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Li Xue cast a resentful glance at Chen Rui and pulled him out of the house.
"Are we just leaving like this? Not even saying goodbye?" Chen Rui couldn't help but wonder. Normally, Li Xue shouldn't treat her friends this way. Was she still jealous?
Li Xue shook her head, turned around with her hands on her hips, and stared at Chen Rui with a mischievous smile. "Do you still think I'm jealous? Come on, Chiba looks so much like me. If you're infatuated with her, it’s just like being infatuated with me. Besides, at this hour, once she falls asleep, she won't wake up until seven or eight in the afternoon."
What! Is she living on Japanese time in America? How can this girl handle it? Chen Rui smiled wryly, completely surprised by Yuki Chiba's sleeping schedule.
"There's nothing I can do; she's an online writer and hasn't gained much fame yet. According to her routine, once she opens her computer, she just plays games and doesn't have time to settle down and write. She can only adjust her state late at night to write peacefully," Li Xue said with a bitter smile, clearly understanding this kind of lifestyle well.
Chen Rui stroked his chin. He didn't understand the world of writers, but if opening a computer meant being bombarded with information, couldn't they just cut off the internet? If all she needed was a quiet working environment, there was no need to wait until late at night.
"Wait a minute! What does her dad do again? He should be quite wealthy. Why does she live in a place like this? Yuki Chiba shouldn't need to write for money," Chen Rui suddenly realized something strange. Chiba Kaede's personal assets should be no less than nine figures in dollars, and while this apartment wasn't bad, it certainly wasn't the kind of place a billionaire would live in.
"Chiba Kaede travels frequently between America and Japan. Since he spends more time in America, he settled Yuki Chiba in the location of his company's branch here. Chiba Kaede started in construction and then ventured into the restaurant and entertainment industries. This newly built commercial area is one of his group's latest projects," Li Xue explained, clearly familiar with the details. This also clarified that the relationship between the Chiba family and the Li family was not simple.
"As for Yuki Chiba, writing is purely her personal hobby. But in this ever-changing era of entertainment, how many people still go back to reading books?" Li Xue sighed with a bitter smile as if defending her friend who was so absorbed in writing that she forgot to eat and sleep.
The two stepped out of the community and stood on the road, unsure of where to go next, staring at each other blankly.
"How about we go play at the tower?" Without waiting for Chen Rui's response, Li Xue hailed a taxi and pushed Chen Rui into the back seat while cheerfully telling the driver their destination.
Chen Rui's mouth twitched. How come he never noticed this strong side of her before? He really lacked observation skills!
"What's wrong? Not happy?" Seeing Chen Rui's helpless expression, Li Xue poked his cheek with her finger, her long nails digging slightly into his skin.
Chen Rui looked helplessly at the girl beside him and chuckled, "It's not that I don't want to go. Your attitude makes you sound like a kidnapper. May I ask you, kidnapper dear, what do you see in me? I have no money and no power; why would you want to kidnap me?"
"Hey!" Li Xue laughed as she brushed aside Chen Rui's short bangs. "How would I know you have no money or power? Since that's the case, why don't you compensate me with yourself? From now on, you're my concubine! Did you hear that?"
Chen Rui found it amusing; her tone was quite something. He teased back, "Then may I ask how many wives you have? When I enter your household, will I be the first wife or one of many?"
"I have three thousand beauties in my harem! Since you're performing well today, I'll make you one of my consorts. Tonight, I'll be flipping your card!" Li Xue grinned wickedly at Chen Rui, pressing down on his chest with one hand while using her other hand's index and middle fingers to gently lift his chin, staring intently into his face.
"Hey!" Chen Rui exclaimed as he playfully pulled away Li Xue's delicate hand, unable to suppress his laughter. "Just a moment ago, you were a bandit leader, and now you've suddenly upgraded to an emperor? Even uprisings don't happen this quickly."
"What do you know, commoner? This is called going incognito. I can fully observe the affairs of the people and understand the behaviors of the lower-level officials. It's a win-win situation; take notes," Li Xue said with a smile, pushing Chen Rui lightly as she made her way quickly.
Chen Rui pointed out the flaw in her statement directly. "An emperor going incognito means disguising as an ordinary citizen. How can an emperor disguise themselves as a bandit? What if you run into an honest official who sends troops to surround you? What then?"
Li Xue rolled her eyes at Chen Rui dismissively, mocking him. "Throughout history, in every dynasty over thousands of years, can you name one official who was completely honest and impartial? Not to mention that even in the best of times, how many officials could be considered half clean? It's just like now; when entering the workforce, you can't escape the unspoken rules. You have to manage relationships with superiors, peers, and subordinates. Only then can you achieve results. Otherwise, even if you do well, someone might stab you in the back without you knowing who did it. You'll realize how important this is."
Chen Rui shook his head helplessly; he understood Li Xue's words all too well. This situation wasn't just limited to the political arena; it was prevalent across all industries. Even if you ignored your subordinates, maintaining good relationships with superiors and peers was essential; otherwise, it would be difficult to make any progress.
As a State-Owned Enterprise Employee, he saw this situation clearly. Although his unit was a privileged one within City Group and didn't have to worry about such issues, it didn't mean Chen Rui was blind to what was happening elsewhere. The conditions in other units were shocking by comparison. In contrast, his unit offered almost perfect treatment—no worries about layoffs, salaries, overtime, or harassment from superiors. If he deliberately overlooked some issues, this job would indeed be ideal.
The two fell silent as the topic was too uncomfortable to discuss further. Li Xue also realized that Chen Rui was no longer a naive college intern or a fresh graduate stepping into society; he had lived alone in this cutthroat world for over a decade and understood these basic principles.
The apartment wasn't far from Sky Tower Hotel; after all, it was also located on Las Vegas Boulevard. The taxi quickly brought them to their destination.
The tower was only open to guests staying overnight; reluctantly, they had to pay for another room before heading up to the observation deck again. Chen Rui felt a twinge of excitement; not long ago, he had stood at the front row of that observation deck with her, admiring the breathtaking night view.
It was still the same; Chen Rui was dragged onto the platform by Li Xue. Although it was still noon, there was no sign of a decrease in tourists. The place remained crowded like a dreamscape, but there were very few people queuing for the thrilling rides; most came just to watch.
"Come on! Let's try this first!" Li Xue excitedly grabbed Chen Rui's wrist and ran towards the four-clawed octopus ride.
Chen Rui's lips curled slightly upward in what seemed like a bitter smile—a self-consolation in the face of impending terror.
This place resembled Santa Monica Pier's amusement park; although it had been around for some time, it still attracted many visitors. Perhaps this kind of timeless classic was hard for time to erase completely, but it was only difficult—time remained the most formidable killer that could unknowingly wipe everything away.
"Ahhhhh—"
The sensation of being three hundred meters above ground was incomparable to thirty meters; riding a roller coaster here felt like being on one powered by airplane engines.
After several rides, Li Xue's face turned pale as if she were still dreaming; she clearly couldn't hold on much longer. Chen Rui hurriedly called for a stop. "I'm feeling a bit dizzy; how about we head back to the room first and come back later tonight?"
Li Xue smiled as she poked holes in his lies. "Coming up at night? I bet you just want to enjoy the night view without having to play around, right? Never mind, I'm tired too. Chen, hurry and carry me back to the palace."
Chen Rui didn't carry Li Xue on his back; instead, he scooped her legs up in a graceful princess carry and lifted her effortlessly.
Even under such circumstances, Li Xue couldn't help but blush and smile. "What are you doing? Carrying me like this?"
"Is it bad?" Chen Rui replied with a grin. The girl was a bit shy now, which puzzled him—how could so many different personalities coexist in one person? "Anyway, you're tired too. This way should be more comfortable than being on my back, and it's faster."
"It is a bit more comfortable than being carried on your back, but..." Li Xue's voice trailed off, becoming softer until Chen Rui couldn't quite catch what she was saying. From her expression, it was clear she felt somewhat embarrassed.
Chen Rui chuckled and tightened his grip slightly, making a determined effort to carry Li Xue back to the room.
It was the same standard guest room as before, featuring only a two-meter double bed. Although he felt a bit tired himself, seeing Li Xue's expression and considering their gender difference, Chen Rui resolutely chose to give up the bed.
In truth, there was no need for him to offer it up because as soon as Li Xue entered the room, she flopped straight onto the bed. No matter how thick-skinned Chen Rui was, he couldn't just jump onto the bed and steal the covers; their relationship had remained innocent thus far.
Chen Rui sat down on a chair near the window. On the tea table in front of him sat a set of tea utensils along with several packets of tea leaves. However, there were no production dates or brand labels—only the hotel’s logo—and it wasn't the black tea that Chen Rui preferred, so he didn't bother brewing any.
Looking out the window, he noticed that the hotel’s main building wasn't very tall. Even though they were on a higher floor, there wasn't much of a view to enjoy. Turning his head back, he realized that Li Xue had already fallen asleep.
"Still laughing at others when you're just the same," Chen Rui chuckled softly as he tucked her in. The room wasn't particularly warm; catching a chill wouldn't be good for her. It was clear that she must not have slept well last night if she could fall asleep so easily at this hour. Watching her slightly upturned lips, he smiled gently.
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