Chapter 7: Thomas the Little Engine
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Li Wenzhao sneered coldly, no longer wasting words on the frenzied steward, and smiled as he went to see Old Master Xie. The Xie family and the Li family had long-standing ties; although the elder generation of the Li family had passed, Li Wenzhao still maintained their relationship.
“Grandpa Xie.” Li Wenzhao nodded slightly.
Old Master Xie had a kind and benevolent face, leaning on his cane with a warm smile. “You’re here! Oh, Mingzhi is here too.”
Li Mingzhi smiled obediently. “Grandpa Xie.”
Li Wenzhao whispered, “Second and third brothers are tied up with overseas meetings and asked me to send their regards.”
“Young people have important work. Just your presence makes me happy,” Old Master Xie said, tapping his cane. “Come, come, come, let’s go inside.”
At his age, Old Master Xie cherished the younger generation dearly, holding one hand of Li Wenzhao and the other of Li Mingzhi, relishing the moment.
Meanwhile, Jing Yi was scanning the crowd for criminals carrying dangerous items. Secretary Fan suddenly started the car. Jing Yi turned to him. “Secretary Fan, aren’t you coming in?”
Fan Ming replied, “No, I need to calm down.”
Jing Yi guessed boldly, “The Xie family’s wealth has dazzled you?”
“Too big a raise,” Fan Ming gripped the steering wheel, head bowed. “I’m overwhelmed.”
Jing Yi was jealous. “... Three hours and you still haven’t calmed down?”
Human joys and sorrows truly do not resonate the same way.
Secretary Fan drove off to cool down, and Jing Yi entered the banquet hall as accompanying staff.
The Xie family was also a great household, well-known and respected; the banquet was extravagantly decorated.
Li Wenzhao, led by Old Master Xie, mingled among the distinguished guests, clinking glasses. Li Mingzhi bounced about, disappearing from sight.
“Steward Jing,” a hand landed on Jing Yi’s shoulder; Li Mingzhi had popped up from nowhere. “There are cola chicken wings on that table, I’ll take you to eat.”
Whatever one craved was brought forth. Jing Yi pursed his lips and glanced at Li Wenzhao. The banquet had just begun; the criminals shouldn’t act so soon. He would go early and return quickly — it should be fine.
Mostly, he wanted to taste how cola chicken wings at a noble banquet differed from those at ordinary restaurants.
It had nothing to do with greed.
At the table, Jing Yi found Fan Ming. “Secretary Fan, have you calmed down?”
“Not yet,” Fan Ming quickly peeled a lobster. “I plan to calm down while eating. Steward Jing, want some?”
“...”
Steward Jing: “Yes.”
Li Mingzhi sat beside them, not hungry, peeling shrimp for Jing Yi and trying to strike up a conversation. “Steward Jing, why did you want to come to this banquet?”
The chicken wings were indeed different: crispy outside, tender inside, savory and fragrant. Jing Yi chewed heartily.
Mumbling vaguely, “Because I did some calculations and predicted a great calamity for President Li tonight. I came specially to avert it.”
Fan Ming paused mid-peel, eyeing the plate brimming with seafood. “President Li will be kidnapped by lobsters?”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Jing Yi cast a reproachful glance. Secretary Fan still wasn’t calm.
Li Mingzhi pressed, “Steward Jing, you haven’t told me yet — what calamity will my brother face?”
Jing Yi thought for a moment. Now was the time to hint slightly. If things went well, there would be more eyes to watch over, reducing the chance of Li Wenzhao being ambushed.
“There’s a Miss Huo,” Jing Yi began.
“Miss Huo?” Secretary Fan looked up. “Huo Cenxin?”
Li Mingzhi asked, “Who’s Cenxin?”
The mention of this key name instantly sparked Jing Yi’s battle mode. He whipped his head around. “You know the venomous official match?”
Fan Ming had no idea what that meant. He pointed toward Li Wenzhao’s direction. “Miss Huo is drinking with President Li right now.”
Jing Yi: !!!!
In the distance, a group surrounded Li Wenzhao, among them a woman in a blue fishtail dress stood close, holding a glass of red wine to toast him.
In the original story, the one who drugged Li Wenzhao was Huo Cenxin. Jing Yi only knew the name but couldn’t match the real person’s face.
Unexpectedly, this venomous official match had already leapt to Li Wenzhao’s side.
The cliché of villainy was about to unfold before his eyes.
Jing Yi patted Secretary Fan’s shoulder. “President Li just gave you a 20,000 raise. Why don’t you go shield him from drinking?”
Fan Ming coolly retorted, “I’m driving, no drinking.”
Jing Yi: “I’ll call a designated driver for you. You drink.”
Fan Ming: “???”
•
•
At the center of the banquet,
Huo Cenxin smiled warmly, raising her glass. “To the cooperation between our families, I toast you.”
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Business dealings often required social drinking. Li Wenzhao took a glass from a passing waiter. “President Huo, please.”
The waiter bowed slightly and winked at Huo Cenxin, who nodded in understanding and raised her glass. “Cheers.”
Li Wenzhao’s glass slowly approached his lips.
Huo Cenxin sipped her wine, a flicker of emotion in her eyes.
“Hello, President Huo.” Suddenly, a figure appeared beside Li Wenzhao, raising his glass to her. “President Li can’t handle much alcohol; I’ll drink with you.”
Huo Cenxin was stunned. Where did this person come from?
Li Wenzhao frowned slightly, evidently puzzled by his secretary’s sudden outburst.
Then his gaze shifted, noticing Jing Yi staring fixedly at the cup in Li Wenzhao’s hand.
This cup... wine? Was something wrong?
“Sorry, I can’t drink much.” Li Wenzhao moved the glass away. “Next time, I’ll host and properly entertain President Huo.”
Huo Cenxin’s smile nearly faltered. “You jest, President Li. I thought you were sincere about cooperating with the Huo family. I didn’t expect you to refuse even a glass of wine.”
Jing Yi almost burst out laughing at her words.
[Ha ha ha, who names their company ‘Disaster’? Don’t they think it’s unlucky when introducing themselves? Ha ha ha.]
Li Wenzhao: “...”
So that’s why you don’t want me to drink?
“President Huo, you flatter me.” Fan Ming raised his glass and drained it. “President Li values the Huo contract very much but has been unwell lately and can’t drink. I’ll drink on his behalf. I’ll start; you’re welcome to join.”
Huo Cenxin gave a forced smile and took a sip. “Alright, Secretary Fan, just the two of us.”
No fear of drinking opponents here. If she got the secretary drunk, President Li still wouldn’t escape.
Fan Ming was overwhelmed, shooting a glance at Steward Jing and lifting the glass to drink—
A pale hand suddenly intervened. Jing Yi took the glass away. “Secretary Fan just got a raise and is unsettled; he shouldn’t drink. I’ll drink with President Huo instead.”
[Cold-blooded villain, villain of villains, let me see if I can’t drown you!]
Jing Yi grabbed a bottle and poured wine into Huo Cenxin’s goblet until it was full.
“All in the wine, President Huo, please.”
Huo Cenxin: “...”
Her hand trembled, spilling half the wine.
Where had these giant grasshoppers come from?
Huo Cenxin was nearly shocked to death. How could she not finish even this small glass?
...It didn’t matter.
Even if drunk, she could still take down Li Wenzhao.
“Steward Jing, I remember you don’t drink,” Li Mingzhi cheerfully raised his glass. “Sister Huo, I’ll drink on behalf of our steward.”
Jing Yi modestly declined, “I’ll do it.”
Fan Ming, recalling his recent 20,000 raise, stood firm. “Shielding drinks is the secretary’s duty. Since Steward Jing doesn’t drink, he shouldn’t trouble President Li.”
Li Mingzhi said, “I’m the younger brother; it’s only right I drink for my elder brother.”
The three formed a little train between Li Wenzhao and Huo Cenxin.
Huo Cenxin: “...”
Annoyed.
The three began quarreling for no reason. Jing Yi was pushed and stumbled into Li Wenzhao, his palm knocking the glass from his hand.
“Snap.”
Wine spilled everywhere.
Jing Yi blinked, satisfied. Crisis averted.
Huo Cenxin’s face turned green. She hastily muttered something and fled, lifting her skirt.
Jing Yi exhaled deeply.
[Crisis averted. President Li probably won’t be drugged now...]
Li Wenzhao’s pupils constricted. Drugged? Huo Cenxin would drug him?
Why was the steward only telling him now?
[Yes! Successfully helped the Li family avoid a big pit.]
[But... though Huo Cenxin is cruel, she’s skilled at romance. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have made Young Master Li so love-struck and foolish—more so than Li Mingzhi. Young Master only gave away his own assets, but Li Wenzhao handed over the entire Li family.]
[Hiss... Speaking of which, am I ruining the Li family’s marriages? And what about Li Xu and Li Ting... Amitabha, may the Bodhisattva protect me.]
Li Wenzhao: “...”
He—is he a love fool too?
More foolish than Li Mingzhi?
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And Li Xu and Li Ting...?
Out of the corner of his eye, younger brother Li Mingzhi looked at him complicatedly.
“Brother, our family is full of love fools.”
Li: Potentially a great love fool: “...”
Nonsense!
[Alert lifted. I can eat in peace now. I’ve preserved President Li’s purity. Boohoo, I am such a competent steward; I deserve a small cake for my loyalty.]
“Steward Jing,” Li Mingzhi said, “there are delicious little cakes over there. Want to try some?”
Jing Yi’s eyes brightened. “Good.”
Secretary Fan glanced at the overly sweet cakes. “I don’t like sweets. You go ahead; I want more seafood.”
The three parted ways right before Li Wenzhao, heading to a corner of the banquet to indulge.
After all the commotion, Li Wenzhao suspected everything was laced with something and dared not drink anything. After congratulating Old Master Xie on his birthday and presenting gifts, he gathered the three hungry troublemakers and headed home.
The steward wasn’t full yet. Before being dragged away, he stuffed a few small cakes into his pocket, eating some and taking some.
The designated driver Jing Yi called ahead had arrived. Secretary Fan sat in the front passenger seat, Li Wenzhao and Li Mingzhi climbed into the back.
Jing Yi...
“Steward Jing, Steward Jing.” Li Mingzhi scooted inside, bumping Li Wenzhao against the window. “Sit next to me. We can chat and eat.”
“Good idea.” Jing Yi got in and generously shared the spoils from the Xie family. “Young Master, want some small cakes?”
Though he knew Li Wenzhao disliked sweets and wouldn’t eat them, as a dedicated steward he still asked politely.
“Hmm.”
A cold male voice.
Jing Yi watched the small cake in his hand start to shift.
Jing Yi: Stare...
You don’t eat sweets?!
Li Wenzhao tore open the wrapper and took a small bite.
He hadn’t dared eat anything at the banquet and was hungry. This cake had been tested for poison, so he could eat without worry.
•
•
At nine o’clock that evening, the three returned to the Li residence.
Li Wenzhao was exhausted. Attending a birthday banquet was more tiring than an entire day of meetings.
Li Ting was in the gym next to the living room, punching. Seeing Li Wenzhao come in, he took off his gloves and wiped sweat from his brow. “Back so early? I thought Grandpa Xie would keep you overnight.”
Li Wenzhao hummed and called the kitchen to send in dinner. “I came back because I was hungry.”
Li Ting: “?”
Not a single dish at the Xie family banquet was to your liking?
At the front door, Li Mingzhi and Jing Yi whispered as they entered.
“By the way, brother,” Li Ting said, “my company just signed an investment contract to build a new amusement park in the northern part of the city. We’re a bit short on funds. Interested?”
[Northern amusement park?!]
The shout sounded like thunder to the three Li brothers, nearly deafening them—what was the steward yelling about now?!
Jing Yi’s gaze landed on Li Ting as he quickly recalled the novel’s plot.
[Right, I remember now. That amusement park’s location was problematic; there was an underground river. Shortly after construction began, the ground collapsed, burying the entire site.]
Li Ting was stunned.
[If this project is invested in, Li Ting might go bankrupt.]
[I need to find a way to hint at this...]
“Third brother,” Li Mingzhi suddenly said, “I think you’re capable and steady, not suited for childish projects like this. Maybe you shouldn’t invest.”
Li Ting nodded decisively. “You’re right, little brother. I’ll contact the secretary to withdraw the investment.”
Jing Yi: ???
Not exactly reasonable, but novel characters always steal the show with their lines.
Why don’t you guys let me do some acting?