Chapter 69

The plane landed at four in the afternoon.

Rong Yi checked his messages. His mom, Li Er, had only sent a brief message last night: “Arriving today?”

He replied, but there were no further messages. He was used to it.

Dragging his suitcase, Rong Yi called a cab at the airport. Instead of heading straight home, he went to the street near his elementary school and ordered some small stir-fry.

Half a serving of spicy chicken giblets and half a serving of shredded pork with fresh chili and potatoes, the dish was full of wok Hei and tasted particularly good. Rong Yi ate while sipping on a can of Coke, propping his phone on the table to watch videos. His white T-shirt and baggy shorts blended seamlessly into the street-side eatery, where he was practically invisible among the group of old men chatting and playing cards.

Halfway through his meal, he received a video call.

It was from Xiao Yin.

Rong Yi looked at the screen where the name [Yin] appeared and hesitated for a moment, looking around him.

He was in a small restaurant, seated in a corner next to a fan, with a potted plant in front of him. It was quite secluded, and no one seemed to notice him.

Rong Yi put on his Bluetooth headset and answered the call.

This was the first video call Xiao Yin had ever made to him.

He had just landed, and now a video call.

Rong Yi blushed a bit, lowered his volume first, and then adjusted the camera casually.

Xiao Yin’s face appeared on the screen.

The background was a large conference room, looking formal and stern.

Rong Yi scooped up some shredded pork with potatoes. “Are you at home?”

“Not so soon, Captain Rong.” Xiao Yin looked a bit tired, but his lips curled into a smile as soon as he saw Rong Yi. “I just got off the plane. Where are you?”

In the video, Rong Yi’s T-shirt sleeves were rolled up, and his hair was tousled from sleeping on the plane, with a few strands curling up.

He looked particularly unkempt yet refreshingly handsome, full of life.

“I’m at home, eating.” Rong Yi showed the camera his small stir-fry. On the other side, Xiao Yin picked up his bread and coffee and showed them to him.

“How about I trade this for yours?”

His voice was indifferent and clear, but it carried a hint of affectionate laughter.

Rong Yi immediately heard someone laughing on Xiao Yin’s end. It was a bright and clear female voice; he knew it was most likely Xiao Yin’s younger sister.

He blushed a bit.

“No.” He maintained his composure. “No amount of money can buy Sichuan small stir-fry.”

“How ruthless,” Xiao Yin paused, unable to hold back a laugh. “Do you mind if my sister says a few words to you? She wants to see what you look like.”

Rong Yi let out an “ah” and then rolled down his T-shirt sleeves, sitting up properly.

The screen soon switched to Xiao Yin’s younger sister.

Rong Yi recognized her immediately.

It was indeed Leiya, a well-known TV host and director, young and highly capable, known for her decisive and efficient work style.

“Hello, Sister-in-law.” Leiya’s tone was casual and relaxed. She looked about seventy percent like Xiao Yin, with sharp phoenix eyes. “Nice to meet you. Do you have a contact number, Sister-in-law? Let me add you…”

Before she could finish, Xiao Yin calmly took the phone back.

“You don’t have to pay much attention to her.”

“I just wanted to show her my partner.”

Rong Yi couldn’t help but smile.

Xiao Yin’s voice quickly lowered, reverting to his soft tone toward Rong Yi.

“I might be held up here for a few days, but no more than three. When I get back, I’ll come straight to A City to pick you up.”

“Okay.”

Rong Yi nodded, then smiled again. “I’m not a three-year-old kid; I don’t need you to pick me up to go back to the club. You’re unfamiliar with the place.”

“I mainly want to eat small stir-fry,” Xiao Yin’s voice was calm, “and not to see my wife.”

“Then you can come and eat it yourself later. I’ll head back first.”

Rong Yi chatted with him casually for a bit longer before Xiao Yin ended the call.

“Our ride is here, baby, I have to go.”

“Okay.” Rong Yi took a sip of soup and removed his headset.

He ate his meal slowly, finishing around five in the afternoon. Afterward, he didn’t rush home but strolled around the street, buying some local specialties to bring back to the club and mailing them from the post office.

By the time he finished, an hour and a half had passed, and it was already dark.

Seeing that it was nearing eight o’clock, Rong Yi finally pulled his suitcase into the residential complex.

The security guard at the gate hadn’t seen him before and gave him several scrutinizing looks. However, because Rong Yi exuded a calm demeanor, the guard didn’t question him much. After confirming which building he was going to, the guard let him in.

This was a somewhat old complex, not considered high-end, but the well-maintained environment, the nearby government offices, and the wide tree-lined streets indicated that this area wasn’t for just anyone.

Li Er hadn’t called him, as expected.

Rong Yi pushed his suitcase and knocked on the door. Through the door, he could vaguely hear the sounds of a joyful family inside. The TV, children playing and laughing, and the voices of adults were all clearly audible.

Li Er’s husband, whom Rong Yi always called Uncle, was a university professor. It was said that the family had quite an extensive network of connections in the area.

Rong Yi always behaved politely when he visited. Naturally, the family was polite to him as well, especially considering an incident from years ago that had involved the police. Despite the courtesy, there was always a hint of coldness.

After about half a minute, footsteps approached, and Li Er came to open the door.

“Back so late? Come and join us for dinner; I haven’t cleared the table yet. You can heat something up for yourself.”

“No need, my flight was delayed, and I ate outside,” Rong Yi lied casually, carrying his suitcase inside. In the living room, Li Jian and his son were sitting, along with the Li family’s grandparents.

Rong Yi politely greeted each of the elders in order, asking how they were.

The atmosphere was slightly awkward, but Rong Yi wasn’t the type to care about awkwardness. He put his luggage in his room and then went to help Li Er wash the dishes.

Li Er shooed him away, “Go talk with your uncle and younger brother; it’s been a while since you’ve seen them.”

Rong Yi didn’t quite understand.

What was there to talk about?

The whole family looked at him with a bit of wariness, especially the grandparents.

As soon as Rong Yi sat down, he counted to twenty in his head.

Sure enough, the grandmother spoke up.

“I heard from one of Li Jian’s classmates that you’re playing video games now?”

Rong Yi nodded, smiling without showing his teeth, “Yes, Grandma.”

“Can you make money playing games?”

“Yes, Grandma.”

“How much do you make a year now?”

Rong Yi smiled slightly.

“Not much.”

“A few million?”

The living room fell into silence.

Earning millions wasn’t easy, but it also didn’t make one exceptionally wealthy. What these adults cared more about was social status. None of them had expected that the kid who dropped out of middle school could actually make a name for himself.

“Having money is good, but you still need a proper job to be a respectable person.”

Grandpa Li chimed in, his brows furrowed. “Playing video games, is that any way to live? It’s not sustainable. You should come back, and we can help you find a proper job.”

Rong Yi became interested. He tilted his head and asked, “What kind of job? Where? What’s the monthly salary? I’ll consider it.”

Grandpa Li was evasive and glossed over the details.

“In any case, playing video games is not a respectable job. Look at those people in internet cafes, they look like drug addicts worn out, neglecting their families, acting like lunatics.”

“Exactly. Look at the kid next door. He got into the best university and became a doctor. His monthly income may not be as high as yours, Rong Yi, but everyone needs a doctor at some point.”

“Yes, that kid has always been smart and obedient since he was young,” Grandma Li said, looking affectionately at Li Jian. “Our Xiao Jian is the same, so well-behaved and good.”

Rong Yi looked at the chubby, overly pampered Li Jian and inwardly agreed sarcastically.

“How about this, tomorrow you can come with us to a meal, and I’ll introduce you to some leaders,” Grandpa Li suggested. “Your uncle’s department can give you a leg up.”

Rong Yi noticed the man who had remained silent the entire time, barely lifting his eyelids.

It was a look of slight annoyance and arrogance.

“Tomorrow?” Rong Yi took out his phone, his voice kind yet indifferent. “I’m not available.”

“Aren’t you on vacation? How can you be unavailable?” Grandma Li’s face showed a hint of displeasure.

“I am free, but I don’t want to go,” Rong Yi said, lifting his eyes and smiling.

His almond-shaped eyes sparkled like the surface of a shimmering lake, resembling a fox that no one could control.

“Tomorrow, I have to visit my grandmother. The day after, I also have to accompany her. So, I won’t be able to join you for dinner these next two days.”

The atmosphere in the living room grew even more awkward.

Grandfather and Grandmother Li were somewhat infuriated, feeling like they were sitting on pins and needles.

The man beside them finally spoke up, his voice deep and authoritative, clearly the head of the family: “It’s the Mid Autumn Festival; everyone needs to be here.”

It was a command that brooked no argument.

This made Rong Yi feel a bit rebellious.

Throughout his life, only Xiao Yin had ever spoken to him in such a tone.

And Xiao Yin would never be on the opposite side.

Rong Yi paused, then looked up. “How ‘together’ do you mean?”

The man’s expression visibly stiffened, likely recalling an incident from many years ago.

In a small place like this, after Rong Yi called the police, the Li Family’s dirty laundry became common knowledge. Since then, his Younger brother had lived with his head down, growing increasingly despondent, like a rat in a gutter. Every family gathering was marked by signs of his growing madness.

Grandfather and Grandmother Li had worried themselves sick over their second son and had often pressured the rest of the family.

When they pressured him, he naturally passed that pressure onto his own wife.

However, his current wife was sensible enough to distance herself from the mess. This allowed the Li Family to barely coax Rong Yi into coming back for the Mid Autumn Festival each year.

At the very least, he was alone and pitiful.

Now that Rong Yi had made something of himself, he was starting to push his limits.

“When you’re in someone else’s home, you follow their rules. You should know that much. Show respect to your elders and parents.”

The man looked at him with an air of superiority. “You’re still young; do I need to remind you?”

This was a roundabout way of saying he was ill-mannered.

Rong Yi couldn’t be bothered to deal with such indirect remarks. It was precisely because he was polite that he wouldn’t show his displeasure in front of his elders. He spoke with a feigned sincerity, “Yes, yes, Uncle, you’re absolutely right.”

He glanced at his phone to check the time; it was 8:30 PM.

Rong Yi stood up without giving them a second glance. “It’s time for me to call my grandmother. Grandfather, Grandmother, Uncle, Li Jian, I’ll head to my room now.”

He carried an air of pride and coldness, a natural defiance and unyielding spirit.

If you tried to control him, his demeanor would come across as a challenge.

But if you treated him well, you would find his resilience endearing.

Rong Yi shared a deep bond with his grandmother. When his parents were neglectful during his childhood, it was his grandmother who took care of him.

In recent years, his grandmother had started to suffer from dementia and now lived alone. Rong Yi made it a point to visit her twice a year.

After calling his grandmother to confirm the time, Rong Yi realized he could stay in A City for three more days, leaving on the third night.

As he grew older and wealthier, the one thing he had learned was to avoid situations he didn’t enjoy and to stop wasting time.

He sent a message to Xiao Yin, informing him of his exact departure time.

If Xiao Yin wanted to come and pick him up, Rong Yi could wait an extra day in the city.

What Rong Yi didn’t know was that a storm was brewing across the ocean at the Xiao Family’s home.

The first meal of the Mid Autumn Festival brought various relatives and friends together at the dining table.

“Ah Yin, it’s rare for you to come back. I see you’re doing quite well in the country,” Xiao’s father said, smiling brightly. “It seems you’re ready to take over my role.”

The people around the table responded with expressions of surprise and interest.

Xiao Yin was Xiao’s father’s favorite child. Despite having the most difficult personality, his capabilities were outstanding. Xiao’s father genuinely liked his little son’s character.

There was no internal family conflict over inheritance; whenever the siblings heard about taking over, they reacted as if they were being handed a hot potato.

Managing such a vast and intricate business empire was no small feat.

If it failed under their watch, it would be a complete disaster.

“I’m open to taking over, but you should hear me out first,” Xiao Yin said, casually putting down his knife and fork.

“I’m planning to get married.”

“The partner is the same one from five years ago, a man.”