Continuation 25: He Has the Final Say

Zhou Shuling tugged at Liu Chang'an's hand, signaling him not to be angry. She knew that Zhou Dongdong had gone downstairs to wait for Liu Chang'an to come home, but she had no idea that Xing Hongbo had said those words to Zhou Dongdong.

In the past, she would have just held Zhou Dongdong in a wronged manner, and the two of them would have stubbornly ignored these people. But ever since the incident with Gou Shanhai, Zhou Shuling had learned a lesson from Liu Chang'an. She didn't care what others said about her, but why should Zhou Dongdong be talked about like that?

Even someone like Liu Chang'an, who can find fault with everyone, loves his daughter, so Zhou Dongdong must not be someone people dislike.

"Chang'an never bullies anyone unless someone provokes us first." Zhou Shuling stood up to get a broom.

"Isn't he Liu He?" Qian Bowen, who was pondering the situation, frowned slightly and asked calmly.

He was there for a blind date, but as a leader, he couldn't just casually get involved in these mundane family matters, given his status.

"Didn't he just say... his younger brother..." Zhou Shuling realized she had let something slip and quickly explained, "When he's not here, his younger brother helps us out. His younger brother is a very good person. If his younger brother were here today, he would have beaten Xing Hongbo up just the same way."

Liu Chang'an nodded. Surprisingly, she knew how to smooth things over and didn't stutter or make any mistakes. He realized he had subconsciously underestimated Zhou Shuling; women really do have a talent for acting.

"What else are you saying... He splashed hot water all over my face." With Ma Lihua's help, Xing Hongbo finally managed to stand up. He felt a burning and painful sensation on his forehead, face, and eyes, and he felt indescribably uncomfortable. Although he could still not see clearly which direction Liu He in, he angrily shook off Ma Lihua's hand.

"Where's the toothpaste? Get some toothpaste and apply it first."

Do you have Yunnan Baiyao?

As Zhou Shuling swept the floor, she secretly glanced at Liu Chang'an to see if there was any toothpaste or Yunnan Baiyao at home; it was up to him to decide.

"What are you thinking about?" Liu Chang'an wasn't one to harbor constant anger. Seeing the shard of porcelain embedded in Xing Hongbo's forehead, he said calmly, "Go see a doctor quickly. If I beat him up like this and then treat his injuries, wouldn't that just be asking for trouble?"

He is, after all, a very magnanimous person. He couldn't just kill someone because he was angry, could he? That wouldn't be in line with his correct and positive attitude towards life under the guidance of the core socialist values of the new era.

They might smash a scar on Xing Hongbo's forehead, probably in the shape of a crescent moon. This will likely generate many jokes linking Xing Hongbo to "Bao Gong" (a legendary upright official), leaving a lasting impression and perhaps serving as a warning to improve himself.

"Your Liu He, right? What kind of talk is that? This is Xiao Zhou's house. You're just the child's godfather. Why are you acting like you're in charge?" Qian Bowen earnestly, with a hint of reprimand. "Young man, don't be so ruthless in your dealings. It'll be good to meet again in the future."

"Can I make the decision?" Liu Chang'an turned to look at Zhou Shuling.

"I'll do whatever you say." Zhou Shuling couldn't help but laugh... Wasn't this acting? Of course, she had to act like a meek and obedient little wife.

Qian Bowen was speechless for a moment, slapped his thigh, said "Fine," and made to leave, not intending to get involved in this mess.

"Director Qian, don't go, let me speak." Ma Lihua quickly grabbed Qian Bowen. She knew that if Qian Bowen left, would Xing Hongbo still receive any preferential treatment at work? He probably wouldn't even get the basic benefits. Wouldn't she, Ma Lihua, be met with cold words and disdain in the Xing family?

Qian Bowen reluctantly sat down, but when he saw Xing Hongbo move to his side, looking like he was counting on Qian Bowen to keep him in check, he turned away in annoyance... If he really wanted this blind date to work out, he would have left long ago.

Most men with some ability don't have to worry about not finding women, no matter their age. The problem is that a young and beautiful woman like Zhou Shuling is truly rare.

Men always prefer women younger than themselves, especially Zhou Shuling, who is plump and radiant, just like a ripe peach—not succulent and cloying, nor immature and stiff like a young, unripe peach with a light fuzz.

Especially her figure, so beautiful and graceful that it was impossible to capture it in a painting. Her figure, wrapped in a red woolen dress, made men unable to look away. Her fair skin reminded one of the snow that had accumulated overnight in the Junsha a few days ago. Beautiful women inevitably possess captivating eyes, brimming with spring-like charm. Especially when she looked at Liu He, Qian Bowen always felt that if he could see such a woman looking at him with such eyes every time he came home, he would have no regrets as a man.

"Hongbo, don't get angry." Ma Lihua tried to calm Xing Hongbo down, even though Xing Hongbo had no intention of rushing up to fight Liu He.

Ma Lihua knew Xing Hongbo's personality. She had heard from Xing Hongbo's father that Xing Hongbo was often bullied by a tall classmate when he was in school. Faced with this tall and strong young man in front of her, she had no intention of rushing up to fight him to vent her anger.

"You have to give me an explanation," Xing Hongbo glared at Ma Lihua.

"Definitely, definitely."

Liu Chang'an glanced at Ma Lihua. Ma Lihua must have remarried a long time ago. Zhou Shuling's personality is probably like her father's.

"Liu He, right? You're just Dongdong's godfather. I'm Little Ling's biological mother, and I can still stand up for her. Don't get involved in this matter today; it's a family matter." Ma Lihua sat down, calmly pulling off the red silk gloves on her hands. "For Little Ling's sake, if you leave now, we can temporarily waive the charges against you for intentionally causing harm."

Xing Hongbo pressed his forehead, and a sharp pain shot through him. However, seeing Qian Bowen's pale face beside him, he forced himself to remain silent.

Although the tea was scalding hot, it was not boiling water. The tea lost much of its heat when it was poured into the air, which is very different from being scalded directly by boiling water.

To be honest, it was that teacup that hit him on the forehead that still made Xing Hongbo's head buzz.

"Mom, Liu He is Dongdong's godfather, so we're family. When I bought the house, he contributed 200,000 yuan. Later, we opened a breakfast stall together, and gradually we saved enough money to open our current shop. Now we're planning to open a branch, also as a partnership." Zhou Shuling looked at Liu Chang'an with soft eyes, her cheeks slightly flushed but her expression resolute. "If you ask him not to interfere in my affairs, I absolutely cannot agree."

Ma Lihua was speechless for a moment. She opened her mouth but felt her momentum had been lost. In Ma Lihua's view, this was just how reality was. Those who could produce money had the confidence and weight to speak. It seemed that Zhou Shuling's current life and income were inseparable from the person in front of her. Even if Ma Lihua came out with the air of a mother and wanted to suppress Liu He from interfering in Zhou Shuling's affairs, she didn't have the confidence.

In recent years, Ma Lihua has neglected this side of the family in order to fully integrate into the Xing family. But you can't blame her; she also has her own life to live in the future, right? Zhou Shuling lives with her father, and her father died early—that's not Ma Lihua's fault, is it?

"You can leave now. Just don't come here again and upset Little Ling and Dongdong, and I'll let you go." Liu Chang'an looked at the woman beside him, who appeared frail but was determined to live, struggling to raise herself and her simple-minded child, and sighed softly. "There's so much suffering in the world. Little Ling has had a tough time, but she doesn't deserve anyone's sympathy. Whether you help her or not, whether I help her or not, she can get through it all... It's just that forcing relationships between people that aren't genuinely connected is pointless."

"From now on, Little Ling doesn't need to have anything to do with the Xing family anymore, and she doesn't need to call Dongdong's uncle anymore. As her mother, you can come and visit if you want, but judging from your cold, pragmatic, and selfish nature, don't put on any act of repairing the mother-daughter relationship."

Seeing that Qian Bowen to have something to say, Liu Chang'an took out his phone and snapped a few photos of him. "And you, stop Cygnus. You're a small leader, aren't you? Believe me, I'll post photos of you wearing Hermès belt and a designer watch and report you."

Qian Bowen was a little flustered. He was dressed in designer brands today to show off his power, but he never expected to encounter someone like this. It was a blatant threat, without any skill or tact.

It's not that a few photos would necessarily do anything to him, but who isn't afraid of such trouble? This kid seems to have some money; what if he hires someone to promote and hype things up, putting Qian Bowen in the eye of the storm?

"I'm not a leader, I'm a businessman, I earned this money myself." After saying this, Qian Bowen glared at Xing Hongbo and stormed off.

"Oh, that's good." After Qian Bowen left, Liu Chang'an nodded. It was a misunderstanding after all. As long as it wasn't a leader, it wouldn't violate the core socialist values, so he wouldn't report it.

"Mom, you two should go too," Zhou Shuling said to Ma Lihua and Xing Hongbo, as she was in a hurry to go to the kitchen to cook.

Knowing that Liu Chang'an was coming back, they would definitely have a big feast together at noon today. Zhou Shuling went to the kitchen early this morning to buy a lot of fresh vegetables. If she doesn't prepare them now, Liu Chang'an will pick and choose later, complaining that this isn't fresh enough or that wasn't cooked in time, and so on.

Then Zhou Shuling would feel extremely wronged.

"Alright... then... let's leave it at that." Seeing Qian Bowen leave, Ma Lihua's heart stirred slightly. It seemed Zhou Shuling wouldn't offend Liu He for her sake. Besides, Zhou Shuling was no longer the same person she used to be; she'd have to mend their relationship later. That way, she could still have some leverage with the Xing family. However, she needed to clean up this mess properly; she couldn't let Xing Hongbo get burned for nothing. "Little Ling, give your brother ten thousand yuan... firstly, to calm Hongbo down, and secondly, it's normal for an older sister to give a red envelope during the New Year."

"Ten thousand yuan? You really just throw it around like that. Do you know how many bowls of noodles we could sell for ten thousand yuan? How many chicken legs? How many big meat buns?" Liu Chang'an sneered, "Get lost, you don't have a single penny."

Ma Lihua lost face, not to mention Xing Hongbo. The two of them were so angry that their hands trembled. They pointed at Liu Chang'an and left without saying a word.

"Let me get you some meat buns to take back." Zhou Shuling quickly followed after him; she was the type to soften easily when she had the upper hand. "Mom, don't get upset. He's just a straightforward person who likes to tell the truth; he's actually a very good person."

"I've wasted my life giving birth to a daughter like you." Seeing Zhou Shuling's equally clueless and dim-witted appearance, Ma Lihua was furious and hurriedly went downstairs.

Zhou Shuling had no choice but to return. Seeing Liu Chang'an drinking tea that had gone a little cold, she quickly added hot water for him and said apologetically, "Thank you for your help again. Otherwise, I wouldn't know how to get rid of them today."

"Don't mention it..." Liu Chang'an stroked his beard, then asked an important question, "Doesn't my beard look like nose hair?"

"It doesn't look like nose hair, it just looks a bit awkward, hurry up and tear it off." Zhou Shuling reached out and started to tug at Liu Chang'an's beard. She still preferred his original look, which was familiar and pleasing to the eye. She was still most used to his usual eyebrows and facial features, and made all sorts of nitpicking expressions at her.

"Don't tear it, I am Liu He today, this is my true form." Liu Chang'an turned his head to avoid it.

Zhou Shuling had already touched his face, and when she reached out to pull it off, she couldn't. So she leaned over and tried to pull it off again, but she stepped on a piece of broken porcelain from a cup that she hadn't cleaned up earlier. She slipped and fell into Liu Chang'an's arms.

Liu Chang'an supported her slender waist and lifted her hips, frowning as he scolded, "What are you doing... Hey, you've actually lost some weight, only your waist."

Zhou Shuling blushed slightly, since she was sitting in his lap, but she quickly stood up and said with a hint of joy, "I haven't been eating much dinner these past few days, has my waist gotten a little thinner? I measured it last night."

Liu Chang'an nodded. "Go cook. I'll go call those two little animals up to feed them."

"Mmm."

Liu Chang'an went downstairs, and Zhou Shuling, being quite easygoing, dismissed Ma Lihua without much sighing, lamenting, or feeling sorry for herself. She didn't seem to be dwelling on the indifference of family ties or the impact of reality on emotions.

But that's kind of cute... It's precisely because of her simple-minded nature that she retains that innocent and adorable charm.

Liu Chang'an, of course, had nothing to say. He went to the bathroom to shave his beard and then went downstairs to find Zhou Dongdong and Shangguan Dandan.

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Various Requests.