After five bigwigs in Beijing's elite circle fell into their trap, I fled.

Chapter 140 Old Master
Li Yubai and Jiang Shu were walking in the park.

Everyone wore masks and baseball caps, and chose the quietest tree-lined path, so the journey was peaceful and undisturbed.

Jiang Shu breathed in the fresh air and sighed softly, "You might not believe it, but although big cities are bustling, I actually prefer the life in Xinghua Village, where there are forests everywhere."

Li Yubai gave a soft "Mmm": "I believe you."

He paused for a moment: "Because so am I."

"Then..." Jiang Shu teased, "if I ever think about returning to the village to settle down, would you be willing to go with me?"

“That depends on our status,” Li Yubai pondered. “It’s probably inappropriate for a man and a woman to be alone together without any official status.”

Jiang Shu fell silent.

The matter of titles... is it really not easy to 'spread the favor evenly'?
Li Yubai didn't delve into it. Seeing that she was pretending not to hear, he wisely changed the subject: "I haven't bothered you these days. How are things? Are you getting along well with them?"

Jiang Shu exclaimed, "Ning Yunzhan's architectural art is too high-class. The only thing that feels down-to-earth to me is the team building activity with you guys. Rong Jingchen's is exciting, but from childhood to adulthood, my mother and even the whole Xinghua Village have been particularly averse to me being involved in anything dark or shady..."

Li Yubai gave a soft "hmm" and pretended to listen.

Jiang Shu sighed again: "I didn't stay with Yan Yu much, but his family isn't difficult to get along with. The most troublesome ones are Ali's side, she's so demanding!"

Li Yubai's eyes were filled with a smile: "Then who do you like the most?"

Jiang Shu replied without hesitation: "Of course it's you! I feel most comfortable and compatible with you."

Li Yubai rubbed her head helplessly: "There's a reason why Feng Li always calls you a scumbag."

"I'm not kidding you, I'm serious." Jiang Shu looked at him. "I was thinking about some things downstairs at your company just now, and the more I thought about it, the more confused I became. I wanted to ask you about it..."

Li Yubai patiently looked at her and said, "Ask away."

"Ten months ago, when I came to talk business with you, was that really our...first meeting?"

Li Yubai did not answer immediately, but lowered his eyes and pondered for a long time before asking tentatively and questioningly, "Why are you suddenly asking about this?"

Jiang Shu was a little confused: "It wasn't exactly sudden. Actually, when I first met you, I subconsciously felt that you would definitely treat me very well. The longer we spent together, the more I had the illusion that we were old acquaintances."

Li Yubai was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed: "Whether we've met or not isn't important. What's important is that we're together now, day and night, isn't that right?"

"What you said is not wrong."

The two found a long bench and sat down.

Jiang Shu leaned against him, looking quite content: "Ali said I'm not cut out for finance. I plan to relax here for the next few days. As for finance, you can just teach me whatever you need."

"You can't learn anything in two or three days. Tomorrow night, the Li family is hosting a business banquet, and many celebrities will be there. I'll just ask someone to give me a few companies that are losing money, and I'll teach you how to turn them around. The rest of the time, I'll be your tour guide and show you around the capital."

"A business banquet!" Jiang Shu thought of Yan Yu's family dinner. "Will I see a lot of your family members? Should I prepare some gifts?"

Li Yubai's voice suddenly turned cold: "I have no family."

Jiang Shu tilted her head to look at him: "No family? Did your father really go to the underworld right after you turned eighteen and first appeared in public? What about your mother? You couldn't have just popped out of a rock, could you?"

“In this world, I truly have no father or mother.” Li Yubai thought for a moment, then leaned closer to her. “I’ll tell you another secret.”

Jiang Shu's body stiffened: "What secret?"

Li Yu casually revealed, "I have no blood relation with the Li family. Therefore, our benefactor doesn't need to waste any effort on anyone else in the Li Group."

Jiang Shu asked curiously, "Do the Li clan members know about this?"

"It's not important." Li Yubai suddenly looked at the small shop across the park. "They sell sugar figurines over there. Have you ever tried them?"

"No, but I don't like sweets. Would you like some?"

"Can you buy me one?" Li Yubai asked gently. "They all have tie clips, but I don't. Is it too much to ask for a candy figurine as compensation?"

“I don’t have enough tie clips, but I’ll give you one—” Li Yubai interrupted, “You can also buy yourself two packs of spicy strips while you’re at it.”

Jiang Shu got up and ran away.

Li Yubai watched quietly as she ran further and further away, her figure gradually disappearing into the shade of the trees in the distance.

Footsteps sounded beside him, and someone sat down next to him.

The man was completely wrapped in a black cloak, and beneath the hood, his face was deathly pale, and his eyes were cold and deep.

He sat down next to Li Yubai and quietly watched Jiang Shu's receding figure.

Li Yubai's expression was cold: "China is not a place for you."

The man's voice was cold and hoarse: "Wait, may I say a few words to her?"

Li Yubai decisively refused: "No."

The man continued to gaze at Jiang Shu's retreating figure: "I'll just say a few words. After that, I'll leave and never come to China again."

Li Yubai: "No."

“You’re as tough as ever.” The man took out a file folder from his pocket. “Then, please, former master, help me pass on this gift to her.”

Li Yubai remained silent.

“There’s one more thing.” The man paused for a moment, “Now that you’ve severed ties with us, please return the puppet to your clan.”

Li Yubai said with a slightly apologetic tone, "I didn't."

"No?" The man's tone rose slightly, sounding somewhat dissatisfied. "We've checked your records for the last twenty years, and the puppet has always been in your possession."

Li Yubai sighed softly: "It disappeared five years ago."

"Missing?" The man paused, then asked, "Can they be found?"

"What do you say?"

The man sighed, "After all, it is a sacred object of our clan. I ask the former master to take extra care and send it back to the clan once its whereabouts are found."

"I'll try my best." Li Yubai saw Jiang Shu already happily carrying a bag of things back and reminded the person next to him, "You should leave now."

"Can't I even exchange a few pleasantries with her?"

"No."

The man stood up, his body seemingly enveloped in a thick, bluish-black mist, and slowly disappeared into the tree-lined path.

Two minutes later, Jiang Shu returned to her chair with a smile and handed him a sugar figurine: "Here you go!"

"Thank you, sir." Li Yubai smiled and accepted the gift.

Jiang Shu picked up a bag of spicy strips, sat down in a chair, lowered her head slightly, and picked up a file folder from the chair: "What's this?"

"Junk delivery service."

Jiang Shu glanced at Li Yubai: "Can I open it and take a look?"

Li Yubai hummed in agreement.

Jiang Shu opened the file bag and took out an English admission letter...

She tried to read it through with her limited English, stumbling over the words: "An admission letter to the Holy Spirit Academy of Misty Continent, what the heck?"

(End of this chapter)