinking of ways, looking for time, looking for reasons, looking for suitable ways to persuade his wife.

But the things done in Hong Kong, how could he speak of them? After all, he was in Hong Kong at the time, and the excitement of seeing his family made him think only that the Lou family had descendants.

Anyway, the Lou family business couldn't be ruined in his hands, especially toward Li Xuewu; he was both wary and had to coax him, very afraid that this fierce tiger would turn around and eat all his family property.

You just say, putting all the family property on a son-in-law who couldn't marry—how big a brain must one have to do such a thing?

Even if it was forced by the situation, he couldn't sleep all night thinking about the money being in Li Xuewu's hands.

When Li Xuewu didn't want this money, he was afraid the money would be taken away by those people and never return.

But when Li Xuewu took the money, he was afraid of throwing a meat bun at a dog; it was too tangled.

Really, in his life, he had never had such a high-stakes investment, and it was an investment in an outsider.

"What do you want to do?"

"Nothing~"

Li Xuewu's attitude gradually became uninteresting. He patted the back of the sofa behind him and said: "I think it's appropriate for you to serve as the club manager. As for the investment part..."

"Without me, the Hong Kong affairs..."

Lou Yu was very angry and excited. He stood up and wanted to argue. At this moment, he was really anxious because Li Xuewu making a decision at this time was equivalent to making all his previous efforts go to waste.

Not only his plan, but also the layout in Hong Kong; his sons were frantically sweeping the market, buying a large amount of real estate resources, preparing to cash out capital with the Oriental Times Bank.

You say buying buildings at the bottom now doesn't lose money?

That depends on how you say it. If it's cash with a surplus in hand, it doesn't matter; at worst, it's pressed in hand for a period of time.

But do you think this is an individual buying a building?

Commercial activities must inevitably involve capital investment. The Lou family's foundation in Hong Kong wasn't very large, and there wasn't much liquid capital to supply this game.

But facing tons of gold, how could the Lou family's sons miss it?

Because their father was an insider, they had already made a move to set the game.

Loans were already too late; they used mortgage usury, preparing to teach the capital spokesperson, the little sister who had just arrived in Hong Kong, what business was.

If the plan was achieved, not only would the father's tons of gold be cashed out, but by then, this so-called capital bank would also have to change its surname to Lou.

Not the Lou of Lou Xiaoe, but the real Lou.

Born of the third wife, how could she be worthy of a Lou surname?

Saying it was the third wife, actually it was a concubine, a shield that Lou Yu brought by his side that could be discarded at any time.

If he were really left alone in the capital, who would believe his loyalty?

Now the third wife was taking advantage of the right time and place to become the legal wife left in the mainland, and the dead girl of the third wife could also take charge of the family affairs; wasn't this turning the world upside down?

Therefore, the Lou family in Hong Kong, after more than ten years of baptism, had already become capital-minded, and decided to take back everything that belonged to them and didn't belong to them.

Those so-called plans in the mainland were all nonsense in their eyes; what kind of control over Hong Kong's economic development.

Fart!

The big shots here wouldn't dare to say this; a few big circle boys had no economic ability.

People from the mainland coming to Hong Kong for economy and investment—isn't this a joke?

As for them reprocessing on the father's original plan, this matter didn't need to be told to the father.

What?

Father is in the mainland, will there be danger?

What does it have to do with them? Father is living with the third wife; if something happens, it's because the third wife didn't take good care of him.

They hadn't thought about how the people in the mainland would treat their father if so much money had any accidents in Hong Kong.

Li Xuewu helped them think of it and prevented such things from happening.

Lou Yu thought he had found his family and was then noticed by Comrade Comrade Ji Weidong and others.

But he didn't know that Li Xuewu had used the relationship of the Investigation Department to know that he had children and grandchildren all over the place earlier than he did.

It was nothing more than this little trick; the Investigation Department pays attention to breaking ten thousand laws with one force; they don't care about any rules.

Li Xuewu used organizational relationships and economic interests to weave a net that isolated each other; whoever dared to destroy this net would be finished off.

Do you think Lou Yu's worry was unnecessary?

Following Lou Jie had been eyeing the Lou family in Hong Kong from the beginning; otherwise, why do you think she was so paranoid about wanting a child from Li Xuewu?

Poor children become independent early; children from wealthy families become prodigals early.

The Lou family in Hong Kong thought Following Lou Jie's money was theirs, not knowing that Following Lou Jie also thought their money was hers.

Li Xuewu and Comrade Comrade Ji Weidong had the same idea; they didn't want the money of the Lou family in Hong Kong. As long as Lou Yu didn't make a move, having children and grandchildren all over the place or having wealth and glory was irrelevant.

But now that Lou Yu had done something wrong, they still didn't want the money of the Lou family in Hong Kong, but they wanted the lives of his whole family.

Do you know what kind of person Comrade Comrade Ji Weidong is?

When did the Investigation Department ever feel that making people disappear was a difficult thing?

Do you know what kind of person Li Xuewu is?

If it weren't for social rules restraining him, he wouldn't be much kinder than Comrade Comrade Ji Weidong.

So when Lou Yu was about to stand up in excitement, Li Xuewu pressed his shoulder and whispered in his ear: "Don't make it difficult for me, and don't make it embarrassing for Following Lou Jie."

"What do you want to do?"

Lou Yu was truly panicked now; he was afraid, afraid that Li Xuewu would take action, and even more afraid that his own daughter would take action.

If Li Xuewu took action, the whole family would be on the offering table, the whole family neat and tidy.

If his own daughter took action, the whole family would be on the street; neat and tidy couldn't be guaranteed.

How the first and second wives treated their mother and daughter in those years, if others didn't know, could he, the head of the family, not know?

So saying Li Xuewu was fierce, his own daughter wasn't a kind person either.

The daughter in the past could be said to be delicate and kind, but that was only because she hadn't met a good person.

"Good person" Li Xuewu patted his old father-in-law's shoulder again and said: "It's not what we do, it depends on Following Lou Jie; I can't take action before her; this doesn't conform to the rules."

After speaking, he turned and walked to the door, but stood still under Lou Yu's gaze.

Only then did Li Xuewu turn his back to Lou Yu and say in an unquestionable tone: "You work hard; if the club is managed well, Following Lou Jie will also be happy."

After speaking, the person disappeared at the door. Lou Yu wanted to chase, but no matter what, he couldn't move his feet.

Having his initiative exposed, and wanting to save the situation by force, but the other party had pulled the firewood from under the cauldron, and with another move of leading the sheep away, he became a lonely person.

Regarding the Hong Kong affairs, he didn't need to think about how to explain it to his wife when he got home, because it was unnecessary.

"How was the talk?"

Yu Li saw Li Xuewu go downstairs and stood at the office door looking at him.

Li Xuewu smiled and said: "Quite good; a consensus was reached in a harmonious atmosphere."

Yu Li had an expression of 'I believe your ghost,' hugged her arms, and glanced upstairs; only then did she ask: "Didn't use force, right? After all, he's an old man."

"What kind of person do you take me for?!"

Li Xuewu looked at her with a shocked expression, full of grievance, and asked: "I have the image of a humble gentleman; when have I ever used force against people?"

"Eww~~ ya~"

Yu Li looked at him with a disgusted expression and scolded: "It's fine to lie to others, but you're lying to me too?"

"I'm truly speechless."

Li Xuewu glanced into the office and complained: "It's like this at home, and it's still like this with you; what about the most basic trust between people?"

After speaking, he gestured to the inside of the office and asked: "Where's that kid?"

Yu Li twitched the corner of her mouth and

"Hmm???"

Li Xuewu looked at her in confusion and asked, "What on earth is the same as me?"

"We both like young ones~"

Yu Li curled her lip and said, "As soon as you see Zhou Xiaobai and the others, you follow them; I don't know where you are."

After saying this, she turned and headed back into the room, saying as she walked, "If you want to find them, go find them yourself."

"Hiss~~ Hey~"

Li Xuewu watched her enter the room with amusement, then stepped toward the training ground.

It wasn't that he wanted to exercise, but there was a movie theater over at the training ground.

Movies were shown there every Sunday, and usually, Mai Qinglan's parents would also perform a few short segments there with Tong Huimei and Jin Jiaojiao.

Mai Qinglan's parents treated this place as a sanctuary; aside from the initial anxiety of the first few days, they had grown accustomed to life in the courtyard.

If it were in the past, they wouldn't have dared to dream that they could one day live in such a residence.

Now that they had the status of instructors and were teaching two students, it actually added some interest to their lives.

When Li Xuewu walked into this two-story building, singing was going on intermittently inside.

The reason it was intermittent was that after Tong Huimei and Jin Jiaojiao finished a segment or a line, Mai's father and mother would provide corrections and critiques.

This kind of "spoon-feeding" teaching would naturally be impossible in a school, but now that they had ample time and energy, they naturally wanted to strive for perfection.

Even in earlier years, traditional master-apprentice teaching wasn't this meticulous; it was usually "teach when you think of it, and if you can't remember, just wait."

Tong Huimei and Jin Jiaojiao were mid-way students who had brought their own skills to the apprenticeship, and with Li Xuewu acting as the layman guarantor, the relationship between the master and apprentices had taken on a very unusual meaning.

Mai's father and mother were mindful of Li Xuewu's kindness and were also considerate of their daughter and son-in-law, so they naturally put their heart and soul into Li Xuewu's request.

Furthermore, Tong Huimei and Jin Jiaojiao had a solid foundation and were sincere in their apprenticeship, so they were also working hard with a sense of determination.

This was the scene Li Xuewu saw: one side willing to learn, the other willing to teach, very harmonious.

Mai's father held a small mallet, tapping out the rhythm for the two, while also singing on the side—he couldn't have been busier.

Mai's mother stood in the middle of the stage, correcting their posture while singing along with them.

Jin Jiaojiao, however, had sharp eyes; even though there was only stage lighting, she still saw someone enter from the doorway and sit in a seat on the side.

She didn't know who had come, but her heart felt a bit unsettled.

As soon as Jin Jiaojiao's singing faltered, Tong Huimei noticed something was wrong—this little sister wasn't usually this sloppy, was she?

"What's going on?"

Mai's mother was a bit anxious; the segment they were just singing wasn't very difficult, so why couldn't she do it?

"I'm sorry, Master, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Jin Jiaojiao apologized repeatedly, but her eyes kept glancing toward the direction of the seats at the entrance.

Mai's father also saw her small movements and followed his wife's gaze to look over.

Li Xuewu stood up with an apologetic look on his face and applauded, walking forward as he said, "I heard the sound and came in; I'm truly sorry for disturbing your practice."

"Ah!"

Seeing that it was him who had returned, Jin Jiaojiao exclaimed in surprise, then quickly covered her mouth with her hand.

Tong Huimei also looked at Li Xuewu with burning eyes, then pulled Jin Jiaojiao's hand to make her restrain herself.

Mai's father had long since stood up and walked off the stage to shake hands with Li Xuewu, smiling as they exchanged pleasantries.

Li Xuewu naturally had to respect his brother's father-in-law, and his words were filled with respect and deference, making Mai's father feel his goodwill.

"I just got back a few days ago, and it happened to be a Sunday off."

He first explained his itinerary so Tong Huimei and Jin Jiaojiao would understand. Seeing their eyes seemed to show they understood, he asked Mai's father and mother, "Are you getting used to living here?"

"We're doing great."

Mai's mother also walked down from the stage and said to Li Xuewu with a smile, "Qinglan made a phone call; she's doing well over there too, so don't let me worry. With you looking after them, what do we have to worry about?"

"That's good."

Li Xuewu smiled and instructed, "If you need anything, just tell Yu Li, the business director here; I've already given her instructions."

"It's really too much trouble."

Mai's mother smiled politely, "Living here is already adding to your troubles, how could we..."

"We're family, no need for such talk."

Li Xuewu looked toward the stage; Tong Huimei and the other girl were standing there, observing the rules and not coming over to talk, looking quite pretty.

Mai's father also knew a thing or two, so he told his wife that they would rest for today and continue the lesson tomorrow.

The couple exchanged a few more pleasantries with Li Xuewu and then left.

Li Xuewu saw them off, stood in front of the stage again, and smiled at the two young women who were still in costume on stage.

"What are you looking at~?"

Jin Jiaojiao gave him a charming, playful rebuke; Li Xuewu's gaze was simply too intense.

Li Xuewu looked back, found a seat in the middle of the front row, and said to the two on stage, "I've come to check your homework and see if there's any progress."

"Pfft~"

Jin Jiaojiao circled around from the side of the stage, came to Li Xuewu's side, and sat down next to him, teasing, "You don't understand opera, do you~"

"But I have eyes, don't I~"

Li Xuewu's arm was held by her; he smiled and tapped her forehead, saying, "Have you been slacking off?"

As he spoke, he examined her makeup and asked, "Have you been eating well lately? Why have you gained weight?"

"I think so too! ~"

Jin Jiaojiao helplessly cupped her face and said coquettishly, "Master has already scolded me; if I gain any more weight, I'll only be able to play little maids."

"I told you to eat less."

At this moment, Tong Huimei also walked over to Li Xuewu's side and sat down, saying to her little sister, "When have you ever listened to me?"

Perhaps because they had just been singing opera, her speech also carried an operatic tone, which Li Xuewu found quite interesting.

Perhaps it was because they hadn't seen each other for a good while; Jin Jiaojiao had a lively personality and didn't mind the sudden distance, acting very close.

Tong Huimei, however, was a bit hesitant; that was just her nature.

But seeing that Li Xuewu's attitude toward Jin Jiaojiao was still doting, she unconsciously regained her former sense of closeness.

Li Xuewu turned his head to examine her and asked, "Why have you lost weight?"

After saying this, he asked Jin Jiaojiao, "Did you steal your sister's food?"

"Ah~ that's not it at all~!"

Jin Jiaojiao shook his arm unhappily and pouted, "It's my sister who wants to diet. She listened to Master and wants to master the 'Qingyi' role, so she needs to look thin and frail."

"But you can't actually get thin and frail~"

Li Xuewu pulled Tong Huimei's hand and said, "Use physical techniques to compensate; your health is what's important."

After saying this, he patted her hand, reached his hand into her sleeve, and said with a straight face, "Let me see if there's any meat left on you."

"Eep~"

When had Tong Huimei ever had such intimate actions with Li Xuewu in this kind of setting?

It wasn't exactly in public, but there were usually many people here; what if someone saw them!

She wanted to reject Li Xuewu's playfulness, but she just didn't have the strength; meeting him was like meeting a fated rival.

Jin Jiaojiao covered her mouth and laughed, "Aren't you ashamed? Brother, are you doing this on purpose~"

"Hmm, then let me check yours."

He knew perfectly well to be mindful of appearances; he was just teasing Tong Huimei earlier.

Seeing her ears turn red, he had to let her go and went to scare Jin Jiaojiao instead.

Jin Jiaojiao wasn't afraid of him; she puffed out her little chest and looked at him haughtily, saying, "I haven't lost weight, if you don't believe me, feel for yourself."

"Still talking? You don't know shame either~"

Tong Huimei lightly patted her sister across Li Xuewu and pouted, "How can you be like this~"

Li Xuewu felt Tong Huimei's seemingly intentional closeness, especially the sensation coming from his arm, thinking that this girl was also unwilling to admit defeat.

He had just said she might have lost weight, and she took the initiative to show him that she hadn't.

"I met a hooligan today."

Li Xuewu laughed heartily and emphasized, "And it was a woman."

"What is that~"

Jin Jiaojiao blushed and lightly patted Li Xuewu's arm, pouting, "Didn't you want to see~ why are you blaming me again~"

The theater was empty, with only the three of them in the front row; their voices and his laughter echoed, carrying a hint of flirtatiousness.

Just as the three were laughing and talking, a small head poked out from the theater door, looked inside, and then pulled back.

But as if to confirm something, the little head poked in again to take a look, and only then did it shout, "Wu Shu? Is that you?"

The three who were laughing in front were interrupted by this sudden child's voice and turned their heads in unison to look.

"I guessed you were here!"

Banggeng ran in from the entrance, then suddenly stopped, turned back to pull open the door, and said to the outside, "Wu Shu is here, I found him~"

Hearing the child's voice, Tong Huimei and Jin Jiaojiao stood up immediately, their expressions instantly becoming awkward.

Li Xuewu noticed their startled-bird expressions and gave a slight smile to comfort them, "Go back and pack your things first; I'll send you home in a while."

"Okay."

Jin Jiaojiao didn't dare to tease anymore; she let Tong Huimei agree, and they went back to the backstage together to change their clothes.

As for Banggeng, he was making a noisy fuss, still excited about finding Wu Shu, just like playing hide-and-seek.

But when he ran up to Wu Shu, he felt a chill down his spine.

"Wu Shu, why are you looking at me like that?"

"Banggeng, didn't you say you wanted to learn wrestling?"

Li Xuewu smiled like the Big Bad Wolf and "gently" patted the child's chubby face, saying, "Come on, Wu Shu will teach you wrestling right now."

"That... Wu Shu, I suddenly don't want to learn anymore!"

Who was Banggeng? He was very cunning. As soon as he saw Wu Shu's expression was off, he became alert immediately.

He dodged Wu Shu's outstretched hand, hurriedly said he didn't want to learn anymore, and turned to run.

Li Xuewu, however, stood where he was, and with just one sentence, he made the "Big-Faced Cat" walk back with a mournful face.

"Are you planning to walk home?"

"Wu Shu~~~"

Banggeng whined, "Can we not learn wrestling~"

"Sure~"

Li Xuewu seemed very open-minded, smiling as he asked, "Who sent you here, and what did you see just now?"

"What?"

Banggeng raised his chubby face and looked at Li Xuewu blankly, asking, "Sister Xiaobai is looking for you, we split up to search, I saw..."

He frowned and asked in confusion, "I didn't see anything, I just saw you."

"What did you see of me?"

Li Xuewu looked into his eyes with a wicked smile, like a devil about to eat someone.

Banggeng was scared out of his wits; he had never seen such a wicked Wu Shu before, and he said with a mournful face, "I didn't see anything, I just heard your voice and came over."

He had wanted to ask earlier where the two young ladies he saw when he entered had gone.

Now that he was being asked by Wu Shu, how could he not know that he was asking about the young ladies?

This child was clever; he already had a vague understanding of adult matters, but he didn't think there was anything wrong with Wu Shu's side, only thinking that Wu Shu was afraid he would talk about "men and women" things.

Could he say that? If he said it, wouldn't he be worked to death by Wu Shu?

"I really didn't see anything, it's pitch black in here..."

"Really?"

Li Xuewu pinched the "Big-Faced Cat" and smiled, saying, "Don't lie to me, okay~"

"How could that be~"

Banggeng said solemnly, "I wouldn't dare lie to you, even if I lied to anyone else; I don't have the guts."

Just as they were talking, Zhou Xiaobai walked in from outside. Seeing Li Xuewu pinching Banggeng's cheeks, she smiled and said, "This child is really fat."

"Did you come to find me?"

Li Xuewu looked at her with a smile, then turned back to look at Banggeng.

This kid's eyes were darting around; he was definitely not the "silly and honest" type.

"Secretary Wang and Secretary-General Zhou have arrived and are looking for you for a meeting."

Zhou Xiaobai smiled and rubbed Banggeng's head, explaining to Li Xuewu, "Brother Huang and the others are there too; they asked me to come call you."

"Mm-hmm, I got it."

Li Xuewu pointed at Banggeng and said, "He's in your hands now. Make sure he eats early; I'm not eating tonight, I'm going home."

"Oh~"

Zhou Xiaobai had eaten with Li Xuewu at noon and had hoped to spend a little more time with him in the evening, but she hadn't expected him not to stay for dinner.

Well, that made sense; he had a home and family to accompany.

Seeing Li Xuewu's instructions, she smiled and agreed, promising to do it well.

After Li Xuewu left, Zhou Xiaobai teased Banggeng and asked, "Why was he pinching your cheeks?"

"It was all for you~"

Banggeng knew how to complain now, and said very hurt, "Oh my~ it hurts so much~"

"Really?"

No matter how naive Zhou Xiaobai was, she knew that Li Xuewu wouldn't really bully a child he brought along.

But seeing the child's expression didn't look like he was faking it, she reached out and helped him rub his chubby cheeks.

Banggeng felt the young lady's hand, his ears began to turn red unnaturally, and his heart pounded.

"Sister Xiaobai, what kind of boys do you like?"

"Huh?"

Zhou Xiaobai hadn't expected this chubby kid to ask such a thing. Seeing his expression, how could she not know the child's thoughts?

She was just a girl herself, so she teased him on purpose, "Why are you asking me that?"

"No... nothing, just asking."

Banggeng stammered, managed to get out a complete sentence, and looked at Zhou Xiaobai expectantly.

Zhou Xiaobai looked so beautiful when she pursed her lips and smiled, better than all the girls in their class.

"I like~~~"

Zhou Xiaobai pretended to be thinking and said, "He has to be a real man, able to protect me, and he has to have talent."

Hearing the first two conditions, Banggeng stood up straight like a little rooster, chest out and head high, looking like he could block a bullet for Sister Xiaobai at any moment.

But when he heard the third condition, he suddenly felt deflated.

"Sister Xiaobai, what is talent?"

"Talent, huh~ talent is..."

Zhou Xiaobai was a bit vague, but she already had a template for the man she was interested in in her heart. She smiled and said, "Just like your Wu Shu, able to speak and write, able to fight and struggle—as long as he's like that, it's fine."

"Huh? ~~~"

Banggeng let out a heartbroken sound of disbelief, as if he had lost something.

"My Wu Shu... I..."

He hung his head with a mournful face, not daring to look at Sister Xiaobai again, as if his soul had left his body.

"What's wrong?"

Zhou Xiaobai pursed her lips and smiled, asking, "You're still so young; if you study hard, you can become someone like your Wu Shu."

"That's not it~"

Banggeng sighed and said, "My grandma said, out of a hundred kids, you can't even grow one Wu Shu."

Actually, the original words were: "Out of a hundred kids, you can't grow one scoundrel like the Li family's second son."

Of course, that was a long time ago. He remembered it, but he knew he couldn't say it like that, otherwise he would have to "learn" wrestling.

"Oh~~~ so your Wu Shu is that outstanding~"

Zhou Xiaobai smiled, glanced toward the backstage, and walked outside with Banggeng, saying as they walked, "No wonder so many girls like him."

"How do you know that!!!"

Banggeng looked like he had seen a ghost. After saying this, he covered his mouth and said solemnly, "I really didn't say a word!"

"Giggle~"

Zhou Xiaobai was amused by his childish manner. After they got outside, she instructed, "Don't tell anyone about this, or Sister Xiaobai won't like you anymore."

"Mm-hmm."

Banggeng nodded repeatedly and said, "Even if you didn't tell me, I wouldn't blabber about it; Wu Shu would use me as a punching bag!"

After saying this, he looked at Zhou Xiaobai expectantly and asked, "Sister Xiaobai, do... do you like me too?"

"Of course~"

Zhou Xiaobai mimicked Li Xuewu's gesture and pinched Banggeng's chubby cheeks, smiling, "I really don't see many kids as chubby as you."

"Waa~"

Banggeng rubbed his cheeks, but his face was full of satisfied smiles, looking silly and honest.

"Sister Xiaobai, then... then I like you too~"

"Good, good, good."

Zhou Xiaobai smiled and agreed as if coaxing a child. She rubbed his head and said, "Come on, I'll take you to find something to eat; the kitchen should be open by now."

"Thank you, Sister Xiaobai, you're so nice~"

Banggeng followed Zhou Xiaobai around like a little puppy, his face full of flattery and expectation.

Seeing no one was around, he took the initiative to show his concern, "Sister Xiaobai, let me tell you, you should stay away from my Wu Shu."

"Why?"

Zhou Xiaobai looked at him in confusion, her eyes full of doubt, "Is he a bad person?"

Banggeng shook his head and said, "He's not that bad... I mean... um... he's not very..."

He was stared at by Zhou Xiaobai, and he started stammering again.

He was too shy to express his youthful infatuation, but he was afraid Sister Xiaobai would be tricked by Wu Shu.

After all, he knew a thing or two about Wu Shu's charm.

For details, please see the grand, suspenseful, comedic, romantic story: "The Little Aunt Who Came to the City, Qin Jingru~"