CFRFGC Chapter 46

⌈”Have you ever done anything wrong?”⌋

Lu Ran rested his head on the desk.

The English letters in front of him swayed chaotically. Lu Ran felt as if he couldn’t take it all in.

The confusion he had suppressed earlier that morning resurfaced.

He looked down at the desk and let his mind wander.

Could it be that Ji Min had some hidden passion for teaching?

In the afternoon, Ji Min had to go out for a meeting.

Instinctively, Lu Ran tidied up his things and stood up to follow.

Ji Min glanced at him and did not refuse.

He exited the office, remotely controlling his wheelchair as he moved forward.

Lu Ran trailed behind him.

It was the weekend and the entire floor was nearly empty.

The elevator was also deserted.

Once inside the elevator, Lu Ran stood to the side.

The atmosphere fell into silence.

Lu Ran turned to glance at the armrest behind Ji Min’s wheelchair.

Unable to hold back any longer, he directly asked, “If you won’t let me push the wheelchair or help with your things, then what exactly am I here for?”

Ji Min’s expression paused for a moment.

He turned his head to look at the young man beside him.

Lu Ran furrowed his brow, continuing, “And besides, my major is veterinary medicine, which you don’t need either, right?”

Ji Min: “…”

What? Did he want to use it somehow?

The elevator chimed. They reached their floor.

The elevator door slowly slid open.

Ji Min suddenly closed his eyes and said, “Come here.”

“Ah?” Lu Ran was confused.

Ji Min opened his eyes.

A trace of helplessness flashed across his cold expression as he softly said, “Push.”

Lu Ran was taken aback for two seconds before immediately responding, “Okay!”

The moment the wheelchair’s two wheels exited the elevator, Ji Min gently closed his eyes.

Unlike the suddenness of last time.

This was the first time he actively relinquished his control over the wheelchair, his pale yet broad knuckles suddenly relaxing.

He leaned back against the chair, feeling his body move forward at a speed filled with vitality that he hadn’t experienced in a long time.

A subtle sense of losing control mixed with an intoxicating tremor.

The young man behind him pushed the wheelchair with great effort.

With the vigorous life force akin to wild grass, he didn’t run very fast.

But his steps carried the unique cheerfulness of youth.

From the elevator to the conference room was a short distance.

However, because the one pushing the wheelchair didn’t know the way, they took a couple of unnecessary turns down various hallways.

Ji Min found himself inexplicably circling around this extremely familiar floor several times while sitting in the wheelchair.

It was strange.

He could have easily given directions the moment he opened his mouth, but for some reason, he remained silent.

When they finally reached the door of the conference room.

Lu Ran stopped and immediately let go, shaking his hands in surprise, “Why is your wheelchair so heavy to push?”

Because this wheelchair was never designed to be pushed by someone…

Ji Min chuckled, “It’s because you’re too weak.”

Lu Ran felt a bit aggrieved.

Ji Min went inside for the meeting.

Lu Ran didn’t disturb him and found a corner outside the conference room to sit down, lowering his head to read a paper for a while.

After a flurry of activity, he finally felt a sense of life returning to normal.

He let out a soft sigh.

The Shen family.

Madam Shen secretly sent out the samples in her hand.

What she had were Shen Xingran’s hair and Shen Hongyuan’s toothbrush.

In order to ensure the accuracy of the test, she had specifically taken the hair while Shen Xingran was asleep.

However, on the surface, Madam Shen still maintained a gentle and calm demeanor.

This was the most scheming thing she had done in her life.

But this time, Madam Shen was determined to have Lu Ran recognized back into the Shen family.

Shen Hongyuan thought she was making a fuss over nothing and exploded in anger.

What surprised Madam Shen was that Shen Xingran did not oppose it at all.

Every time Madam Shen brought it up, Shen Xingran was always the first to support her.

This made Madam Shen look at the son she had raised. She couldn’t help but feel a pang of heartache and sigh.

Sometimes, she even thought.

Perhaps this was just Shen Hongyuan’s fault.

Ranran was raised by her; what if he was unaware?

But some things had to be done.

That day, Madam Shen deliberately stayed downstairs a bit longer.

Finally, she waited until Lu Ran came back with the dog.

Thinking that she would need her son in the near future, Madam Shen’s attitude softened a little.

“Why did you come back so late today?” she asked gently.

Lu Ran smirked, “Today is actually the earliest I’ve come back, Madam.”

Madam Shen’s expression stiffened for a moment.

She couldn’t help but silently complain about how this kid truly didn’t know what was good for him.

But when she looked up, she found herself sizing up this son she didn’t quite like.

She wondered if it was just her imagination…

Why did it seem to her that Lu Ran had changed a bit in the past few days?

The air of poverty that had annoyed her seemed to have diminished considerably.

Even when the boy came back at ten o’clock at night, the weariness that had once been etched on his face had vanished.

For some reason, it seemed he had been well taken care of; the soft flesh on his cheeks had filled out a bit, giving him a more rounded appearance typical of his age.

Madam Shen looked at him suspiciously and asked, “What have you been doing lately?”

Lu Ran took out his phone and replied, “Asking a question costs a hundred.”

After saying that, he thought about his recent salary and decided to raise the stakes: “A thousand for two questions.”

Madam Shen: “…”

She was most annoyed by Lu Ran’s constant talk about money and immediately lost interest in the conversation.

Feeling a bit troubled, she silently prayed that the results of the paternity test would be negative.

Otherwise, if she really had to recognize Lu Ran as her son, she would be miserable.

But thinking of her plans, Madam Shen still said coldly, “You need to clean yourself up properly; in a while, it’ll be time to recognize you. Don’t embarrass the Shen family.”

She meant that Lu Ran should prepare himself.

If the paternity test turned out to be negative, then it would all just be a waste of effort.

Lu Ran raised an eyebrow, feeling no emotion inside.

He smiled slightly and said, “Sure.”

But before Lu Ran could say anything more, Shen Hongyuan’s voice came from upstairs.

“What nonsense are you talking about!”

As he said this, he rushed down and pulled Madam Shen upstairs.

The more Shen Hongyuan opposed it, the angrier Madam Shen became. “Don’t interfere with me! Shen Hongyuan! Think carefully about whether you’ve treated me right!”

Shen Hongyuan looked bewildered as he asked, “When have I ever treated you wrongly?”

Madam Shen snorted coldly, “Have you never done anything shameful?”

Madam Shen’s family had merged with the Shen family.

Clearly, her shameful act referred to herself.

But after hearing that, Shen Hongyuan suddenly stiffened, his gaze flickering down toward Lu Ran.

Madam Shen caught the change in his expression and her heart sank further.

She had always been puzzled by Shen Hongyuan’s attitude.

Why was Shen Hongyuan unwilling to recognize Lu Ran as his son, yet equally reluctant to let him go?

He claimed it was because he feared Lu Ran would cause trouble outside, tarnishing the Shen family’s reputation.

But wouldn’t the best solution be to send Lu Ran abroad for supervision?

Why keep him around and create trouble?

Was it really to pave the way for an illegitimate child?

Madam Shen’s tone grew increasingly firm. “I must recognize Lu Ran as my son.”

Upon hearing her words, Shen Hongyuan looked at her with a heavy gaze.

That look even made Madam Shen feel a bit intimidated.

Realizing the paternity test results hadn’t come out yet, she forced herself to suppress her anger.

Shen Hongyuan wore a sullen expression and said nothing.

He turned and left.

On the third floor, Shen Xingran’s room remained eerily silent.

Three days later.

Madam Shen finally received a call from the courier service.

The moment she answered, her heart raced.

“Hello?”

“Hello, we have a package for you. Do you have time to sign for it today?”

Madam Shen tightly gripped her phone, her voice trembling slightly: “May I ask… what kind of package is it?”

“It seems to be a document,” the courier replied.

Madam Shen’s heart almost leaped into her throat.

It felt as if she were awaiting judgment. She lowered her voice to ask discreetly, “Could you tell me… what color is the document or does it have any markings?”

The paternity testing agency she had contacted dealt with complex family ethics issues.

To prepare the recipient psychologically, the color of the envelope could hint at the results.

It was said that any document affirming a blood relationship would be in a dark red envelope.

If it wasn’t, it would be a plain brown paper bag.

Madam Shen anxiously awaited the outcome.

On the other end of the line, the courier seemed a bit confused and asked, “It’s a document bag provided by the courier. Would you like me to help you open it to check?”

“Don’t!” Madam Shen exclaimed loudly.

She suddenly raised her voice, her throat cracking a bit, startling the person on the other end of the line.

After a moment, she cleared her throat and returned to her usual gentle tone, saying, “Just deliver it normally.”

Madam Shen didn’t have it sent to the villa.

Instead, she walked a considerable distance to a bus stop outside the community to pick it up herself.

On her way back, her heart raced while holding the document bag.

She had painstakingly obtained the samples for testing, pouring all her effort into it.

When she sent them off, she intended not only to verify her suspicions but also to hurl a metaphorical hammer at Shen Hongyuan’s face.

This would prove that both he and Shen Xingran had wronged her.

That way, she could firmly stand on moral high ground.

But now, having received the results, Madam Shen felt the document bag was incredibly heavy in her hands.

It was just a piece of paper, yet it could change the fate of everyone in the Shen family.

Suddenly, she couldn’t bring herself to look at the results.

As she entered the community, she noticed a garbage bin at the corner.

Madam Shen stared at the bin for a long time, suddenly thinking.

If she just threw the document in there, nothing would happen.

She could continue to treat Shen Xingran as her biological son and maintain her happy, fulfilling life as a wealthy lady.

She wouldn’t need to recognize Lu Ran as her son just to secure her own interests.

Everything would be as if it had never happened—wasn’t that better?

Madam Shen slowly approached the garbage bin, hesitating for a long time, but ultimately left with the document in hand.

She stuffed the document bag into her purse, avoiding the gaze of all the servants, and locked herself in a guest room on the second floor.

The room was quiet.

Madam Shen sat alone for a long time.

She didn’t rush to open the paper bag but instead took out some old items from a box.

Inside were things that belonged to Shen Xingran when he was a child.

There were also photographs of Shen Xingran from childhood to adulthood.

Since Shen Xingran came to the Shen family, Madam Shen has done everything she could to prove that she was a good mother by spoiling him in various ways.

Her eldest son, Shen Xingyu, had been mature for his age, growing up alongside Old Master Shen, so he didn’t require her care.

Shen Xingzhuo was mischievous and troublesome.

As for Lu Ran…

Madam Shen paused, instinctively skipping over that memory.

In any case, Shen Xingran’s existence was almost proof of her being a “good mother”.

Madam Shen genuinely cared for Shen Xingran.

But now…

She silently put the photos back into the box.

She picked up the paper bag beside her and looked at the logo of the courier company printed on it.

With a determined heart, she abruptly tore open the bag.

In the next second, a glaring dark red color surged forth.

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