Rooting out future trouble

After taking the Viper GT for a spin, Li Rui returned to the hotel and had a meal with Lü Yifan.

After seeing Lü Yifan off, he received a call from his older sister that afternoon. Yiyi, her daughter and his niece, would be discharged tomorrow. The adorable four-year-old had finally recovered enough to leave the hospital, which naturally sent Li Rui over the moon.

That evening, just as Li Rui was getting ready to turn in early so he could greet his sister and her family in the best possible shape tomorrow, he received a call from An Yi.

"Boss, it's done. The threat has been completely eliminated." Those simple words revealed earth-shattering news.

Li Rui's pupils first contracted at the news, but he quickly regained his composure. Someone like that deserved death and more. Those who sought to kill others would themselves be killed.

"All right. I'll transfer five million to your bank card. Go away and take some time off."

"Yes, boss."

The brief conversation ended, and Li Rui turned off the lights and went to sleep.

While Li Rui slept soundly, Lü Huairen was at the Lü Family residence in Star City, savoring tea with one hand and holding The Art of War in the other, engrossed in his reading. As the saying went, the marketplace was a battlefield; those who did business also needed to study military texts thoroughly.

"Master, something's happened."

Absorbed in his book, Lü Huairen jumped at the sudden voice. He turned toward the newcomer and complained, "A Da, how do you walk without making a single footstep? You startled me. What's happened to make you kick up such a fuss?"

"Master, Gu Yuanshan is dead. He died in his bathtub from electrocution."

"What?" Lü Huairen rose to his feet in shock, the teacup in his hand wobbling and spilling tea.

"What exactly happened? That old fox Gu Yuanshan feared death more than anyone and was more careful than anyone." Although Lü Huairen had not had much contact with Gu Yuanshan, he certainly knew something about an underworld boss like him. He did not believe for a moment that an old fox like that would electrocute himself while bathing.

"Boss, my guess is that this may have something to do with the second young master's friend."

"You mean... that Li Rui?"

"Yes, boss. Before he died, Gu Yuanshan had been preparing to order his death warriors to assassinate Li Rui."

"Do you have any evidence?"

"Whoever did it was an expert. The work was seamless, without a single trace of evidence left behind. There's nothing to investigate. This is all my own speculation."

"All right, I understand. You may leave... Oh, and have the second young master come here."

In the largest private room at the Demonic Beast Bar in Star City, a bald, middle-aged man in his forties had a cigar between his lips and beautiful women in both arms. Every so often, he played dice with the women, drank, and copped a feel.

While the bald man was enjoying himself, a man made his way through the beautiful women, walked to his side, and bent down to whisper in his ear.

As the man straightened, the bald man's expression changed. He waved the women away, and the blaring music stopped immediately.

Once everyone had left, the bald man took a deep drag on his cigar and asked the man, "Gu Yuanshan really is dead?"

"Yes, Master Tiger. He was electrocuted in his bathroom."

"We fought for twenty years. I never thought someone would actually take that old fox out! Who exactly killed Gu Yuanshan? Have you found anything?"

"Master Tiger, the Lü Family's second young master may know something about this." The man then recounted how Lü Yifan had taken Li Rui to challenge Gu Yuanshan on his turf.

"Oh... the Lü Family's second young master. That kid likes making friends. I've even bought a few luxury cars from him. I never thought he'd actually get to know a fierce dragon crossing the river this time." After speaking those words, which seemed directed at the man yet also seemed spoken to himself, Master Tiger sank into silent contemplation.

He took a deep drag on his cigar, exhaled the smoke, and instructed the man beside him, "Get in touch with Lü Yifan and invite him to our bar for some fun. I haven't seen that kid in a long time."

"Yes, Master Tiger."

The morning sunlight shone brightly. Li Rui hummed an unfamiliar tune as he brushed his teeth. He was especially happy today because his niece Yiyi was leaving the hospital.

After brushing his teeth, washing his face, and changing into brand-new clothes, Li Rui called his sister. "Sis, have you finished Yiyi's discharge paperwork?"

"Yes, we're already taking care of it." His sister's voice sounded particularly cheerful and delighted over the phone.

"All right, I'll head to the hospital now."

"Okay."

After hanging up, Li Rui took the elevator downstairs with Li Yi and three other bodyguards. The other twenty bodyguards were already waiting below.

Li Rui drove the purple Viper GT at the head of the procession, followed by twelve Land Rover Range Rovers driven by his bodyguards. The imposing convoy headed toward Star City First People's Hospital.

In the lobby of Star City First People's Hospital, Li Xiaoshuang held a little girl as adorable as a porcelain doll in her arms, kissing her cheeks over and over.

"Mommy, Mommy, stop kissing me! Stop kissing me! My face is covered in spit!" the little girl protested her mother's affection in a milky little voice.

Hearing his daughter's words, Zhang Huaiyuan, who was up ahead handling the discharge paperwork, turned around and laughed heartily.

"Yiyi, Mommy wants to kiss you because she loves you. Don't you love Mommy? You'll make Mommy angry!" Zhang Huaiyuan teased his daughter with a smile.

"Ah, Mommy, don't be angry. You can kiss me, then." As she spoke, she offered her cheek to Li Xiaoshuang's lips, rubbing her rosy, fair little face against them.

"Hahaha!" Seeing how adorable their daughter was, Zhang Huaiyuan and his wife could not help laughing.

"Daddy, what are you laughing at?" Hearing her parents' laughter, Yiyi looked up at her father and mother, tilted her head, and asked in confusion.

"Haha, nothing. My precious Yiyi is all better, and Daddy's happy! We can go home today. Are you happy, Yiyi?"

"Yiyi's very happy! Yiyi wants yummy food, and Yiyi wants to go to the amusement park!" Yiyi raised both hands and spoke excitedly.

"Of course, of course. We'll take Yiyi to eat the tastiest food and have the most fun." A happy smile spread across Li Xiaoshuang's face.

"Mommy, will we ride one of those really, really big vehicles home? Yiyi hasn't ridden in one for so long."

"No, we won't be taking a big vehicle home today." Having finished the paperwork, Zhang Huaiyuan turned and walked over, putting on a disappointed expression.

"Ah, do we have to walk home today, then? Walking is so tiring." Hearing that they could not take a big vehicle home and thinking of how far she would have to walk, Yiyi's little face instantly fell.

Seeing that their daughter was on the verge of tears, Li Xiaoshuang shot Zhang Huaiyuan a look, then gently comforted her daughter. "We're not taking the bus home today. Today, your uncle is coming to pick you up."

"Uncle? Is it Uncle Li Rui?" Yiyi tilted her head and bit her fingernail as she asked uncertainly. As far as she remembered, she had never met this uncle in person, though she had seen him quite a few times during video calls on her mother's phone.

"Yes, Uncle Li Rui is coming to take Yiyi home! Are you happy, Yiyi?"

"Happy!" The tender little voice brought a touch of lightness to the otherwise oppressive hospital lobby.