Chapter 386: Extra

Li Xiangrui glanced at his uncle, then at his sister, and said softly, “Uncle, don’t worry. My dad is the type who’s always ten steps ahead. Besides, let’s not even talk about the Ping Family as a whole. Just look at Uncle Ping and Aunt Shengnan—one was taught by my dad, the other by my mom. They aren’t the kind of people to discard someone after they’ve outlived their usefulness. And you know Dad’s character, Uncle. Rest assured, nothing will happen.”

‘Li Xiangrui couldn’t help but feel envious of the bond between his father and his uncles. He was close with his two older cousins and his younger cousins, but it was nothing compared to the relationship between his father’s generation. Uncle Bao, Uncle Guo, and Uncle Bo were his father’s cousins, but they were as close as blood brothers. The way his uncles looked up to his father, their eldest cousin, was truly as if he were a father figure to them.’

‘Li Xiangrui felt that if anyone dared to harm his dad, his uncles would get revenge, even if it meant mutual destruction and the ruin of their own families. The same went for Uncle Wei and his two colleagues at the company. Li Xiangrui had to admire his dad’s charisma. Look at the people around him—every single one was a powerhouse capable of holding their own. But in front of his dad, they looked like they would do anything for him, even die for him!’

“Your father is always meticulous in his planning, so I’m not too worried about that. It’s just that with Elder Ping’s passing, the Capital City is in turmoil. The person who has risen to the top is from Elder Ping’s faction, but people’s hearts are fickle, and this new leader doesn’t seem that capable. Besides, a new king means a new court. Will Ping’an really be unaffected? And the situation in the Capital City is changing by the hour. It feels like everyone is on edge.”

Li Bao was deeply worried. He knew his cousin could control the situation even without being in the Capital City, but help that’s far away is no use in a sudden crisis. If something unexpected were to happen, Ping’an might be fine, but Li Bao was afraid it would affect his nephew and niece. After all, it was common knowledge among the great families of the Capital City that his cousin was the key figure Elder Ping had put in place to protect Ping’an. If someone got any funny ideas, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Hearing this, Li Xiangrui smiled and said, “Uncle, Elder Ping’s influence lingers. Everyone is treading carefully right now; no one dares to make a move against our Li family. Besides, Uncle Ping wouldn’t—and couldn’t—let anyone harm our family. Don’t worry. No matter how turbulent the Capital City gets, it won’t affect the Li family. You can rest easy.”

Seeing Li Bao’s lingering doubt, Li Xiangrui couldn’t help but sigh and press his fingers to his forehead. ‘Are all the men in the Li family this stubborn?’ After a moment’s thought, he said softly, “Dad has already handed over a portion of his network and influence to me. Even though he isn’t in the Capital City, if something really did happen, I can protect our family.”

“Handed them over to you? Your father gave them to you now?” Li Bao was shocked. ‘His nephew is only sixteen, still just a boy. How could his cousin be so at ease?’

Li Xiangrui nodded. “He did. So please, Uncle, don’t worry. Nothing will happen.”

Looking at his calm nephew and then at his equally serene niece, Li Bao felt that he was leagues behind his cousin. ‘After all, if I were in his shoes,’ he thought, ‘I would never feel comfortable letting my own sixteen-year-old son handle things on his own.’

After reassuring Li Bao a little more, Li Xiangrui saw that his uncle had finally accepted the situation and personally walked him back to his room. When he returned, he saw his sister was still waiting for him, so he sat down in front of Li Xianglin and asked, “Sis, why aren’t you in bed yet? Uncle Wei and the others are coming tomorrow!”

“Why did you tell Uncle that Dad’s influence was handed over to you?”

Li Xiangrui looked at his sister with a helpless expression and explained, “Sis, you’re a girl! Mom, Dad, and I have never thought anything of it, but what about other people? Dad gave those things to you because he trusts you. Mom and I trust you, too. But, Sis, I’m your younger brother. I want to protect you, too. So this will be the official story we tell everyone. Uncle Wei and the others are completely loyal to Dad, and while they dote on us like we’re their own flesh and blood, that’s just affection for the younger generation. It’s not true deference!”

“I know that, but what does that have to do with lying?”

Seeing that his sister wouldn’t rest until she got a straight answer, Li Xiangrui said bluntly, “It would be bad for your reputation. The world is always harsher on women. You’re a girl, so Dad and I have to protect you.”

“I’m your older sister!”

“Exactly! It’s because you’re my older sister that I’m doing this. What other reason would there be? Sis, you’re my sister, but you’re also a girl. Alright, don’t get hung up on this. I discussed it with Mom and Dad, and they both agreed. So that’s that! Only our immediate family will know the truth. Sis, no matter how close our other relatives are, they have their own nuclear families, their own children to think about.”

Li Xiangrui knew his sister’s temperament, so he was being completely honest. For the past few years, the endless swarms of suitors had been driving her crazy. Although he and their father had blocked many of them, and the family elders had all used their own unique methods to run interference, a few always managed to slip through the cracks and pester her.

Li Xianglin stared at her younger brother with a blank expression for a long moment before saying softly, “You’re still young. You don’t have to take on these burdens so early. Dad and I are here for that.”

“Sis, I’m a boy. I can protect you and Mom.”

Giving her brother a speechless look, Li Xianglin said coolly, “You’re just a kid who’s still wet behind the ears, and you’re talking about protecting your sister and Mom? Talk to me again when you’re grown up!”

“Sis, sixteen is old enough to be considered an adult. I can protect you.”

Li Xianglin looked at her brother’s earnest, youthful face with a gentle smile, not having the heart to crush his spirit any further. “Okay, okay,” she said soothingly. “Our Yanyan is all grown up. He can protect his big sister now.”

“Yeah… Sis, I miss Mom and Dad.” Li Xiangrui only ever showed this soft side in front of his parents and sister. To the outside world, he was the famous debonair young gentleman of the Capital City, a dashingly handsome youth whose gentle, refined bearing was steeped in scholarly grace. In the eyes of the older generation, he was the perfect junior—the kid every other parent wished they had.

Seeing her brother’s forlorn expression, Li Xianglin’s own voice turned melancholic. “I miss Mom and Dad too. I spoke with Mom today, and she said Great-grandmother is doing okay for now. Yanyan, she’s gotten really, really old.”

“Yeah. The doctor said she only has about six months left. Dad is going to be devastated. He’s so close to Great-grandmother.”

Looking at her worried brother, Li Xianglin opened her mouth but didn’t know how to tell him. ‘Their father wasn’t as sentimental as Yanyan thought. Of course, he would be sad when Great-grandmother passed away, but he wouldn’t be completely devastated. For one, she had lived a very long life, and Dad was more philosophical about the natural cycle of life and death than anyone. For another, he had done everything he possibly could for her, fulfilling all his filial duties. It was simply her time. And with Mom by his side, he would move on from his grief quickly!’