"I was grading papers until past one in the morning last night. I was just about to head to school to discuss the final exams when, unexpectedly, I saw you all outside the fast-food restaurant..." After getting to know each other for a while, Li Wenshi gradually started chatting with Xu Ruizhi and the others, offering a brief explanation for why she was there.
Although her personality was somewhat aloof, it didn't mean she lacked social awareness. On the contrary, she was quite adept at socializing. Since graduating, Li Wenshi had made quite a few friends in the capital. However, she disdained associating with those frivolous young heirs and even put on a cold front to keep them at a distance. Over time, this habit had stuck.
It couldn't be helped—whenever these young masters saw a beauty like her, they always thought of pursuing her. She had no choice but to act aloof to protect herself.
Li Wenshi found this rather frustrating. Some friends even advised her to find a boyfriend and get married, warning that otherwise, these men would keep pestering her. But she simply had no interest in that. She had just become the president of the Wanzhi Group and was at a critical stage in her career—how could she spare the time for romance?
The Zhou family… Zhou Haikun… If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here. Just you wait!
Thinking of this, Li Wenshi took a bite of her burger while silently cursing the Zhou family in her heart.
In truth, the Li family was no less influential than the Zhou family; in fact, their clout and power in the business world far surpassed the Zhou family's. However, she and Zhou Haikun had been betrothed as children by their grandfathers—Old Master Li and Old Master Zhou. At the time, no one thought too much of it; it was more of a half-joking, muddled agreement.
Both Old Master Li and Old Master Zhou were men of their word, and both families were prominent figures in society. Once they gave their word, they would not go back on it, so the engagement was set in stone.
Originally, the arrangement was mutually beneficial, with both families gaining something. But as time passed, Old Master Li remained spirited and healthy, while Old Master Zhou had grown frail and sickly, likely not long for this world. If Old Master Zhou were to pass away, it would undoubtedly be a heavy blow to the Zhou family.
The Li family could see what the Zhou family was scheming and had no desire to marry into them. If the marriage alliance succeeded, it would spell disaster for the Li family.
Because… the Li family had no male heirs!
That's right—the fourth generation of the Li family consisted of only two girls. Li Wenshi's father was sickly and frail, and he was the only son. Her younger sister, Li Qingzi, was only sixteen and still in middle school.
Thus, the major and minor affairs of the Li family were largely shouldered by Li Wenshi's mother alone, and the family's business operations were gradually being handed over to Li Wenshi.
Under these circumstances, the Zhou family naturally hoped that through marriage, Li Wenshi would marry into their family. That way, the Zhou family could rightfully take over the Wanzhi Group.
Yes, the Zhou family was essentially trying to take advantage of the Li family's lack of male heirs!
Although the Li family was well aware of the Zhou family's intentions, there was little they could do. After all, the engagement had been personally agreed upon by the two grandfathers. Backing out would cause embarrassment for both families, especially since it involved their shared interests. Reneging would not only rupture relations between the Li and Zhou families but also damage the Li family's reputation.
So Li Wenshi came to Nanrong City to lay low for a while, planning to drag things out for a few years. By then, Old Master Zhou would have passed away, and who would still bring up the matter?
Unfortunately, what angered Li Wenshi was that Zhou Haikun had also followed her to Nanrong and was even tailing her. Naturally, Li Wenshi was quite annoyed.
...
"Teacher Li, I'm going to Beijing to attend Hangang Middle School (I made a typo earlier—it's 'gang'). I'm preparing to go through the withdrawal procedures these two days, probably by next week." Seeing Li Wenshi lost in thought and the atmosphere turning awkward, Xu Ruizhi quickly changed the subject.
"Huh?" Li Wenshi snapped out of her daze, then realized what was happening and apologized, "Sorry, I was just thinking about something." After a pause, she asked, "Why have you decided to go to Beijing for school? It's almost final exams—there are only about two weeks left before the tests. Why the sudden decision to leave?"
"Well, it's nothing really. I just feel this school isn't right for me. There isn't much room for improvement here, so I might as well go to Beijing for school. The educational environment there is better..." Xu Ruizhi explained.
Li Wenshi nodded thoughtfully but then frowned and asked, "Hangang Middle School is one of the top three elite schools in the country. Although it has excellent educational resources, the competition is extremely fierce. Has your family made all the necessary arrangements?"
"Yes, my Aunt Song woke up last night. She works in Beijing and has urged me several times before to attend Hangang Middle School, asking my mom and me to keep her company. After such a big incident, my mom and I aren't comfortable leaving her alone in Beijing for work, so we decided to go take care of her. It'll also keep her from overthinking things." Xu Ruizhi sighed as she spoke.
"No lasting effects, I hope?" Hearing this, Li Wenshi suddenly sensed that Xu Ruizhi's Aunt Song was no ordinary person.
"No..." Xu Ruizhi shook her head and said, "When the doctor examined her, he said her brain wasn't harmed by the sleeping pills, and she's recovering well. She's currently going through the discharge procedures."
"She can be discharged so soon?"
"Yeah, I find it strange too. Logically, after such a severe coma, she should at least stay in the hospital for observation for a few days, right?"
Xu Ruizhi lied without batting an eye, her expression calm.
"Maybe it's because you took her to the hospital early and she recovered well... You should keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't do anything foolish again..." Li Wenshi nodded and continued eating her burger. "I know, thank you," Xu Ruizhi said gratefully.
Zhu Xiefang, who had been listening quietly the whole time, ate her food in silence without interrupting. Fang Hanmeng and Sitian were still chattering away, seemingly oblivious to everything happening around them.
After the meal, everyone left the fast-food restaurant and stepped out onto the street. At that moment, Zhu Xiefang checked the time on her phone and said to the group, "Sitian has classes this afternoon, so I'll take her back now. I really troubled you all today... How about we exchange WeChat? That way, if my daughter misses you in the future, she can chat with you."
"Sure, but I don't have a WeChat account right now. This phone belongs to my family. How about this—give me your WeChat ID, and I'll write it down. I'll buy a phone this afternoon and add you then. That way, Hanmeng and Sitian can chat more easily," Xu Ruizhi quickly suggested.
"Alright, then I'll give you my WeChat ID," said Zhu Xiefang, taking out her phone and handing it to Xu Ruizhi... After just a few seconds, Xu Ruizhi had memorized Zhu Xiefang's WeChat ID and returned the phone to her. It was no surprise—a cultivator's memory was incredibly sharp, and remembering a string of numbers was as easy as child's play. Besides, Zhu Xiefang's WeChat ID wasn't complicated, just a simple sequence of digits...
After Zhu Xiefang and her daughter said their goodbyes and left, Xu Ruizhi and the other two began strolling aimlessly...
Fang Hanmeng, with the mental age of a seven- or eight-year-old, skipped and chattered along the way like a cheerful little bird, as if she were a butterfly set free. Xu Ruizhi watched her with a doting expression, occasionally reaching out to pinch her cheek, which made Fang Hanmeng giggle.
Li Wenshi, meanwhile, silently observed Xu Ruizhi and Fang Hanmeng's interactions, a flicker of curiosity in her eyes. She noticed that this stunningly beautiful woman named Fang Hanmeng seemed deeply attached to Xu Ruizhi, and their relationship didn't quite seem like that of cousins...
But... that was understandable. After all, Fang Hanmeng had some intellectual limitations, and Xu Ruizhi, as her cousin, treated her with such gentle affection. It was only natural for them to be close.
Seemingly tired of playing, Fang Hanmeng wrapped her arms around Xu Ruizhi's, her large, watery eyes occasionally glancing at his profile before she lowered her head to fiddle with the hem of her skirt.
Xu Ruizhi's arm was pressed against Fang Hanmeng's ample bosom, the smooth sensation causing his heart to race. He couldn't help but steal a glance at Li Wenshi.
Li Wenshi was currently staring into the distance, lost in thought, seemingly oblivious to the unusual atmosphere between them.
Thus, the quiet tension grew thicker, enveloping Fang Hanmeng, Xu Ruizhi, and Li Wenshi in a subtle, ambiguous air...
After a while, Xu Ruizhi snapped out of it first. He tried to pull his arm back slightly, but Fang Hanmeng clung tightly, refusing to let go.
Helpless, Xu Ruizhi gave a wry smile and allowed her to continue holding onto him. Wanting to break the strange atmosphere, he was about to subtly inquire about Li Wenshi's background when he inadvertently noticed a car parked by the roadside in the distance. At first, he didn't pay it much mind—the street was wide, and parked cars were a common sight.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, a familiar figure appeared in his line of sight, piquing his curiosity. It was too far away to see clearly, so he formed a hand seal and focused his gaze on the car...
Once he made out the person inside, Xu Ruizhi felt a twinge of confusion. Wasn't that the man who had been pestering Teacher Li at the school gate yesterday? What was he doing here?
Could it be...
A thought crossed Xu Ruizhi's mind. He glanced at Teacher Li beside him and suddenly understood something.
"What's wrong?" Li Wenshi noticed the change in Xu Ruizhi's expression and asked curiously.
"Oh... it's nothing..." Xu Ruizhi hesitated for a moment before deciding to share what he had just seen. Looking at Li Wenshi, he said, "Teacher Li, that person from yesterday at the school gate... is he a friend of yours?"
Upon hearing this, Li Wenshi was taken aback, then her expression darkened as she fixed her gaze intently on Xu Ruizhi, asking seriously:
"What do you mean?"
Xu Ruizhi felt somewhat uncomfortable under Li Wenshi's intense stare. He pointed toward the car in the distance and hesitated before saying, "He seems... to be following you..."
"What!"
Li Wenshi's expression changed abruptly. She turned sharply to look at the distant car. Although it was too far to clearly see the person inside, the license plate was still visible—several zeros in a row, making it impossible not to stand out.
Gritting her teeth, Li Wenshi immediately pulled out her phone and dialed a number: "Dad, Zhou Haikun is following me. What should I do now?"
"Where are you?"
"Shopping."
"Alright, I understand." A weak voice came from the other end of the line before the call was abruptly disconnected. Only then did Xu Ruizhi notice that Li Wenshi's face had turned extremely grim, her fists clenched tightly as if she were suppressing her anger with all her might.
"Teacher Li, what's wrong?"
Seeing Li Wenshi's reaction, Fang Hanmeng looked up at her with a somewhat dazed and puzzled expression.
Xu Ruizhi also watched Li Wenshi, vaguely sensing what might be going on.
"I'm fine..." Li Wenshi took a deep breath and slowly uttered three words: "You two continue shopping. I have something to handle."
With that, Li Wenshi paid no attention to Fang Hanmeng and Xu Ruizhi's reactions and ran straight toward the car.
...Inside the car, Zhou Haikun leaned back in his seat, feigning sleep with his eyes closed. Suddenly, his ears twitched, and he opened his eyes, looking out through the window. Seeing Li Wenshi walking toward him, his face instantly filled with panic.
"Damn it, how did this woman spot me?"
Zhou Haikun's expression shifted uneasily. He hadn't dared to expose himself—this woman was not someone to be trifled with. Every young master in the capital had confessed their feelings to her, but in the end, none had come to a good outcome. Thus, Zhou Haikun was deeply wary of Li Wenshi. If it weren't for his family pressuring him to win her over, he would never have dared to provoke this icy, intimidating woman.
"Are you following me?" Li Wenshi stood in front of the car, her tone indifferent as she questioned him. Tall and slender, even in a long dress, her curves were still evident. Her chest, though not particularly large, was perky and firm. Combined with her delicate, pretty face, she exuded an irresistible allure. Every time Zhou Haikun saw her, he was terrified, yet he couldn't help feeling a stirring in his heart.
Zhou Haikun quickly got out of the car and forced a smile, saying, "How could I? I was just passing by..."
Li Wenshi ignored his words, staring straight at him without blinking.
Sweat beaded on Zhou Haikun's forehead. This woman made him feel as if he were facing a wild beast. Afraid she might lose her temper, he hurriedly said, "I came specifically to see you today..."
"To see me for what?" Li Wenshi replied coolly. "It seems we have no connection, do we?"
"I..." Zhou Haikun stammered for a moment before saying, "Well, I wanted to invite you to dinner and have a chat..."
"Dinner is unnecessary. If this is about the engagement, I don't think there's any need for discussion, and I see no point in wasting each other's time." Li Wenshi straightforwardly rejected Zhou Haikun's invitation and added bluntly, "I hope you will stop harassing me, or I won't be polite."
With that, Li Wenshi turned and walked away.
"Li Wenshi!!!" Watching her retreating figure, Zhou Haikun roared in anger, "Don't forget, this engagement was arranged by our grandfathers. If you break it, do you believe that the Li and Zhou families will sever all ties?"
Hearing Zhou Haikun's threat, Li Wenshi paused slightly before slowly turning around, her gaze calm as she looked at him.
"Don't think I don't know what your Zhou family is scheming. Let me tell you, I, Li Wenshi, would rather remain unmarried for life than become a tool in someone else's hands."
With a disdainful glance at Zhou Haikun, she strode away gracefully.
Watching her leave, Zhou Haikun's face turned ashen, flushing red and pale before settling into a murderous glare. He growled under his breath, "You bitch, since you refuse the easy way, don't blame me for what comes next."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small bag of powdered substance. Glancing at Li Wenshi's retreating figure, he slowly began to follow her.
Li Wenshi walked briskly, completely unaware of the danger behind her. By the time she sensed something amiss, a wave of intense peril washed over her.
Her expression changed drastically as she tried to sidestep the threat, but it was too late. Zhou Haikun had already flung the contents of the bag toward her.
"Watch out!!"
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