"Oh, don't say that, Sister-in-law." Li Shaogan moved his wheelchair closer to her, his smile widening. "We are a family after all, and I quite like you."

Ji Weixi's brow promptly tightened in inward disgust. "Like?"

Did she blow up a galaxy in her last life to be liked by such a person?

"What are you talking about, Sister-in-law?" Li Shaogan laughed out loud, revealing several sharp teeth. "I don't mean the love kind of like. Don't think too much about it, or my brother is going to beat me up…"

He then paused abruptly. In that moment, it was as if he was a completely different person: his eye circles reddened, and he was pouting in grief. "Since we were children, my brother would beat me if I misbehaved. I'm a cripple, so I couldn't fight back."

Ji Weixi realized then that there was not a single normal human being amongst the men of the Li family.

Especially Li Shaogan, the epitome of being sick itself.

She rose from the sofa, wanting to check on Li Shaoling—and Li Shaogan suddenly reached out and caught her.

"What are you doing?!" Ji Weixi could not help from shrieking.

That hand was ice-cold and without a shred of human warmth, and she swung it off.

Meanwhile, Li Nanhai simply looked on before rising to leave, as if it could not be more normal.

Li Shaoling hurried towards them then, pulling Ji Weixi behind him and glaring coldly at Li Shaogan.

"Brother, I've done nothing…" Li Shaogan shook his head in denial fervently as he stared back in panic. "I was just… I was just trying to get to know Sister-in-law, so that she won't feel disgusted with my crippled self… I really had no intention of scaring her…"

Even so, every line on Li Shaoling's face was tightening. His thin lips were tightly pursed, and his eyes were cold and dark.

He was angry.

Ji Weixi touched his arm, shook her head and calmly said, "I'm fine."

Nonetheless, Li Shaoling's voice was cold and emotionless. "Scare her again and I'll have you go full cripple!"

Li Shaogan promptly shrank in fear, and continued shaking his head as if he was about to cry. "I—I got it, Brother…"

Once again, he looked like a completely different person from the one who looked dangerous when Ji Weixi first saw him.

Could he be an imbecile?

Still, Ji Weixi simply couldn't bear to be in the same room as he was, and followed Li Shaoling to the kitchen.

"Where's the ginger water you cooked?"

"In the pot."

She opened the lid, and a wave of hot air washed over her face.

The water inside was already boiling, with an entire ginger soaked inside…

It wasn't even cut.

Once again, Ji Weixi refreshed his knowledge. "Li Shaoling, you have to cut the ginger."

"Really?" Li Shaoling nodded. "Okay."

He fished out the ginger, soaked it in cold water for a moment before putting it on a chopping board to cut it unaccustomedly.

Ji Weixi was afraid that he would cut off his own fingers.

She suddenly asked interestedly, "Li Shaoling… Your brother…"

"He's like that after he broke his legs. You can just consider him a nutjob."

That being said, it was likely that Li Shaogan's personality had simply became warped after his legs were disabled given who he was, that he was not really a nutjob.

In fact, he might be more lucid than anyone else.

"Why would your father have him a.s.sist you in the company then?"

What were they thinking? It was not like she was belittling him for being confined to a wheelchair, but his impeded mobility might trouble others as well.

Moreover, Ji Weixi believed from her very first impression that Li Shaogan would definitely start something.

She really wanted to ask why Li Shaoling would agree to it, but she also thought that it was a private matter for the Li family and refrained from asking.

"It's just a pretext," Li Shaoling said then, his gaze staying unaffected. "That's not their intention."

Ji Weixi promptly understood and was sweating for Li Shaoling.

It must have been hard growing up in such a family, with his own father and brother combining to fight him.

In fact, it must be chilling… and yet Li Shaoling appeared used to it from his reaction.

"He said… that you always beat him up when you were children? Is that true?"

Li Shaoling's paused his ginger-cutting and looked up unhappily. "You believe the nutjob?"

And did he look like a person who was p.r.o.ne to violence?

"…"

So, Li Shaogan was lying?

It sounded about right, however. He was a little r.e.t.a.r.ded and should not be viewed as a normal person.

Soon, the ginger water was cooked. Li Shaoling poured out a bowl full, letting it cool in cold water and then testing its heat before pa.s.sing it to her.

That was ridiculously thoughtful.

Ji Weixi drank the ginger water, feeling much better as warmth spread through her stomach.

"What else did he tell you when I wasn't there?" Li Shaoling asked.

Ji Weixi told him everything as it was.

Li Shaoling stayed silent for a moment, while Ji Weixi said between sips, "Your brother is quite miserable… he can't walk, and he's also not right in the head. Treat him better from now on."

"Silly you." Li Shaoling pinched the tip of her nose with two fingers. "The Li family is not as simple as you think. You can't trust anyone other than me, got it?"

"Okay." Ji Weixi nodded tamely. "Got it."

***

The servants had prepared lunch at noon.

Ji Weixi was leaning miserably in Li Shaoling's embrace, muttering quietly, "I don't want to stay here."

Li Shaoling put his thin lips on her forehead. "Okay. We'll leave after lunch."

Nearby, Li Nanhai put down the doc.u.ments he was reading and coldly said, "You don't want to stay here? Our family doesn't want you here either!"

"Only what I say matters." Li Shaoling looked up icily.

Li Nanhai was not surprised, however, and simply sneered. "You never were simple since you were a child, and now that you're all grown up, no one can push you around. It's fine if you want to marry her, just don't regret it."

Li Shaoling smiled. "The only thing I regret is being born your son."

"You!" Li Nanhai was about to burst out, but had to stop short and snort coolly with Ji Weixi there. "Take care of Shaogan when he joins the company. He's in bad health."

"Why send him to me if you're afraid he would die?" Li Shaoling mocked.

Being a b.a.s.t.a.r.d of the Li family, it was already unprecedented that Li Shaoling could take control of the family.

Li Shaogan would have been the president of CBS if he was not crippled, not to mention that he was absolutely treasured by Old Madam Li and Li Nanhai because he was born to Li Nanhai and his legal wife.

But although Li Nanhai despised Li Shaoling, he had to acknowledge and respect his ability.

"I merely hope that you don't tire yourself!" Li Nanhai said self-righteously. "Moreover, Shaogan is much better now, and I can return to headquarters in relief with you brothers at helm."

"Li Nanhai, your lying technique is becoming poor." Li Shaoling did not give face at all. "You are just afraid that I would pack up and leave the company, so you got a piece of trash to keep an eye on me."

His intentions exposed, Li Nanhai's face went red and his neck thickened. "Watch your manners! Did you think you can call me by name?"

"Did your memory go bad if your age?" Li Shaoling retorted nonchalantly. "I never called you anything else since Mother died."

"I'm fine with having Li Shaogan here. Just hurry back to headquarters and don't be an eyesore."

Li Nanhai always wanted to save face in every situation, and yet Li Shaoling kept slapping him in front of the servants and Ji Weixi.

As such, he rose to his feet in rage and roared, "Li Shaoling! Listen carefully—you'll only fall harder if you get too conceited!"