Chapter 26

That night, Lu Yan lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought.

She couldn’t fall asleep.

The sound of dragging footsteps came from the stairs. Without even needing to listen closely, she knew that her dad, Lu Zhen, had come home.

Lu Yan was always very sensitive to the sound of her dad’s footsteps. When it was just her and her dad at home, she would always hear him walking up the stairs at night.

When he came home from work, he would stand outside her room for a few minutes. If she was asleep, he wouldn’t disturb her, if she wasn’t, he would knock on the door and remind her not to stay up too late.

Lu Yan opened her bedroom door and stuck her head out, shouting, “Dad, where have you been fooling around with Uncle Liang and the others again?”

Lu Zhen quickly covered Lu Yan’s mouth with his hand and whispered, “Shh, don’t shout. I’m telling you, you can’t let your grandfather hear about this! It would definitely give him high blood pressure.”

Lu Yan shrugged, not caring. After all, her grandfather wouldn’t believe it, just like how her dad had never believed it before.

Lu Yan mumbled, “What kind of major national issue could it be? You’re always coming home this late.”

“Adult matters, children shouldn’t worry about it.”

“Tch.”

Now he was starting to treat her like a child.

Compared to the confused state he had been in a few days ago, Lu Zhen had already started to show more of a fatherly side. He spoke and acted more carefully now, no longer as carefree as before. He had even stopped swearing.

At least, in front of Lu Yan, he would never curse again.

Being a father was very different from being an older brother. An older brother could bully her, squeeze her, and take her pocket money without a care, but a father couldn’t do that.

Lu Yan stood on tiptoe and patted his shoulder, saying, “Don’t forget, Dad, you’re only one year older than me now!”

“One year or not, even if I were one minute older, I’ll always be your dad.”

That statement…

Lu Yan had no response.

Lu Zhen went back to his room and collapsed onto the bed, tired. Lu Yan immediately followed him in and sat on the edge of the bed.

Lu Zhen was too lazy to even lift his eyelids. He lazily asked, “Still not asleep at this hour? What do you want to do?”

“I ran into some things and want to hear your opinion, Dad.”

In the past, whenever Lu Yan encountered any problem during her growing years, she would turn to Lu Zhen for help. Since she had no other elders around, Lu Zhen had become her only benchmark and role model. She would always ask him about anything.

Now, it was no different.

Lu Zhen was already so tired his eyelids were drooping, but as a new father, he still patiently sat up and rubbed Lu Yan’s head. “Tell me.”

“It’s like this… Let’s say there’s someone who, even though you know he will become successful and bully you in the future, or even hurt your loved ones, you still watch him walk down the wrong path. But you feel guilty, because, for now, he’s still treating you well.”

Lu Zhen’s troublesome IQ hadn’t quite reached the level to understand this indirect hint.

He said resolutely, “You can bully me, but you absolutely cannot harm my family, no matter how good he is to me right now… that’s the bottom line.”

Yes, family is Lu Zhen’s bottom line.

Lu Yan pondered for a moment, her gaze becoming much more determined.

“I understand, Dad.”

In the end, she was only trying to protect her family.

Lu Yan no longer hesitated. Wealth and status were determined by fate, and everything was his choice.

“Dad, I’m going to bed. Good night.”

“Little Yan…”

He suddenly called out to her, hesitating for a moment before asking, “When I grow up… will I be a good dad?”

After asking this question, his pale face immediately turned bright red, and he wanted to dig a hole in the bed and hide!

The usually cocky Lu Zhen, who could defy the heavens, was actually asking such a sentimental question!

But… he really wanted to know. He wanted to know what kind of person he would become in the future, and whether, in his daughter’s eyes, he would be considered a qualified father.

“Do you want to know about my childhood?”

Lu Yan crossed her legs on the bed, adjusted her skirt, and sat up in a storytelling posture.

Lu Zhen was wide awake now, hugging his pillow and listening intently to her.

“Our house had a pet cat carrier in the storage room.”

Lu Yan gestured in front of her stomach. “When I was little, you often put me inside. Whether you were on a business trip or at a meeting, you always took me with you, feeding me and changing my diapers anywhere and everywhere. You were truly a super dad.”

Lu Zhen furrowed his brows. “Am I out of my mind? A super dad? Didn’t I know I could hire a nanny?”

Lu Yan laughed, mocking herself.

“We did have a nanny before, but Uncle Liang said that one time the nanny accidentally dropped me, your precious little girl, when I was just one year old. You were so furious that you fired her. From then on… when it came to anything about your precious daughter, that’s me, Dad did everything himself.”

Lu Zhen raised an eyebrow, looking rather pleased. “Looks like I was a pretty outstanding dad after all.”

“Except for the times you put the diapers on the wrong way, or went to the store and bought cat formula instead of baby formula, or slapped a hefty check in the face of the boy I secretly liked in high school… Well, besides those, yeah, you’re still an excellent dad.”

Lu Zhen: “……”

Everyone has their first time!

That night, Lu Yan lay on Lu Zhen’s stomach, reminiscing about the past. She spoke for a long time, recalling many precious memories—memories she might have forgotten if she hadn’t brought them up.

But no matter how many times the world repeats itself or how time and space rotate, love is the one thing that never changes.

The results of the last mock exam before senior year came out, and surprisingly, Shen Kuo took first place in the grade, which left everyone stunned.

At school, Shen Kuo often left self-study early. Other than the time he spent listening to lectures, his study time was almost entirely squeezed out by his work.

With that schedule… he still managed to be the top student in the grade.

His brain must be really sharp!

Lu Yan listened to her classmates discussing Shen Kuo’s grades and thought about how he was about to drop out. She still felt uneasy.

But she had made up her mind, she wouldn’t interfere anymore. Unless it was a matter of life and death, she wouldn’t interfere with his decisions or his life.

The news of Shen Kuo’s withdrawal from school became intertwined with his first-place ranking, and it stirred up a lot of talk at school.

Even Shen Kuo’s homeroom teacher made a home visit to speak with his father. After learning about the family’s situation, the teacher wanted to organize a fundraising campaign for him, hoping to gather donations from all the students.

When Shen Kuo found out about this, his face darkened, and he walked straight to the academic affairs office. He confronted the grade director and said, “I’m not missing any limbs, I don’t need anyone’s donations.”

The grade director, of course, didn’t want to lose such a promising student, so he kindly advised, “Shen Kuo, if you’re facing difficulties, just speak up. We’ll all try to find a solution together. Why does it have to come to you dropping out?”

“Teacher, just tell me, will you approve my withdrawal application or not?”

“Well… If you insist on leaving, the school can’t stop you, but…”

“Then that’s fine.”

Before the director could finish his sentence, Shen Kuo turned and left the office.

In the corridor, he stood alone by the skylight, looking at the lush sycamore trees outside. His hands were clenched into fists.

He squeezed them so tightly that his body trembled slightly…

He didn’t need anyone’s sympathy, never had.

Being born into a poor family wasn’t his fault, and his father’s illness wasn’t his fault either, but…

Falling for a girl raised in such a rich, fertile environment… that was his fault.

Every night, his growing possessiveness made him feel like he might explode.

He didn’t know if his decision was right or wrong, but he didn’t care… If he couldn’t prove himself, then he would just stay away.

Shen Kuo turned around but saw Shu Mengfei in a white dress.

His face darkened slightly, and he ignored her, walking away.

But Shu Mengfei called after him, “Shen Kuo, I heard you’re dropping out. Is that true?”

Shen Kuo didn’t answer, which was as good as confirming it.

Shu Mengfei’s eyes reddened slightly. She grabbed his sleeve and said, “Uncle’s condition must be really serious, and he needs someone to take care of him. But no matter what, you can’t drop out. If… if you think I can help, I’m willing to take care of uncle with you…”

Shen Kuo wasn’t moved by her words. He lowered his gaze to where she was tightly gripping his sleeve and coldly said, “Let go.”

Shu Mengfei’s voice trembled. “Shen Kuo, we’ve both tasted the bitterness of life. The children from wealthy families, they don’t understand anything. But Shen Kuo, I understand you.”

Shen Kuo jerked her hand away, a cold smile spreading across his face. He said each word deliberately, “I don’t need you to understand me.”

Having expressed such heartfelt words, only to be rejected by him, Shu Mengfei felt deeply embarrassed. She shouted at his retreating figure:

“Everyone in school knows about you dropping out, but Lu Yan still pretends she doesn’t! Didn’t you make up with her? Yet she acts deaf and dumb, saying nothing, not even trying to persuade you. With someone like her, do you really expect her to understand you!”

Before Shu Mengfei finished speaking, Shen Kuo suddenly turned around and grabbed her by the collar.

His eyes were cold and sharp, like a blade.

Anyone who slandered or insulted him, he could ignore with a smile, but when they mentioned Lu Yan, it struck the softest part of his heart.

Shu Mengfei was terrified, trembling as she looked at him. “You… What do you want? I was just speaking the truth.”

Shen Kuo didn’t do anything in the end. He forcefully pushed her away and turned to leave.

Shu Mengfei staggered a few steps back from the force, clutching her chest, looking shaken.

Shen Kuo radiated intense hostility, but ironically… such a man was irresistibly attractive to girls.

Shu Mengfei knew that the girls at school who were afraid of Shen Kuo, those who said they disliked him, and those who advised her to stay away from him, were all just jealous.

They slandered him simply because they couldn’t have him and didn’t want anyone else to.

As the summer vacation arrived, Lu Yan received an invitation from Meng Zhining. This summer, the men’s clothing brand “Aolang,” under the Meng Group, was going to hold a large fashion show, and they hoped Lu Yan could attend, as they wanted to introduce her to potential partners.

Lu Yan gladly agreed.

She could tell that Meng Zhining was subtly trying to nurture her.

Meng Zhining also asked Lu Yan which celebrity she liked. “We could invite him to be the spokesperson for our brand, and then you can meet him.”

At that time, most high school girls were obsessed with celebrities.

Lu Yan thought for a moment and, with her unique sense of aesthetics, suggested to Meng Zhining, “I think Qin Yuxiao’s temperament would fit our brand well. But he’s really popular, I don’t know if he would be willing to come.”

After all, Qin Yuxiao had been rising in popularity in recent years and was becoming one of the most promising new stars in the entertainment industry.

Meng Zhining, however, decisively replied, “Sure, since Yanyan likes him, we’ll invite Qin Yuxiao to be the spokesperson for our men’s clothing brand.”

“Uh…”

Lu Yan didn’t particularly like Qin Yuxiao, she just thought he was suitable for the brand.

But Meng Zhining didn’t care about that. She only cared about pampering her beloved daughter and making up for the years of lost maternal love.

—

At Century City Hotel, Zhong Kai, dressed in a sharp black suit, stood at the entrance, anxiously rubbing his hands while waiting.

When he saw Shen Kuo walking toward him at a leisurely pace, he hurriedly went up to him. “I told you to clean up, why do you still look like this?”

Shen Kuo calmly replied, “This is the most formal outfit I have.”

The clean white shirt he was wearing was the most formal outfit he owned.

“This opportunity is once in a lifetime! I’ve built a lot of connections to help you get this,” Zhong Kai said, his voice filled with urgency.

“Hm?”

“The ‘Aolang’ men’s clothing brand under the Meng Group is holding a grand fashion show soon and is recruiting male models. There are no special requirements—handsome, tall, good-looking, with a model-like body. I’ve pulled a lot of strings to get your photo in front of them. They liked it and arranged this meeting. Can you pay a little attention? If this works out, one day’s pay could be equivalent to you working for half a year!”

Shen Kuo frowned slightly. “Modeling?”

“Yes.”

He turned to leave, but Zhong Kai grabbed his arm. “Hey! Where are you going?”

“I’m not doing that kind of thing.”

Shen Kuo naturally didn’t like being in front of the camera. The thought of having to pose for it made him feel disgusted.

“Come on, don’t worry. They’ve hired top male celebrities to walk the runway. You wouldn’t even be good enough to walk the runway anyway,” Zhong Kai tried to reassure him. “You’ll just be wearing their clothes and acting as a backdrop for the male stars. No one will even notice you.”

Shen Kuo still didn’t want to do it. The idea of modeling made his skin crawl.

Zhong Kai said, “We just need to make some quick money this time. Then we’ll have capital for business. Shen Kuo, don’t you still care about that girl? You have no money, no house, nothing. How are you going to marry her?”

Shen Kuo fell silent. After a long pause, he finally turned around and asked Zhong Kai, “How much does it pay per day?”

Zhong Kai held up one finger.

Shen Kuo was finally moved. “A hundred bucks… that’s quite a bit.”

Zhong Kai noticed Shen Kuo’s change in expression and added, “A hundred a day? You’re thinking too much.”

Shen Kuo immediately knew there were no such good deals and asked, “Ten bucks a day?”

Zhong Kai then grinned, “The Meng Group is a huge company. If you get selected, you’ll be the backdrop for a big star like Qin Yuxiao. A hundred? That’s the fee for just one hour.”

“…”

Although Shen Kuo didn’t like being in the limelight, after failing in the nightclub and CD business, most of the savings he had accumulated before were now gone.

Thinking about it, it felt like bad luck. These two failures had mostly been caused by poor connections.

Zhong Kai felt deeply guilty toward Shen Kuo. He had tried every way to help him earn some money. When he heard that the Meng Group’s fashion division was offering high salaries for qualified male models, he quickly signed Shen Kuo up and even slipped a few red envelopes to ensure his photo made it to the right person at the Meng Group.

The private room at Century City Hotel was elegant and upscale. Behind the carved screen with small bridges and flowing water, about ten young, handsome men sat around a round table, all there to audition for the fashion show as male models.

Zhong Kai eagerly raised a glass to Director Fang, repeatedly pulling Shen Kuo along to join him in the toast.

“Director Fang, thank you so much for this!”

“Don’t thank me too quickly,” Director Fang waved his hand. “President Meng has very sharp eyes. This time, ‘Aolang’ is her key brand, and whether you pass her screening is still uncertain.”

“Although you say that, who doesn’t know that it’s really up to you, Director Fang, whether someone gets selected? Here, let me toast you!”

A few young men around them shot disdainful looks at Zhong Kai. People like him—those who flattered and fawned at others at the drinking table—were always looked down on by these proud young men.

Zhong Kai didn’t mind their stares. Having been in society for a long time, he had seen all sorts of human nature and knew how to navigate through it.

Why did others use you? Simply because you worked harder to get it.

“Director Fang, look at my brother, his build, his looks, his waist, his hips… he’s not any worse than the male celebrities!” Zhong Kai boasted.

Director Fang glanced at Shen Kuo. Indeed, the young man’s physique and qualifications were excellent. He was handsome and had a refined appearance. His body was solid and well-built, much better than the other male models applying.

But he seemed quiet, reserved, and didn’t talk much.

Zhong Kai explained, “My brother is still a student, a bit shy, but a man… everything shows in the drink, right? Come, let’s toast to Director Fang.”

He patted Shen Kuo’s back lightly. Shen Kuo understood that this dinner gathering was all about Director Fang selecting people. There were about ten people in the room, but only three or four would actually be chosen.

He had no resources and no connections. Opportunities to make money would never come looking for him.

No money, no house, nothing. How could he marry her?

Shen Kuo looked at Director Fang and said indifferently, “I don’t like beer.”

Director Fang’s expression shifted slightly, but the next second, Shen Kuo immediately added, “To show respect, you drink beer, and I’ll drink white liquor. Let me toast you three times first.”

He poured himself a glass of white liquor and downed three fiery shots without leaving a drop.

Director Fang’s expression softened, and he smiled, “Good, young man, you’ve got a great tolerance for alcohol.”

Zhong Kai let out a sigh of relief. He had been worried that Shen Kuo’s temperament might upset Director Fang, but he hadn’t expected this guy to be so cooperative.

Next, Shen Kuo swapped a glass of white liquor for a beer for Director Fang, and as they drank, Director Fang became in a much better mood and started praising Shen Kuo to Zhong Kai, saying that his good brother would definitely make great achievements in the future.

Watching Shen Kuo like this, Zhong Kai couldn’t help but feel a slight sense of discomfort in his heart.

These past few days, Zhong Kai had been feeling down, something that didn’t escape Shen Kuo’s notice.

He was purposely getting drunk.

—

As the evening lights came on, Lu Yan rode her bicycle, feeling the cool breeze of summer as she swayed along the edge of the street.

When Meng Zhining found out that Lu Jian had bought her a guitar, she, not wanting Lu Jian to outdo her, insisted on buying a piano for Lu Yan.

The piano was shipped from abroad and was placed in Meng Zhining’s villa. Lu Yan couldn’t wait to go over and try it out. She really liked it.

Meng Zhining said she would have it delivered to the Lu residence in a couple of days.

On her way home, passing by Century City Hotel, Lu Yan noticed a familiar figure.

She stared for a while before confirming that it was indeed Shen Kuo.

Shen Kuo was leaning against the uneven wall at the entrance of an alley, his hand on his head, looking like he was in great discomfort.

Lu Yan quickly stopped her bicycle at the side of the road and walked over, softly calling, “Shen Kuo, what are you doing here?”

Hearing the familiar voice, Shen Kuo turned and staggered toward the deeper part of the alley, bent over, and started vomiting.

He hadn’t eaten much, so what came out was all alcohol.

Lu Yan looked around and saw that the Century City Hotel was right next to him, so she guessed that Shen Kuo must have been at a banquet to drink so much.

She hurried over and gently patted his back, helping him to breathe easier.

“How could you drink so much?”

Shen Kuo had never been good with alcohol, and now his stomach felt like it was on fire, as if he had thrown up his entire stomach.

He clutched his abdomen, but with one hand, he tried to push Lu Yan away, not wanting her to get too close, afraid she might smell the stench of alcohol on him.

Seeing how miserable he looked, Lu Yan quickly took a thermos cup out of her bag and held it to his lips. “Drink some water to warm up.”

Shen Kuo turned his head away, stubbornly refusing to take a sip from her cup.

“It’s goji berry water, good for the stomach,” Lu Yan said, gently cupping his head and feeding him a couple of sips.

The sweet goji berry water slid down his burning throat, easing the cramping feeling in his stomach.

Shen Kuo’s mind was still foggy from the alcohol, but he knew that the girl he had been thinking about was standing right in front of him.

Tears rolled down his face—not from crying, but from the irritation caused by the alcohol rushing up his nose. He knew he must look horrible right now, with his nose running and tears streaming down his face.

This most embarrassing moment, yet it was witnessed by the girl he cared about the most.

Shen Kuo stiffly pushed her away and staggered, trying to leave.

“That’s dangerous!” Lu Yan saw him heading straight for the main road and quickly grabbed hold of him, her heart racing and cold sweat breaking out.

“Shen Kuo, let me take you home.”

“Don’t mind me.” Shen Kuo spoke with a heavy nasal tone, his voice low and commanding. “Go away.”

She couldn’t just ignore him, if she did, he would charge around recklessly and might end up in a fatal accident.

But Lu Yan, with her petite frame, couldn’t stop the disoriented man. She could only hold tightly onto the corner of his clothes, preventing him from running into the road.

Shen Kuo instinctively tried to pull her hand off him, mumbling incoherently, “Dirty… let go…”

“Stop it!”

Suddenly, Shen Kuo gripped both of her hands tightly and pinned her against the wall.

Their eyes met, and their bodies pressed closely together. His body felt like a hot iron—hard and burning.

The strong smell of alcohol filled Lu Yan’s nose, and she gasped, trembling as she looked at him. “Did you drink so much because you’re feeling down?”

He let out a low, nasal “Hmm.”

His mood had been bad for the past few days.

“Is it because of dropping out?”

“No, it’s because…”

You didn’t try to talk me out of it.

For some reason, perhaps due to the alcohol, Shen Kuo suddenly felt a wave of grievance.

Even Shu Mengfei had tried to talk to him, as had the class teacher and the academic affairs director. But why… why hadn’t the person he cared most about said a word? She hadn’t even brought it up.

It felt like indifference.

Shen Kuo knew he was asking too much. He shouldn’t have expected her to have any special feelings for him, nor could he demand more from her…

But a person trapped in a swamp is always greedy. Once they get a bit of warmth, they want more… and more…

Lu Yan took out a small, square handkerchief from her pocket, gently wiping the redness from his eyes. In a soft voice, she comforted him, “Shen Kuo, don’t cry.”

“I’m not crying.”

He could smell the jasmine scent from the handkerchief, which only made him feel more vulnerable.

“Let me take you home, okay?”

—

All the grievance and frustration faded the moment she held onto his sleeve.

In fact, he was easy to comfort. As long as she spoke just one simple, caring word, he wouldn’t feel sad anymore.