Chapter 48. Tan Su had originally propped himself up on the pillow...

Tan Su had been resting his hands on the pillow, intently looking down at her. Upon hearing this, he squeezed Li Li's cheeks with two fingers, pouting her lips, and forcibly leaned in to kiss her.

Upon reflection after calming down, his words were somewhat excessive for Li Li.

She disliked Tan Su's subtle intention to legitimize his position, so she sat on the edge of the bed, silently putting on her sweater and shuffling her toes into her slippers.

She didn't ask Tan Su to take her home. Instead, she wandered around the area, bought some snacks and pastries, and then leisurely took a taxi home.

"Where did you go this afternoon?" Li Zhizi asked her as she entered.

Li Li, with a yogurt dangling from her mouth, answered her while changing her shoes, "Going shopping."

Li Zhizi asked, "Really?"

Li Li raised an eyelid, took the yogurt, and asked subtly, "What are you trying to say?"

Li Zhizi didn't know what to say.

She didn't want to offend Li Li or stir up trouble between the siblings. Their blood ties were there, and no matter what misunderstandings or disagreements they had, they could always reconcile. But Li Zhizi was different.

She was caught in the middle, feeling awkward and caught between a rock and a hard place.

Li Zhizi finally mustered up the courage to ask, "Are you in a relationship?"

Li Li chuckled and pointed to herself: "Me?"

"We're together every day, when do you think I have time?"

After saying that, she stopped explaining to Li Zhizi, threw away the yogurt container, and picked up Su Mi, who had been attracted by the sound of the plastic bag.

“If you’re really in a relationship,” Li Zhizi said from behind, “wouldn’t you at least let me know?”

——

Before the annual meeting started that year, Fang Xuan made a phone call to Tan Yi from the dressing room.

The phone always goes busy, and after a few dozen seconds, it automatically switches to voicemail.

Nobody knows where he is now. Tan Yi has disappeared for several weeks now, and only occasionally sends a few emails to Dai Zhe to arrange his next work.

Tan Congxu scoffed at his son's rebellion; his boundless energy and unprecedented power gave him endless things to do. In his eyes, Tan Yi was just a child throwing a tantrum, and that he would stop crying if left to the cold.

Only Fang Xuan was very worried.

He may be in such a bad state that he has no way to come back and continue his normal life.

With the return date approaching and a festival coinciding, the Li family held another family banquet.

Li Li felt like there were endless faces in front of her, asking similar questions. She was distracted by scrolling through her phone and social media when she unintentionally saw Fang Xuan's post under the likes of her high school classmate.

She attended her company's annual meeting in Hong Kong today, with her hair up, wearing an exquisite and gorgeous evening gown and a set of jewelry, holding a champagne glass and standing next to Tan Congxu for a photo.

Li Li recognized the company's name; it was a shell company that Tan Yi had set up specifically to investigate Huisheng when he went to N City to find her.

Back then, the two met in a remote northern city and ate a hot pot meal costing around 100 yuan until they were stuffed. It turned out that the small company that Mr. Ming had once looked down on had actually gone public one day.

Li Li subconsciously clicked into Fang Xuan's personal homepage. The background picture was a Central apartment facing Victoria Harbour at night, with her curled up on a single sofa, hugging a cat.

The rest are just company activities and promotions.

Li Li thought.

The most heartbreaking thing in a relationship is discovering that someone else planted the trees so that someone else could enjoy the shade.

It's hard to say whether Tan Yi's refusal to apologize or Fang Xuan's glamorous demeanor is more disheartening.

Li Li opened a bottle of pineapple-flavored rum, drank two glasses, got tipsy, and went to toast with Li Zhoudu.

He was talking to someone when Li Li suddenly grabbed his neck from behind, her face close to his cheek, and said in a very domineering and forceful tone, "Don't be angry with me anymore, brother!"

Wang Minjun laughed at her for being unruly and disrespectful: "There are guests here, little kitten. You're all drunk, what are you doing, behaving so disrespectfully with your brother?"

Li Zhoudu had no choice but to apologize to the guest. He first clinked glasses with her, then drank it all under her intense gaze, calming her down before having Li Zhizi come over to keep an eye on her.

That evening, on the same bus home from the hotel, Li Li leaned on Li Zhoudu's shoulder and repeatedly asked, as if she had a memory lapse, "Are you really not angry anymore? Can you let go of my grudge?"

Li Zhizi sat upright in the passenger seat, and heard Li Zhoudu say from behind, "Me, nitpick? You slack off on running every day, have I said anything to you?"

"Huh? How did you know?"

He laughed: "You run around every day and come back with your clothes so dry you don't even need to shower. You're kidding me."

Li Li got up and whispered something in his ear.

Li Zhoudu showed his wrist: "Didn't you put it on?"

——

In early February, during the Chinese Lunar New Year, a Western singer whom Li Li admired held a concert in L City, near her school. She bought tickets early and took Li Zhizi to see it with her.

Li Zhizi had long heard of this superstar who had been famous for decades and was renowned both at home and abroad, but she didn't know much about him except for a few hit singles.

Li Li held up a glow stick and hummed along throughout the entire event, taking a few photos in between and posting them on her personal homepage for fun.

The message received new likes almost immediately after it was posted.

Soon, I received another private message from a follower.

[What a coincidence! You're also going to a concert in L city?]

Li Li looked at Fang Xuan's name on the screen and found her nonchalant greeting absurd.

Soon another message popped up on the other end: "[Want to meet up after the show?]"

After the three-and-a-half-hour concert ended, they wrapped themselves in their coats, squeezed through the dispersing crowd, and searched along the way until they found the coffee shop that Fang Xuan had mentioned was still open.

There were quite a few guests inside, and Fang Xuan sat by the window, occupying a table all to herself.

Li Zhizi looked wary. If she hadn't passed through security, Li Li would have really suspected that she was carrying a gun and would shoot anyone who threatened her.

As soon as she and Li Zhizi sat down, the waiter brought over two cups of hot lattes.

Fang Xuan said, "Please. I didn't expect to see you here, but since we're so close, it would be a shame not to meet."

Li Li had no mood to pretend to be at peace with her: "I heard from others that your father was heavily in debt, but it seems that's not true."

Fang Xuan took a sip of coffee and said calmly, "It's the truth."

"However, we have already completed the division of assets, so it doesn't have much impact on me."

Her calm and composed tone left Li Li unsure whether to applaud Fang Xuan's cleverness and wit. She said, "So, the reason your shop closed before was because of this?"

Fang Xuan smiled and nodded: "The first time I closed the shop, I barely managed to scrape together a little over 500 to cover the losses. The second time, the deficit was 6.4 million, which I simply couldn't afford."

Li Li managed to piece together these fragmented causes and effects: "So, you went to find Tan Yi?"

"Is it because he has connections in Macau?"

Fang Xuan did not deny it.

Li Li's eyes reddened at her lack of remorse, and she retorted, "Did you even think for a second during that time to come and ask me?"

She never imagined that destroying her most cherished and longest-lasting friendship would only cost her this much.

That is, the price of those flashy but impractical gifts that Tan Su sent.

It's a price she could probably cover without even asking Li Zhoudu.

Li Li gripped the coffee cup tightly, pressing her fingernails into it: "Is it that I can't give you the money you need? Is it that I can't help you solve your problem by using other means?"

"Why should you help me?" Fang Xuan asked her casually.

"You don't want my beauty or use my abilities, so how am I supposed to repay such a large debt to you?"

"Did I say I wanted you to pay me back?!"

Fang Xuan suddenly raised her voice: "Do you really think that unconditional kindness and trust won't put pressure on and cause pain to those around you?"

"You know how your haughty attitude towards all difficulties makes other people's miserable lives look so pathetic!"

"Everyone faces different difficulties entering this game of life. I don't have your privilege of doing everything openly and honestly!"

"Is this my fault?"

Li Li was stunned by her powerful logic. She suddenly remembered Li Zhoudu's naive criticism of her a long time ago, asking if she was out of touch with reality.

Was it my fault?

Is it because I ignored and disregarded the pain of others that I suffered betrayal from my best friend and boyfriend?

But at that moment, Li Zhizi spoke up for her.

Li Zhizi said, "Your pain stems from your father, not from Li Li. But you've transferred your pain to her, causing her suffering. Why can you still righteously accuse her of being wrong? Who do you really hate?"

"Furthermore, if you really just wanted to preserve your dignity in front of her, why did you bypass her and go directly to her boyfriend for help? Are you really forced into this situation, as you claim?"

Fang Xuan didn't say anything more.

She has no regrets, and her answer will never change.

Li Zhizi didn't want to waste any more time, so she took Li Li's arm and said, "Let's go."

Li Li took two steps and heard a soft voice behind her: "I really did like Tan Yi from the first time I met you, on the night you appeared together to return your student cards."

"I once sincerely wished you well. But the rift that appeared in your relationship has nothing to do with me."

Fang Xuan took a deep breath: "He hasn't been feeling well lately. If he contacts you or asks for your help, please don't refuse him."

Li Li tilted her head slightly, her heart turning cold as she understood Fang Xuan's purpose: "Did you come to the concert just to say these things?"

——

Tan Su's apartment had been unoccupied for a long time, so the cleaning staff were inevitably a bit lazy. The plants on the balcony looked like they had been watered at the last minute; the leaves were dry and yellow, while the soil was moist and dark.

Tan Su was sitting at his desk in a remote meeting when he saw Li Li come in from the balcony and open his palm to her.

Li Li pretended not to see it, so he simply muted his microphone, brought the person over, and pulled him onto his lap.

When I'm holding her, I can't get anything done. I just kiss her, pinch her, play with her fingers, and the information from the meeting basically goes in one ear and out the other.

This time, Li Li was relatively obedient. She wrapped her arm around Tan Su's neck, and as his lips drew near, she suddenly asked, "Who did Tan Yi marry?"

Tan Su paused for a moment: "You don't know?"

Li Li's eyes were clear and bright: "I don't know, that's why I came to ask you."

Tan Su did not speak.

Li Li continued, "You couldn't possibly not know, could you? After all, you've been monitoring and controlling them for so many years. There's no reason you wouldn't be able to name a single one."

Her gaze, initially tentative, gradually shifted towards a positive conclusion.

"So," she realized Tan Su's answer, "you were lying to me."

"What would I lie to you about?" Tan Su retorted with a laugh. "Didn't I already say that?"

Li Li found him utterly shameless: "That's not what you said back then! What you said isn't the answer I had in mind!"

"If you can accept that it's real, then reality is fake. Is there a problem?"

Tan Su sneered: "Tan Yi did something unforgivable right in front of you. Do you still secretly hope he won't get married?"

"This is not something to expect!"

"Then stop deceiving yourself!"

Tan Su interrupted her, cruelly saying, "Even if he doesn't get married, there's absolutely no chance for you two in the future."

"What are you thinking, Li Li?" he said, suppressing his anger. "You've slept with me so many times, and you still think you can go back to him someday, is that it?"

-----------------------

Author's Note: Updated! I'm going to sleep now. I'll revise the story tomorrow morning.

I'm such a typo king! [crying emoji]