Chapter 30: What level are you in Taekwondo?

Jin City's September had gained a hint of coolness, though the temperature still soared to 32 degrees at noon.

Although Tang Xiaowan's Jin City University boasted first-class facilities and comprehensive amenities, it lacked the tranquility of Li Garden.

Back in Li Garden, not only did the servants handle everything, but an array of food was available in abundance, and one could enjoy the refreshing central air conditioning wherever they went.

But now, just stepping out of the university gates, Tang Xiaowan had already started panting and wiping sweat.

She was born and raised in Qingcheng.

It's surrounded by mountains on three sides, with spring-like weather all year round. Even in the hottest summer afternoons, temperatures barely reached 30 degrees, and the coldest winters were neither pierced by biting north winds nor saw any heavy, goose-feather-like snow, always staying above 6 degrees.

Hence, her wardrobe in Mei Garden was almost purely filled with outfits for spring, summer, and autumn, with fewer winter clothes.

When she left Qingcheng, Li Zishen didn't pack anything for her; everything she wore and used now was newly acquired in Jin City.

At this moment, Tang Xiaowan stood under the shade of a tree, shook her empty water bottle, and felt inexplicably irritated.

"It's too hot, I want to go back to school."

Li Zihan handed her a bottle of water with a bit of a bad smile, "Since we're out already, why not go to the small apartment?"

"How about you transfer me some money and I'll pay you back later?"

After saying that, Tang Xiaowan lifted the bottle high and gulped the water down.

"No, can't do, I have to ask my brother first."

Tang Xiaowan knew he would use Li Zishen to pressure her, so she touched her nose and looked steadily, "But if I..."

"Don't run, stop right there!"

With a loud shout, they saw a young man crazily rushing over.

Tang Xiaowan's lips curved slightly, she stuck out her foot, and the man was tripped over. But merely two or three seconds later, she panickedly covered her mouth, "Ah! I'm so sorry, I didn't see anyone coming, sorry!"

Li Zihan: "..."

He quickly stepped in front of Tang Xiaowan, "Sir, are you hurt?"

After saying that, he attempted to help the man.

But the man shook off Li Zihan's hand.

He had just climbed up, his body still hadn't straightened when two middle-aged men pushed him back down to the ground.

Everything happened so fast!

Li Zihan's head buzzing as he looked at them.

"Thank you!"

After one of the men spoke, he pulled out a pair of handcuffs, and with a click, they locked the man.

The man on the ground looked like a beaten dog.

As they left, he glared fiercely at Tang Xiaowan.

"Behave yourself, what are you looking at?"

A push and a drag, the three men gradually moved away.

Li Zihan fell into deep thought.

"Xiaowan, you..."

"Wow, it's lucky you were there, I was so scared, I thought they were going to extort money from me, but that guy turned out to be a big bad guy! Oh my, that was so frightening!"

As Tang Xiaowan spoke, she patted her own chest.

In her frightened eyes, there was a touch of smugness.

Li Zihan, somewhat puzzled, took a long pause before slowly responding, "Oh, it's okay, just be careful and watch where you're going next time, otherwise it's too dangerous."

"Mm-hm, okay, okay."

Tang Xiaowan nodded her head vigorously, as if it had springs attached.

In the morning, she had tried to slip away twice, but to no avail, as she was caught red-handed by Li Zihan each time. But that kick just now was perfectly timed, clearly showing her agility.

Could she know martial arts?

I didn't even notice someone running at us.

That reaction was too quick!

To clear his doubts, Li Zihan quickly seized the chance while Tang Xiaowan was distracted and asked swiftly, "Xiaowan, what dan are you in Taekwondo?"

He spoke very fast, and upon finishing, he stared intently at her.

"Taekwondo?" Tang Xiaowan furrowed her brows slightly and shook her head, "No, I don't know Taekwondo."

Her gaze didn't waver, it seemed to be the truth.

Right, if she really knew some moves, my brother wouldn't bother sending someone to secretly protect her.

But who would have any designs on her?

She's not wealthy, and her looks... well, she's okay, barely an advantage, but surely not enough to justify an assassination, right?

That certainly wasn't it; it didn't make sense.

I'm getting off track!

Tang Xiaowan, seeing Li Zihan's prolonged silence, took the initiative to ask, "Why did you ask me that?"

"It's nothing. I just think you have a remarkable bone structure; it would be a pity not to learn something."

Tang Xiaowan touched her nose: "Oh."

"Oh, what? Hurry up, let's go eat at the small apartment; I'm starving."

"Oh."

Li Zihan: "..."

It seemed that she had agreed.

Girls really do have a lot of issues, changing faces like the weather, unpredictable.

It would have been nice if it were always this simple. What a headache!

Li Garden study.

Chen Xin stood by with a complex expression.

At this moment, Li Zishen was troubled by a short video.

In the video, Tang Xiaowan was blocked by Li Zihan, visibly annoyed and puffed up her cheeks.

The clip lasted 15 seconds.

The caption read: Second-generation rich kid persistently chases a girl.

It didn't make it to trending topics, but it still garnered over fifty thousand views.

"Haven't we already checked?"

"We've verified it; it wasn't someone from their side. It was a student from the Foreign Language College, probably trying to grab attention and increase followers."

Eventually, Li Zishen withdrew his gaze from the phone and said coldly, "This is just the first day."

A shadow passed across his eyes, his face marked with displeasure.

It was a trivial matter initially; Chen Xin could just flag it for violating regulations and have it removed.

But just now.

Several elders in the group expressed that if they didn't accept Leng Lingxiao's negotiation invitation, it could potentially affect the stock market.

These two incidents seemed unrelated.

Yet some were using them to stir up trouble.

Rumors circulated that ever since Tang Xiaowan arrived, the Leng Family hadn't had peace, with Li Zishen first giving up negotiation opportunities for her, and now setting his sights on Li Zihan.

The video incident was not a good sign.

Yet in the video, the girl was clearly rejecting him.

Some distorted it as the girl playing hard to get, employing a strategy of retreat to advance.

They feared Li Zishen would follow his father's old path.

Forsaking the safety of the group for a woman.

Just as Chen Xin had dealt with the video, another issue stirred their nerves.

#Lee Group siblings' discord, #Lee Group plans to venture into education, #Lee Group facing unprecedented challenges, various trending hashtags scattered all over the internet.

Many people didn't care about their authenticity and blindly followed the trend.

Sharing the shared, drawing traffic from that traffic.

—Diversified development, promising!

—Is this the struggle before bankruptcy?

—Are Lee Group's stocks dropping?

—Sibling rivalry, a noble family doomed to fail, is this a fight over inheritance?

Comments were mixed; many were just watching for entertainment.

The current group employees weren't much affected, feeling that at most, some funds would be diverted toward education.

The new industry chain might even benefit the old one.

But those who were laid off earlier were full of complaints, voicing their opinions that they were unlucky to have been laid off to reduce burdens.