Chapter 64: It’s All Thanks to My Mentor
Meanwhile, in Shenzhen’s Futian district, Li Jianlin hung up the phone, frowning deeply as he pondered Lu Liang’s parting words.
“What did he say?” Wu Junle asked anxiously.
“He said he’s optimistic about TeLi A and plans to hold it long-term.”
“Optimistic? Long-term, my ! He’s just holding out for a bigger cut,” Wu scoffed, his frustration barely contained.
Li Jianlin shook his head, offering a different perspective. “Maybe he just doesn’t want to get involved with us. Unlike us, he made his profits cleanly. If he agrees to our terms, he’d be complicit in price manipulation.
“If something goes wrong, and we point the finger at him, he’ll be looking at fines worth several times his gains—if not worse.”
“If it were me,” Li mused, “I’d steer clear too.”
He bought a home early and settled down, but his high school experience with a scornful ex-girlfriend had turned him into an incorrigible flirt.
When Lu arrived in his Lamborghini Urus, Liu’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. He stroked the car’s gleaming paint with reverence, as if touching the skin of a lover.
“Is this a rental?” Liu asked, eyeing Lu suspiciously.
Lu smirked. Just as he opened his mouth to answer, Liu held up a hand. “Don’t say anything. I’m not sure I can handle the truth.”
He grinned slyly and added, “Let me drive, yeah?”
Reluctantly handing over the keys, Lu climbed into the passenger seat.
Liu drove with giddy enthusiasm. “If I parked this at the film academy gates, I’d need a whole bottle of those little blue pills to keep up with the attention,” he joked.
“Cut the crap,” Lu interjected. “What’s the problem?”
His friend’s exuberance dimmed. “Let’s grab a drink, and I’ll explain,” Liu suggested.
They ended up at NaN, a newly opened music bar along the Bund. Situated by the water, it offered a breezy atmosphere that dispelled the muggy summer heat.
As a young woman strummed a guitar on stage, her soft voice carrying a soothing melody, Lu and Liu settled into a table near the waterfront.
After downing two bottles of Bud Light in quick succession, Liu’s cheerful facade cracked, replaced by a look of regret.
“Let’s hear it,” Lu prompted, suppressing a smirk.
Liu scowled before launching into his tale. Last month, a family acquaintance from his hometown had asked him to look out for their daughter, a recent graduate seeking work in Magic City.
“And you ‘looked out for her’ right into your bed?” Lu interrupted, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
Liu stared, dumbfounded. “Are you psychic?”
“No, I just know you,” Lu retorted. “You’ve been since high school. Why would today be any different?”
Despite his flaws, Liu had been a steadfast friend over the years. When Lu needed a loan to buy his first home, Liu didn’t hesitate. And when Lu’s marriage hit rock bottom, Liu’s home was his refuge.
But when it came to women, Liu’s escapades were best left unjudged.
“She’s from the neighboring village back home,” Liu admitted, sheepishly scratching his head.
“Well, you’re screwed,” Lu said, barely concealing his amusement.
Before he could continue, Lu noticed a group of tall, stunning women in pleated skirts nearby. Signaling the waiter, he paid their tab and raised his beer in a playful toast.
“You’ve changed,” Liu said, eyes wide.
Lu chuckled. “It’s all thanks to my mentor,” he quipped, kicking Liu under the table when the women approached.
One of the women, smiling coyly, asked, “Handsome, what’s the meaning of this?”
Liu ignored her, nonchalantly taking another sip. “I’m getting married,” he blurted suddenly.