415: Paying for laziness

“It’s great to have a Lawyer Team!” Father Li was very happy. “Why did that brat Sanjian get involved? But, I’m not praising my own kid, Sanjian is indeed good. He can play a pivotal role in the trial of economic cases.”

“Yes, we found Lawyer Zhang after being recommended by a professor, and the other lawyers were recommended by Director Zhao of the Ministry of Science and Technology,” Liu Xiaolin said with a smile.

“That’s good. You guys organize the materials first. When you’re done, let me take a look. I’ll give them my suggestions after I’ve reviewed them.” Father Li, as an old judge, immediately became animated.

“Okay, we’ll definitely be troubling you then.” Liu Xiaolin was very happy, not expecting to keep meeting key people who could help Hai Zhezhe these past few days.

“It’s no trouble. It’s just taking a look and then offering some suggestions and pointing out flaws.” Father Li said with a kind smile, “Just don’t mind me being long-winded when the time comes.”

“How could we? Your valuable advice is something money can’t buy!” Liu Xiaolin said, raising his teacup, “I’ll use tea instead of wine to toast you a cup, thanking you for your support of justice!”

“I don’t know whose decision it was to remove me from that case, but I can’t understand what the judge who characterized this case was thinking. I wouldn’t dare say whether he was corrupt, but I can certainly say that someone above must have pulled strings for him,” Father Li said angrily. “To judge a person guilty without basing it on facts or law, this act itself is a crime!”

“Yes, that’s why I couldn’t stand it and decided to help Dr. Hai appeal and clear his name,” Liu Xiaolin said. “Your guess that someone above put pressure on him is correct. That person above is Director Tan, now Deputy Mayor Tan.”

“I really didn’t guess wrong!” Father Li’s eyebrows shot up in anger. “No wonder he came to see me back then. I ignored him at the time, and a few days later, I was removed.”

“This time, I found Director Zhao and Minister Yang of the Ministry of Science and Technology. After explaining the situation to them, I received their strong support. They said they would report Deputy Mayor Tan to the Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision. This way, we can remove a roadblock in the process of appealing for Dr. Hai,” Liu Xiaolin quickly told everyone this good news.

“Really? That’s fantastic!” Father Li was extremely happy. “I find you, young man, to be very reliable in your work, unlike my son who is unreliable in everything he does.”

“Why are you suddenly saying I’m unreliable again?” Li Xiuming, listening from the side, didn’t expect to still get scolded.

“Can’t I even talk about it? You brat, you want to sell the house without a word, and you want to work out of town without a word. What are your mother and I supposed to do then?” Father Li said angrily. “Are you telling me that when your mother and I get old, we’ll still have to leave our hometown to live elsewhere? Don’t you understand how hard it is to leave your native land?”

It seemed Father Li was unhappy about his son wanting to settle down out of town. He hadn't said anything before, but today he took the opportunity to pour it all out.

“Ah? You and Mom agreed without hesitation back then!” Li Xiuming said, eyes wide with disbelief. “I’ve already sold the house, and now you’re saying you’re unhappy?”

“You’d already made up your mind, what good would my disagreement do? If I had said I disagreed yesterday, would you have given up?” Father Li rolled his eyes at his son and said.

“That’s true, nothing you say ever matters anyway. I’m going to Kunhe City to buy a house and be with Xiaomin for the rest of my life!” When Li Xiuming mentioned Xiaomin, his eyes crinkled into slits of joy.

“Hmph, you’re just getting a wife and forgetting your mother!” Li Ma also walked over at this moment, seeing her son’s appearance, she said indignantly.

“Kunhe City is very close to Yuhai City. When you and Dad want to stay there for a while, just come to my place. If you miss home, come back and stay. What’s the big deal? It’s not like it’s thousands of miles away! Is it worth you and Dad constantly nagging me?” Li Xiuming, who was usually good-tempered, was getting a bit agitated from the constant teasing.

As he was getting angry, Liu Xiaolin’s phone rang: “Mr. Liu, this is the temporary housekeeper. Your apartment has been tidied up. Would you like to come back and inspect it?”

“That fast! Alright, I’ll go back and take a look right away.” Liu Xiaolin hung up the phone and planned to go back. “The housekeeper has tidied up the apartment over there. I need to go back and inspect it.”

“Okay, you go. Just come back for dinner later,” Father Li said, nodding.

“I’ll go with you, so you don’t get scammed without even knowing it, you good-natured guy.” Li Xiuming finished speaking, stood up, and followed Liu Xiaolin out.

“Okay, then let’s go take a look together.” Liu Xiaolin certainly wouldn’t refuse. Taking Li Xiuming out saved him from arguing with the old man.

The two returned to 1401 and saw the clean and tidy rooms. All three beds were made with bedding, and the patterns were simple and elegant. They were very satisfied: “Not bad, not bad, very well done.”

“Aren’t you going to praise me for choosing good bedding sets?” Li Xiuming said, dissatisfied, from the side.

“Okay, Brother Li’s taste is truly beyond words!” Liu Xiaolin praised with a smile.

“That’s more like it. I bought six sets of bedding, just so you guys have spares for washing,” Li Xiuming said proudly. “If you had bought them yourself, you’d probably only know to buy three sets. Haha.”

Liu Xiaolin truly couldn’t deny this statement. He was completely clueless about buying these household items. “Thanks to Brother Li! Oh, are you reminding me that I haven’t paid you yet?”

“My goodness, did you just realize that?” Li Xiuming asked, surprised.

“I’ll settle the housekeeper’s fee first, okay.” Liu Xiaolin pulled out five hundred yuan. “This is the agreed-upon fee. Thank you both.”

The two housekeepers happily accepted the money and said with a smile, “Mr. Liu, please save our phone numbers. You can call us anytime if you need us in the future.”

“Okay, okay, thank you!” Liu Xiaolin politely saw the housekeepers off, then saw Li Xiuming following him closely and immediately chuckled. “Following so closely, are you afraid I’ll default on the payment?”

“It’s not that I’m afraid you’ll default, it’s that I’m afraid you won’t want to pay after you find out how much I spent,” Li Xiuming suddenly said with a changed, smiling face.

“Give me the receipts, and I’ll give you whatever you spent!” Liu Xiaolin said indifferently.

“Alright, here’s the receipt.” Li Xiuming took out the receipt and a card and handed them to Liu Xiaolin.

“Over eighty thousand?” Liu Xiaolin was indeed a bit surprised.

“The original price would have been over a hundred thousand. I got it down to over eighty thousand because I got a membership card,” Li Xiuming whispered.

“I think you were probably conned by those beautiful saleswomen!” Liu Xiaolin said helplessly.

What else could he do? Of course, he had to transfer the money to Li Xiuming. It was just paying for his own laziness.