Chen Ying immediately instructed his secretary to begin preparations. Xu Mengyu confiscated Zheng Tianming's bank card, fearing he might impulsively take over the hotel.

When Xu Lu got home, Li Mirui had already bought groceries and returned. Xu Lu didn't even have to take a test; she went straight to school.

"I thought you would just find him any school." Xu Mengyu looked at the information in her hand. It was a private elite school with tuition fees of over a million per semester.

Li Mirui, eating an apple, said, "To show that I'm down-to-earth, I just randomly found a school for my grandson, given my financial means?"

Before she married Xu Sichen, her family was not particularly wealthy, but her parents gave her the best they could from a young age. While others were still living in school dormitories or renting apartments, her father had already used the relocation compensation to buy her a house.

Xu Mengyu gave a thumbs up; ever since she could remember, her mother had lived with remarkable clarity of mind...

"Auntie, how about we have boiled pork for dinner?" Zheng Tianming opened the refrigerator and took out a can of cola.

Li Mirui carried the washed cherry tomatoes to the sofa in the living room and watched Zheng Tianming tilt his head back to drink cola. For a moment, she was in a daze.

"Either is fine." He swallowed back the harsh words.

Even if you don't look at the child, you have to look at his parents.

Just as she was about to sit down, her phone rang: "[Hello, what's up, my darling?]" Judging from her tone, she was doing it on purpose.

Xu Sichen sat on his private jet, documents in hand, steak and red wine laid out on the round table: "Honey, Lao Zheng just called and said Chen Ying's hotel is going out of business. I'm on my way."

The hotel has a great location in the city center. He was mainly interested in the land, but the price he quoted was probably just a transfer fee.

Li Mirui's hair almost stood on end. He was definitely coming to see Xu Mengyu, and if he ran into Xu Lu, things would get out of hand.

Seeing that Li Milui looked unwell, Xu Mengyu went over to look at her and said, "Dad, good afternoon."

Upon learning that Xu Sichen was already on his way, Xu Mengyu's expression was similar to Li Mirui's...

After ending the call, Li Mirui looked at Zheng Tianming and said, "Pick up Xu Lu at the hotel tonight. I'll tell your Uncle Xu that you went to do something for Xu Mengyu."

"No need, I rented a place downstairs." Zheng Tianming said, then looked at Xu Mengyu. Seeing that she looked unwell, he felt a pang of sympathy.

Xu Mengyu patted her chest: "We absolutely can't let Father know. It's fine if he's not angry, but when he gets angry, it's terrifying." Just thinking about it terrifies her.

Xu Sichen rarely lost his temper with the mother and daughter, but they were still afraid...

"When did you rent this place?" Xu Mengyu asked after she realized what was happening.

Zheng Tianming answered honestly, "The second day after I arrived."

In other words, he had long planned to rely on her for a long time.

Xu Mengyu walked over with a smile, and Zheng Tianming looked down as she reached out her hand.

"You have a place to stay, and you're even eating and drinking for free." Xu Mengyu's hand landed on his abdomen through his shirt, but since it was all muscle, she couldn't pinch anything.

Zheng Tianming's expression remained unchanged: "It's your salary now."

With Li Milui present, Xu Mengyu couldn't bring herself to be ruthless. She narrowed her beautiful eyes and looked at him threateningly.

Zheng Tianming turned around, his tall figure completely blocking Xu Mengyu's view. He felt a sharp pain in his leg and frowned.

Just for this one moment, I absolutely had to pinch him.

Li Milui didn't have time to deal with them; as Xu Sichen's secretary, she naturally had to do the preparations for what was to come.

Xu Sichen drank some red wine and took a nap on the plane. Xu Lu hadn't even finished school yet when he got off the plane.

Xu Lu's performance at school can be described as excellent, except that he is falling behind in his studies. He is holding his Chinese textbook and reciting the texts.

He didn't understand why he had to memorize it...

Zheng Tianming gripped the steering wheel, his gaze following the rearview mirror to Xu Lu. He paused for a moment before saying, "Son, your grandfather is here."

“Then I’ll go to the hotel. I need to be at school by 7:40 tomorrow.” He was all too familiar with this process.

Zheng Tianming lit a cigarette: "You stay downstairs, I'll come back and keep you company tonight."

Xu Lu looked up in surprise: "If you're with me, who's with Mom?" He had gotten used to being alone.

"Your mom's so old, does she still need me to keep her company?" Zheng Tianming flicked his cigarette ash. "When I get back, how about we order takeout and have some barbecue?"

"My mom won't let me eat..." Xu Lu held up her Chinese textbook, covering most of her face, revealing only her round eyes: "But I can eat just a little bit."

“It’s settled then. When you get home, do your homework and see what you want to order takeout. I’ll be back around 7 or 8.” Zheng Tianming said, handing the GPS tracker from his pocket to Xu Lu: “Keep it on.”

It's always better to be careful.

Xu Lu swung her legs and said, "Uncle Zheng, when are you going to give me a little sister? I saw a pair of twins on my way to school today, and I want one too."

Zheng Tianming gave a soft snort: "I advise you to give up that idea."

He and Zheng Wanwan are twins, a boy and a girl, and they bullied him terribly when they were kids: "..."

"I don't care, I want my sister." Xu Lu said, leaning forward. "Uncle Zheng, can you think of a way and try your best?"

"Sit still." Zheng Tianming was frustrated. Was this something he could achieve by working hard on his own?

Besides, Xu Mengyu's health isn't good; even if she could have children, he wouldn't be willing to...

Xu Sichen was smoking at the entrance of the residential area. He was getting old, and the young lady was very strict with him, so he was only allowed to smoke two cigarettes a day.

"Son, lie down." Zheng Tianming saw it from a distance.

Xu Lu obediently pulled the blanket over her head.

Zheng Tianming stepped on the brakes: "Uncle Xu, why didn't you go in when you got here?" He asked knowingly.

Xu Sichen, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, glanced at him and said, "Get lost."

"Uncle Xu, I'll go in first then." Zheng Tianming said, rolling up the car window.

Xu Lu held onto the table and chair, and peeked out through the rear window: "Wow, Grandpa is so handsome..." It wasn't the first time he had seen him, but it was the first time he had been this close.

Zheng Tianming glanced in the rearview mirror: "Isn't your dad handsome?"

“It’s different.” Xu Lu said, leaning against the car. “Grandpa looked so elegant and noble just standing there…”

Zheng Tianming stepped on the gas, and Xu Lu almost fell off: "You mean, your dad's handsome looks are so cheap?"

Xu Lu covered her forehead: "You're handsome on the outside..." In terms of temperament, he doesn't look like a good person at all. Wherever he stands, it looks like he's about to randomly snatch a bandit's wife.

Of course, this was what his mother said; he dared not, nor could he think of, that adjective.

Xu Sichen flicked his cigarette ash. He rarely went out with bodyguards; if something really happened, who knew who would protect whom...

Li Mirui ran downstairs in her slippers. The time was too close, and she was afraid that Xu Sichen and Zheng Tianming would bump into each other.

As Xu Sichen chewed his gum and entered the residential area, he saw Li Milui running towards him. She ran like a penguin, and he couldn't help but smile.

"Why are you running? Do you think I'll get lost?" Xu Sichen said, pulling the panting Li Mirui into his arms. The two middle-aged men, ignoring the stares of others, simply held each other tightly.

Li Milui thought to herself, "Am I worried you'll get lost?" But she couldn't say, "What if such a big sheep gets lost?"

Xu Sichen rubbed his chin against Li Mirui's head: "I didn't spoil you for nothing. Let's go home."

"Have you been smoking?" Li Mirui sniffed the air. He had a severe cough last year, and the doctor said he had pharyngitis and was prohibited from smoking.

Xu Sichen's eyebrows drooped: "You don't trust me." His deep voice was tinged with grievance.

Li Mirui held Xu Sichen's hand: "How could that be? My Meimei keeps her word the most..." If he didn't smoke, she would take off his leg and use the plug as a lightning rod.

Xu Sichen was pleased. As soon as the two got on the elevator, Li Mirui reached into his pocket and took out a cigarette case.

“...”

"Three are missing. You must have smoked them on the plane. You just smoked one. Where's the other one?" Li Mirui squinted.

Xu Sichen leaned against the armrest: "My brother, me, and Lao Zheng, that's exactly three." Admitting it would mean being punished.

"You're talking nonsense. Professor Pei has quit smoking. Would he dare to smoke? Do you think everyone is like you?" Li Mirui put away the cigarette pack. "You can smoke all of tomorrow's cigarettes. I'm confiscating them today."

"You've known my brother for most of your life, and you believe him just because he says he'll quit smoking?" Xu Sichen wants to take someone down with him, so that he won't be the only one punished in the end.

The elevator doors opened, and Li Mirui pinched Xu Sichen's waist: "It's still better than you."

Xu Sichen remained silent, but that was not necessarily true.

Upon hearing the door open, Xu Mengyu ran straight to it, exclaiming, "Dad, I missed you so much!"

Xu Sichen pressed his hand against Xu Mengyu's forehead: "Stop. If you really miss me, you should move back home."

"My studio is over here." Xu Mengyu looked at Xu Sichen with a pitiful expression, thinking, "How can you be like this?"

Xu Sichen took off his shoes: "I'll buy you an office building, or if that doesn't work, I'll open a company for you near home." She was just like his mother, using words to fool him.

Li Mirui pouted, "So childish, arguing with my daughter like that."

Xu Mengyu chuckled but didn't say anything. She couldn't nod, otherwise the matter would be settled by the end of the month at the latest.

"I just saw Tianming. He should have come up before me?" Xu Sichen looked around but didn't see anyone.

Xu Mengyu and Li Milui exchanged a glance.

Just then, Zheng Tianming came in: "I wonder which bastard took up the parking space... Uncle Xu, you finished your cigarette so quickly?"

Xu Sichen turned to look at Zheng Tianming: "You're just like your father." Not only do you lack tact, but you're also clueless.

Li Mirui looked at Xu Sichen meaningfully.

Zheng Tianming did it on purpose, otherwise Xu Sichen would easily go downstairs to deflate the tires in his car; that's just his temper...

It's better to offend a petty person than to offend Xu Sichen.

Xu Sichen plopped down on the sofa, putting his legs up on the coffee table: "Mengyu, don't you know about Chen Han's matter?"

Xu Mengyu looked at Xu Sichen with a blank expression: "What is it?"

"Check it yourself." Xu Sichen said, picking up the remote control that was placed aside. It was still small, so he could check it himself.

Li Mirui sat down and patted Xu Sichen's leg: "Don't stick your leg out like that, sit properly. Mengyu learned this from you."

Xu Sichen pulled her into his arms. He watched as Xu Mengyu and Zheng Tianming walked toward the kitchen. He lowered his voice and said, "I didn't sleep well last night."

Li Milui retorted to Xu Sichen, saying that she had worried he would become unreliable in his old age when they were young, and now it had come true.

Xu Sichen looked at the news: "How are Mengyu and Tianming doing?" As a father, it would be a lie to say he wasn't worried at all.

"Why did you try to set them up?" Li Miru leaned on Xu Sichen's shoulder. She had insomnia the night before and was sleepy now.

Xu Sichen lowered his legs and helped Li Mirui lie down: "We understand Tianming's parents and know his character. Even if he makes a mistake in the future, Wanwan and Pei Lan will keep him in check. We won't live to see them grow old."

"Let's not talk about that for now. How are Wanwan and Pei Lan doing? I saw their posts on WeChat Moments yesterday, and they're having a pretty big fight." Li Mirui sighed deeply.

The younger generation is always a handful. Pei Lan disappeared for three years, and now that he's back, Wanwan insists on divorcing him.

It caused quite a stir a while ago.

She had intended to talk to Feng Xi about Zheng Tianming, but her daughter's situation was already enough to worry her, so she couldn't bring herself to say anything.

Xu Sichen leaned back on the sofa: "To be honest, I wanted to kick Pei Lan, but I held back."

"Don't kick her. Chengzi just got out of the hospital. When I video-chatted with her yesterday, she couldn't even eat." Li Mirui closed her eyes.

There are three sisters, and their children have all settled down with each other. Now, things are getting out of hand, and she's worried it might affect their sisterly relationship.

Xu Sichen patted Li Mirui on the shoulder: "What are you worried about? Professor Pei is here, isn't he?" He raised his voice considerably when he said this.

Li Mirui didn't bother with Xu Sichen. Chengzi's husband was Xu Sichen's cousin and also her professor in college.

“...”

She had a crush on him and praised Professor Pei to her girlfriends every day, saying how slim she was, how long her legs were, and how fertile she was. But then she found out that he had been married for more than two years.

Then she met Xu Sichen, that unlucky, spoiled brat.

Xu Mengyu peeked out and saw her parents snuggling on the sofa watching TV. She whispered, "Be careful, don't let anything slip. My dad's got a lot of tricks up his sleeve."

Zheng Tianming was slicing meat: "Then you'll take after your aunt."

"You wait, I'll tell on you in a minute." Xu Mengyu said, taking half a cucumber and taking a bite.

Zheng Tianming looked at Xu Mengyu seriously: "Just because you take after your aunt doesn't mean you can't be smart. If you say that about your aunt, I'll be the first to object."

Xu Mengyu squinted her eyes: "If I don't pinch you, you'll get upset, won't you?"

Zheng Tianming looked at Xu Mengyu meaningfully, thinking that pinching her wasn't out of the question.

Which one is being fought...?

"Will you come downstairs and keep me company tonight?" Zheng Tianming leaned closer; he wanted to hold her while she slept, even though the process was agonizing...

Xu Mengyu: "Just you wait, when I'm feeling really annoyed, I'll come downstairs." She's crazy; instead of getting some sleep, she runs downstairs to suffer.

With his physique, she dreamed of having him... oh wait... I can't say that, cut this part out.

Zheng Tianming put the meat into a small basin: "Then I'll come up in the middle of the night. If Uncle Xu sees us, we'll go public with our relationship."

Xu Mengyu looked at Zheng Tianming: "What's our relationship... creditor and sworn enemy?"

Zheng Tianming kissed Xu Mengyu's lips: "I'll leave the door open for you, okay?"

Xu Mengyu ignored him. Fine, she'd stay; she wasn't going down anyway...