Did you know that the lotus lantern is a perpetual motion machine?
It was already 8pm when they finished all the work, and Lin Yu was feeling extremely sleepy for no apparent reason. Tao Xingye couldn't stand it any longer, so he sent a message to Tao Xinghai asking him to come back tomorrow, and helped Lin Yu to the bedroom.
She fell asleep almost as soon as she touched the bed. Tao Xingye liked to watch Lin Yu sleep, so he stayed by her side for a long time until his assistant called, and then he got up and left.
"What's up?"
The person on the other end of the line paused for a moment. Tao Xingye sensed something was amiss. The only thing that could have made even his assistant so embarrassed to speak up was the compensation for those trucks. "What did Wanyun Group say? Are they going to ask us to pay for everything?"
"Wanyun's contact is here with us right now, but they say you didn't sign a contract with Wanyun. Those vehicles were only loaned out by Wanyun to transport goods. You stubbornly ordered their employees to use them to block the flood. You must compensate for all losses and... also compensate them for the delays in several projects."
Tao Xingye gripped the phone to his ear tighter and tighter, his eyes filled with anger, but his tone was chilling, even a hint of joking, "How much? Ten million? Or twenty million?"
When a number was mentioned, Tao Xingye laughed. He really underestimated his father's character. He could ask for such a big price from his own son. It was obvious that he was aiming to bring down his Yao Ming Jiansheng.
Tao Xingye hung up the phone, picked up the car keys and went straight to the Tao family's old house.
"What on earth are you playing at?" Tao Xingye glared at Tao Xingguo, who was sitting peacefully on the sofa sipping tea. "Are you threatening me?"
Tao Xingguo glanced at his son. It was rare to see his eldest son so angry. It seemed that the company his son was running wasn't as resilient to risks as he had imagined. He poured a cup of tea and placed it across from him. "Sit down."
Tao Xingye suppressed the anger in his heart and sat down. He did not come here to quarrel with Tao Xingguo. Even though he and Tao Xingguo had been in a cold war for many months, Tao Xingguo was still his father. He did not believe that his father would be so cruel as to ruin his company which had just started to pick up.
"Xingye, I've actually thought a lot since you left. I've also checked on Xiaoyu, and she's a good kid. It's just..." Tao Xinghai put down the porcelain cup, "You know Wanyun Group is on the rise right now. You're my eldest son, and you're at the age where you can really show your talents. How can you keep being so willful?"
Tao Xingguo picked up the porcelain cup in front of Tao Xingye, ruthlessly poured out the cold water in the cup, and poured him a cup of hot tea. "This is the tea sent by the Xu family. Try it." Tao Xingguo leaned back on the sofa with full confidence, as if he was sure that in Tao Xingye's heart, Lin Yu could not compete with Yaoming Jiansheng, which he founded himself.
Yes, what is WuXi Jiansheng? It's a company that Tao Xingye has been busy traveling around since college, constantly learning and introducing knowledge from abroad. After four years of hard work, he finally built it. It's no exaggeration to say that it's his heart and soul.
Tao Xingye had a terrible headache, and he gripped the porcelain cup in front of him, as if he was about to compromise. Tao Xingguo watched with satisfaction as his son slowly raised the cup to his lips. That was right, after drinking the Xu family's tea, he could go back and deal with that Lin Yu, and he would still be his good helper.
By then, WuXi Jiansheng will have the support of Wanyun Group again, and nothing can easily destroy it.
However, the sound of breaking porcelain tore off the last fig leaf between the father and son. Tao Xingye slowly loosened his fingers, and the seemingly intact porcelain cup shattered into pieces the moment he let go. As the pieces fell, Tao Xingye stood up and said, "I always thought that you and mom were partial to Xinghai. He returned to China for the past few years, and I went abroad. There was always a long distance between us..."
"I don't like him, but I can also see that you must have used me to threaten him a lot? Maybe in your eyes, it should be called 'whip'. Otherwise, why would he, the prince, be so hostile to me, a person ignored by you?" Tao Xingye felt disgusted. It was not until today that he completely understood - Tao Xingguo was not partial to anyone at all, he only loved Wanyun Group behind him.
"You want us brothers to treat each other as enemies, to fight him and me to the death, and you want the winner to inherit your group!" Tao Xingye swept away all the tea sets on the table. "I won't accompany you!"
Tao Xingye picked up his keys and walked out, stepping over the debris. Tao Xingguo's calm voice rang out again, carrying a sinister and ferocious chill. "Xingye, even if you think Yaoming Jiansheng's success is your own doing, your last name is Tao after all. How could you possibly know how many people along the way gave you face just because you're from the Tao family?"
The financial crisis alone was enough to put Yaoming Jiansheng in a difficult position. If Tao Xingguo leaked the news, how would the outside world view Tao Xingye? A homeless dog driven out by his own father? Would those who hated the Tao family but dared not resist come to him, the exiled Master Tao, to seek revenge?
Tao Xingye didn't dare to think about it, but he knew one thing clearly. He was unwilling to agree to Tao Xingguo's request. Whether it was abandoning Lin Yu or coming back to fight with Tao Xinghai for the family property, either one of them made him annoyed.
He took the keys and drove very fast. The scenery around him kept changing. Tao Xingye could even hear his own breathing. He ran all the way until he broke into Lin Yu's bedroom and finally calmed down.
Lin Yu hadn't woken up yet. She had a smile on her lips. I don't know what kind of beautiful dream she had.
Will he be in my dream? Tao Xingye tiptoed to Lin Yu's side, knelt on the ground, and put his head on the back of her hand. His voice was so soft that only he could hear it, "I should be able to handle it. I can definitely handle it."
Tao Xingye stood up, pulled the quilt for Lin Yu, and went to the kitchen...
Lin Yu was awakened by the smell of food. She ran out barefoot impatiently. Tao Xingye just came out with a bowl of soup, wearing an apron.
"Brother Tao's cooking smells delicious, doesn't it?" Tao Xingye put the soup on the table and ran to the bedroom to get a pair of slippers for Lin Yu. "Come and try it."
He bent down to help Lin Yu put on shoes. His thoughtfulness made Lin Yu feel a little embarrassed.
Lin Yu reached out and pinched Tao Xingye's cheek. "It's a real person. I'm not dreaming. Why are you suddenly so considerate?"
"You're dreaming!" Tao Xingye pulled Lin Yu's hand away and glared at him fiercely. Lin Yu laughed, "Yes, yes, that's the look. I'm a little uncomfortable when you don't glare at me."
Tao Xingye was silent and served Lin Yu a bowl of soup. "Xiaoyu, I want to stay at your grandma's house for a few days, is that okay?" He put the soup in front of Lin Yu with hope in his eyes, but Lin Yu keenly sensed the disappointment in his eyes.
She wasn't unreasonable, so she naturally understood that Tao Xingye didn't want to talk any more. Lin Yu tasted the soup and said, "It's quite delicious." She lowered her eyes to look at the soup and then said, "Let's go tomorrow morning."
The two of them ate their meal in a disjointed manner. Tao Xingye had a poor appetite and ate even less than Lin Yu. He cleared the dishes and asked Lin Yu to go back to the bedroom to rest. He cleaned the table and kitchen by himself.
While he was cleaning the kitchen, Lin Yu changed into pajamas and quietly ran into Tao Xingye's room. His room was very clean, and the mint scent of him was everywhere. He seemed to like the mint scent very much.
There were still traces of him lying on the bed. Lin Yu pursed her lips, lifted a corner of the quilt, and flew in lightly like a butterfly. She covered her face with Tao Xingye's quilt, and the minty scent became stronger. He should wear pajamas when he went to bed at night...
She deliberately turned off the lights to create an atmosphere that there was no one in the room. When Tao Xingye came over, she would definitely give him a good scare.
After waiting for a long time, Tao Xingye still didn't come in. Lin Yu was a little anxious. She didn't even turn on the light, but lifted the quilt and ran out. However, something hit her foot and she fell forward.
In the darkness, Lin Yu felt a pain in her lower abdomen. Before she could react, the pain slowly disappeared. She was in a hurry to find Tao Xingye and didn't pay much attention to it.
When she opened the door, the lights in the living room were all off, but Tao Xingye was nowhere to be seen. It was almost midnight, so where had he gone? Even if he left, he should at least tell her.
"Hello, please come in." As a mechanical female voice sounded, the door was pushed open from the outside.
Tao Xingye came in carrying a cake and was sitting at the door changing his shoes when he suddenly caught a glimpse of a figure on the floor. Upon closer inspection, he saw that it was a woman in white clothes with loose hair.
"Ahhhhhh." Tao Xingye was so scared that he quickly turned on the light. It was Lin Yu standing in front of his bedroom door. Thinking of something, he leaned to the right calmly, covering the cake. "It's not enough that you're wearing all white, but you also have your hair disheveled. Be careful or I'll scare you like this next time!"
The teasing in his eyes gradually disappeared. Lin Yu felt uncomfortable being looked at by him, not knowing what he was up to.
"It's twelve o'clock." Tao Xingye stared at the wall clock and said solemnly, "Happy birthday, Lin Yu."
Happy birthday? Lin Yu was stunned for a moment before she reacted. Seeing Tao Xingye turn around and take out a cake, she took a few steps back in disbelief.
Tao Xingye placed the cake on the table and carefully lit the twenty-three candles. His eyes were filled with tenderness. He squatted beside the table and turned back, "Come here."
The candles swayed, and the soft light they emitted made his facial features stand out even more. His eyes were full of anticipation, and he shyly lifted his bangs, "Xiaoyu, can you please not sing the birthday song? I'm a little embarrassed to start..." Noticing the sadness in Lin Yu's eyes, Tao Xingye quickly said, "But if you want to hear it, I'll sing with you now. Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you..."
He smiled, clapped his hands and sang, and slowly approached Lin Yu. He clearly saw Lin Yu's tears, but he still had to move closer to her, "Wow, you really cried."
"Get out!" Lin Yu punched Tao Xingye hard. Seeing Tao Xingye's facial features wrinkled in pain, she sat on the sofa with her head held high in satisfaction. There was a lotus lantern next to the cake, which had not been sealed yet.
She recalled a previous forum where someone had asked whether it was possible to create a real perpetual motion machine. Among a circle of very professional replies, a funny one stood out.
Thinking of the reply, Lin Yu picked up the lotus lantern, "Why don't you light this one? I want to use this one." She handed the lantern to Tao Xingye. Tao Xingye didn't think that Lin Yu would like this one. Aren't these lanterns used to coax children?
But Lin Yu liked it, so he could only pull out a few candles, insert the lotus lantern, light the candle in the center, and the lotus petals around it suddenly scattered, spinning and playing the Happy Birthday song.
"Blow out the candles." Tao Xingye pulled Lin Yu down from the sofa and asked him to sit on the floor with him. He had so much to say to Lin Yu, but he didn't know how to start.
He originally planned to go to Lin Yu's grandmother's house with her to rest for a few days and talk about it after he adjusted his mentality, but things at the company were imminent, and he probably didn't have time to go to Linjia Village.
Tao Xingye fondly stroked Lin Yu's hair. "I met my dad today." He leaned sideways on the coffee table and just looked at Lin Yu. The lotus lantern was still ringing. "How do I turn off this light?"
Lin Yu was waiting for him to ask this question, so he pretended not to know and shook his head, "Tao Xingye, do you know there is a secret?"
"What secret?"
"Legend," Lin Yu wanted to laugh when she thought about what she was going to say later, but in order to better trick Tao Xingye, she gritted her teeth and held it back, "The lotus lantern is a real perpetual motion machine."
"?" Tao Xingye was stunned. "Say it again, I just heard it wrong."
"Hahahahahaha." Lin Yu couldn't stop laughing. She rubbed Tao Xingye's cheek and said, "Why don't you change your career and sell lotus lanterns? That way we can make a fortune. After all, it's a perpetual motion machine."
"...You're so annoying!" Tao Xingye pushed Lin Yu's hand away. "In such a romantic atmosphere, you still have the mind to joke with me? Shouldn't you ask me what I said to my dad today?"
"Okay, okay," Lin Yu nodded his head, "May I ask what did little Xingye say to his parents today? What did he eat and drink? Is he hot or cold?" Lin Yu said as he rubbed Tao Xingye's head kindly.
Tao Xingye was so angry that his eyes were round, but he couldn't think of a way to deal with Lin Yu. He lay down on the floor, "I finally had a chance to be romantic with you, but you ruined it like this. How can we continue this relationship!!!" Tao Xingye wailed, covering his face like an abandoned little man.
Lin Yu also lay down in his direction and cried like him. Tao Xingye was really helpless with her. He held Lin Yu in his arms and held her waist tightly, making Lin Yu unable to move.
Tao Xingye rested his head on her neck, as if taking a rest. The lotus lantern continued to ring, which was particularly abrupt in the silent environment. Tao Xingye's low and magnetic voice rang out, "I may not be able to be the eldest master of the Tao family in the future."
"If you can't, then you can't. There are no young masters in the new era." Lin Yu thought he was joking and continued to make up for it with a smile.
Tao Xingye looked up at her meaningfully. Lin Yu realized something was wrong and the smile on her face froze.
"My father wants me to go home and continue to fight with Xinghai for the family property. He wants us to be each other's whetstones. He also wants me to divorce you and go back to marry Xu Meihan as he instructed." Tao Xingye stared at Lin Yu, not wanting to miss any of her reactions.
But Lin Yu was so hidden that he didn't even notice any ripples. He leaned back on Lin Yu's shoulder tiredly, "Whether you believe it or not, I really like you. I should have told you these words before, but you probably wouldn't believe it. After all, I'm nothing compared to Jiang Shuang."
"I'm not telling you this to burden you, Xiaoyu. Any choice I make is for me personally. It has nothing to do with anyone else, not even you. My dad won't give up so easily. He might look for you while I'm away. No matter what he says, don't believe it, okay?"
Tao Xingye's voice became increasingly low. He didn't know how much status he held in Lin Yu's heart. Any outsider would probably be trusted by Lin Yu more than her husband, him. "I'm afraid if I go find you, he'll definitely put pressure on you to leave me on his own initiative. He might even say that I broke up with the Tao family because of you. Don't believe me. I'm not that infatuated, and you're not that likable to me either."
Tao Xingye didn't know what to say. His mind was a mess and his words were incoherent. He wanted to tell Lin Yu how much he liked her, but he didn't want Lin Yu to know how much he liked her.
He knew Lin Yu too well. Sometimes she was so soft-hearted that it was scary. Tao Xingguo was so eloquent. How could Lin Yu deal with him?
"Xiaoyu, can you please never leave me?" Tao Xingye tightened his grip, wishing he could tie Lin Yu to himself. Seeing Lin Yu's indifference, he couldn't help but feel aggrieved. "I've been talking so much by myself, why don't you give me a reply?"
"Reply?" Lin Yu had calmed down and didn't seem to react much. She pushed Tao Xingye aside, stood up, and picked up the lotus lantern. Her voice was as gentle as a stream, leaving a sense of peace. "If you really want to sell lotus lanterns, I suggest you print the instructions separately."
Her slender fingers deftly plucked off the lotus petals and unlocked the secret button. She brought the small mechanism inside to Tao Xingye and pulled out the bent spring. The birthday song came to an abrupt end. "No, it's simple, just close it like this."
Lin Yu placed the lotus back on the table and turned her back to Tao Xingye. She was reluctant to say too many sentimental words and hesitated for a long time. "Next year, you can take the lotus lantern on my birthday cake and try to dismantle it yourself. It's very simple. If you can't practice it in one year, you can practice it in two years. Anyway, I'm only 23 now, and there are so many birthdays to come. You will definitely be able to practice it one day."
She didn't reply directly, but Lin Yu's answer reassured Tao Xingye more than anything else. Tao Xingye stood up and squatted beside Lin Yu, feeling cheerful. He took advantage of Lin Yu's inattention and smeared the cream on her face. "Okay, now the birthday is complete."
He smiled childishly, "You go back to sleep first, I'll clean up here." He pushed Lin Yu back to her room, but Lin Yu paused, looking at Tao Xingye thoughtfully, then turned and went to his bedroom next door, "I'll sleep in this room."
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