Hearing Su Pu come in, Su Fengxian immediately retreated into the study, putting on the full air of a stern patriarch.
But after waiting for quite some time, Su Pu still did not come in to see him.
The anger that had barely subsided flared up again. Su Fengxian stood up, his gaze roaming as he searched for something suitable at hand.
His eyes locked onto a loose picture frame in the corner, and he pulled out one of the longer wooden strips.
Out of the study, down the stairs—
And then he saw Li Jichuan sitting directly opposite the staircase.
The real Li Jichuan, unmistakably so.
So stunned was Su Fengxian that by the time he reached the first floor and stood in front of Li Jichuan, he was still gripping the stick meant to discipline Su Pu.
Li Jichuan looked at him, then at the object in his hand. His brow lifted slightly, and he let out a soft chuckle.
“Father-in-law… what is this supposed to be?”
“Dad…” Su Hui whispered a reminder, lightly tapping the back of his hand.
Sweat had already broken out across Su Fengxian’s forehead. His mind churned slowly and stiffly. After a long pause, it was as if he suddenly came to his senses and hid the stick behind his back.
“Oh my—why has Little Li come over?”
Su Fengxian did his best to appear composed. After all, strictly speaking, he was the elder here.
But what kind of first meeting was this, where the elder stood awkwardly while the younger calmly sat in a chair…
A wheelchair was still a chair, wasn’t it?
Su Fengxian cleared his throat and shot an annoyed look at Su Pu standing beside him.
“Xiao Pu, since you were bringing your husband over, why didn’t you tell Dad in advance?”
Su Pu’s eyes were unfocused. Even he himself had not expected Li Jichuan to come.
Seeing no response, Su Fengxian coughed twice more in embarrassment and said to them,
“Don’t just stand at the door. Little Li doesn’t come often—let’s go to the sitting room and have some tea.”
Li Jichuan inclined his head and guided his wheelchair forward, following behind Su Fengxian and Su Hui.
Taking the opportunity, Su Pu moved to his side, his gaze dazed and stunned.
As if asking: why are you here?
Li Jichuan nearly laughed.
How had he never realized before that teasing Su Pu—catching him completely off guard—could be this amusing?
Mainly because Su Pu’s expression right now was far too adorable, like a character who had jumped out of an animated film, those round, deer-like eyes filled with question marks.
He really could not hide his thoughts at all…
Li Jichuan glanced at the two men ahead and lowered his voice.
“So you’re allowed to be friends with Ouyang, but I’m not allowed one extra mobile intelligence source?”
In an instant, the symbols in Su Pu’s eyes turned into exclamation points.
It amused Li Jichuan so much that warmth filled his gaze.
Once inside the sitting room, Su Fengxian naturally took the central seat on the three-seater sofa reserved for the host, leaving a two-seater sofa and a single armchair on either side.
Su Hui followed closely behind and plopped himself squarely in the middle of the two-seater.
Leaving only the single armchair for the remaining two people.
The intention to put Su Pu in his place could not have been clearer.
After all, “Su Pu”—Su family servant—was the name he had been called since childhood.
Did he really think marriage could change that?
However, no matter how carefully Su Hui planned, he had not accounted for the fact that Li Jichuan came with his own seat.
He did not need their sofa at all.
Li Jichuan’s wheelchair stopped right beside the single armchair, separated from Su Pu by only one armrest. The two of them sat almost pressed against it, whispering to each other for quite some time.
Li Jichuan said something, and the little mute’s cheeks immediately flushed red.
The sight of their intimacy made Su Hui’s heart burn with anxiety.
Weren’t people saying that Li Jichuan had a strange temperament and specialized in preying on young men?
Why did it look like he and Su Pu were chatting and laughing, clearly on very good terms?
Could it be that Su Pu had actually managed to hook Li Jichuan?
“Little Li, you’re so busy with work—I didn’t expect you’d still remember these formalities.”
Su Fengxian, seated in the host’s position, finally could not hold back and interrupted their private exchange.
“But you didn’t come the day after Su Pu moved out. Coming specially today—is it…?”
His words were gentle on the surface but barbed underneath, subtly mocking Li Jichuan for belated courtesy and poor etiquette.
Li Jichuan naturally caught the implication, yet he remained calm and composed, still wearing that open, easygoing expression.
“I really was extremely busy before. On top of that, my grandfather hasn’t been in good health, so whenever I have some free time, I go see him. As for your company’s anniversary gala a few days ago, I actually planned to attend, but an unexpected situation came up at work, and I couldn’t get away.”
Li Jichuan’s voice was deep, and when he spoke, he always sounded inexplicably serious and proper.
As if whatever he said must make sense.
After hearing him, Su Fengxian nodded unconsciously, smoothly helping him save face.
“Of course, of course. After all, you’re managing such a large group—there are always priorities.”
“Yes. Thank you for your understanding, Dad…”
The moment Li Jichuan said “Dad,” everyone present froze in surprise.
Su Fengxian’s eyes curved into a smile at once, thoroughly flattered.
“We’re all family—no need for thanks. It’s just that our Xiao Pu will have to trouble you to look after him more!”
With that single “Dad,” Su Fengxian instantly forgot all the embarrassment and awkwardness of the anniversary gala.
After all, being connected by marriage to the Li family meant glory for the Su family as well.
Li Jichuan smiled modestly and shook his head lightly. “He’s the one who takes better care of me.”
Su Pu pressed his lips together and shot him a quick glance.
He could not help feeling happy.
Across from them, however, Su Hui’s jealousy flared even more fiercely.
What right did Su Pu have?
Everything he had now—shouldn’t it all belong to him?
He was the one who had discarded it and casually handed it over to Su Pu. Who would have thought Su Pu would stumble into such a good marriage by sheer luck?
What right did he have?!
Meanwhile, Su Fengxian was completely oblivious to his younger son’s thoughts, too busy currying favor with Li Jichuan as he brought up several projects currently in the bidding stage.
Li Jichuan agreed readily, promising to “lend a hand.”
If all those projects were successfully launched, the Su family’s company would achieve a class leap.
At that point, Su Fengxian would not have to do anything—money and resources would pour in every day as he lay back.
Just imagining it was enough to make him grin.
“Little Li, do you have plans tonight? Why don’t you stay and have a simple dinner with us?”
Su Fengxian smiled so broadly his teeth showed.
“Our chef’s skills are pretty good—he can cook a bit of everything. Look at Huihui—every time he comes back from abroad on vacation, he gains a few pounds…”
Li Jichuan smoothly shifted the topic.
“Since your chef is so good, why did you manage to starve our Xiao Pu until he’s this thin?”
“Huh?”
Su Fengxian froze on the spot. The smile lingering on his face slowly faded away.
“Xiao Pu, he… he doesn’t live with us…” Su Fengxian stammered.
But Li Jichuan had no intention of letting him off and pressed further.
“Does he not live with you, or is he not allowed to live with you?”
At those words, Su Pu’s lowered hand clenched tightly.
This house was so large, yet there was not a single place in it that could truly accommodate him.
“When Su Pu came to my side, he didn’t like to eat, couldn’t sleep well, and was always overly cautious. Did you know any of this, Dad?”
That “Dad” was spoken so clearly, like a slap landing squarely on Su Fengxian’s face.
Li Jichuan had finally revealed his true purpose.
He was not here to pay respects to elders at all—he had come to hold them to account.
I had a perfectly good spouse. How did your family raise him into this?