Chapter 67: The Man Next Door
Chapter 67: The Man Next Door
After breakfast, Li Xiaomei grabbed Li Zian’s pant leg and said with eager eyes, “Daddy, do a magic trick for me. I even dreamed last night that you did magic for me.”
Somehow, the matter of the Paternity Test popped into Li Zian’s mind. Looking at his Little Cotton-padded Jacket’s pitiful eyes, his heart ached slightly. Such an adorable daughter—what kind of terrible father would hurt her?
“Daddy, say something.” Li Xiaomei’s little hand shook Li Zian’s pant leg.
Li Zian crouched down and said softly, “Xiaomei, close your eyes.”
Li Xiaomei immediately closed her eyes, unable to hide the excited smile on her little face.
Li Zian thought to himself, “I hope you are my biological daughter. Otherwise, I don’t know how I would face you.”
Perhaps out of guilt, this time he slipped two pieces of Chocolate into Li Xiaomei’s small pocket.
After the self-deceiving magic trick ended, Li Xiaomei eagerly reached into her pocket. She pulled out two pieces, paused for a moment in surprise, then blinked and said, “Daddy, I’m going to class now.”
Li Zian smiled. “Go on, study hard.”
“Mm-hmm.” Li Xiaomei dashed off.
Li Zian said nervously, “Slow down, don’t fall.”
Li Xiaomei ran upstairs without looking back, afraid that someone would find out she had two pieces of Chocolate in her pocket and confiscate one.
Li Zian couldn’t help but laugh, but a hint of bitterness lingered in his heart.
He loved Li Xiaomei, but love was one thing; knowing the truth was another.
He didn’t want to be a fool, cheated on and foolishly raising someone else’s daughter, kept in the dark forever.
It was all Yu Meilin’s fault. If she didn’t have another man hidden in her heart and refused to live a normal married life with him, would he have such suspicions?
Tang Qing walked over to Li Zian’s side. “Brother Zian, why did you give her two pieces of Chocolate?”
Li Zian collected his thoughts and put on a serious face. “Two pieces were stuck together. I accidentally put both in her pocket.”
The corner of Tang Qing’s mouth curved into a pretty arc, half-smiling, half-chiding. “I’m not a child. Do you expect me to believe that?”
Li Zian smiled. “Sorry, I purposely gave her an extra piece.”
“You’re spoiling the child. When her teeth rot, you’ll regret it. I’m going to class now.” Tang Qing also went upstairs.
The smile on Li Zian’s face gradually faded. He felt Li Xiaomei was pitiful. Her mother was irresponsible, and her father secretly cut her hair and nails for a Paternity Test. She was so young and already hurt like this; he felt guilty, so he gave her an extra piece of Chocolate to make her happy. But how could he explain such a reason to Tang Qing?
After spacing out for a moment, Li Zian went out to buy groceries. He remembered he had promised the Old Matriarch yesterday that he would make her Great Benefit Phoenix Claw Soup today.
After leaving the house, as if guided by some odd impulse, he walked to Mu Chuntao’s doorstep.
After what happened yesterday, he had to meet her and explain, right?
The door was locked.
He didn’t know whether Mu Chuntao was doing yoga in the Living Room or sleeping lazily in bed.
Li Zian hesitated at the door for a few seconds, then reached out and pressed the doorbell.
About half a minute later, the door opened.
Li Zian stared in shock at the person who opened the door for him.
It wasn’t Mu Chuntao who opened the door, but a middle-aged man. He was under fifty, wearing casual home clothes. His face was plump, his head slightly balding. Around his neck, he wore a string of agarwood beads and an orange-yellow amber pendant. On his wrist was a shiny gold watch. He had a large belly and looked like the kind of wealthy person who lived a pampered life and spent his free time seeking fun around the world.
In that instant, several guesses flooded Li Zian’s mind.
Why was this man in Mu Chuntao’s house?
Who was he?
What was his relationship with Mu Chuntao?
The middle-aged man also stared straight at Li Zian, his eyes filled with wariness and suspicion. “Who are you?”
Just as Li Zian was about to speak, Mu Chuntao’s voice suddenly came from inside. “Dad, breakfast is ready. Come eat.”
Dad?
Li Zian suddenly understood. Mu Chuntao had told him she had a father who often did business abroad. He had only heard of him but never met him. He didn’t expect that the person opening the door for him was Mu Chuntao’s father.
He felt secretly relieved. Luckily, he had escaped Prof. Mu’s civil engineering class last night. Imagine if he had been in the middle of a lesson with Prof. Mu, and her father didn’t ring the doorbell but just walked in directly. The scene…
If he were Mu Chuntao’s boyfriend, it might only be embarrassing. But if her wealthy father knew he was the married man next door with a three-year-old child, he’d probably chase him with a kitchen knife, right?
“What’s wrong with you? Why aren’t you saying anything?”
Only then did Li Zian speak. “Um, my name is Li Zian. I…”
After introducing himself, he naturally had to explain his purpose. But since the other person was Mu Chuntao’s father, unprepared, he suddenly didn’t know what to say.
“I’m Xiao Li from next door. Last night, I almost went to bed with your daughter, but I had to leave for something urgent, so I came specially today to apologize.”
Wasn’t that just asking for Old Mu to come after him with a kitchen knife?
Li Zian lowered his head in frustration and saw the vegetable basket in his hand. A bright idea suddenly came to him, and he added, “I live next door. Chuntao and I are good friends. I’m going to buy groceries, so I came to ask if Chuntao needed anything brought back. I could get it for her.”
But Mu Chuntao’s father still looked at Li Zian with wary eyes. “You live next door? How come I’ve never seen you before?”
Just then, Mu Chuntao walked over. She first glared at Li Zian, then said, “Dad, this is my best friend’s Husband. He just moved here recently. You’ve only been home a few times; of course you haven’t seen him.”
“Oh, I see.”
Mu Chuntao gave Li Zian another glare. “Brother Zian, let me introduce you. This is my dad, Mu Long.”
Her series of glares and eye-rolls couldn’t hide the fondness in her expression. It was clear her unfriendly demeanor was just an act.
Li Zian extended both hands politely. “Hello, Uncle Mu. When did you return? I’ve heard Chuntao talk about you. You’re amazing, doing such big business overseas all by yourself. You’re so capable. I’ve wanted to meet you for a long time.”
A smile appeared on Mu Long’s face. He shook Li Zian’s hand. “You’re too kind, too kind. Come in and talk. Have you eaten breakfast? Join us.”
Mu Chuntao nudged her father’s waist with her elbow. “I only fried an egg and made a bowl of noodles for you.”
Mu Long looked very embarrassed.
Li Zian said, “I’ve already eaten. Uncle Mu, go have your breakfast. Noodles get mushy if left too long.”
Mu Chuntao urged, “Dad, go eat. I’ll chat with Brother Zian for a bit.”
“Okay, you two talk.” Mu Long went inside.
Mu Chuntao stood in the spot where Mu Long had been, facing Li Zian directly. “Was it Yu Meilin who called you last night?”
Li Zian knew she would ask about this. He whispered, “It was Professor Kang from Modu University. He had an urgent matter and asked me to go to his house.”
Mu Chuntao asked curiously, “What did a university professor need with you at that hour?”
“Professor Kang is a history professor and also one of the top Symbol experts in the country. I had something to ask him, so…”
“So you opened the door, then turned around and left.” Mu Chuntao looked displeased.
Li Zian smiled wryly and lowered his voice. “Good thing I left. Otherwise, your dad would have walked in on us.”
“Walk in on what?” Mu Chuntao pouted. “With your nerve, at most we’d just chat.”
Li Zian: “…”
Mu Chuntao added, “Besides, even if we did something and my dad walked in, so what? I’m not afraid; what are you afraid of?”
Li Zian whispered, “I’m afraid he’d come after me with a knife.”
Mu Chuntao laughed. “I’d protect you. I’d lie on top of you; he wouldn’t be able to do it.”
This conversation was taking a turn.
And it wasn’t headed for the kindergarten.
Li Zian wanted to get off this ride and changed the topic. “By the way, when did your dad return?”
“Not long ago. He came back shortly after you left, just about ten minutes later. He said it was a surprise and didn’t let me pick him up from the airport.” Mu Chuntao said.
Li Zian immediately felt a sense of relief, as if he had narrowly escaped disaster. “Thank goodness. If Professor Kang hadn’t called at that time, and I had come in, we definitely would have been caught.”
Mu Chuntao looked at Li Zian with a smile, a hint of challenge at the corner of her mouth. “I don’t think you’d last more than ten minutes anyway, would you?”
Li Zian: “…”
Mu Chuntao added another jab. “You’ve never even been in a relationship. Your only time was when Yu Meilin was drunk. Don’t overestimate yourself.”
He wanted to get off, but the ride was speeding up.
Mu Chuntao’s words left him speechless, and he couldn’t find a retort.
Otherwise, what if she said, “Want to give it a try?”
What could he say then?
Forget it. A man should be magnanimous and not fuss over details like a woman. Besides, he came here to apologize.
“So… what groceries do you want me to buy?” Li Zian was forcing his way out by breaking the car window.
Mu Chuntao rolled her eyes at him. “Cucumber.”
“Cucumber, got it. Anything else?”
“You’re really going to buy me a cucumber?” Mu Chuntao almost reached out to strangle Li Zian.
“Not buying? Then I’ll go get groceries. At noon, I’ll make more soup. Your dad can have some too. He looks a bit overweight; his spleen and stomach must be weak. Having some soup would be good for him.” Li Zian said.
Only then did Mu Chuntao show a smile. “At least you have some conscience. Just buy whatever you like. Anyway, my dad can’t cook, and I’m too lazy to.”
She wasn’t very good at cooking either, but she was too embarrassed to say so.
Li Zian smiled. “No problem, I can help.”
“Okay, go ahead.” Mu Chuntao said.
Li Zian glanced at her, then turned to leave. He had only taken one step when a long leg suddenly stretched out and kicked his butt with a bare foot.
He spun around abruptly. Mu Chuntao hastily dodged inside and shut the door.
Li Zian shook his head with a bitter smile.
If this continued…
Sooner or later, he would fall into the hands of this Monster, right?