After multiple turns, Liu Shan’s car finally arrived at the location Manager Luo had sent him. He parked his car in the driveway and stepped out from the driver’s side.
He looked up at the house in front of him and was surprised to see how the old man was living. Especially the number of cameras set up around the place.
“Man, you really can’t do anything here without being captured.”
He mutters under his breath and shakes his head at how ridiculous Manager Luo is for setting up the number of cameras. If anyone were to trip and fall, without a doubt, it would be captured, let alone pass gas.
“Why would this old man need so much surveillance?”
As he made this question, he couldn’t help but wonder why Manager Luo would set his home like a fortress.
Unable to find an answer, he closes the door to his and walks to the front of the house.
This time, he was beyond baffled. The lights surrounding the house are turned on, but the light above the door is the only one turned off.
His eyebrows furrow and he rings the doorbell, thinking the old man must have forgotten to turn it on.
“What the—”
When he hears the doorbell echo from inside, the light above him automatically turns on. However, it was so bright that he was blinded for a split second.
[“Name.”]
Suddenly a child’s voice sounds from an unnoticeable intercom and shocked Liu Shan to the core.
He looks left, right, then up and down. Seeing no intercom, he was even more confused.
“Where is the voice coming from?”
[“Over here, idiot.”]
Hearing this, Liu Shan follows the sound of the voice, leading him to the nearby bush.
He reached his arm inside the bush in search, and it didn’t take long before he found it.
Hidden within this bush was an intercom securely concealed inside. Anyone who walks by, whether it is day or night, would not have noticed it at all.
He squats down and leans towards the bush.
“Hello? This is Liu Shan. I have a meeting with Uncle Lou. May I ask who this is?”
[“Me? I am your father— Little brat, what are you doing? Who is at the door?!”]
From the intercom came a child’s voice, then an old man’s voice. Liu Shan didn’t see what happened, but he heard a loud smack causing him to snort a laugh.
[“Hello? Who is out there? If you’re here to sell us things again, we don’t want it. Go away.”]
The old man’s voice sounded in annoyance, and Liu Shan’s laughter ceased into a smile. He raises his eyebrows, turns to look at the many cameras, and shakes his head. Maybe the old man kept having uninvited guests that he put up the cameras.
He cleared his throat and composed himself.
“Uncle Luo, it’s me. Shan.”
[“Oh, Liu Shan, haha, it’s you only? Hurry, come inside.”]
Followed by Manager Luo’s voice, a loud buzz sounds as one could hear the locks on the door unlocking.
Liu Shan straightens himself and walks over to the now opened door. As he entered the house, he didn’t forget to knock on the walls as he did the door.
“When you said ten minutes, I didn’t think you meant it.”
Manager Luo greets Liu Shan at the door with a broad smile on his face. He thought that young people these days would take longer than they say.
However, seeing the assistant knock on the door and walls, he laughs.
“I know what you’re thinking, but yes, everything around my house is bulletproof.”
When Liu Shan heard this, his eyebrows arched, and his jaw slightly dropped. After what felt like a whole year had gone by, did he come back to his senses.
He nods his head in understanding and chuckles in a sarcastic tone.
“You are filled with wealth, old man. Maybe I should quit my job and start working for you.”
Manager Luo had always been proud of his house. It may seem like an ordinary house on the outside, but it is not an easy one if someone wants to break in.
“I wouldn’t mind having someone like you work for me, but I doubt what I do is good for your stomach. Come this way. I have what you asked for.”
He closed the door and quickly changed the topic by directing Liu Shan to the living room.
As the two head to the living room, Liu Shan didn’t forget to look around the house. He noticed about the old man that he seemed to love collecting books as he had a vast collection in every part of the house.
He was soon led to the living room and sat down on the couch. In front of him was a coffee table, but it was covered with papers.
“Uh, this is….”
“Available apartments and houses.”
Manager Luo didn’t hesitate and answered the young man. He takes a seat on the couch across from Liu Shan and picks up one of the papers.
“I figured this is why you called me earlier.”
He passes the paper to Liu Shan but remembering something, he stands up.
“Take your time going over them. I was brewing some tea. I’ll get you a cup too.”
Liu Shan held the paper in his hand without looking at the old man walking away. He stared at the paper that showed the exterior and interior of an apartment.
He ponders over it and then places it down to pick up a different one.
Seconds turned to minutes, and before he realized it, he had piled the papers and brochures into three different stacks. One was for interest, the second was maybe, and the last one was not interested.
He leaned back on the couch and held his chin as he did some more thinking.
“Seems like you’re having a difficult time deciding.”
Manager Lou returns to the living room with a tray in hand. He places a cup of tea in front of the young man and then sits down before picking up his cup.
“What’s troubling you?”
Liu Shan thanked the old man for the tea but hearing the question, his eyes lowered down to the cup in his hand.
“It’s nothing.”
Knowing that he was lying, Manager Lou smiled without speaking right away. He blows on the tea before taking a small sip.
“Shan, I may be old, but you cannot fool me.”
He looks at Liu Shan and sighs through his smile.
“If you don’t want to tell me, I understand, but I hope you can overcome it. If it is not worth the trouble, don’t dwell on it and move on.”
Liu Shan couldn’t respond with words. He could only give the old man a small smile to reassure him he meant nothing was troubling him.
However, Manager Lou knew better.
After all, he (Manager Lou) sees Liu Shan as a son.
“I will not pry you into telling me, so stop making that fake smile.”
He could see that the smile on Liu Shan’s face was not a genuine one. Instead, it was a smile he (Liu Shan) would make when he was bothered by something.
Liu Shan was surprised to know that the old man had seen through him. He sighs inside and takes a sip of the tea.
“Alright, you got me.”
He puts the cup down and glances at the old man.
“Please keep this from her. I’ll tell her if I have to.”
Manager Lou didn’t need to ask who the ‘her’ Liu Shan was speaking of as he knew it was no one other than Yue Ling.
If anyone is to worry about anyone, it would be Yue Ling. She may sometimes seem like the type not to care, but only those who know her know that she is the most caring person in the world.
Especially when it comes to those she holds dear.
“Alright. Despite not knowing what it is, I’ll keep this between us.”
Liu Shan was thankful to the old man. He pointed to a stack of papers and spoke.
“These are the places I’m interested. I’ll send you my open schedules so you can see which days fit with yours.”
He picks up a brochure from the maybe pile but remembers something.
“Oh, who was the child that answered the door?”
Manager Lou had yet to take another sip of his tea when the question entered his ears. He coughs to clear his throat, then grins at the assistant.
“My grandson.”
Upon hearing this answer, Liu Shan almost fell out of his seat. However, with quick reflexes, he steadies himself to look the old man in the eyes.
“You have a grandson? How come I never knew about this? You didn’t go and steal someone’s child, did you?”
Manager Lou was in disbelief by this. He stared at Liu Shan with heavy eyelids, then rolled his eyes with a hmmf.
“Boy, how old do you think I am? 40?”
His words were filled with sarcasm, but he heaved a long and loud sigh, seeing that Liu Shan was still confused.
“Aiya, you really are an idiot.”
He put the cup of tea down on the table as he turned his head to the side where they had entered.
“Edward. Come here. Grandpa wants you to meet someone.”
Liu Shan’s jaw gradually dropped to the floor when he heard the old man call out to someone. He chuckles in disbelief with eyes never moving from Manager Lou.
“Edward? Your grandson’s name is Edward?”
Manager Lou doesn’t look back at Liu Shan but rolls his eyes again.
“Yes, his name is Edward. You know, Ed— ward.”
