Chapter 21: So Many Mosquitoes

After fifty minutes, Shaorong Wu arrived, panting and breathless, with his female secretary in tow. They had run through more than a dozen red lights, but to make it on time was already quite an accomplishment.

The contract signing was brisk, finished in just three minutes. In addition to the previously discussed agreement, Shaorong Wu added more investment, bringing the total to one hundred million.

Li Qingying felt as if she were dreaming; this Shaorong Wu seemed almost foolish, agreeing to everything as long as she signed her name.

When Shaorong Wu left, Li Qingying was still dazed. “He Haoxuan, I feel like I’m dreaming. Pinch me.”

Bailei Group was only valued at one hundred million, and now she’d just signed a contract for that amount. It was beyond her imagination.

“Alright,” He Haoxuan replied with a sly grin, leaning in as if to steal a quick kiss.

But Li Qingying was sharp. As soon as she saw him lean in, she quickly stepped back three paces. “What are you trying to do?”

“There’s something on your face—I was just going to take a look,” He Haoxuan said with a laugh.

Li Qingying didn’t believe a word of it. She pulled out her phone and called her grandmother. “Grandma, I just signed a contract with Quange Trading.”

“Impossible! How could it be so fast?” Her grandmother was incredulous.

“Besides what we had discussed before, Quange Trading is increasing their investment. Soon, another hundred million will be transferred to our company’s account,” Li Qingying said excitedly.

“That’s impossible,” her grandmother exclaimed again, almost shouting.

It was pure fantasy. Had the people at Quange Trading lost their minds? To hand so much money to Bailei Group at once—weren’t they afraid the company would just run off with the money?

“Grandma, it’s true! I’ll send you a picture of the contract.” Li Qingying hung up, overjoyed.

She had just signed such a massive deal; surely her grandmother would be thrilled and see her in a new light.

Not long after, her grandmother received the photos of the contract.

The rest of the Li family passed them around, faces alight with joy.

Bailei Group was about to soar.

“Grandma, I think I need to take charge of Bailei Group right away. Otherwise, what if Li Qingying takes out all that money and disappears?” Li Dasong said anxiously.

Li Liang tried to calm him. “Don’t be hasty. Wait until the money actually arrives. Then you can take charge and manage Bailei Group properly. That He Haoxuan is no good—he’ll definitely urge Li Qingying to take the money and leave Qingshan City with him.”

“That’s right. I even heard that He Haoxuan has been using our family’s money to support other women. He really thinks our family is his personal money tree,” added Second Uncle Li, fanning the flames.

Madam Li was stubborn and had always stayed within the family, with no grasp of the outside world.

Three people repeating the same thing makes a tiger; hearing so many negative things about He Haoxuan and his wife, suspicion naturally took root in her heart.

“Dasong, don’t be too impatient. Let’s wait until we have that hundred million in our hands,” Madam Li decided.

Li Qingying was already married and no longer considered part of the Li family. Their hopes were better pinned on Dasong.

Now, with both Second Uncle Li and Li Liang’s agreement, if Dasong had a son, that child would belong to their branch of the family.

“Very well, very well,” Dasong replied, nodding eagerly.

That evening, after dinner, He Haoxuan and Li Qingying took a walk by the lake, utterly at ease.

“It’s so comfortable here. I wish I could work at the company during the day and rest here at night,” Li Qingying sighed with admiration.

A concrete path traced the lakeside, lined with solar-powered lamps, and soft music floated from small speakers.

There was a kitchen and refrigerator—almost like a small home—where they could cook for themselves.

“Li Qingying, I hereby declare this place yours. You can come whenever you like,” He Haoxuan announced loudly.

“Alright, you can brag all you want, but there’s no need to shout so loudly,” Li Qingying chided playfully, casting him a sidelong glance that sent a ripple through his heart.

She was beautiful; a gentle breeze lifted her hair, and her lovely silhouette was reflected all around.

With arms spread wide, Li Qingying ran ahead, while He Haoxuan took out his phone and called Fang Yongsheng. “I want to buy the Tenglong Villa. Bring the contract over.”

“Mr. He, our boss has already said, Tenglong Villa is worth only a billion—he’s giving it to you as a gift,” Fang Yongsheng’s respectful voice came over the line.

“Say no more. I don’t want your money,” He Haoxuan replied coldly, hanging up.

Back at the villa, Fang Yongsheng was already waiting downstairs.

When Li Qingying had been drunk earlier, she hadn’t realized that Fang Yongsheng was the owner of Starlight Club. “Is he your friend who works as a security guard here?” she asked Haoxuan.

A security guard? Fang Yongsheng quietly broke into a sweat.

Had anyone else said this, he might have slapped them. But this was Mr. He—even if he said Fang was a transvestite, he’d have to nod and agree.

“Thank you for booking this room for us; it’s very nice,” Li Qingying said gratefully to Fang Yongsheng.

“You’re too kind, President Li. It’s my honor,” Fang replied quickly, bowing deeply like a servant.

Seeing his humble demeanor, Li Qingying was more convinced he was just a staff member at Tenglong Villa, never imagining he was actually the owner of both the villa and Starlight Club.

Li Qingying went upstairs to shower, while He Haoxuan took out a world bank card. “The password is eight eights. Transfer one billion yourself.”

Fang Yongsheng nodded helplessly. Truth be told, even if someone wanted to pay two billion for Tenglong Villa, he wouldn’t sell it. After all, it was a money-making place, bringing in at least hundreds of thousands a day—several billion a year.

That’s the psychology of the wealthy—not afraid of high prices, only of inferior quality.

Seeing Li Qingying’s name on the contract, He Haoxuan nodded to himself. “Just leave the contract here. You’ll still manage it with your team.”

Buying Tenglong Villa was, in essence, just a change of name; Fang Yongsheng would remain in charge.

After Fang left, He Haoxuan went upstairs and found Li Qingying lying on the bed, looking at her phone.

“You’d better shower and then rest downstairs,” Li Qingying said softly, her face flushed.

She had just realized an important issue: there was only one big bed, and no bedroom on the first floor.

When He Haoxuan finished his shower, he came out with a troubled look. “Honey, there’s no bed downstairs, and there are so many mosquitoes. I’d better sleep upstairs. I’ll take the floor, and you can have the bed.”

“No,” Li Qingying refused firmly.

“Sigh, fine. I’ll just let the mosquitoes eat me alive,” He Haoxuan sighed and trudged downstairs.

He lay down on the sofa, but about half an hour later, he started clapping his hands and cried out in mock agony, “Ugh, there are so many mosquitoes down here, I can’t sleep at all. By morning, I’ll probably be a dried-up corpse.”

Not long after, Li Qingying’s figure appeared at the top of the stairs. “You—come sleep upstairs.”

“Great!” In a flash, He Haoxuan darted upstairs to the bedroom, pulled out a spare blanket from the wardrobe, and quickly made a bed on the floor.

By the time Li Qingying entered, he was already lying down with his eyes closed.