Chapter 26: Gradually Drifting Apart Part 1

A standard family configuration is one father and one mother, two parents total.

Once it exceeds that number, it becomes quite terrifying.

By the time Li Tingzhou was born, his father had already reached a fairly high rank. Endless meetings and inspections filled his days. Although Li Tingzhou grew up by his side, he was only cared for by his mother and the nanny. It wasn’t until he was about to start school that he returned to Li Songyi’s side, where his eldest brother took charge of his care, acting as the de facto second parent.

Li Songyi was only 16 then, but his way of doing things was remarkably mature and steady.

He single-handedly managed his younger brother’s academic studies and extracurricular development.

Even their mother’s intervention had to consider the eldest brother’s feelings.

For example, Li Songyi once strictly stipulated that Li Tingzhou got 50 yuan allowance per week, and he could only spend that 50 yuan. If anyone was caught secretly giving him extra money or covering expenses, the lighter punishment was deduction from next week, or the week after’s quota; the heavier punishment was confiscation of the previous year’s New Year’s money.

For a child who just started school, this was quite a severe punishment.

With such strictness in daily discipline, there’s no need to mention other aspects.

Over the next few years, Li Tingzhou continuously tried to rebel. The only successful time was when he transferred schools to escape his brother’s arrangements. If he wanted to attend a specialized affiliated high school, of course, he had to pick the best in the country.

Even Li Songyi couldn’t find a reason to refute that.

He had just been transferred to a new post then, many things weren’t stable yet, and he truly couldn’t spare the time. By the time Li Songyi’s work was on track and he wanted to properly discipline Li Tingzhou, the latter had already persuaded his parents to prepare for studying abroad. From then on, the whip was too far to reach…

Nearing home, the partition slowly lowered.

Cao Zhiping carefully glanced at the brothers’ expressions in the rearview mirror, sighing inwardly.

“Zhiping, we won’t invite you in for dinner tonight. Go home and rest early.”

“Alright, Leader. I’ll head off first.”

After Cao Zhiping left, Driver Xiao Qin also silently withdrew. Li Tingzhou followed Li Songyi inside, feeling completely out of place. He was just looking around when a large towel was tossed over his head: “Go shower. I’ll find you pajamas in a bit.”

When he’d dawdled through his shower, freshly washed pajamas were draped outside.

Changing into them, they fit perfectly. Li Tingzhou came out with his hair still wet. Li Songyi had already showered and was sitting fresh and cool on the sofa watching the news. He patted the spot next to him, signaling his brother to sit down.

“Wasn’t planning on scolding you. What are you dodging for? Didn’t even dry your hair.”

Li Tingzhou shook his head vigorously, deliberately splashing water droplets onto Li Songyi’s face.

Xinwen Lianbo on the TV had just ended, and the Weather Forecast was coming on next. It was as if some freeze effect was triggered on the brothers; they silently listened until it was completely over. Only then did Li Songyi speak: “It’s been high-temperature warnings all this past week. Take care of yourself, don’t overdo the cold things. Be careful with anything you put in your mouth.”

Li Tingzhou, still bitter about his brother cursing his relationship with Xi He, refused to speak.

It wasn’t until dinner was served that he finally opened his mouth to eat.

Seeing him eating silently, his eyelashes lowered, any remaining anger in Li Songyi dissolved.

When they were nearly done eating, he brought up the topic again: “From past to present, I’ve never interfered with who you date or have relationships with. But if you want to take it a step further, my answer is impossible.”

Li Tingzhou had been born lacking nothing.

He merely needed to grow up smoothly, and his life status would never decline.

Of course, there was one possibility—

The kid got stubborn, bewitched, head-over-heels, stupid.

Insisting on finding a partner whose conditions were far, far worse than his own.

From then on, like some little poverty-alleviation clerk, either in the midst of poverty alleviation or on the way there. Carrying two bags of rice today, carrying a bucket of cooking oil tomorrow. At the end of the year, with barely any subsidy, the family might even want to snatch him away to be their son-in-law and plow the fields…

For Li Songyi, this was an utterly unacceptable outcome.

Otherwise, before their father and mother even got around to dealing with Li Tingzhou, they’d probably break his legs first.

“You always think so far ahead.”

But for Li Tingzhou, dating was just dating, and marriage was a very distant thing.

“Do I think far ahead? Since you first dated at 18, I’ve been pondering this matter.” Li Songyi had already stopped eating. He bent one leg, his fingers naturally interlocked and resting on the table, focused on looking at his brother. “To be honest, during those years you were abroad, I occasionally had nightmares. I dreamed you came running home with a woman and a child, saying you wanted to get married. If we didn’t agree, you’d cut ties with Dad, Mom, and Big Brother forever.”

That was truly terrifying.

Hearing this, Li Tingzhou also suddenly shivered.

“Wait, why are you bringing this up again?”

“Can’t I? I’m very afraid you’d do something even more outrageous in the future.”

Li Songyi asked the housekeeper auntie to clear the dishes and leftovers, until the entire space was just the two brothers left. He spoke slowly: “Is it because you spent too little time by Mom’s side when you were young, that now you’re…”

A bit of an Oedipus complex? A bit love-starved?

Otherwise, he really couldn’t figure out the reason for Li Tingzhou’s immense energy, emotionally pouring himself so fully into one older-woman relationship after another.

“Haha…”

Li Tingzhou chuckled dryly: “Are you saying I’m starved for affection? How could I possibly be starved for affection.”

A large hand reached across the dining table, the palm gently resting on the top of his head, pausing briefly before ruffling twice: “I don’t care who you’re with, but that person absolutely cannot hurt you. Okay, Tingzhou?”

Li Tingzhou abruptly stood up, nearly hitting the chandelier.

“I just remembered I have something to discuss with my bandmates, heading to my room first!”

~

After a restless sleep, he was woken early in the morning by bird chirps.

In a daze, Li Tingzhou felt someone touching his forehead and cheek.

“Big Brother went to work. I’ve already instructed Xiao Qin to drive you. Remember to eat breakfast.” A warm, dry palm, a very familiar touch and scent. “Tingzhou, did you hear me?”

“Mn…”

He nuzzled the blanket and turned over again, as if that could block out the sound. However, Li Tingzhou hadn’t slept much longer before being thoroughly awakened by a call from Liu Lusi—

“Pack your things and come over now, urgent matter.”

“What’s going on?”

Liu Lusi’s tone was hurried: “I don’t know how the news about Xi He joining Tide’s new variety show was leaked. Zhou Ling called me first thing this morning, saying his work email received a blackmail letter.”

What?

Black-mail-let-ter?

Li Tingzhou sat bolt upright in bed!

His mind suddenly recalled what his older brother had said last night: An unstable thunderbolt carries too many uncertain risk factors; its very existence is a threat to all happiness.

Connecting these two matters, Li Tingzhou’s heart began to pound wildly.

Clearly, this was an immensely strong bad omen.

“Does Xi He know?”

“I notified Xi He first, and she also told me some things. To be honest, I feel deep pity for this girl, but this isn’t something I can guarantee unconditionally or provide a complete safety net for. Heartbreak has finally reached this point with much difficulty, and your current situation is even more hard-won. So, as unpleasant as this sounds, I have to say it—”

“Mengmeng, romantic entanglements are the least important thing at a time like this.”

Liu Lusi’s breathing became rough and heavy: “No matter how innocent she is, she can’t stay out of this now.”

She had always trusted Li Tingzhou’s calm decisiveness, but every rule had its exceptions…

Li Tingzhou took a deep breath: “Let’s talk more once I’m back.”

Driver Xiao Qin, who had been waiting outside for a while, delivered the Leader’s younger brother to the hotel. Watching from afar, he just felt these two brothers were indeed born from the same parents.

The cold, calm demeanor when thinking was practically identical.

Back at the hotel, it was as if they’d all agreed not to go to work that morning.

“Everyone’s here?”

Liu Lusi nodded: “Everyone needs to know, to avoid information gaps.”

“My work email is listed directly in my social media profile intro. Three assistants cross-check the messages every day. That email was sent at 9 PM last night. Under normal circumstances, situations like this wait until the next workday to enter the screening channel.”

Zhou Ling was about the same age as Liu Lusi, dressed in a crisp shirt and trousers.

“Did you trace the source?”

“The other party didn’t even bother to mask their IP. It was easily determined to be from P City.”

P City…

Li Tingzhou immediately thought of Xi He’s hometown.

Zhou Ling handed over a printed copy of the email content: “Take a look.”

This email showed no trace of being ghostwritten. The wording was exaggerated to the point of being crude and barbaric, its purpose extremely clear. The very first question was about the signing fee, the various demands for benefits and guarantees were ridiculously sky-high, and at the end, it laughably included a bank card number, claiming he had the right to make decisions for Xi He in all matters.

“Because it was so low-level, so utilitarian, the whole text utterly devoid of tactics or skill, it seemed more real than if it were fake.”

Liu Lusi had already read it. She was now resting with her eyes closed.

“I thought Xi He’s resistance from her family side would be significant, but I never imagined it was this bad. Do they think this is the old society, selling sons and daughters for food? Xi He is an adult with independent capabilities. What can’t she decide for herself? Does she need a father who’s been absent and failing his duties for ten or twenty years to suddenly show up and control her career and income?”

Zhou Ling looked at Li Tingzhou: “So what are you thinking?”

To be honest, Xi He was a very good prospect.

Even if her age was a slight disadvantage, her fundamentals were quite outstanding. If she could ruthlessly dedicate herself to hard work, she would definitely achieve something in the future.

This was one of the reasons Zhou Ling was willing to make terms with Liu Lusi.

However, now it seemed everything still needed reassessment.

Li Tingzhou asked: “Are you sure it’s her biological father? Where did he get the source from?”

There were many twists and turns in this, but Zhou Ling had still tracked down a suspect.

He had sent people to take Xi He for a set of profile pictures.

It might be that some information leaked during that process.