Starting a conversation voluntarily, there must be an ending.
"Iâm quite similar to you, practiced Qi Sensing during my adolescence. My reason was just to win fights against classmates."
He always didnât want people to know this embarrassing thing. For a long time, he lived in regret and cringed at his awkward teenager self.
Su Xiaocai was stunned, "So did you win? Is it because you didnât, you resorted to sharp-tongued attacks?"
Ji Li: "You could focus on more normal points."
Su Xiaocai said seriously, "So is that why youâre so much taller than me?"
This conversation is over.
Ji Li closed the livestream, "Go to sleep, you canât grow taller because you sleep too little, kids should go to bed early and wake up early."
"I just slept and feel very energetic. Tell me more about your childhood stories."
The girl was lively, her dark eyes filled with an aggressive radiance.
It was as if she said, âIâm very rebellious, wonât listen to you.â
Ji Li knew he shouldnât discuss personal matters with her, it would backfire, "Want to go out for a late-night snack."
The money he lent out came back, along with a very generous interest, he decided to treat generously, hoping Su Xiaocai wonât cause him trouble again.
"Sure, sure."
"Invite your apprentices." Ji Li called a late-night snack shop and ordered a private room.
Those considering themselves as apprentices included Vegetable Farmers and ten other students.
Then, a large group of old and young, along with professors doubling as bodyguards, headed to the private room at the snack shop.
The late-night snack shop owner looked at the thirty-plus arrivals and inquired about Ji Li, a friend he knew for years.
"You didnât say it would be this many." His private room at most seated about ten, carefully counting, there were thirty-three.
Over ten burly men, looking fierce with battle suits for easy movement, not appearing as good guys, more like gang bosses.
Hu Ping heard and stepped forward, "Itâs okay, boss, donât you have small tables? Add a couple to the room, we just need seats."
The snack shop owner swallowed hard.
He looked away from the bodyguards to several elderly with grey hair.
Even wearing shorts and slippers, they couldnât hide their cultured demeanor.
Not typical late-night snack shop patrons,
he worried the small tables might be too cramped.
"Donât worry about them, they listen to me. Hu Ping, you directly help the boss move the tables," Su Xiaocai stared at the seafood tanks in the shop and told Ji Li: "Big Ji, I want this, this, and this... each one, just for me, I want ten of each."
"Seafood porridge, I donât want shrimp, I want lobster with the shell removed and big chunks of meat." Su Xiaocai continued ordering barbecue, "Ten skewers of each, thatâs all I want."
"Just... just these?" The snack shop owner couldnât help but question Su Xiaocaiâs large appetite, "Can you finish it?"
Already considering sparing her, Ji Li said, "Whatever she orders, just serve it."
Then Hu Ping, Ji Heng, and Wu Qingqing ordered unreservedly, picking whatever they liked, following their whims.
They easily cleared half of the seafood inventory, intended to last two or three days.
The snack shop ownerâs gaze seemed to view them as high-grade fools.
After they finished ordering, he pulled Ji Li aside, "A bill over a hundred thousand, did you strike it rich? Being extravagant isnât done this way, donât be impulsive."
"I did come into some wealth, let me settle the bill first." For a small snack shop, the fear is guests unable to pay such costs.
"Thatâs not what I mean, I know youâre wealthy, but your friends are too unreserved. Meeting halfway in friendships..."
Arguing was unnecessary then, so Ji Li laughed: "Theyâre wealthier than me."
The snack shop owner took a cold breath.
Instantly withdrew from advising, realizing his mistake, he shouldnât judge them by their slippers, assuming cultured people lacked money.
Similar people mingle together, well-off individuals have reasonable connections.
Theyâre not wanting to take advantage of Ji Liâs generosity, itâs simply they arenât troubled by financial constraints.
The snack shop owner was touched, "Thank you, brother, Iâll ensure theyâre well-received." He would let them feel at home for future visits.
Ji Li: "Bring out the girlâs order first, she wonât sleep without eating enough."
"Your sister?"
"Sort of!"
The snack shop owner assumed âsort ofâ meant cousin, "Youâre quite a brother."
The snack shop owner glanced at the girl being surrounded, everyone treating her like an ancestor (not really).
If her face showed displeasure, theyâd try to joke and cheer her up.
The snack shop owner awkwardly remarked, "Your sister is quite cute."
Ji Li didnât correct the misunderstanding and instructed the snack shop owner to ensure cleanliness.
"You can count on me." The owner headed to the kitchen.
Su Xiaocai was chatting away when she suddenly noticed outside, several tables of men and women turned apprehensive, "Theyâre taking sneak photos."
Su Xiaocai raised her finger.
Upon being noticed, the people quickly dispersed.
Vegetable Farmers were stunned, annoyed, what persistent reporters even at night.
Two young journalists stayed put, nervously approaching the private room door.
They didnât deny the sneaky photos, intending them for tomorrowâs news.
Theyâd heard of Su Xiaocaiâs reputation for settling scores later, uncertain if publishing would lead her to sue for privacy invasion.
Coming out late at night for a snack, only to be bothered, would annoy anyone.
To avoid Su Xiaocaiâs pursuit, they first apologized.
"Sor... sorry, weâre reporters. Weâve wanted to interview President Su for a long time, sorry for disturbing your meal." The two journalists mournfully stood by the door, feet glued to the spot, scared to move further.
They looked very young, faces quite naĂŻve, skin reddened by sun and wind, and their noses showed peeling skin.
They seemed fresh graduates, yet to see the harsh human nature.
Hu Pingâs lips curled, not a hint of a smile in his eyes, coldly saying: "So you secretly took photos?"
The two journalists exchanged a look, lowered their heads, with good attitudes recognizing their mistake.
"The company asked us to get photos of Su Xiaocai and ten Vegetable Farmers, then write an article."
"Tell us, what do they want written?" Feng Wansha assertively asked.
"We donât know, weâre just tasked with taking photos. But weâre from a reputable agency, Century Daily. We wonât write nonsense, maybe just Su Xiaocai and Vegetable Farmers dining late-night, adding another ten-plus thousand on the bill..."
Other reportersâ stories couldnât be guaranteed, theyâd likely say Su Xiaocai was extravagant, or deliberately scammed menâs money.
The more they explained, the more awkward they felt; todayâs news needed hooks to attract attention.
Should this article go public, Su Xiaocai would endure another headline frenzy.
Someone with trending visibility, always the topic everywhere.
"Come inside, ask anything you want, donât sneak around. You two write the report personally, no fabrications." Su Xiaocai designated them for the interview.
They were surprised but soon joyful, singled out to write, a path to riches was opened.
Indeed, interviewing a difficult-to-reach young CEO required unconventional approaches.
They hurried inside, sat on very low stools.
"Hello, President Su, Iâm Deng Xianbao from Century Daily, hereâs my press card."
"Iâm Du Ti. May I record?"
Su Xiaocai first checked their press credentials, then verified them against Century Dailyâs public reporter list, they were mere interns, no wonder restricted to taking photos.
"Hand over the recording device, donât record others; you have ten minutes, ask now."
Deng Xianbao: "Could you... could you please tell us, President Su, under what circumstances did you think of doing Extraordinary Islandâs New World?"
"I wanted a place to have fun without going outside."
Such a straightforward explanation, also the first thing most people think of.
President Suâs thought process was not significantly different from ordinary people.