⌈When did Shen Hongyuan have an illegitimate child?⌋
Ji Min: “…”
He lowered his eyelids, his gaze subtly counting the bags Lu Ran was holding.
At least ten.
And this was after already delivering a batch upstairs.
Ji Min slowly withdrew his gaze, no longer paying attention.
But the bag dangling by his knee swayed once more.
The handle of the paper bag slipped gradually from someone’s elbow, only to be yanked back up with effort.
The movement was so exaggerated that it nearly shoved the bag right into Ji Min’s face.
Following the bag with his gaze, Ji Min’s eyes settled on the boy’s slender arm.
After a pause, he asked coolly, “Didn’t you already take funding from the Shen family? Why are you still doing this?”
As he finished speaking, the elevator dinged and arrived at the floor.
The doors slid open.
The boy beside him hurried out with his bags in a flurry of motion.
After squeezing through the elevator doors, his footsteps halted. He turned back, looking at Ji Min with that pair of defiant, almond-shaped black eyes.
“Of course, it’s for ‘sleeping on brushwood and tasting gall1 refers to perseverance through difficult times for a greater purpose, such as seeking revenge or achieving a long-term goal.’, plotting my ‘ulterior motives’.”
Ji Min frowned.
These were words he had said previously.
The boy fully turned around, his expression unashamed by Ji Min’s criticism—instead, he looked back at him with a justified air, brazenly proclaiming, “You’ve also said that all those things don’t belong to me.”
“This doesn’t belong to me and that doesn’t belong to me. There are plenty of good things in this world, but someone’s always labeling them, saying I’m not worthy.”
Lu Ran’s eyes sparkled. “If I really accepted that fate, I might as well not live. So what if it doesn’t belong to me—am I not allowed to try and take it?”
Ji Min was left speechless for a long moment.
It had been years since anyone had spoken to him in that tone and with that attitude.
And yet, the words were as unreasonable as they were defiant.
By the time he came back to his senses, the boy had already run off with his bags.
Lost in thought for so long, the elevator doors began to slowly close.
And Ji Min was left inside as they shut him in.
He felt a sudden, inexplicable ache in his chest, somewhere between frustration and anger.
He’d already given Lu Ran a chance to soar independently.
Lu Ran was determined to entangle himself with the Shen family.
Ji Min wasn’t one to waste his time saving fools.
And yet…
The flash of defiant fire in that young man’s eyes seemed seared into his mind.
When the elevator finally stopped again, it was on a different floor.
As Ji Min exited, he glanced out the window, catching sight of Lu Ran leaving the building with only a few remaining delivery bags in hand.
The boy lowered his gaze, stepping into the cold wind, his earlier boldness nowhere to be seen.
Ji Min observed for a moment, then directed his wheelchair away.
With the Lunar New Year approaching, high-end luxury brands were beginning to take pre-orders for their spring collections.
Madam Shen, who had been sulking for some time, finally started to feel revitalized. She brought along Shen Xingran and gathered with other wealthy ladies at the mall for some leisurely shopping.
Gathered around her, the wealthy women praised Madam Shen as she emerged from the fitting room.
“You have such a great figure! I can’t believe you’ve had three sons.”
“With that figure, anything looks amazing on you.”
Madam Shen smiled softly, selecting a few new items and passing them to Shen Xingran to try on.
“By the way, I haven’t seen Madam Zhang around lately,” someone remarked.
Madam Shen discreetly perked up.
Since the Zhang family was comparable to the Shen family in status, she couldn’t help but view Madam Zhang as a rival.
The ladies around her, aware of her interests, began to share what they knew.
“Oh, she’s been so busy organizing her company’s annual event—doesn’t have the free time we do.”
“Doesn’t even have time to shop or go to the spa like we do.”
“She’s practically working like an employee herself and her son hasn’t amounted to much either.”
Suppressing a pleased smile, Madam Shen glanced at Shen Xingran, who had just stepped out of the fitting room, with a touch of pride in her eyes.
Just then, speak of the devil—Madam Zhang happened to pass by the store with a bag in hand, her stride brisk and commanding.
Beside her were several foreign clients. Her fluent Portuguese left the ladies inside the store stunned.
Madam Shen’s good mood instantly deflated.
Looking at the clothes Shen Xingran was wearing, she pretended not to notice Madam Zhang.
To her surprise, Madam Zhang spotted her and stepped inside to say hello.
Recalling that she was wearing a limited-edition new release, Madam Shen lifted her head with a polite smile and remarked, “It’s been a while. They’ve got some impressive new designs here. Why not give them a try?”
But Madam Zhang merely glanced at her clothes, without even a hint of admiration in her eyes. She simply smiled and replied, “The brand already sent them over to my house.”
Madam Shen: “…”
After Madam Zhang left, the atmosphere in the store noticeably cooled.
As the ladies resumed their conversation, another familiar figure passed by outside.
A sharp-eyed onlooker nudged the person beside her, whispering, “Isn’t that Madam Huang?”
With that, all eyes turned in her direction.
“Madam Huang? She hasn’t been out in ages, has she?”
“Is it just me or does she look worn out? And she’s alone!”
“I heard her family’s business ran into trouble…”
Outside the store, Madam Huang approached, though her appearance was starkly different from her once glamorous self. Once on par with these wealthy ladies, she now bore signs of weariness, her attire less refined, and even a few white strands visible at her temples.
Someone, perhaps out of malice, raised their hand and called, “Madam Huang!”
Madam Huang instinctively looked into the store, catching sight of the ladies she’d once considered equals. A flash of embarrassment crossed her face. She didn’t enter, managing only an awkward smile before lowering her head and walking away.
But as she reached the other side of the glass door, she glanced up and saw Madam Shen exiting the fitting room, impeccably dressed.
Madam Huang’s steps faltered. Her face froze with a mixture of awkwardness and barely contained anger. In the next instant, she charged inside.
Before anyone could react, she grabbed a handful of Madam Shen’s hair.
“Aah! What are you doing?” Madam Shen screamed, shocked.
“What am I doing? Beating you up, obviously!”
For a few seconds, the other ladies and store staff were frozen in shock. Then, they rushed over. Madam Huang had lost all restraint, grappling with Madam Shen, as the crowd tried to pull them apart, grabbing at hair and clothes.
The store attendant hurriedly called the manager, who immediately phoned security.
When security finally separated them, both Madam Huang and Madam Shen looked like a mess. Their hair was disheveled, faces scratched and flushed, and their once elegant makeup now smeared frightfully.
“You crazy woman! What makes you think you can just come in here and hit me?” Madam Shen fumed as she was helped to a seat.
Madam Huang struggled to slap her, spitting instead when she couldn’t reach her. “Hah! Why? Because your son and that bastard are dragging my Huang family into their feud. You think I don’t have a right to hit you?”
“If it weren’t for your Shen family, how could the Ji family be targeting us like this?”
Madam Shen could barely process what Madam Huang was saying, but one word echoed in her mind: bastard.
The onlookers, still pulling them apart, exchanged curious glances.
“Bastard?” Madam Shen scoffed in disbelief. Her voice was incredulous as she sneered, “What nonsense are you spouting?”
“You don’t know?” Madam Huang’s expression shifted to mockery and she laughed. “Ha! Everyone in the city knows Shen Hongyuan has a bastard fighting for the family assets. Yet, somehow, you don’t?”
Madam Shen’s face froze, utterly stricken.
Madam Huang spat at her again, “Your son dragged mine into fighting that bastard and that’s how my son accidentally tangled with the Ji family. Don’t know anything about it? Go ask your son!”
With that, Madam Huang wrenched herself free from the security guard’s grasp. She stood up, fixed her hair, slung her bag over her shoulder, and strode out.
Madam Shen stood there, dazed, her cheeks burning with pain. She couldn’t tell if it was from Madam Huang’s scratching or the mention of the word bastard.
The notion felt absurd. When had Shen Hongyuan ever had an illegitimate child? But then a whisper of suspicion crept into her mind—there had indeed been periods when Shen Hongyuan had distanced himself from the family. Even now, he would often leave on business trips that lasted over a month…
Madam Shen forced down the panic building inside. She remembered that others were watching, so she managed a strained smile, saying, “She must be out of her mind, talking nonsense like that.”
People around her murmured in agreement. “Yes, exactly,” they said.
“My Hongyuan is extremely family-oriented,” Madam Shen said, trying to convince herself. “He would never fool around outside, let alone have an illegitimate child.”
She turned to gauge support, only to find that none of her close friends would meet her gaze. One by one, they averted their eyes, looking vaguely uncomfortable.
The feeling of absurdity weighed heavier on Madam Shen, along with a creeping sense of dread. She could no longer stand still, feeling that those around her were casting either pitiful or amused glances her way.
Just then, Shen Xingran returned from chatting with friends outside the store. Seeing the strange scene inside, he paused, then walked quickly to her side. “Mom, what happened?”
Madam Shen looked at him, managing a strained smile. She had completely lost the mood to shop and, after a few casual goodbyes, took Shen Xingran by the arm and left.
Shen Xingran, bewildered, had no idea what had happened but noticed that on the way home, Madam Shen seemed entirely distracted.
At home, she drew a bath and lit some incense, hoping a short nap would help her relax. But even lying in bed, she tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.
Could it really be possible that Shen Hongyuan had…?
If things had already escalated to the point of a family dispute over inheritance, it meant this so-called bastard was likely not young. So, did this all start years ago?
Just the thought made her vision go black with rage at Shen Hongyuan’s betrayal. The possibility that everyone might have been laughing at her all these years made her feel sick with anger.
Then again, she thought, maybe Madam Huang had simply made it up. She couldn’t let herself be swayed by a madwoman’s lies. Calming down, Madam Shen opened her safe, seeking comfort in the gifts Shen Hongyuan had given her.
But then, she remembered he hadn’t even come home this year for their wedding anniversary. For several years, he had sent gifts through his assistant instead.
She spent the entire afternoon tossing and turning.
By evening, Madam Shen had mostly regained her composure and put Madam Huang’s words out of her mind. Outside, a light snow had started to fall.
Shen Xingran had just come back in, with a few snowflakes dusting his hair.
“Look at you, being so careless—what if you catch a cold?” Madam Shen hurried over, taking a towel from the servant to brush off the snowflakes from Shen Xingran’s head. She quickly ordered the staff to make some ginger tea.
In no time, the servant returned, ginger tea and a freshly made dessert in hand. Madam Shen took off Shen Xingran’s scarf, led him to sit down, and said, “Have something warm.”
“Mom, you have some too,” Shen Xingran said, offering her a spoonful.
The warmth filled Madam Shen’s heart. But as she sat with her beloved youngest son in this cozy moment, Madam Huang’s words echoed suddenly in her mind: “Go ask your son!”
Madam Shen glanced aside, pulling up a soft smile. “You eat it yourself,” she said gently.
Shen Xingran began eating his dessert earnestly. Madam Shen took a deep breath, sipping the tea a servant had brought her.
After a few moments, she asked casually, “Ranran, about your father lately…”
“What?” Shen Xingran looked up, slightly confused.
“It’s just…” Madam Shen hesitated, struggling to get the words out. Finally, steeling herself, she closed her eyes and said, “Have you ever heard anything about… your father having another woman?”
Shen Xingran burst out laughing. “Mom, you’re overthinking it again.”
Recently, Madam Shen had been in a phase where she’d ask all sorts of things, which Shen Xingran attributed to her menopausal stress. He was used to it, though secretly a bit irritated. Keeping his expression mild, he reassured her, “Dad loves you the most! Besides, he’s hardly ever home long enough.”
Madam Shen’s heart instantly felt at ease. She patted her chest, saying, “I knew it was just my imagination.” She touched Shen Xingran’s dessert bowl and called to a servant, “This one’s gotten cold; take it away and bring another.”
With a touch of embarrassment, she added, “People outside talk about all kinds of nonsense.”
“What have you heard this time?” Shen Xingran laughed, chatting casually with her.
“They’re saying your dad has an illegitimate son out there,” she said with a chuckle.
Shen Xingran’s hand, holding the spoon, froze.
Clink.
The smooth, fine white porcelain spoon tapped against the bowl, making a faintly sharp sound.
Madam Shen looked over at him, catching his expression before he could conceal it.
Her relaxed smile slowly froze in place.
Shen Xingran quickly suppressed his emotions.
He stirred the porcelain spoon in the bowl. But in his flustered state, he couldn’t help but make some noise.
He set the spoon down decisively. He looked at Madam Shen and said, “Mom, what illegitimate child? People outside really know how to spread rumors.”
He couldn’t let Madam Shen find out that the source of the gossip came from him.
Madam Shen couldn’t read Shen Xingran’s thoughts, but she noticed his evasive gaze.
Her heart sank.
“Really… nothing at all?” she asked.
Shen Xingran replied firmly, “How could there be? Mom, don’t overthink it. Have you been sleeping poorly or feeling too anxious lately?”
Listening to Shen Xingran’s concerned words, Madam Shen felt her heart drop further.
It plummeted straight into a freezing abyss.
At that moment, Madam Shen truly felt a chill.
He cared so much for Shen Xingran.
How could Shen Xingran hide things from her for Shen Hongyuan’s sake?
Even now, he refused to tell her the truth!
She had worked so hard for this family, sacrificing so much for each child, even giving up her own career.
And now, no one stood by her side?
Madam Shen forced a smile.
Pretending to believe him, she made some excuses and left the table, heading upstairs.
Once she was gone,
Shen Xingran first tightened his grip on the spoon, then he couldn’t help but throw it away.
He felt a bit panicked, not knowing what to do.
In any case, he absolutely could not let Madam Shen believe this rumor, and he definitely couldn’t let her know it was related to him.
What would Madam Shen think of him then?
Shen Xingran stood up and paced around the living room.
He went upstairs to the third floor.
After thoroughly closing the door, he took out his phone and called Shen Xingzhuo.
Shen Xingzhuo was currently out of the country.
His studio had run into financial issues and had tried to borrow money from Shen Hongyuan, only to be chased away with insults.
So he went abroad to seek investment.
After a long wait, the international call finally connected.
As soon as Shen Xingzhuo’s voice came through, Shen Xingran burst into tears, “Brother! You have to help me!”
“If Mom calls you and asks…”
Shen Xingran’s worry was not misplaced.
After returning to her room and hesitating for a long time, Madam Shen finally dialed her second son’s number.
She got straight to the point: “Shen Xingzhuo, tell me the truth. Does your father have an illegitimate child outside?”
Receiving Shen Xingran’s call, Shen Xingzhuo, of course, repeated the same words.
He firmly insisted that there was absolutely nothing of the sort.
It was just her overthinking.
If Madam Shen hadn’t seen Shen Xingran’s expression earlier,
If Shen Xingzhuo had expressed some doubt instead of sounding as certain as Shen Xingran had,
Maybe she would have believed him a little.
But now, upon hearing Shen Xingzhuo’s reply,
Madam Shen was completely convinced of one thing.
It was over.
Shen Hongyuan really had an illegitimate child outside!
The child’s age was at least comparable to Shen Xingran’s.
And the whole family knew about it!
Only she had been kept in the dark.
Was this still her home? Were these still her sons, her family?
After the call with Shen Xingzhuo, Shen Xingran still felt very anxious.
It wasn’t until he received Shen Xingzhuo’s reply that he finally felt a little relieved.
No matter what, as long as the rumor didn’t come back to him, he would be fine.
The next day,
Shen Xingran came downstairs.
He carefully observed Madam Shen’s expression.
Madam Shen was sitting on the sofa, a fashion magazine beside her.
Several paper bags were around her,
Clearly from a shopping trip.
“Mom, what did you buy this time?” Shen Xingran walked over and asked with a smile.
Madam Shen looked up and pulled out a box from one of the bags: “A new necklace from brand H, there are only ten of them in the entire city.”
Her tone was no different from usual.
Shen Xingran’s anxious heart finally relaxed.
“Mom, let me put it on for you.”
Shen Xingran leaned over, took the necklace out of the box, and fastened it around Madam Shen’s neck, complimenting her, “Mom! You look so beautiful.”
Madam Shen held a mirror to admire herself.
Then, as if nothing had happened, she picked up another box, which contained a white ceramic watch.
“I saw this watch while shopping and I thought it would suit you perfectly. Put it on.”
Madam Shen often bought him things, so Shen Xingran was already used to it.
He tried on the watch and was about to take it off when he heard Madam Shen say, “Just wear it; it looks great.”
Not wanting to upset her, Shen Xingran slipped it onto his wrist.
He had classes today. After eating a bit, he went back to school.
Once Shen Xingran left the Shen residence, Madam Shen’s smiling expression darkened slightly.
She opened her phone and accessed a specific app.
The GPS showed Shen Xingran’s location.
After doing this, Madam Shen reached into one of the shopping bags.
What she pulled out was not a receipt but a note with an address written on it.
Madam Shen remained composed.
She changed into a more understated outfit, didn’t use the family chauffeur, and took a taxi to the address on the note.
The address was discreet; it was a private detective’s office.
Wearing a hat and a mask, Madam Shen mysteriously pushed the door open and walked inside.
She walked up to a desk, sitting down without a preamble, and tossed out a stack of cash.
The person in charge across the table immediately became very enthusiastic.
“Madam, how can I assist you?”
Madam Shen lowered her voice: “Help me investigate my husband’s illegitimate child.”
“This child should be about the same age as my son and knows both of my sons…”
Lu Ran was busy with work and was completely unaware of the turmoil in the Shen family.
But on the nights he returned home, he could still sense that something was off.
Just like today.
He was walking home with Da Huang when he stepped into the living room and heard what sounded like an argument inside.
Shen Hongyuan asked in confusion, “Why has there been a large expense at home recently?”
Madam Shen, holding the invoice for the private investigator, sneered: “Shouldn’t you be asking yourself?”
Shen Hongyuan looked baffled: “Why are you being so sarcastic?”
Madam Shen suddenly raised her voice: “You dare to ask? Don’t you have any idea what you’ve been doing outside?”
Shen Hongyuan genuinely had no idea.
He still didn’t know that the hat of infidelity had already been placed firmly on his head.
He even smiled and tried to comfort Madam Shen: “What’s wrong with you lately? Who upset you? If the money is spent, it’s spent, there’s no need to…”
“Ha.”
Seeing his reaction, Madam Shen became even more certain: “I think you’re feeling guilty, aren’t you?”
Shen Hongyuan looked stunned: “Guilty about what?”
“Think for yourself!”
Lu Ran was wiping Da Huang’s paws while listening to the shouting inside, “You’re cold, you’re heartless, you’re unreasonable.”
“What’s up with these two?” Lu Ran muttered to Da Huang.
Da Huang didn’t understand but just gave him a silly grin.
“Forget it.”
Lu Ran, the “illegitimate child”, thought for a moment and felt that whatever was going on had nothing to do with him.
So, he calmly took Da Huang back to his room.
The next day, he took Da Huang for a walk.
As usual, he dropped Da Huang off at the security booth of the orphanage.
However, this time, he found that the familiar security uncle wasn’t there.
Instead, there was a slightly younger stranger.
The young security guard, upon seeing him, raised his hand to stop him: “Who are you? What do you want? Please register first.”
“Hey, why did you bring a dog?”
Lu Ran, holding Da Huang, was taken aback and asked, “Where’s Uncle Li?”
“Old Li is sick and has taken some time off. He’s getting older and his children are planning to retire him early.”
“Oh, thank you.”
Lu Ran didn’t make things difficult for the newly appointed guard.
He had only been able to leave Da Huang at the booth before because the old guard, Uncle Li, was soft-hearted.
Now that Uncle Li wasn’t there, of course, he couldn’t leave Da Huang behind.
Lu Ran led Da Huang back to the roadside.
Da Huang sat beside him.
Lu Ran stood at a distance that was neither too close nor too far from the orphanage’s entrance, quietly gazing at the “home” he had lived in for over ten years.
The golden-red dawn emerged, enveloping the quiet and lonely orphanage.
The rising sun resembled a red piece of paper doodled by a child, quietly hanging at the corner of the eastern eaves.
Lu Ran felt a bit uneasy.
Director Lu was gone.
Now Uncle Li had retired too.
In the past, Lu Ran always thought the orphanage was not his home; he was searching for his own home.
But now, he inexplicably felt as if he had lost that home.
The wake-up bell of the orphanage rang out.
Standing outside, Lu Ran could see shadows slowly moving in the corridor.
He slowly withdrew his gaze and bent down to greet Da Huang, who was also watching intently. “Let’s go.”
Lu Ran had found a short-term foster care for Da Huang.
He continued to work at the coffee shop.
During his free time, he scrolled through his phone looking for part-time jobs.
He couldn’t stay at the orphanage and Da Huang’s foster care fees would be another expense.
Moreover, Da Huang was an older dog, which meant the costs would be even higher.
The key issue was that leaving him at an ordinary pet shop didn’t reassure Lu Ran regarding Da Huang’s safety.
He worked diligently until the evening.
Many employees from the Ji Corporation came in to dine again.
While busy, Lu Ran also overheard the gossip about the Ji family.
The center of discussion was still that low-pressure “demon king”.
But this time, it was admiration and praise.
“That contract is signed!”
“Wow, that person in charge is especially difficult to deal with. My teacher’s team and they went back and forth for half a month, yet the other side was still beating around the bush, trying to take advantage.”
“But when the president stepped in, with just one word, it was signed?”
“Damn, the president really has charm!”
As the conversation continued, it returned to the timeless topic.
“Ah, it’s a pity the president’s legs aren’t good…”
Lu Ran pulled back his ears and focused on diligently wiping the table.
Disability seemed to have become an indelible label on Ji Min.
When he had a bad temper, people would say it was because of his disability.
When he performed excellently at work, they would say, “It’s a pity he’s disabled.”
No matter how he turned it, he couldn’t escape it.
Lu Ran cleaned up the rubbish left by the last table of customers.
Hearing the doorbell ring, he instinctively looked up and said, “Welcome, what would you like to order?”
After a while without a response, he raised his head and saw Shen Xingzhuo, who he hadn’t seen in a long time, looking at him with a sullen expression.
Upon seeing Shen Xingzhuo, Lu Ran’s eyes lit up.
The black eyes sparkled with the brilliance of seeing RMB.
It was as if a pillow had been handed just as sleep arrived.
Just when he needed money, he encountered a big fool.
Triple the wage? This was practically in his hands already!
“Welcome!”
Lu Ran called out again.
This wasn’t just a conditioned reflex; it was a genuine feeling.
Shen Xingzhuo’s tense expression softened a bit under Lu Ran’s enthusiastic greeting.
He looked at Lu Ran, who seemed to radiate the light of a family member, feeling somewhat unaccustomed and embarrassed.
Usually, when Lu Ran saw him, he either treated him like air or made him so angry that he wanted to scream.
Shen Xingzhuo hadn’t expected that after returning from abroad, Lu Ran would be so warm and welcoming.
He huffed softly, forgetting about his irritation from seeing Lu Ran working.
He found a seat for himself, his expression all haughty, but inside, he felt a little giddy.
See?
Indeed, after not seeing him for a while, he was missed.
Shen Xingzhuo tried hard to maintain a composed demeanor.
Lu Ran came bouncing over with the menu: “Please place your order, guest.”
He pronounced the word “guest” particularly clearly, hoping to see the previously furious expression on Shen Xingzhuo’s face.
But Shen Xingzhuo was still riding high.
His brain automatically replaced “guest” with “brother”.
Thus, he very comfortably picked up the menu.
Lu Ran: “……”
He glanced at Shen Xingzhuo.
Shen Xingzhuo was earnestly studying the menu.
Lu Ran pondered briefly about what was off.
He couldn’t figure it out.
So, he simply reached out and covered the menu in front of Shen Xingzhuo with his hand.
Shen Xingzhuo looked up in confusion.
Lu Ran gave him a dedicated smile, trying hard to hint: “I’m working here.”
It’s a job.
A job, you know!
Their eyes met.
Some beautiful things shattered with a “crash”.
Shen Xingzhuo’s face fell. “Lu Ran, what do you take me for?”
Lu Ran replied seriously, “A fool.”
Shen Xingzhuo: “…”
Lu Ran eagerly persuaded, “The price has dropped this time; you don’t need to pay three times, just double the wage is fine!”
Shen Xingzhuo took a deep breath. “You’re dreaming! What do you take me for?”
Lu Ran lowered his gaze and stared at him for a moment.
Confirming he had no intention of paying him, he decisively turned to leave. “Oh, the electronic menu; you can order by yourself.”
Shen Xingzhuo: “…”
He slowly withdrew his hand that was reaching for his phone.
As the dinner crowd gradually thinned out,
Lu Ran was about to finish his shift, but Shen Xingzhuo still hadn’t placed an order.
Just as he was about to ask, the shop door opened and someone rushed in.
Chen Sheng waved at Shen Xingzhuo. “Brother Zhuo! Hurry, don’t wait, the car is fixed!”
While speaking, he noticed Lu Ran. “Oh, Brother Lu! Off work? Let’s go together!”
Xiao Wang, who was hiding in the back kitchen playing games, heard the noise.
Thinking it was Lu Ran’s classmates looking for him, he quickly said, “There’s no one in the back; I can keep an eye on things, you go have fun.”
Lu Ran didn’t agree right away but looked at Chen Sheng and specifically asked, “Who’s treating?”
Shen Xingzhuo recalled the hefty bill from last time and also asked, “Who’s treating?”
Chen Sheng was a bit embarrassed by their questioning.
Remembering the mistake he made last time, he quickly patted his chest and assured them, “I’ll treat. It’s definitely on me!”
Only then did Lu Ran change clothes and go along to grab a meal.
The place Chen Sheng chose for the treat was an outdoor barbecue club.
This time, he was more cautious, inviting only those who were very familiar with Lu Ran.
This familiarity meant—those who had witnessed Lu Ran’s fierce battles against Lin Yi and Zhang Lin.
These people shared a common characteristic.
They all had a deep “respect” for Lu Ran and wouldn’t come looking for trouble without thinking.
Otherwise, Lu Ran might just do something outrageous, like pressing someone onto the barbecue grill.
Moreover…
Next to this outdoor barbecue club, there seemed to be a horse ranch.
One careless move could lead to an intimate encounter with animal feces.
Thinking this way, Chen Sheng felt that today’s dinner gathering really felt like a feast of intrigue.
He prayed that nothing would go wrong.
Amitabha.
Despite saying this, Chen Sheng’s naturally gossip-loving nature got the better of him.
Not long after getting out of the car, he couldn’t help but squat beside Lu Ran and probe.
“Brother Lu, what’s the deal between you and Zhang Lin?” Chen Sheng asked.
While speaking, he offered up a skewer of perfectly grilled meat.
“What deal? Didn’t you see what happened that day?”
Lu Ran took the skewer and thought it was undercooked, so he placed it back on the grill for a bit longer.
He sprinkled it generously with chili powder.
Just looking at it made Chen Sheng’s stomach ache.
“Not from that day2This was the dead hamster scene. Chen Sheng thought Lu Ran was referring to that scene..”
Chen Sheng leaned in, whispering, “So that day3This was Shen Hongyuan’s birthday.! How did Zhang Lin and that person from the Ji family end up being found in your room?”
Lu Ran raised an eyebrow.
He didn’t expect the details of that day to be so clearly spread around.
“Could it be any other way? Why don’t you ask the two parties involved for more clarity?” Lu Ran replied.
Chen Sheng nearly knelt down before him. “Do I dare?”
At that moment, Shen Xingzhuo walked over, overhearing the conversation, and frowned as he asked, “Did Zhang Lin come to trouble you?”
Lu Ran glanced at him and then remembered that this guy wasn’t present that day.
Feeling a bit regretful, he added some drama to the situation: “It was at your biological father, the head of the Shen family’s, fifty-year birthday banquet.”
Upon hearing this, Shen Xingzhuo’s expression darkened.
He frowned and didn’t say anything.
Instead, he reached out to snatch the skewer that Chen Sheng had just grilled and stuffed the one he had cooked himself into Lu Ran’s hands.
With a mocking tone, he said, “You dare eat what a fool has grilled?”
Chen Sheng was unhappy. “Hey! Who are you calling a fool, Brother Zhuo?”
Lu Ran patted him reassuringly and divided the skewer given to him by Shen Xingzhuo, offering one to Chen Sheng.
Chen Sheng was moved to tears. “Brother Lu, you’re such a good person!”
Lu Ran watched him eat gently.
Then he asked, “It’s not poisonous, right? Your stomach doesn’t hurt, does it?”
“…”
Chen Sheng’s grateful tears slowly retreated.
So, he was just being used as a poison detector here?
Shen Xingzhuo heard this and shouted, “Lu Ran!”
Lu Ran ignored him and focused on eating.
Chen Sheng and the others were left with nothing to do.
The entertainment options for wealthy kids were plentiful—drinking, chatting, and boasting.
Not far away was a golf course.
They could even have a competition while chatting.
Besides his family background, Shen Xingzhuo’s ability to enjoy life was top-notch.
He excelled in every aspect.
Lu Ran had little interest.
He just felt that the group of fools around him, not eating the grilled food, were truly wasting it.
So he sat in a corner, quietly eating like a little hamster.
When Shen Xingzhuo returned from playing, he saw that there was a skewer stacked in front of Lu Ran.
But Lu Ran’s stomach didn’t even bulge a bit.
It was hard to believe that this thin and small person could eat so much.
After tiring himself out playing, Shen Xingzhuo walked over and pulled up a chair to sit down.
On the adjacent lawn, someone had brought a border collie and was playing with a frisbee.
The border collie had a black-and-white coat.
From the back, it looked entirely like a black dog.
Shen Xingzhuo watched it for a while.
He turned to Lu Ran and suddenly asked a question he had wanted to ask for a long time.
“How did you end up with that yellow dog? It’s so small, and you named it Da Huang?”
Lu Ran was also watching the border collie play with the frisbee.
Hearing this question, he was momentarily stunned, then rubbed his chin and said, “Yeah, it seems like black ones are cooler.”
When the young man said this, it seemed to be a subconscious response.
In his eyes lay a complete confusion, as if memories had been covered up by a thick fog.
It seemed that in his subconscious, he still remembered that he wanted to raise a black dog.
Yet when he saw a yellow puppy, he vaguely thought of someone who liked it, someone very close and important.
He unwittingly used a name from his memories of that person, as if it could bring him closer to that covered-up home while he was wandering outside.
Shen Xingzhuo’s throat tightened for a moment.
It felt like a large hand was choking him, leaving him unable to make a sound.
His eyes stung, yet he didn’t even have the strength to raise his hand to press it down.
Shen Xingzhuo felt like his heart was about to burst.
He took a deep breath, wanting to make some sound.
But when he opened his mouth, it came out like some broken instrument, producing a sharp, wheezing noise.
Lu Ran looked at him curiously and turned to face him.
Shen Xingzhuo only managed to quickly turn his back before Lu Ran could see him.
For some reason, he didn’t dare look into Lu Ran’s eyes at that moment.
“What’s wrong with you?”
Shen Xingzhuo heard the person behind him ask.
Seemingly not hearing his reply, Lu Ran continued, “Did you eat something bad? There’s a restroom nearby; don’t just go on the ground.”
Shen Xingzhuo couldn’t help but want to laugh at that moment.
Under the impact of two completely opposite emotions, Shen Xingzhuo felt his snot and tears almost burst out simultaneously.
“Ugh, so disgusting.”
Shen Xingzhuo turned his head to see Lu Ran looking at him with disdain.
Those eyes completely overlapped with the soft, clingy, trusting, and obedient black eyes he had seen in his dreams.
The owner of those eyes had grown up, but the corners of his eyes still maintained the curve from childhood.
However, the way those eyes looked at him had completely changed.
Shen Xingzhuo moved aside to wash his face at a nearby faucet, trying to organize his emotions a bit.
When he returned to Lu Ran’s side, he asked, “I heard that you signed a sponsorship contract with the Shen Corporation?”
Lu Ran nodded.
He wasn’t sure what Shen Xingzhuo was thinking.
However, he always held some wariness toward Shen Xingzhuo, just like he did with Ji Min.
On the day of the sponsorship conference, Ji Min had said he could send him abroad to study.
At that moment, no one knew how excited Lu Ran was.
In his past life, he had dreamed of completely escaping the Shen family one day.
He no longer wanted to live in fear, shadowed by the Shen family.
But amidst his excitement, that little bit of wariness still took precedence.
Ji Min knew Shen Xingyu.
The assistance for studying abroad was inevitably suggested by Shen Xingyu.
Shen Xingyu was a peculiar person.
He didn’t revolve around Shen Xingran, the favorite of the group as others did.
What Shen Xingyu truly cared about was the “Shen family”.
In Shen Xingyu’s eyes, Lu Ran was merely an unstable element that disrupted the order of the “Shen family” and threatened its reputation.
He needed to be kept under control.
If that were the case, Lu Ran agreeing to study abroad would be like a sheep walking into a tiger’s den.
Thus, Lu Ran rejected Ji Min.
Rejecting it was painful and regrettable.
But there was no choice.
He couldn’t trust anyone.
If he couldn’t even trust his own blood relatives, how could he have faith in others?
“I didn’t know about this at the time.”
Shen Xingzhuo was still talking about the sponsorship contract, “If I had known…”
“Wow! This place is really big!”
A familiar voice came through.
Lu Ran looked up and saw who had arrived, his eyebrows twitching slightly.
Chen Sheng also heard the voice and immediately turned pale.
Damn it.
Why did something always go wrong whenever he organized an event?
Two people slipped in.
One was Lin Yi and the other was Shen Xingran.
Chen Sheng nearly dropped the cola in his hand.
He called over a few close friends and immediately formed a human wall, trying to block Lin Yi and Shen Xingran’s line of sight.
“Xiao Yi, Ranran, what brings you here?”
“Ah, we’re having a bit of rough fun here, not very convenient… How about we set up another day to hang out with you?”
The more they tried to block them, the more Lin Yi’s spoiled temperament showed.
“What are you stopping me for?”
Understanding the implied meaning behind Chen Sheng and the others’ words, Shen Xingran was a bit displeased.
In the past, wherever he went, he was always welcomed.
Why was he being pushed out this time?
Chen Sheng quickly forced a smile, “It’s just that it’s not very convenient…”
Lu Ran was the kind of person who didn’t cause trouble unless provoked.
As long as they could block Lin Yi, it would be fine.
But Lin Yi directly used force, pushing them aside.
Chen Sheng inwardly lamented.
He thought to himself: If you insist on going in, it’ll be your own misfortune!
Originally, Lin Yi thought they were doing something shameful.
But after pushing through the human wall, he spotted someone sitting by the grill who made him physically tremble.
“Lu! Lu Ran!”
The terrifying memory of being pressed into a squat toilet suddenly resurfaced.
Lin Yi instinctively wanted to leave.
He took two steps back but felt embarrassed, barely stopping himself.
He grabbed Shen Xingran, summoned his courage, and pointed at Lu Ran and Shen Xingzhuo beside him.
“Shen Xingzhuo! How can you still hang out with this illegitimate child of the Shen family?”
“Don’t you have any conscience?”
The term “illegitimate child” drew Lu Ran’s gaze over.
At the same time, Madam Shen was looking at the seven or eight messages on her phone.
“Madam! We’ve found the illegitimate child you were looking for.”
“He’s at the XXX outdoor barbecue club!”
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