Are you suggesting I inherit three wives' households? I'll marry my eldest brother and bec

Chapter 278 Efforts Are Not for Others

Lu Zhou leaned down and looked down at Shen Li, a sly expectation in his eyes: "Sister Li, can I sleep here tonight?"

He's not stupid at all. Now that the title has been set, the first thing he naturally wants to do is to fight for "benefits".

Shen Li looked up at his face, which was full of youthful energy yet tried to appear mature, and refused without hesitation: "No..."

"Ah... Sister-in-law doesn't miss me anymore?" He deliberately dragged out the words, his voice carrying a hint of deliberate seduction, and even slightly curled the last syllable.

Shen Li's hair stood on end, and she raised her hand to slap him: "Don't call me sister-in-law, call me Sister Li!"

Lu Zhou curled his lips into a mischievous smile, leaning closer and asking, "Sister, may I serve you in bed tonight?"

Shen Li: "..."

Where did you learn all this from?

He spoke fluently and logically, with a series of well-structured arguments.

Her heart was in turmoil, and her cheeks were burning.

Just then, a knock sounded at the door, and Xiao Nan's voice came through the door: "Sister Li, are you in your room?"

Upon hearing that it was Xiao Nan, Shen Li quickly stood up and replied, "Yes, I'm here."

As a result, Lu Zhou grabbed his wrist and pulled him back into his arms.

Shen Li frowned and glared at him: "Let go, Xiao Nan is calling me."

Lu Zhou tightened his arms, acting like a spoiled child: "Sister, promise me first, or you're not allowed to go out."

Shen Li laughed angrily: "Are you asking for a beating?"

"Go ahead and hit me!" He wasn't afraid at all, and even snuggled closer to her. "Anyway, you've hit me quite a few times already, so it's okay to hit me in bed too."

Shen Li looked up at the ceiling, thinking to himself: Is this guy some kind of mangy dog?

Just when he was at his wit's end, Lu Zhou suddenly put on a pitiful look, his eyes slightly red: "Sister, I'm going to school tomorrow, and I can only come back on weekends from now on. Please let me stay with you tonight, please."

Seeing his expression, Shen Li's heart softened instantly, and she said helplessly, "Alright."

Upon hearing this, Lu Zhou immediately beamed with joy and released his grip.

Shen Li got up to open the door, and Xiao Nan outside the door immediately spotted Lu Zhou behind her, her eyes filled with surprise—just two days ago, this third brother was like a defeated rooster, dejected and downcast, how come he looks so triumphant now?

Looks like he's won over Sister Li.

Xiao Nan snorted softly, thinking to herself: Who is she trying to impress!

"Sister Li, Brother Shuanzi is here," Xiao Nan said.

Shen Li then remembered that he had invited Shuanzi over for dinner that evening to discuss the construction of the new factory, and quickly replied, "Okay, I'll be right there."

After saying that, he walked towards the front yard, with Lu Zhou following closely behind.

After taking only two steps, Xiao Nan grabbed Lu Zhou with a gossipy look on her face and asked in a low voice, "Third Brother, has Sister Li accepted you as her boyfriend?"

She didn't dare ask Sister Li directly, but it would be fine to ask her own third brother.

Lu Zhou puffed out his chest and held his head high, exuding confidence: "With my stunning looks, who wouldn't love me? It's only a matter of time!"

Xiao Nan scoffed lightly: "Don't you want to think about how pathetic you looked a couple of days ago?"

Lu Zhou reached out and pushed her away, saying disdainfully, "What do you know about love, you little kid? Go away."

Xiao Nan rolled her eyes: "Third Brother, if I remember correctly, you were born two minutes before me, right?"

"Even for a minute, you're still my brother!" Lu Zhou retorted, "Get out of the way, don't block my path as I chase after Sister Li."

After saying that, he took small, quick steps and hurried after Shen Li's retreating figure.

Xiao Nan looked at his hurried appearance and sighed helplessly: "Sigh... It seems that none of my brothers can be relied on, but it's okay, I still have Sister Li who loves me."

Shen Li arrived at the front yard and saw Shuanzi sitting on a chair in the main hall with a bulging cloth bag next to him, obviously bringing a gift.

She quickly stepped forward and said politely, "It's enough that you came; there's no need to bring anything. It's too formal."

Shuanzi quickly stood up, smiling respectfully, "Sister Li, the reason my renovation company is doing so well is all thanks to your guidance. I'm grateful for your help, this is just a small token of my appreciation, please don't take it personally. By the way, Sister Li, is there something you wanted to talk to me about?"

"I've acquired a machinery factory," Shen Li said bluntly, "but there aren't enough factory buildings inside. I plan to build a few more, four stories each, and I'd like to entrust this project to you."

Upon hearing this, Shuanzi's eyes lit up instantly—this was a huge project!

He asked with some curiosity, "Sister Li, why didn't you give such a big project to Brother Cheng?"

"Your brother Cheng has more important things to do," Shen Li said.

"Then Sister Li, give me an address, and I'll go take a look first thing tomorrow morning," Shuanzi replied immediately, without even asking about the price.

In his heart, Sister Li would never treat him unfairly, and being able to take on Sister Li's work would also be a great asset to his company.

"Okay," Shen Li nodded, "Let's have dinner here tonight."

Shuanzi smiled and agreed, "Okay, then I'll trouble you, Sister Li."

At this moment, Lu Zhou came over, looked Shuanzi up and down, and joked, "Brother Shuanzi, you look like a big boss in that suit!"

Shuanzi scratched the back of his head sheepishly and laughed, "Oh, it's all thanks to Sister Li's excellent guidance. Otherwise, how could I have gained a foothold in the capital and started a business?"

Although he had never even seen some of the things Sister Li occasionally brought out, he had indeed broadened his horizons considerably by following her.

He also heard that Sister Li knew friends abroad and that many of her rare items were bought from overseas.

Lu Zhou changed the subject abruptly, asking gossipily, "But Shuanzi, you're already twenty-one, and you still don't have a girlfriend?"

Shuanzi glanced at Xiaonan standing next to him subconsciously, a slight blush rising on his face, and smiled, "I'm focusing on my career right now, no rush. I'll find someone after a few years when things are more stable."

"In a few years? How old will you be then!" Lu Zhou clicked his tongue in surprise. He had only just turned eighteen when he started thinking about his future wife.

Shen Li took over the conversation, her tone gentle: "It's right to prioritize your career. Once you've achieved success, you'll have more choices and can pick someone who truly suits your taste."

Shuanzi nodded repeatedly: "Yes, Sister Li is right, that's exactly what I think. In the future, I want to give my other half a wealthy and stable life, and I can't let her suffer with me."

"I didn't expect Brother Shuanzi to be so responsible." Lu Zhou exclaimed sincerely.

Xiao Nan rolled her eyes at her third brother: "Do you think everyone is like you, with all you think about is this kind of thing?"

"What's wrong with me? I'm very motivated too!" Lu Zhou immediately retorted, turning to look at Shen Li with a hint of seeking approval in his eyes, "Sister Li, don't you think so? I've been working my hardest to get good grades."

Shen Li nodded, suppressing a laugh: "Yes, you're all very good and ambitious. But remember, you're not working hard for others, but so that you'll have more choices in the future and won't be forced to compromise."