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Li Rongxiu set the documents in his hand back on the coffee table, leaned slightly back in the rattan chair, and turned to Li Rongyu. "Isn't this a good thing? With this information, at least Shen Zongming will learn his lesson. The Shen family should understand something too—not everyone can be treated with such contempt."

Li Rongyu smiled faintly and said meaningfully, "Is that so? Then Shen Yujun is a very thoughtful person indeed. I heard Kitty was a gift from him too? He certainly knows how to cater to your tastes."

Thinking of that rather shameless Siberian Husky, Li Rongxiu's expression first softened into a slight smile before his lips pressed together awkwardly. Then he gave a dismissive snort. "He deals in information to begin with. It's not strange for him to know these trivial matters. Brother, what exactly are you worried about? You don't actually think he poses a threat to the Li family, do you?"

"I have far more faith in the Li family than I do in you." Li Rongyu sighed, somewhat exasperated. "Psychologically speaking, childhood has a profound impact on a person. If someone has suffered a troubled fate since childhood, received no love from his parents, and been rejected or even treated with hostility by the elders and peers around him, with violence and mental oppression being commonplace and schemes and calculations second nature... unless there is something wrong with his brain, I don't believe he would grow up to become an optimistic, helpful person. Besides, judging from Shen Yujun's current behavior, I don't think he is harmless and pure-hearted either."

Li Rongxiu picked up the goblet on the coffee table and took a sip of warm milk as though drinking red wine. Shaking his head, he sighed, "I'd forgotten that my big brother even took psychology as an elective while studying abroad. Hey, wasn't your childhood dream to become the world's greatest psychologist? You were even chuunibyou enough to want to see through everyone's thoughts. Ow..."

Li Rongxiu pitifully covered the spot on his head where Li Rongyu had flicked him and sniffed. "If people outside saw how violent and nagging you are, Brother, they would never believe you were Li Rongyu, the man of few words who dominates the business world."

Li Rongyu calmly withdrew his arm with a cold snort. Picking up the crystal goblet from the coffee table, he gently swirled it beneath the light and watched the red liquid dance within, staining the transparent walls of the glass as the thick wine slowly slid down its curved surface. He spoke just as slowly. "Like repels like, opposites attract. That saying does not describe only physical phenomena. People are always drawn to beautiful things different from themselves, and often wish to change. But one's nature is hard to alter. Whether in love or friendship, if someone always has to suppress their true nature to feel confident being with you, or cannot take off their mask even while they are with you..."

Li Rongxiu stared at Li Rongyu, who wore the expression of someone speaking from experience, and asked gossipy, "Brother, that sounds pretty heartfelt! Could it be that you..."

Thump! Li Rongxiu, having received another flick on the forehead, rubbed it disappointedly and pouted. "If you don't want to talk about it, then don't. You don't have to keep hitting me!"

Do you really think I don't know about that little mess from your years abroad? I just can't be bothered to mention it! ╭(╯^╰)╮

Thump! Having gotten used to hitting him, Li Rongyu withdrew his arm with a stern face and began shooing him away. "It's late. Go wash up and sleep. You still have school tomorrow morning!"

Li Rongxiu clicked his tongue and added as he got up, "The launch press conference for our movie is set for next Saturday. Brother, remember to clear that morning and come show your support!"

Li Rongyu gave an "Mm" and left the study with Li Rongxiu. As they walked, he said, "Call Dad and Grandpa too. If they have time, they'll definitely want to come and see."

Though the launch press conference was scheduled for next Saturday, no one got any peace during the preceding week. Choosing the venue, arranging flower baskets, selecting banners, writing invitations for guests, even notifying media reporters... all of it was a mess of small, tedious tasks. Yet if any single link was overlooked, there was no hope of getting the best results on the day of the conference.

Fortunately, there was such an industry as public relations companies. Li Rongxiu only needed to choose the most famous and capable one among the many PR firms, then leave everything else to them.

To use a cliché, time passed in the blink of an eye, and Saturday arrived before they knew it.

At seven thirty in the morning, Li Rongxiu struggled to open his eyes amid the racket of his alarm clock. Yesterday had been Xin Mengmeng's birthday. The group had gone a little wild celebrating for her, and it was nearly three in the morning by the time he got home. After washing up and doing the math, he had slept for less than two hours before being awakened.

Fortunately, Li Rongxiu from his previous life had long grown accustomed to this kind of schedule. He sat on the bed with narrowed eyes for a while to wake himself up, then swayed to his feet. After wasting half an hour in the bathroom, he emerged looking completely refreshed and full of vigor.

He took out the custom-made suit he had prepared long ago from the walk-in closet and changed unhurriedly. Then he opened his door, crossed the hallway, and went downstairs.

In the dining room downstairs, Big Brother Li, Uncle Li, Zhuang Meiru, and Mo Wanrou were already seated at the table. Father Li and Grandpa Li, who had not been home for nearly over a week, were also there, reading today's newspaper as they waited for breakfast.

Seeing the entire family seated together, Li Rongxiu's already good mood improved even further. Smiling, he walked over and took his seat at the table. Li Bingheng glanced at Li Rongxiu in his formal suit and smiled warmly. "Look at this. Doesn't Xiu Xiu look much more composed in a suit?"

Seated beside him, Li Rongyu took a sip of milk and said, "Dad, not everyone likes wearing suits from the age of three and a half. We can't force our own preferences onto others."

The Li family members exchanged looks and smiled. They had probably all remembered the foolish or self-deceiving things Li Bingheng had done during his early years as a father.

Grandpa Li looked at his eldest son and eldest grandson, whose every movement was strikingly alike, and said with a smile, "I think Xiu Xiu is very adorable normally too. He's innocent and lively, with the energy a child ought to have. That's perfectly nice!"

Li Bingheng spread his hands helplessly, folded the newspaper and set it aside, then lowered his head to eat breakfast in earnest.

Looking at Uncle Li beside him, who left early and returned late and was often nowhere to be seen even at home, Li Rongxiu asked with a smile, "Uncle, what have you been busy with lately? I feel like I haven't seen you in ages!"

Li Bingru replied with the same smiling expression, "I'll tell you, but you mustn't tell anyone. Your uncle has been busy looking for someone these past few days."

"What kind of person is so mysterious that even the Li family can't find them?" Li Rongxiu asked with great interest. After thinking it over, he added, "Oh, right, Uncle. I know someone who is very skilled at this sort of thing. Want me to ask him for you?"

Those words were exactly what Li Bingru had hoped for. Finding someone for his boss was far too important and private a matter, so Li Bingru did not dare casually use the Alie family's domestic intelligence network. Nor did he dare ask the Li family, currently at the center of attention, to help him investigate, lest word get out and draw notice. Yet relying on his own strength to find a woman with only an English name in the vast sea of people was simply too difficult.

Shen Yujun's name happened to have been mentioned frequently these past few days. Having heard of Shen Yujun's abilities from his sister-in-law and nephew, Li Bingru set his sights on him. However, he could not be certain whether Shen Yujun was trustworthy or whether he could keep a secret. So he wanted to meet Shen Yujun in person and have a chat.

As it happened, this morning's launch press conference was a fine opportunity.

Li Rongxiu, who did not connect Li Bingru's request with those strange developments that would come later, readily agreed to his uncle's request. After breakfast, everyone chatted in the living room for a while. Once the time was about right, they got up and headed to the launch press conference venue.

Evening City Grand Hotel stood on the southwestern shore of Wancheng's South Bay waters. The area was filled with towering buildings and broad views. It was not only one of the Empire's famous tourist destinations, but also Wancheng's economic development center. More than fifty years ago, when this place had still been a low, muddy stretch of land, Li Jingyu, then head of the Li family and Li Rongxiu's great-grandfather, had spent very little to establish the raw materials factory for Li Huamei Department Store here. The light industrial goods manufactured there had once been exported far and wide, earning enormous profits in the Federation during its economic crisis.

Later, as Li Huamei grew larger and larger, the Li family's factories in this area expanded farther and farther, occupying more and more land. The Li family naturally entered the real estate industry, constantly buying and claiming land amid shifts in policy and the times, gradually making real estate one of the family's economic pillars. In Grandpa Li's words, someone walking on two legs was always steadier than someone supporting their whole body on one leg.

Li Rongxiu had never been interested in anything beyond enjoyment, so he had never known just how vast the family business was or how extensive its reach could be. He only needed to know that no matter how freely he squandered money, he would live this life without worries over food or clothing, and even his children would never need to fret over money.

Take Evening City Grand Hotel. He had come and gone countless times before, yet had never properly looked at what its entrance was like. Nor had he ever been curious what the label of a landmark building truly meant to this hotel.

But today, Li Rongxiu had come to this hotel as an investor in the film Above the Elite and as the host of its launch press conference. When he stepped out of the black Bach and onto the soft red carpet, when all the reporters surged toward him and camera flashes kept going off not for gossip headlines, when their questions had nothing to do with luxury cars or beautiful women but seriously concerned Diwan High School's anniversary celebration and competition ceremony, when he saw the genuine pride on the faces of his grandparents, parents, uncle, and brother walking ahead of him, Li Rongxiu was suddenly overcome by a feeling... one he could not put into words.

It was as though warm liquid had ironed over every corner of his body, opening every pore in an instant and leaving him feeling completely clear and refreshed.

He smiled and nodded at all the reporters, but did not answer a single question. Maintaining that restrained smile, he walked through the hotel doors. A red banner for the launch press conference of Above the Elite hung in the hotel lobby. Flower baskets with labels and signboards could be seen everywhere, while beautiful receptionists in OL suits guided guests toward the conference venue on the top floor. The entire lobby was lively yet orderly.

Zhuang Meiru surveyed the decorations around them with satisfaction and said smilingly, "PT really is a very good PR company. They did a wonderful job arranging this place. It has quite an atmosphere."

Li Bingheng smiled faintly but did not respond. No matter how good PT's ideas were, they still needed the cooperation of Evening City Grand Hotel. In the past, the hotel would never have accepted a press conference of this scale. But this time, the host was his own son. Every principle in business was meant for outsiders. When it came to his own family, Li Bingheng could not care less about any of that. As long as his son was happy!

Li Rongxiu, who knew the hotel's situation well, naturally understood that his family's support had been indispensable in making today's press conference this impressive. Smiling brightly, he followed his family into the VIP elevator and thanked them. The Li family members exchanged smiles.

When the elevator reached the top floor and its doors opened, the sight that greeted Li Rongxiu was not the press conference scene he had imagined. Instead, it was a glittering social gathering, with wine flowing freely. The hottest singers and bands of the moment performed live in the center of the venue. Champagne towers and all kinds of pastries were displayed in abundance on square and round tables draped in white cloth. The invited guests gathered in twos and threes, sitting or standing with relaxed ease.