Chapter 115: This Is a Sad Story

The internal power struggles within the Saints have spilled over from matters of faith into the group's economic affairs and organizational agenda; it is unlikely they will subside anytime soon. Such is the greedy nature of humanity, a reality Li Lekang has long seen through. He treats this simply as a job: complete the requirements, collect his pay, and enjoy the perks.

The haul from this trip was quite satisfactory. Not only did he secure a generous two-hundred-million-dollar operating budget, but he also effortlessly reeled in 400,000 devout followers—he was stuffed to the brim!

Stell has also gradually widened the gap between himself and the other bishops. As long as he holds the Messiah in his pocket, he essentially commands the supreme power of interpretation. Thus, while the situation may seem chaotic, for Stell, the winds are blowing in his favor.

With his tasks complete, Li Lekang decided it was time to withdraw. The only slight regret was that the promise to help Stell resolve his "eunuch" predicament remained unfulfilled. Li had recommended several items, but due to their rather ominous aesthetics, Stell recoiled at the sight of these chilling demon whips and hesitated at the critical moment. Perhaps accustomed to the high efficiency of a eunuch’s life—unburdened by desire and thus able to focus entirely on political maneuvering—Stell was in no rush to graft on a replacement.

Seeing this, Li Lekang let it go, telling him, "I'll let you know if I find something better later."

Hearing that there were still options, Stell was greatly relieved. "Thank you for your consideration, sir!"

After tying up these loose ends, Li Lekang returned to Los Angeles with his retinue of nuns. The five sisters were largely unaffected by the turmoil; having long witnessed Li’s various miraculous feats, and seeing even the Messiah revere him as a teacher, their threshold for shock had significantly increased.

On the plane, Li Lekang sat with his legs crossed, flipping through a copy of *The Sun*—a gentleman’s favorite—critiquing the fashion of the Page 3 girls while enjoying a pleasant journey back to L.A. Along the way, he had requisitioned the Gulfstream G650 registered under the Saint Group.

"You come up with a reason for me!" he delegated this task to Olivia.

The Mother Superior straightened her back and smiled slightly. "Leave it to me, sir!"

Looking out the window at the warm sunshine, Li recalled that it had been bitterly cold and snowy when he left New York. Here in Los Angeles, it was still twenty degrees Celsius during the day, and he immediately felt a sense of languid relaxation.

Upon his return, he gave himself a vacation. He went on dates, visited his godmother’s home—with Christmas fast approaching—and played video games and went shopping for gifts with his increasingly vibrant and beautiful younger sister.

The subsequent work followed a set procedure: he went to the Chinese Consulate with his team to handle visa applications. Judy was, as always, efficient; by the time the visas were secured, the permits for the domestic performances had also been approved. Thus, the itinerary for the tour in China was finalized for just after the New Year.

During the remaining days of his break, Li Lekang went on a date with Kendall. He had promised to return early, yet he had dragged it out for over half a month. Faced with a stunner like Kendall, most men would be desperate to fly to her side and fawn over her, but Li was quite casual. He sent the occasional text or made a phone call, not forcing conversation when busy, yet she never complained. It seemed their encounter in New York had left a deep impression on her that she couldn't forget.

After sorting out the visa paperwork, Li headed to his date at noon. He sneaked out of his chauffeured car, quickly ducked into the restaurant’s back entrance, and took the special celebrity passage. When it comes to dealing with paparazzi, stars have long refined their evasion techniques, employing every trick in the book. As long as they aren't looking to be exposed, the paparazzi don't always stand a chance.

Li Lekang perfectly evaded all eyes and reached the meeting spot. Shortly after, Kendall strolled in through the front door, looking composed, wearing sunglasses and a handbag, her long, enviable legs swaying beneath her slip dress.

"Hi, baby!" Li Lekang stood up to greet her, and she ran into his arms.

"I missed you so much!" she buried her head in his neck, hugging him tightly.

"I missed you too," Li said, kissing her.

The strangeness of their short separation was quickly washed away by the heat of their reunion. When they sat down, Li didn't even sit across from her; he sat right beside her. That way, he could kiss her or touch her whenever he wanted! A man should be a gentleman when necessary, but he must also be a beast when the time is right—otherwise, in a woman's eyes, he's worth less than a beast!

He held her hand, chatted, ate, and fed her by hand, with her feeding him in return. Just as everything was at its sweetest, she suddenly asked, "Did you get me a gift?"

Li Lekang looked slightly surprised, then shook his head. "No."

Just as she was about to look disappointed, Li mysteriously added, "But I can conjure one right now!"

As he spoke, he took a piece of paper and a pen. Without a word, he drew a necklace on the paper, folded it up, placed it into an empty little box, and handed it to her. "A gift for you!"

Kendall took it with wonder and opened it. The original paper was gone; it had transformed into a real necklace!

She picked up the necklace in astonishment. "Wow! How did you do that? It’s amazing—I love it!"

Kendall certainly wasn't short on necklaces or jewelry; she could buy whatever she wanted. But a surprise from her boyfriend was different—magic, or perhaps sorcery, something no one else in this world could do!

"You like it? Let me put it on for you!"

"Mm-hmm!" She turned her back to him, basking in the joy of having him fasten the necklace.

"All done."

"I love it!" Kendall admired it for a moment with glistening eyes before turning to kiss him. "Honey, I have a surprise for you too!"

"What is it?"

"Get ready to enjoy my magic show—" She grabbed her bag, opened it, and pulled out two tickets. "The Lakers game at home this afternoon, front-row VIP. Want to go?"

"The Lakers? I love it!"

Having lived in the U.S. for a while, Li Lekang had learned to show surprise first, then think about what it actually meant. Basketball was indeed great; after all, in his previous life during his school days, Yao Ming was at the height of his fame! Although he regretted missing that era in this lifetime, being able to watch a game at the Lakers' home court, especially during the festive Christmas season, was something to look forward to!

Once that clicked, Li Lekang praised her ability: "You managed to get tickets for such a hot Christmas game? That’s incredible!"

"I prepared this carefully!" Kendall beamed, accepting the praise. She had conveniently forgotten that this was a gift from a "simp" who had given them to her to watch his own away game. When tickets were impossible to get, she had used her connections to secure two VIP seats, only to turn around and share them with her boyfriend!

Li Lekang realized this too; the matchup was Lakers versus the Suns—he remembered that guy Devin; he was a star player for the Suns. A realization dawned on him: behind this lay a tragic story.

*Sigh.*

He felt even more compelled to show off their love! After all, that was the only pursuit he had!

After lunch, he accompanied Kendall to get her hair done. She claimed she had come to the date in a rush and hadn't been able to dress up properly, and that she wasn't beautiful enough. Li Lekang had no choice; this was one of those things he had to endure, so he sat by, reading the newspaper to pass the time.

After she finished her hair, he didn't see much of a change, but he had to offer insincere praise about how drastic the improvement was before being dragged off to shop. A woman's drive to shop is infinite. Fortunately, they weren't walking down the street in broad daylight, or they would have been swarmed by fans. Celebrities still have their special passages and can enjoy some privacy.

He accompanied her as she tried on outfits, and he didn't escape unscathed; in the fitting room, she stripped off his shirt, her hands roaming over his abs and chest. Li Lekang was in great shape—lean in clothes, but muscular underneath. If it weren't for the prying eyes outside the fitting room, sparks might have truly flown.

"You need to calm down!" Li Lekang pressed a finger to her forehead, telling her to back off and cool down.

Kendall pouted, unable to continue her "feeding," and put her hands on her hips in defeat.

Li Lekang couldn't help but laugh. He put his clothes back on, and they walked out to take a selfie in the mirror. These photos were bound to become an official announcement on Instagram; it was inevitable. They were about to go to the game together, which would surely make their relationship common knowledge. Li felt this might hinder his ability to pick up other girls in the future, but if you aren't willing to invest, you won't win her over!

Being a player really isn't easy!