92: Guo Zihong's worries

Returning from the trip, Chen Li parked his car back at the Villa and found the house quiet.

It seemed Meng Yu and the others hadn't finished shopping yet. Thinking of Sister Su Nian that night, his heart couldn't help but heat up.

If one were to say who the biggest winner of this trip was, it was undoubtedly Chen Li.

His ideas had been perfectly realized—not only did Liu Yu and Song Lingyun get along harmoniously, but he also enjoyed the bliss of having multiple partners.

After this Hot Spring experience, he thought it might be better to buy a Villa with its own Hot Spring and have Liu Yu and the others move in together.

That way, they could soak in the Hot Spring anytime without worrying about sharing it with others.

Closing his eyes, he could imagine the scene—the Hot Spring pool shrouded in mist, several graceful figures appearing and disappearing in the haze, constant cheerful laughter... such a free and easy scene is likely something every man yearns for deep down.

As he thought about it, the corners of his mouth curled up unconsciously.

Snapping back to reality, he planned to go 'report in' at Gu Qingcheng's house.

Having not seen her for two days over the weekend, he really missed this girl who was always on his mind.

Meanwhile, Liu Yu and Song Lingyun had also gained something from this trip—they had established a deep friendship, becoming as close as best friends who had known each other for years.

Just after returning, the two of them excitedly went to the Shopping Mall to buy the clothes they had discussed earlier.

They weren't short on money now; they hadn't even finished spending the money given last time, and this time Chen Li had transferred another fifty thousand to each of them, calling it a 'reward'.

Everyone understood what this reward was for—it was, of course, for that night of sharing a large bed together.

Chen Li arrived at Gu Qingcheng's house in no time, having given her a heads-up beforehand.

As soon as he entered, he smelled the enticing aroma of food; piping hot dishes were already laid out on the table.

“Was Bishui Bay fun?” Gu Qingcheng happily stepped forward and took his arm.

“It was pretty good, I'll take you next time.” Chen Li smiled and pinched her cheek.

“How is Auntie's health recovery going?” He greeted Mother Gu as usual.

“Very well...” Mother Gu smiled kindly, “Quick, let's eat, the food is getting cold.”

“I'll eat with you,” Gu Qingcheng said softly.

Watching Chen Li eat heartily, she was sincerely happy; as long as Chen Li came home often, she was very content.

She knew very well that Chen Li had more than one woman, but so what? She alone couldn't handle Chen Li's vigorous energy.

A proper distance was actually better; being together every day would make it easy to grow tired of each other. She would rather be a woman who peacefully waits for her husband to return home.

After dinner, Chen Li took a shower first and sat on the living room sofa in loose loungewear to watch TV with Mother Gu.

Mother Gu was following a family drama and would discuss the plot with him from time to time.

Not long after, the bathroom door opened gently.

Gu Qingcheng walked out in soft slippers, wearing a newly bought silk nightgown.

The pale pink fabric was as light as a cicada's wing, fluttering gently as she moved, outlining her graceful curves.

The neckline of the nightgown was designed just right, being both elegant and vaguely revealing a hint of charm.

She walked straight to Chen Li and sat down, wrapping her arms around his and leaning her head gently on his shoulder.

Her body, fresh from the bath, carried warm steam, and a fresh scent of jasmine wafted from her hair, mixed with the faint unique fragrance of her body.

Chen Li felt a rush of heat go straight to his head.

This girl was clearly doing it on purpose; the thin nightgown couldn't cover much at all, and he could feel her body temperature through the fabric.

The time that followed was simply a sweet torment for Chen Li.

He tried hard to focus on the TV, but his mind was constantly distracted by the person beside him.

Gu Qingcheng, however, was perfectly calm, even discussing the plot with her mother from time to time, as if she were completely unaware of the 'impact' she was causing.

It wasn't until eight-thirty in the evening that Mother Gu finally yawned and went to her room to sleep.

With only the two of them left in the living room, Chen Li immediately took Gu Qingcheng's hand and led her straight into the bedroom.

Seeing Chen Li's anxious look, two red clouds rose on Gu Qingcheng's face.

Before long, suppressed moans of pleasure came from the room, occasionally mixed with a few cries for mercy that made one's face flush... This night was exceptionally long... Monday classes always carried a unique sense of lethargy.

Returning from Bishui Bay and stepping back onto the Campus, Chen Li felt an indescribable sense of comfort.

Whether it was psychological or not, even the air on Campus seemed exceptionally fresh, as if it could wash away the fatigue of the journey.

He took a deep breath, feeling this familiar tranquility.

Entering the Classroom, some students who looked like they had stayed up all night playing games seemed to have had their spirits drained, lying listlessly on their desks.

They were currently forcing their heavy eyelids open, barely listening to the teacher's rambling on the podium.

The 'Four Musketeers' still occupied their exclusive territory in the back row of the Classroom—as long as it wasn't Shen Qing's class, this was their base.

Not long after Chen Li sat down, he felt that something was wrong with Guo Zihong next to him.

Guo Zihong, who usually loved scrolling through short videos the most, was staring blankly at his textbook today with a tight frown, not even bothering to touch his phone.

This was unlike his usual style.

Chen Li gently nudged Zhang Yixi on the other side and signaled him with his eyes to look at Guo Zihong.

“He's been like this since he took a call from home last night,” Zhang Yixi lowered his voice, “I asked him a few times, but he refused to say anything.”

It seemed something had happened at home; he would ask properly after class.

These brothers had always looked out for each other. If Guo Zihong really encountered some difficulty, he would definitely not stand by and watch.

As soon as the bell rang, Chen Li gave Zhang Yixi and Wu Qiang a look.

Following their previous plan, the two understood and took the initiative to suggest going to the Cafeteria to get food and bring it back to the Dormitory.

Chen Li then put his arm around Guo Zihong's shoulder and slowly walked toward the Dormitory building.

“Zihong, what's really going on?” Chen Li softened his tone, “You don't seem right. If something's up, say it, and we brothers will figure it out together.”

Guo Zihong looked up at Chen Li's concerned eyes. Thinking of Chen Li's current financial strength, which was different from before,

and the possibility that he could help, his dim eyes suddenly lit up, as if he had caught a lifeline, and he finally began to pour his heart out.

Guo Zihong sighed heavily, his brow furrowing even tighter.

He told Chen Li that their entire home village had relied on growing a special kind of aloe vera for decades.

This aloe vera was of excellent quality and was an important raw material for making high-end skincare products; it had always been exclusively supplied to a company called 'Fu Bao Ling'.

“But the contract expired last week,”

Guo Zihong's voice was filled with anxiety, “'Fu Bao Ling' suddenly refused to renew. This partnership has lasted over ten years, and they just cut it off like that. Now the whole village is worried.”

He became more agitated as he spoke: “The aloe vera in the fields is about to mature. If we can't find a buyer, the entire village's income for the year will be gone.

My family too; my parents are counting on this aloe vera patch to put me and my brother through school...”

Hearing the three words 'Fu Bao Ling', Chen Li's heart suddenly sank—wasn't this the company under his name?

He then remembered that Liu Ming had sent him the company's reports a while ago, which indeed mentioned adjustments to raw material procurement.

At the time, he thought it was just a routine business decision; he never imagined it would affect his brother's hometown.

Looking at Guo Zihong's face full of worry, Chen Li felt very uneasy.

He felt guilty about the company's decision, yet fortunate to have discovered the problem in time.

Since he knew about this now, he absolutely could not stand idly by.