CH 45.1

The Liu family’s old house.

He Jianxun poured himself a glass of wine then sat down at the bar.

He didn’t drink it just then however. Instead, he shook his glass then asked the person next to him with a smile, “Bohuai, why do you keep inviting me out to drink?”

“You should tell me this time what’s been bothering you right?”

However when Liu Bohuai heard his words, his hand that was lifting his glass paused for a moment, then he continued to drink silently, shaking his head with furrowed brows.

There was clearly something he was vexed about, yet he couldn’t say it out loud easily.

He Jianxun was puzzled– with the way things were, what exactly could bother Liu Bohuai?!

He became even more curious.

But since Liu Bohuai didn’t speak, he couldn’t do anything but shrug his shoulders and continue to drink.

A small bar had been installed in the corner of the living room.

And opposite it was a liquor cabinet, its transparent glass reflecting two figures clearly.

Looking over, Liu Bohuai saw his own reflection in the mirrored glass of the cabinet.

Then, closing his eyes halfway, he suddenly opened his mouth, asking in a faint voice, “Am I handsome?”

“Pff– cough cough, what did you, cough….. what did you say?!”

He Jianxun immediately sprayed a mouthful of wine, his eyes widening in disbelief as he looked at his best friend.

Was this something that had come out of the mouth of the Third Master of the Liu family?!

No way right…. had there been a ringing in his ears for a moment or had he been hearing things?

“Bo, Bohuai, what did you say just now?” He Jianxun asked again, wanting to confirm.

Liu Bohuai looked at him coldly then said, “Forget it if you didn’t hear me. Just clean the bar.”

Looking for a tissue, He Jianxun wiped the wine that had spilled on top of the bar away.

As he worked, he couldn’t help but marvel, “I heard you, I heard you…. cough, are you really Liu Bohuai? You haven’t been replaced by someone else, have you?”

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he received another cold glare.

It had been confirmed, this was his unsociable friend.

Sitting back in his chair, He Jianxun leaned in, asking in a concerned tone, “Bohuai, what exactly has been bothering you?”

“How come the more I look, the more something doesn’t seem right?”

Not just not right, the question he had asked earlier wasn’t something his best friend would ask.

He Jianxun gave him a thumbs up, smiled then complimented hard, “Your appearance is impeccable, one in a million, even I can’t compare to you. So, what’s the matter?”

“Quick, tell me, let me have a good laugh.”

Liu Bohuai put his glass down with a cold expression on his face.

“Haha, I’m just kidding, just kidding. It’s so I can help you. Maybe I can even give you some ideas.” He Jianxun immediately laughed dryly.

Liu Bohuai frowned then asked after a while, “What do the women you’ve dated see in you?”

He Jianxun thought back subconsciously, stroking his chin as he did so, “Money and wealth, gentleness, generosity and of course, the most important thing is that I’m handsome, good looking, young and have countless assets.”

“What’s more, I’m not a frail old man in his seventies or eighties. They won’t lose out being with me.”

“Besides, even if we break up, they can still get a lot of benefits from me, something which can be considered as a breakup fee.”

In short, date normally, then breakup peacefully.

Of course, except for a few persistent pursuers.

Thinking up to this point, He Jianxun suddenly realized something.

His head turning abruptly, he looked at Liu Bohuai with a shocked and incredulous expression, “Why are you asking me this question?”

“Don’t tell me you…. someone has taken a liking to you and has been pestering you recently?”

The wine Liu Bohuai was pouring almost spilled a little when he heard this.

Lifting his head, he looked at He Jianxun with an indescribable look in his eyes.

Oblivious, He Jianxun continued to guess, feeling more and more that what he was saying was right, “Who has the courage to pursue you like this? That person is too brave!”

“She is absolutely an outstanding woman, I admire her!”

“Bohuai, is the person pursuing you a daughter of one of Aunt Xia’s acquaintances, that’s why you can’t reject her completely?”

“Or is it that Aunt Xia has finally remembered to solve your problem of being single for so many years and forced you to go on a blind date?”

Liu Bohuai: “….. you’re thinking too much.”

He Jianxun: “No, I don’t think I’m thinking too much.”

“After finishing this glass, get lost.”

“You’re kicking me out again; I’m not leaving!”

Shaking his head, Liu Bohuai drank his wine sullenly.

Seeing his friend’s appearance, He Jianxun felt that he was almost there with his guesses and that he was only one step away from the truth.

Not asking anymore questions, he just accompanied Liu Bohuai in drinking.

After a while, he asked, suddenly remembering something, “Right, Bohuai, is your second brother’s family going to settle in Yanjing for a long time and not go back overseas?”

Liu Bohuai nodded, “En.”

He Jianxun picked his glass up, a thoughtful expression on his face as well as a hint of disaffect in his voice as he said, “I almost thought they were going to stay abroad for the rest of their lives, but it seems they can’t bear to give up….”

Although the rest of the sentence wasn’t stated explicitly, both men understood what it meant.

“Back then, your second brother’s family went abroad because of Liu Jizhen’s decision. Now that they are returning to settle, it can’t be that it’s her decision as well, right?”

Although Liu Jizhen looked elegant and noble, her thoughts were anything but simple.

Previously, they had lived abroad, not far from Aunt Xia’s place.

And from what He Jianxun knew, Liu Jizhen could be said to have tried to please Xia Qingwan in every way possible.

She would visit Aunt Xia almost every day.

But later on, Aunt Xia seemed to prefer peace and found Liu Jizhen annoying, so she changed to visiting only every few days or once a week.

As for why she wanted to please Xia Qingwan, it all had to do with Father Li’s decision.

After Liu Zhouhe, the eldest of the Liu family passed away, Father Li passed the Liu family to Liu Bohuai instead of his second son Liu Jingyuan, before he died.

–It had been stated clearly in the will.