Chapter 71

Rong Yi stayed at his grandmother’s house that night.

Before going to bed, he felt a bit restless and uneasy. He noticed a new contact with a business-like profile picture in his contacts list.

In his circle, people’s profile pictures were usually quite distinctive. Those in esports often had a bunch of anime-style avatars, and even the staff members’ avatars weren’t usually so formal and business-like.

Rong Yi clicked on the new contact and saw the remark: [Sister-in-law, I’m Leiya, Xiao Yin’s younger sister.]

He quickly accepted the request.

As soon as he accepted, a long message came through almost instantly.

[Hello, Sister-in-law. Here’s the thing, Xiao Yin’s phone broke, and he has a huge meeting that will last several days. He didn’t have time to get a new phone and contact you. He was worried you’d be concerned, so he asked me to let you know not to worry if you can’t reach him.]

Reading this message, Rong Yi felt a wave of emotions. Finally, a weight lifted off his chest. He replied, “Okay. No worries, thank you.”

Leiya responded, “Xiao Yin asked me to pick you up when the time comes. My team happens to be in A City for the next few days. Can you give me your phone number?”

Rong Yi hesitated for a moment, “It’s okay. If he can’t come, I can go back by myself. No need to trouble you.”

Leiya sent a laughing emoji.

“I mainly want to meet you in person and have you treat me to a small stir-fry.”

At this point, Rong Yi couldn’t refuse anymore. He was a straightforward person, and Leiya seemed easy-going and kind.

In fact, when Xiao Yin had taken the initiative to introduce him via video call, his worries had already started to fade.

It wasn’t because Xiao Yin’s family accepted him, but because Xiao Yin had earnestly introduced him to them. Xiao Yin’s attitude was his attitude.

Even if, in the end, Xiao Yin’s other family members didn’t accept him, Rong Yi would have no regrets.

After reading Leiya’s messages, Rong Yi finally felt at ease.

They exchanged phone numbers and contact information.

Rong Yi casually asked, “How many days is his meeting?”

Leiya, sitting in her sunlit conservatory at home, glanced at the situation upstairs.

A family meeting.

She didn’t know how many days it would last, but she felt it was almost over.

In the past two days, their father had been angrily ranting and raving every five minutes, but his outbursts were often interrupted by work. So he had to handle business first before coming back to vent his anger.

Today was exceptionally calm.

The reason for the calm was that Xiao Yin had been taken to the hospital after Xiao’s father, in a fit of rage, had thrown a vase that cut Xiao Yin’s nose. With the main source of the conflict injured and absent, the family ceased their fighting.

At the time, Xiao Yin’s face had been covered in blood, which was particularly frightening. Yet, he remained remarkably calm, saying, “This won’t change. He is the one for me for the rest of my life.”

“I trust you won’t harm him. You’ll come to like him. He’s a good kid, pure and decent. How many of the partners you’ve introduced to me can compare to him?”

Even as he spoke, Xiao’s father had been so shocked by the sight of all the blood that he immediately called an ambulance and nearly called for an emergency helicopter.

It turned out to be just a superficial wound, and Xiao Yin had four stitches on his nose. He was now lying in the hospital.

Xiao’s mother, with tearful eyes, was scolding Xiao’s father.

“Why do you have to be so harsh with your words?”

“Would you be satisfied if you pushed him to death? You know Ah Yin has had this stubborn temper since he was a child! You praised him for his determination in his career, so why can’t you accept it when it comes to his love life?”

“It’s not that I don’t accept it! I’m afraid he’s going down the wrong path! Saying he likes men, what kind of nonsense is that—”

“It’s not like you’re the one marrying him!”

Xiao’s mother, fiercely protective of her son, continued, “What era do we live in that you still think you can control who he loves? Or is it because you fancy the idea of him marrying that girl from the other family for an alliance? Let me tell you, our family doesn’t need any alliances!”

Xiao’s mother cried even harder, “We have only one obedient child who listens, and he’s not committing any crimes. Why do you have to push him to the brink?”

“Stop watching so many TV dramas!” Xiao’s father retorted, his head aching from the stress. “You go tell him one last time. If he insists on liking men, he can forget about this family business!”

“That would be…”

Leiya interjected from the side, “That would be perfect.”

Leiya, ever the instigator, added fuel to the fire, “The moment Xiao Yin heard all this, he happily bought a plane ticket and flew back to find Sister-in-law. You know Xiao Yin, right? He never had any interest in traditional industries or funds! QILIN has grown so big, Dad, do you even go online? Go check it out!”

Xiao’s father, his headache worsening, snapped, “Shut up! Always stirring up trouble! Get back here and study finance!”

Leiya calmly pulled out her plane ticket. “I’m heading back to A City the day after tomorrow. There’s an interview at the station that I need to oversee.”

“Are you rebelling too?”

Rong Yi, meanwhile, was completely unaware of this grand “family meeting.”

He stayed at his grandmother’s house for two days, and on the last day, out of politeness, attended the Mid Autumn banquet held by the Li Family.

The Li Family had many relatives and friends. According to his mom: “Your Younger Uncle has connections in the XX District, he’s quite influential.”

“And your older male cousin, he’s a PhD who studied finance overseas! He’s very wealthy!”

“We come from a prestigious medical family. Remember to greet everyone properly.”

Rong Yi stood by his mother’s side, turning to look at her.

Li Er had been an undeniable beauty in her youth. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have given birth to someone as handsome as him.

However, despite her beauty, she had been tainted by the mundanities of the world.

He couldn’t say much, as he felt they belonged to entirely different worlds now.

At the dinner table, Rong Yi switched to social mode, greeted everyone, and then quietly returned to his seat to eat.

“Why isn’t Li Huan here today?” Someone unfamiliar suddenly asked.

Rong Yi’s expression darkened.

Others began to discuss it.

“Don’t know, he’s usually here. Living alone must be hard for him, no one to look after him. This time, for some reason, he wouldn’t come, no matter what.”

“Maybe it’s because of… that incident. Rong Yi is here today, sitting right there.” Someone whispered.

“We should still invite him. Childhood issues shouldn’t be held against adults. I’ll call him.”

An unfamiliar elder mumbled and reached for their phone.

“If he comes, I’ll leave,” Rong Yi said politely.

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Li Er, sitting beside him, tugged at his sleeve.

Rong Yi remained unmoved. “Of course, whether I leave or not is no big deal. But if he comes, I will leave and also report it to the police again. I’ll ask if they’ve done any follow-up visits over the years to see if he’s still taking photos or molesting children.”

“Shut up! Stop pushing your luck!”

The first to be provoked was the Li Family Grandmother. She stood up and shouted, then glared at Li Er. “How did you raise your son! He walks around looking down on everyone! We’ve been patient with him for a long time!”

“We didn’t say anything about you marrying in without any power or influence because my son liked you. But look at yourself, you’ve brought nothing but trouble all these years!”

“I didn’t! I sent him away back then.”

Li Er, feeling accused, also became agitated, her eyes reddening. She looked around, but no one seemed inclined to speak up for her. She then turned and pointed at Rong Yi.

“It’s all your fault! So many people came today, and they were all planning to help you find a job. But you’re ungrateful and disrespectful! We’ve all said to let the past go. Can’t you just move on?”

“You’re just like your father. I regret giving birth to you!”

Her words were as sharp as knives.

Rong Yi stood up.

Li Er, in her agitation, knocked over a bowl of soup, splashing some onto Rong Yi. He calmly pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his hands.

“First of all, I said I don’t need it.”

“Secondly, I didn’t want to come back because I don’t know you people, and I don’t care about you. I tried to be polite, but you’ve taken advantage of that.”

“Now that the pretense is gone, there’s nothing more to say. I’m twenty-two now, not fifteen.”

“I’ve already got the transfer and residence paperwork for Grandmother. I’ll handle it this year and bring her to stay with me.” Rong Yi looked up. “Do you want to sever our mother-son relationship? While there’s no legal term for it, it can be done verbally.”

Li Er, still furious and in front of everyone, couldn’t swallow her pride. Her face turned red.

She hadn’t realized that her child had grown up.

Back then, no matter how she beat or scolded him, he couldn’t fight back effectively. When she told him to leave, he could only disappear to places she couldn’t see.

Now, the boy in front of her had become a man.

The stark contrast was something she couldn’t adapt to immediately. She shouted, “Get out! I’ll consider you no longer my son!”

“Fine.” Rong Yi nodded, then looked around, nodding to the others. “Sorry for making a scene. Enjoy your meal. I’ll take my leave.”

He turned and walked out, leaving the room in stunned silence.

Rong Yi tossed the handkerchief aside. Just as he turned to leave, there was a knock on the door.

From outside, a rich, magnetic female voice, with a perfect broadcaster’s tone, called out, “Excuse me, is Mr. Rong Yi here?”

Rong Yi paused for a moment. Then, a server opened the door for her.

Leiya appeared at the entrance, dressed in an expensive and perfectly tailored professional outfit.

She was extraordinary.

As someone who needed to appear on camera for her profession, she stood out in any crowd. With her elegant and noble demeanor and strikingly sharp features, she shone like a beacon.

She and Xiao Yin shared an innate charisma, as if cut from the same cloth.

“Sorry, I couldn’t reach you by phone, so I decided to come pick you up directly.”

Leiya glanced at the stunned group of people inside, then continued in her usual tone, “Do you want to continue eating or leave now?”

“Leave now,” Rong Yi replied, nodding to her.

“Alright.”

Leiya casually remarked, “These must be your relatives, right? I’ll have my assistant bill Xiao Yin for this.”

At that moment, the banquet hall started to buzz with whispers.

“Isn’t that… Leiya from XX Channel?”

“Is she the director? How does that kid know someone like her?”

“It’s really her.”

An older male cousin, who had studied finance abroad, murmured, “She’s very famous in our circle… I can’t be mistaken. She’s from the Xiao Family.”

It seemed Leiya had heard what was being said inside.

She pulled a card from the holder her assistant handed her and placed it on a nearby table.

“I’ll be taking him now. Sorry for the interruption. If you need to contact Rong-Ge in the future, please go through our family first.”

“Some of you seem to know me or my family.”

Leiya nodded to the older male cousin who had studied finance abroad, flashing a perfect, polite smile. “It seems introductions are unnecessary.”

She then took the card back, intimately linking arms with Rong Yi. “Rong Yi, let’s go.”

With that, they walked out together.

Rong Yi felt like he was in a daze. It wasn’t until Leiya had dragged him outside that he remembered to ask, “You…”

Before he could finish, he was nearly blinded by the sight of a sapphire blue Lamborghini with scissor doors parked in front of the hotel.

“Your car?” Rong Yi asked with difficulty.

“Xiao Yin’s,” Leiya replied. “He’s quite the show-off.”

“His original plan was to show up in limited edition clothes, with a custom gift box, driving this Lamborghini, and bringing eighteen assistants to dazzle your family.”

“But since he couldn’t make it, he asked me to step in and make a statement.”

“Sorry for the spectacle.”

Rong Yi felt a laugh bubbling up.

This was so typical of Xiao Yin.

Xiao Yin had already told him everything about his family situation, and it seemed Xiao Yin had planned this long ago.

Xiao Yin didn’t want to see him bullied.

If Rong Yi got slapped somewhere, Xiao Yin would make sure the other person paid dearly for it.

“I recognize some of those people in there. A few work for local pharmaceutical companies, and there are quite a few doctors, right?” Leiya said. “Coincidentally, our channel’s current special is about exposing the corrupt practices of certain hospitals and pharmaceutical companies.”

“That younger guy, the one in finance, is trying to climb the ladder.”

Leiya shrugged. “But his abilities are limited. If he’s smart, tonight he’ll bring his entire family over and beg for your forgiveness for the sake of his career.”

“You all…”

Rong Yi looked at Leiya.

Thinking of Xiao Yin, Rong Yi realized their family background was quite mysterious.

He couldn’t help but ask, “What exactly does your family do?”

Leiya quickly raised her hand.

“Absolutely clean!”

“Our family is in investment!”

“Oh, I see.” Rong Yi said offhandedly. “That’s impressive. Investment is very profitable these days, right?”

“Investment is doing okay,” Leiya said. “We mostly rely on the family fortune accumulated by our ancestors.”

Rong Yi: “?”

Leiya continued, “Wealth accumulated during the Republic of China era. It’s pretty much dwindled by my father’s generation. Now we just have some pocket money.”

Rong Yi: “…”

That was a lot of information to process.

Leiya quickly added, “But Xiao Yin built everything from scratch! He built QILIN all by himself! He didn’t take a single penny from our family! Don’t think poorly of us!”

Rong Yi: “……………………”

Rong Yi: “QILIN?”