432: Friends to Lovers (3)

Friends to Lovers (3)

Li Xingtian ate in silence, but paid attention to their companions at the table. The three women looked like they were enjoying their time at the resort, while Lu Qingfeng was listening to them with a slight smile on his face. There were rumors about the aloof young master of the Lu family, but none of them mentioned that he was completely wrapped around Su Xiaofei's finger.1

The way the young man looked at his wife was filled with adoration, as if nothing else mattered to Lu Qingfeng but to see his wife happy. Their interaction somewhat reminded him of his parents and he supposed that if these two remained the same, then divorce was surely not an option for the couple.

Yan Xiuchen, the scarred man, didn't speak much. He didn't speak unless one of the women addressed and questioned him directly, and he didn't bother to keep the conversation going between them. Somehow, Li Xingtian was surprised that Yan Xiuchen managed to appear kind of mysterious rather than rude or obnoxious towards them, unlike his older brother. It had to be some kind of skill that Yan Xiuchen had managed to master over the years.

Meanwhile, the previous CEO of Bluemedia Entertainment took it upon herself to inquire about this and that, filling the awkward silence as they ate. She seemed like an experienced hostess, as she knew how to keep the conversation going without making them feel annoyed with her questioning.

How odd. Li Xingtian thought. If this lunch had taken place in their home, he had no doubt that it would be filled with silence. This was why he was rarely at home and would rather choose to work in his office at the company, unlike his brother who chose to hole himself in his study and work from home.

Li Xingtian took a few bites of his meal. The local dish, which was freshly made, melted in his mouth. The sauce was surprisingly sweet and velvety in texture as it hit his tongue.

"I think I'm full." Yun Qingrong announced, placing her fork on the table. Her plate was empty. "I'm going back to my suite and doing some knitting. Don't let this old woman delay your meeting anymore."

"Let me accompany you, Mama. I need to discuss some things with you, if you don't mind." Su Xiaofei stood up and followed her mother's lead. "What about you, Qian?"

Xi Qian also stood up and picked up her small basket. Seeing the Li brothers kept reminding her of work, so she would rather enjoy this trip and do some sightseeing on her own.

"I think I'm going back to the beach. I need to sort my thoughts." She gave her best friend a smile before excusing herself from the rest, leaving everyone in the dining room.

Su Xiaofei ran a hand on her husband's shoulder and gave him a peck on his cheek.

"Call me once you're done here." She whispered, her eyes shone with mischief that Lu Qingfeng didn't miss.

Lu Qingfeng swallowed the invisible lump in his throat and nodded, watching as his wife and mother-in-law left the four of them to discuss work.

"You must be wondering why Yan Xiuchen is here with us." He started once the women had given them the privacy they needed. "As promised, I will be investing in Li Development Corp., but Yan Xiuchen here said that he also wants to invest in your future endeavors."

Li Xiran nodded while Li Xingtian looked at the two men curiously. Li Xingtian thought that the name Yan Xiuchen sounded familiar, but he couldn't remember where he'd heard the scarred man's name.

Well, obviously, since Yan Xiuchen wanted to invest in their company, he must also be a bigshot like Lu Qingfeng. Heck, being at the same table as Lu Qingfeng was already enough for Li Xingtian to feel small compared to the younger man, but what about Yan Xiuchen?

"Thank you, Mr. Yan. I will make sure you won't regret your decision to invest in us." Li Xiran replied with his usual curt tone.

"It would be a win-win situation for both of us, as long as you make sure that none of your projects are falling behind their schedules." Yan Xiuchen said before taking a sip from his drink.

The scarred man then glanced at Li Xingtian, making the latter stiff up on his seat. Li Xingtian wasn't sure why the man was looking his way.

"Your brother has done a great job cutting losses, but what about you?" Yan Xiuchen asked him with an inquisitive gaze, as if he was trying to see past his facade.

Li Xingtian opened his mouth to say something, but realized that he didn't know how to defend himself. Heck, he was aware that his business acumen wasn't as good as his older brother's, and he wasn't as good as their father when it comes to numbers either, but that didn't mean he wanted Li Development Corp. to fail.

"Since you and your brother are already here, why don't you two do a site inspection? Give us a report and proposal within a week." Yan Xiuchen continued. "Lu Qingfeng and I want to start the reconstruction of the amenities as soon as possible."

Li Xingtian's jaw clenched, realizing why he was invited here along with his older brother. So they were confident with Li Xiran's skills, but since he was the second in command, Lu Qingfeng and Yan Xiuchen were wary that he would cause them trouble if he remained in the company.

"Alright. Let me check the construction here then."

His brother looked at him with confusion, but he ignored him. He stood up and left his brother with the two men. He was annoyed that even here, his capabilities were being questioned. Was he really that incompetent? Li Xingtian thought.

He pulled out his phone and decided to check the abandoned construction within the resort's premises, eager to take photos and videos for their team to analyze its condition.

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