⌈From a distance, it looked like he was doing push-ups with his head stuck in a toilet cubicle.⌋
Shen Xingran felt that…
Lu Ran’s return this time might be a formal comeback, or perhaps it was just a joke; it was hard to say.
There was some noise coming from upstairs.
Shen Xingran turned to see that Shen Hongyuan had come down.
To his surprise, Shen Hongyuan was gazing seriously at Lu Ran below.
Shen Xingran had heard about Lu Ran’s relationship with the head of the Ji family.
He understood Shen Hongyuan and initially thought that his attitude towards Lu Ran would change.
But now, seeing the expression on Shen Hongyuan’s face, it didn’t seem like he was happy at all.
Although Shen Xingran was puzzled, he felt more at ease.
However, it wasn’t long before Shen Hongyuan adjusted his emotions.
He glanced at Lu Ran and said, “You’re doing well like this. Just pay more attention when the banquet starts later.”
Lu Ran curled his lips and let out a light “huh”.
In his previous life, he had shrunk back in front of the Shen family.
Under the influence of their attitudes, he had felt that he didn’t measure up.
But now, he didn’t have such thoughts.
No matter how flashy the packaging was, it was still just eating, drinking, and taking care of basic needs.
Who was looking down on whom?
Once Shen Hongyuan came down the stairs, his expression had completely turned amiable.
He even smiled at Lu Ran and casually asked, “Mr. Ji will be coming today, right?”
“With him so busy, how would I know?”
Lu Ran wasn’t surprised that Shen Hongyuan asked about Ji Min.
After all, he was riding on Ji Min’s coattails to officially return to the Shen family.
However, even though he had sent an invitation to Ji Min, Lu Ran wasn’t particularly eager for Ji Min to show up.
He could already tell that today’s banquet was bound to be filled with trouble.
For someone like him, who was just a cog in the corporate machine, any place the boss was present felt like a workplace.
If Ji Min happened to come, he would have to rack his brain on how to praise Ji Min for being impressive.
It would be exhausting.
As evening fell, the banquet finally began.
Luxury cars lined up at the entrance.
Almost all the families that were equivalent to the Shen family in the capital began to pour in.
During this time, the Shen family had been dealing with issues of illegitimate children and had also found their missing youngest son.
They were embroiled in a controversy regarding the adopted son.
It was practically a goldmine for gossip and conversation in the upper circles of the capital.
Moreover, everyone knew that the elder Gu from the Gu family and the late elder Shen were close friends.
The two had even arranged a marriage contract for their younger generations back in the day.
After the elder Shen passed away, the Shen family faced a difficult period, and it was the elder Gu who stepped in to help under the pretext of the marriage contract.
Although news about the contract had faded in recent years…
Gu Ningqi from the Gu family had been getting close to Shen Xingran, essentially implying that the two would marry.
But now, suddenly a long-lost youngest son had reappeared.
The son who had been regarded as the legitimate young master, Shen Xingran, turned out to be an adopted son…
This situation was quite the spectacle.
It was hard to tell how Gu Ningqi and the elder Gu would react.
Most people present harbored a bit of a voyeuristic mindset.
Yet, regardless of their thoughts, they were all cheerfully exchanging pleasantries.
Today, Shen Hongyuan made sure to save face.
He personally welcomed guests at the door and even brought Lu Ran along.
However, when he glanced down at Lu Ran’s feet, his eyelids jumped.
“What are you doing bringing that out!”
Shen Hongyuan’s fatherly facade nearly cracked, his voice almost splitting.
Lu Ran was dressed in that expensive haute couture outfit.
His appearance was also undeniably noble, but at his feet was that little mutt.
“What’s the problem? Today is my return day and it’s also Da Huang’s return day,” Lu Ran said lazily.
He couldn’t care less about how others viewed him.
So what if Da Huang was a little mutt?
Lu Ran didn’t see himself as high-class, nor did he think a mutt was beneath notice.
Shen Hongyuan’s mouth twitched.
He was starting to develop PTSD around that dog, considering that his most embarrassing moments in life had been related to it.
The sternness in his voice couldn’t be concealed; he couldn’t help but say, “It’s not good for others to see, hurry up and put the dog away.”
After saying this, he noticed that Lu Ran didn’t move.
Nor did he respond.
He just stared at him with those pitch-black eyes.
When it suddenly fell quiet, Shen Hongyuan realized that Lu Ran’s look today carried a bit of oppressive weight.
When he was silent, the slight curve at the corners of his eyes diminished.
His black eyes radiated a chilling stillness.
Shen Hongyuan felt a twinge of unease.
Thinking about today’s plans, he hurriedly pulled a smile to his lips.
But before he could speak, he saw Lu Ran take out his phone, aiming the microphone in his direction.
“…What are you doing?” Shen Hongyuan was momentarily bewildered.
“Repeat what you just said. I’m recording it to send to Ji Min,” Lu Ran said seriously.
Shen Hongyuan nearly burst out laughing.
What did Lu Ran mean? Was Ji Min really going to protect him, and would he actually protect this dog?
In the next moment, Lu Ran picked up Da Huang.
With a “snap”, he unclipped the pendant from Da Huang’s collar.
Inside the pendant was a slightly distorted ID photo of Ji Min, due to the low printing quality.
A pair of indifferent eyes shot a deathly glare at Shen Hongyuan.
Shen Hongyuan: “…”
His lips trembled as he pointed at the pendant, asking, “What is this?”
“Mr. Ji’s photo,” Lu Ran replied.
Of course, Shen Hongyuan recognized it was Ji Min’s photo.
It was just…
“W-Why is it hanging around this dog’s neck?”
Shen Hongyuan’s eyes nearly popped out.
Ji Min not only took care of this dog for Lu Ran but also hung his own photo around the mutt’s neck?
Shen Hongyuan was utterly shocked, feeling disoriented.
“Ha, what do you know?” Lu Ran said, unfazed by the idea of a dog being backed by a person.
Seeing guests approaching, he still held Da Huang and waved his paw at them, cheerfully asking, “Is my dog cute?”
He was smiling, while the pendant around Da Huang’s neck still bore Ji Min’s cold face.
The questioned guests: “…”
Goodness, did they dare to say it wasn’t cute?
In the hall, female guests had begun to arrive one after another.
Madam Shen was in charge of receiving them.
She was quite at home in such situations, but when she thought of the purpose of today’s banquet, she felt a bit uneasy, her heart half in her throat.
In the gaps between warmly greeting guests, Madam Shen pricked up her ears to listen to the discussions of the wealthy ladies around her.
They were still chatting about the Gu family.
“Ningqi said he’s coming back to the country recently, right?”
“I wonder what his thoughts are about returning this time.”
“Sigh, the child is all grown up; it’s about time.”
Someone even lamented, “If he doesn’t come back today, it seems he’ll miss it.”
Miss what?
Of course, he would miss the family recognition ceremony happening today.
The one saying this sounded like a qualified gossip.
Everyone else sighed in agreement.
One person laughed, “You all don’t know? I heard that Gu Ningqi’s flight should have already landed by now.”
As soon as this was said, the people around perked up.
Someone couldn’t help but call out to Madam Shen.
Madam Shen’s heart skipped a beat.
She forced a smile and turned to ask, “What’s the matter?”
A group of ladies gathered around her affectionately and asked, “Can you let us in on a little secret? Is the marriage contract between the Gu family and your family still valid?”
Upon hearing this question, Madam Shen’s heart sank.
“Of course, it’s still valid!”
“Who will ultimately inherit this marriage contract?”
That was what everyone was most concerned about.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Madam Shen replied, “Of course, it’s for Ranran. The old man explicitly said it was for Ranran to marry.”
As soon as these words left her mouth, she suddenly paused.
When she raised her head again, she found that the crowd was looking at her with a peculiar gaze.
“This Ranran—who exactly is that Ranran?”
Madam Shen’s expression stiffened.
Her worst fear had indeed come to pass.
Once this topic was opened, the conversation around her quickly shifted.
People began to reminisce, saying, “But he was lost for fifteen years!”
“Fortunately, he was found.”
“How did the child go missing back then? Wasn’t it because the old man fell seriously ill afterward?”
Old matters that had been deliberately forgotten were brought up again and a long-hidden sense of guilt crept up Madam Shen’s spine.
Her impeccably made-up face stiffened slightly.
“He liked to run around when he was little…”
The moment those words left her mouth, Madam Shen realized something was off.
Sure enough, the people around her immediately shot her disapproving looks.
“A four-year-old child, who doesn’t like to run around? The adults definitely should have kept a closer eye!”
“I vaguely remember that Ranran was very well-behaved as a child…”
The lady speaking gradually trailed off.
Only then did they realize that Shen family’s biological son had been called “Xingran” since childhood.
Later, when the child went missing, they had inexplicably given that name to the adopted son.
Did they never expect to find the child again?
The wealthy ladies around her were all mothers.
The collective gaze of accusation from these mothers sent chills down Madam Shen’s spine.
In the end, she no longer cared about the banquet and made an excuse to hurriedly return to her room on the second floor.
With a “slam”, the bedroom door shut.
Yet, Madam Shen’s emotions had not settled at all.
That sound seemed to overlap with the memory of the car door closing in her mind.
On the other side, Lu Ran felt hungry and didn’t linger by the door.
He left Shen Hongyuan behind and went straight into the living room.
He was leading Da Huang, strolling around the banquet with a swagger.
His casualness was off the charts.
Some of Shen Xingran’s friends, glancing at Shen Xingran standing in the corner and then at Lu Ran, immediately felt their tempers flare.
Not long after, Lu Ran was stopped by a boy.
“So, you’re the lost little son of the Shen family?” the boy asked arrogantly.
Before Lu Ran could respond, he continued, “Hmph, don’t get any ideas. Brother Gu only has Ranran in his heart; you can’t even think about it.”
Lu Ran raised an eyebrow, slowly pondering for a moment, and then recalled who this person was referring to.
He didn’t reply.
The boy continued, “It’s the same for us; you’ll never measure up to Ranran.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he noticed the exquisite youth in front of him suddenly bending down to get closer.
The boy couldn’t help it; he blushed suddenly.
He had come to stand up for Shen Xingran.
But upon seeing this rumored orphan who supposedly couldn’t stand up to anyone, he was momentarily stunned.
This person was too good-looking.
He exuded a unique aura that was different from those in their circle.
Gentle yet wicked, with a touch of mystery left from life experiences.
Especially when Lu Ran leaned in closer…
The boy’s face turned crimson. He was so nervous that he didn’t know where to put his hands.
He tried hard to appear tough.
But he heard the person in front of him, with a face as delicate and precious as an angel’s, whispering devilishly in his ear.
“I’ve been meaning to tell you… you have something stuck in your teeth.”
Boy: “…”
Lu Ran patted the shoulder of the boy in front of him.
Leaving the boy standing there in shock, he continued walking forward with Da Huang.
Just as one troublemaker fell, another one stood up.
This new troublemaker came over and stopped Lu Ran.
He was about to say something.
But suddenly paused, turned around to pull out his phone, took a selfie with a toothy grin, and then turned back, feeling satisfied.
Who would’ve thought that as soon as he turned back, he felt a sharp pain in his scalp.
Looking up, he saw the handsome youth across from him holding a wig piece, his face radiant.
He smiled like a devil.
“Oh dear, how did your wig fall off?”
The boy reached up to touch his bald head and pointed at Lu Ran, “You! You! You…”
After stuttering for a while, he covered his bald head and ran away in a hurry.
The onlookers who witnessed this “farce” exchanged glances: “…”
It seemed… he wasn’t someone to mess with after all.
Those who had originally wanted to test the waters quietly retreated.
When Lu Ran lifted his gaze, they felt as if the boy’s stare was like an X-ray, precisely scanning the most false parts of their selves.
That smile was clearly not well-intentioned.
It was as if he was calculating how to tear away their hypocritical facades.
This was the first time everyone present had encountered someone so unrestrained.
When out in public, who wouldn’t put on a bit of “decoration”?
If someone were to pull it off, it would be embarrassing.
Before long, a circle of personal space had quietly formed around Lu Ran.
He looked left and right and sighed.
Lowering his eyes, he met Da Huang’s bean-sized eyes: “You haven’t even been put to use yet, and they’re already running away?”
His tone even carried a hint of regret.
Da Huang blinked twice.
He had no idea how he was going to be “used”.
Lu Ran took Da Huang to get something to eat.
Seeing Da Huang look so eager, he unusually fed him some cream cake.
The little dog lowered his head and then raised it again, his face smeared all over with cream.
Lu Ran couldn’t help but laugh and took Da Huang to the restroom to wash his face.
With so many people in the villa, he specifically led the dog to the independent restroom in the yard.
This place was empty, with hardly anyone around.
As soon as they entered, they came face to face with a man.
The man was anxiously changing clothes.
When he saw someone enter, he paused for a moment, then gradually slowed down his movements.
His gaze swept across Lu Ran’s face again.
In his movements, he suddenly exuded an intentional elegance.
A.k.a., trying too hard.
Lu Ran took a glance.
He quietly squatted down, using a wet wipe to clean Da Huang’s face.
While he remained silent outwardly, he was inwardly thinking that, as expected, speaking of the devil had brought him here.
The person changing clothes was Gu Ningqi.
Seeing Gu Ningqi, Lu Ran suddenly remembered.
It was probably around this time in his last life that Gu Ningqi returned to the country.
At that time, Lu Ran didn’t know anything about the engagement.
He had no thoughts regarding Gu Ningqi.
However, after wandering for over a decade, upon hearing that an older brother he knew from childhood was coming back, he instinctively paid attention.
When Gu Ningqi came to the Shen family, he didn’t know what had provoked Shen Xingran.
It was also that time that Shen Xingran had pushed him into the swimming pool in the backyard.
The pool hadn’t been changed in several days and the water was icy cold.
Gu Ningqi stood at the edge of the pool, holding Shen Xingran, and frowned at Lu Ran, saying: “Who dares to get close with all this nonsense? Don’t you understand that my heart only belongs to Ranran?”
At that time, Lu Ran was nearly frozen in shock, completely unaware of what this person was rambling about.
In what seemed like an effort to protect Shen Xingran, Gu Ningqi even turned to Shen Hongyuan and Madam Shen, saying: “Uncle, Aunt, we can’t let just anyone in the house; someone might think we’ve let in a streetwalker.”
He stood there in the freezing pool, listening to those biting remarks.
Later, he crawled out of the pool against the biting cold wind and the sharp pain in his joints.
Hearing the servants’ discussions, he realized that he had a so-called engagement with Gu Ningqi when he was younger.
However, that engagement had now shifted to Shen Xingran.
When he passed by Gu Ningqi, it was interpreted as a form of seduction.
Lu Ran felt nauseated.
It was the first time he experienced what it meant to be regarded as “ordinary”.
It seemed that in this lifetime, Gu Ningqi hadn’t made much progress either.
He must have just arrived from the airport.
Putting on a deeply sentimental appearance, but still loving face more than anything else, he didn’t dare to show up in wrinkled clothes.
So he specifically changed into a fresh outfit in the restroom.
For the past few days, Lu Ran had been puzzled by Shen Xingran’s silence.
It turned out he was waiting for him here.
Was he planning to have the Gu family publicly cancel the engagement at this banquet on his official return to the Shen family?
Would he repeat all the harsh words he had been subjected to in his last life, just to embarrass him?
Lu Ran squeezed the wet wipes and suddenly laughed softly.
His voice was clear and carried a hint of mockery.
This drew a glance from Gu Ningqi, who was in the midst of changing clothes.
He was inwardly musing about how, after years away from home, a striking young master like this had suddenly appeared.
Gu Ningqi had noticed the boy as soon as he walked in.
The youth was remarkably good-looking.
He carried an inexplicable charm that was hard to ignore.
Bending down to wet the wipes at the sink, the faint yellow light illuminated his hair, the sparkles woven in shimmering like stars.
Yet, the boy’s profile was cold and distant, bearing an air of intimidating silence.
But when he bent down to face the little dog, his eyes softened.
He looked incredibly cute and charming.
Gu Ningqi couldn’t help but steal a few more glances.
His movements while changing clothes were more deliberate, an instinctive reaction when one sees something beautiful that they admires.
Lu Ran lowered his head, diligently wiping Da Huang’s paws, seemingly oblivious to Gu Ningqi’s gaze.
Gu Ningqi took off his wrinkled pants.
He slipped one leg into a prepared, brand-new pair of suit trousers.
Lu Ran continued to focus on cleaning Da Huang’s paws, keeping his head down.
Gu Ningqi slipped his other leg into the trousers as well.
He was about to bend down to pull up his pants.
At that moment, with both pant legs stuck at his knees, neither up nor down, the quiet boy in front suddenly turned to look at him and flashed a charming smile.
Gu Ningqi froze.
His movements paused for a moment and his thoughts began to scatter.
He was currently not properly dressed, which was clearly inappropriate, yet this youth looked at him like that.
Could it be that he saw through his facade?
Gu Ningqi’s heart fluttered. He subconsciously took a little longer to dress, also returning a smile to Lu Ran.
Yet, he felt a tinge of disdain in his heart, thinking that the boy was just like that.
The next second, however, he saw the boy in front of him, with that eye-catching smile, suddenly sweeping his leg towards him.
Gu Ningqi: “!!!”
His pants were still caught at his knees.
This restroom was quite secluded, tucked away in a corner of the villa, and wasn’t very clean.
There was even a puddle of some unknown water on the steps.
When Gu Ningqi got kicked, his foot slipped, and he slid down the steps entirely.
Remarkably, he didn’t fall.
His upper body had plunged into the stall, one leg slid down the step, while the other leg was still on the first step, gradually slipping down.
From a distance, it looked as though his head was thrust into the restroom stall, as if doing push-ups.
With his legs bound by his pants, he couldn’t exert any strength at all.
Gu Ningqi could only use his hands to grip the partition for support.
And less than half a meter from his face…
Was the squat toilet.
At this moment, Gu Ningqi realized he had hastily chosen a rather unpleasant stall.
Because the automatic flush in this stall was broken.
In the corner lay a clump of black rags.
Gu Ningqi was completely bewildered.
He could never have imagined that after hurriedly flying back, he would suddenly find himself in such a predicament.
At this point, it felt as if his mind was in a dream.
He couldn’t help but look back at the boy who had kicked him outside the stall.
The boy stood not far away, holding the little dog, looking at him with a worried expression.
That look was incredibly innocent.
For a moment, Gu Ningqi even thought that the sweep kick had been a figment of his imagination.
This situation he was in was entirely due to his own careless slip.
Until he saw the boy pick up a broom from the side.
Gu Ningqi suddenly reacted, “Wait, wait!”
“Y-You can’t come over!”
“Don’t joke around!”
“Ah!”
With a piercing scream, Gu Ningqi landed solidly in the pit.
After a few seconds of heart-stopping silence.
A furious roar echoed through the air: “Are you sick?!”
Gu Ningqi’s pants were still tangled, and he tried to use his legs to push himself up several times but failed to gain any leverage.
He grabbed at whatever he could, finally supporting himself enough to lift his head.
At this point, his face was covered in foul-smelling water, nearly making him gag.
As he got up, he instinctively wiped his face with his hand.
After wiping, he realized it only made the smell worse.
When Gu Ningqi turned his head, he discovered that in his frantic grasp, he had gotten a hold of that clump of black rags.
A look of naive bewilderment washed over his face.
After a long pause, he stammered, trembling lips asking the unfamiliar boy outside the stall, “D-Do I know you?”
The boy smiled at him, his dark eyes glinting: “You don’t know me, but seeing you like this makes me feel uncomfortable if I don’t do something.”
Gu Ningqi shook with anger.
Just as he was about to say something, he suddenly paused, feeling something was off on his face.
In his line of sight, there seemed to be some vague white strip-like object swaying.
He furrowed his brow and tugged at his bangs.
Then he opened his hand.
To his surprise, he found a limp golden needle mushroom1Enoki mushroom…? lying in his palm.
