Mister Li, the Heart Bandit

They held each other for a while when Ji Weixi's legs went soft and leaned deeper into Li Shaoling's arms.

"Such poor stamina," he said. "You need training."

Ji Weixi glared at him coldly.

And his stamina was fine?

After tidying up, Ji Weixi went to get a ring with Li Shaoling, hand in hand.

His fingers were thin unlike the thick, coarse fingers of other men—in fact, his fingers were almost feminine: narrow and tender, just short of girly as his veins protruded over the back of his hand.

Ji Weixi whipped out her debit card after picking the most trending style of the season, but did not let the attendant swipe it immediately.

She turned to Li Shaoling. "How much was that ring you proposed to me with?"

"Around five million." Li Shaoling said nonchalantly as if he didn't care about it at all.

"…"

Ji Weixi determinedly submitted her debit card to the attendant.

The one she picked for Li Shaoling was just above fifty thousand, which was expensive to her but not worth mentioning at all compared to his extravagance on that dove egg-sized diamond ring.

She felt a little sorry for him. "Won't you be unhappy with what I picked for you?"

Li Shaoling didn't get it. "Why would I be?"

"The one you gave me is so expensive… while mine…"

Ji Weixi trailed off—the more she spoke, the more worthless her gift sounded.

Li Shaoling simply accepted it, however, and put an arm over her shoulder. "As long as it's a gift from you, it doesn't matter how much it cost."

"Really?"

"Have I ever lied to you?"

Ji Weixi searched through old debts with utter bad timing. "When we first me, you told me that I had neither skill nor ability, even tormenting me…"

Li Shaoling's eyelid twitched. "Did I say that?"

Then, when she was about to speak, he simply crossed his fingers with hers and led her away. "Let's go home."

On the way back, just as Ji Weixi was about to assume that Li Shaoling was shirking his own past crimes, he mused even as he drove. "My eyes weren't seeing clearly back then."

When he was finished, he even cleared his throat as if to hide the redness of his ears.

Ji Weixi stopped herself from smiling.

She had let it all go a long time ago.

Silly man.

Back home, Ji Weixi unwrapped the packaging and was about to help Li Shaoling wear his ring when he refused.

"I'll wear it at our wedding."

Ji Weixi considered it. "Okay!"

She entered the bedroom and put his ring beside her dove egg ring, even locking it in fear of losing them.

Li Shaoling had received a call and he hung up when she came out, and naturally took her into his arms, his warm palm slowly reaching downwards and rubbing gently on her belly.

Ji Weixi looked up at him. "What is it?"

"There's a banquet tonight."

"Go then." Ji Weixi did not think much about it.

"It's the Yu family." Li Shaoling's arms tightened around her. "You're invited too."

"Yu family…"

Ji Weixi searched her mind for a bit before realizing which Yu family he was talking about.

If the Li family's greatest rival in Europe is the Qiao family, their most bitter rivals here in the country was the Yu family.

Naturally, the rookie contest in River Town this year is jointly organized by both CBS and Yu Group.

While Ji Weixi did not quite understand business, there was a simple reason why the Li family would work with the Yu family despite being rivals: there are no perpetual enemies in commerce, only eternal profits—partnerships and win-wins were therefore the only truth.

The Yu family were an old family that stood over a hundred years, bound by strict rules that kept their children in line, living along with a fixed routine.

If Li Shaoling had not led the Li family into the European scene four years ago, River Town's undisputed king would have been the Yu family.

Their elderly head is named Yu Qishan, who had two sons and one daughter.

The sons had their lives all ironed out by Yu Qishan himself the moment they were born. However, after the both of them had a son from their respectively marriages, both men died in a car accident on a business trip.

Yu Qishan, taken ill from the incident was left disabled for three years.

His remaining daughter had also perished in a fire years ago, leaving him a granddaughter who was just nine years old.

But after the fire that took his daughter's life, Yu Qishan's granddaughter went missing.

Their family almost never recovered from that fall.

Later, Yu Qishan's eldest grandson Yu Xiangnian suddenly debuted with outstanding performance in trade. When he took the reins of Yu Group, he fired half of their employees and stole talents from other groups, offering such high salaries and benefiting conditions that none could resist.

Under one year, Yu Group's stocks that had been on the brink of bankruptcy quickly rose to stand as equally matched kings alongside CBS.

Yu Xiangnian also became another word for cold-bloodedness, ruthlessness and slaughter as he swiftly took over as the Yu family head at 29.

Naturally, everyone was aware of his underhandedness and cunning.

***

The Yu Family residence.

Ji Weixi had picked a frilled gown, her clear features remaining ever vibrant and stirring.

She matched Li Shaoling perfectly, who in turn wore a tailored black suit that accentuated his broad shoulders and long neck, leaving everyone else feeling envious.

When they arrived, servants were lined up in two rows on each side of the entrance, welcoming them with ninety-degrees bowing.

Walking with a crutch, Yu Qishan slowly approached them with Yu Xiangnian's help.

"President Li, pleasure to finally meet you."

Although Yu Qishan's complexion was terrible, it wasn't hard to see the might of his younger days.

Dryly but courteously, Li Shaoling said, "Thanks for inviting me."

It was a conveyance of gratitude but without the gratitude.

"And this must be Ji Weixi!" Yu Qishan said as he turned to Ji Weixi, having a nagging feeling that she strongly resembled his late daughter and feeling like he met an old acquaintance despite this being their first meeting.

Ji Weixi smiled in return. "Hello. Guilty as charged."

"Grandfather." Yu Xiangnian then spoke coolly. "It's a little cold here. Let's get inside."

"Alright… alright." Yu Qishan turned with some effort, his eyes seemingly unwilling to tear away from Ji Weixi.

They were seated.

There was a small crowd seated beneath a dazzling crystal chandelier, and the table was decorated extravagantly with sparkling, conspicuous silverware.

As Yu Qishan took the main seat, he told Ji Weixi across the table to simply dispense with formalities, and think of the venue as her own home.

She was shocked. What was Yu Qishan trying to do?

This was the first time she met him, but the way he was already treating her with such overwhelming courtesy made obvious the presence of an ulterior motive.

Perhaps sensing her reaction, Yu Qishan lowered his knife and fork while his gaze turned distance in remembrance. "You don't have to be afraid, Miss Ji. It's just that I find you a little resembling to my late daughter."

What a pity.

Yu Qishan stared at Ji Weixi and sighed loudly inside.

So what if there was a resemblance?

And who didn't know that Ji Weixi was from the Ji family, and the daughter of Ji Xiangdong?