After dinner, Huo Zhili’s phone rang.
It was Xu Borui, who lured him out with a single call.
Lou Minghe had been completely fooled into coming. The moment his eyes met Huo Zhili, his expression instantly darkened.
Three years had passed, yet it felt as though an ocean of distance lay between the two of them—not a single word was exchanged.
“Here, have one.”
Xu Borui handed over a cigar, his knee subtly nudging Huo Zhili’s leg.
“Everyone’s here today. Let’s play a few rounds.”
Ye Shenhuai swirled his wine glass lazily with his fingertips and scoffed, “You guys go ahead. My financial standing isn’t on the same level as yours.”
“Oh, Young Master Ye, you’re humble to the core,” Li Junyao teased.
Ye Shenhuai flashed a smug grin.
“I’ve always been low-key. Back in school, I survived entirely by mooching meals.”
Huo Zhili shot him a sidelong glance and added nonchalantly, “All the family fortune was sunk into cars.”
Lou Minghe remained silent the entire time, calm and composed.
Only Xu Borui lifted his gaze and looked at Lou Minghe. “I heard you’re planning to build a hospital on that plot of land in Dongsheng?”
Lou Minghe met his gaze.
“What? Afraid I’ll steal your business?”
Xu Borui chuckled softly, his fingers tracing the rim of his glass. “Afraid? It’s two districts away.”
His tone shifted slightly, a hint of cunning flashing in his eyes.
“I’m afraid you’ll poach Dr. Yu.”
“Don’t worry.”
Lou Minghe raised his glass and clinked it lightly with Xu Borui’s, his tone firm.
“She’s not interested. She just wants to focus on what she loves.”
Huo Zhili kept his face turned away, his profile as cold and rigid as a sculpture. A cigar burned brightly between his fingers, its smoke curling upward, unable to conceal the unfathomable depths in his eyes.
He didn’t miss a single word of the others’ lighthearted banter, taking it all in.
Xu Borui laughed heartily, his worries completely dispelled.
“Well, now I can truly rest easy. So, how do you really plan to develop that land?”
“Commercial district,” Lou Minghe replied succinctly, though the specifics were still being finalized.
“Nothing’s decided yet.”
Ye Shenhuai suddenly chimed in, his eyes gleaming shrewdly.
“In my opinion, you should build a high-end retirement home. The environment there is good, and the demand is strong.”
Lou Minghe glanced at him, a faint, ambiguous smile on his lips. “Indeed, a fresh mind is sharper than an old one.”
In truth, he had already received another piece of news that could seal the deal.
Just as Ye Shenhuai was about to bring up investing, a clear, cold voice abruptly cut through the silence.
“The government has plans to build a convalescent home there. A retirement home is out of the question.”
With those words, Ye Shenhuai’s plans were instantly dashed.
He immediately put on a playful grin and leaned in, slinging an arm over Huo Zhili’s shoulder. “Brother Li! Brother Li always has the inside scoop!”
Li Junyao added dryly from the side,
“The money we pour into those people every year isn’t for nothing.”
Everyone shared a knowing smile. In this circle, the rules were clear: business and government were intertwined. When the winds shifted, everyone had to adjust.
Afterward, the group gathered around to play cards. Throughout the entire session, Lou Minghe and Huo Zhili exchanged no words, not even a glance, the atmosphere around them permeated with an unbreakable sense of distance.
Just after ten-thirty, Lou Minghe’s phone on the table suddenly rang.
It was a video call from Yu Qingyu. She had gone straight back to the Lou family home today and hadn’t returned to her own place at all.
While preparing to bathe, she turned on the water heater but no hot water came out. Having no idea how to get the hot water working, she had no choice but to video call Lou Minghe.
Lou Minghe raised his hand and answered the call. The screen immediately showed Yu Qingyu wrapped in a bathrobe, her tone cheerful and slightly clueless: “Brother, how do I turn on the hot water at my place?”
Hearing this, Lou Minghe asked in a deep voice: “Do you know where the gas valve is?”
“No, I don’t,” Yu Qingyu shook her head obediently. She never had to deal with such trivial matters on a daily basis, so naturally, she was completely clueless.
Lou Minghe spoke a bit faster, giving a straightforward instruction: “Just go downstairs to shower. I’ll come back later and fix it for you.”
Yu Qingyu nodded, then curiously asked: “Oh, what are you doing?”
“Playing cards.” As soon as Lou Minghe answered, Ye Shenhuai beside him curiously leaned over, waving enthusiastically at the camera.
“Sister Qingyu, long time no see!”
Yu Qingyu looked at the smiling Ye Shenhuai on the screen and replied warmly: “Long time no see. You’ve grown even more handsome.”
“Of course, superior genes!” Ye Shenhuai laughed proudly, taking the opportunity to invite her, “Sister Qingyu, let’s hang out sometime when you’re free.”
Huo Zhili, holding a card between his fingertips, casually played one onto the center of the table. He glanced up at the exuberant Ye Shenhuai, his tone light but carrying a hint of pressure: “Are we still playing or not?”
The familiar, cool voice came through the receiver, making Yu Qingyu’s heart skip a beat. She said, “You guys go ahead with your game. I’ll hang up now.”
With that, she ended the video call.
Ye Shenhuai withdrew his gaze, looked at the cards on the table, and pouted: “Can’t beat that.”
Lou Minghe, however, directly placed all the cards in his hand face down on the table, his tone decisive: “Game over.”
Li Junyao looked at the card game before him and couldn’t help but laugh: “Tonight, the three of us were basically just handing money over to you two.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he deliberately frowned in dissatisfaction: “Wait, that’s not right. I’m your uncle, after all. Shouldn’t you two be the ones showing me respect?”
Ye Shenhuai immediately chimed in: “And I’m the youngest here, yet I haven’t seen either of you cut me any slack.”
With that, the card game came to an end. Lou Minghe picked up his jacket and was the first to turn and leave the club.
Xu Borui looked at Huo Zhili, who remained seated and was quietly smoking, and said helplessly: “I went through the trouble of creating an opportunity for you, and you didn’t even take it.”
Huo Zhili lazily leaned back on the sofa, casually crossing his legs, his tone indifferent: “Take what opportunity? To go and curry favor with him?”
“Who said anything about currying favor? At least say something. There’s no need to let the relationship get so tense,” Xu Borui quickly explained.
Huo Zhili lowered his gaze, his eyes fixed on the cigarette burning between his fingers, his expression calm: “I did say something.”
“Said what?” Xu Borui immediately pressed, puzzled. Could he have said something when I wasn’t paying attention?
Huo Zhili spoke plainly, his tone devoid of any fluctuation: “The government is building a nursing home.”
Xu Borui was left speechless. He picked up the glass on the table, tilted his head back, and drained the wine in one go, completely at a loss for words.
“Leaving?”
Huo Zhili reached for his jacket beside him but didn’t get up: “If we’re not leaving, are we spending the night here?”
Shortly after, the two of them also left the club, one after the other.
Meanwhile, after rushing back, Lou Minghe went straight upstairs. As soon as he opened the door, he saw Yu Qingyu still awake, wearing loungewear and curled up on the sofa watching a drama.
“Why aren’t you asleep yet?”
Hearing his voice, Yu Qingyu turned her head and softly explained:
“I was sleepy this afternoon, but after drinking the tea Dad brewed, I’m not the least bit tired now.”
“Want to go out for a midnight snack?” Lou Minghe asked casually, draping his jacket over the arm of the sofa before turning and heading into the kitchen.
Yu Qingyu shook her head gently. “No, I won’t go. Eating now would only make it harder to sleep.”
Lou Minghe walked into the kitchen, first turning on the gas valve, then adjusting the water heater. After finishing these tasks, he returned to the living room and looked at her warmly, saying:
“Have some milk. It’ll help you sleep.”
Yu Qingyu softly replied, “Mm,” then lifted her gaze to meet his and urged gently:
“You should go back and rest early too.”