Chapter 16.2 - Sudden Financial Crisis?!

"Alright. Then don't do anything on your Donyun. Let me handle those fans."

After saying that, Manager Su ended the call and Li XinWen let out a sigh. Then he noticed Min XiaoYu looking at him as if he had been wronged. "What?"

"I can pay more than six million..." Min XiaoYu grumbled.

"Oh? Could you? That wasn't the impression I had earlier today. All I remember was that you couldn't outbid my seven million for the cauldron," Li XinWen said mischievously and smirked at Min XiaoYu, clearly rubbing salt to the wound.

This conversation was naturally heard by Li JingHua and she started to panic. She had planned to use her brother's assets in addition to her own to prepare for the apocalypse, but it seemed that her brother had spent most of his savings on an auction? 'This cannot be, ah! What about the things that we need to buy? Food, clothes, weapons, cars!'

Li JingHua was perturbed for a moment after finding out about the auction. She started to re-examine her plans as it seemed that her plans have been foiled by her own brother's unexpected spending. Her mind went into overdrive, going through all of her backup plans in case plan A did not push through.

'I have to make sure so I can make adjustments accordingly,' Li JingHua thought, before asking Li XinWen.

"Ah'Wen, tell me… did you really spend seven million in an auction?"

"No. Rui-ge outbid me with ten million. Hua-jie, can you believe it? He knew I couldn't bid more than ten million and he just did that! Your man really knows how to waste money, ah! Things you can get for seven million, he got it for ten..." Li XinWen sighed.

"So you didn't spend any of your savings?" Li JingHua asked and Li XinWen answered with a shake of his head. "Good... that's good. Ah'Wen, now you know that the apocalypse is coming, just listen to elder sister, alright? We'll start investing, and prepare for it."

After conversing for a bit more, Min XiaoYu decided to return home. Li JingHua saw Min XiaoYu out while Li XinWen and Sun Xiao stayed in the living room.

"Ah'Xiao, come here," Li XinWen pattted the space beside him on the sofa. When Sun Xiao went to sit beside him, he pulled the younger boy closer. "Would you also like to learn martial arts?" Li XinWen asked with a grin. "We can learn together!"

Sun Xiao's eyes brightened as he looked at Li XinWen with adoration. "En! Ah'Xiao wants to learn with Xin-gege. Then Ah'Xiao can also protect Xin-gege in the future. Those zombies, Ah'Xiao will kill them all!" the young boy said, tone full of excitement.

"Right! Then your big bro will leave it all to you," Li XinWen lifted his hand and patted Sun Xiao's head.

"Now, you should go and sleep. It's already quite late, you still have school tomorrow, right?"

"Okay! Good night, Xin-gege!" Sun Xiao hugged Li XinWen tightly before he went up to his room. Sun Xiao had just left when Li JingHua returned to the living room. She sported a complicated look as she looked at Li XinWen, fidgeting as she tried to think of something to say.

"Hua-jie, have a seat first," Li XinWen said with a warm smile as he patted the empty spot beside him. "Don't be nervous. It's alright. Whatever you have say, your little brother will believe you. Even if the whole world doesn't, I will have your back," he grinned at Li JingHua.

These reassuring words seemed to stab Li JingHua's heart as she was once again stricken with guilt. The change in her expression didn't escape Li XinWen and the cultivator could only sigh. "Hua-jie, whatever happened in your future, don't dwell on it too much. For now, focus on this future. What happened then, will not happen again. I will listen well to you, okay?"

Li JingHua sat down beside Li XinWen and held both of his hand. "Then, will you learn martial arts with Mr. Min?" Li JingHua asked, earning a nod from Li XinWen.

'Though... it will be them learning from me in the end...' Li XinWen added in his thought.

"And you'll invest in things your sister tells you without any question?"

Nods.

"Also, you will keep your distance from Xue Rui?"

"Hua-jie, you don't have to worry! I have no interest in your man!"

Just as that sentence left Li XinWen's lips, his phone rang. When he glanced at the screen, he saw that it was Xue Rui. 'Speak of Cao Cao, and Cao Cao arrives,' Li XinWen thought.

"Why is he calling you at this time?" Li JingHua also saw the caller ID. Li XinWen just shrugged and answered the phone and put it on speaker.

"Hello?"

"Why did you follow Min XiaoYu in Donyun?" came Xue Rui's question, his voice sounded as if he was holding back his anger. From his tone, Li XinWen could feel the jealousy virtually transmitted through the line.

"Geez Rui-ge, not even bothering to say hello anymore? And what's up with that question? And even if that were the case, what's it to you anyway? It's not like I need your permission before I follow someone in Donyun…" Li XinWen responded but was met with silence.

Li XinWen looked at his phone screen to make sure that the call was still active. For some reason, the silence from Xue Rui's end bothered him a little and he suddenly felt a need to actually answer Xue Rui's question.

"Mr. Min added himself when I asked him to enter his contact details into my phone. Ah'Xiao and I will be paying a visit to Mr. Min's martial arts' school this weekend so I had to ask for his contact information for convenience's sake," Li XinWen explained.

"Ah'Wen, why are you even explaining this to Xue Rui?" Li JingHua asked, her voice loud enough to make sure that Xue Rui heard her on the other end. She shook her head at Li XinWen and almost rolled her eyes.

Upon realizing Li JingHua's question, it dawned on Li XinWen that he just contradicted himself by answering Xue Rui's question. Li XinWen closed his eyes, disappointed at himself, after failing to maintain the upper hand by actually answering Xue Rui.

'Good job Li XinWen… why'd you even feel the need to answer his question? Ugh idiot!'

Li XinWen's answer made Xue Rui smile a little, but the smile only lasted for a nano second. After hearing Li JingHua's inquiry in the background, his emotions were once again in turmoil, as he was reminded of his and Li JingHua's exchange earlier. He decided to quickly park his car to the side to cool his head.

"Am I on speaker XinWen?" Xue Rui asked.

"Yes. So you should give up on trying to guilt trip Ah'Wen!" Li JingHua responded.

"Li JingHua…Listen, I—" Xui Rui began but was cut off by Li JingHua.

"No… for crying out loud Xue Rui… for old times' sake… please…" her voice broke upon remembering the past. Li JingHua's eyes reddened and felt the stinging sensation of tears pooling in her eyes.

Li XinWen saw this and sighed helplessly. "Rui-ge… Remember what I told you back at the auction house? If you make Hua-jie cry, I will skin you alive…"

"XinWen..." Xue Rui's low voice could be heard from the phone speaker.

"But since the two of you seem to be hiding something from me, I'll give you a chance to come clean. Thirty minutes. If you can come back here in thirty minutes, I'll let you explain it yourself," Li XinWen told him before cutting off the line.