Lu Chi smiled faintly.
Eat, Sleep, Dance: [I don’t think I’ve actually said anything yet?]
AAA VIP Booth Booking – Xiao Yan: [I know what Teacher Lu is talking about.]
AAA VIP Booth Booking – Xiao Yan: [Yesterday afternoon, someone came to find me and told me to deliver an envelope with photos inside to Liang Zhiyu’s house.]
AAA VIP Booth Booking – Xiao Yan: [But I didn’t do it.]
AAA VIP Booth Booking – Xiao Yan: [Teacher, I didn’t do it.]
Inside the rental apartment.
The tall youth stood on the balcony, biting his lip hard as he stared at the phone screen, not mentioning that he had originally planned to agree to the Lin family’s request.
After all, he and Liang Zhiyu had a bad history: they’d been taken to the police station together, had punched each other, cursed each other, and even fought each other. So when he learned that beneath Liang Zhiyu’s glamorous family lay something so rotten, when he saw that Li Sheng was even keeping an illegitimate child who could compete with Liang Zhiyu for inheritance rights… Gu Yanyan felt immediate happiness, his mouth nearly twisting from laughing.
If only…
Behind him, the living room was cramped. A gray-haired old woman stood in place, happily touching this and that, marvelling as she clicked her tongue: “The city really is different! There’s even air conditioning blowing!”
Grandma Gu had arrived yesterday afternoon.
Because during the National Day holiday, everyone had run to FOM to chase after Lu Chi, there weren’t many students in A City to ask for directions. So Grandma Gu carried a large sack covered in patches, wandering tiredly but excitedly to the art academy. At just the right moment, her eyes lit up, and she reached out, grabbing Gu Yanyan, who had been about to deliver the photos.
Gu Yanyan turned around unguarded and met her face head-on, getting nearly scared to death.
“Why are you here?!”
His mind went blank with panic, as he immediately dragged her back to his rented apartment in a hurry. On the way, he tightly put on a hat and mask, terrified of being recognized, terrified that classmates would find out he had such an “unpresentable” grandmother.
So the matter of delivering the photos ended there.
A moment later, Lu Chi sent a short message.
Eat, Sleep, Dance: [Mm, I believe you.]
Eat, Sleep, Dance: [Shall we meet the day after tomorrow? I have something I want to ask you.]
Gu Yanyan’s heart jumped. He vaguely sensed Lu Chi’s purpose, but after hesitating for a few seconds, he still clenched his teeth and agreed.
AAA VIP Booth Booking – Xiao Yan: [Okay!]
AAA VIP Booth Booking – Xiao Yan: [But this time, I’ll treat.]
Eat, Sleep, Dance: [Mm-hmm.]
Eat, Sleep, Dance: [KittenAnticipating.JPG]
……………..
The signal on the plane wasn’t very good.
After finalizing the meeting time with Gu Yanyan, Lu Chi quickly put his phone away. Behind him, Liang Jiashu hovered like a possessed spirit. Having peered at everything, he said expressionlessly: “So you give other people emoji packs too.”
He had seen Lu Chi’s friends list.
There were fewer than forty people total. Aside from school administrators and a few mutual acquaintances, the rest were all owners of private dessert shops. The person Lu Chi chatted with most frequently was a shop specializing in chocolate parfaits; the latest record was from that morning, when Lu Chi was reserving a new product tasting after returning.
But he really did send a lot of emoji packs: kitten dancing, kitten screaming, kitten helping grandma cross the road, kitten tripping a cane-holding old man while crossing the road…
Liang Jiashu felt indiscriminate jealousy toward anyone who could receive Lu Chi’s emoji packs!
As for Lu Chi, he felt his IQ had slightly degraded, but still indulgently smiled and turned around to send Liang Jiashu ten kitten-tripping-old-man emojis in a row.
The two served the afternoon tea on the plane, and by the time they returned to A City, it was already evening. The sunset spilled over the garden of the Liang family villa. As soon as they entered, they heard a cold, forceful female voice asking:
“Is he dead?”
Lu Chi looked up and saw a tall woman in a suit.
Behind her stood several female assistants holding documents, looking equally cold and detached. The living room was large. The unconscious Li Sheng had been moved by a private doctor onto a sofa bed, an IV bottle hanging from the back of his hand, dried blood still visible on his forehead.
Liang Qing held her son’s and daughter’s hands, standing to the side with reddened eyes, her gaze lowered.
Hearing the movement at the door, everyone instinctively turned to look.
Liang Mingzhu paused. Her gaze fell on Lu Chi, who had entered first, and she instantly understood how accurate Liang Jiashu’s description had been…
“I want to pursue a very beautiful man.”
He really was… Very beautiful.
The wording was precise and not exaggerated at all.
Even the cold-faced Liang Zhiyu paused, then quickly stepped forward several paces, his voice suddenly hoarse.
“Lu Chi… you came.”
The boy had a buzz cut, a bandage wrapped around his forehead, and his body covered in bruises and bloodstains. His brown eyes were slightly reddened as he looked at Lu Chi, looking truly miserable.
Like an unlucky stray dog that had been beaten up by the roadside.
Lu Chi hummed softly and casually patted his shoulder in reassurance: “I’m here.”
But the moment the words fell, his fingers were suddenly grabbed tightly.
Liang Jiashu seemed not to see the heavy atmosphere in the room, nor the shocked gazes of the others. Instead, he stepped forward expressionlessly, suddenly interlacing his fingers tightly with Lu Chi’s, blocking the other man’s line of sight. Looking down from above, his pitch-black, indifferent eyes locked onto Liang Zhiyu.
The air went silent.
Liang Zhiyu froze, staring blankly at their intertwined hands. His mind struggled for a long moment before he finally processed it.
Lu Chi and Liang Jiashu… were together?!
The fact hit like a bomb, blowing apart the resentment and jealousy in his heart. The boy lifted his gaze, instinctively clenching his fists and gritting his teeth as he met Liang Jiashu’s stare.
Their gazes collided violently in midair. No words were spoken, yet it was as if they had already slashed at each other countless times with sharp knives.
Liang Qing’s previously reddened eyes turned confused as she looked at the unfamiliar Lu Chi. But Liang Yi stepped forward expressionlessly, forcefully grabbing Liang Zhiyu’s hand and dragging her overreaching older brother back to their mother.
And just like that, the brief, silent hellish scene ended.
Liang Mingzhu turned back and continued to ask calmly about Li Sheng’s condition.
“Is he dead?”
The doctor smiled and shook his head.
“President Liang, people can be quite resilient. He’s not that easy to kill.”
“Although Mr. Li lost a lot of blood, because he usually exercises, it’s mainly a severe concussion…”
This result left Liang Qing stunned, silent, and dazed.
She and Li Sheng had undoubtedly been in love once. As the only daughter of the second Liang family branch1I thought she and Liang Mingzhu were sisters, but it looks like they are cousins instead. Probably, Liang Qing’s father and Liang Mingzhu’s father were brothers, since they both inherited the Liang surname. I guess the family split, as it’s often the case whene there are 2 or more sons, and that’s how the main branch and the second branch of the Liang family came to be. Li Sheng married into the Liang family, so his children did not inherit his Li surname, but his wife’s, Liang. And that’s a thorn in his side, therefore, he went ahead a had a litttle Li son outside just to stroke his male ego. Anyway, nothing changes the fact that Liang Jiashu, Liang Zhiyu, and Liang Yi are still cousins (second cousins?). Liang Jiashu is still the Young Master of the Liang family as he’s the heir to the main branch, and Liang Zhiyu is the Second Young Master, as the firstborn of the second branch. Not sure if Liang Yi would be the Third Young Miss as the youngest of children, or just the Young Miss since she’s the only girl, so there’s no need for a number. Don’t know how ranking works in powerful families., her parents had passed away early, and Liang Qing had always been wary of men. But Li Sheng was different. He was tall and strong, open and sincere, able to give her the security and warmth she needed most.
So she chose to trust him, bear children for him, and manage household affairs.
Only now did she realize that all happiness had been a bubble, and that she had failed and owed Liang Zhiyu and Liang Yi far too much. What they needed was not a mother wallowing in self-pity.
But a Liang Qing with a sense of self, someone who could protect herself.
Someone like Liang Mingzhu.
Under the lights, everyone stood in the living room, their expressions unreadable, until Liang Mingzhu spoke. Looking at Liang Jiashu, she said lightly: “I remember you studied neurology last year, and even prepared quite a few compounds yourself?”
She called them ‘compounds’…
…But in truth, they were poisons.
It was because of this that Liang Mingzhu had started sending Liang Jiashu out to “touch some grass,” fearing that one day he might snap psychologically and poison someone, damaging the Liang Group’s reputation and stock price.
Liang Jiashu met her gaze and instantly understood his mother’s meaning. His voice was cold as he answered, “There are two bottles left. Same price as before.”
Liang Mingzhu smiled faintly, then turned to the stunned Liang Qing and went straight to the point.
“Liang Qing, do you want him to wake up, or sleep forever?”
“……”
The living room fell into dead silence as Liang Qing caught the implication beneath her words. Her heart lurched violently, and she looked up at everyone around her.
Yet everywhere her gaze landed…
Liang Mingzhu’s trusted aides were cold and detached. The private doctor hummed casually, as if nothing were happening. Liang Jiashu was leaning in close to Lu Chi, whispering to him.
Even Liang Zhiyu and Liang Yi were filled with indifference, utterly unconcerned.
Her hands began to tremble. She felt the right to choose her future, lost after her parents’ deaths, return to her hands once more, through some cruel twist of fate. Then, she thought of the explicit private photos on her phone… of Li Sheng’s illegitimate son smiling brightly in happiness…
…Of the marks her own son had carried for years from domestic abuse.
After a long moment, the fragile woman exhaled. Her voice trembled, yet it was firm, saying: “I don’t want him to wake up.”
But before her words fully fell, Liang Mingzhu was already signing a check, giving it to Liang Jiashu.
“Full payment. Use the medication tonight.”
Liang Jiashu took it and passed it to Lu Chi. His movements were efficient, as he immediately called his subordinates. In less than twenty minutes, an assistant arrived at the villa carrying an insulated case.
The young man stepped forward, put on medical gloves, and lowered his gaze expressionlessly as the private doctor watched and observed.
Liang Jiashu began injecting the drug.
…………………
On the villa balcony.
Worried that the children might witness the scene and suffer psychological trauma, Lu Chi had already taken Liang Yi by the hand and brought her to the window, lifting his head to look at the sky.
Night had fallen. The weather was clear, and stars flickered beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows. Liang Yi watched for a while, then said expressionlessly, “Brother Lu Chi, the stars are very bright.”
Lu Chi hummed, took a bite of the ice cream cone she’d dug out of the freezer, and lazily sat on the carpet at her eye level.
“Your family’s ice cream is really good.”
Liang Yi nodded proudly. “I made the recipe myself. In the future, I’ll inherit the company and open a food sub-brand. I’ll take my shop nationwide.”
Lu Chi gave her a thumbs-up, saying he’d definitely support her business. Liang Yi admired his face for a long moment, then suddenly pulled out two hundred yuan from her pocket and expressionlessly stuffed it into Lu Chi’s collar2For those who don’t remember, she gave Lu Chi money the first time they met as well, in FOM nightclub. I don’t know what kind of upbringing this little missy had, but she’s very overbearing and stuffs pretty people with cash as soon as she sees them like a way to show affection I guess :)).
Lu Chi calmly accepted it, joking, “Little Boss Lady, even though I’ve already reformed, I still don’t give refunds to minors.”
Liang Yi waved it off, then glanced at her biological brother beside her and said bluntly, “Zhiyu, you and Brother Lu Chi have no chance. Don’t fantasize.”
Liang Zhiyu stiffened, furious.
“Liang Yi, am I your brother, or is Liang Jiashu your brother?!”
“Liang Jiashu is so capable, but even he can’t handle Brother Lu Chi,” she replied. “You have even less of a chance. Acting pitiful won’t work either, so face reality.”
After speaking, she took a bite of Lu Chi’s ice cream and quickly turned to leave.
Liang Zhiyu stared at her retreating figure, chest heaving, so angry he wanted to jump off the building.
“What kind of sister talks about her own brother like that?!”
Unlucky brat!
Lu Chi sat on the carpet laughing softly, eating like a hamster sneaking snacks, biting off the last mouthful of the cone. It was the first time Liang Zhiyu had seen him like that, so he instinctively softened his breathing, his heart itching uncontrollably.
He lowered his gaze and silently sat down beside Lu Chi. After a moment, Liang Zhiyu said, “I actually watched your lectures at A University… Teacher Lu, you’re really impressive.”
Lu Chi smiled.
“You talk just like Gu Yanyan.”
Full of admiration.
Thinking about it carefully, though, the main cast were eighteen, nineteen, at most just twenty years old. They really were just a group of youths. Standing at the boundary of growth, more or less trapped in their own dilemmas and despair. Some because they weren’t mature enough, others because they were too sharp, but they all smashed themselves bloody and bruised, unable to escape the mire.
So they longed for someone who could solve anything… so they instinctively admired and relied on Lu Chi, who seemed capable of anything.
Except Liang Jiashu.
Only Liang Jiashu dared to reverse heaven and earth, demanding that Lu Chi, the adult, rely on him instead.
Thinking of that man’s stubbornness, Lu Chi smiled unconsciously. Starlight fell across his pale face like stage lighting, illuminating those light brown eyes and creating an inexplicably gentle illusion of beauty.
Liang Zhiyu couldn’t bring himself to look at Lu Chi because he was too dazzling, illuminating all darkness. However, humans were creatures drawn to light, so no matter how hard he tried, he still couldn’t ignore Lu Chi.
Just as an audience couldn’t ignore the sole protagonist on the stage.
Lu Chi was accustomed to intense gazes. After a moment, without changing expression, he turned and met Liang Zhiyu’s eyes.
“I remember you’ve been reading the Analects. You send me essays every day, saying you want to cultivate yourself.”
“Then why did you suddenly want to kill your father tonight?”
Though volatile, the other party wasn’t the type to lie. The moment the words fell, Liang Zhiyu stiffened. After a long pause, hesitation flashed through the boy’s eyes. A few seconds later, he leaned closer and whispered, “At that moment… I felt like there was a voice in my head urging me, telling me to cut off Li Sheng’s neck and break free from his control.”
Lu Chi didn’t show surprise or mockery. He simply thought for a few seconds, then asked Liang Zhiyu, “I heard someone sent a strange message to Auntie’s phone. Can you tell me the number?”
Liang Zhiyu nodded and, without hesitation, took out his mother’s phone he’d confiscated earlier and handed it to him. Lu Chi thanked him, opened it, and quickly wrote down the strange, eerie number in his notes.
[0000-112111211121]
The man’s cold, white fingers suddenly froze.
1121.
November 21st.
It was Lu Chi’s real birthday.
………………………………
If you’re interested, the first arc is already completed on my Patreon! You can support me and read up to Chapter 47 here, with 5 new chapters coming next Friday, on 06.03! Happy Reading!
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