After that small hiccups, all the required party finally arrived. Li Jinghua was staring at Xue Rui and Xue Jun with a wary expression. Currently sitting in the private room which Xue Jun has booked, Li Jinghua couldn't help but feel nervous. Looking at her left, she saw her brother staring intently at the menu. She poked Li Xinwen's thigh before she leaned closer to whisper, her eyes never leaving the two brothers sitting opposite them.
"Ah'Wen, why are we here?" Li Jinghua asked.
Li Xinwen turned to face Li Jinghua and saw how she is staring at Xue Rui and Xue Jun in a suspicious manner. Somehow, he couldn't help but feel amused. Xue Jun used to stare at him with the exact same stare his sister used on them now. "Hua-jie, just relax," Li Xinwen whispered back. "First, let's eat lunch. Here, what would you like to eat?" Li Xinwen asked as he shared the menu book to Li Jinghua.
Li Jinghua still feels nervous, but she still looked at the menu. Lakeside Pavilion is known for their authentic traditional cuisine. The pictures on the menu book also looks mouth watering. But other than that, they also have few simple meals. "I can't eat anything heavy since I need to go back to work," Li Jinghua said. "So I'll just take the fried rice."
Li Xinwen nods his head and started to write down Li Jinghua's order. Li Xinwen also sneakily wrote down oxtail soup beneath, then wrote down few more soft food dishes. "What about drinks?" Li Xinwen asked.
"I'll have whatever drink you have," Li Jinghua replied.
"Alright," Li Xinwen said as he wrote down '2 chocolate milk' on the paper. After that he handed the paper to Xue Rui so they could proceed to write down their order.
The two brothers didn't take long as they already knew what they would like to get so as soon as they finished writing, Xue Jun called for the waiter. The waiter repeated their order for confirmation and only after that did the waiter leave.
"Alright, while waiting for our meal, let us not waste any time. My little brother here have something to say to the both of you, as his elder, I hope that you two will at least listen to what he has to say," Xue Jun said before he gestured for Xue Rui to start.
Though Xue Rui appeared calm, he was actually feeling extremely nervous. He looked at Li Xinwen, then at Li Jinghua. He opened his mouth, but the words seems to be stuck on his throat.
"I... want to apologize properly," Xue Rui said after a while of struggle. "Jinghua, though at the beginning, I didn't mean to do it, but it didn't change the fact that after finding out the truth, I used your feelings for me to stay closer to your family. I admit, I was blind and foolish and..." Xue Rui paused for a while to calm his nerve but this pause ends up taking more than ten seconds and created an awkward atmosphere between them.
"In short, you were acting like those scums who plays with people's genuine feelings, crushing their heart and hope," Xue Jun decided to deal the blow and Xue Rui's lowered his head in shame. "But unlike those scums who doesn't learn, at least you're here now, trying to come to terms with those whom you've wronged. Compared to them, you are currently a bit better. But my opinion doesn't mean anything if those who you wronged didn't forgive you," Xue Jun added. Though it sounded like he was shooting Xue Rui down at first, his next sentences was actually an attempt to make Li Jinghua and Li Xinwen see his brother in a new light, hoping that it would increase their favoribility of his brother.
'So he can be cunning when he wants to,' Li Xinwen thought to himself. 'Well, Xue Rui is his brother. So no matter how harsh he is, he would still instinctively protect his brother.'
Li Xinwen didn't say anything and only glanced at Li Jinghua. He had already told Li Jinghua of his stance just few night before so this time, it was her turn to come to terms with Xue Rui.
Li Jinghua also noticed that the attention now rests on her so he couldn't help but fidget slightly. "To be honest... I still don't understand it. I don't understand why you would do such a thing. When we first met, you were such a gentleman. You were foolish, awkward and I could see that it was actually your first time pursuing someone but nevertheless, you still acted like a gentleman."
Li Xinwen heard this, and he remembered how Xue Rui acted like a young puppy before. 'So I guess this is his true personality? There is the strict and overbearing older brother, the crazy and cunning second brother and then there is him, the foolish one. Poor guy,' shaking his head at the thought, Li Xinwen continued to listen to what Li Jinghua was saying.
"So how is it that you suddenly changed?"
At this, Xue Rui didn't answer. He didn't know what Li Jinghua and Li Xinwen would think of him if he did answer. So he simply kept quiet. Unfortunately for him, when Xue Jun said he is there to keep him from chickening out, his older brother had truly meant it.
"This idiot thought that he could replicate what happened in a fictional story in his life in accordance to Xue Liang's suggestion," Xue Jun said.
Li Jinghua: ...
Li Xinwen who used drama series as reference for his preparation: Is that bad...?
"In any case," Xue Rui quickly said before Xue Jun started to tattle more on him. "I was wrong. I know what I did, you probably won't forgive me for it, but that's fine. At least, please allow me to right my wrong doings."
"And how do you plan on doing so?" Li Jinghua asked. "It's not easy for us, the victims, to simply accept this. Who knows if you'll repeat the same mistake again in the future?"
"I..." Xue Rui didn't know how to reply to it so he took out his wallet and then, placed a card on the table before sliding it towards Li Jinghua. This action seemed to have infuriated Li Jinghua even more while Xue Jun just massaged his temple.
'Xiao Rui, ah... you'll get misunderstood if its like this...'
"What? Is this your 'hush' money? This is how you want to right your wrongs?" Li Jinghua asked, eyes narrowing in disdain.
"No! You got it wrong!!" Xue Rui said in a panicked tone. "I just thought that, you might need money to prepare for the apocalypse," Xue Rui said, trying to explain himself. "Jinghua, other than money, I have nothing. So, other than this method, I don't know how else I can atone for myself," Xue Rui murmured in a soft voice.
Li Jinghua stared at the pitiful looking Xue Rui and felt her heart soften, but she quickly shook her head. She was about to reject it, and she already reached out to push the card away. But Li Xinwen was faster. Li Jinghua could only watch as Li Xinwen grabbed the card and inspected it.
"Ah'Wen?" Li Jinghua gave her brother a questioning look.
"En. We do need money," Li Xinwen said as he gave Li Jinghua a smile. "Right? Since someone had extended an olive branch to us, let's just accept it. I'm sure this money will help to ensure our survivality better."
"You guys can use it however you want. The card is linked directly to my own personal account and there are no limit for it," Xue Rui told them.
Li Jinghua closed her eyes, as if pondering about it. In the end, her wish to keep her family safe overturned her wish of wanting nothing to do with Xue Rui. "Fine. I will accept this card. But bear in mind, this doesn't mean that I have forgiven what you've done. This only means that I am giving you a chance to properly make your atonement," Li Jinghua said. After a while, she added: "Can this card be used to buy guns?"
"That's impossible," the one who answered wasn't Xue Rui but instead, Xue Jun. "Such armaments are strictly controlled by the military. Though you can find dealers who would sell them in the underground market, they will only accept payment by cash since card transaction can be easily traced."
"Well, how about we just withdraw the money and pay when it comes to it?" Li Jinghua asked again.
"And you meet those dealer face to face? Out of question. With two innocent looking fresh meat going to meat an arms dealer, it will only bound to be bloody," Xue Jun replied. 'And with your brother's temper, he might even end up bringing more trouble by killing them,' he added in his mind.
"You just leave the matter about the weapons to me. I will not be able to move much from the military, but I know someone who can smuggle a good amount of weapons," Xue Jun said.
"Alright. Then I'll leave that to you," Li Jinghua replied.
They were about to continue their discussion when the door to their private room was knocked. "Sir, your foods are here," came the waitress's voice from behind the door.
"Alright, come in," Xue Jun said out loud and the door opened. Then, several employees came in pushing a cart. They started to serve their meal on the table in a careful and respectful manner. They only left after they finished with their work, and then the door to their room was closed once more.
"Before we continue, let us first eat. It is not good to talk while eating," Xue Jun said as he began to pick up his chopstick.
Li Xinwen also didn't waste time and quickly grabbed his own chopstick. He first reached out to the oxtail soup that he ordered, but just as he picked the meat up, a hand grabbed on his wrist.
"Ah'Wen... you cannot eat hard food for a month, remember?" came Li Jinghua's voice from beside him.
"Ah, Hua-jie, did I not mention? After visiting Mr Min's school, my injuries are all healed up! Even if I was to eat some hard as rock beef, I'd still be fine!" Li Xinwen said to her. But Li Jinghua only continued to stare at him, expression clearly saying that she didn't believe him. "You can ask Xue Jun if you don't believe me! He's Min Xiaoyu's senior martial brother!"
Hearing his name suddenly being called during his meal time, Xue Jun can't help but narrowing his eyes. Sensing that he will not be able to eat peacefully until this matter between brother and sister is solved, he put his chopstick down. "Miss Li, your brother is a cultivator. His injury heals faster than normal people. You have my word that he has already made a full recovery."
"Oh, is that so..." Li Jinghua seemed hesitant, but she still let Li Xinwen's wrist go. "Speaking of which... Ah'Wen mentions that Rui was heavily injured. But seeing him right now, I don't even see a single blemish on his skin... is it because he's also a cultivator?"
Li Xinwen who was the cause: ...
Xue Rui, the non-cultivator who knows nothing: ...
The elder brother who was accused of over-reacting by the doctors: ...
Small theatre: Xue Liang & Xue Rui
Xue Rui: Brother, eldest brother isn't helping me so I can only go to you... how can I deal with this situation?
Xue Liang: Huh? Such easy matter and still asking me? Here, go read this and brush up your knowledge ba!
Xue Liang hands several books to Xue Rui and left.
Small theatre: Xue Jun & Xue Rui before going to Lakeside Pavilion
Xue Jun: Why are we going to the bank first?
Xue Rui: To prepare an offering.
Xue Jun: Offering?
Xue Rui: En. Preparing for the apocalypse will need a lot of money. I can at least give them money so they can buy all those foods, clothes and other stuff.
Xue Jun: That's a good idea.
Xue Rui: Plus, it can also feel like I'm providing for my family!
Xue Jun: ... (I praised him too early.)
Small theatre: Li Xinwen & Xue Rui in front of Lakeside Pavilion
Xue Rui helped Li Xinwen put the sunglasses on.
Xue Rui: (Ah, he looks gorgeous and I want to hug him... But I must control myself. Wait until I am worthy enough to stand beside him... but maybe just a picture)
-SNAP!-
Li Xinwen: Rui-ge, did you just take a picture of me?
Xue Rui: Well... I will be away for god knows how long for training so can I at least keep this with me?
Li Xinwen with a smile: If you don't want your new phone to be destroyed, delete it.
Xue Rui obediently deleted the photo right in front of Li Xinwen.