Mister Li, the Heart Bandit

The winds were as gentle as the skies were blue on the day of their wedding.

Li Shaoling’s authority remains despite the Li family’s fall from grace—countless attended their reception, even foreigners.

Ji Weixi was dressed in a bright, white and vibrant wedding dress as she embraced and kissed Li Shaoling in his form-fitting black tuxedo.

At the same time, Ji Jiayu also formally changed his name to Li Jiayu then.

Tian Miaomiao was left dumbfounded when she caught the Ji Weixi’s bouquet, realizing then that everyone was staring at her.

Unwittingly, her eyes found a certain person in the crowd.

He was wearing a pair of glasses at staring at her indifferently. Resisting the urge to greet him, however, Tian Miaomiao withdrew her gaze.

She smiled bitterly. She may have the luck to catch the bouquet, but she did not have the luck to get hitched.

***

The bridal room was lit in romantic candlelight, but Li Shaoling could not get his way with her woman despite having her in his arms.

Ji Weixi’s condition was delicate, and the doctor has said that they could only do it only after she was three months pregnant.

As such, the great President Li began his long night of abstaining.

Time flies, however, and Ji Weixi was in labor in the blink of an eye.

Li Shaoling thought that it was a mercy killing when he heard her scream herself hoarse in the delivery room.

He would never have gotten her pregnant if he knew that childbirth was such anguish.

When Ji Weixi was wheeled out, the nurse was holding a wrinkly infant and smiling. “Congratulations, President Li. It’s a girl!”

Li Shaoling did not even spare them a glance, instead walking up to Ji Weixi and held her lethargic hand, his eyes red as he spoke to her. “I’m sorry…”

A crystalline tear rolled down Ji Weixi’s pale cheeks.

Then, Li Shaoling delegated every work he had on hand and concentrated solely on caring for Ji Weixi, promoting himself from president to nanny-daddy.

Li Shaoling had founded Qing Yu International, a new company which Yu Xiangnian held a stake as well in the wake of CBS’s gradual decline.

In a single year, the company rose to international expansion and even successfully acquired CBS.

With that, the Li family had finally fallen.

***

Then, on the twenty-eighth day of Ji Weixi’s postnatal confinement, Li Shaoling and Li Jiayu had their first violent argument.

“Shouldn’t girls have flowery names like Hua¹ or Lan²?!” The little one was yelling. “I don’t care! My little sister’s name should be Li Huahua!”

Li Shaoling pressed a finger over his brow. “So old-fashioned. Don’t call yourself my son when you’re outside.”

“…Then what should her name be?!”

Li Shaoling’s brow tightened. “Keep talking.”¹

Ji Weixi had thought at first that Li Shaoling wasn’t being attentive about their daughter. That thought, coupled with her postnatal temper, caused her to have a small squabble with him.

It was in the middle of the night when she got out of bed for the toilet, when she found Li Shaoling searching the dictionary in front of the table light.

She only learned that he took naming their daughter very, very seriously.

Nonetheless, he only came up with the child name’s when on the day Ji Weixi finished her confinement.

Li Zijin.

Always on my mind, Li Zijin.¹

***

Li Zijin was a year old and blowing bubbles as the little one watched over her like a nanny, wiping her foamy little mouth as a joyful brother.

“Oh, Jin Jin, grow up fast.” The little one stared at the little girl, while resting his chin on one hand, mumbling away like an idiot. “Call me brother, and I’ll beat up anyone who bullies you! Your brother loves you the most, Jin Jin! I’ll even pluck the stars off the skies for you!”

One morning, the little one was jolted awake when Jin Jin threw a fit. It was time for her milk, and he therefore hurried to Ji Weixi’s bed.

He was at the door when he heard his mother’s stifled moans from within.

Sighing, he returned to his room to check on his sister. “Jin Jin, you’ll have to wait. Mommy and Daddy are wrestling naked again.”

Li Jiayu waited, and it was only after one hour and two minutes that Ji Weixi opened her door, flushing and with red strawberry marks on her neck.

The little one sighed inwardly.

Daddy was one minute quicker than the last time.

Was he failing again?

Being a man is so difficult.

***

Now two-years-old, Li Zijin could say ‘Daddy’ and ‘Mommy’, but still failed to say ‘Brother’.

The little one was left depressed for the longest time. “Oh, Jin Jin, your brother is so nice to you… why can’t you say ‘brother’?”

Jin Jin, her eyes widening, blew bubbles as she said clumsily, “Br… brother… brother…”

The little one happily rolled about over his bed.

***

Later, when Li Zijin was five-years-old.

Li Shaoling had been busy over the years, and in her idle time, Ji Weixi would play the role of a president’s wife.

Until one day, when Li Shaoling met an old man.

“I was like you in my younger days, thinking that my wife could have the life she wants because I have money,” the old man told him. “But she passed away while I was at a meeting overseas. Time is precious—do not waste the time you could share with your family because of money, because the day would eventually come that you would regret and live in eternal guilt.”

Li Shaoling promptly booked two tickets to Paris and left the children with Tian Miaomiao.

He would share a private moment with Ji Weixi, since they had never been alone after they married and had another child.

In front of the floor-to-ceiling window, Ji Weixi was leaning on Li Shaoling’s chest and watching the sun set.

“Darling husband.” She called softly.

“What is it, dear wife?” Li Shaoling asked, locking fingers with her.”

“I love you.” Ji Weixi cast him an indulgent look.

He grinned. “I love you, too.”

“Then tell me, what did you tell Grandfather?”

Li Shaoling wrapped his arms around her and gently spoke beside her ear. “I told him that I would destroy the Li family in one year and acquire every company they’ve had. Every stock and property would then be given to you, because all I want is to work for you with the rest of my life.”

Ji Weixi’s tears streamed. “So, I’m a rich woman.”

Li Shaoling laughed. “You are my rich woman.”

“Brother Ling…” Ji Weixi’s eyes were tender as she called out softly.

Li Shaoling was surprised, his memory abruptly dragged to the past of the little girl in twin ponytails and a pink dress, her dewy eyes sparkling as she called out in her tiny, delicate voice.

“Brother Ling!”

Ji Weixi wrapped her hands around his neck, imitating the young girl as she whispered into Li Shaoling’s ear. “I have a secret I’ve always wanted to tell you.”

“The truth is that I dreamt of being with you until we grew old when I met you at six-years-old. Now, the dream has come true, and I’ve fallen for you too.”

Li Shaoling looked into her eyes lovingly too. “I have a secret too.”

“When I was twelve and you were nine, you though I was joking when I told you I wanted to run away with you, but I really did. Even if we were separated for sixteen years, I rejoice that time is merciful, that you are still my girl.”

You are my most beautiful sight in this life.

(Main Story End)