Chapter 232: Feels Like a Spy Movie
Li Tang never imagined that, in his second life, he'd end up relying on a blind date to solve his relationship problems.
Sitting in his office at Yunding Building, he found himself inexplicably nervous about the evening's meeting.
After all, it was his first time going on a blind date—he had zero experience.
What made him even more uneasy was that the girl's father was none other than the famous General Manager of Shenxia Group, Li Xingchao.
That man was basically his financial backer—having invested twenty million in Zhongcheng Mining and contributing another thirty million in a fifty-million-yuan loan.
In the eyes of many, establishing a connection with Li Xingchao was akin to leaping from carp to dragon.
What Li Tang didn't know was that this entire arrangement was initiated by Li Xingchao himself.
Through the clear glass wall of his office, he watched the open-plan workspace outside. The team—originally from Wukuang Group—was already busy preparing for the next phase of work in Mengguo's Nanhang Province.
Over the New Year holiday, everyone had taken time off and gone home. Alice had returned to the United States. Since work was always hectic, Li Tang hadn't assigned her a fixed return date. She could rest as long as she liked.
Apparently, she had returned to China some time ago and was now preparing for departure to Mengguo.
She hadn't seen Li Tang in a while. When she saw him in the office, she walked in.
"You don't look very happy," she said casually as she sat down. "Did something happen?"
"No, nothing with work. Just… personal stuff."
Li Tang answered vaguely.
"Is there something I can help with?" Alice offered, genuinely concerned.
"Not really."
Looking at Alice, Li Tang suddenly remembered that in all this time, everyone had been so caught up in work that they'd rarely stopped to think about their own lives.
He was like that. And Alice, being in a foreign country, must have faced even more challenges.
"Since joining the company, how's your life outside of work? Everything okay?"
"Pretty good! The company gave me a dorm, and there's all sorts of great food in Yanjing. I'm really enjoying life here." Her tone was bright and cheerful.
"That's good to hear."
Li Tang nodded.
"During the holiday, when you went back to the States, did you tell your family you left Gaosheng and came here?"
"No," she said, and for once, the sunshine left her voice.
"I didn't dare tell my parents—only my sister. She's very supportive."
She suddenly thought of something and pulled out a pendant from inside her collar.
"This necklace you gave me—my sister saw it and thought it was really cool. I told her the character on it, '福' (fu), represents fortune, happiness, and blessings. It's the essence of Chinese culture. She got so excited and made me promise to bring one back for her next time I visit home."
Li Tang had gifted that necklace casually—a small token of gratitude for Alice standing up for him once. It wasn't expensive.
A simple pendant of platinum and gold—nothing fancy.
He hadn't expected her to still be wearing it.
"When I have time, I'll buy another just like it so you can give it to her."
Seeing his gift so cherished made him smile.
"Really?" Alice lit up.
"Joanna will be thrilled. Knowing it's from a Chinese friend will make her scream with joy. She's always been fascinated by China. She even told me she wants to visit, but school keeps her too busy."
"She can come during break. Flights from the U.S. to Yanjing are frequent."
"She'll come, for sure."
As Alice said this, her eyes kept drifting toward something in the office—specifically, toward the large desk.
Li Tang noticed and followed her gaze. On the desk was a bouquet of tulips he'd bought that morning from a flower shop downstairs.
"I'm meeting a girl tonight," he explained, smiling.
"Didn't know what to bring, so I bought flowers. I asked the florist what to bring on a first meeting, and they recommended tulips."
He picked up the bouquet and offered it to Alice.
"You kept looking at it—do you like flowers? If so, I'll give it to you. I'll just buy another one later."
"No, no…" Alice quickly waved her hands in refusal.
If she hadn't known the flowers were meant for someone else, she would've accepted them without hesitation. But knowing their original purpose made her feel weird.
"I thought you liked them."
Li Tang chuckled and placed the bouquet back on the desk.
"So… who's the girl?" Alice asked, those bright blue eyes filled with curiosity.
"I don't know. I've never met her."
Li Tang felt oddly embarrassed discussing it. But seeing Alice's curiosity, he went on:
"Do you know what a 'blind date' is?"
"Not really," she shook her head.
"It's when two strangers are introduced by someone else. If they click, they date. If they work out, they marry."
"Ohhh," Alice's eyes widened in understanding.
"That's just like a party!"
"A party?"
"We had those at school and at church—to meet new people. Lots of people met their spouses that way."
Clearly, her idea of a blind date was different.
Li Tang chuckled.
"Not quite the same."
Alice didn't argue. She was just surprised someone like Li Tang—a successful man with a strong career—would need help meeting women.
"I thought someone like you would have tons of girls after you. You're smart, focused, driven—definitely the type lots of women would like."
"Not really."
Li Tang shook his head.
"I spend all my time on projects. I barely even see young women. Honestly, I look just like any other guy on the street, don't I?"
"But you're amazing!" Alice's eyes lit up with genuine admiration.
"You're getting good at flattery," he laughed.
Alice smiled but looked a little down. The emotion passed quickly, and she stood up, examining Li Tang's outfit.
"You're meeting a girl wearing this? That haircut? Nope. We're getting you new clothes—now!"
"Is that necessary?"
Li Tang lived alone. He rarely shopped for clothes. When he did, he bought several at once and didn't think about it for years.
The suit he wore was two years old, full of wrinkles.
Before the holiday, he'd gotten a haircut back home—from an old guy who gave him a close-cropped buzz. That was over a month ago.
His hair had grown out into a fluffy mess.
It took over an hour to get a proper cut—and by the end, his butt was numb.
They headed straight to the shopping district.
In a high-end clothing store, Alice became the fashion expert—more helpful than the sales staff.
"No black! That light-colored casual blazer is perfect. You can't wear a stiff black suit to meet a girl!"
"Pair it with jeans—it's more stylish!"
"And lose the tie! You're wearing a round-neck T-shirt. A tie would look like a leash—sorry, I mean, that's an insult in Chinese, right? I didn't mean it like that!"
"No leather shoes! Go with sneakers. That way, it all matches."
"Wanna wear a hat? It's still cool outside—it'll give you more character."
Alice was clearly enjoying herself. As she adjusted his collar and sleeves, she looked in the mirror and grinned.
"Look at that! Handsome, right? You look like a fashion model now!"
After a whole afternoon, Li Tang was finally kitted out in a fresh outfit.
With modern sensibilities, his look was undeniably stylish.
He hadn't expected it—but the new look transformed his entire appearance.
Looking in the mirror, he thought,
Damn, I do look good.
It was a thought he hadn't had in years.
"You've got good taste," he told Alice, giving her a thumbs-up.
"Of course!" she beamed.
"This is the one," he said. He was exhausted—no more trying things on.
Alice stared at his reflection, still not completely satisfied.
"I have an even better idea…"
"No more! This is it."
Li Tang was exhausted. He spent half his life in the wilderness and even he felt like his legs might give out.
"Boss, let's pay!" he called to the cashier.
…
After work, Li Xingchao cancelled his evening plans and rushed home.
His son, already married, lived separately.
At home, it was just him, his wife, their daughter, and a housekeeper.
Simple and happy—except for one problem: their daughter's marriage prospects.
He had just parked when his wife ran out to meet him, whispering excitedly:
"She's home, watching TV in the living room!"
"You told her?"
"Yes."
"What'd she say?"
"She just said 'Oh,' and turned on the TV."
"What does 'Oh' mean?" Li Xingchao was baffled.
"I don't know. She looked pretty normal."
"She's always normal," he sighed.
She'd been an obedient child—quiet, well-mannered, and his little sweetheart.
But even the sweetest daughter needs a home, a life of her own.
"Fu Wenpei! You have the nerve to steal my man—why don't you open the door!"
The TV blared with the angry voice of the famous "Aunt Xue."
Li Xinqi sat on the sofa, munching grapes and watching with great interest.
"Kiki," Li Xingchao sat beside her and took a grape.
"About what your mom told you—what do you think?"
"You mean the blind date?" she glanced at him.
"Li Tang, right?"
"Yes, yes," he grinned sheepishly—the kind only dads wear for their daughters.
"That's him."
"He called me."
"What did he say?"
"Asked if I wanted to have dinner."
"What'd you say?"
"I said yes."
She noticed her mother watching and smiled, "Mom, sit down. These grapes are super sweet. I bought them earlier."
Zhou Muyun sat down without touching the fruit.
"Do you know who Li Tang is?"
"You've both told me a hundred times already," Xinqi gave them a look.
"It's just a dinner date. Why are you two staring at me like that? You're so weird."
"He's not just anybody," her mom emphasized.
Li Xingchao jumped in,
"I've met him a few times. He's incredible. I know this industry like the back of my hand, and Li Tang is the brightest star in China's mining sector!"
He pointed at the TV.
"More famous than anyone on there."
"I've never heard of him before."
"Wear something nice tonight," her mom urged.
"Wear the outfit we bought during our overseas trip."
Li Xingchao chimed in again,
"You always said you wanted someone as good as Dad. Well, let me tell you—Li Tang might be better than me!"
"Really?" she asked, unconvinced.
"He's done things even I couldn't do," he said proudly.
"But is he as kind and devoted to family as you?" she asked, suddenly serious.
Li and Zhou exchanged a look—full of warmth.
"Building a life together takes time," Zhou said gently.
"I know, I'm not a kid," she huffed.
"You're treating me like I'm in kindergarten."
She stood up.
"I'll go change now—look nice and proper."
"Where are you two having dinner?" Li Xingchao called after her.
"He said hot pot," she said simply.
As she left, cheerful and confident, her parents sprang into action.
"Follow her, but don't get caught!" Zhou urged.
"Hold on. If we follow too closely, she'll notice," he said, counting to himself before slowly following her.
The whole scene felt like something out of a spy movie.
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