This was Zhou Xuan's first time visiting Li Lei's house. After what happened with Old Li last time, Li Lei came to ask Zhou Xuan to come over, but Zhou Xuan couldn't go. That's how he got to know Li Wei, this workaholic.
Old Li only had one son, Li Lei, but Li Lei actually had three sons. Unlike Wei Haihong's family, the old man had always lived alone, but later, due to medical treatment, he started living with his third son, Wei Haihong.
Old Li always lived with his son and grandson. Li Lei's eldest son was a deputy mayor in another city, and his second son was a regimental commander in the army. They were both married and lived in their own places. They did not live with Li Lei. Only Li Wei, who had nothing to do, lived with Li Lei and Old Li. Because of Old Li and Li Lei's status, their address was in a restricted area.
The houses in this area are mostly three-story villas. Without even thinking, Zhou Xuan could guess that the owners of these places must be people whose every stomp of their feet could shake the ground!
The guard drove the car to the front of a house, then got out and respectfully opened the car door to invite Zhou Xuan out. He then opened the front door of the small house and invited Zhou Xuan inside.
There were four people sitting in the living room: Lao Li, Li Lei, Li Wei, and Zhou Xuan (whom Zhou Xuan knew), and a woman around fifty years old. Li Lei was probably Li Wei's mother and Li Lei's wife.
Upon seeing Zhou Xuanjin swallow, the entire Li family stood up, especially Old Li and Li Lei, who quickly came over to greet him.
Old Li pulled Zhou Xuan's hand and led him to the sofa, saying, "Little Zhou, I've invited you over several times, but you've never had time. You've finally come today. Come, come, sit down first!" The guard rarely saw Old Li so warm and moved.
Since Old Li was so enthusiastic, Li Lei felt awkward about doing anything else and simply followed him back to the sofa with a smile.
Zhou Xuan sat down. Old Li's enthusiastic expression was genuine. Although he hadn't known Old Li for very long, Zhou Xuan respected and liked the old man very much. Old Li was a former soldier, straightforward and honest. Zhou Xuan had almost never seen Old Li keep his thoughts to himself; his feelings were always written on his face. "Young Zhou, we had no choice but to invite you here today. Normally, we'd just invite you to chat and have some fun, but today, it's because of this kid, Li Wei!"
Old Li was indeed not one to mince words. Although he was in a difficult position, he still spoke his mind directly. Li Lei, standing next to him, looked rather embarrassed.
Zhou Xuan's heart pounded. He glanced at Li Wei beside him and saw the boy looking at him pitifully. He wondered what Old Li and his son Li Lei meant. "Grandpa, Brother Li, just say what you have to say. I'm not one to beat around the bush!"
At this point, Zhou Xuan didn't want to think about it anymore. Whatever happens, happens. Matters of the heart are different from other things, but it's not a solution to not figure this out.
Old Li sighed, and then said, "Little Zhou, that kid Li Wei really made me lose face. You saved my life, but I feel so guilty towards you!"
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Volume 1, Chapter 263: Asking for a Matchmaker
Old Li spoke very sincerely, but Zhou Xuan still couldn't figure out Old Li's intentions. Was he feeling guilty because he disagreed with Li Wei's relationship with his sister, or something else?
Zhou Xuan didn't understand, and was too embarrassed to say anything at this moment, so he just kept quiet. Li Wei, who was usually very talkative, was unusually silent, and Li Lei also kept his mouth shut. All of this made Zhou Xuan feel awkward about what to do next.
“Xiao Zhou, Old Wei and I both consider you a close friend despite the age gap. You're also our savior. It's only in our old age that we truly appreciate the value of life and understand how remarkable you are!” Old Li sighed, then pointed at Li Wei and said, “That kid came back a couple of days ago and told me and Li Lei that he has a girlfriend and wants to get married. This is a good thing, and as long as we think it's right, we don't want to object too much. But that rascal Li Wei said… said…”
Old Li's face turned red, and he hesitated for a few moments before speaking: "This rascal said he wanted to marry Zhou Ying, Xiao Zhou's own sister. You tell me... you tell me... this rascal, there are plenty of girls out there, why does he have to mess with your sister, Xiao Zhou?"
Zhou Shi's heart sank. What did Old Li mean by that? Did he think his sister Zhou Ying was unworthy of Li Wei? Judging from Old Li's words, that seemed to be the case!
Old Li continued, "I was furious when I heard that. I locked that brat in the house for the past two days and had his father torture him to get the truth out of him. The brat just kept insisting that this time he was serious and would marry no one but Zhou Ying. If that's really the case, then I feel a little better!"
Even now, Zhou Xuan still hasn't figured out what Lao Li means—whether he's opposing or criticizing him.
“Little Zhou!” Old Li said heavily again, “You saved my life. Logically speaking, my family should do anything for you, as long as it’s within our control. I watched my grandson grow up. He’s not a bad person, just a bit reckless and naive. I’ve never met your Zhou Ying, but I’ve heard Li Wei and Li Lei talk about her. She’s a pure and good girl. Li Wei isn’t bad, but he’s a bit of a flirt. If he were a reliable person, I would be at ease, but how can I be at ease with this philandering rascal? Since he brought this up, I haven’t been able to eat or sleep properly these past two days. I pressed him for answers, and today he even wrote a guarantee for me and his father. Only then am I at ease. I’m especially concerned about the friendship between Little Zhou and me, and I won’t allow anyone to ruin it. This rascal is serious, so this old man is finally relieved. Little Zhou…”
Old Li smiled and looked at Zhou Xuan, saying, "Little Zhou, my rascal has made a promise, and I'll make a promise to you too. If Li Wei and Zhou Ying both agree, I will formally propose marriage to your family. As the saying goes, the eldest brother is like a father. I heard from Li Wei that Zhou Ying herself agrees, but she also wants the consent of her parents and brother. So I'm shamelessly asking you this. If you agree, we can have a marriage that strengthens our family ties!"
Zhou Xuan then understood what Old Li meant. It was similar to his own thoughts; he was mainly worried about Li for his own sake. It wasn't that he disagreed with the matter, but rather that neither of them trusted him.
Zhou Xuan thought for a moment, then glanced at Li Wei and Li Lei. Li Wei was staring at him nervously, looking both pitiful and ridiculous, while Li Lei and his wife looked embarrassed.
But Li Lei then said, "Brother Zhou..." He hesitated, realizing his mistake, and quickly swallowed the word "brother," adding, "Brother Zhou, Li Wei and I share the same opinion as our grandfather, and we think it's a good thing. If you agree, that would be wonderful!"
Zhou Shi finally understood what the Li family meant. This was the issue he had been most worried about, and he was also most worried that Li Lei and his son would object. But now that he had suddenly received the opinions of the father and son, he felt like his mind was blank and he didn't know what to say for a moment!
Zhou Xuan didn't like his sister marrying into a family like the Li family, but the two of them had fallen for each other, so there was nothing he could do. Besides, it was his sister's first relationship, and if she got hurt or hurt, she wouldn't be as indifferent as an experienced person.
Li Lei had been watching Zhou Xuan's expression closely, but Zhou Xuan remained lost in thought and didn't express his opinion. Li Wei had come back and been frank with him and his grandfather. Zhou Xuan had told him that as long as his grandfather and parents agreed, and as long as he was wholeheartedly committed, the matter would be considered settled. Therefore, Li Lei estimated that there shouldn't be any problems with Zhou Xuan. He and his grandfather had already discussed it. Originally, he wanted to get closer to Zhou Xuan and build a better relationship. He knew Zhou Xuan's capabilities. Although he wasn't in officialdom, he had the ability to bring together more capable and powerful connections. Although he didn't want to drag Zhou Xuan into the intrigues of the system, having him around was a kind of guarantee, like having insurance—no worries whatsoever!
Now that Li Wei has fallen for Zhou Ying, and Zhou Ying likes him too, that's perfect! It's exactly what we wanted. The two families are now even closer, and they'll be one family from now on. What more needs to be said about family matters? Although Li Lei hasn't known Zhou Xuan for long, he understands Zhou Xuan's personality very well. He's the type who responds better to gentleness than force. If you treat him with respect, he'll treat you with even greater respect. This kind of person is a true friend, someone you'd be loyal to through thick and thin!
“Xiao Zhou, if you and your parents don’t object, I think it’s settled then. We’ll do things the proper way!” Li Jiu said to Zhou Xuan. Zhou Xuan’s expression didn’t seem to indicate any objection, so he pressed on while the iron was hot. “We can follow the customs here in the capital, or we can follow the customs of your hometown. First, we’ll have a matchmaker formally propose to your parents, then we’ll get engaged, and then we’ll get married!”
Zhou Xuan hesitated for a moment, then said, "Well... I... I still need to go back and ask my parents what they think, this..."
Zhou Shi's hesitant tone immediately made Li Wei anxious. He quickly said, "Brother Xuan, you promised me that as long as my grandfather and father agree, you'll agree. You can't go back on your word, you... you..."
Li Wei looked red-faced and thick-necked. Zhou Xuan never expected that in his haste, he would blurt out their private conversation in front of the whole family. Zhou Xuan looked embarrassed and ashamed.
"You brat, get out of here!" The old man was afraid that Zhou Xuan would lose face, so he immediately came to his rescue. Moreover, he heard that Zhou Xuan's tone seemed to indicate that he did not object to Li Wei and his sister's relationship, so his mood immediately improved. Although he was cursing Li Wei, his tone was happy.
Zhou Xuan could also sense this atmosphere. Needless to say, the old man was different, and Li Lei could also tell from the tone of his address. Li Lei no longer called him "Little Brother Zhou," which was the most obvious change. If he didn't care about Zhou Xuan, he wouldn't have given Zhou Xuan this feeling.
Seeing that the matter was basically resolved, Li Lei smiled and said to his wife, "Go, go help out in the kitchen!"
Li Wei seemed hesitant to leave, but Old Li still kicked him out, leaving only him, Li Lei, and Zhou Xuan in the living room. Although everything was out in the open and there were no obstacles, there was an inexplicable awkwardness. All three of them were awkwardly sitting there, not knowing what to say.
It wasn't until the nanny and Li Wei's mother brought the dishes to the dining room to call them for dinner that the three of them breathed a sigh of relief and went into the dining room with smiles on their faces.
The Li family is very traditional. Even with Zhou Xuan as a distinguished guest, the meal was still six dishes and a soup, including chicken, duck, fish, and meat. There was nothing special about it. No wonder Li Wei often eats and drinks outside. The Li family is not like Wei Haihong's family. Li Lei is in charge of the Li family, and the old man is a veteran revolutionary soldier who is used to being frugal and dislikes extravagance the most. Li Wei is the person with the least say in the Li family. What he wants to do is basically ignored.
Wei Haihong of the Wei family is different. He doesn't live with his eldest and second eldest sons or his grandfather. Moreover, he is successful and no one cares about him, so he doesn't need to be restricted. Indulging in lavish eating and drinking is his nature. Therefore, his grandfather always tries to take advantage of him and doesn't live with him. However, since Wei Haihong met Zhou Xuan, his grandfather has changed his attitude towards him a lot and has let him be.
After finishing his meal, Zhou Xuan wanted to go home early. Just as he was thinking about how to say it, his phone rang.
This time, it really was Fu Yuanshan calling. "Brother, Wang Side has been caught!" Fu Yuanshan's voice was excited and thrilled on the phone. "Really? Hehe!" Zhou Luanyun said with a laugh, "Brother, congratulations! Is there anything else I can help you with?"
Zhou Shi thought to himself that although the person had been caught, this case was different from other cases. Other cases were solved step by step with evidence, and once the suspect was caught and interrogated, the case was over. But their case was different. These were all images detected in Zhou Xuan's mind. Although they were real, they were all images detected by Zhou Xuan alone, and they could not be used as evidence. If the suspect refused to plead guilty and accept punishment, it would still be difficult. The law also requires evidence. Without solid evidence, how could someone be convicted?
Upon hearing Zhou Xuan's question, Fu Yuanshan exclaimed "Ah!" and then said, "Yes, brother. This Wang Side is very stubborn. He refuses to confess and won't say anything no matter what we ask. A vicious murderer who dismembers a body like this has a very strong psychological defense because he knows that no matter how honest he is or how cooperative he is, the result will be the same. So he just stalls and refuses to confess. As long as we don't have concrete evidence, we can't do anything to him."
Zhou Xuan nodded and said, "I'll be right there!" After hanging up the phone, he said to Old Li and Li Lei, "Grandpa, Li Da... Da..."
When Zhou Shi was about to call Li Lei "Brother Li," he suddenly realized that if Li Wei and Zhou Ying's relationship were to succeed, he wouldn't be able to call Li Lei "Big Brother" anymore. He was used to this form of address and couldn't easily change it. After a long moment of awkward silence, he finally said, "I have something to do and need to go back, so..."
Li Lei was also somewhat embarrassed. As soon as Zhou Xuan mentioned leaving, he immediately said to Li Wei, "You see him off...you see him off..."