That evening, after they returned to Feixi No. 1, Xiao Ji was summoned to the study before he could even have dinner. He didn’t emerge until a full hour later.
Seeing Song Liang on the sofa, eating snacks and watching television, he looked ready to murder him.
“This is between us. Why did you have to involve other people?”
“Because I’m shameless.”
“…”
Xiao Ji’s face alternated between pale and livid. He couldn’t help voicing his true feelings.
“Looking at you makes me sick.”
“Likewise.”
“…”
“Then call off the engagement, if you have the guts!” Xiao Ji snapped.
Song Liang replied, “I don’t.”
That left Xiao Ji speechless. Unable to think of anything that would hurt him, he finally declared, “You can tie me down, but you can’t bind my heart!”
“…”
Who the hell wants your heart? All I want is a marriage recognized by the system.
With the Xiao family’s staff watching, however, Song Liang answered calmly, “That’s all right. I’ll wait until the day you fall in love with me.”
Seeing no trace of heartbreak on his face, Xiao Ji gritted his teeth.
“You only want my money!”
Song Liang gave him a look that said, How could you say that about me? Then he let out a deep sigh.
The next instant, every servant in the room turned a reproachful gaze on Xiao Ji.
Xiao Ji: “…”
Even Aunt Jiang sighed and offered a gentle admonition.
“Young Master Song is a good young man. Now that you’re living under the same roof, try to get along. Don’t fight.”
Xiao Ji was furious, but he still couldn’t reveal how someone had schemed against him. In the end, under the staff’s disappointed, disapproving gazes, he stormed back to his room.
Shortly after he left, Xiao Yi came downstairs.
Song Liang thought he might speak up for his nephew or warn him to stop interfering. Instead, he asked, “What do you like about Xiao Ji?”
Song Liang had never seriously considered the question. He immediately prodded the system.
3085 listed a whole series of the main top’s strengths. Song Liang picked the two that stood out most and answered without hesitation.
“He’s handsome and rich.”
3085 was incredulous.
【Out of all those good qualities, how did you manage to choose the two most superficial ones?】
Song Liang: 【Then why didn’t they leave those two out when they created this world’s main top?】
【…】
Song Liang: 【Because humans are superficial. Xiao Ji’s appeal was built around human superficiality.】
3085 had no answer. It even began to suspect that its host’s emotional intelligence might exceed its own.
Xiao Yi also seemed silenced by such a blunt, shallow answer. After a while, he asked, “That’s all?”
Song Liang crunched on his chips and replied casually, “I can’t make up anything else.”
Xiao Yi: “…”
3085 screamed frantically inside his head.
After a moment’s thought, Song Liang added something half true and half false.
“I can’t help it. Fate chose him for me.”
Even 3085 was impressed.
【Brilliant. How did you come up with that?】
Song Liang: 【Copied it off the internet.】
Xiao Yi said nothing further. He watched him calmly for a moment, then left.
Over the following days, Xiao Yi grew busy too and was only occasionally at home.
Xiao Ji began leaving early and returning early. Even when he had to go back to the office to work late, he was required to return to the villa for dinner and to sleep. If he needed to travel for work, he even had to visit the study specifically to ask permission.
It was an exceedingly frustrating existence.
Even Song Liang had to admire someone’s methods. In a single fit of anger, Xiao Yi had turned an aspiring domineering CEO into a high school student with a curfew.
“Surely this isn’t what makes them fall out?” He laughed at his own suggestion. “Because Xiao Yi’s too strict? Hahaha!”
【…】
Two weeks later, Song Liang’s custom-made outfit for the birthday banquet arrived at the villa.
Along with it came more than a dozen matching accessories. From the watch to the cufflinks, every piece was from a top luxury brand.
According to 3085, the collection could buy more than a dozen Land Rovers.
Song Liang was surprised. Although Xiao Ji hadn’t been insulting him lately, surely he hadn’t suddenly become this generous?
3085 was ecstatic.
【Why not? You’re amazing! He’s fallen in love with you!】
“Because I turned him from a future domineering CEO into a child with a curfew?”
【…】
Song Liang called Xiao Ji at the office.
His voice was as impatient as ever.
“I’m working.”
“Did you buy those accessories for me?”
“What accessories?”
“All right, never mind. Work hard. Don’t fool around.”
“Are you sick in—”
Before the shouting could begin, Song Liang hung up. Then he went upstairs and knocked on the study door.
“Come in,” a low voice answered.
Song Liang turned the handle and pushed the door open. Leaning against the frame in an exaggeratedly alluring pose, he gave the man inside a little wave, his voice lilting.
“Hi, Uncle~”
The man behind the desk paused, looked up at him, then muted the microphone on his phone’s video call.
“I’m in a video meeting.”
Song Liang: “…”
The executives on the other end: “…”
Xiao Yi sent a message to the work chat telling them to continue, then looked at the person by the door.
“What is it?”
Too embarrassed to keep up the lilting voice, Song Liang asked properly, “Those accessories downstairs?”
“The birthday banquet at the old family home is a major event every year. The Xiao family members are only part of it. Most guests are prominent figures from various fields, including many of the group’s partners and potential partners. Your attire needs to be appropriate.”
After a pause, Xiao Yi added, “If you don’t like them, you can just wear the watch and cufflinks.”
Song Liang didn’t say whether he liked them. Instead, he asked, “Are these an apology gift on Xiao Ji’s behalf?”
“Those are separate matters.”
“So I can still ask for an apology gift?”
“What do you want?”
A month ago, Song Liang would definitely have wanted the Land Rover most. But after seeing the row of luxury cars in Xiao Yi’s underground garage, he had lost interest in it.
He thought for a moment, recalling the expensive accessories.
“Which of those things downstairs costs the most?”
“The watch. The black dial with diamonds.”
“Is there anything more expensive than that?”
“Yes.” Xiao Yi looked up at him. “The Emperor’s Tear. You have it.”
Song Liang: “…”
When he didn’t respond, Xiao Yi lowered his eyes and returned to work, though he continued speaking.
“The more expensive watches don’t suit that outfit. The black one matches better.”
Song Liang relaxed. He had thought the man was about to start settling old scores.
“Anything else?”
“No.”
Song Liang turned away, took two steps, then suddenly came back.
Looking at the man behind the desk, he asked, “Is the microphone still muted?”
Xiao Yi looked up and gestured for him to speak.
“You’re not going to the birthday banquet?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“There’s no reason. And it’s none of your business.”
“…”
Song Liang narrowed his eyes. None of his business?
【It really isn’t your business.】
Song Liang: 【Shut your little USB-C mouth.】
【Your mouth is USB-C! I’m a universe-class intelligent system! I absorb light energy automatically. I don’t need USB-C! You country bumpkin! You landed a hundred-billion CEO and all you know to ask for is a Land Rover!】
“…”
The country bumpkin felt no shame whatsoever.
【I have amnesia.】
3085 could only offer a sarcastic laugh.
The study was quiet. The man behind the desk had lowered his head and stopped looking at him, returning to his work. Voices delivering reports occasionally came from the phone beside him.
Song Liang watched from the doorway for a while, then closed the door and left.
Only after the study door clicked shut did the man behind the desk slowly raise his head.
He looked at the closed door, his gaze calm, and drifted into thought.
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