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Chapter 58: Lu Li and Lu Yao

“Lu Li?” Vice Director Zou Quan looked at Wang Hongtao in bewilderment. “You want to have Lu Li come and cook braised pork for the suspect?”

What kind of bizarre request is that?

Wang Hongtao also thought it absurd, and he said bluntly, “Xu Ke’s condition has flared up so badly that he can’t be interrogated properly. But we found that he craves the braised pork Lu Li makes; maybe one serving will bring him back to his senses.”

After a pause, Wang Hongtao added, “The stuff Xu Ke tried to smuggle is the high-end chip recently developed by Mingyue Group, practically the top secret of our country’s high-tech industry, and if it hits the foreign market we will suffer irreparable losses. Such a leak must mean there’s a mole inside Mingyue Group; the existing evidence won’t get us that deeply buried corporate spy, and the only lead we have is Xu Ke. If we lose Xu Ke, the mole might transfer the chip by some other means, and then… Ahem, we’re just trying anything at this point; otherwise we wouldn’t resort to such a desperate move.”

After thinking it over, Zou Quan decided, “In that case, let’s trouble Lu Li just this once; if it works he’ll have rendered great service.”

Wang Hongtao coughed twice. “But you just revoked his award and made him write a self-criticism.”

Zou Quan raised an eyebrow. “Then restore the award; Old Wang, you’ve been around long enough, why are you so inflexible?”

Wang Hongtao shrugged, complaining, “Director Zou, that young hero helped us in a big way, yet he got no benefit and was even scolded. Tell me, who wouldn’t feel upset after that? It’s bad enough we made him feel wronged once; now we need a favor and suddenly restore the award… what does that look like? I, Old Wang, still have my pride; I won’t be part of this use-and-discard routine.”

Zou Quan’s aged face flushed; he hadn’t expected further complications, so he cleared his throat. “Cough, then double the bonus as an apology; surely he’ll appreciate it.”

Wang Hongtao rolled his eyes; the retired old leader had clearly picked up a bureaucrat’s arrogance.

He said bluntly, “Doubling the reward is just another form of humiliation; if I were him I wouldn’t lift a finger again.”

Realizing his mistake, Zou Quan stiffened his face. “Then what, you want a vice director like me to bow and apologize to him? Where would that leave my dignity?”

That was exactly what Wang Hongtao had waited for. “Haha, Director Zou must be joking; why should a green kid deserve your personal appearance? Whoever advocated punishing him can go apologize.”

Zou Quan froze. “You mean Shi Chen?”

Wang Hongtao nodded slowly. “Shouldn’t he? It was Shi Chen’s fault to begin with!”

Rubbing his chin, Zou Quan nodded. “When you put it that way, it makes sense. Fine, that’s settled; tomorrow Shi Chen will personally apologize to that Lu Li!”

“Brilliant decision, Director Zou!”

……

Lu Li wasted no time and headed straight home.

As soon as he reached the building entrance, a soft body threw itself into his arms and clung tightly to his waist.

Instinctively, Lu Li thought he was under attack, and but for recognizing his goofy sister Lu Yao he would have sent her flying with a Parting the Wild Horse’s Mane.

Hearing the faint sob in Lu Yao’s voice, Lu Li patted her back and asked gently, “Yaoyao, what’s wrong?”

“Stupid brother, it’s so late and you still weren’t back; I thought you didn’t want me anymore.” Lu Yao buried her head against his chest.

“Silly girl, you’re my only family; how could I ever abandon you?” Lu Li stroked her head warmly.

Lu Li sighed inwardly; he had been held up at the station too long, and since Lu Yao had no phone he couldn’t inform her, so it was natural she got worried after school when he wasn’t home.

Yet Lu Yao still whimpered, “T-then why did you change the door lock?”

“Changed the lock?” Lu Li frowned, pulled her to their door, and tried his key.

“Click.” Sure enough, the key wouldn’t turn and the door stayed shut.

Realization dawned on Lu Yao. “If my silly brother didn’t change it, then it must have been Uncle Landlord?”

“It can only be him.”

Lu Li sighed; Uncle Landlord was not exactly a bad man, but he wasn’t good either… he simply worshiped money.

When their parents died and an unlucky uncle absconded with all the family’s money, Lu Li was still a minor and his sister just an ignorant grade-schooler, so the siblings were naturally placed in an orphanage.

Lu Li knew he was too old to be adopted, while his sister, being adorable, might be taken in quickly once inside the orphanage.

Although Lu Yao herself didn’t want to leave him, Lu Li felt that rather than letting her suffer with him, she should go to a middle-class family where her sweetness and sensibility would earn her love.

And that was exactly what Lu Li did.

After several discreet inquiries, he chose a kind middle-aged couple.

The new father was a prestigious university lecturer and the new mother the head nurse of a big hospital; they had been a DINK family but later wanted a child and, unable to conceive, chose adoption.

After meeting the bright, adorable Lu Yao, they promptly applied to the orphanage and to Lu Li for adoption.

Lu Li had no objections and entrusted Lu Yao to them with relief.

Although the couple wanted to erase all of Lu Yao’s past and hoped he would never see her again, Lu Li still gritted his teeth and agreed.

What else could he do? Back then he himself could barely keep food on the table.

Yet in less than 3 days the couple brought Lu Yao back.

Lu Li was puzzled and asked why.

The gentle head nurse sighed helplessly and said that from the moment Lu Yao arrived she ran a high fever, made no scene, only cried and refused food, murmuring ‘Brother’ nonstop.

For 3 whole days she didn’t take a drop of water, and her flower-like face shriveled.

The couple were at their wits’ end and had no choice but to return her.

Lu Li still remembered how little Lu Yao, feverish to the point of delirium, clutched his sleeve with her frail hand and begged him not to abandon her.

What could Lu Li say?

From then on he swore never to leave her again and never to let her suffer the slightest grievance.

Even if he had to live on husks and bran, he would not let Lu Yao endure the tiniest hardship.

The orphanage, however, didn’t want to be stuck with Lu Yao.

So they threatened Lu Li with an ultimatum: if he refused to have Lu Yao adopted, the siblings would have to leave together.

Without hesitation, Lu Li took Lu Yao and left.

He knew that ahead lay life on the streets, but as long as his sister was with him he feared nothing.

They did go through hard times; mainly because Lu Yao was so pretty, they were often harassed by thugs.

Fortunately the old saying proved true: the forceful fear the reckless, the reckless fear the ruthless, and the ruthless fear the ones who don’t care about their lives.

Lu Li was exactly the kind who would risk his life for his sister; once, when several hooligans tried to assault Lu Yao, he fought them despite being beaten bloody and even bit off half the leader’s ear.

None of them had ever met someone so rabid, and they scattered in terror.

Lu Li knew they couldn’t live like that forever; they had to find a stable place or trouble would come sooner or later.

It was then that Uncle Landlord lent a hand and offered the siblings a place to stay.

Of course, his motives were not entirely pure.

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