Chарtеr 2: Роliteness Was Нis Оpening Linе.
Looking аt this fасе, thе рoliсеwоmаn remembеred.
Li Musi.
The Li fаmilу.
In Hаishi, thеrе wаs trulу onlу оnе family wоrthу of bеing called аn aristоcratic linеagе with weаlth аnd status.
And in Li Мusi’s generatiоn, inсluding him, thеrе were thrее sоns.
Тhe eldеst pursuеd politiсs, the seсond pursuеd literature, аnd thе third рursued businеss.
Li Мusi was the third.
Althоugh the thrее brothers wеre born tо the sаmе mоther, Li Мusi was the сhild of their раrеnts’ later years, with a significant аgе gap betweеn him аnd his two older brоthеrs. He was only eight years older than his own nephew, Li Zhan.
Having asked all the necessary questions, the policewoman said politely, “If Miss Jing remembers anything later, please feel free to contact me.”
Jing Ge stood behind Li Musi. The man’s shoulders were broad, and his figure was tall. Jing Ge’s forehead almost touched his shoulder, and she could smell the faint scent of soap on him, diluted by the cold air.
No one was surprised by Li Musi’s mention of being her “guardian.”
Including Jing Ge.
Even though she was already twenty and long past needing a guardian.
Before Jing Ge could step forward and nod, Li Musi took a business card from his pocket and handed it to the policewoman with both hands. “This is my contact information. If the police station requires further cooperation, please contact me first. She has just entered society and has no experience with such matters.”
The policewoman replied, “…Alright.”
Once everything was settled, Li Musi turned around and glanced at Jing Ge. “Let’s go home.”
With that, he started walking downstairs.
Jing Ge hurriedly followed a few steps, then suddenly remembered something and quickly grabbed his shirt.
As her knuckles bent, they accidentally brushed against his waist.
Warm and firm.
Li Musi stopped and glanced at her from the corner of his eye.
Jing Ge’s fingers felt as if they had been burned, and she immediately let go, whispering softly, “Uncle, I haven’t paid for the sugarcane I bought.”
The man’s gaze briefly swept over the sugarcane.
The driver, who had been waiting nearby, understood and went to the fruit shop to scan the code and pay.
“Thank you, Uncle Zhang,” Jing Ge swallowed the words “I’ll go pay for it” and said instead, “I’ll transfer the money to you later.”
The driver was Li Musi’s personal chauffeur.
“Hey, it’s just a small amount.”
Before getting into the car, Jing Ge bent down and sat in the back seat, taking off her shoes and placing them sole-to-sole before bringing them into the car.
Li Musi glanced at her actions. “Throw them away.”
“No,” Jing Ge shook her head. “These were a gift from my mom for my twentieth birthday.”
A pair of women’s latest Nike shoes.
Li Musi’s gaze was indifferent. He reached into the backseat pocket and handed her a brand-new pair of slippers, along with a paper bag.
He didn’t understand, but he respected her decision.
Jing Ge glanced at him, thanking him while quickly putting on the slippers and placing the sneakers stained with blood from the crime scene into the bag.
“By the way,” the man wasn’t fond of talking, but Jing Ge couldn’t hold back and tried to make conversation, “Uncle, how did you know to come here?”
The driver chimed in, “I happened to be nearby when the young master answered your call. I was worried something might have happened to you, so I informed Third Master.”
Mentioning Li Zhan, Jing Ge instantly felt deflated.
The bag of sugarcane hung from the hook behind the driver’s seat, swaying gently.
“Uncle, would you like some sugarcane?”
As soon as she said it, Jing Ge wished she could disappear.
Li Musi didn’t seem like the type of person who would chew on sugarcane.
His words, actions, and demeanor all seemed as if they were carved from a mold—no exaggerated expressions, no grand gestures. Apart from three meals a day, he almost never ate snacks.
The atmosphere grew awkward for a moment.
Until Li Musi handed over his phone. “Save my number.”
The screen light was clear and bright, illuminating the man’s sharply defined and strikingly handsome face—a face of unparalleled beauty.
Jing Ge hesitated. “There’s no need, Uncle…”
“Add it,” Li Musi insisted, leaving no room for refusal. “Your parents aren’t here. If something happens to you, I won’t be able to explain it to them.”The “second brother and sister-in-law” he referred to were Li Zhan’s parents, also Jing Ge’s future in-laws.
Her own excessive sentimentality truly made her seem as Li Zhan had scolded.
Jing Ge took out her phone and added his contact information.
Seeing that she had saved it, Li Musi glanced at the sugarcane and advised, “Don’t eat too much; it’s cold.”
“Sugarcane is sweet in winter,” Jing Ge rambled when nervous, “and I originally wanted to buy sugar-roasted chestnuts—warm and cozy to hold in my arms—but chestnuts are so expensive, 25 yuan per jin. That could buy two sugarcanes and still have a yuan left…”
Li Musi frowned. “Not enough money?”
Jing Ge immediately regretted her chattiness. “Enough.”
Li Musi said nothing more.
Those in high positions were often men of few words.
The car was about to turn into the Li family villa.
Li Musi withdrew his gaze from the window and turned his face slightly. “Reason.”
“…Huh?”
“The reason for going out alone at night.”
“……” Jing Ge pursed her lips, wilting like a dehydrated vegetable. “Li Zhan told me to get lost.”
Li Musi: “Reason.”
Jing Ge didn’t want to say.
Li Musi looked back out the window. “I need to know the reason to properly stand up for you.”
Jing Ge’s nose instantly filled with sourness, her eyes threatening to well up.
“I want to go home, Uncle.”
Her voice faintly suppressed a sob.
“……” Li Musi was quiet for a moment, then said calmly, “Before Second Brother and Sister-in-law left, they entrusted you, Li Zhan, and Li Ying to me. You must wait for them to return.”
She couldn’t just leave like this.
Jing Ge’s shoulders trembled slightly with restraint.
A man’s slender, straight hand extended before her, holding a plain handkerchief in his palm.
Jing Ge muttered her thanks, covering her eyes with the handkerchief to absorb those few unwelcome tears.
“Uncle.”
“Hmm.”
“You’re such a good person.”
“……”
The driver’s mouth twitched almost to the point of distortion.
His boss had actually received a “good person” card.
Outsiders knew Li Musi was reserved and steady, rational and restrained, never missing a single rule or detail, but no one would praise him as a good person based solely on that.
He could be polite and courteous one moment, and ruthless and predatory the next. Politeness was his opening line; heartlessness was his true nature.
Jing Ge returned the handkerchief to him.
Li Musi pushed the car door open and got out. “Throw it away.”
“……”
She had only wiped her tears, not her nose!
If he thought it was dirty, she could wash it and return it. The handkerchief fabric was soft and comfortable, like a cloud, with a plum blossom embroidered by hand on the corner in double-sided stitching.
To throw it away after just wiping tears—she might as well have used the back of her hand.
At least that wouldn’t waste such delicate fabric.
Jing Ge silently tucked the handkerchief into her own pocket.
Li Zhan’s dog enthusiastically bounded over.
Jing Ge crouched down, hugged it, and buried her face in its clean, thick neck fur, nearly crying again.
Li Musi stood there watching her hug the dog.
“Tianlang—”
An unhappy voice came from the entrance. The dog in Jing Ge’s arms lowered its head, twisted around, and instantly ran back.
Li Zhan stood with his arms crossed under the light.
A faint, mocking smile played on his lips as his gaze swept over Jing Ge from head to toe. When he saw the slippers on her feet, clearly belonging to a man, his smile briefly froze.
Li Musi paid no mind to his thoughts, brushing past him into the house. “Everyone, come inside.”
Jing Ge sniffled, trying to avoid Li Zhan as she walked in, but he extended an arm to block her.
She looked up at him.Li Zhan resembled Li Musi, but being a few years younger, his eyes and brows carried a youthful naivety and a rebelliousness that seemed ready to defy the heavens: “You’re quite skilled, aren’t you? My uncle never lends his personal belongings to outsiders. With such abilities, why not try to seduce me? Or have you forgotten that I am your fiancé?”