Chapter 222: No Matter How Big the Problem, I’ll Solve It for You
Su Tao had just shut the door when, not long after, there was another knock.
When she opened it and saw that it was Lei Xing, she instinctively wanted to slam the door in his face too.
Lei Xing noticed her red-rimmed eyes and immediately tensed up, holding onto the door as he asked, “What did he say to you that made you cry?!”
Su Tao didn’t hesitate to lift her foot and kick him. “Let go.”
Lei Xing, whose legs were still numb from crouching earlier, hadn’t fully recovered. Her light kick sent a jolt through his lower body like an electric shock, making him topple backward.
Su Tao didn’t have time to catch him and could only watch as he fell straight down like an uprooted carrot. Shocked, she blurted out, “Are you faking an injury?”
Lei Xing felt like he had completely lost face. Deciding to embrace his humiliation, he simply lay there, refusing to get up, and weakly complained, “That hurt.”
Su Tao’s gloomy mood was already fading thanks to his antics. She narrowed her eyes and asked, “Oh? It hurt? And then what?”
Before Lei Xing could respond, Jiang Yu emerged from the shadows and said quietly, “Captain Lei, I can carry you.”
Lei Xing immediately grabbed onto the railing and stood up. “And then I got up myself.”
Su Tao slammed the door shut, not giving him a chance to ask any more questions.
As soon as she was back in the quiet space, that helpless, gut-wrenching feeling surged up again.
Jiang Yu poured her a glass of water and said softly, “If you really can’t process your emotions, try keeping yourself busy.”
Su Tao took a moment to collect herself, then nodded. “You’re right.”
Jiang Yu hesitated before adding, “Boss Su, Major General Shi might be a great leader, an outstanding soldier, and a hero worthy of respect—but he is not a good match.”
Su Tao hugged a pillow, lost in thought.
“I know that. It’s not like I’ve made up my mind about him or that I have to tie myself to this crooked tree forever. Sometimes, I don’t even know if I like him more or if I admire him more. I really don’t understand.”
“But regardless of which it is, I don’t want him to… throw his life away.”
Jiang Yu let out a long sigh and disappeared into the shadows.
Su Tao took his advice to heart. She tried her best not to think about Shi Zijin and instead threw herself completely into work.
The first priority was expanding Leopard Path’s main base.
The land had been divided into two zones by Old Mei and his apprentice.
The left side, about 500 square meters, was designated as a rest, dining, and entertainment area.
The basement level of the main building was a garage, where the members of Leopard Path could park their battered motorcycles.
The first floor houses the Restaurant, which can accommodate more than ten members of Leopard Path dining together.
At the far right of the restaurant is a spacious kitchen, where they can eventually hire a cook to prepare meals for them long-term.
At the far left is the stairwell, leading to the second, third, and fourth floors, all of which contain one-bedroom, one-living-room apartments.
The members of Leopard Path are all bachelors, with no plans to marry or have children, so a one-bedroom apartment is sufficient.
Above the fourth floor is a rooftop terrace.
Considering their love for singing and partying, Old Mei built not only a dance floor but also a bar on the terrace, complete with a sound system.
Downstairs, there is an outdoor swimming pool with lounge chairs around it.
After training, they can take a swim, climb ashore, and relax.
Next to the main building is a two-story annex.
The first floor serves as a reception hall for Leopard Path to entertain guests, while the second floor contains a massive conference room for meetings and discussions.
Additionally, there is a 500-square-meter training ground.
In the center of the training ground is a glass-walled gym, housing indoor training equipment.
Surrounding it is a circular track, perfect for regular endurance training.
By the time everything was built and various details optimized, they looked up and realized it was already daylight.
Only then did Su Tao suddenly realize she had been working non-stop for 14 hours.
Upon exiting the system, she felt weak in her arms and legs.
Lin Fangzhi brought her food from the cafeteria. Watching her devour it ravenously, he frowned and said, “You’re feeling sad.”
Su Tao blinked and smiled. “Where did you get that idea? I’m eating so heartily!”
Lin Fangzhi shook his head. “You’re faking it.”
Su Tao’s smile faded, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t force it back. She put down her bowl and said, “I’m worried about a friend.”
Lin Fangzhi didn’t quite understand. He had been busy with classes, managing supplies, and dealing with countless purchase requests. His head was spinning from it all, so he had no idea what had happened yesterday.
Tilting his head, he offered advice based on his own experience:
“If you’re worried, just follow them.”
Su Tao was stunned for a moment before laughing. “So whenever you’re worried about someone, you follow them?”
Lin Fangzhi nodded, patted his chest, and said seriously, “When I follow you, I feel great.”
Su Tao laughed so hard that tears welled up in her eyes.
Follow Shi Zijin?
He would probably just pack her up and send her away on the spot.
She patted Fangzhi’s head and sighed, “You’re so pure-hearted. I hope you stay this way forever.”
Lin Fangzhi didn’t fully understand, but he figured it was a compliment.
He grinned, but seeing that Su Tao was still visibly sad, his smile faded. Looking worried, he asked, “You’re still upset. Did I say something wrong?”
Su Tao patted him.
“No, you said the right thing. Do me a favor—go call Lei Xing and ask him to inspect his area.”
In truth, she just wanted to send Fangzhi away for a bit so she could collect herself and get Shi Zijin out of her head.
Lin Fangzhi pursed his lips, reluctant. “I want to stay with you. I’ve been so busy lately…”
After several failed attempts to send him off, Su Tao gave up and let him tag along. She called Lei Xing herself, asking him to check the place first while she’d join him shortly.
She washed her face, took a deep breath in front of the mirror, adjusted herself until she looked okay, changed clothes, and brought her little shadow along to see Lei Xing.
But the moment they stepped out of the teleportation gate, they were hit by blaring party music.
Looking up toward the main building’s rooftop terrace, Su Tao saw the Leopard Path crew throwing a wild music party.
Lin Fangzhi had never seen anything like it before and stood there, completely dazed.
Su Tao called out to them several times, but the music was too loud, and the excitement of moving into their new home had them too hyped to notice.
Finally, Lei Xing snapped out of it. Spotting Su Tao downstairs, his eyes lit up. Without hesitation, he grabbed the terrace railing and boldly jumped down from the fifth floor.
Su Tao gasped in shock and took a couple of quick steps forward, only to see him land steadily and run toward her, grinning.
“This is amazing! We were all stunned when we saw it—especially the rooftop dance floor. You totally get us!”
As he got closer, he noticed the dark circles under Su Tao’s eyes. His excitement quickly faded into a frown.
“You didn’t sleep well last night?”
Not wanting to answer, Su Tao changed the subject. “Is there anything else that needs improvement? Speak now or forever hold your peace.”
Lei Xing wasn’t fooled. He pressed on, “What did that guy Shi say to you yesterday? What kept you up all night? Tell me—I’ll solve whatever problem it is.”
