Chapter 55: Aunt Shen, Reliving Old Dreams, Reward for the Second Store!

Lai Feifei's voice was filled with immense joy. She truly relished the feeling of teasing Li Zhiyan in this manner.

Feeling the black-silk-clad, jade-like foot of Lai Feifei resting on his lap, Li Zhiyan couldn't help but recall their previous intimate encounters. Back then, driven by the so-called "last wish" of Aunt Lai from Wancheng, he had truly cast all caution to the winds!

"Aunt Lai..."

"Babe, hurry up and warm my feet for me."

With those words, Lai Feifei tucked her black-silk-wrapped foot straight into Li Zhiyan's embrace, showing not the slightest bit of hesitation or reserve.

Shen Hongmei's expression shifted involuntarily, though she maintained her composure well. She had no intention of pursuing that kind of romantic relationship with Li Zhiyan. Therefore, whatever Lai Feifei chose to do with him was none of her business, and she told herself she shouldn't harbor such a strong sense of possessiveness over the young man.

Meanwhile, He Yanrong was inwardly thinking that if she ever had a boyfriend like him, she would never allow such excessive intimacy and lack of personal boundaries between him and Lai Feifei.

As they were talking, Xu Qianqian pushed the door open and walked in. Today, she had come to ask Shen Hongmei for some pocket money. Yet, never in her wildest dreams had she expected to run into Li Zhiyan here!

"Li Zhiyan!"

Xu Qianqian could hardly believe her eyes. Li Zhiyan was actually in her mother's office! Moreover, why was her mother's best friend's foot resting on his stomach? A deep sense of incomprehension washed over her as she tried to figure out what was going on.

"What are you doing in my mother's office? Get the hell out!" Xu Qianqian snapped, truly harboring contempt and dislike for him.

"Qianqian, don't speak to your classmate like that!" Shen Hongmei scolded. She had always been extremely strict with her daughter's upbringing and could not tolerate such bad manners.

Only then did Xu Qianqian realize she was standing right in front of her mother. If she angered her, her chances of getting money would vanish into thin air.

"I'm sorry, Mom."

Li Zhiyan had never imagined that Xu Qianqian, usually the epitome of a manipulative green-tea persona, could display such a "well-behaved" side. However, he knew very well this was merely a facade rather than her true nature.

"Mm." He Yanrong teased, "Hongmei, don't be so harsh on my future daughter-in-law. Young people just speak their minds, that's all."

At that moment, the secretary outside the door called out, "President Shen, Lucas has arrived."

Lucas was Shen Hongmei's prospective client. Moments later, he stepped into the office. After brief mutual introductions, Shen Hongmei motioned for Li Zhiyan to act as her interpreter. With business at hand, Lai Feifei tactfully withdrew to the other side of the room with He Yanrong.

"Hello, Mr. Lucas."

As Shen Hongmei spoke, Li Zhiyan translated simultaneously, ensuring smooth and barrier-free communication between the two parties.

Hearing Li Zhiyan's fluent translation, Lai Feifei praised, "Look, my baby is just this brilliant."

He Yanrong's pretty eyes brimmed with spontaneous admiration. This young man was indeed exceptionally talented.

"Indeed, Xiao Yan is truly outstanding. Feifei, you call him 'babe'—is he really your son? I'm starting to wonder if that's possible."

"Like I said before, he's my boy, and tonight I'm claiming him."

To the side, Xu Qianqian pinched her own arm, feeling utterly miserable. Li Zhiyan was actually speaking German! And he was interpreting for her mother—how could this be possible? In her eyes, Li Zhiyan had always been a worthless, ordinary nobody. The scene before her defied all belief!

Li Zhiyan continued translating steadily for Shen Hongmei. Ultimately, as the intelligence report had suggested, Lucas was not satisfied with the conditions offered by Shen Hongmei's company.

Translating this, Li Zhiyan said, "Aunt Shen, Mr. Lucas is not very satisfied with our company's terms, so he is politely declining our cooperation."

Hearing the translation, a flicker of disappointment crossed Shen Hongmei's clear, cold eyes. She had desperately wanted to secure this partnership because current economic conditions were dismal, and having an additional business partner would significantly reduce future bankruptcy risks. Her current commercial layout was meticulously cautious, as she understood well that only by treading carefully could one go far.

"Very well, Xiao Yan, please thank him for me. We can always cooperate if the opportunity arises in the future."

At this point, Shen Hongmei's tone sounded noticeably strained.

"Aunt Shen, I think I can help you win over this client. I noticed the pattern on his T-shirt refers to historical allusions from the Germanic period."

With that, Li Zhiyan initiated a conversation with Lucas about German history. To assist Aunt Shen today, he had genuinely put in a tremendous amount of preparation. While school textbooks offered only a brief glimpse into German history, he had effectively transformed himself into an expert on the subject over the past few days!

Upon hearing Li Zhiyan mention the pattern on his shirt, an irrepressible excitement lit up Lucas's eyes. He was a deeply passionate enthusiast of German history, but nowadays, it seemed no one paid attention to such matters anymore. This had left him feeling quite forlorn, especially after being dispatched to work abroad, where he found no one to share his interests with. Never had he expected that the young man before him would recognize the historical allusion on his shirt.

"Young man, what is your name?"

"Li Zhiyan."

Lucas immediately pulled Li Zhiyan down onto the sofa to chat. Initially, he suspected Li Zhiyan might just be trying to butter him up, but to his astonishment, the young man's understanding of German history surpassed even his own as a native German! Moreover, many of Li Zhiyan's perspectives offered entirely fresh and stimulating insights.

Sitting nearby, He Yanrong's lovely eyes were filled with amazement. The kid actually understood German history! And judging by how happily he was conversing with Lucas, he clearly possessed genuine mastery rather than superficial knowledge. Her appreciation and fondness for Li Zhiyan rose by leaps and bounds. Her son's classmate was talented to a fault!

He Yanrong longed to chat with Li Zhiyan, genuinely curious about why he was so exceptionally gifted.

"Look, Yanrong, how brilliant my baby is. The son I birthed is just amazing. He even understands German history. Compared to him, the rest of us are illiterate."

Taking another sip of red wine, Lai Feifei spoke with such absolute conviction, as if Li Zhiyan truly were her biological child. He Yanrong was long accustomed to the wine-loving woman's antics and simply gazed afar at Li Zhiyan. Her enchanting eyes were brimming with admiration.

"Since Xiao Yan is able to cater to his interests, perhaps he really can help Hongmei secure this deal. Hongmei's daily freelance fee of a thousand yuan was certainly well spent."

Nearby, Xu Qianqian trembled slightly, realizing she had severely underestimated the person she once dismissed as a mere bootlicker. She had never imagined that Li Zhiyan could speak German, let alone with such fluency—a skill completely unrelated to their major! Furthermore, he could converse with Lucas about German history in German, something even professional German majors might struggle to achieve.

How could this be possible?

The mere thought made Xu Qianqian's stomach turn. Why was Li Zhiyan, whom she looked down upon, suddenly shining so brightly? On top of that, he was pocketing a thousand-yuan daily freelance wage from her mother—an amount equivalent to half of her own monthly allowance!

This blow was too much for her to bear. If her mother, Aunt Lai, and Aunt Rong hadn't all been present, she would have suspected Li Zhiyan had hired actors just to fool her.

Shen Hongmei stood watching the two men converse, her slender hands clenched gently. Although the partnership wasn't finalized yet, her acute observation told her Lucas was thoroughly enjoying himself. Encountering someone so compatible in a foreign land would surely lead anyone to forge a partnership. Originally, she hadn't held high hopes for success with Lucas; she had simply wanted to try her luck, knowing his company was a massive multinational corporation. Securing it would guarantee stable future revenues, while missing out would be expected. Yet, in her wildest dreams, she never imagined a part-time college student would resolve the impasse.

After chatting animatedly for a full half-hour, Lucas exclaimed excitedly, "Mr. Li, let's find a hotel, drink some alcohol, and talk more. I want to discuss German history with you properly."

"Mr. Lucas, regarding our cooperation, can your company choose my boss?"

"Easy, let's drink first!"

Ever since coming to the East, Lucas had fallen deeply in love with traditional baijiu and had developed a fondness for the local drinking culture. Realizing he would have to drink today, Li Zhiyan didn't back down. His bodily transformation had granted him a terrifying boost in alcohol tolerance. Whenever Aunt Lai used to ply him with drinks, he felt virtually nothing; today presented a perfect opportunity to test his capacity for strong liquor.

"Xiao Yan, what did he say..."

Shen Hongmei's voice carried a hint of nervousness. At this moment, hope completely flooded her heart regarding the partnership. She believed Li Zhiyan could pull it off!

"Mr. Lucas suggested arranging a drinking session. If everyone has a good time, he'll sign the contract."

"That's wonderful, Xiao Yan. I'll arrange it right away!"

A bright smile bloomed across Shen Hongmei's cool, aloof face. Compared to the profits of signing the contract, such a minor expense was negligible. Acting with great promptness, she instructed her secretary to arrange a car, a restaurant private dining room, and bottles of Moutai.

Moments later, Li Zhiyan and Lucas walked side by side toward the exit, followed by the trio of Shanghai socialites, leaving behind a pale-faced Xu Qianqian, whose heart ached with bitter misery. While that satisfying scene unfolded, Li Zhiyan had no mind to care.

...

Two Audi A6 sedans arrived successively at the entrance of Guyue Tower. After the owner ushered them into a private room, a wave of cool air greeted them.

"Mr. Li, please sit."

By now, Lucas had completely forgotten about the three women accompanying them, though Shen Hongmei didn't mind in the least. When the waitress brought in the menus, Shen Hongmei handed it to Lucas, knowing drinks without dishes lacked flavor.

Lucas didn't stand on ceremony. While chatting with Li Zhiyan, he ordered various dishes, and upon seeing Shen Hongmei bring out several bottles of Moutai, he looked thoroughly satisfied.

"Mr. Li, tell President Shen that her company is the one we'll partner with—it's settled. Let's drink well. Once we're happy, I'll sign."

Translating Lucas's words, Li Zhiyan brought a heavy sense of relief to Shen Hongmei. It seemed the project had indeed been successfully secured today. And the sole reason was that she had hired Li Zhiyan as her interpreter—the young man was simply too talented!

Waving her hand, she signaled her secretary to return to the company and draft the contract.

Watching Li Zhiyan secure Lucas through sheer conversation, Lai Feifei remarked, "Look how exceptional my baby is. He inherited his brilliance from my genes. Hongmei, do you want to be my daughter-in-law? I feel like the way you look at my boy isn't quite right."

Knowing the crazy woman's alcohol was kicking in again, Shen Hongmei retorted, "You make your son warm your feet, you shameless thing."

"Only my boy is allowed to warm my feet. That's his filial piety toward his aging mother."

Unable to resist, Shen Hongmei pinched Lai Feifei's waist. "Stop acting crazy, you madwoman. Lucas is still here."

Lai Feifei remained entirely unfazed. "Look at him; the baby is his true love, and the rest of us are just air. Nothing we say matters anyway."

Glancing over, Shen Hongmei realized it was true—Lucas was completely immersed in his conversation with Li Zhiyan, paying none of the women any heed.

"Besides, he doesn't understand Chinese. He hasn't a clue what we're saying. Look at him, acting like a big dummy."

Li Zhiyan: "..." My Aunt Lai is truly adorable no matter the occasion.

Once the dishes arrived, Lucas eagerly opened a bottle of Moutai. After Li Zhiyan poured him a glass, Lucas enthusiastically said, "Mr. Li, you drink too. I'll pour for you."

Meeting Li Zhiyan felt to Lucas like finding a kindred spirit. After serving Li Zhiyan, he filled glasses for Shen Hongmei, Lai Feifei, and He Yanrong as well. Raising their glasses in a toast, everyone stood up and took a sip of the potent spirit.

From then on, Lucas continuously poured drinks for Li Zhiyan, drinking plenty himself. As the liquor flowed, Li Zhiyan confirmed his body had indeed undergone mutation; the strong alcohol produced only the slightest buzzing sensation. At this rate, his tolerance was at the level of a wine god!

While Li Zhiyan remained unfazed by the heavy drinking, Shen Hongmei was beginning to flush. The cool, aloof elite's reddened, pretty face stirred a tingling sensation deep within Li Zhiyan. Especially after what had transpired between them before, he found it difficult to keep his thoughts in check. The previous intimacy had been sparked precisely because Aunt Shen drank too much.

Alcohol had a lesser effect on Lai Feifei and He Yanrong. He Yanrong possessed the highest tolerance, while Lai Feifei maintained her eccentric, uninhibited persona regardless of how much she consumed. As long as she didn't fall asleep, she always kept a shred of sobriety to protect herself. However, the number of drinks directly correlated with the outrageousness of her banter; by the end, even Li Zhiyan found her remarks somewhat ear-burning.

Around three o'clock in the afternoon, noticing Lucas starting to look wobbly as they discussed the German leader with mounting excitement, Li Zhiyan seized the iron while it was hot. "Mr. Lucas, let's get the contract signed first. I truly need your assistance now."

Having chatted and drunk to his heart's content, Lucas had no reason to refuse and signed the contract with Shen Hongmei on the spot, pulling the official seal right out of his briefcase to stamp it.

With everything settled, Shen Hongmei felt a massive weight lift from her shoulders. Xiao Yan had truly achieved the impossible! She hardly knew how to express her gratitude; the boy had rendered her an immense service. Although Li Zhiyan was twenty years old, before the three Shanghai socialites, he was still treated like a genuine youngster.

Having successfully clinched the contract, Li Zhiyan resumed drinking and discussing German history with Lucas until five o'clock. Due to his impending return to the company, Lucas had to be escorted by his driver into his Audi. Both Li Zhiyan and Shen Hongmei watched as Lucas passed out the moment he slumped into the car seat.

At that exact instant, the system reward—[The Second Supermarket]—arrived in his account! Becoming the owner of a second store left Li Zhiyan feeling wonderfully invigorated.

"Xiao Yan, are you alright after drinking so much?" Shen Hongmei asked with genuine concern. She remembered clearly that Li Zhiyan rarely drank before; if he hadn't gotten drunk that fateful night, nothing would have happened. Although he appeared steady now, she assumed it was merely the delayed effect of excessive drinking, and that he might soon pass out.

Noticing Shen Hongmei looking as though she might topple over at any second, Li Zhiyan worriedly replied, "Aunt Shen, I'm fine, but I think you might be in trouble..."

Lucas's alcohol tolerance was no joke. Without toasting Shen Hongmei much, he had still managed to get her into this state. Reaching out, Li Zhiyan caught her by her full yet slender waist, terrified she would fall.

Wobbling over from behind, Lai Feifei pointed at him and cried out, "Aha! Hongmei, let go of my baby, you big seductress! What are you trying to do to my boy?"

"Babe, Auntie is about to fall too. Come hold me."

Among the three Shanghai socialites, He Yanrong remained the most composed, though Li Zhiyan could tell the alcohol was catching up to her as well. She urgently needed sleep.

"Aunt Shen, let's go book a room at a hotel to rest."

"Alright."

Fatigued and uninterested in returning to the office, Shen Hongmei agreed. Within moments, the four of them headed toward the City Home Hotel across the street.

"Check in." Li Zhiyan pulled out his digital ID.

"How many rooms?"

"One!" Lai Feifei, her pretty face flushed crimson, held up a single finger. "I want He Yanrong, Hongmei, and me to serve my baby together. A bed big enough for us all!"

He Yanrong hastily clamped a hand over the drunkard's mouth. From her words, it was obvious the madwoman was completely plastered; baijiu was far stronger than the red wine she usually favored.

"Two rooms. Two rooms with king-size beds."

After checking in, the four of them entered the elevator with their room cards. As Li Zhiyan pondered about punching out from work, Lai Feifei looped her arms around his waist and murmured, "Babe, Mama already asked for leave for you... hurry up and thank Mama."

"Aunt Lai, you really are drunk."

"Babe, Auntie isn't drunk at all."

Surrounded by three mature beauties, Li Zhiyan proceeded with utmost caution, terrified one of them might collapse at any moment. Only after safely depositing all three aunts in their respective rooms did he finally breathe a sigh of relief, temporarily escaping the ordeal.

Returning to his own room, Li Zhiyan took a quick shower to unwind. He couldn't let go of the thought of Aunt Zhao's beastly boss trying to assault her that evening; he was determined not to let that scoundrel off the hook. On this point, his resolve was absolute.

Just as he finished drying off, a knock sounded at his door.

"Xiao Yan."

Recognizing Shen Hongmei's voice, Li Zhiyan opened the door immediately. Stepping inside, she closed the door behind her—he was an environmentalist who hated wasting air conditioning power after all...

"Xiao Yan, are you okay after drinking so much? Auntie is worried about you. If you feel unwell, we should..."

"We should go to the hospital."

Seeing how completely bewildered Shen Hongmei was, Li Zhiyan felt a surge of warmth. Even in such a state, she was still worrying about him; Aunt Shen was truly good to him through and through.

"Aunt Shen, I'm really fine..."

Observing her swaying stance, Li Zhiyan guided her to the sofa. The moment she sat down, Shen Hongmei propped her long, silk-clad legs directly onto his lap. The exquisite tactile sensation instantly awakened every fiber of Li Zhiyan's being. Not only were Aunt Shen's legs remarkably long, but they also possessed a full, fleshy texture that was utterly peerless.

"You're really okay?"

"I'm fine, Aunt Shen."

"You have my legs right on your lap and you aren't even touching them, yet you claim you're fine. I think you're the one who's drunk."

With that, she took his hand and placed it right against her silk-sheathed thigh.

As the smooth, silky texture registered, Li Zhiyan froze. It seemed Aunt Shen was truly smashed today, much like that previous night. Naturally, he couldn't go against a woman's wishes—after all, violating a woman's consent was a serious crime.

Accordingly, Li Zhiyan began caressing her silky legs back and forth. His heart raced, and his hormones surged far faster than usual.

"Aunt Shen..."

"Xiao Yan, does touching Auntie's legs feel good?"

Li Zhiyan answered truthfully, "Aunt Shen, full and plump legs like yours are my absolute favorite."

In truth, all the aunts possessed a certain fullness to their legs—Zhao Shumin was the same, and so was He Yanrong when she wore a qipao. Only Aunt Lai possessed slightly slenderer legs, though they were still amply proportioned, vastly different from the toothpick legs of internet influencers that simply nauseated Li Zhiyan.

"Mhm, as long as you like it. Thank you so much for what happened today. Auntie was practically ready to give up. Wait here."

Retrieving her phone, Shen Hongmei transferred thirty thousand yuan to Li Zhiyan. As someone who never skimped on rewarding deserving subordinates, she felt a mere thousand-yuan freelance fee fell vastly short of compensating him for such a monumental favor.

"Aunt Shen, this is too much," Li Zhiyan demurred.

However, Shen Hongmei gave him no chance to refuse. Taking his finger, she unlocked his phone and opened WeChat. Inadvertently, her eyes fell upon his chat history with "Doesn't Eat Cilantro." The messages were filled with flirtatious stickers and banter, mostly exchanged late at night.

"That vixen, harassing her juniors day in and day out..."

Li Zhiyan remained silent, harboring a deep fondness and respect for Aunt Lai. She truly cherished him, providing a rare slice of warmth in Shanghai. He treasured and doted on the alcoholic woman dearly.

"Don't fall for her tricks; she just treats you like a little puppy to tease. If you actually played along with her flirting, she'd cut you off."

After accepting the transfer on his screen, Shen Hongmei locked his phone. "Xiao Yan, giving you thirty thousand is only right. You really saved the day for Auntie..."

Her face grew even rosier as the alcohol took deeper effect. The sight of her flushed expression made Li Zhiyan fret—was Aunt Shen really alright?

"Xiao Yan, you're so smart, even knowing German history. Auntie is truly impressed. If Qianqian didn't already have a boyfriend, Auntie would definitely make her marry you."

"Aunt Shen, please don't repay kindness with enmity."

Mid-conversation, Shen Hongmei suddenly turned and straddled Li Zhiyan's lap, gazing straight into his eyes. Meeting her gaze, Li Zhiyan could perceive the fiery yearning hidden within her clear, cold eyes. He knew Aunt Shen was thoroughly drunk, and her inner nature had been completely unleashed. He had experienced firsthand the truth of the saying about wolves and tigers on that previous night.

"Xiao Yan, do you remember what Auntie taught you about kissing last time?"

"I remember..."

Of course he remembered. Shen Hongmei had made him sit on her lap and demonstrated kissing, putting on a true performance—though the subsequent practical lessons were what proved infinitely useful. Li Zhiyan considered himself quite proficient by now.

"Then Auntie is going to test what you've learned."

At Shen Hongmei's prompt, Li Zhiyan—ever mindful not to violate a woman's consent—acted accordingly. As soon as he made the move, Shen Hongmei kissed him fiercely.

In that instant, Li Zhiyan felt like parched earth receiving sweet rain! Ever since the night he rescued Aunt Shen, he had repressed himself for far too long. Savoring her passionate, lingering kiss, he felt as though he were dreaming. His hands explored the silk covering her legs, drinking in the pleasure of the moment.

After a long while, Shen Hongmei murmured into his ear, "Xiao Yan, pick Auntie up. Auntie wants to lie down and sleep."

Obediently carrying her to the bed, Li Zhiyan was pulled down along with her. Inhaling her signature fragrance, his breathing turned greedy.

"Xiao Yan, you learned well from what Auntie taught you. Remember to keep it up in the future... your coordination is great, we make such a good match."

Then, a puzzled note crept into her voice. "Though Auntie feels like you know other tricks too. Did that vixen teach you those?"

Li Zhiyan: "..."

A guilty pang struck his heart. Aunt Shen might be dead drunk, but her intuition was spot on. Who wouldn't feel guilty under such circumstances?

"Xiao Yan, Auntie needs to test your other knowledge. Auntie wants you..."

Clinging to him tightly, Shen Hongmei wrapped herself around his limbs as if seeking to melt into his very being. The mature woman's intoxicating scent accelerated his hormonal surge, swiftly destroying his remaining shreds of reason. Gazing at her delectable, voluptuous figure and endless, beautiful legs, Li Zhiyan could hold back no longer. He leaned down to kiss her, and the intoxicated Shen Hongmei responded with absolute enthusiasm.

...

Around six in the evening, Li Zhiyan lay holding the sleeping Shen Hongmei, still feeling a sense of unreality. Why was Aunt Shen so proactive when drunk, yet so aloof regarding romance when sober?

Could it be that she secretly longed to be with him?

He surmised it must be true. Aunt Shen genuinely liked him, but societal conventions and his own previous immaturity prevented her from viewing him as a full-fledged man, which was why she resisted developing that kind of relationship while sober.

Just as Li Zhiyan was daydreaming while gazing at Shen Hongmei's deep cleavage, she rubbed her sleepy eyes and woke up. Taking in the scene before her—the room in utter disarray, her silk stockings torn to shreds just like last time—she felt a wave of internal collapse.

She knew Li Zhiyan wasn't the type to take advantage of someone; the boy possessed a thoroughly kind heart. Furthermore, her memories confirmed she had initiated the encounter by coming to his room and asking him to touch her legs.

"Xiao Yan, go buy Auntie some medicine..."