Chapter 284: Chapter 284

Mr. Li remained silent while sipping his tea. Li Xianglu glanced back and forth between Li Huan and that burly man, and then at Qin Xi, staring at Grandpa’s face, too. After waiting a while without any response, she started to feel anxious.

She couldn’t help but blurt out, "Grandpa, what is it you’re trying to say?"

Mr. Li put down his teacup, glanced at Li Huan, who was still visibly nervous, and at the foolishly large man sitting beside him, before slowly asking, "Have you been at Bay all these years?"

Li Huan quickly nodded and said, "Yes, I’ve been back half a year now."

Mr. Li nodded, then continued to drink his tea, remaining silent. Anxious and wanting to say something, Li Huan was at a loss, while Li Xianglu watched eagerly with widened eyes.

Mr. Li gestured with his hand and said, "Alright, you can go back now; it’s late."

That’s it? Li Huan felt a bit dejected as he got up, with the big guy beside him frowning deeply.

Li Huan said his goodbyes to Mr. Li and was about to leave when he heard Mr. Li call out, "Bring more of that tea next time; I quite like it."

Li Huan’s eyes lit up immediately, he nodded earnestly, but Mr. Li just lowered his head to continue drinking his tea without further word. Even so, Li Huan left in high spirits, hastening on his way.

Li Xianglu went out to see the guests off, followed by Qin Xi who intended to lock the door. However, she overheard Li Huan say to Li Xianglu, "There are some things in the trunk for you to take back."

Li Xianglu went over to look and found a large bucket full of lively big fish—carps, crucian carps, and even wild catfish. Wow, they would have a full fish banquet tomorrow.

Li Xianglu, never one to turn down a favor, nodded and said, "Alright, come over for lunch tomorrow to eat fish."

Li Huan was surprised, asking so soon, "Is that okay?"

Li Xianglu, ever the generous host, said, "Of course, Grandpa asked you to bring tea, didn’t he? He didn’t specify when."

Alright then, Li Huan nodded in agreement, and after inquiring about what else Mr. Li might like to eat, he left.

Qin Xi carried the big bucket of fish, while Li Xianglu followed cheerfully, regretting, "Actually, the fish from the river back home are the tastiest."

Qin Xi replied with a smile, "What’s the matter, missing that place?"

Li Xianglu couldn’t pinpoint the feeling, but she was nostalgic for those days—carefree. Though there was a lack of food and clothing back then, life was much more joyful and simple compared to now, with the big city having its own rules of survival and more complex human relationships.

After putting the fish in the kitchen, Qin Xi came in with a big basin of hot water. Mr. Li, soaking his feet, called them over and said, "Li Huan was a child I adopted years ago, and he isn’t so straightforward. The Wei Minghai he mentioned is an old nemesis of mine. Things were quite complicated back then, and I can’t be sure of the truth in Li Huan’s words. It’s best you both stay cautious. Qin Xi could look into her background, see what she’s up to these days."

Qin Xi nodded. In fact, after learning that one of Li Huan’s people had drugged Li Xianglu, he had already started investigating, but clues were scarce, and even the yard Li Xianglu mentioned with grapevines on both sides had not been found.

That night, back at home, Li Xianglu leaned against Qin Xi with a bare, gleaming leg draped over Qin Xi’s waist, shaking her head as she held a book.

Qin Xi helplessly removed the leg from his body, but in almost no time, it found its way back up again.

Qin Xi called out helplessly: "Good baby!"

Li Xianglu hummed in response, then continued to swing her legs while reading her book.

Qin Xi simply put down her own book and parted Li Xianglu’s legs, leaning in to kiss her in the middle.

Li Xianglu giggled as she was tickled by the kiss, Qin Xi’s lips were cool and her tongue was nimble, feeling like a little snake wriggling in her heart, making her whole body itch.

Afterwards, Qin Xi went behind the screen to rinse her mouth and wash her face, and when she came back, Li Xianglu looked at the decently dressed man with blurry eyes, noting that they hadn’t done anything today, yet she felt incredibly comfortable.

Li Xianglu then became much more behaved, quietly lying in Qin Xi’s arms playing with her fingers while Qin Xi continued to read her book.

Right before sleep, Li Xianglu suddenly thought of Li Huan and asked, "Is that Li Huan a good person?"

Qin Xi shook her head and said, "Can someone who survives in that kind of complex environment really be called a good person? You need to be more cautious and not so simple-minded, always thinking that everyone is good."

Li Xianglu pouted and kissed Qin Xi’s lips before mumbling, "Got it, Old Qin!"

Qin Xi felt helpless; she used to call her Xixi, and now recently she started calling her Old Qin, which made her almost think she was calling her father, Qin Shouren.

Thinking of this, Qin Xi added, "Dad is planning to hold a simple ceremony in a few days."

Li Xianglu nodded and said, "Hmm, I know, I’ll send over some meat."

Qin Xi nodded and said, "And for that little girl, see if you can buy her some clothes or fabric."

Li Xianglu, now a bit sleepy, nodded and said, "I’ve prepared it all, two sets each for Aunt Yang and that naughty kid."

Just as Qin Xi was about to say more, she noticed that the person hugging her arm had loosened her grip, having fallen asleep. Sighing, she extracted her arm, pulled up the quilt to cover her, then got out of bed to switch off the light and climbed back in to sleep.

The next day, Sister Xing didn’t arrive until ten because it was Saturday, and they had agreed on this earlier. They had finished breakfast by then, and she started to take off the duvet covers to wash them. Not long after, the doorbell rang. Upon opening the door, it turned out to be those two who had been kneeling for several days. She didn’t dare to let them in without discussing first and went to inform Li Xianglu.

Li Xianglu welcomed the guests into the living room and then cheerfully said, "Today we’re having boiled fish," and then extended her hand.

Li Huan, not understanding, looked incredulously at her clean, extended hand. Li Xianglu pursed her lips, indicating the tea package the strong man was holding.

Li Huan, belatedly realizing, hurriedly handed over the tea package, and Li Xianglu, holding it, shouted towards the house, "Grandpa, someone’s come to bring us tea!"

Mr. Li had just finished practicing his martial arts and was getting ready to change his clothes and go to the backyard to check on things. They had built a small greenhouse there, focusing on growing vegetables, an activity he was as passionate about as practicing martial arts. Not just him, Mr. Xun from two streets away and Mr. An would also come by when they had time to help with the hoeing and planting.

Just a few days ago, they had harvested a batch of autumn bok choy and several families shared and ate together, enjoying the wonderful feeling of reaping what they had sown, which made them work even harder.

As the old man came out, he saw guests sitting in the living room and wondered why there were guests again, then he saw his granddaughter holding a tea pack and suddenly remembered what he had said yesterday, sighed, and told the two, "Let’s go, don’t just sit idle."

Saying this, he walked off. Li Xianglu’s eyes widened in astonishment—straight onto the ground with his dress shoes on! So she quickly stopped Li Huan, who was already following and handed him a pair of her old cloth shoes, which Li Huan took without understanding but followed promptly.