The waiting process was long.
But for Li Xiaoya, it was bearable.
Qin Sui picked up a grape from the fruit platter on the table and asked Li Xiaoya, "Would you like some?"
Lu Kaixuan, seeing this, rubbed his forehead. They were truly at ease.
Lu Kaixuan hurriedly instructed a nearby waiter, "What are you standing there for? Go pour some tea."
Wei Wenjuan, not to be outdone, chimed in, "Would you like some pear? Uncle will peel one for you."
Wei Zesheng, still unfamiliar with Li Xiaoya and having just met her today, didn't join in the fuss. He simply sat to the side, serving as a deterrent.
Li Xiaoya sat in the middle, somewhat like a star surrounded by admirers.
Wei Lin, unable to squeeze in, was forced to sit at the other end.
"Mm, I'll have both," Li Xiaoya said in a crisp voice.
She couldn't afford to hurt anyone's feelings.
So she'd just have it all.
The waiter immediately brought over a fruit knife.
Wei Wenjuan's legs might not work well, but his hands were remarkably deft. His earlier claim about shooting anyone who bullied Li Xiaoya was no exaggeration. When he was just over ten years old, he could assemble firearms at an incredible speed.
He never missed a shot, whether at still or moving targets.
Back then, everyone thought he would succeed the old man's position, and he thought so too... but unfortunately, everything changed later.
Now, Wei Wenjuan's hands, once meant for holding guns, were holding a fruit knife, peeling a pear for Li Xiaoya.
Qin Sui handed the grapes to a nearby waiter to be washed.
When they were brought back, he personally plucked a few and fed them to Li Xiaoya.
Wei Zesheng frowned at the sight, thinking to himself whether he should step in on behalf of Brother Sheng and feed her something to even the score...
"Is it sweet?" Qin Sui asked.
"Very sweet," Li Xiaoya replied. As clever as she was, she was still a child. Back in her small mountain village, she would restrain herself from eating sweets to avoid being deceived by cheap pleasures.
Now, without such concerns, she couldn't help but slightly squint her eyes in delight as she tasted the sweetness.
Qin Sui introduced in a low voice, "This variety is called 'Queen Nina'. I have a vineyard at home with many of these planted. I'll take you there to try them sometime."
Li Xiaoya hesitated for a moment.
Qin Sui lowered his voice further, "What's wrong? Afraid Sheng Yuxiao will be angry if he hears about it?"
Li Xiaoya was a bit troubled.
It wasn't an easy question to answer.
Qin Sui had just helped her, so she should be a little nicer to him...
Li Xiaoya thought of a win-win solution. She leaned close to Qin Sui's ear and whispered, "Mm, next time we'll go."
With Sheng Yuxiao, as a guest.
Wouldn't that solve the problem?
"Mm." A hint of a smile finally returned to Qin Sui's lips. After feeding Li Xiaoya grapes, he reached for some dried fruit on the table and began shelling macadamia nuts for her.
Wei Zesheng thought to himself that he couldn't stand by any longer.
He joined the ranks of those feeding Li Xiaoya.
Lu Kaixuan watched this scene, utterly speechless.
Wei Lin took a deep breath, thinking that it would be impolite to keep his hands idle.
He had to keep up appearances!
He immediately joined in, smiling and saying, "Xiaoya, don't drink tea. Let's get you some fruit juice instead."
With that, he began peeling mangosteen for Li Xiaoya.
"He's here, Mr. Mu has arrived," Finally, a waiter hurried over, holding the door open.
Shortly after his words, a man with a solemn expression entered, followed by several bodyguards in black suits, exuding an imposing aura.
The man didn't have the gentle, gentlemanly appearance of Sheng Yuxiao's father, nor did he have Wei Lin's square-faced, righteous look.
Mu Rongfeng was like a wolf.
Upon entering, he made no attempt to conceal the force of his presence.
He first swept his gaze around the room, then walked to his young son's side, raising the boy's face with his hand to examine it closely.
The injury was... not light.
At least it didn't look light.
If they didn't settle this score, the Mu family might as well forget about saving face.
"Dad," Young Master Mu called out weakly.
Mu Rongfeng didn't respond, instead turning to look across the room—
The atmosphere on the other side was so harmonious it seemed like they were there to play.
"Qin Sui, I remember your father mentioning recently that you went to record some show? You're back so soon?"
"And Zesheng, you're here today as well."
"You... little girl, you must be Li Xiaoya, right?" Mu Rongfeng leaned forward slightly. Despite the distance, he exuded a strong sense of intimidation.
Li Xiaoya nodded and said, "Yes, uncle."
As soon as she finished speaking, she couldn't help but let out a small burp.
She had been overfed.
Mu Rongfeng: "..."
Apparently, while waiting for his arrival, this little girl had been eating quite happily?
"You're a girl, and you're Mr. Lu's guest today... I'm willing to hear your account of what happened first."
These words sounded generous, but they carried a hint of accusation.
Any other child, faced with a big shot like Mu Rongfeng, an adult no less, would have been scared to tears by now.
But Li Xiaoya shook her head and said, "You should ask him directly."
She pointed at the boy.
Mu Rongfeng didn't turn to ask his son; that would be beneath him.
He continued with his second question: "Then tell me, are you responsible for the injuries on his face?"
Wei Wenjuan couldn't stand Mu Rongfeng's interrogative tone and coldly said, "Mr. Mu, what's the point in questioning a little girl? If your son dares to raise his hand, can't he take a beating? It's just that our family only has one youngster. If she had a few brothers, your son wouldn't have gotten off with just a few bruises today."
Mu Rongfeng snorted with laughter, "Mr. Wei, are you suggesting you want to have me shot from behind? Chop off my son's hands? This isn't Italy. Frankly, your methods don't work on me. You can't make decisions here, I'll only speak with your family's old man."
Wei Lin brought out his usual response: "The old man isn't well, he's recuperating in seclusion. I'm afraid Mr. Mu won't be able to see him."
"He's already on his way," Mu Rongfeng slowly uttered these words.
Li Xiaoya's eyes flickered, and she instinctively turned to exchange a glance with Qin Sui.
Qin Sui's eyes gleamed with light.
How interesting.
It was truly too interesting.
He had only guided Li Xiaoya a little, and his goal had been achieved so smoothly. This gave him a far greater sense of accomplishment than successfully solving a hundred advanced math problems.
"What did you say?" Wei Lin almost lost his composure.
In fact, shortly after Mu Rongfeng's arrival, Wei Xuanming had also arrived.
Leaning on his cane with one hand and supported by a bodyguard with the other, he stood quietly outside the door, not rushing to enter.
He heard their conversation.
He heard the crisp voice of that little girl.
She showed no fear in the face of Mu Rongfeng.
What surprised Wei Xuanming the most was that Wei Wenjuan was also there, and not only present, but he had even bared his fangs at Mu Rongfeng...
Wei Xuanming couldn't help but feel a moment of bewilderment.
"Thud."
It was the heavy sound of a cane striking the floor.
Wei Xuanming walked in like this, his tone unhurried: "Mr. Mu, why intimidate children?"
Wei Lin immediately stood up, respectfully calling out, "Old sir."
Wei Wenjuan's face turned pale, instinctively shielding Li Xiaoya.
He wasn't afraid of confronting Mu Rongfeng.
But he was afraid of his father's arrival.
Wei Wenjuan said in a trembling voice near Li Xiaoya's ear, "Your grandfather... your grandfather is here. Uncle will speak for you in a moment, don't be afraid."
Li Xiaoya grabbed Wei Wenjuan's trembling arm.
She wondered, puzzled, but uncle, you look more scared, why?
"Your grandfather... is a very strict person, he doesn't tolerate mistakes," Wei Wenjuan squeezed out the words between his teeth.
Wei Xuanming didn't look at his son again, nor did he look at Wei Lin, much less at Li Xiaoya. As if he had little affection for this hard-won bloodline.
He only stared at Mu Rongfeng.
Wei Xuanming had been a big shot for decades after all, practically omnipotent in some places abroad.
He was old, but when he stood up, he was like a coiled dragon.
