Volume 1 Chapter 19: Video Call
Li Xuzhou returned to Germany the next day to handle the remaining matters.
The employees left in Germany were nearly moved to tears. With Mr. Li back, they finally wouldn’t have to put up with these people’s nonsense anymore.
“Mr. Li, you’re finally back!”
“These bastards are so difficult to deal with. They even pretended not to understand Chinese, but I saw one of them eating Lao Gan Ma chili sauce, dipping green onions in it and chomping away happily.”
“The head of the technical department is completely impossible to communicate with. Their system has such a huge vulnerability, yet they still brag about their advanced technology. If it weren’t for the technical support you’ve been sending over the past few years, they would have been finished long ago!”
“Mr. Li…”
“Mr. Li!”
Li Xuzhou listened with his eyes lowered, his hands never stopping as he circled a few names: “Keep an eye on these few people. Replace the heads of these two departments and sideline the current CEO.”
“Lin Xin, continue increasing our stake.”
The people he brought this time had been with him for a long time and understood without needing much explanation. Looking up and seeing the dark circles under the employees’ eyes, he spoke calmly: “Everyone has worked hard this time. After next week, take a half-month paid vacation. All expenses will be reimbursed by finance when you return.”
“Thank you, Mr. Li!”
“Mr. Li, you’re a god!”
Li Xuzhou waved his hand dismissively. He returned to his office, opened his phone, and sent a message.
「Have you eaten?」
Ruan Yu had added his contact information last night, but neither of them was very accustomed to online chatting.
Ruan Yu hadn’t replied. Her phone was tossed aside as she sat alone on the floor of her room, assembling a Lego set.
Guan Man, worried that Ruan Yu might be bored at home, had originally wanted to invite her to this season’s fashion brand new product launch event. However, sensing Ruan Yu’s reluctance, she dropped the idea and instead gifted her a giant Lego set—an amusement park model.
Ruan Yu had been assembling it all afternoon but had only completed one-eighth.
Being alone in her room was the state Ruan Yu was most comfortable with—quiet, without any noise or disturbances.
Too many messages would make her feel overwhelmed. Li Xuzhou knew this and didn’t force her to adapt immediately. As always, it was about taking things slowly.
Last night, the two hadn’t revealed too much to each other. Li Xuzhou had coaxed her to sleep before leaving the room.
There were no new messages on his phone. Li Xuzhou was somewhat distracted. After setting a special alert for the chat window, he also set his phone aside.
By the time Ruan Yu saw the message, three hours had passed. She had just finished dinner. Without hesitation, she immediately initiated a video call.
The call invitation was declined in less than ten seconds.
「?」
Li Xuzhou sent a new video call invitation. When Ruan Yu answered, she saw Li Xuzhou sitting upright, his hair perfectly neat, wearing a dark suit with the tip of a pen peeking from his chest pocket. Li Xuzhou in front of the computer looked so handsome… Wait, in front of the computer?
“Li Xuzhou, you’re using the computer for the video call.” Isn’t it usually more convenient to use a phone?
“Mm, I’m used to it.”
Ruan Yu didn’t know that Li Xuzhou had just declined the video call specifically to switch to the computer to video call her. From this screen, Ruan Yu looked clearer and a bit larger.
“When are you coming back?” Ruan Yu propped up her phone and continued assembling the Lego. While searching for a small piece, she leaned forward. Her open collar hung loose, and thanks to the computer’s clarity, Li Xuzhou quickly noticed the alluring view beneath Ruan Yu’s clothes.
“Ruan Yu.” His voice was somewhat low, carrying a hint of warning in its tone.
In front of the camera, Ruan Yu laughed and collapsed onto the carpet—she did it on purpose. She had originally thought something might happen during the video call.
Her eyes sparkled from laughing so hard. “Mr. Li, you saw it, didn’t you? Are you really not considering sleeping with me?”
“Put your clothes on.” Li Xuzhou rubbed his temples, feeling somewhat helpless with her.
“No, I can’t see your abs, so at least let you see mine.” With a hint of unconscious coquettishness, Ruan Yu leaned closer to the camera, lifting her shirt to reveal her pale belly. Having just finished dinner, it was slightly rounded. Beside her round navel was a red mole—even her belly was beautiful, irresistibly so.
Ruan Yu spoke lightly, “Too bad I only have one…”
The video call was cut off. Ruan Yu smoothed her shirt and laughed as she fell back onto the floor. She finally understood the fun of video calls. The Lego pieces were a bit uncomfortable against her skin, but she chuckled as she picked up her phone and sent a message: “When are you coming back~? You still haven’t told me.”
“Next Saturday.” The reply was as brief as usual. After a moment, as if still uneasy, another message followed: “Put your clothes on. The air conditioning is set low.”
Old man. Though Ruan Yu was complaining, she couldn’t help but feel a sweet warmth. After playing around for a bit, her mood improved significantly. She didn’t dwell on the matter and went back to assembling the Lego set.
While she remained carefree, things weren’t as easy for Li Xuzhou.
He tried to calm his body’s reaction, his breathing heavy. After a while, he couldn’t help but laugh softly. “Little troublemaker.” No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t settle down. Ruan Yu’s allure was simply too strong for him. Lost in thought, Li Xuzhou quietly made his way to the bathroom.
She seemed to really like him in a suit. Once she’s a bit older, he’d wear one when being intimate with her.
Her flushed face was beautiful, and her coquettish voice was lovely to hear.
Li Xuzhou tried to stop imagining, but he couldn’t shake Ruan Yu from his mind. He turned on the cold water.
The next day.
Ruan Yu’s phone rang. She looked at it with anticipation, but her expression darkened.
It was Lu Yuan.
「Come stay for a couple of days next week. Your dad and I miss you, and so does Ruo Yan.」
She didn’t mention anything sensitive. Lu Yuan was always cautious, careful not to leave any evidence against herself.
Ruan Yu thought for a moment before replying, 「Okay.」 It just so happened she wanted to confirm the matter with Ruo Yan.
She had considered whether to ask Li Xuzhou for help, but she couldn’t let her guard down completely just yet. Sharing her pain with someone else would be good, but she still needed some time.
Lu Yuan sent another message: 「Ask Mr. Li for permission in advance. Be polite.」
Ruan Yu lay on the table, her chin resting on her arm as she lazily replied, 「Okay, Mom.」
Lu Yuan didn’t reply again—it seemed she was disgusted by being called “Mom.”
A mischievous smile spread across Ruan Yu’s face. Though she couldn’t reveal the whole truth, she could at least find herself a bodyguard.
She hoped Lu Yuan and Ruan Zhen could handle it. She was looking forward to next week’s meeting.
By the time Li Xuzhou returned to the Li Residence, Ruan Yu had already finished assembling the Lego set.
Guan Man and Yuan Lele were very supportive, hiring a professional photographer to capture Ruan Yu’s creation from every angle.
It was the photographer’s first time taking on such a job.
He had photographed people, animals, scenery, and even landscapes before, but photographing a non-commercial Lego set was a first.
“Make sure it’s clear. You have to capture this detail.”
“Here, take more shots of this part—it was the hardest to assemble.”
Yuan Lele crossed her arms, scrutinizing the photos with a critical eye.
Xiao Luo brought a glass of water to the photographer, watching sympathetically as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.
“It’s not like it’s some precious item, is it really worth all this…” the photographer muttered under his breath, unheard by the girls.
Just then, Li Xuzhou walked in and caught the remark. He said calmly, “It truly is precious.”