Early the morning after filming the variety show, Li Lan finally rushed home. The moment she opened the door, she smelled food.
Li Lan was surprised. Aside from her manager, only Xiao Lin knew her schedule and the code to her door. Her manager certainly had no time to cook for her; even graciously ordering her takeout would mean she was in an excellent mood that day.
Then it could only be Xiao Lin.
In truth, Li Lan still clung to a little wishful thinking about the fortune Ji Nanshu had told her. She kept thinking, how could marrying someone as gentle, handsome, and devoted to the home as Xiao Lin possibly end badly?
On one hand, she feared that, just as Ji Nanshu had said, this man was not her destined partner and she would not find happiness. On the other, she was reluctant to let go.
After all, handsome men willing to be househusbands were rare!
Xiao Lin had just brought the dishes to the table when he saw Li Lan standing in a daze at the door. He took off his apron, his expression gentle. "A-Lan, what are you standing there for? Come eat. I made your favorite sweet-and-sour ribs."
Looking at Xiao Lin's handsome face, Li Lan blushed. "A-Lin~ Thank you for all the effort!"
"What effort? I just cooked a meal." Xiao Lin walked behind Li Lan and nudged her over to the dining table.
As they ate, they shared amusing stories from the past two days. Xiao Lin teased, "I heard I'm bad for your wealth luck~?"
Li Lan blinked. "You saw that too? Don't believe it~"
Xiao Lin placed a piece of meat in Li Lan's bowl. "Of course I know. It was deliberately done for the show, right?"
"By the way, A-Lin, aren't you busy these days?" Li Lan smiled with her lips pressed together, not answering directly.
Xiao Lin said, "Well, of course... I specifically cleared my schedule! It's not often you have so little scheduled for a couple of days. I wanted to spend time with you."
For the show? Whether it was for the show or not, there was no way he would let go of a money tree like Li Lan... He had worked so hard to build up that image of a gentle, understanding husband in front of her and had her completely hooked. No one was allowed to ruin it!!!
"Ah, even if it was for the show, I'm still worried. What if you actually believe that charlatan and don't want me anymore? I wouldn't even have anywhere to cry!"
Li Lan's smile was sweet and bashful, but inwardly she was considering whether to hire a private investigator to look into Xiao Lin.
Until Xiao Lin said he had come back to keep her company, she had been clinging to the hope that perhaps Ji Nanshu's reading was inaccurate. But... someone who was always busy with his career and wouldn't even come back for her birthday-how could he possibly return to spend several days with her over something like this?
Half a day or a day would have been understandable, but several days?
She... did find it a little strange.
Xiao Lin stayed with Li Lan for two days, then took a phone call, said there was an urgent matter at his company, and hurried off again.
After confirming Xiao Lin had left, Li Lan made a call. "Fengzi, could you... look into someone for me?"
The man on the other end sounded mocking. "Oh~ Best Actress Lan~ You never come calling unless you need something~ Finally remembered me, have you? What a rare occasion!"
"Stop scolding me..." A trace of grievance crept into Li Lan's voice without her realizing it. "Fengzi, could you look into Xiao Lin for me?"
"What? Is Xiao Lin cheating?"
Li Lan took a deep breath. "Did you watch the livestream the day before yesterday? I... what if it's true? I don't want to be swindled out of my money and my body."
"Fine, I'll look into him!" Wen Feng gritted his teeth. This woman! A handsome, high-quality man like me is right in front of her, and she really can't see me?!
What a blind woman!!!
"Remember, you owe me a favor!"
Li Lan replied with a smile, "Yes, yes, yes! I owe you a favor. I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving this to anyone else, would I?"
"Hmph!"
This foolish woman!
Right after Si Xun posted that message on Weibo, his eldest sister grabbed him by the ear and gave him a thorough tongue-lashing.
Si Dai said, "Si Xun, tell me again what you just posted?"
Si Xun's eyes widened. "What did I post? Was I wrong?? Li Lan's face clearly shows a loving marriage with both sons and daughters!!"
"A loving marriage with both sons and daughters??? Do you have any idea that there's a condition attached??? The condition is that she can't end up with her current romantic prospect!! Her face clearly shows a rotten peach blossom right now!"
This little brother had no other talents, but he certainly caused one disaster after another.
Si Xun shrank back, his eyes darting around. It was obvious he was thinking of an excuse.
"Second Sister, that proves my reading wasn't wrong..."
Si Dai slapped the top of Si Xun's head and snapped, "Still twisting words! If Li Lan believes what you said and marries this rotten peach blossom, can you bear that karma?!"
"Go copy out Face Reading five times, right now!!"
"Five times?! Sis!! That's an entire book!!!" Si Xun begged for mercy. "Second Sister, my wonderful Second Sister, have a heart! Just once?!"
Si Dai sneered. "Fine. Ten times."
Si Xun said, "?????"
"No, Second Sister, five times it is. I can do it!"
"Since you're so capable, I'm sure you can manage ten times too. Good luck! I'll ask your school for leave. You're not allowed out until you finish!!!!"
"Aaaaaah-"
This was going to kill him. Why had he run his mouth!!
Si Xun began copying while cursing under his breath. Fuck, this would take at least a week!!!
After disciplining Si Xun, Si Dai went upstairs to see the head of the Si Clan, her own grandfather-Si Yuanhua.
Knock, knock, knock-
"Come in."
Si Yuanhua did not look up. He was practicing brush calligraphy.
Si Dai stood before the desk and quietly watched him practice until he finished the final stroke.
"Grandpa, there's a celebrity called Ji Nanshu. He says he knows feng shui and mystical arts, and he also reads faces. His readings really are very accurate." Si Dai reported the situation with a serious expression. "He also used mystical arts to help the police catch a murderer. Do you think... we should extend an invitation to him?"
Si Yuanhua put down his brush and looked up. "Investigate him thoroughly. His level of skill in mystical arts is secondary. We must never relax our standards for the most basic character and disposition required to join the Celestial Masters Association."
The Celestial Masters Association was a subordinate unit of Hua Country's "relevant departments." It was part of the state establishment, after all, so naturally they had to investigate thoroughly on the country's behalf!
"Yes!"
Once grandfather and granddaughter finished discussing business, Si Yuanhua beckoned Si Dai over to look at his calligraphy. "Come, Daidai. What do you think of Grandpa's writing?"
Si Dai immediately backed away. "Grandpa! I still have things to do, so I'm leaving! I won't be back for dinner tonight!!"
What a joke. Who would want to look at her grandfather's chicken-scratch calligraphy?!
Praising it against her conscience really would do her conscience a disservice.
But if she didn't praise it, her grandfather would definitely start cursing in anger.
Forget it, forget it. She couldn't afford to provoke him!
If she couldn't afford to provoke someone, she slipped away. That had always been her guiding principle in life! Who would act like her stubborn eldest brother, criticizing Grandpa to his face every time and getting punished on top of being scolded?
He really had it rough!
She, Si Dai, the most gifted Celestial Master in the Si Clan, would never do anything so foolish!
Hehe, if you have any free gifts, feel free to send some!! Thanks♪(･ω･)ﾉ