NABC Chapter 185 Li Zhong Arrives
Chapter 185 Li Zhong Arrives
"Yes!" Ma Hongxi quickly replied, then cautiously asked, "Sir, should I go and give her a few words of advice, to remind her?"
"No need, just give her a nudge." Yan Shuo waved his hand, his tone softening slightly. "She's probably really overwhelmed with work, she has too much on her plate. Once she sorts out the base and the documents, let her continue her intelligence work. She's quite capable. Remember, this is just between you and me. Keep your mouth shut, don't spread it around, and definitely don't talk nonsense in front of her."
"Don't worry, sir, I definitely won't say a word!" Ma Hongxi nodded quickly to assure him. After a pause, she added, "By the way, sir, Sister Yaoyao asked me to pass on a message to you. She told you to hurry home. We have guests at home, and it seems to be quite important."
Yan Shuo frowned, then stood up and straightened his clothes, his tone crisp and decisive: "Understood. Go prepare the car, I'm going back now. Also, the follow-up investigation of the bombing case will be handled by Shen Yanqing; have her report the results as soon as possible."
"Yes, sir! I'll go prepare the car and send the message right away!" Ma Hongxi replied respectfully, turned around and hurried downstairs without daring to delay for a moment.
Yan Shuo walked to the balcony and looked one last time at the gradually dissipating black smoke in the distance, his eyes filled with even more ruthlessness.
Whether it was the No. 76 sting operation or the warehouse bombing, anyone who dared to cause trouble in his concession area would not be spared.
A moment later, he turned and went downstairs, his figure tall and cold, surrounded by an aura that was not to be trifled with, and walked straight to the car at the door.
The car sped along the quiet streets of the concession and soon stopped in front of the mansion.
Yan Shuo got out of the car and had just reached the courtyard gate when it was opened. Wang Shitou's wife, Huifen, greeted him with a warm smile and called out, "Xiao Jie is back! Yao Yao, Xiao Jie is back! Come in quickly!"
Yan Shuo's coldness softened slightly. He nodded slightly to Sister Huifen and said in a gentle tone, "Sister Huifen, thank you for your hard work."
"Hey, it's no trouble at all!" Sister Huifen waved her hand and warmly stepped aside to let him in. "It's only right for neighbors to help each other out! The food is all ready, come in, wash your hands, and eat."
"Okay." Yan Shuo replied, then turned to Ma Hongxi behind him and instructed, "Hongxi, there are a few bags of fruit in the back of the truck, bring them in."
"Yes, sir." Ma Hongxi quickly replied and hurried to the back of the car to get the fruit.
Yan Shuo walked into the living room and immediately saw Li Zhiyao sitting on the sofa.
As her pregnancy progressed, her belly began to show slightly, her cheeks became rounder, and her eyes and brows were full of gentle grace.
Beside her stood a burly man in a long gown, with broad shoulders and a strong build. He was frowning and staring at her with an unfriendly expression, exuding a fierce aura that kept strangers at bay.
This man is Li Zhong, a trusted confidant whom Li Zhixing has kept by his side since childhood. He has been with the Li family since he was a child and grew up with Zhiyao. Zhiyao always calls him "Brother Zhong" and they are as close as brothers.
Seeing him enter, Li Zhiyao quickly stood up, supporting herself on the sofa armrest. A smile spread across her face as she softly introduced him: "Xiao Jie, this is Brother Zhong, Li Zhong. He's been with Brother Zhixing since we were little, growing up alongside me. Brother Zhong, this is Xiao Jie, Liu Jie."
Yan Shuo composed himself, extended his hand, and said calmly but politely, "Hello."
Li Zhong also reached out his hand, and the moment their fingertips touched, he secretly added a bit more force, and his scrutiny in his eyes intensified.
He had protected Zhiyao since childhood, and now that Zhiyao was pregnant, but she hadn't even told the Li family, he was already holding a grudge.
Yan Shuo's expression remained unchanged. He subtly applied pressure with his fingertips, calmly accepting the probing attack. His demeanor remained composed.
He could see that the hostility in Li Zhong's eyes was all out of his desire to protect Zhiyao, and there was also a bit of suspicion. However, because Huifen, an outsider, was in the living room, he couldn't ask any more questions.
The two slowly released their grip, and Yan Shuo smiled first, casually smoothing things over: "Brother Li Zhong looks quite distinguished; he must have some training?"
Li Zhong replied in a cold tone, "Practicing haphazardly for a few days won't get you anywhere."
He knew that Huifen was still there, and there were some things he couldn't say openly. He could only suppress his doubts and dissatisfaction and continue along with Yan Shuo's words.
"Oh?" Yan Shuo raised an eyebrow, his tone becoming more playful. "That's quite a coincidence; I also know a little about it. May I ask what martial art Brother Li Zhong practices? Knife techniques? Sword techniques? Or palm techniques?"
"Five Elements Fist." Li Zhong's tone remained indifferent, but his tone suddenly changed, and his expression became increasingly serious.
Even with outsiders present, his protective instincts towards his sister—though not by blood, but closer than a sister—made him unable to resist questioning her, "Let's not talk about that. I'm asking you, Yao Yao has been protected and raised by us since she was little, how could you do such a thing? You tricked her into your hands, got her pregnant, and from beginning to end, you didn't utter a single word for Zhi Xing or the Li family! Is this how you treat her?"
Yan Shuo's smile faded slightly, and he explained calmly, "The situation is special. It's inconvenient for me to inform my family about my interactions with Yao Yao."
"Can we skip sending a letter to the Li family just because the circumstances are special?"
Li Zhong's tone suddenly rose, his anger intensifying, "Zhiyao is Zhixing's precious little sister, and someone I've protected since childhood. You just don't care about her at all?"
"I already said, the situation is special." Yan Shuo's tone also turned cold, and a hint of impatience flashed in his eyes. "Also, by what right do you speak to me like that? Watch your manners, and don't push your luck."
"You—" Li Zhong was speechless, and reached out to step forward, but was quickly pulled back by Li Zhiyao.
"Alright, alright, stop arguing." Li Zhiyao pulled Li Zhong's arm and gently persuaded him, "Brother Zhong, I know you're worried about me, but don't be angry, the situation is really special. We're all family, no need to argue."
While she was trying to persuade Li Zhong, she gave Yan Shuo a wink, signaling him not to hold a grudge against Li Zhong.
Seeing Li Zhiyao protecting Yan Shuo, Li Zhong sighed helplessly, finally suppressing his anger, snorted coldly, and turned his face away.
He had always listened to Zhiyao since he was a child, and he knew that it wouldn't be good to argue too much in front of Huifen. Moreover, he came to Shanghai this time for two reasons: first, to protect Zhiyao, and second, to meet with Yan Shuo to discuss Chen Tiejun's matter at Li Zhixing's request. He also had a few words of advice from Brother Zhixing to convey, so he could only suppress his temper for now.
Yan Shuo looked at the two of them, a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips. He turned to Li Zhong, his tone softening slightly, yet still tinged with provocation: "For Yao Yao's sake, I won't hold it against you. Can you drink?"
"If you can drink, then I can drink too!" Li Zhong turned and glared at him, retorting defiantly, his inherent fierceness being unleashed.
"One jin?" Yan Shuo raised an eyebrow, his tone even more provocative.
"I'd risk my life to accompany you, what's there to be afraid of?" Li Zhong retorted, refusing to back down.
"Good, that's straightforward!" Yan Shuo laughed loudly, then turned and shouted into the inner room, "Xiao Hong, bring the wine! I refuse to believe I can't handle you!"
"Who's afraid of who! Let's drink!" Li Zhong rolled up his sleeves, looking determined to win.