Chapter 13 – Won’t You Consider Me

Xu Ji didn’t express any opinions about that sentence and remained neutral.

Li Ting’s good looks could indeed stand at the top of the pyramid, but perhaps due to his professional circle, he was able to interact with many artists and see various types of beauty, he thought Li Ting was just so-so.

It’s an appearance that can be forgiven for small mistakes if he acts coquettish.

However, the premise was that it had to be someone close to Xu Ji: a friend, family member, or significant other. But Li Ting’s initial deception, pretense, and troublesome behavior led to Xu Ji’s good impression of him plummeting to the bottom of the sea.

He let out an “oh”, then used a declarative tone to say, “You don’t actually like me.”

Li Ting suspected that the other was really asexual and responded, “… Mn.”

Upon hearing the affirmative answer, Xu Ji leaned back and relaxed against the sofa. “Then let’s get a divorce.”

“But I don’t want to divorce,” Li Ting said euphemistically, and then he saw Xu Ji’s eyebrows move.

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Nk Mkdt pyke, “Tl’p yd kzzltkvkxyvl nbkze.”

“Yd?” Dw Kk oyp y zkvvzl pwarakple.

Tl’p yd kzzltkvkxyvl nbkze, ulv bl’p szela vbyd Nk Mkdt? Mbkp eslpd’v xyjl pldpl? Ohld kq kv kp ps,

Nk Mkdt pbswze byhl clld vbl qyhsale sdl, bso nsxl vblu plde vblka alyz psd vs yd yzzkydnl xyaakytl kdpvlye?

Ls, Dw Kk alxlxclale vbyv vbl Nk ryaldvp bye kdvasewnle Nk Zwl yp vblka “lzelpv psd”, rzwp, Nk Zwl bye vbl yrrlyaydnl sq y prskzle aknb jke.

Li Ting lowered his eyes, and the upward curve of his eyebrows drooped, the way it looked really made people feel sorry for him. “The one right now is my stepmother. When I was four years old, they took over the positions and successfully turned me into an illegitimate child.”

After a moment of contemplation, Xu Ji thought of the Li parents and Li Yue’s looks, and it all made sense.

Li Ting continued, “Apparently I also have a younger brother somewhere out there.”

Looks like Chen Lian’s saying, “Men need to be hung on the wall to stay honest,”¹idiom referring to how men are more likely to behave properly and obediently when they face potential punishment or retribution isn’t wrong after all. Upon hearing this, Xu Ji remained silent and nodded in understanding. “So what’s the reason you’re telling me all this?” he asked.

“Don’t you feel sorry for me?” Li Ting’s face suddenly looked aggrieved. If there were a few tears in his eyes, he would have looked just like Lin Daiyu²character in the classic chinese novel, “Dream of the Red Chamber”, pitiful in a calculated way. “My family treats me terribly, so I don’t want to go back.”

This only deepened Xu Ji’s confusion. “Does your parents have some leverage over you? Like nudes?”

Li Ting understood Xu Ji’s sarcasm, but he didn’t get angry. “No leverage.”

Xu Ji remained silent for a moment as he observed Li Ting’s expression. “Do you have a job?”

Li Ting hesitated suspiciously for a few seconds. “… No?”

Xu Ji stood up suddenly, his voice cold. “Divorce.”

He felt like his IQ had dropped by half ever since he met Li Ting, being played by him time and time again.

If he remembers correctly, Li Ting is definitely 23 years old, it’s 23, not 13.

If a minor is born into an unfortunate family, those without any economic sources can only compromise temporarily. But temporary compromises don’t mean laying flat, those with aspirations will hold on, study hard to enter a good university, and work part-time to earn living expenses, then break away from their original family.

But what about Li Ting? He has a sound body and doesn’t look like a graduate student. He doesn’t have a job even two years after graduation. He clearly has some dissatisfaction but is just muddling through it, he only knows to complain without actually seeking change, just like a whiny husband. Xu Ji hates this type of person… those who don’t strive for improvement.

They are simply not people of the same world.

Li Ting didn’t know where he stepped on this young master’s tail again. He stood up and tried to stop him, “Did I say something wrong?”

Xu Ji’s face shows no mercy, “Get lost.”

Li Ting quickly recalled their conversation before this young master blew up. He wasn’t sure and asked, “Because I don’t have a job? Is that it? Are you so career-oriented?”

Xu Ji couldn’t be bothered to even look at him and wanted to avoid him.

Li Ting was also getting a little angry. He admitted that he did have the idea of trying to bluff his way through again, after all, he didn’t want to reveal everything to Xu Ji. But he didn’t expect the latter to see through his little tricks so clearly.

He quickly chose to explain, because he needed Xu Ji’s favor, he put on a very low posture, “Strictly speaking, I really don’t have a job, but it’s not like I haven’t done anything. Please let me finish, okay? I’ll tell you everything.”

Xu Ji’s lips were straight, with a faint tendency of pressing down, his voice cold and unquestionable, “The foundation of business is sincerity. If you don’t want to tell the truth, you don’t need to waste everyone’s time.”

“Alright alright, I’ll tell you,” Li Ting looked humble on the surface, but cursed in his heart, “Don’t be so mean.”

XU Ji had no intention of sitting down again, he seemed to be implying that if Li Ting said anything that didn’t sit well with him, he would immediately leave.

Li Ting said, “Li Yaohang had children late and is already 62 years old. He announced on his 60th birthday that the company will be handed over to Li Yue in the future.”

As he mentioned these depressing things, endless dark thoughts were about to surface in his mind. However, he still smiled obediently at Xu Ji and said, “But I didn’t say anything, and even applauded like everyone else to congratulate Li Yue.”

Xu Ji knew that there was always a lot of drama in wealthy families, just take their neighbors across the street for example, they have dozens of family members constantly fighting over the inheritance every day.

As for his own family… both he and Chen Lian knew that Xu Chengyue had flirted with many women, but whether he had really cheated or not was unknown.

Xu Ji’s eyes were cold and proud, “I’m sorry, but I only pity you, I don’t sympathize with you.”

Upon hearing this, Li Ting, who had just been smiling, almost couldn’t control his expression. His face suddenly sank, then stiffened, causing his facial muscles to twist slightly. “… What did you say?” he asked.

“If you only know to blame others, then I have even less respect for you,” Xu Ji was unafraid and stared straight into the other’s dark eyeballs. “If you want something, just go take it, what are you afraid of if it’s yours?”

Li Ting was stunned for a moment, then lowered his head and giggled, his long hair casting a shadow on his face.

He laughed for a while before lifting his head, using his hand to sweep his hair back from his forehead to reveal his bright face. “You’re right, if I want something, I should just go and take it.”

At this moment, Li Ting’s beauty was not gentle and virtuous, but sharp as a wind blade, cutting people invisibly.

Xu Ji felt that his laughter was creepy. He looked at Li Ting’s expression and thought of his series of reactions just now.

His animal instinct made him sense that something was wrong. Suddenly, Xu Ji had a flash of insight and asked, “The bankruptcy of the Li family, do you do that?”

“Ah yes,” Li Ting readily admitted this time. “Even now, they don’t know where the problem lies.”

“But it’s not a big deal,” he quickly changed his tone and looked at Xu Ji eagerly. “If you are willing to help me, then I can really take the final step.”

Xu Ji didn’t say anything. Unexpectedly, Li Ting wasn’t a weak rabbit who only knew to cry after all.

Although he already knew that the other was not as innocent as he pretended to be on the surface, and definitely not obedient and gentle, he thought at most that he was a fox with small sharp fangs.

…It seems not, so what is he like?

An image of a drooling hyena inexplicably appeared in Xu Ji’s mind. Mn… it’s really a bit insulting to Li Ting’s face.

“You wouldn’t go and tell on me, right?” Li Ting leaned in front of him, and his previously imposing demeanor vanished in an instant, “You’re on my side, right?”

Xu Ji pushed him away without hesitation, “Stop putting on an act in front of me. So, what are you trying to do now?”

Li Ting said, “I want to acquire the Li family’s company.”

Xu Ji raised an eyebrow, “Aren’t you broke? Don’t tell me you want to borrow money from me?”

Li Ting quickly showed a meek smile, “No, I will handle it myself.”

Although Xu Ji is the only heir of Wanyue Group, he knows nothing about the composition and management of the company. Everyone has their own specialty, and he doesn’t even understand what Li Ting needs to do to acquire the company completely.

“In other words, you’ve been pretending in front of your parents for 23 years,” Xu Ji said.

Li Ting replied in a friendly tone, “Actually, I’m 25.”

Xu Ji, who knew nothing about Li Ting except for his name, just let out an “oh” without batting an eye.

Li Ting didn’t mind and said, “In their eyes, I’m just weak and cowardly, don’t fight for anything, likes to do housework, and only have a pretty face going for me.”

Xu Ji was a little curious, “I remember your dad and stepmother said that you cook well, was that also takeout?”

“Obviously,” Li Ting replied matter-of-factly. “Only you can make me cook.”

Xu Ji sneered, “Wasn’t mine all takeout too?”

“I’m sorry,” Li Ting apologized sincerely. “But I really do know how to cook. If you want to eat something, I can make it for you.”

Xu Ji was very indifferent. “No need.”

Li Ting observed Xu Ji’s expression and didn’t say anything, as if waiting for his permission to speak.

Xu Ji didn’t know what had gotten into him and said expressionlessly, “That’s it?”

Li Ting spoke up, “Li Yaohang could not find an external reason, so now he started investigating the internal moles. That’s why I have to be extra careful. Otherwise, all my efforts would be in vain. That’s also the reason why I didn’t tell you earlier. You won’t blame me, right?”

Xu Ji considered the truthfulness of these words.

“I saw a thick stack of documents at your parents’ place before…” with cunning intentions, Li Ting began to attack, “Even if we get a divorce, your parents will still try to find someone for you to marry. Won’t you have to hang up on so many phone calls? That’ll be so tiring.”

“And I won’t be a bother to you at all, I’ll never disturb you. But what if your next one genuinely likes you? You have to find excuses to keep refusing them, it’ll be so troublesome.”

Li Ting greatly softened his voice, as if a devil tempting a human, “I’ve told you everything, won’t you consider me? We can keep our secrets from each other, you do your thing, and I’ll do mine, please?”

These were all problems that Xu Ji had thought about before. If he could know everything for certain, that would be best. His previous unwillingness to accept Li Ting was only because he didn’t know Li Ting’s true intentions, though Li Ting’s confession today was most likely genuine.

“What if I insist on divorcing?” Xu Ji asked.

Li Ting still had some tricks up his sleeve, he looked pitifully at Xu Ji, pleading in a small voice, “Then I can only beg you not to leave. Won’t you agree? Please?”