Li Jianyue realized that Li Jianqian had taken her for a ride only when she reached the kitchen. She was hopping mad. But she could do nothing about it.

  Li Jianqian had a talk with Li Mosen behind closed doors. He looked at Li Mosen and asked, “What did Dad say to you earlier in the study?”


  “He spoke to me about going to university.”


  Li Jianqian nodded his head. He had expected it. “I knew it. Dad will never allow you to study at Kingstown University. I suppose Dad asked you to study at Capital University or New York University?”


  “He wants me to study at the Stern School of Business at New York University.”


  “As expected,” Li Jianqian seemed heartened. “That’s because I had already expressed my stance to Dad. I don’t want to come home to manage the business. I want to study hard and develop in my current professional field.”


  “When did you tell Dad about this?”


  “I told him that a long time ago. I think it was two or three years ago?”


  “How did he react?” Li Mosen asked out of curiosity.

  Li Jianqian shrugged, “What kind of reaction could he give? He didn’t show any reaction.”


  Li Mosen found it hard to believe that and pressed on, “What do you mean by he did not show any reaction?”


  “All he said was that he understood my wish,” Li Jianqian said.

  Li Mosen frowned.

  The average man can’t compare to Li Sicheng. He had single-handedly managed and expanded the Li Family’s business to its current scale. Except for the four years that he was not around, he had never sought anyone’s help to run the business.

  Now, he wasn’t forcing Li Jianqian to study business. Instead, Li Sicheng is asking his enemy’s son to do so. What does this mean? Li Mosen ruminated.

  His chest pounded violently. His thoughts started to run wild.

  Could it be that Li Sicheng wants me to inherit the family business? Li Mosen thought to himself. That was something Li Mosen would have never dared to dream because it was too crazy and absurd.

  Li Mosen suppressed the astonishing thought in his mind. He turned to Li Jianqian and asked, “What does he mean by that?”


  “Can’t you tell what it means?” Li Jianqian laughed. “He allowed me to study hard and develop in my own field. Our family business is a trivial matter. He can still handle it now. If the time comes when he can’t manage it anymore, he wants someone to be there to take over from him.”


  Li Jianqian saw the look of disbelief on Li Mosen’s face. He paused before continuing, “Anyway, he wants you to study business. You’re his son as well. There’s nothing wrong with getting you to study business.”


  “I’m just an adopted son,” Li Mosen emphasized.

  “You’re still his son even if you’re adopted,” Li Jianqian said. He patted Li Mosen on the shoulder. “Do your best. It wasn’t easy for Dad to attain his present accomplishments. So, don’t bring it to ruin.”


  Li Mosen was silent for a moment. He was confronted with complex emotions. Those feelings stayed with him as he returned to his room and washed up. What Li Jianqian had said earlier still echoed in his mind as he lay on his bed.

  Was that really what Li Sicheng thought? he wondered.

  Li Mosen was not averse to inheriting such a huge family business. He felt that emotional and rational logic dictated that it was only right for Li Sicheng to pass on his business to his biological son. He shouldn’t pin his hopes on an adopted son. Besides, his adopted son was the bastard child of his enemy. No one knows who his biological father is.

  Li Mosen stared at the ceiling in the dark. He remained wide awake for a long time.

  Li Mosen’s fair complexion made the dark circles around his eyes more pronounced the next morning.

  Li Jianyue stepped out of her room in her slippers. She could tell instantly that Li Mosen had suffered from insomnia.