Chapter 1176 — The Unexpected Call

So in Xiao Ben's view, this matter was perfectly doable — but it had to be planned at length; there was no rushing it.

Seeing his elder brother echo every suggestion he put forward, Xiao Ben was quietly pleased. Xiao Ji might be head of the Xiao family, but the real power lay with himself — and that made it no different from being the head of the house in his own right. Xiao Ben nodded and said, "So we need to plan this through. If we can let the Gu family damage our family's interests, so much the better; then the Pi family, out of self-interest, is certain to act."

"Good. Then I'll leave this matter to you, second brother — and your sister-in-law's revenge as well." Xiao Ji nodded.

"Then... my lion..." Gou Huli was still reluctant. If the lion truly stayed with the Gu family and never came back, it would sweep away what little face she had left; she would never be able to hold her head up in this neighborhood again.

She had only just been putting on airs before the other residents of the compound, and now she had gone and left her lion in someone else's house. How was she ever going to show her face outside again?

"It's only a lion. If you can't bear to part with it, buy another one — and if you've got what it takes, go fetch it back yourself." Xiao Ji waved his hand, cutting Gou Huli short. "That's the end of it. I'm swamped every day; where would I find time to fuss over your little troubles?"

Xiao Ji was not wrong. The Xiao family's cooperation with one wealthy businessman after another was raging at full heat, with something new to handle every day. Even a hands-off figure like Xiao Ji, who never concerned himself with the details, was busy receiving guests — after all, it was Xiao Ben who went off to sign contracts with the merchants whose terms had been settled, and contract-signing was fussy, painstaking work Xiao Ji could never manage. But inviting people to dinner and working a room, that was second nature to him.

Hearing this, Gou Huli knew at once the matter was dead — there was no chance the Pi family would be asked to help. That left her only herself to turn to.

Left with no alternative, Gou Huli could do nothing but wait for nightfall, then slip out quietly to scout the situation for herself...

The lion held on in the tree for a while, but in the end it simply couldn't keep it up. It was a land animal, after all, not a bird — how could it ever feel at ease perched up there? And so a change came over its heart; it made up its mind to climb down and sue Mighty General for peace.

Wei Zhao finished his bath, changed into pajamas, and was just about to step out and see how Mighty General and the lion were faring when his phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID — it was Qiu Lingshan!

Ever since he had boosted her strength a few days ago, Qiu Lingshan had not called to contact him, and Wei Zhao had been only too glad of the quiet. Who could say what she wanted his help with this time?

This time Qiu Lingshan did indeed have a favor to ask of Wei Zhao. It had begun that afternoon: no sooner had she returned to the police station than Chen Yutian came calling in person.

Compared with Xie Yufeng, Qiu Lingshan found this Chen Yutian far easier on the eyes — though easier on the eyes was all it was. Set against Wei Zhao, he still fell hopelessly short. A line of a song drifted into her mind: The one who loves me is devoted to me without regret, yet I weep for the one I love, my heart mad and broken.

The charged intimacy of that power-up last time had made Qiu Lingshan think her relationship with Wei Zhao might take a turn for the better. Yet days had passed and Wei Zhao still had not reached out to her of his own accord. The calls he made to her were few and far between, and every one of them was about business — he never simply called for the sake of calling.

"Lingshan, why the long face? What, I come in person and you don't welcome me?" The moment Chen Yutian stepped through the door he saw Qiu Lingshan sitting at her desk, brows knitted, lost in thought over something.

"I've told you: while we're working, call me Officer Song; in private you may call me Qiu Lingshan." She glanced at the newcomer and said it coolly.

Chen Yutian's expression flickered, but he said, "Lingshan, our families have been close since we were children, haven't they? Even if you won't accept my feelings, there's no need to be so distant with me."

"Then what would you have me do? Act warmly toward you and let you misread it?" Qiu Lingshan's tone remained level.

"That... Lingshan! I admit I'm still stubbornly in love with you, but I already understand where your heart lies. And if you truly marry that man, I'll be entirely at ease — more than at ease, I'll be glad. I admit I, Chen Yutian, am not his equal; not now, and never in the future either. So I have buried this feeling of mine deep in my heart. I only want to guard you in silence — so long as you are happy, I'll be content. I call you Lingshan merely as an older brother might address a younger sister; if you'd rather I didn't, then from now on I'll call you Officer Song." Chen Yutian spoke to her with perfect seriousness.

Qiu Lingshan was stunned for a moment. She had never imagined Chen Yutian could lay his cards on the table so openly. He had hinted at things of the sort before, and had let his admiration for Wei Zhao show, but she still hadn't thought he would broach the matter so solemnly today.

Chen Yutian might be woefully short of strength, but Qiu Lingshan knew he was a man of his word. If he said this, then he had truly made his peace with it.

"All right. If that's how you feel, then I'm relieved. I'll call you Brother Yutian from now on." Qiu Lingshan settled the sibling terms between them then and there.

"Heh, that makes the relationships a bit tangled..." Chen Yutian scratched his head. Wei Zhao was his instructor — in his heart, if not quite a master, then at least the man who stood at the head of them all. And if Qiu Lingshan really went to Wei Zhao one day, wouldn't that make her not exactly a master's wife, at least a sister-in-law? Still, that was something to be dealt with later.

"What tangled relationships?" Qiu Lingshan blinked, then caught on to something at once. "Brother Yutian, what exactly is your relationship with Wei Zhao?"

"That... you'd better ask him yourself. It's not mine to say..." Chen Yutian could not speak behind Wei Zhao's back. If Wei Zhao were there on the spot and didn't object, it would be another matter entirely — but not now.

"All right." Qiu Lingshan didn't press him, but merely nodded and asked, "Brother Yutian, what brings you here today? It's still the holidays, isn't it? RO"

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