Chapter 277: Can’t We Just Enjoy Ourselves?

Words : 2108 Updated : Oct 1st, 2025

It was barely dawn when Lu Liang returned to Tangchen District. Tonight was Christmas Eve, and Li Manli probably took a short holiday again, decorating the house with a festive atmosphere. A two-meter-tall Christmas tree was hung with lanterns. It was unclear what time she went to sleep last night as she lay on the couch, her shirt rolled up to her chest and pant legs up to her thighs. Her fair, soft belly was exposed. A warmth blanket had rolled into a ball and fallen to the floor, thankfully the house had heating, or she would definitely have caught a cold sleeping like that. Lu Liang shook his head and sighed softly. He picked up the blanket from the floor and gently covered her with it. Although he didn't have children and wasn't old, since meeting Li Manli, he had prematurely taken on the role of 'godfather.' Not only did he help plan her live-streaming career, but he also cared for her as one would care for a child. "Liang, are you back, or am I dreaming?" Li Manli muttered softly, half-asleep, her eyes squinted to slits. "You're still dreaming, go back to sleep." Lu Liang spoke softly, coaxing her back to sleep before he returned to the bedroom to wash up and rest. When he woke up, it was already the evening of the 24th. He was awakened by a phone call from Tang Caide, informing him that the $10 billion from the Saudi Sovereign Fund had arrived ahead of schedule. ICBC, Alipay, and Tenpay's finance section would launch their fund on time at noon tomorrow. "Mr. Lu, how many shares should we release on the first day?" Tang Caide asked. The Saudi Sovereign Fund, Modu People's Social Bureau, and State-owned Xiao Xin had together subscribed for 160.5 billion yuan, but there were still 139.5 billion yuan shares available. She didn't doubt Lu Liang's influence, but to be cautious, it would be best to create a scarcity illusion on the first day. Hunger marketing was necessary; what one couldn't get always caused unrest, and if the subscription were too easy, it might seem cheap. Since the fundraising period was a whole month, Tang Caide suggested releasing the subscription shares in batches. Lu Liang felt it made sense as people were expecting much from him, and if the fundraising failed, it would be rather laughable. He pondered for a moment and said, "Let's start with 30 billion." This time, Lu Liang did not intend to invest money, even though Tianxing Investment had nearly four billion US Dollars in liquid assets. This was because the settlement cycle would last as long as seven years. The three institutions had all signed a contract with the company stating that they could not redeem their principal early within the next three years if the annual return reached 12%, no matter the reason. This was destined to be a project with a very long investment cycle and not high returns, and Tianxing's funds had more important uses. Ending the call with Tang Caide, Lu Liang got out of bed, suddenly feeling a bit tasteless in his mouth. That Friday, he had a full-body checkup at the hospital, and his lung inflammation had completely healed, breathing very smoothly. It was because his body was uncomfortable that he had developed an aversion to the smell of smoke; after quitting smoking for over a month, he suddenly missed the sensation of emitting clouds of smoke and being enveloped in them. Suddenly, the bedroom door cracked open, revealing a brown furry reindeer antler, accompanied by Li Manli's soft voice, "Liang, dinner is ready, are you awake?" Lu Liang walked out of the bathroom and couldn't help but give a wry smile. Li Manli was dressed as a Christmas reindeer today. With brown antler headgear, a red scarf with bells around her neck, a red and white colored outfit with a short skirt and gloves, over-the-knee white stockings, and a pair of red and white cotton snow boots. "Ding dong dang~" Li Manli, beaming with joy, hopped in front of Lu Liang to show off her outfit for the day. The bells around her neck jingled, the antlers even lit up, and she clutched her cheeks, batting her large eyes, "Cute, right?" "Cute." Lu Liang nodded, flicked the bell, and Li Manli playfully responded, "Yo-ho~" Lu Liang couldn't help but grin, reading her mind, "Let's eat early, and we'll go out tonight." "Mhm~" Li Manli's face lit up with smiles, nodding continuously like a pecking chicken. At 8 PM, a Lamborghini roared out of the underground parking lot. Speeding through the People's Tunnel, passing Sixteen Piers, and then traveling along the Bund. Modu had a particular fondness for holidays like Christmas and Halloween, decorating everywhere, appearing as festive as the New Year. But every year on this day, there was also a lot of criticism online about how the city, historically a foreign enclave for ten years, was too eager in celebrating foreign festivals. There might be some over-admiration for foreign things, but Lu Liang thought, it was more about releasing long-suppressed emotions. Stopping and going, half an hour later, the red Lamborghini arrived at Ruijin Road, next to the Sinan Mansion by the tax bar. On a street 1.9 kilometers long, home to 120 bars, Zhuang's tax bar firmly occupied the prime spot. "Haven't been to a bar in a long while, have you?" Lu Liang called Zhuang Xiaoting; the street was too crowded, and the car couldn't make its way through. "I haven't been since I met you." Li Manli's smile was a bit forced, lacking her usual spirited demeanor. She had always despised her background; if she had gone to college initially, if she hadn't worked at nightclubs, maybe she wouldn't feel so insecure now. So, she practiced dance tirelessly, paid attention to her speech, strived to enhance her quality and cultivate a sense of grace, to make herself more presentable. But the past was indelible. "This is a cellphone." Lu Liang pondered, suddenly placing his phone on the dashboard under the streetlight glow, "Whether it's objects or people, all yearn to bathe in the sun, but where there's light, there are shadows." "Light and shadow are complementary, inevitable, and ever-present, as shadows are also a part of life." The world isn't perfect, and many people try desperately to hide their flaws and dark pasts, forgetting these too are parts of life. Lu Liang had his fair share, especially his previous marriage, but he had reconciled with himself and was able to face it. He didn't want Li Manli to dwell on it anymore. "Liang, that lady seems to be looking for you," Li Manli said with a naive smile, gesturing for Lu Liang to look outside. With a broad smile, Zhuang Xiaoting hurried over, "Mr. Lu, come with me, there's an access way here and a parking space." She signaled to the bar's security, removed a road bollard, and cleared a passage exclusively for Lu Liang. Tonight was Christmas Eve, and the bar had gone all out by inviting several celebrities. Naturally, they had prepared early for this. The spending of one wealthy person could match a hundred, a thousand ordinary patrons—they deserved special treatment, a green light all the way. Big Bull followed Zhuang Xiaoting into the parking lot, and Lu Liang handed his car keys to the valet, then turned and shouted, "Let's go." "Coming~" Li Manli hummed, helping Lu Liang pick up his phone from the dashboard. She silently followed behind Lu Liang, then suddenly took out her own phone and snapped a photo of the shadow she had mentioned earlier. A trace of bitterness appeared at the corner of her mouth. After all, objects are just objects, unlike people, they aren't scrutinized under a magnifying glass. "Mr. Zhuang, it doesn't seem like the right time tonight." Lu Liang looked up and saw posters at the entrance of the bar with Zhang Jie, Yue Yunpeng, and a few other stars he didn't recognize very well but must be of significant status. No wonder they had been stuck two hundred meters away. "Mr. Lu, you jest, how can that be?" Zhuang Xiaoting covered her mouth with a coy laugh, complimenting him, "Your arrival is right on cue, otherwise Christmas Eve would have been rather dull." She led Lu Liang upstairs, pointed to a private room not far away, and loudly asked, "Mr. Lu, Mr. Wang is also here. Would you like a private room for yourself, or shall we join him?" "Xiaocong?" "Yes." "Let's go then, we'll join tables." With a smile, Lu Liang said that going out was all about having fun in a lively crowd. He glanced at Li Manli, feeling she was still a bit reserved, took her hand, and pushed open the private room door. Little Wang was playing a game of eating fries with a few internet-famous beauties when suddenly the room door swung open. His face darkened, ready to explode in anger, but then he saw it was Lu Liang. Little Wang paused, rushed forward for a hearty hug, all smiles, "What a rare guest, what brings you here tonight?" "Can't I come?" Lu Liang asked with a smile. "It's not that you can't, but isn't there that thing tomorrow? If word gets out, it might not look so good." Little Wang hurriedly explained that there was a public offering tomorrow, and Lu Liang partying at the bar the night before might send out a bad signal. "It's no big deal, good if it works, fine if it doesn't." Lu Liang was nonchalant, if you believe, show up; if not, don't. He was in business, not a government office; no need for self-imposed moral shackles. The local atmosphere wasn't great—the wealthy and capable were expected to be moral models. Lu Liang didn't want to be morally hijacked. He earned his money rightfully, every cent was taxed and traceable; why shouldn't he enjoy it? Little Wang, lost for words, could only raise a toast, "Here's to you." His thinking aligned with Lu Liang's, but lacking the means, he preferred to stay secluded, coming out only on Christmas Eve for a breath of fresh air. The beauties in the private room also recognized Lu Liang, eyes sparkling with interest. Two of the three had already set their alarms, ready to buy shares at noon tomorrow. This was the man soon to control three hundred billion; not just Little Wang, even Old Wang had to step aside. Their eyes nearly glued to Lu Liang~ Li Manli's brows furrowed, sensing a threat; she dismissed the shadows from her mind and subtly moved half a step closer to Lu Liang, declaring her claim. This was her man, at least while she was around, he was hers, and no one could take him. Suddenly, outside there was a cheerful cheer, accompanied by a tune resembling an erhu. Small Wang, with a beauty in his arms, grinned, "Exploring Qing Shui River DJ version, Xiao Yueyue singing, quite energetic." Sёarch* The nôvel_Fire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Let's see just how energetic it is." Lu Liang followed out of the private room, they had a great view from the second floor, the dance floor bustling beneath them. The melodramatic Xiao Yueyue, as soon as he hit the stage, instantly ignited the audience's enthusiasm. But the main singer wasn't him, it was Zhang Jie, leading to even louder and sharper screams piercing the sky. "A lonely orphan's sky~" Zhang Jie's distinctly magnetic voice instantly permeated the bar, the combination of opera and DJ vibrantly unique, very intriguing. Li Manli gradually relaxed, swaying to the music's rhythm, echoing the stage's lead singer, and raising her hand to shout, "The girl's tears stream down..." With a smile, Lu Liang leaned against the railing, raised his glass towards the bar where Zhuang Xiaoting was, and drew a circle towards the dance floor. Zhuang Xiaoting nodded, understood, and grabbed the microphone, during the opera's break, to broadcast a message, "A Martini on the house for everyone, thanks to our Mr. Lu." "Thank you, Mr. Lu~" The crowd shouted excitedly, some even cried out for Liangzi.

Chapter 277: Can’t We Just Enjoy Ourselves?

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