Girl, There's Something Wrong With You - Chapter 6

Hearing the commotion outside, Cheng Jinyang knew that the plan had succeeded.

He hadn’t expected Li Tongzhui to cooperate so fully, making such statements in public and leaving no escape for his father.

Miss Wang had thus provided a ladder for Li Xuansheng, allowing him to gracefully step down as everyone had anticipated.

As he led Li Qingwan out of the dungeon, Cheng Jinyang and Li Qingwan saw that Li Tongzhui and Li Jing’ai had already disappeared, clearly taken away to avoid further embarrassment.

The four young ladies—Wang, Cui, Zheng, and Lu—were now engaging in pleasant conversation with Li Xuansheng, creating a harmonious atmosphere.

“Ah, Qingwan is out!” Cui Xiaoniang greeted with surprise. Although she was addressing Li Qingwan, her eyes frequently darted towards Cheng Jinyang. Her glances clearly asked for praise. Cheng Jinyang responded with a smile and subtly gave her a thumbs-up.

Cui Xiaoniang proudly lifted her chin, revealing her exquisite neck.

The other young ladies continued their conversation with Li Xuansheng, with Lu Qingyun speaking up for her friend Li Jing’ai, Zheng Qiuping flattering Li Xuansheng, and Wang Wanrou praising the family traditions of the Longxi Li clan, which made Li Xuansheng laugh heartily, his earlier displeasure completely gone.

While the sincerity of this display was debatable, Li Xuansheng had no choice but to take advantage of the opportunity and minimize the negative impact of the incident.

Seeing Li Qingwan out, Li Xuansheng first inquired about any injuries, then assured that the matter would be dealt with seriously, showing no leniency or favoritism.

Cheng Jinyang, being very accommodating, mentioned that he was unharmed and requested the clan leader not to be too harsh on his children.

Li Xuansheng breathed a sigh of relief. If this matter were to escalate and reach the central authority of Taicheng, such as Yu Yuangui or Wang Maohong, it would be quite embarrassing for the Longxi Li clan.

With Cheng Jinyang letting the matter go lightly, the Li clan had to acknowledge his favor.

However, Cheng Jinyang’s high emotional intelligence only highlighted the shortcomings of Li Xuansheng’s own children, causing him considerable frustration.

“By the way,” Cheng Jinyang pretended to suddenly remember something, and then apologized to the clan leader for Li Qingwan.

He described what happened inside, explaining that Li Tongzhui had suddenly opened fire, catching everyone off guard, and that Li Qingwan, in a desperate attempt to save him, had injured two of his bodyguards.

Li Xuansheng generously responded that “it was all a misunderstanding.” Since only the bodyguards were injured, it was a stroke of luck amidst the misfortune. He would reassign the injured guards, comfort them, and ensure they received due benefits.

Then Li Xuansheng suddenly realized that these two bodyguards were seasoned sixth-grade ability users from the clan’s secret unit.

Given Li Qingwan’s young age, it was inconceivable that she could incapacitate both of them simultaneously.

Unless…

Li Xuansheng’s suspicions were shared by the other clan members present. Although no one spoke out, the implication was clear: Li Qingwan might have already reached the sixth grade or even the fifth grade.

Reaching the sixth grade before the age of twenty was considered a top-tier talent with a guaranteed fourth grade and can aim for the third grade. If she was already at the fifth grade, it would be unprecedented. No one from an ability family had ever shown such talent.

Thus, it was crucial to confirm Li Qingwan’s grade. However, with so many people present, pressing for immediate answers might lead to rumors and misinformation. It was best to conduct a genealogy test promptly.

After a few more pleasantries with the young ladies, Li Xuansheng invited everyone to stay for a meal, knowing they would take it as a polite dismissal. The young ladies, understanding this, took their leave.

Cheng Jinyang needed to handle some procurement paperwork, so only Li Qingwan stayed behind to calmly converse with Li Xuansheng.

Approximately thirty minutes later, the results of the genealogy test finally arrived. The delay was due to multiple blood samples being taken from Li Qingwan for repeated testing and checking of the equipment.

What did a guaranteed third grade mean? It indicated an unprecedented genius!

The future of the Longxi Li clan, maintaining its position among the Five Great Families—or even surpassing the Taiyuan Wang family to become the leading family—depended on this extraordinarily talented young woman!

After studying the appraisal report for a while, Li Xuansheng circulated it among the other clan elders and had already made a decision in his mind: since this matter had become public, the sooner a decision was made, the better—waiting even a second longer could lead to trouble!

It was true that he, as the clan leader, held great power, but this power came not from personal strength but from the prestige that strength brought within the clan. Could this prestige firmly suppress Li Qingwan?

Or to rephrase the question, among the many clan leaders in the history of the Longxi Li family, who had the “third-grade guaranteed” qualifications in their youth?

Moreover, with Li Qingwan’s connections with Cheng Jinyang and the other prominent young ladies from the Five Great Families…

After reading the appraisal report, the clan elders exchanged glances for a moment before finally looking towards Li Xuansheng.

They were already aware of the conflict between Li Qingwan and Li Jing’ai, Li Tongzhui. Since Cheng Jinyang had chosen not to pursue the matter, it could still be remedied.

The key was the attitude of the clan leader. If Li Xuansheng insisted on passing the leadership to his own son, the clan elders would find it difficult to object, as Li Tongzhui also had the potential to advance to the third grade.

Even if he were less mature in character, they could make him a symbolic figurehead, as long as the bloodline was preserved. The actual leadership could be entrusted to a capable person.

For instance, the Fufeng Xie family had such a model: Xie Wanshi had higher bloodline talent, but Xie Anshi was stronger in managing the family. Thus, the nominal position of clan leader was held by Xie Wanshi, but all matters were handled by Xie Anshi.

However, this “shared leadership” model relies on having both a capable bloodline and ability. In this case, Li Qingwan, in terms of temperament, ability, and bloodline talent, surpassed Li Tongzhui. If she suddenly sought to take sole control in the future, Li Tongzhui would be unable to compete.

Further speculation raised concerns that the clan leader might even take drastic measures to prevent such a situation, potentially eliminating Li Qingwan before she could grow.

Then, if his son failed to reach the third grade by the time he was nearly fifty, what would become of the Longxi Li family? Ruined by the leader’s selfishness?

Li Xuansheng understood the worries and doubts reflected in the elders’ eyes. After a moment of contemplation, he stood up.

Just as he was about to say something, a servant came in, reporting that Li Qingwan’s father, Li Fenghe, had arrived.

“Clan Leader! Clan Leader!” Li Fenghe, still unaware of the full situation, had only heard that his daughter Li Qingwan seemed to have injured a high-ranking direct family guard outside. He hurriedly came in, distressed, and pleaded, “Qingwan is not usually so violent! Maybe I scolded her a few days ago, and she was in a bad mood. That’s why she acted impulsively and made a huge mistake…”

He spoke with tears in his eyes, and the elders on both sides were stunned and speechless, and then smiled bitterly.

If she wasn’t a violent person, would she risk her dislocated hand bones to crack someone’s skull with a big blow? You, Li Fenghe, really taught your daughter well!

Damn it, why don’t my children have a guaranteed third-grade bloodline…

Li Xuansheng quickly stepped forward to support him and said warmly, “It’s fine. Fenghe, everything has been clarified—it was all a misunderstanding.”

“A misunderstanding?” Li Fenghe mumbled, looking at his daughter smiling in front of him, then at the kind-faced clan leader and the smiling elders, and finally grasped the situation. “Yes, yes, it’s a misunderstanding… a misunderstanding…”

“Fenghe, I must ask you a favor,” Li Xuansheng continued. “I wish to adopt Qingwan as my adopted daughter. What are your thoughts on this?”

“Adopted daughter?” Li Fenghe was again confused.

“Yes,” Li Xuansheng said seriously. “If you agree, from today, Qingwan will become the heir to the leadership of the Longxi Li family.”