And so Luo Beishi went back to waiting and waiting in the conference room. Half an hour passed, and the man still hadn't come.
"Tongtong! He's the boss, so he must be busy. At this rate, I might wait until dark and he still wouldn't have time. Can you cut the power to his office? Save his files and everything first. Just cut his power."
"Wow! Host, you really are cut out to be a villain! You're a big, big baddie!"
"Hurry up! Check whether he has anything urgent to deal with in the next half hour."
"Okay, Host. Tongtong really does worry itself sick."
Half a minute later, the system returned. "President Li has nothing urgent to do. He just wants to keep you waiting!"
Sitting in his chair, Luo Beishi took off his cap, the corners of his lips rising. "Then cut his power for fifteen minutes!"
No sooner said than done. Sure enough, Li Qin was in his office on his computer, about to put on a sci-fi movie, when-whoosh-the screen instantly went black.
The office lights went out too...
He took a deep breath. Did he really have no choice but to meet Luo Beishi? Even heaven willed it.
He'd heard this guy was a drama queen. Surely he wouldn't try throwing himself at him when they met?
A chill ran down Li Qin's spine.
Fine. At worst, he would just keep his distance from Luo Beishi.
A few minutes later.
Li Qin appeared, and Luo Beishi had taken off his mask too.
Yet the instant he saw Luo Beishi, Li Qin was struck by a critical hit of beauty. It wasn't as though he hadn't heard how good-looking Luo Beishi was, but seeing him in person left him even more stunned.
"President Li, I know it was presumptuous of me to come here today. Let me apologize first."
Luo Beishi's gaze was utterly calm, without the slightest ripple, which made Li Qin a little curious about what he would say next.
Li Qin said, "Go on. What did you want to see me about, Young Madam Huo?"
Luo Beishi found the title "Young Madam" truly strange. He had found it strange for days and kept wanting to ask everyone to change it, but seeing how accustomed they were to calling him that, he felt too embarrassed.
"I hope you won't be surprised by what I'm about to say, and please believe me."
Though Luo Beishi was very timid inside, he did his best to feign composure.
Li Qin nodded for him to begin.
Luo Beishi said, "As you know, my husband is still in a vegetative state. He can't manage the corporation's affairs, but I believe he'll wake up one day.
"Right now, Huo Cifeng is buying up the corporation's shares like mad. I truly had no other choice, so I came to you."
Li Qin couldn't help laughing at that. "How do you want me to help you? You're not expecting me to hand you my shares for nothing, are you?"
Luo Beishi said, "President Li, I can buy a two-percent stake from you at market price, then transfer it to my husband. As long as you agree, I can transfer the full payment to you immediately.
"If you think that's not enough, we can negotiate. I know most people wouldn't readily sell their shares in the Huo Family's business.
"But I think your company has needed a large amount of working capital lately, so you might need it.
"What do you think?"
Hearing this, Li Qin immediately lost his composure. Why did this guy in front of him give off such an air of extravagant wealth?
And where had he gotten the money? If he wasn't mistaken, hadn't this man been forced to marry Huo Cixiao?
Besides, how many Luo Families would a two-percent stake in the Huo Corporation be worth?
Li Qin asked, "Where did you get the money? Through legitimate channels?"
Luo Beishi said, "You might not believe me, but it has nothing to do with the Luo Family. I have several mineral veins abroad and started a company. As for how I came to have them, I can't tell you that. In any case, it's a lawful business, through legitimate channels."
Li Qin pressed a hand to his poor heart and looked up at Luo Beishi in disbelief.
This guy really was loaded. Setting aside Luo Beishi's drama-queen personality, Huo Cixiao was practically a winner in life. All he had to do was lie there, and he had a beautiful wife who even gave him money! What had that guy ever done to deserve this?
Then Luo Beishi sighed and said, sounding somewhat embarrassed, "President Li, I'll be honest. You're the first person to know about this... I hope you can keep this secret for now, along with the fact that I'm buying your shares today."
Li Qin grew even more excited! He was the first person to know! Several mineral veins-didn't that put Luo Beishi's financial strength above his own?
And Luo Beishi had entrusted him with something as important as keeping a secret. Why did he feel such a spontaneous swell of pride?
"President Li? What do you think? If you need the funds, I can transfer them today, right away. I just need you to call a lawyer over with a share transfer agreement."
Luo Beishi had given Li Qin quite a shock, yet he still spoke so casually, as though the money he was spending wasn't his own.
Was Luo Beishi really not pained at giving the shares to his husband just like that?
If Huo Cifeng had come, he might have turned him away. But Luo Beishi was Huo Cixiao's wife, and the Li Family had ties of kinship with Huo Cixiao's maternal grandparents' family.
In any case, their funding needs were high lately, and the cash flow couldn't be allowed to break. He had been fretting over where to move money from.
"All right. I'll call a lawyer over. Please wait a moment, Young Master Luo."
Hearing that, Luo Beishi thought President Li certainly knew how to play it. Before realizing he had money, he'd called him Young Madam. Now it was Young Master Luo.
The formalities were handled quite rigorously, and it wasn't until one in the afternoon that Luo Beishi left with the contract.
After returning home, Luo Beishi hid the document envelope.
He came to the bedside and once again sensed something strange surrounding Huo Cixiao. Was he imagining it?
"Hubby, I'm back. At noon, I asked the bodyguards to feed you. Did they make you uncomfortable while feeding you? Are you angry?"
"Host, Host, Huo Cixiao can't hear you anyway. There's no point talking to him."
Huo Cixiao: "..."
Hmph. You were out for so long. Who knows whether you went to see Huo Cifeng? Now you must be trying to numb me with sweet talk! I refuse to believe it!
"I didn't go to class today, and the teacher assigned homework in the group chat. I have to do some homework before I can sleep..." Luo Beishi was very sleepy and yawned as he spoke.
Hearing no disappointment or other emotion in Luo Beishi's voice, Huo Cixiao couldn't tell for the moment whether Luo Beishi had really gone today. If he had, surely he would tell him the result?
What was going on now?
On Tuesday, after tending to Huo Cixiao, Luo Beishi left for class.
When he reached the classroom, he saw his classmates looking at him with those same murderous gazes again.
He was already used to it.
One glance told him Luo Bai had been playing the victim again.
He opened the forum on his phone.
Luo Bai: I'm sorry, Beishi. I know you've suffered so much unfair treatment because you married Huo Cixiao in my place, so you blocked all the family's contact details. I couldn't find you and could only come to the forum to look for you. Mom and Dad both miss you very much. Come home to see them when you have time, okay?
Luo Beishi thought it was wonderful. As expected of the white lotus protagonist shou-he had maxed out the hatred.
"Tong, didn't you check on my biological parents for me? How did it go?"