After buying the clothes, Li Se and Chu Mingxuan sat down at a milk tea shop in the mall.
“You brat, you’re something else, with beauties surrounding you like clouds.” Chu Mingxuan saw Zhang Aimin and was envious. This guy truly had many beautiful women around him.
“I imagine you, Young Master Chu, aren’t lacking in beautiful women either?” Li Se teased.
Chu Mingxuan gave a wry smile. “As you know, in a family like mine, it’s usually arranged marriages. There’s no room for free love.”
Li Se understood. Families like Chu Mingxuan’s typically pursued arranged marriages to strengthen themselves, which was a common practice. He patted the other’s shoulder and said, “The women from big families aren’t bad either. Don’t be so picky.”
“Why does it sound like if I don’t have an arranged marriage, I won’t be able to find a wife?” Chu Mingxuan said dejectedly.
“Is that not the case?” Li Se burst into laughter.
“Well, isn’t this Mingxuan?” However, at this moment, an obsequious voice rang out, and a man walked towards them.
Upon hearing the voice, Chu Mingxuan’s expression soured. He looked up at the approaching man and said coldly, “Is there something you need?”
“Mingxuan, it’s not that I, your elder brother, am saying this, but when making friends, you should choose useful connections. Look at me, I’m about to meet Director Chen’s daughter, and you’re still hanging out with such disreputable friends. When will you ever make progress?” the man sneered.
“Chu Mingkun, just mind your own business. You don’t need to worry about mine!” Chu Mingxuan said with a cold face.
“Is there something wrong with what I said?” Chu Mingkun snorted. “Don’t think I don’t know what just happened. You were going to kick a clothing store out for this kid. Stop doing such childish things. If this kid were someone significant, your actions would be understandable, but is he? I assume he’s just a friend you made in Qingyun City, right? You’re not planning to arrange for him to be a manager in our mall, are you?”
“Don’t worry, I won’t!” Chu Mingxuan replied.
Chu Mingkun chuckled. “It’s best if you don’t. Look at you, you’re really not making things easy. You’re all grown up now, don’t you understand the importance of connections? Learn from me, hang out with young masters from top families more often. It would be a great help to our Chu family!”
He glanced at Li Se without much regard, his eyes holding a hint of disdain. However, when he saw Zhang Aimin, he did pause for a moment, but he didn’t pay much attention. For a young master like him, beautiful women were nothing rare.
“Elder brother, you just keep being their lackey. I can’t do that anyway,” Chu Mingxuan said indifferently.
Upon hearing this, Chu Mingkun’s face darkened. “How dare you speak to me like that? It seems your tempering in Qingyun City wasn’t enough. You don’t know the importance of building connections. When trouble truly arises, these connections are crucial. Do you understand?”
“Chu Mingxuan, I think your elder brother is quite right. Connections are indeed very important!” Li Se agreed with a nod.
Chu Mingxuan was stunned. Why was Li Se siding with Chu Mingkun?
Chu Mingxuan said, “It seems you know this. That’s right, given your status, my cousin here is also one of your connections. However, your status is too ordinary to be of any help to him. You should stay away from my cousin in the future. It’s not that easy to get involved with our Chu family.”
“It seems you have some self-awareness. With your status, trying to curry favor with those top family young masters, you’d only be a lackey, and they wouldn’t even look at you,” Li Se said with a smile.
“Pfft…” Chu Mingxuan couldn’t help but laugh.
Chu Mingkun’s face turned extremely grim. He had just been mocked by this brat. Angrily, he said, “Mingxuan, who are you making friends with? Stay away from people like this in the future, they have no manners!”
“What friends I make is none of your concern, right?” Chu Mingxuan couldn’t be bothered with Chu Mingkun.
“Aren’t you going to hurry up and be a lackey to Director Chen’s advance?” Li Se waved his hand, like he was shooing away a beggar.
“How dare you speak to me like that? So uncivilized, truly uncivilized!” Chu Mingkun was furious.
“Elder brother, hurry up. With your status, you can’t afford to waste even a moment,” Chu Mingxuan chuckled.
Chu Mingkun’s face was a picture of unpleasantness. He had originally come to mock his cousin, but instead, he had been severely humiliated by these people. He couldn’t swallow this insult and said, “Being a lackey to top young masters is still better than being a pauper. Mingxuan, if you have the ability, recognize some of the top families, why don’t you?”
Chu Mingxuan didn’t reply. He actually couldn’t stand those top wealthy individuals, always acting as if they were the sole rulers. He couldn’t get along with people like that. He then said, “I can’t be a lackey. We only need one lackey in the family, not too many.”
“You’re just sour because you can’t get the grapes!” Chu Mingkun snorted.
“Think whatever you want. You’d better hurry up, or those top young masters might spank your behind if you’re late,” Chu Mingxuan said with a laugh.
Chu Mingkun’s face turned from pale to green, but he quickly regained his composure, even flashing a smile. “Mingxuan, if you continue like this, the family business won’t be managed by you anymore. The family needs a capable helmsman who can navigate all sorts of situations, not someone who makes useless friends and only gets others to fawn over him. What’s the use of that? You need to know how to fawn over others. I only need to meet Director Chen’s daughter today, and the land our family wants to acquire will soon be approved. Do you understand?”
Chu Mingxuan said nothing more. He had only been indulging in a bit of verbal sparring. In reality, the position of helmsman for the Chu family business was drifting further and further away from him. Moreover, this Chu Mingkun had indeed curried favor with many important figures, something he couldn’t match.
Li Se smiled and looked at Chu Mingxuan. “Isn’t it just Director Chen’s daughter? Mingxuan, do you want to meet her? If you do, I can introduce you. We don’t have to be lackeys; we can be friends.”
Just Director Chen’s daughter?
Upon hearing Li Se’s words, Chu Mingkun burst into laughter, a laugh filled with disdain. “You’ve got a big mouth. So, you know Director Chen’s daughter?”
“I know her, to some extent,” Li Se said lightly.
“Li Se, don’t joke around. That’s Director Chen’s daughter. The Chen family is also a top family in the capital…” Chu Mingxuan quickly whispered.
However, his voice was very low, but Chu Mingkun still heard it and immediately smiled. “Since you know her, let’s go together. I’m really looking forward to Mingxuan becoming friends with Director Chen’s daughter.”