A Good For Nothing

Though consumed with rage, Qiao Peiyu still managed to force a smile. "Hha. Zheng is really good at joking. They"re on the other list."

"Go and get it, along with the stock right certificate of He Zheng"s shares in our company." Trying hard to subdue his urge to open the casket and use the dragon scale to treat himself, He Changchun gazed at He Zheng with amiable eyes and said in a tender voice, "Zheng, if you need anything – anything at all, feel free to tell me. Though you are going to marry into another family, you"ll always be a member of He family."

He Zheng had never heard He Changchun say this kind of words to him in his whole life. Instead of being touched, he felt them ironic.

"This old fox sold his own son so willingly, yet he still has the nerve to make this kind of remarks. Is it really because he cares for his good-for-nothing son who can"t even cultivate that he"s saying this? Or is he doing this to please Li Zong?"

It was such a no-brainer.

"I just want what"s rightfully mine," He Zheng smiled wryly, took those files, opened the car door and slammed the door shut as he got in, leaving the others facing the pitch-black door. He didn"t even lower the car window a little.

Seeing that He Zheng had no sense to appreciate their "kindness", He Changchun was somewhat embarra.s.sed, but what mattered the most to him was Li Zong"s att.i.tude, so he forced a smile and turned to talk to Li Zong.

After a couple of minutes, probably because the phantom-face sores on his body began to itch again, He Changchun had nothing more to say. Li Zong conveniently said his farewells and intended to leave with others.

Li Tiangang didn"t get in the car, saying, "Now that I"ve already come here, I"d like to take this opportunity to visit a couple of old friends of mine. Li Zong, you may go back home with Zheng first. Show him around and help him get acquainted with others."

Before leaving, Li Zong reminded Li Tiangang to inform the driver to pick him up when he was ready to return. Then he got in the car.

In the car.

He Zheng was riding shotgun. Somebody had stuck a couple of small stickers with patterns of flowers on the car window. The edges of the stickers had curled, making a fairly ugly sight. He Zheng childishly reached out his hand to scratch them.

"Having a bad day?"

Li Zong"s bland voice was heard. He Zheng withdrew his hand and gave a soft snort.

"These are prenuptial property. There"s no need to notarize them."

His words amused Li Zong somewhat. "This kid knows about prenuptial property. He must have done quite some research." Li Zong"s guess was factually correct. The night before, He Zheng had a long talk with his bosom buddy on the phone consulting with him on these matters.

Li Zong didn"t lay this bare. He flicked a glance at the watch around his wrist and said, "Let"s go and get a marriage certificate first. I"m afraid there"s not enough time for a wedding banquet – if you insist, I can apply to the bureau for a marital leave, but the approval procedures might take a while. There have been a lot things going on recently."

He was telling the truth. During their stay in the residence of He family, He Zheng had noticed that Li Zong had secretly hung up three or four calls.

He Zheng was amazed at the thought of this. "Why did I count how many calls he hung up?"

"Do it your way. I"m okay," replied He Zheng absent-mindedly, somewhat fidgety.

This remark brought the conversation between the two to its end.

Since Li Zong"s ident.i.ty was rather special, their marriage registration procedure was also different from normal. He Zheng signed an agreement in the car and their marital relation was officially established.

Li Zong owned an apartment in the residential community called Century Town near Rosefinch Avenue. Housing price was very high in this area, about 60,000-70,000 bucks per square meters. Li Zong"s apartment was a small one, with two bedrooms, a living room, a dining room, a kitchen and a bathroom, which should be enough for two men to live in.

The apartment was very clean, and the interior decorations were of fine style – at least it didn"t make He Zheng feel that this marriage was horrible. Instead, Li Zong struck him as a man with pretty good taste.

"The cleaner has been busy these days and the other bedroom hasn"t been cleaned yet." While changing shoes, Li Zong handed a pair of new slippers to He Zheng. "You may sleep in the master bedroom. I"ll be working overtime during the next few days and I might not be able to come back."

He Zheng didn"t like to sleep in a bed that somebody else used to sleep in. As if he could read He Zheng"s mind, Li Zong told him, "The bedding is new."

Then he added, "You can buy a new bed online if you want, or I can go with you to a furniture store to buy one on holiday."

"This will do." Utterly bored, He Zheng felt like smoking and slightly moved his fingers.

At the thought of this, he put it into action. Skillfully, he shook a cigarette out of the pack and lit it in a very graceful position. He held the cigarette with two fingers, the end of it glowing scarlet.

Having never met anyone so impolite before, Li Zong briefly raised his left eyebrow.

He Zheng paid no attention whatsoever to him, sitting on the sofa, cigarette ash scattered on the ground near his feet.

"You may leave those files on the desk after signing them. Food is in the refrigerator. There are also a couple of pretty good takeouts. I"ll send you the numbers later."

"Has Supt. Li always been so fond of being a nanny?" Being treated this way by Li Zong, who was a legendary figure, He Zheng felt a sharp contrast between Li Zong"s current behavior and his reputation, which was why he couldn"t help but said this to tease him.

Li Zong was not angered. Watching the man who had a sneer on his face, he suddenly said, "Since your endowments have been unsealed, you might feel uncomfortable. Lodge my number in your mind. I"ll come to your help if you"re in need."

He Zheng"s lighted cigarette dropped to the ground. He had never told anybody that the magical seal in his body had been undone. As if somebody had pried into his secret, he was displeased.

Li Zong"s casual remark had nearly caused He Zheng to forget himself. He Zheng raised his foot and calmly stamped out the cigarette. Without picking it up to throw it into the garbage can, he turned around, walked into the bedroom and slammed the door shut with a somewhat scary bang.

"We"re married by agreement. You have no right to interfere in my personal life!" observed He Zheng in a fierce tone of voice before entering the room.

Originally, Li Zong had intended to go inside and have a talk with this bad-tempered young man, but he was just about to walk to the bedroom door when there was an urgent ring at his phone. He fished it out and saw Zhen Ni"s name on the screen.

Li Zong withdrew his hand with which he was about to knock, turned around and wrote a line of words on a sticky note on the refrigerator before leaving.