Chapter 251: Something Happened!

At the entrance of the neighborhood.

Li Dong said, "You should go back. I'm leaving."

Yuan Xue, who had been silent all the way, suddenly turned around and asked, "Do you want me to come back?"

Li Dong touched his nose, his face looking a bit awkward in the dim light. After a while, he finally said, "That depends on what you want..."

"You're so pretentious!"

Li Dong thought he had misheard and asked in surprise, "What?"

"I said you're pretentious!" Yuan Xue's voice was much louder than before.

Li Dong looked embarrassed. Who's being pretentious?

Yuan Xue rolled her eyes at him and said irritably, "I just asked if you want me to come back. Answer me directly!"

"Uh... well..."

Li Dong chuckled dryly, "It really depends on you."

Seeing Yuan Xue's expression change, he quickly added, "But I think that the moon abroad isn't any rounder than ours. You're unfamiliar with everything there, so it might be better to come back home."

Yuan Xue's face instantly lit up with a radiant smile.

She glanced at Li Dong and said with a smile, "I'll think about it and let you know later."

Li Dong coughed a few times, feeling a bit guilty, and said, "I was just making a suggestion, no other meaning."

"Coward!"

Yuan Xue snorted, turned around, and walked back toward the neighborhood.

After a few steps, she suddenly turned around again and asked, "How long are you staying in Dongping?"

"Two or three days, maybe less if something comes up. I might leave tomorrow."

"Oh, is there a holiday on the seventh?"

"The seventh..."

Before he could answer, Yuan Xue had already walked away, for real this time.

Li Dong stared at her back for a while, mumbling to himself only after she had completely disappeared, "The seventh?"

He pondered for a while before muttering, "Isn't that the eighth day of the lunar month?"

...

When Li Dong got home, it was still not yet ten o'clock.

But in the county town, people go to bed early, so his parents had already gone to sleep. After freshening up, Li Dong tiptoed back to his room, but the door to his parents' room opened.

Cao Fang rubbed her eyes and said softly, "Xiao Lan is sleeping in your room. You'll have to make do on the sofa tonight."

Li Dong's face fell, feeling miserable.

He's a billionaire now, and yet he's being asked to sleep on the sofa?

Unfortunately, Cao Fang didn't care whether he was a big boss or not. She brought out two quilts from the room, yawning as she said, "The air conditioner in the living room is on, you won't freeze. Don't stay up too late."

"Got it."

Li Dong replied. After Cao Fang closed the door, he set up the sofa, turned on the TV, and watched for a while.

At around eleven o'clock, Li Dong turned off the TV and started to sleep.

In the middle of the night, half asleep, Li Dong felt someone tucking him in.

He didn't open his eyes, but he smelled a faint fishy scent, which he assumed was from his dad.

Not thinking much of it, he continued to sleep.

...

The next morning, it was already bright outside when Li Dong woke up.

He yawned, glanced out the window, and noticed a girl beside him.

Li Lan looked a bit shy. When she saw Li Dong looking at her, she quickly lowered her head, not daring to make eye contact.

Li Dong smiled and asked, "You're up early?"

Li Lan nodded and replied softly, "Yes."

"How many days off do you have?"

"Three days."

"What grade are you in?"

"Seventh grade."

"..."

It was basically Li Dong asking a question, and Li Lan answering with a single word.

If Li Dong didn't speak, Li Lan wouldn't either. She kept her head down, nervously fidgeting with her fingers.

It wasn't until Cao Fang came out of the kitchen that Li Lan relaxed a bit and called out, "Second Aunt."

Cao Fang smiled and said, "Lan Lan, breakfast is ready. I bought buns, fried dough sticks, and shumai. If you want porridge, that's fine too..."

Li Lan quickly replied, "Second Aunt, I'm fine with anything."

Cao Fang nodded with a smile, "Then eat whatever you like. Don't be shy here."

Then she turned to Li Dong and scolded, "What time is it? Get dressed, wash your face, and brush your teeth. It's time to eat!"

Li Dong grumbled, "Mom, am I really your son? Now that Xiao Lan is here, I feel like I'm the adopted one."

"Stop talking nonsense. Are you eating or not? If not, then forget it."

Li Dong muttered a few words, got dressed, washed up, and started eating breakfast.

After breakfast, Cao Fang said, "I'll be going to the shop later. Lan Lan is in your care. Take her out to play. Your dad is busy and can't get away."

"Alright, you go ahead."

"By the way, when are you leaving?"

"Not in a hurry. If nothing comes up in Pingchuan, I don't have any urgent need to go back."

There's nothing major happening in Pingchuan for now. The only thing that needs attention is the price war with a few other stores.

But that price war is nearing its end. In about half a month, those guys won't be able to hold on any longer.

Carrefour and Tesco might hang in there for a bit, but I've heard that Lotus has already put up a sign to sell the store.

Lotus doesn't have the capital that the other two do, and in Jiangbei, it's isolated, with its main business areas not in East China. Since it's not making money, it's understandable if they pull out.

Although they haven't shut down yet, by early next year, Lotus will likely withdraw from Jiangbei.

Out of the six major supermarkets, three have been severely impacted by Li Dong's relentless pursuit.

Now that Lotus is pulling out, Carrefour and Tesco won't last much longer. Plus, Li Dong will be able to free up three stores. Even if it's a loss, it will be less than before.

Besides this, the distribution center and headquarters have also been pushed to post-New Year to handle.

As for the remaining sixteen stores out of thirty-four that haven't opened yet, they probably won't be ready this year. There's not enough staff, so they'll have to wait until the migrant worker surge at the beginning of the year to hire people and open in the first month of the lunar year.

So even if Li Dong goes back to Pingchuan now, there's not much to do.

The smaller issues can be handled by Sun Tao and the others.

But by the end of the lunar year, Li Dong will definitely have to go back since the annual meeting at Yuanfang has been scheduled for that day.

Seeing that Li Dong wasn't in a hurry, Cao Fang stopped asking questions. There's no need for her to worry about him anymore.

After Cao Fang left, Li Dong asked Li Lan, "Is there anything you want to do?"

Li Lan shook her head.

Li Dong laughed, "Why be so polite? I'm your brother. No need to be shy."

Li Lan blushed, still shaking her head without saying anything.

Li Dong scratched his head. He's not good at dealing with kids.

Even though Li Lan is in her teens, in Li Dong's eyes, she's still just a little girl. He has no idea what she's thinking or what she likes.

Not understanding, Li Dong said, "Alright, I won't ask. Let's get ready, and I'll take you out. We'll do whatever we find interesting."

Seeing that Li Lan was about to shake her head again, Li Dong made the final decision, "That's settled, no more head shaking."

Li Lan's lips curled up slightly, and she nodded without saying a word.

...

Leaving the house, Zhou Haidong was already waiting in the car downstairs.

Li Dong greeted him and asked, "How's Wang Cheng and the others?"

Wang Cheng is one of the scouts. Since Li Dong's parents didn't go to Pingchuan, he arranged for a few people to protect them.

It's been nearly three months since these people arrived in Dongping, and Li Dong was curious about how they're doing.

Zhou Haidong replied, "They're doing well. Actually, they're quite relaxed, getting paid for doing almost nothing. No need to worry about them, Mr. Li."

Li Dong smiled and turned to Li Lan, who was curiously watching, "Get in the car. We're going to Dongfang Plaza. It's busier there, more lively."

"Okay."

Li Lan got in the car, curling up in the back seat, not daring to move. Li Dong frowned but said nothing.

He couldn't help but wonder how Chen Jing had raised Li Lan to be so timid.

In the Li family, although Li Dong doesn't think much of Li Nanming and Li Qing, those siblings are far from timid, and neither is Li Dong himself. But when it comes to Li Lan, she's overly shy.

This isn't due to inherent factors; it's entirely the result of her environment.

Li Dong shook his head. Changing Li Lan isn't something that can be done overnight, and she can't stay with him forever. He could only do his best.

...

Dongfang Plaza.

Since it's already the twelfth month of the lunar calendar, many people are out shopping for the New Year, and even some migrant workers have already returned home.

Today, Dongfang Plaza is bustling

 with people. The square is filled with people, most of them children and the elderly.

Although Dongfang Plaza is in the county, there are still a few entertainment facilities. Seeing the bumper cars, Ferris wheel, and pirate ship, Li Lan's eyes sparkled.

Li Dong noticed and chuckled, "You want to ride the bumper cars?"

Li Lan hesitated for a moment, then whispered, "No..."

Li Dong smiled and said, "Come on, it's just bumper cars. It's fun. You stay here, and I'll go buy tickets."

Li Lan didn't want to go at first, but when Li Dong bought the tickets, she couldn't refuse anymore.

Seeing Li Dong pushing her toward the entrance, she whispered, "Brother, can you come with me?"

"Sure."

Li Dong handed over the tickets and got in the car with Li Lan.

Although it was supposed to be fun, the timid Li Lan hardly moved at all once inside. The bumper car drove slowly, and it was the other cars that came to hit her, which scared her and made her shout, "Brother, get out of the way!"

Li Dong couldn't stop laughing and said, "This is what you're supposed to do in bumper cars! What's the point if you don't bump into each other?"

Li Lan was getting frustrated, but she couldn't argue with him. She could only close her eyes and hope that no more cars would hit her.

...

The bumper car ride didn't last long. When they got out, Li Lan's face was red, and she kept giving Li Dong sidelong glances, as if she was mad at him.

Li Dong laughed and asked, "You didn't find it fun?"

Li Lan pouted and ignored him.

Seeing this, Li Dong didn't tease her anymore and said, "Fine, we won't do bumper cars anymore. Let's go play something else. This time, you choose."

"I don't want to play anymore."

Li Lan replied softly, still pouting.

Li Dong scratched his head, not knowing what to do.

He had a great time, but Li Lan didn't seem to enjoy it at all. How could he get her to have some fun?

While he was thinking about this, someone suddenly bumped into Li Dong, causing him to almost fall over.

Li Lan quickly held him up and asked in concern, "Brother, are you okay?"

Li Dong shook his head and looked over. He saw a couple of high school students running away, laughing, but he didn't say anything.

Boys in high school are full of energy, and since Li Dong wasn't hurt, he didn't make a fuss.

But Li Lan wasn't happy. She pouted and said, "They didn't even apologize."

Li Dong smiled and said, "It was just an accident. It's no big deal. Let's not ruin our mood over this."

"But..."

Li Lan still seemed upset, but seeing that Li Dong didn't care, she didn't say anything more.

Li Dong patted her head and said, "Alright, don't think about it. Let's go play something else. If you don't want to play, we can go get something to eat. My treat."

He said it jokingly, but Li Lan still frowned, looking back at the group of students who had run off.

Li Dong didn't pay much attention, but just as he was about to leave, he suddenly heard a voice from behind.

"Li Dong?"

Li Dong froze for a moment, then turned around.

Behind him, two guys and two girls were standing together, looking at him in surprise. The one who had spoken was a tall, thin guy with a high school uniform on, and the other three were similarly dressed.

Seeing them, Li Dong raised his eyebrows. After a moment of hesitation, he smiled and said, "Xu Xiaowei?"

"Yeah, it's me!"

The guy, Xu Xiaowei, looked a bit dazed. He walked over, looked at Li Dong, and asked hesitantly, "You're Li Dong, right? The Li Dong who was in class 13 of the third year at No. 1 High School?"

"Yeah, it's me. Long time no see, Xiaowei."

Li Dong smiled as he replied.

Xu Xiaowei seemed to finally confirm it was indeed Li Dong. His expression turned from confusion to excitement, and he said, "Wow, it really is you! I almost didn't recognize you. What brings you here?"

Li Dong smiled and replied, "I'm just taking my sister out for a bit. What about you?"

Xu Xiaowei scratched his head and said, "Same here. I'm out with some classmates for the weekend. We just finished our exams, so we're relaxing."

He then turned his attention to Li Lan, who was standing quietly next to Li Dong. With a smile, he asked, "Is this your sister?"

Li Dong nodded, "Yeah, she's visiting from out of town."

Li Lan, who had been quiet the whole time, gave a polite nod but didn't say anything. Xu Xiaowei noticed her shyness and didn't press further.

After a brief moment of silence, Xu Xiaowei awkwardly laughed, "It's been years since we graduated. I didn't expect to run into you here."

Li Dong chuckled, "Yeah, time flies."

Another of the students, a girl with short hair, stepped forward and curiously asked, "Li Dong, are you still living here in East Ping?"

Li Dong shook his head, "No, I've been working in Pingchuan for a while now. I just came back to visit my parents."

Hearing this, the girl seemed a little surprised, "Pingchuan? That's a big city. What do you do there?"

Li Dong smiled faintly and replied, "Just running a small business."

His understated response didn't fully convey the scope of his success, and Xu Xiaowei and the others didn't think much of it.

Xu Xiaowei suddenly seemed to remember something and said, "Oh, by the way, there's a class reunion planned soon. Will you be able to make it?"

Li Dong hesitated for a moment, "I'm not sure yet. I might have some things to take care of, but if I'm free, I'll definitely come."

Xu Xiaowei nodded, "That'd be great! Everyone would love to catch up with you."

As they were chatting, Li Dong noticed that Li Lan was starting to look a little tired. He smiled at Xu Xiaowei and his friends, "It was nice running into you all, but I think I'll take my sister home now. Let's keep in touch."

Xu Xiaowei smiled, "Sure thing. Take care, Li Dong."

After saying their goodbyes, Li Dong and Li Lan left Dongfang Plaza. As they walked back to the car, Li Lan finally spoke up, "Brother, do you know those people?"

Li Dong nodded, "Yeah, we went to high school together. It's been years since I last saw them."

Li Lan didn't say anything more, and the two of them quietly got into the car.

Once inside, Li Dong noticed that Li Lan seemed lost in thought. He gently asked, "What's on your mind?"

Li Lan hesitated before saying, "Brother, are you really just running a small business?"

Li Dong was slightly taken aback by the question. He looked at her and smiled, "Why do you ask?"

Li Lan looked down and said softly, "It's just… you don't seem like someone who's just running a small business."

Li Dong chuckled and reached out to ruffle her hair, "What do you think I'm doing then?"

Li Lan blushed and whispered, "I don't know… but I think you're more amazing than you let on."

Li Dong's smile widened, "Well, I am your brother after all. But seriously, no matter what I do, you just need to know that I'll always be here for you, okay?"

Li Lan nodded, feeling a bit more at ease. "Okay."

With that, Li Dong started the car, and they drove home in comfortable silence.