"Li Weixin!" Tian Jing's expression darkened as she saw her younger son.
"Reporting!" Li Weixin stood at attention.
Tian Jing pointed at him. "While Captain Zeng is overwhelmed with work, you, the acting captain, dared to leave the compound without permission."
"You're dead. The team rules aren't written for just one person."
"Mom~" Li Weixin plastered a smile on his face and stood by his mother. "Heaven knows, earth knows, you know, I know. If you don't say anything, no one will know."
"Li Weixin!" Tian Jing was furious.
Seeing that his mother was truly angry, Li Weixin weakly called out, "Mom."
Tian Jing took a deep breath and softened her tone. "If a team has no discipline, can it still be called a team?"
"As the deputy captain's child, you must set an example. No one has special privileges."
"Mom," Li Weixin lowered his head. "I'm sorry, I've embarrassed you."
"Alas!" Tian Jing sighed, raising her hand to pat her younger son's head.
"I know you like to play and find the monotony of the specialized team boring. But look at so many team members, who hasn't endured it?"
"The privileges I enjoyed cannot be replicated in your life."
"Captain Zeng doesn't have as much freedom as I do, simply because I stay in Ku Shan, not competing, not snatching, and not causing trouble."
"Before, every move I made was watched. Now, in this era of ubiquitous cameras, who can you fool?"
"Your fickle nature is like a ticking time bomb, and it will implicate our entire family."
"When you left without permission, did you think of your two older brothers?"
"Did you think about me having to return to the team to stabilize things?"
"Mom, I'm sorry." Li Weixin's eyes turned red. "I was provoked and ran out."
"I planned to return under the cover of night. Seeing Dad's car, I just wanted to sneak a peek at Mom and Dad."
"Who knew I'd see sister and brother-in-law coming out of the Civil Affairs Bureau looking so sweet, and I couldn't hold back."
Tian Jing frowned. "Who provoked you?"
Li Weixin took out his phone, opened the QQ group, and showed his mother the chat.
After reading it, Tian Jing frowned. "Kick her out of the group."
"No," Li Weixin shook his head. "This is someone Second Sister-in-law brought in."
"Kick her out," Tian Jing said unequivocally. "Your Second Sister-in-law should also cut ties with someone like this. Send her the chat history."
Li Weixin did as he was told, and soon Yu Ziyu sent him a message, telling him not to come to Kyoto and that a girl who doesn't consider others cannot be associated with.
Li Weixin showed the message to his mother.
Tian Jing tapped his forehead. "See, if you had asked a family member, a family member who cares about you would have guided you."
"You said you were busy with work and couldn't leave, yet she still provoked you. This shows she is a selfish person."
"Even if you love such a person, I won't allow you to marry her, unless you no longer want us, your family."
"Mom, I'm sorry." Li Weixin put his arm around his mother's shoulder. "Punish me however you see fit."
Tian Jing took out her phone and sent a message to Zeng Jingrong.
Soon, Zeng Jingrong called. "Tiantian, tell Ranran not to move from your place. Tomorrow morning, I'll pick him up to do a mission together."
"You're still taking his side?" Tian Jing was displeased. "He dared to leave without permission."
Zeng Jingrong's voice was hurried. "After my mission is over, I'll punish him with you. This is a private team matter, we'll resolve it privately, so as not to give others a reason to gossip. I have to hang up."
Tian Jing raised her hand and tapped her younger son's forehead. "See? Your maternal uncle is working, while also protecting you, and maintaining the specialized team's image in the eyes of others."
"I was wrong." Li Weixin nodded guiltily. "I'll never dare to do it again."
"Alright, we'll talk about the punishment later. You are not allowed to go downstairs again until Captain Zeng comes to pick you up."
After the reprimand, Tian Jing introduced Han Lushu to her younger son. "Come, let me introduce you. This is your brother-in-law, Han Lushu, a member of the specialized team."
"You are Han Lushu?"
Li Weixin stood beside Han Lushu in surprise and looked up at him.
"You're not only tall, but your rank is also high. There are many in the martial arts team who want to surpass you, and Yan Yan Ge is one of them."
"Call me brother-in-law," Han Lushu felt quite favorably towards this mischievous younger brother-in-law.
When he was in the team, he had observed him and the wolf and concluded that this child was too lonely, treating the wolf as a person.
The moment this child appeared, he recognized him, which was why he didn't act immediately when Lili was snatched away.
"Brother-in-law," Li Weixin called him brother-in-law willingly.
"You are truly a perfect fit to be my brother-in-law."
Han Lushu liked hearing this. He worried that the Li family might think he was too old.
"From now on, when I'm in the team, come find me to play. Don't talk to yourself facing that wolf alone."
Li Weixin was surprised. "Brother-in-law, you know about that?"
"Of course, I've seen..."
The two began to chat about team matters, and Han Lushu did not forget to exchange a few words with Li Weili beside him.
Tian Jing was very pleased. This Han Lushu was good at considering others' feelings and was not as cold as Zeng Jingrong had described him.
She got up to go to the kitchen to prepare dinner.
Li Zhengguo was watching the stew pot. Seeing his wife enter, he asked,
"I heard Ranran arrived and heard you scolding him too. I'll go give him a beating later."
"Forget it," Tian Jing sighed. "Ranran is too sensitive and lacks security due to his childhood experiences."
"He doesn't have friends in the specialized team and is lonely, so he wants to find a girlfriend."
"He and Ziyu formed a group and were provoked by a girl..."
While preparing to cook, Tian Jing told her husband about their younger son's situation.
"After things settle down, I'll go to the team to spend some time with him."
Li Zhengguo... He needed someone to accompany him too.
In the living room, Li Weili told her brother about her relationship with Han Lushu.
Li Weixin suddenly stood up. "That Lou Caiyun must have a problem."
"Sit down," Li Weili pulled her brother's arm and made him sit.
"You think you're the only one who knows? Mom has already guessed her intentions."
Han Lushu mused, "Lili, the good match that Grandpa Gao Mingxiu picked for him should have been you."
"It should be Captain Tian's daughter, but because you inherited your father's looks, they didn't connect the dots."
"Ranran and Older Brother, you need to be even more careful. There are definitely more families than the Gao family who want to become in-laws with Captain Tian."
"If the Ginseng Solidifying Pill is very effective..."
Han Lushu's words were not finished.
Li Weili and Li Weixin understood.
Just then, Tian Jing came out with dishes. She agreed with Han Lushu's words. "So Ranran, you must continue to hide your abilities."
"The wood-element special ability users in the specialized team do not have the ability to induce growth."
"Our abilities need to be suppressed further so we don't become tools for those who seek eternal life."
"I am willing to cooperate with the Shen family precisely because I discovered this problem."
"If we only have the ability to induce growth without strength and influence, we cannot protect ourselves and our families."
"Remember, plants that are induced to grow can only maintain their original appearance and effects; they only shorten the growth cycle. Other than that, there is nothing else."
"You have time to fool around instead of practicing your skills, which deeply disappoints me, Mom."
Li Weixin felt extremely guilty. "I'm sorry, Mom. When we get back, I will definitely focus on practicing and mastering the control of induced growth."
Tian Jing waved her hand. "Alright, everyone wash up and come for dinner."