"Youling!" Li Gaoyi called out in a deep voice, his tone clearly biased. He and Youling had been together for over a decade without children, but he had a son from his previous marriage. This son was a full twelve years older than Li Bernie, yet he genuinely treated Li Bernie like a younger brother. Furthermore, Li Bernie's maternal family was a well-known shipping tycoon.
He still knew where to take this bowl of water.
You Ling was so angry at this profit-driven man that she gritted her teeth, threw down the guarantee she was holding, and left the hall in her high heels.
Li Gaoyi sighed and said, "Bernie, that's just your aunt's temper. Don't take it to heart."
Li Boni sniffed. "Then, Uncle, can you think of a way? Grandma really can't stay there any longer."
“Uncle knows, don’t worry. Uncle is going to meet a big client today. If he can lend a helping hand, our Li family can still be saved.” Li Gaoyi was not lying to Li Boni, and this was a secret known to all the direct descendants of the Li family.
Author's Note:
Good night~
Chapter 162 That Mr. Shi
"You mean that Mr. Shi?" Li Boni's eyes suddenly lit up. "Uncle, can I come along?"
The smile on Li Gaoyi's face faded. "Have you met Mr. Shi? Do you know what he hates and likes? If you say something wrong in front of him, even ten words from your uncle might not be enough to make up for it."
"Uncle, I promise I'll behave myself. Grandma said I'm the smartest of all my brothers and sisters when I'm on formal occasions! You can't underestimate me!" After Li Gaoyi said a few nice words to Li Boni, he reverted to his old, unruly, and brainless personality.
Disgust flashed in Li Gaoyi's eyes. If someone his age dared to speak so thoughtlessly, he would surely get a beating.
The old lady did not accumulate good deeds when she was young, and now that she is old, she only knows how to create such things to disgust him!
"Oh dear, how could I dare to say anything to our young master? Honey, didn't you make plans to go racing with your friends today? Now that you've finally bought the car, you're already thinking about it?"
There was a hint of softening in Bernie Lee's eyes.
"I'm mainly worried about my grandma,"
“We elders will handle Mother’s affairs; there’s no reason for you younger generation to come up with solutions,” Li Gaoyi said peacefully, as if the matter had already been resolved.
Bernie Li pursed his lips, and when he looked up again, his eyes were filled with smiles and excitement.
"Then, I won't go there with you, Uncle. I... I'll make plans with my friends first, but I'll still be back tonight. You'll be back today too, right, Uncle?" Li Boni was truly a child raised in an ivory tower.
Li Gaoyi saw him off with a smile, but five minutes after watching Li Boni's figure leave the gate, his face suddenly turned dark.
Standing beside him on a platform about a meter high was an antique vase from a hundred years ago, its indigo blue and lake green color scheme complementing the elegant living room perfectly.
"Bang!"
The maid who was standing closest was so frightened that she took a few steps back.
The shattered vase revealed its porcelain-white interior, like a dead fish with a white belly, lifeless.
"Pack it up. If Ling asks again later, just say you accidentally broke it," Li Gaoyi said coolly.
The maid's face turned deathly pale. "Sir, I...I...can't afford to pay for it,"
Li Gaoyi revealed his most relaxed smile of the day, "What's there to be afraid of? It's just a few hundred thousand yuan worth of gadgets. We won't pursue it. At most, she'll beat and scold you for a while. Our family's salaries are still quite high. If you leave in a huff halfway through, what will your good-for-nothing son think of you when he loses his fun of spending money?"
The maid froze, too afraid to speak.
Li Gaoyi left the house with a sense of satisfaction.
Author's Note:
I haven't been updating as much lately, I've been quite busy with work. Please forgive me, my little darlings, boohoo~
Chapter 163 Visit
Li Gaoyi brought out the most expensive Rolls-Royce in his family. He never dared to be negligent when meeting Mr. Shi. He also chose the newest and most expensive custom-made suit in his wardrobe. Just one cuff could buy a house in a first-tier city.
Although You Ling lived a luxurious life, she was still from a small town when she met him. Knowing that Li Gaoyi had ordered this suit, she couldn't stop nagging about it for a month. In the end, Li Gaoyi couldn't take it anymore and slapped her, which finally put an end to the matter.
Therefore, he dislikes women, is indecisive about important matters, and only fusses over trivial things, lacking any sense of the big picture.
Just like his mother, who outwardly thought she was very capable.
A flash of hatred crossed Li Gaoyi's eyes. In his hand, he held a high-end velvet jewelry box, inside which lay the bracelet his family had spent over a hundred million yuan to acquire.
Li Gaoyi stared at the bracelet in a daze, feeling a pang of heartache. By the time he came to his senses, he was already at the Daoist Master's private villa.
Calling it a villa is an understatement; this place is basically built like a first-class medieval castle, with the garden alone covering more than a thousand square meters.
Looking at the scene inside the gate, Li Gaoyi felt only deep envy.
The expensive Rolls-Royce stopped at the door and didn't move forward.
Li Gaoyi pulled down the window, and even though he was dealing with a servant from the Shi family, he dared not be the slightest bit negligent.
He even stuck his head out of the window, one hand on the handrail, and gave a very sincere smile: "Hello, I made an appointment with Mr. Shi in advance."
The old gatekeeper came out. He had an elegant ponytail and wore a tailcoat, but there was no smile on his kind face. He said in a businesslike tone, "I'm sorry, sir, today is the anniversary of Mr. Shi's childhood dog's death. He does not allow anyone to drive into the park, as this will disturb Mr. Shi's dog's return home."
Li Gaoyi's brows twitched involuntarily. While inwardly grumbling, he maintained a perfect smile on his face.
"Of course, Mr. Shi is so kind-hearted, how could I bear to break this rule?" Li Gaoyi got out of the car himself. Unfortunately, it suddenly started to drizzle. Li Gaoyi looked at his expensive suit getting soaked by the rain with a pain in his eyes.
"Um, it's raining now, do you have an umbrella?"
The old butler shook his head. “I’m sorry, sir, I didn’t bring an umbrella either. It seems my old bones can’t walk back. I can only wait here for the rain to stop. Sir, it looks like the rain won’t stop so soon. Why don’t you come back another day? It’s a half-hour walk from here to the residence.”
Li Gaoyi frowned.
Half an hour? His clothes would be completely ruined, but if it's postponed to a later date, and the old lady dies, everything will be over!
“It’s alright, I can walk there myself. I have something very important to ask of you, Master Shi, today,” Li Gaoyi said sincerely, his attitude more respectful than ever before.
Even so, the old butler showed no respect whatsoever, merely nodding coldly.
Li Gaoyi gritted his teeth and went inside despite the rain.
About half a minute later, a car stopped next to the old butler.
The old butler bent down and went inside. The car drove into the residence and headed in the opposite direction from Li Gaoyi.
Author's Note:
I've revised the previous chapters, so there's a bit less update today. Regular updates should resume tomorrow. Goodnight!
Chapter 164 A Free Spirit
The Shi family welcomed their most disheveled guest in three years. His custom-made suit was soaked through, and his hair, styled with hair gel, was being tossed about by the rain. He was clutching a velvet box tightly in his arms, his nostrils flaring as he struggled to control his heavy breathing in front of the servants.
"Hello, I'm looking for Mr. Shi, from the Li family."
The maid nodded, unfazed, and stepped aside to make room for Li Gaoyi.
"Please come in."
Li Gaoyi looked at his still dripping clothes and his shoes, which were completely soaked.
"Hello, could you please let me change my clothes first? It would be too impolite of me to see Mr. Shi looking like this," Li Gaoyi sincerely requested.
The maid shook her head indifferently, "I'm sorry, Mr. Shi needs rehabilitation in an hour, so I can't wait that long. Just come in, and we can just replace the floor if it gets wet. It won't make a difference."
These words were undoubtedly another blow to Li Gaoyi's dignity. When the Li family was prosperous, he would never have needed to suffer like this. He couldn't help but feel resentment towards the old lady.
And then there's that nephew who severed ties with the Li family and is now living a very comfortable life.
“Okay, okay, then I…” Li Gaoyi stepped inside.
"Squeak." The socks felt sticky against the soles of the shoes, and some rainwater seeped out from the openings.
The maid's gaze lingered on Li Gaoyi's shoes for a few seconds.
The awkwardness made Li Gaoyi blush.
The maid didn't say a word, but she shattered all the dignity Li Gaoyi had built up on the road.
After walking through the long corridor, you'll find that the legendary Mr. Shi lives in the darkest room at the far end of the second floor.
Li Gaoyi always harbored an endless curiosity about Mr. Shi. How could a young man with a partial disability support such a large Shi family?
The maid stopped at the door and gently knocked.
"Mr. Shi, Mr. Gao has arrived."
"Okay, come in."
A voice like that of a viola filled the room, possessing the aura of both a youth and an adult, like the arc in the center of a yin-yang symbol.
Li Gaoyi straightened his collar and stepped inside.
In the dimly lit room, sunlight filtered through the stained glass windows. A man in a gray linen shirt sat in a wheelchair, backlit, his pale, slender fingers resting on the armrests. On his index finger was the most famous emerald ring from the Shi family's designs, symbolizing a free spirit.
The ring on this person's hand seems ironic, yet it suits them so well.
Author's Note:
I have to admit, my words are a sure way to deceive...
It's almost over, but I still couldn't resist adding a new character. That's so cool!
Chapter 165 Press Conference
"Mr. Li, it's been a long time." Mr. Shi smiled elegantly, as if he didn't see Li Gaoyi's disheveled appearance or the rainwater seeping into the expensive carpet.
Li Gaoyi smiled awkwardly and looked around nervously. Unfortunately, apart from Mr. Shi's wheelchair, there was nowhere to sit in the room.
Mr. Shi maneuvered his wheelchair to the window. I thought he was going to open the window a little, but he closed it completely, leaving only a faint orange light from the desk.
Li Gaoyi couldn't help but get goosebumps all over his body. Mr. Shi was not old; he could even be considered his elder. However, this person's behavior and methods made him feel uneasy. Li Gaoyi was really going all out to get in touch with this kind of person for his own purposes.
"Mr. Shi, how have you been? I've come to deliver the thing you mentioned last time." Li Gaoyi placed the small box he had been holding protectively on the gleaming desk. The black velvet box was glistening with water droplets, giving it a soft sheen.
Mr. Shi's gaze lingered on it for a moment, without any intention of touching it. "I heard it cost 150 million. I see Mr. Li's sincerity."