Chapter 146
All the way from the community to the airport, the blush on Lu Lingxi's face didn't fade away. He was thinking hard about where this booklet had come from. He had packed his own bag last night and kept it by his bed in his room. In addition to him, only Xiao Feng and Wang Shuxiu could enter the room, but Xiao Feng usually wouldn't go there. It could only be… Wang Shuxiu. Whenever he thought of his mother putting this booklet in his bag, Lu Lingxi felt blushing beyond belief. It was good he was not at home these days, but how should he face his mother when he returned from Kunnan?
Lu Lingxi's emotions were all written on his face, and Yan Yue's heart was itchy when he saw it; but knowing that Xiao Xi was thin-skinned, he could only pretend that he hadn't seen anything and quietly guided Lu Lingxi to talk about other topics.
As they were out of the city, the journey went very smoothly and the originally expected forty minutes only took half an hour. When they arrived at the airport, Elder Zhang and Elder Zhao had not yet arrived. Lu Lingxi looked around curiously, finding everything he saw interesting.
Yan Yue accompanied him, his eyes doting as he looked at Lu Lingxi. He somewhat regretted not taking the young man to different places earlier. If he remembered correctly, this should be Lu Lingxi's first time going out.
"What's that?" Lu Lingxi gestured to the security check device in the distance.
"A device to check if passengers are carrying dangerous items." Yan Yue took his hand, explaining, and finished in a soft voice, "If Xiao Xi likes it, we can come out for a trip once every six months in the future, how about that?"
As soon as he finished speaking he saw Lu Lingxi's eyes light up as he nodded vigorously. Yan Yue couldn't help but rub Lu Lingxi's hair. The young man's eyes were clear and crystal bright, like the twinkling stars in the night sky, looking at him with such expectation and trust that it made his heart indescribably happy.
The two of them were talking when Elder Zhang greeted them from afar, "Xiao Xi."
Lu Lingxi turned around and saw Elder Zhang and Elder Zhao walking over together with a smile on their faces. Beforehand, Elder Zhang already knew that Yan Yue was also going to Kunnan together with them and insistiny on covering his and Lu Lingxi's expenses himself. Therefore, Elder Zhang wasn't surprised to see Yan Yue, and even when his eyes swept over Lu Lingxi's hand held by Yan Yue, he had a kind expression on his face.
After the four of them met, they quickly received their boarding passes. Their luggage wasn't too much and boarding went very smoothly. Yan Yue and Lu Lingxi's seats were the last row of double seats by the window. Yan Yue had just put his luggage away when he saw Lu Lingxi leaning to the window looking out curiously. As the plane took off, the buildings on the ground floor continued to get smaller and smaller, and Lu Lingxi couldn't see anything after looking for a while. Yan Yue had been indulging his behaviour, and seeing that he seemed to have lost interest in the outside, he smiled and stroked his hair, asking, "It's a three-hour flight, does Xiao Xi want to take a nap?"
Lu Lingxi gave a muffled "en". He hadn't slept for long last night due to his excitement, and now that the excitement had worn off and the sleepiness had set in, it was the perfect time to catch up on sleep on the plane. As he said that, he found a comfortable position on Yan Yue's shoulder, closed his eyes and quickly fell asleep.
As Yan Yue watched him sleep, he instructed the flight attendant to bring a blanket. Although the temperature outside was high, it was a little cold on the plane with the air conditioning on, so it would be bad to sleep for a long time and catch a cold. Carefully putting the blanket over Lu Lingxi, Yan Yue was quiet for a while. Then he looked at Lu Lingxi's backpack and suddenly thought of the booklet. Even if Lu Lingxi hadn't said anything, Yan Yue could still guess what was going on with the booklet. He imagined Wang Shuxiu's tangled mood, and he couldn't help but feel a little moved in his heart.
Because of his family, Yan Yue didn't have a deep understanding of the meaning of the word 'mother'. It was only after he met Lu Lingxi, and from the relationship between Lu Lingxi and Wang Shuxiu that he slowly came to understand what it meant. At this time… Yan Yue pulled out the booklet from the bag. He believed that Wang Shuxiu might not like him in her heart, nor might she accept him now, but she still prepared such a booklet. Maybe this is… the heart of a mother!
Yan Yue glanced sideways at Lu Lingxi's sleeping face, stretched out his hand to push away the messy hair on his forehead and touched his face with great affection. He wanted to bow his head and kiss the young man, but he was afraid of being seen by the people around him. Suppressing the impulse in his heart, he rubbed the boy's lips with his fingers, then smiled softly, retracted his hand and looked at the booklet in his hand seriously.
Halfway through the flight, Lu Lingxi woke up in a daze. Feeling the familiar aura beside him, he rubbed against the man next to him dependently and asked vaguely, "What time is it?"
Yan Yue quickly grabbed the blanket that almost fell to the floor due to Lu Lingxi's movements and covered Lu Lingxi's body again. He stretched out his hand and touched Lu Lingxi's forehead, whispering, "There is still an hour, do you want to drink some water?"
Lu Lingxi shook his head, not feeling thirsty. He opened his eyes blankly, just in time to see the booklet Yan Yue had placed on his lap. The booklet was unfolded, and on the upward page were two naked cartoon figures hugging each other. Lu Lingxi blinked his eyes and almost immediately came to his senses. The blush burned his face once more, and even his neck was red.
"Big Brother Yan…" Lu Lingxi buried his face in Yan Yue's shoulder with a muffled cry.
Yan Yue held back a laugh and patted his back, coaxing in a whisper, "It's human nature, there's nothing to be ashamed of."
Lu Lingxi sat up straighter with a frown on his face and said vaguely, "…it's from Mom." What he was embarrassed about wasn't the booklet, but the person who gave him the booklet.
Yan Yue guessed what he was thinking and could no longer hold back a chuckle, earning a disgruntled look from Lu Lingxi in return. He tried hard to suppress his laughter and tried to sound sincere, "I know, this is your mom's heart, let's not let it down, okay?"
Lu Lingxi: "…"
All the way to Kunnan, the smile on Yan Yue's face didn't disappear. He thought of the shyness mixed with shock on Lu Lingxi's face, and only felt that the urge in his body was about to become impossible to suppress. If only he and Lu Lingxi were alone now, Yan Yue thought to himself, reaching out to hold Lu Lingxi's hand under the cover of the luggage cart.
As soon as the group of four left the hall, they saw the person who came to pick them up. The man was one of Elder Zhao's nephews, who looked to be in his thirties, named Zhao Jian. He was very close to Elder Zhao. Zhao Jian had already booked a hotel for them, the one located next to the Kunnan Botanical Garden. He suggested that they should go to the hotel and drop off their luggage before going to a very well-known restaurant near the hotel for dinner.
Elder Zhao agreed with a smile on behalf of everyone.
Zhao Jian had deliberately come in a business car to pick up the people. Lu Lingxi was about to get into the car when his mobile phone suddenly rang, and the caller ID was Fang Lei.
"Brother Fang?"
"Are you in the shop now? I have to go on a business trip for half a month. Can Xiaohui be boarded at your place for a few days?" Fang Lei said as soon as the call was connected.
Lu Lingxi reacted with some embarrassment, "Brother Fang, I am now in Kunnan, and the shop is under the care of Brother Tiger. If you don't worry, just leave Xiaohui to Brother Tiger."
"Kunnan? You've gone to Kunnan? Yan Yue is with you?" Fang Lei seemed very surprised.
Lu Lingxi affirmed.
Fang Lei smiled, "It's just a coincidence that the place I'm going on a business trip is also Kunnan, so I'll treat you guys to dinner when I arrive."
Knowing that Lu Lingxi wasn't in Fengcheng, Fang Lei didn't mention the matter of fostering Xiaohui again. Lu Lingxi's suggestion of Tiger was well-intentioned, but when he thought about Xiaohui's temper, Fang Lei really didn't dare to give him to a stranger.
After hanging up the phone, Lu Lingxi thought of reporting to his family that he was safe. But when he thought of the booklet, he didn't know how to speak to Wang Shuxiu. After hesitating for a few seconds, Lu Lingxi pressed Wang Shuxiu's number, and the other party quickly picked up.
"Mom…"
He was interrupted by Wang Shuxiu before he could finish his sentence, "Xiao Xi, you're here? I see, something's going on right now, I'll call you back later."
"Oh, okay, Mom." Lu Lingxi said obediently.
"What?" Yan Yue heard something wrong and asked.
Lu Lingxi shook his head, "Mom said she had something going on right now and would call me later."
Elder Zhang in the front row laughed at their fuss, "Xiao Xi reminded me, I should also report a safe arrival to my family."
As they joked and laughed over here, Wang Shuxiu, who was far away in Fengcheng, hung up the phone, took a deep breath and looked up at the old man in front of her, saying with a sullen face, "You've mistaken him for someone else."
Chapter 147
"You've mistaken him for someone else."
At the entrance of the small restaurant, Wang Shuxiu stood unhappily, with a very cold expression on her face.
Opposite her was Elder Lu, Lu Hengchuan. Lu Hengchuan wasn't surprised with Wang Shuxiu's attitude. He looked at Wang Shuxiu with a slightly critical look, and his tone was authoritative, "Whether you admit it or not, Lu Lingxi is still a child of the Lu family. Over the years, the Lu family owed the father and son. You have already divorced Yishui so let's not talk about it, but Xiao Xi, I hope, can acknowledge his ancestors and the Lu family will compensate him for what he has suffered all these years."
What Lu Hengchuan said was reasonable, but Wang Shuxiu almost laughed angrily. She rolled her eyes impatiently at Lu Hengchuan and sneered, "What's the matter with you, old man, don't you have any grandchildren in your family? Running to someone else's house to grab a grandson, are you that unethical? What, your grandsons are incapable of filial piety, and now that our Xiao Xi has reached some success, you're coming to claim your grandson? Why don't you ask around? Am I, Wang Shuxiu, a person who sells her children? What kind of compensation can there be? Bah!"
She scolded him energetically and before Lu Hengchuan could say anything, the assistant behind Lu Hengchuan stepped forward and rebuked her coldly, "How do you talk, you…"
Lu Hengchuan raised his hand to interrupt the assistant's words, looked deeply at Wang Shuxiu, and said in a low voice: "Do you know what it means for Lu Lingxi to acknowledge his ancestors? What the Lu family can give him is something that you can never give."
Wang Shuxiu didn't bother to argue with him and scolded him spitefully, "The Lu family, the Lu family, what is the Lu family, do you think everyone in the world cares about the Lu family? I'm telling you, you've got the wrong person, don't you understand human language? Don't think that I am a woman who is easy to bully? I won't be bullied by you!"
As soon as she stood with her arms akimbo, Yi Hang, who had been watching the situation outside the small restaurant, immediately rushed out with the waiters and shielded Wang Shuxiu. "What's the matter? What's going on? Is this old man here to smash the venue (deliberately make trouble on someone else's territory to ruin its reputation)? Several men bullying one lady, how shameless! Lao Si, call Brother Feng and tell him that someone has come to smash the venue."
Yi Hang shot a long list of questions, and Bai Yuan, who was following behind, immediately gave an "eek" and turned to call Xiao Feng.
Lu Hengchuan glanced at Yi Hang sharply. Yi Hang felt a bit frightened in his heart, but his face didn't change at all, and he stared back fiercely. It was noon now, there were a lot of people in the small restaurant, and people were already talking about what was going on. Lu Hengchuan frowned. After all, he was a dignified man and he really didn't want to argue with Wang Shuxiu in broad daylight. He took a deep breath, endured Wang Shuxiu and Yi Hang's insolence, and motioned to the assistant to leave first. Before getting in the car, Lu Hengchuan paused and turned to look at Wang Shuxiu, "I will come again. I hope you can think carefully about what is really good for Lu Lingxi."
"Just come, do you think we are afraid of you?!" Yi Hang exclaimed.
Lu Hengchuan snorted, not taking Yi Hang seriously at all. As soon as he left, Yi Hang immediately came up to Wang Shuxiu and said suspiciously, "Sister Hua, what's going on, this old man knows Lao San?"
Wang Shuxiu didn't say anything with a sullen face and kept watching Lu Hengchuan's car drive away. Yi Hang still wanted to ask something else and Wang Shuxiu waved her hand angrily, "Who knows where this crazy man came from. By the way, don't tell the little bastard about this matter yet, do you hear me?"
"Roger that." Yi Hang obediently agreed.
Wang Shuxiu originally came to the small restaurant alone after sending Lu Lingxi away, but now she was not in the mood to take care of the restaurant. After casually explaining some things to Yi Hang, Wang Shuxiu called Xiao Feng and said she would go home first. Her business at the small restaurant was done and Xiao Feng didn't need to rush over.
Without waiting for Xiao Feng to ask more questions, Wang Shuxiu hung up the phone. She walked back to the community by herself. On the way, she thought of what Lu Hengchuan said about acknowledging the ancestors and couldn't help but scold, "Old bastard."
In the past few years, Lu Yishui was so poor that he lived like a piece of trash. Why didn't he see the Lu family say that they wanted him to acknowledge his ancestors? Now that her Xiao Xi had achieved success, the old man was coming to say that he wanted to compensate. Was she that shallow? Don't think she didn't remember that the Lu family had the idea about the little bastard back then. Who knows if someone else has leukaemia now and the Lu family has remembered the little bastard. What a fucking unethical family!
The more she thought about it, the angrier Wang Shuxiu became, so she went home and drank half a glass of water in one gulp before she slowly got over it. She took a look at the time and was thinking of calling Lu Lingxi when Xiao Feng hurriedly returned from the greenhouse.
"Xiaohua."
Wang Shuxiu put down her phone, "Didn't I say it was all right, why are you back?"
Xiao Feng looked at her carefully for a few moments to make sure Wang Shuxiu was okay before asking with a sigh of relief, "What's wrong? Bai Yuan said that someone had gone to the restaurant to smash the venue, who was so bold?"
Wang Shuxiu smiled, "With you around who dares to smash the venue? This matter is not what Xiao Yuan said. However, you can help me come up with an idea."
She was going to tell him that Lu Hengchuan was looking for Xiao Xi. Wang Shuxiu didn't want to hide this matter from Xiao Feng. Xiao Feng was now Xiao Xi's father and the family should be a family. She briefly told the story and Xiao Feng was a little surprised to hear it, "Xiao Xi's grandfather came looking for him?"
"Bah!" Wang Shuxiu said discontentedly, "Xiao Xi's grandfather died long ago."
This was what Lu Yishui had told her when she met him. In fact Lu Yishui had lived for so long without knowing that he had a rich father. Originally Wang Shuxiu didn't know either. Lu Yishui's mother had kept this a secret and had told Lu Yishui since he was a child that his father was dead. Later, after Lu Lingxi was born, Lu Yishui's mother suddenly wanted to take Lu Lingxi to Zhongjing, saying that she was going to save someone, but Wang Shuxiu prevented her from doing so, and only during the argument did she learn that Lu Yishui's father wasn't dead, but simply disowned Lu Yishui, and that Lu Yishui was an illegitimate child.
Wang Shuxiu and her mother-in-law's relationship had turned very ugly because of this incident, but they were united in their goal and neither revealed this secret to Lu Yishui. When Xiao Xi returned later and Lu Yishui asked what happened, the two of them were vague about it. Wang Shuxiu didn't say anything because she knew Lu Yishui's nature; he was a scoundrel. If he had known that there was a rich father and this rich father's family was waiting for Lu Lingxi to save someone, he really could have sold his son. As for why Lu Yishui's mother didn't say anything, Wang Shuxiu figured out that her mother-in-law had been strong all her life, so she was probably afraid that Lu Yishui would acknowledge his father and would look down upon her.
"What do you think is going on with the Lu family, why do they suddenly want Xiao Xi to acknowledge his ancestors after such a long time?" Wang Shuxiu was puzzled. She didn't believe that Lu Hengchuan had found his conscience and realised that he had a grandson stranded outside and wanted to acknowledge him. If he wanted to acknowledge Lu Lingxi, he would have done it back then, it wasn't like he hadn't seen the little bastard at that time. Even if Lu Hengchuan had no feelings for the little bastard, Lu Yishui was still his son but he hadn't come to recognise him. It was clear that the old man had some calculations on his mind.
Wang Shuxiu had no good impression of the Lu family at all. She angrily brought up the incident when her mother-in-law wanted to take Lu Lingxi away and said with hatred: "Maybe someone in the Lu family has leukaemia again. The grandchildren at home can't be tossed, so they come to toss the grandson outside."
Although Xiao Feng felt that Xiaohua was speaking out of anger, he also felt that it wasn't that simple for the Lu family to recognise Lu Lingxi. Just like what Xiaohua said, if they wanted to recognise him, they would have done so long ago, they wouldn't have waited until now.
"Xiaohua, what do you want to do?"
Wang Shuxiu snorted, "Xiao Xi is my son, he has nothing to do with the Zhongjing Lu family. If they come again, we will call the police." What she couldn't decide was whether to tell Lu Lingxi about this. "Do you think I should tell Xiao Xi the truth or tell Xiao Xi that Lu Hengchuan is a liar?" Wang Shuxiu was now glad that Lu Lingxi wasn't in Fengcheng and she still had time to make up her mind.
"Tell the truth." Xiao Feng thought for a moment and said, "Xiao Xi has grown up, Xiaohua, you can't still treat him like a child."
"Then what if…" Wang Shuxiu was worried what if the little bastard was fooled by Lu Hengchuan and wanted to acknowledge his ancestors?
Xiao Feng knew what Wang Shuxiu was worried about and said with amusement, "Xiao Xi is not stupid. He won't be fooled with the strange appearance of the Lu family. Besides, there is still Yan Yue, with him as the gatekeeper no one can fool Xiao Xi."
Speaking of Yan Yue, a thought struck Wang Shuxiu's mind.
On one side, Wang Shuxiu and Xiao Feng were discussing how to deal with Lu Hengchuan, while on the other side, Lu Hengchuan was in the car going over the information his people had found, thinking about how to get Wang Shuxiu to let go. If it wasn't for the fact that Lu Lingxi and Wang Shuxiu were very close to each other, he wouldn't have thought much of Wang Shuxiu.
"Chairman, we've arrived at the hotel." The assistant interrupted Lu Hengchuan's thoughts.
Lu Hengchuan let out a sigh and got out of the car slowly. Once he entered the hotel, what caught his eyes was the greenery in the middle of the lobby. Lu Hengchuan looked at the green plants and thought of Lu Yishui and Lu Lingxi, the father and son. It was not that he didn't know about Lu Yishui being born, but he had many sons, so it didn't matter if there was one more or one less. When Lu Yishui grew up, Lu Hengchuan took a look at his qualifications and didn't bother with this son anymore. However, he didn't expect that Lu Yishui, the mud that couldn't hold the wall, would be able to give birth to a son who looked like a member of the Lu family and at a young age was doing a good job in business.
Lu Hengchuan had always practised the law of the jungle, the survival of the fittest. He gave his sons and grandsons the opportunity to showcase their abilities, but if they were not capable, they couldn't blame him for being left out. Originally, he had no intention of acknowledging Lu Lingxi, but he carefully investigated Lu Lingxi's cooperation with the Ye family and found that Elder Ye was actually serious. So, Lu Hengchuan had to think more about it.
If the so-called Zhugang was true, it would simply change the industrial structure of China and even the world. Faced with such a temptation, no one could remain unmoved. After careful consideration, Lu Hengchuan decided to allow Lu Lingxi to acknowledge his ancestors, as the Lu family was more suitable for cooperation with Lu Lingxi than the Ye family. If Zhugang was a fake and Elder Ye was confused, it didn't matter. Lu Lingxi was quite talented in gardening and would not lose face for the Lu family.
Lu Hengchuan has been strong all his life, and he had always followed his own mind in doing things. He thought that as long as he proposed to let Lu Lingxi acknowledge his ancestors and return to the family, no matter who it was, he would be grateful, but he didn't expect that Wang Shuxiu would jump out to express her opposition first.
This woman… Lu Hengchuan frowned in disgust; he didn't forget how back then she had rushed to Zhongjing and made a fuss to get Lu Lingxi back.
It seemed that this matter had to be discussed in the long run.
Chapter 148
When Yan Yue received the call from Wang Shuxiu, he was really surprised for a while. Excluding the possibility that Wang Shuxiu had dialled a wrong number, the only variant was that the other party was looking for him for something.
As expected, Wang Shuxiu's first question was whether Lu Lingxi was with Yan Yue. She had something to say and hoped that Yan Yue could avoid Lu Lingxi.
Yan Yue looked in the direction of the bathroom, took the phone and stood on the balcony, saying, "Xiao Xi is not here right now."
Wang Shuxiu let out a sigh of relief and told about Lu Lingxi's origin in a few words. She had nothing to hide from Yan Yue; although she didn't want to admit it in her heart, Yan Yue could almost be regarded as a half of Xiao Xi's family. "The Lu family is not a good thing, and I'm not sure what they are planning behind the scenes, but they will definitely come after Xiao Xi. I'll keep Fengcheng's side in check, so take Xiao Xi and play in Kunnan for a few more days and don't rush back yet. If the Lu family finds their way to Kunnan, watch out for them and don't let them find Xiao Xi."
Halfway across China, Wang Shuxiu seriously urged Yan Yue. She and Xiao Feng had discussed the matter, and she was sure that she had to tell Lu Lingxi about it, but not at this time. Lu Lingxi had never been out of Fengcheng before, and it was rare for him to go out, so Wang Shuxiu really didn't want to bother Lu Lingxi with this mess. She thought she would let Lu Lingxi have a good time for a few days and wait until he returned to Fengcheng to talk about these matters. But she was worried that the Lu family would shamelessly chase Lu Lingxi to Kunnan, so she spoke to Yan Yue first. Didn't Xiao Feng say that Yan Yue was capable? So she entrusted Yan Yue with the matter of stopping the Lu family.
When Wang Shuxiu finished speaking, Yan Yue's eyes darkened. His gaze was gentle and focused, like a quiet pool without ripples, calm but full of cold. "I see." His voice was steady, and all his emotions were suppressed in his heart.
Wang Shuxiu gave a few more instructions, telling Yan Yue to take care of Lu Lingxi. When Wang Shuxiu hung up, Yan Yue quietly looked at the courtyard, his eyes as sharp as the edge of a knife. He had not expected Xiao Xi to be involved with the Lu family in Zhongjing again. While Wang Shuxiu was worried about the Lu family pestering Xiao Xi, he was worried about how Xiao Xi would feel about this matter. From the time Xiao Xi was drunk last time until now, Yan Yue saw clearly that Xiao Xi didn't want to have any dealings with the Lu family. The reason he never mentioned the Lu family in front of Xiao Xi was because he didn't want to upset Xiao Xi. But this matter…
Wang Shuxiu didn't know the reason why the Lu family suddenly wanted Xiao Xi to acknowledge his ancestors, but Yan Yue guessed that it was Zhugang that had caused the trouble. He thought that the production of Zhugang would bring the existence of Xiao Xi to the attention of the Lu family, but he had never imagined that the subsequent development would be like this. If only he had known… Yan Yue sighed; there was no such thing as "if only" in this world.
He was deep in thought when the bathroom door behind him opened and Lu Lingxi ran out wearing a loose t-shirt and with his hair damp.
"Big Brother Yan?" Lu Lingxi glanced out towards the balcony, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, I've come out for some fresh air." Yan Yue turned around and looked at Lu Lingxi with a smile, his expression doting and gentle. There was no shadow of the gloomy look he had just had.
Lu Lingxi blinked and immediately believed Yan Yue's words. He had noticed as soon as he got off the plane today that compared to Fengcheng, Kunnan was a bit muggy. Zhao Jian said it was because it was cloudy and probably going to rain, and that it would be fine when the sky cleared. Thinking of this, Lu Lingxi also wanted to go outside for some air. He was just about to go out when Yan Yue stopped him.
"Don't go out until your hair is dry." Yan Yue said and went to look for the hairdryer provided by the hotel. Lu Lingxi obediently followed behind Yan Yue and sat cross-legged on the hotel's big bed, waiting for Yan Yue to blow his hair.
Xiaohei slithered over from the pillow and wrapped himself around Lu Lingxi's fingers. Lu Lingxi picked up Xiaohei in a good mood and asked with a smile, "Awake from your nap?"
Xiaohei nodded dumbly and waved his tail again in response to Lu Lingxi's question.
This time to Kunnan, Lu Lingxi didn't prepare to bring either Dahei or Xiaohei, but who knew that Xiaohei would actually secretly hide in the luggage, following them all the way to the plane. It was only when Lu Lingxi arrived at the hotel and started sorting out his luggage that he discovered Xiaohei's presence. It was a wonder that Xiaohei wasn't discovered by the security check and actually made it to Kunnan without incident. "Little villain." Lu Lingxi poked Xiaohei's tail and habitually tied it in a knot.
Xiaohei hissed twice and struggled to untie the knot. Lu Lingxi looked at Xiaohei and couldn't help but think of Dahei. "If only Dahei was this small, I could just tuck Dahei in wherever I want to take him."
Yan Yue walked back just in time to hear this and smiled, "Next time we drive out on our own, we can take Dahei with us."
Lu Lingxi nodded, tilting his face to look at Yan Yue trustingly. He had just taken a bath, and his eyes were clear and bright, like moistened gems, with not a trace of gloom visible in them. Yan Yue's heart trembled as he ran his hand through Lu Lingxi's soft, damp hair and held Lu Lingxi's entire body in his arms.
His light-coloured shirt was soon stained with water as Lu Lingxi pressed himself against Yan Yue's chest, listening to the strong heartbeat inside.
"Big Brother Yan." He called out vaguely.
Yan Yue hummed in a low voice and quietly hugged Lu Lingxi without speaking again.
Because he had an appointment with Elder Zhang to go to the botanical garden early the next day, and because he was tired from running all day, Lu Lingxi fell asleep before ten o'clock at night. Yan Yue kept holding him and kissed him on the lips as he slept, then carefully got up and took his mobile phone to the balcony.
Ye Kang, who received Yan Yue's call, was a bit surprised and joked, "You're actually calling me instead of holding Xiao Xi at this hour!"
Yan Yue didn't pay any attention to Ye Kang's jibe and said straight away, "The Zhongjing Lu family has approached Xiao Xi."
"What? The Lu family is looking for trouble with Xiao Xi?" Ye Kang immediately got serious. Although he wasn't very interested in doing business, it didn't mean that he didn't understand the twists and turns of it. The prospects of Zhugang were enormous, as evidenced by the fact that his old man at home didn't hesitate to invest in it. It was only natural that the Lu family wanted to have a hand in it. In comparison to the three investors of Zhugang, the Ye family was too powerful for the Lu family to move; Zheng Xinhe's fame and mastery of Zhugang's technology was the main reason for the Lu family to pull the strings; the only soft persimmon to squeeze was Tiny Garden that had little background to back it up.
His extrapolation was not wrong according to common sense; even Yan Yue thought so at first. It was just… Yan Yue said solemnly: "Xiao Xi's father, Lu Yishui, is Lu Hengchuan's illegitimate son. The Lu family came to ask Xiao Xi to acknowledge his ancestors and return to the family. "
"What? "Ye Kang suddenly raised his voice, completely shocked. "Ah Yue, are you telling the truth?" He reacted immediately. The Lu family forced Lu Lingxi to acknowledge his ancestors and return to the family, after all, it was still for Zhugang. It made sense for the Lu family to join in at that time.
"What did Xiao Xi say?" What Ye Kang is most concerned about now is Lu Lingxi's attitude.
Yan Yue's eyes were gloomy, and he said calmly: "Xiao Xi doesn't know yet, it was Xiao Xi's family who told me. They also don't want Xiao Xi to acknowledge his ancestors and return to the family."
"That's good." Ye Kang let out a sigh of relief, "As long as Xiao Xi is unwilling, the Lu family cannot force Xiao Xi to acknowledge them."
What he said was true, but the Lu family's actions had angered Yan Yue. Just as Wang Shuxiu had scolded, with the kind of life their family had been living before, the Lu family didn't even mention their existence. Now that they saw that there was something to gain, they immediately came up and started talking about acknowledging the ancestors. Lu Hengchuan had been so high and mighty for so long that he thought the whole world was revolving around him.
Yan Yue gently tapped on the balcony rail, his voice cold, "Ah Kang, go to An Jie tomorrow and tell him to follow the plan to reveal that the formula for the donglingcao in Yin Ya's hands is half-finished. Then report that Sun Li of the Food and Drug Administration has taken bribes, and make a big deal out of it."
Just before Yan Yue and Lu Lingxi came to Kunnan, Yin Ya finally applied for approval for the marketing of the new donglingcao drug with the help of the Lu family, and the contractor was none other than Sun Li of the Food and Drug Administration Bureau, who had been a friend of the Lu family for many years. Yan Yue had planned to postpone this matter for some time, waiting for Hopewell to invest more in the new drug before everything exploded, but now Yan Yue decided to move the plan ahead. The main target of the attack had also changed from Hopewell to the Lu family.
The Lu family had cooperated with Sun Li for many years, and basically all the new drugs they developed were handled by Sun Li. Once Sun Li's illegal passing of semi-finished new drugs was revealed, coupled with suitable public opinion guidance, even if the drugs launched by the Lu family over the years were not problematic, they would become problematic in the eyes of the public. When the Lu family was in chaos, let's see if Lu Hengchuan was still in the mood to run to Fengcheng to acknowledge his relatives.
When Yan Yue finished speaking, Ye Kang faintly froze. He vaguely felt that Yan Yue's anger seemed to be a bit beyond expectation. Let him be honest, it was true that the Lu family had done a disgusting job in acknowledging their relatives, but when it came to the fact that the Lu family was digging the corner of the Ye family, the one who was most angry should be the Ye family. But compared to his reaction, Yan Yue's hostility towards the Lu family was simply undisguised.
Ye Kang immediately said: "Ah Yue, calm down. Now is not the best time to expose the fact that there is something wrong with the Hopewell donglingcao formula. Although the Lu family can be hit through this incident, I'm afraid the impact on Hopewell will not be as great as expected." Of course he was willing to harm the Lu family, but looking from Yan Yue's point of view, Ye Kang felt that there was no need to go so far.
Yan Yue lowered his eyes slightly, hiding the coldness in his gaze, and said in a calm tone, "It's fine, I know what I'm doing."
He was so insistent that Ye Kang didn't say anything else and simply agreed.
Hanging up the phone, Yan Yue quietly returned to the room. Lu Lingxi was sleeping, his face serene and peaceful under the warm yellow light of the bedside lamp. When Yan Yue carefully lay down on the bed, Lu Lingxi noticed the movement and spontaneously leaned over, burrowing into Yan Yue's arms. Yan Yue looked at him and smiled faintly, lowering his head and kissing him on the forehead. Lu Lingxi's eyelashes trembled slightly, like the wings of a butterfly. Yan Yue thought he would wake up, but Lu Lingxi only leaned into his arms and went back to sleep.
The smile in Yan Yue's eyes deepened. He was just watching and doing nothing, and his heart was filled with unspeakable sweetness and satisfaction. He thought he would do anything, just for Lu Lingxi to be safe and have a smooth life. Whether it was Lu Hengchuan or Lu Yishui, whoever it was, he wouldn't let them affect Lu Lingxi's life.
"I love you, Xiao Xi." Yan Yue hugged Lu Lingxi tightly, lowered his head and said softly.
Lu Lingxi heard his words in a daze and instinctively responded, "Big Brother Yan, I love you too."
Yan Yue's eyes lit up and he laughed silently.
Chapter 149
For a few days, Lu Lingxi's life was very quiet, and Wang Shuxiu's fear that the Lu family would find Kunnan didn't come to reality. In fact, it was not that Lu Hengchuan didn't want to go past Wang Shuxiu and contact Lu Lingxi directly, but he was held back by the events in Zhongjing.
Three days ago, all the major newspapers in Zhongjing suddenly broke the news that the new drug that Hopewell was preparing to put into production was only semi-finished and didn't meet the standards for the production of new drugs in China. Accompanying this news was the fact that one of Hopewell's drug developers had reported Sun Li of the Food and Drug Administration Bureau for taking bribes and approving the new drug's marketing application despite knowing that it wasn't up to standard.
As soon as these two news came out, the entire Zhongjing was in an uproar. Before Hopewell had time to react and start crisis public relations, Sun Li had been suspended for investigation, and the Lu family, which had a deep relationship with Sun Li in the past, entered the public eye. Compared with Hopwell's new drug, which had not yet been listed, the Lu family's origin was health products and drugs. Who knows how many of these drugs launched by the Lu family were like Hopewell's new drug and had obtained pharmaceutical qualifications that should not have been obtained.
All kinds of suspicions were brewing in private. The first person who jumped out to say that they had used the Lu family's drugs without any useful effect was followed by the second, the third… Some of these people were arranged by Yan Yue, some were the result of the Ye family's revenge and some came from other pharmaceutical companies fishing in the muddy waters, trying to take advantage of the opportunity to screw up the Lu family.
The media, the internet, the newspapers… In just three days, the Hopewell incident fermented into a huge storm amidst all kinds of reports, sweeping the three giants, Hopewell, the Food and Drug Administration and the Lu family and pushing all three to the brink of trust bankruptcy.
"Now that the Lu family's reputation has been tarnished, someone must take responsibility for this."
In the Lu family mansion, Lu Chengwen, the eldest son of Lu Hengchuan, looked at Lu Wei'an, who was standing aside, with a knife-like gaze and an obvious intent. If it wasn't for Lu Wei'an's involvement with the Yin family's girl, the Lu family wouldn't be in the situation it was in.
After Lu Chengwen's words, several other people in the hall nodded. They all understood Lu Chengwen's meaning, which was clearly to take advantage of Lu Wei'an.
Speaking of which, no one in the Lu family actually liked Lu Wei'an. In the past, it was fine; they saw Lu Wei'an as a sick and miserable person. Although the family's confinement of Lu Lingxi was a bit unkind, there was no way to distinguish between right and wrong in such matters, so they couldn't put the blame on Lu Wei'an's head. But once Lu Lingxi died last year, they no longer saw Lu Wei'an in the same light. This, coupled with the fact that Lu Wei'an was jumping up and down trying to get involved in the Lu family's business, made the rest of the Lu family even more discontented. If it wasn't for the fact that Lu Wei'an had hooked up with Hopewell, they would have joined forces to squeeze Lu Wei'an out long ago, having guessed what the old man had in mind. Now that something had gone wrong, someone had to take the blame, and Lu Wei'an was the best candidate to do so.
The eyes of the people in the hall focused on him, and Lu Wei'an, who was in the centre of attention, smiled coldly in his heart, but his face wore the expression of self-blame. Although he was the one to pull the strings for the new drug, the entire Lu family was optimistic about the future of the new drug and wanted a piece of the pie. Now, as soon as something happened, they were in a hurry to clear themselves of responsibility. He didn't believe that those present couldn't see that someone was deliberately targeting the Lu family this time, otherwise the public opinion wouldn't have been focused on the Lu family in the incident caused by Hopewell. Lu Wei'an gave Lu Hengchuan a covert glance, more concerned about his grandfather's reaction than his uncles' anger. But to his disappointment, his grandfather's eyes were downcast and expressionless, and Lu Wei'an couldn't guess what was on his mind.
"Wei'an, what do you say?" Seeing that Lu Wei'an was silent, Lu Chengwen asked him plainly.
Lu Wei'an gritted his teeth and said in a low voice, "It was my mistake in judgement that affected the family's reputation, I will take the responsibility for this."
Just as he finished speaking, Lu Chengwen's eyes lit up and he was about to speak when Lu Hengchuan, who had been silent, coughed, attracting everyone's attention. Lu Wei'an looked over with an expectant expression, and Lu Hengchuan gave Lu Wei'an with a faint glance and said in an authoritative tone, "Since Wei'an has admitted his mistake, the investigation into the bribery of Hopewell will be handled by Wei'an. You will take care of the rest and try to suppress the impact of this matter."
By saying this, Lu Hengchuan was obviously ready to give up on Lu Wei'an. Now regarding the investigation of Sun Li's bribery, the whistleblower said conclusively that it was someone from the Lu family who was involved and there was the relevant evidence in his hands. Although a discerning person might not believe it if the Lu family put the blame on Lu Wei'an, it was a good enough explanation to the public.
After hearing Lu Hengchuan's words, Lu Chengwen quickly agreed. The eyes of the people in the hall fell on Lu Wei'an's face, and Lu Wei'an's fist, hidden in his sleeve, clenched up tightly as he smiled reluctantly at Lu Hengchuan, "I understand, Grandfather."
Under the different gazes of the people in the hall, Lu Wei'an didn't know how he had managed to get out of the Lu family mansion. He glanced back. Obviously, the weather was good today, a rare day with high clouds and no smog, but he felt that the whole Lu family was shrouded in a shadow.
Lu Wei'an laughed in a low, cold voice. He knew that his eldest uncle and the others didn't like him because they thought he was too cold-blooded and heartless, sacrificing Lu Lingxi for his own life. But was leukaemia something he'd chosen to have? If he hadn't been born prematurely, how could he have grown up in poor health and had leukaemia after a cold? He watched others alive and kicking, and he could only lie on the hospital bed. Who knew his pain these years? He was obviously worse than dead, but he had to hold on to survive for the sake of his mother's obsession. Was this also his fault?
Lu Lingxi… Lu Wei'an closed his eyes and expelled the name from his mind. A child who wasn't even born to his mother; even if his body retained the bloodline of the Lu family, when he was alive, no one recognised him as a member of the Lu family. Now that he was dead, all sorts of irrelevant people were jumping out and accusing him, Lu Wei'an, of being cold-blooded, selfish and lacking affection. It was fucking ridiculous! A bunch of hypocritical villains. Why didn't they appear when Lu Lingxi was alive? Just because Lu Lingxi died and he survived, all the sins were his? Should he live in Lu Lingxi's shadow for the rest of his life? Why should he!
Lu Wei'an opened his eyes and clenched his fists in hatred.
The Lu family's dark tide wasn't known to Lu Lingxi, who was far away in Kunnan. Meanwhile, Wang Shuxiu didn't see Lu Hengchuan for several days in a row, and only after watching the news did she know that something had happened to the Lu family. She vaguely felt strange; how could there be such a coincidence? As soon as Lu Hengchuan got into trouble with her, something happened to the Lu family in Zhongjing?
She told Xiao Feng of her suspicions, "Yan Yue didn't do anything, did he?"
Xiao Feng wasn't sure either and said, "This is such a big deal, it couldn't have been done overnight. Yan Yue has only known about Lu Hengchuan for a few days, so he probably has nothing to do with it. Besides, even if Yan Yue did it, it's not a bad thing. Look at all the unethical things the Lu family has done, someone should have dealt with them."
"That's true." Wang Shuxiu said bitterly. She was furious at the thought of Lu Hengchuan coming to her door and saying something about wanting Xiao Xi to acknowledge his ancestors. She couldn't wait for the Lu family to go bankrupt and see what other crazy thing they would come up with.
The two of them talked for a long time, but Wang Shuxiu remembered one more thing, "Do you think we should tell Xiao Xi about the Lu family? The Lu family shouldn't be able to care about finding Xiao Xi now, right?" In the end, she still didn't want Lu Lingxi to know about this; she thought it would be good if Lu Lingxi didn't know anything like now and was safe.
"It's better to tell Xiao Xi." Xiao Feng persuaded, "In case the Lu family doesn't give up, it's better for Xiao Xi to be psychologically prepared in advance."
Wang Shuxiu sighed, knowing that Xiao Feng had a point; better safe than sorry.
Chapter 150
Lu Lingxi didn't know about Wang Shuxiu's worries. He was playing like crazy these days, leaving early and returning late.
As the largest botanical garden in China, the Kunnan Botanical Garden covered an area of 44 hectares and was home to a large number of precious plants, with 10 special botanical gardens set up according to different plant species. As the orchid exhibition had not yet started, Lu Lingxi's itinerary for the past few days revolved around the Kunnan Botanical Garden. With the help of Wang Chaoliang, they were able to visit many precious areas that were not normally open to the public. In a matter of days, Lu Lingxi could be described as turning the botanical garden all over.
Today, Lu Lingxi and Wang Chaoliang agreed that the next day he and Yan Yue would follow Wang Chaoliang to the workstation in the primordial rainforest of Kunnan to have a look. After dinner, Lu Lingxi was thinking about going back to the hotel to pack up and set off early tomorrow.
Elder Zhang looked at Lu Lingxi lovingly and said with a smile, "Tomorrow, we two old men will not follow Xiao Xi. The old bones are a bit weary. Xiao Xi, you can take more pictures and come back to me and your Grandpa Zhao to show them."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Elder Zhao laughed. "I'm getting old, so I'll have a few days to rest before the orchid show. Xiao Xi, you and Yan Yue have a good time and be safe."
"Okay." Lu Lingxi nodded obediently. The field station that Wang Chaoliang had mentioned was located on the edge of the primaeval rainforest in Kunnan, almost at the border of China and quite a distance away from Kunnan City, so even if Elder Zhang and Elder Zhao wanted to go, Lu Lingxi didn't feel comfortable with them going along.
After listening to Elder Zhang's and Elder Zhao's instructions and sending them back to their rooms, Lu Lingxi rushed back to his room to take a shower and start packing the things he wanted to take with him tomorrow. Wang Chaoliang said that there was a possibility that they would stay there for a night and asked Lu Lingxi to bring more clothes. There were other things at the workstation, so there was no need for Lu Lingxi to worry about it. But even though he said so, it was the first time that Lu Lingxi had been to the primaeval rainforest. He couldn't help but excitedly check the travel guide on the Internet for a long time and deliberately bought a lot of things according to the guide.
"Raincoat, long coat and trousers, rope…"
Lu Lingxi sat on the edge of the bed and carefully went through the items he had prepared, always feeling as if something was missing. What exactly was it? He puffed out his face and went through the items again.
"What are you looking for?"
Yan Yue came out of the shower to see Lu Lingxi sitting on the bed with a troubled look on his face, going back and forth through the things he had prepared. The weather in Kunnan was very hot and Yan Yue was only wearing a pair of shorts, with Xiaohei, who had also taken a bath, lying on his shoulder. As he wiped his still dripping hair, he walked over to Lu Lingxi's side and leaned down to give him a kiss on the forehead.
Xiaohei was dizzy from the heat in the bathroom, so when Yan Yue leaned over, he immediately fell off Yan Yue's shoulder and landed into Lu Lingxi's arms.
Lu Lingxi touched Xiaohei's body and tilted his face up in confusion, "I always feel like there's something I haven't bought."
Yan Yue raised his eyebrows and took advantage of the situation to sit down next to Lu Lingxi and reached out to hug him. "Let's see." He carefully went through the things on the bed, remembering the environment of Fengcheng, and smiled, "Did you not prepare mosquito repellent?"
Lu Lingxi was dazed. It was strange to say that although Fengcheng was now lush with greenery, especially the district where Lu Lingxi lived that was like a small ecological park, mosquitoes were very rare in summer, and mosquito coils and mosquito repellents were hardly used. Accustomed to the environment of Fengcheng, Lu Lingxi subconsciously ignored the mosquito repellent when he saw it in the supermarket. He came back to his senses, "What time does the supermarket open tomorrow?"
"Eight o'clock?" Yan Yue didn't pay much attention either and kissed Lu Lingxi soothingly, "Don't worry, Wang Chaoliang definitely prepared it."
Lu Lingxi hummed and was about to say something, when Yan Yue's mobile phone on the table rang abruptly.
"Big Brother Yan, who is looking for you? "Lu Lingxi asked casually.
Yan Yue looked at the phone carelessly and paused when he saw the caller number. Unexpectedly, it was Wang Shuxiu calling. Thinking of the last time, Yan Yue guessed almost immediately that Wang Shuxiu might want to talk to him and avoid Lu Lingxi. He picked up the phone as if nothing had happened, rubbed Lu Lingxi's hair haphazardly and said, "It's An Jie, I'm going out to take a call."
Lu Lingxi nodded, not expecting Yan Yue to be lying to him at all. He watched as Yan Yue walked to the terrace and closed the door again, not thinking anything of it.
Through the door Lu Lingxi couldn't hear what Yan Yue was saying, and after he had put the things on the bed away, he started rummaging through Yan Yue's suitcase looking for clothes.
"Huh." Lu Lingxi blinked and inadvertently flipped over the booklet that Wang Shuxiu had slipped him. He had only glanced at it last time on the plane, and then the booklet had been stuffed somewhere by Yan Yue. He had thought that Yan Yue had thrown it away and he had not expected that Yan Yue had actually put it away.
As the thought flashed through his mind, Lu Lingxi's heart moved and he raised his head to take a quick glance at Yan Yue on the balcony, talking on the phone. From this angle, he could only see Yan Yue's back, and it looked like Yan Yue wouldn't be able to finish his phone call for a while. Lu Lingxi's heart pounded and he secretly opened the booklet almost like a thief. He was actually very curious about the contents of the booklet, but he was too embarrassed to ask Yan Yue what was written in it.
The booklet wasn't thick, and Lu Lingxi had gone through half of it in a short while. He didn't know where Wang Shuxiu found it, but it seemed to be a booklet aimed at the homosexual auditory. The statements on homosexuality were all very serious and even the cartoon characters were mainly cute, but Lu Lingxi felt his body getting hotter and hotter, and his face was unconsciously flushed red.
When Yan Yue finished his phone call and went back to his room, Lu Lingxi didn't even seem to notice. After seeing what the young man was looking at, Yan Yue raised his eyebrows slightly. Not only did he not bother Lu Lingxi, but instead he took Xiaohei and stuffed him into a drawer, and sat down next to Lu Lingxi by himself.
The thin booklet quickly reached the end, and Lu Lingxi was thinking of stuffing it back into the suitcase. When he looked up at the balcony, he didn't see Yan Yue, and then there was a familiar aura behind him, "Finished reading?" Yan Yue asked in a low voice as he hugged Lu Lingxi from behind.
Lu Lingxi turned his head suddenly, an indescribable shyness on his face. "Big Brother Yan…" This time, even his ears turned red. Although Lu Lingxi felt that it was not wrong for him to read the booklet, being caught by Yan Yue as he peeked at it seemed to have an extra hint of indescribable meaning.
Before Lu Lingxi could say another word, Yan Yue's eyes darkened slightly and his body reacted honestly. He looked at Lu Lingxi's eyes that seemed to be misted and involuntarily leaned over and kissed Lu Lingxi tenderly.
Everything was natural. Yan Yue had thought about the trip they were going to take tomorrow and his promise to wait until Lu Lingxi's twentieth birthday, but he simply couldn't control the lust that surged through his body, nor did he seem to need to. Just the thought that he could have the young man completely made Yan Yue shudder with happiness.
The night passed quickly, and Yan Yue stayed awake almost all night. Because Lu Lingxi lay in his arms, dependent and devoted, Yan Yue couldn't move for fear of waking Lu Lingxi and disturbing his rest. He held the person in his arms carefully and almost reverently, his heart full of happiness.
At dawn at six o'clock, the alarm clock set last night went off. They made an appointment with Wang Chaoliang to meet at the entrance of the hotel at six forty-five, which was originally enough time, but looking at Lu Lingxi in his arms, who refused to get up with his eyes closed, Yan Yue was a little worried that they would be too late.
"Xiao Xi." Yan Yue called out tentatively.
Lu Lingxi wrapped himself in the blanket and rolled over, trying to go back to sleep with his eyes covered. He didn't think he had done anything, but he was very sleepy.
Seeing him like this, Yan Yue couldn't bear to toss him, so he hugged him and coaxed him gently, "Why don't I tell Wang Chaoliang that we'll go to the field station another day?"
The mention of the field station aroused a trace of Lu Lingxi's sanity. He struggled to sit up, rubbing his eyes and saying, "I'm up."
Yan Yue laughed and kissed him, then helped him get dressed and squeeze the toothpaste. It wasn't until Lu Lingxi had finished washing his face with his eyes closed that he woke up completely. Memories of last night returned to his mind and the tips of his ears reddened again at the thought of some things.
At the appointed time, they got into Wang Chaoliang's car in front of the hotel.
Kunnan in the early morning was very beautiful. As a tourist city, 50% of Kunnan was green. There was vegetation everywhere you could see, the golden morning glow spilling over the young green leaves as if the whole city was dotted with countless green gems. When you looked up, the sky was blue and high, and your heart felt opening up at this sight. Out of Kunnan City, without the high-rise buildings around, there was greenery and the scent of flowers everywhere. The picturesque landscape swept past the window, as if a mysterious beauty had been unveiled little by little.
Along the way, Wang Chaoliang enthusiastically introduced the scenery to Yan Yue and Lu Lingxi. He had been here for several months and had driven this road countless times, so he was familiar with every place they passed.
At first, Lu Lingxi was still bracing himself to listen to his introductions, but later he was so sleepy that he simply found a place in Yan Yue's arms and fell into a deep sleep. Yan Yue moved his arms carefully to make Lu Lingxi feel as comfortable as possible.
Wang Chaoliang saw Lu Lingxi's sleepy appearance and was a little surprised, "Xiao Xi didn't sleep well last night?"
Yan Yue smiled, "Xiao Xi was a little excited about going to the rainforest today, so he fell asleep a little late."
Wang Chaoliang smiled and shook his head, thinking that Lu Lingxi was still a child no matter how well-behaved he was.
After driving for about an hour, Wang Chaoliang signalled that they were almost there. Yan Yue was thinking of waking Lu Lingxi up when his mobile phone suddenly rang. It was a call from Fang Lei. Yan Yue had heard from Lu Lingxi a few days ago that Fang Lei was coming to Kunnan on a business trip, but he didn't expect him to come so soon.
"Where are you and Xiao Xi? I'll treat you guys to lunch."
Yan Yue sounded regretful, "Xiao Xi and I are out of town, I guess we won't be back until tomorrow, so we'll owe you this meal."
He really felt sorry. If Fang Lei had called an hour earlier, he would still have had time to change his schedule and Xiao Xi would have been able to sleep more.
"That's fine, we'll meet when you guys get back, I reckon I can stay for a while longer."
The case Fang Lei was working on this time was rather tricky, and he was all ready to struggle with it for a long time. After hanging up the phone, Fang Lei wandered out alone and prepared to find a place to eat breakfast. After two steps, he suddenly stopped and looked behind him. The alley behind him was bustling with people going to work and school. He took a wary glance and found nothing unusual, but there was always a vague feeling that he was being watched.