Chapter 14: I Plan to Send That Wretched Kid to the Countryside!

By the time they arrived at the clinic, Lu Zhao’s chest had stopped hurting, but Wang Xiaoyun and the children insisted on having him checked out.

The doctor, Dr. Li, who was aware of the family situation, delivered some concerning news after the check-up. Lu Zhao had been severely aggravated, more so than last time, and his condition was now worse.

Dr. Li, though familiar with the family dynamics, still felt compelled to offer a stern warning. “You can’t let yourself get angry. You need to control your temper from now on, or it could get much worse.”

Lu Zhao, bitter inside, knew that his anger was precisely the cause of his condition. But whenever that troublesome son of his was involved, his temper flared uncontrollably.

He nodded weakly. “Dr. Li, I understand. I’ll be more careful from now on.”

Dr. Li, not wanting to delve into family drama, did not push further but couldn’t leave things unsaid. “This time, it’s much worse. If it happens again, it could be life-threatening.”

Wang Xiaoyun, standing behind her husband, turned pale with shock. “Dr. Li, how can it be that serious? Didn’t you say everything was fine last time?”

Dr. Li gave her a pointed look. “That was last time. I specifically warned you then about preventing stress and anger. If you had been more careful, this wouldn’t have happened.”

Wang Xiaoyun felt a wave of frustration and guilt. She and her children always tried to avoid making Lu Zhao angry since learning about his heart condition, always going out of their way to keep him happy. But no matter how hard they tried, Lu Sinian’s behavior kept triggering these flare-ups.

Her eyes flickered with a mix of resignation and determination as she nodded. “You’re right, Dr. Li. We, as his family, were negligent. We’ll make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

Dr. Li simply gave a quiet “Mm,” handed her the prescription, and continued with the advice. “Follow the instructions on the prescription, and when you get home, avoid stress and anger. If anything feels off, come back for another check-up.”

As they left the clinic, the mood among the four was heavy. None of them had expected Lu Zhao’s condition to be so serious. Wang Xiaoyun and her children all silently blamed Lu Sinian for the situation.

Lu Mingyang, younger and less diplomatic, angrily blurted out, “It’s all because of Brother! If he didn’t keep making Dad angry all the time, Dad’s condition wouldn’t be this bad!”

Wang Xiaoyun shot him a look of disapproval and quickly chided, “Mingyang, don’t say that.”

She turned to Lu Zhao, trying to comfort him. “Old Lu, don’t listen to Mingyang. Don’t get upset; your health is the most important thing.”

The latter part was from her heart; she truly feared Lu Zhao would get angry and worsen his condition.

Surprisingly, Lu Zhao did not get angry. His tone remained calm. “Mingyang’s right. This illness was caused by that wretched boy’s actions. But don’t worry, I’ll control my temper from now on.”

Wang Xiaoyun noticed that Lu Zhao didn’t seem angry at all, which was unexpected, but she didn’t question him further. Instead, she sighed with relief. “I’m glad you feel that way. It’ll put my mind at ease, and the kids too.”

Lu Zhao smiled faintly but said nothing more. The doctor’s words only reinforced his decision to send Lu Sinian to the countryside. He knew that as long as the boy remained in the capital, his condition would never improve.

His health was at stake, and sending Lu Sinian away seemed to be the only way forward.

Wang Xiaoyun had the nagging feeling that Lu Zhao’s smile seemed somewhat strange, but she didn’t dare investigate further, especially while they were outside.

Trying to ease the tension, she shifted the conversation. “Alright, if we don’t head home soon, the food I’ve prepared will need to be reheated.”

Her reminder caught their attention, and they all suddenly remembered it was Lu Zhao’s birthday.

Originally, it should have been a cheerful occasion, but it had become far from joyful.

Lu Zhao, feeling more concerned about his health than the celebration, still didn’t want to worry his family. He put on a brave face and smiled at the children. “Let’s go home and have dinner. We can’t waste your mother’s efforts.”

On the way home, they didn’t encounter anyone else. It was the time when most people would be having their evening meal at home.

Lu Zhao’s stomach was already growling. He hadn’t eaten much during lunch, waiting for the special dinner Wang Xiaoyun had prepared for him.

The others were also hungry, especially with the scent of food wafting from neighboring houses.

Lu Mingyang, growing fast and eating more than usual, couldn’t help but groan as his stomach protested loudly.

Lu Mingyang, his face flushed with anger, ran ahead into the house, not caring about the others.

By the time Lu Zhao and the others arrived home, they found Lu Mingyang charging out like a wild bull, his eyes red with rage.

Lu Zhao and the others were startled and quickly approached him.

Wang Xiaoyun, concerned, asked, “Son, what happened? What’s going on?” She tiptoed to peek into the house, worried that Lu Sinian had bullied him while they were gone.

When they left, Lu Sinian was the only one at home.

Lu Mingyang, his eyes already red, looked like he might burst into tears. He rarely showed such emotion in front of Lu Zhao. In a choked voice, he whined, “There’s no food left. Lu… my brother ate it all!”

Although the Lu family was well-off, they didn’t have much in terms of shared resources, especially since the patriarch, Old Lu, had made it clear years ago that he wouldn’t financially support Lu Zhao’s family, including Lu Sinian. He had told them to take care of their own, and they had.

For many years, the family survived only on Lu Zhao’s salary. Only after Chen Huizhu started working did the family’s standard of living improve a little.

Lu Mingyang had been waiting for this meal for nearly half a month, longing for the chicken and mushroom stew his mother had specially prepared for him and his father. He had even skipped lunch to save room for it.

But when he came home, the food was gone. The chicken stew—his favorite dish—was completely eaten, leaving only a chicken butt behind, facing toward the door. It was clear that Lu Sinian was responsible for finishing it all.

Lu Mingyang was furious, wanting to confront Lu Sinian right then and there.

Wang Xiaoyun was horrified by the news. “He ate it all? Your brother?”

Lu Mingyang nodded, his face full of frustration.

Wang Xiaoyun almost choked on her breath. She had prepared four dishes, including two meat dishes, two vegetable dishes, and a soup that Lu Zhao loved. It was meant to be enough for the entire family, but now Lu Sinian had eaten it all.

Was he starving? Did he think he could eat like this every day?

Wang Xiaoyun couldn’t believe it. She rushed into the house and headed straight for the kitchen. She lifted the lid of the pot on the stove and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that the soup was still there. At least there was something left.

But when she thought about the empty plates and the fact that Lu Sinian had devoured everything, her heart ached. This meal was meant to be for her husband and children. Lu Sinian had no right to it!

For the first time, Wang Xiaoyun didn’t defend Lu Sinian in front of Lu Zhao. With red eyes and a trembling voice, she said, “Sinian went too far this time. How could he do this? I specifically made this meal for you.”

Lu Zhao looked at the messy dining table, then at his wife’s reddened eyes, and finally at his son, holding his stomach with hunger pains and his eyes wet from frustration.

The anger inside Lu Zhao was nearly consuming him. But then he remembered the doctor’s warning, and he managed to keep himself calm.

He closed his eyes, took a few deep breaths, and when he opened them, he had made up his mind.

“I’m sending that wretched boy to the countryside,” he declared resolutely.