Chapter 20: Qin Hai Takes Action

Li Dong had only been outside for a short while. Before it got dark, he had already sent Qin Yuhan back home. The young girl, not as thick-skinned as Li Dong, was feeling uneasy after being discovered by her father.

Li Dong comforted her for a while, and seeing she still looked worried, he reluctantly said goodbye and sent her home.

At the Qin residence.

Li Dong was enjoying the parting hug from the girl when an intruder arrived.

"Cough, cough!"

The annoying cough always seemed to come at the wrong moment. Hearing the familiar sound, Qin Yuhan jumped away from Li Dong's embrace like a frightened rabbit.

Li Dong gritted his teeth in frustration but managed to put on a smiling face.

Qin Hai looked up at the sky at a forty-five-degree angle, as if he wasn't the one causing trouble.

Without looking at Li Dong, Qin Hai forced a smile and said to Qin Yuhan, "Aren't you going home yet? Your mother is still waiting for you."

Qin Yuhan looked at Li Dong, then at Qin Hai, and hesitated.

Qin Hai felt a surge of anger, wondering if this was really his usually obedient daughter. Casting a glance at Li Dong, he fumed internally, blaming the young man for the situation. He then said in a friendly tone, "You go ahead, I'll just have a quick word with Li Dong before heading up."

Li Dong noticed Qin Yuhan's hesitation and, feeling pleased, calmly said, "Yuhan, you go home first. I'll talk to your uncle for a bit."

Qin Yuhan reluctantly went upstairs, turning back several times and advising, "Dad, don't talk too long. It's getting dark, and Li Dong still needs to go home."

Qin Hai felt a pang of jealousy. His daughter was already protecting this young man. If he really did something to this punk, it would be a huge mess.

With a grunt, he dismissed his daughter's concerns.

Only after watching Qin Yuhan leave did Qin Hai let his anger show, saying, "Students should focus on their studies, not run around all day!"

Li Dong laughed awkwardly and said with a grin, "Uncle, you're right. It won't happen again."

"What do you mean 'next time'? There won't be a next time!"

Qin Hai was fuming, his earlier fatherly demeanor replaced by irritation. He was so angry that he almost wanted to shout at Li Dong. Seeing this kid with his daughter, he was furious.

Li Dong maintained his smile, even though Qin Hai's saliva was almost hitting him in the face. He understood that this man was his future father-in-law.

He knew that fathers are protective of their daughters. If someone was trying to steal their precious daughter away, they wouldn't be happy.

And while he had heard that mothers-in-law grow fonder of their sons-in-law over time, he had never heard of fathers-in-law feeling the same way.

Seeing Li Dong's calm demeanor, Qin Hai tried to calm himself. He couldn't let a young punk outdo him.

Taking a deep breath, Qin Hai said earnestly, "Li Dong, it's not that I want to break you two apart. You're still young, and life is just beginning. Your current responsibility is to study, not to be distracted by romance. The college entrance exam is coming up soon. Aren't you thinking about your future?"

"Don't worry, Uncle, I understand what you mean. Yuhan and I are both adults now, and we know what we should and shouldn't do," Li Dong replied understandingly, not offering any arguments.

Seeing that Li Dong had already said what he wanted to, Qin Hai was at a loss for words. He felt a bit disheartened. After all, his daughter was now an adult. He couldn't keep controlling everything as if she were still a child.

With a hint of disinterest, he waved his hand and said, "As long as you understand. Go on, do I have to invite you to dinner?"

Li Dong laughed, bade farewell to Qin Hai, and left.

Watching Li Dong's retreating figure, Qin Hai rubbed his chin. The kid was quite composed.

But to become his son-in-law, that wasn't enough. He would watch and see how things developed!

...

On May 4th, at Blue Sea Shopping Mall.

"Mr. Li, we've surveyed the site thoroughly," said the market manager of Yang Ding Decoration, wearing a safety helmet as he walked out of the mall. He wiped his hands and continued, "We have extensive experience with malls of this scale, and we won't disappoint you."

"Manager Xu, when can we expect the detailed design plan?" Li Dong asked.

Xu Haoran glanced back at his employees and said, "Xiao Liu, explain it to Mr. Li."

Xiao Liu, an employee from the design department, was more knowledgeable in this area than Xu Haoran.

Seeing Li Dong's attention, Xiao Liu said, "Mr. Li, if we go with our standard design plan, we can have the design draft ready by tomorrow. However, since you have some specific requirements, we'll need to make a few modifications. The changes won't be significant, so we can have it ready the day after tomorrow at the earliest."

Li Dong nodded. The speed was reasonable. Even though supermarket renovations were relatively simple, it was clear that Yang Ding had considerable experience.

"I'm not in a hurry about the details. Can I ask, approximately how much will it cost based on my requirements?"

This was what Li Dong was concerned about. He didn't have much cash on hand and couldn't afford to waste it.

If Yang Ding's price was too high, he was open to considering other companies.

Xiao Liu glanced at Xu Haoran, who nodded in agreement, and said, "Before we finalize the design, I can only give you an estimated cost based on previous experience. With your requirements, I estimate it will be around 1.2 to 1.3 million yuan, including labor and materials. I hope that is acceptable."

"Meaning about 500 yuan per square meter?" Li Dong furrowed his brow. While 500 yuan might not seem high in the future, it was 2004, and 500 yuan per square meter for supermarket renovation was relatively high.

Seeing Li Dong's frown, Xu Haoran realized that the estimate was likely above Li Dong's budget.

In those days, business wasn't easy. A contract worth over a million yuan was almost the largest one Yang Ding had seen this year.

Otherwise, Xu Haoran wouldn't have come all the way to Dongping personally. He had plenty of work waiting for him in Qingyang.

Xu Haoran explained, "Mr. Li, let me explain. Since you're requesting the best materials and the construction period needs to be shortened due to your urgent opening, a 1.2 million yuan budget isn't unreasonable. However, the exact cost will depend on the final design. We can discuss the price once the design is finalized. How does that sound?"

Li Dong thought for a moment and agreed. A price over a million wasn't excessively high, especially given that his requirements were based on future standards, which made the higher cost somewhat understandable.

"Alright then, please complete the design as soon as possible, and we'll discuss the details then."

Noticing the time, Li Dong said, "Manager Xu, you've been working hard all morning. Let's go for a meal. I've already made a reservation at Dongping Grand Hotel."

Xu Haoran didn't refuse. Business discussions usually involved a meal, and with a few drinks at the table, everything would be easier to negotiate.

"Well then, Mr. Li, we're relying on you for a treat. It's our first time in Dongping, so you must introduce us to some local specialties."

As they walked and talked, Xu Haoran was full of lively conversation, making Li Dong smile several times.

...

After dinner and sending Xu Haoran and his team off, Li Dong was feeling a bit tipsy and not fully recovered from the alcohol. He had a good tolerance for liquor, having drunk with clients often in his previous life, but it was his first time drinking since being reborn, so he was somewhat unaccustomed.

He rested on the couch at home, as his parents were out. He considered visiting Qin Yuhan but remembered her father would be keeping a close watch these days, so he decided against it.

While he was resting, his phone rang.

Seeing the number, Li Dong smiled and answered, "Yuhan, are you missing me?"

"Missing you, my foot!"

Qin Yuhan's voice, a mix of joy and annoyance, came through.

Li Dong chuckled and didn't argue, softly saying, "So, your parents aren't home?"

Since Qin Yuhan didn't have a mobile phone and usually used the home phone, she wouldn't call if her parents were around.

Li Dong slapped his forehead, realizing he had forgotten to buy Qin Yuhan a mobile phone, which would make contacting her much more convenient in the future.

But thinking she would probably refuse, Li Dong felt a bit frustrated. Sometimes, being too independent wasn't ideal.

"Stop joking. They just went downstairs and will be back soon."

Qin Yuhan's voice lowered, then she added with some frustration, "Yesterday, my dad told me I can't go out at night before the college entrance exam. I have to stay home and study."

Li Dong gritted his teeth. His future father-in-law had indeed delivered a decisive blow. With a simple move, he had effectively thwarted Li Dong's plans. He had to admit defeat.

Yesterday, he thought Qin Hai was out of options, but today he was taught a lesson. Old foxes were indeed more cunning.

Hearing Qin Yuhan's slightly disappointed tone, Li Dong quickly comforted her, "It's okay. Staying home for now isn't a big deal. The exam is only a month away. After that, we can go wherever you want, and they can't restrict you then."

Qin Yuhan considered it and felt a bit better. A month wasn't too long, and she could still see Li Dong during the day, so it wasn't too disappointing.

Realizing her parents would be back soon, Qin Yuhan didn't say much more, and they ended the call after a few more words.