CHAPTER 435: CHAPTER 435: ALL DOUBTS, NO CONCERNS

After leaving the mall, Li Haidong stopped in front of a shop window, tidied up his appearance in the glass reflection, tugged at his tracksuit, smoothed his hair, and uncertainly asked Wei Lan, "Lanlan, have I been out of the Business World too long? Do I no longer have a commanding presence to intimidate people?"

Wei Lan didn’t offer any comfort and instead jabbed him right in the heart: "If you really had that kind of presence, would you have quit the Business World in the first place?"

Li Haidong was perplexed. "My card has always worked fine and has never had an issue. Why can’t I even charge two hundred thousand this time?"

"I mean, my cards were all destroyed yesterday. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be in this embarrassing situation today." Wei Lan felt equally humiliated and suddenly thought of something. "Could it be that Azhou put a limit on your card?"

Li Haidong slowly turned his head. "That can’t be. I’m his father. He wouldn’t... wait, did that brat really mess with me?"

Previously, because of the issue with Li Juezhou’s aunt Duan Wenhu being sent to prison, Li Haidong had pressured Li Juezhou relentlessly, demanding he break up with Sang Ning.

But how did Li Juezhou respond in the end? He said if Li Haidong thought his retired life was too easy and wanted to meddle in the younger generation’s relationships, then he’d cut off his financial resources and let him return to the company to "contribute to society again."

Li Haidong had thought Li Juezhou was just saying it out of spite, but it turned out the brat wasn’t bluffing. He hadn’t completely cut off his finances, but the spending limit was indeed imposed.

Li Haidong immediately wanted to have it out with Li Juezhou. How much face had he lost in front of the younger generation today? He’d been too humiliated to even walk alongside them after leaving the mall, utterly ashamed to show his face.

Now, nearing 11 a.m., the sun was relentless. Strolling along the streets of Belis, it felt as if they might melt at any moment.

Sang Ning raised her hand to shield her forehead from the sun’s glare as she approached Li Haidong and Wei Lan, asking, "Uncle, Sister Lan, I just asked a security guard where the street vendor stalls are around Belis. Want to check it out together?"

Having just been kicked out of a high-end mall, Li Haidong was already upset, and Sang Ning’s suggestion to visit street vendors felt like a direct insult to him.

Li Haidong extended his hand toward Sang Ning. "Let me borrow your phone. I need to make a call."

Without suspecting anything, Sang Ning unlocked the phone and opened the dialer before handing it over.

Last night, all their phones had suffered varying degrees of damage, with Li Haidong’s completely blacking out. This morning, he had made several calls using the hotel’s landline.

Gripping the phone, Li Haidong found a shaded corner and first dialed his assistant’s number.

He didn’t remember many phone numbers, but aside from family, his assistant’s was one of them. In fact, the helicopter they used this morning had been arranged by a call to the assistant.

"Hello? Little Zhang? This is Li Haidong. I’m currently at Belis International Shopping Center..."

Li Haidong recounted the day’s humiliations to his assistant. He had a simple demand now: an employee with no sense of service like that store clerk had to be dismissed. The Li Family didn’t reach where they were today by stepping on others.

The assistant, seeing the call was from an unfamiliar number, was initially doubtful. But soon, all hesitancy vanished — Li Haidong’s voice was unmistakable, and he recounted many details only they would know.

Recalling how Li Haidong had also used a strange number to contact him in the morning, the assistant deduced that Li Haidong must’ve run into trouble.

Taking initiative, he offered to send Li Haidong a new phone, to which Li Haidong didn’t object. In fact, he went further, asking for a total of seven phones to be delivered.

The assistant grew even more puzzled. Both calls from Li Haidong today came from overseas numbers, and now he was requesting seven phones. Was he planning to commit fraud abroad?

The assistant was technically appointed by Li Juezhou to handle all personal matters for Li Haidong and Wei Lan. Officially, he was working for them, but his real boss was Li Juezhou.

The assistant debated whether to report Li Haidong’s situation to Li Juezhou. In the end, he decided against it. After all, as the father of Hai Chuan’s current head, surely Li Haidong’s intelligence wouldn’t leave him in a mess like this.

After wrapping up the call with his assistant, the assistant promptly began carrying out his instructions.

Next, Li Haidong used Sang Ning’s phone to dial Li Juezhou’s number.

Seeing the name "Li Jiaojiao" light up on the phone screen, Li Haidong’s eyelid twitched.

He thought he might’ve dialed the wrong number or that Sang Ning had saved the number incorrectly.

But when the call was instantly picked up and a familiar yet oddly foreign voice greeted him through the receiver, Li Haidong couldn’t bear to continue listening. He covered his aged, wrinkled face with one hand in embarrassment.

"Sangsang, didn’t we agree not to contact each other while you’re on set? Did you call because you miss me?" Li Juezhou’s voice was usually cold and deep with a steady tone. But at this moment, his voice was noticeably higher-pitched, brimming with energy, unmistakably in the throes of romance.

Goosebumps erupted all over Li Haidong’s body, so much so that his hand trembled with disgust, nearly dropping the phone.

He had never seen this side of Li Juezhou, not even as a child. Not once had he or Wei Lan ever experienced him acting this sweet or affectionate.

On the other end, Li Juezhou’s saccharine tone continued, tinged with concern: "Sangsang, why aren’t you saying anything? Did something happen?"

Li Haidong’s patience reached its limit. With a hardened expression, he flatly interrupted, "This is your father!"

"..."

Both sides fell silent simultaneously. Even without being face-to-face, the awkwardness spread through the phone and engulfed them both.

Having weathered countless storms, this was the first time in his life that Li Juezhou had suffered such a social death in front of family. However, he quickly composed himself, regained his stoic demeanor, and reverted to his reserved and impersonal tone.

"Why is Sangsang’s phone with you? Dad, didn’t I already tell you? Stop making things difficult for Sang Ning. Why are you secretly meeting with her behind my back? She’s working right now. Can’t you leave her alone? Where are you? I’m sending someone to bring you back home."

Li Haidong’s heart turned cold. In all his years, he had never heard his son speak so many words at once — and not a single word of concern was directed at him. Every sentence was full of reproach.

"Is this really how you see me in your heart?" Li Haidong was furious and decided to make things uncomfortable for Li Juezhou in return. "Your mother and I, along with Sang Ning, are recording the same show. If you cared even an ounce about us empty-nesters, you wouldn’t question me so harshly."

Li Juezhou paused, momentarily stunned, before softening his tone. "Have you revealed your identities to Sang Ning yet?"

Li Haidong felt another pang in his chest. "What do you mean? Are your mother and I so embarrassing we have to hide who we are?"

"At least for now, yes." Li Juezhou’s immediate, unhesitating reply struck another critical blow to Li Haidong.