Chapter 12

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Shu Mengfei almost fainted when she heard the words “wolf heart and dog lung”.

In the eyes of the students around, she had always been excellent, diligent, beautiful, and kind. She was regarded as an innocent and inspirational goddess. Everyone liked her very much. No one had ever said such words to her.

“You are too insulting and rude.” Shu Mengfei’s eyes were red, and her whole body trembled as if she had been wronged by the heavens.

Lu Yan continued calmly, without a change of expression, “If you think this is an insult, then I’ll tell you, when you are in a relationship and enjoy all the resources and benefits that your boyfriend brings to you, please be conscious, don’t eat in the bowl and look in the pot.”

“You…”

Shu Mengfei took a step forward.

Lu Zhen immediately pulled Lu Yan behind him, fearing that Shu Mengfei would hurt his sister because of anger.

His instinctive reaction was hard to accept for Shen Mengfei. Lu Zhen, who always spoiled her and loved her, would actually protect the girl who slandered her.

“You won’t say a word?” Shu Mengfei looked at Lu Zhen in disbelief, “You just let her say that to me?” Lu Zhen was a little embarrassed, not knowing what to say. Lu Yan always quarreled with him and squabbled, so he didn’t expect her to rush and protect him at a critical time.

To be honest, he was very touched.

“Actually… She is not wrong.”

Lu Zhen muttered, and successfully pissed Shu Mengfei off, so she left in a huff.

After angering her, Lu Zhen started to sulk by himself again.

Lu Yan looked at Lu Zhen’s dejected look and knew that he actually cared about Shu Mengfei in his heart.

He had always been a man of affection, otherwise, why would he stay single for more than 20 years after her mother’s death?

After all, as a handsome president who was in a high position and in his prime, many women showed good intentions towards him, competing to seduce him and wanting to be Lu Yan’s mother-figure.

But Lu Zhen never gave them a second glance.

Although the woman named Jian Yao died young, she might not have thought that she had Lu Zhen’s love and unwavering loyalty for life.

Liang Ting walked over, and Lu Zhen glanced at him uncomfortably, “Who asked you to bring her here? You caused trouble for this young master.”

Liang Ting smiled heartlessly: “I think my goddaughter said nothing wrong, Shu Meng Fei is a …What’s the word again? Ah, a white-eyed wolf.”

“Say that again!”

Lu Zhen was furious and kept scolding Liang Ting, but he didn’t blame Lu Yan at all. Liang Ting was aggrieved and said that it was Lu Yan who caused trouble, so why is he the one scolded instead?

Lu Zhen glanced at Lu Yan. The little girl was standing against the wall, her delicate eyebrows scrunching slightly. She looked quite innocent when she pulled at the corners of her clothes, and she completely lost the arrogant demeanor she showed previously.

He was about to open his mouth to scold her, when the little girl jumped directly into his arms, hugged his waist, and muttered, “My dad was dumped, so pitiful.”

Lu Zhen was dumbfounded.

The little girl comforted him, “It doesn’t matter, just bid this love goodbye, the next one will be better.”

She patted him on the back using all of her strength, and almost caused him internal injuries.

Lu Zhen coughed and pulled her hand away, “Be good.”

Lu Yan pressed her white and round face to his chest and closed her eyes. Her black and thick eyelashes trembled slightly as she hugged him tightly, believing it would cheer him up.

She didn’t seem to be making fun of him, instead, it looked like she genuinely felt sorry for him.

“It’s okay, there’s still a long way to go, as long as dad pulls himself together and becomes a better version of himself, there will definitely be good girls who like dad.”

For example, her mother.

The little girl patted him on the back while talking about heart-warming chicken soup for the soul. This helped Lu Zhen relieve the pain of his heartbreak, and his heart gradually warmed up thanks to her unconditional support.

(T/N- Chicken soup for the soul: feel-good motivational stories (often used disparagingly because the stories don’t really affect change in people’s lives))

No matter what kind of grievance he suffers outside, family is his ultimate harbor and safe space.

Lu Zhen rubbed the broken bangs in front of Lu Yan’s forehead, “Okay okay, it’s just a break-up, what’s the big deal?”

“It’s great if you can cheer up.”

Lu Zhen looked at Liang Ting and Qin Hao. He said solemnly, “This time the basement was on fire, our brothers were seriously injured, and we also owe others a debt. We have to find a way to make some money.”

“Didn’t Shen Kuo say that he will help us catch the guy who set the fire?”

“I believe him a ghost, maybe he is the one who did it!”

“That’s not the case.” Liang Ting rationally analyzed, “I still believe in him. He’s not one to promise easily, but once he does, he’ll keep his promise for sure.”

Lu Zhen disapproved, “It’s better to rely on yourself than on anyone else. From now on, we have to find a way to earn money.”

Lu Zhen’s allowance is now cut off by his father. Although Meng Zhening helped him repay most of it and the landlord was compensated, there was still part of the money borrowed by him and Liang Ting when they asked their relatives and friends. The money owed must be repaid.

Lu Yan asked curiously, “Dad, how many people do you owe money to?”

Lu Zhen counted with his fingers. Ten fingers couldn’t suffice. After a long time, he shrugged, waved his hand, and said, “Oh, it doesn’t matter to you. You shouldn’t worry about it, little girl.”

Lu Yan frowned and sighed, “Indeed…you reap what you sow.”

That afternoon, Shen Kuo walked out of school after work and saw a pink bicycle locked in the car dealership at the entrance of the street.

He looked at the car dealership but did not see Lu Yan.

At the door, the garage owner and mechanic were talking about how to deal with the bicycle –

“It’s almost brand new, young people will like it, so it’s no problem even if we sell it at a high price.”

“That girl just needed money urgently, so she sold it for two hundred yuan, so let’s set the price to at least three hundred.”

“Three hundred, are you kidding? We won’t sell it if it’s not at least five hundred yuan.”

Shen Kuo frowned, as he recalled that Lu Yan cherished the bicycle and would wipe it every day so that the bicycle would always be brand new or at least, look like it.

It was obvious why she sold that bicycle.

Shen Kuo touched his trouser pocket, he still had money.

However, the idea of buying a bicycle was fleeting. Absurd.

Why would he play the romantic tricks of those rich young masters, what qualifications did he have when he was this poor?

Shen Kuo turned around and took two steps when he heard someone ask, “This bike is beautiful, how much is it?”

“Five hundred.”

“It’s too expensive, I’ll buy it for four hundred, as a birthday present for my daughter .”

Before the boss of the car dealership gave his reply, Shen Kuo went back, handed five hundred yuan to the owner, and brought the bicycle out with a calm face.

In the sunset, he pushed a pink bicycle and walked into a bumpy alley.

He was tall, pushing a small and exquisite bicycle, with his shoulders slightly slumped, it looked very mismatched.

Occasionally, there were a few naughty children standing on one foot, hitting each other with their knees, playing a game called “bull-fighting”.

As they saw Shen Kuo coming, they stopped playing, and looked at the bicycle in his hand, with a look of eagerness and envy in their eyes.

At that time, the biggest dream of every child was to own a bicycle of his own, but not all families could afford to buy one.

Shen Kuo pushed the bicycle in front of the door on the first floor of the Tonglou, then took a clean rag, and wiped the bicycle from the body to its tires. Every part became very clean and bright.

He had a serious look, and his eyes were gentler than ever.

There was a coughing sound coming through the door–

“Xiao Kuo, are you back?”

“Yeah.”

Shen Kuo washed the rag and hung it on the wire on the sink, then went into the house and took the medicine jar, walked to the yard, and put the herbs that had been dried in the jar.

His father, Shen Jianxun, walked out shakingly from the room.

His face was dry and thin, and even the white of his eyes was yellow with some red stains, and the pupils of his eyes were very cloudy.

He crouched and sat on a chair, holding a worn-out bushel fan in his hand. He was so thin that it seemed that a gust of wind could blow him over.

“The medicine is too bitter.” Shen Jianxun’s voice was dry, and he coughed in between his words.

Shen Kuo poured the boiled Chinese medicine into a bowl and handed it to his father. At the same time, he took out the lung-clearing snow pear from the room and carefully peeled it.

At home, he didn’t talk much, but did a lot.

Since his father was ill, all the housework was basically handled by him.

Shen Jianxun sighed, “Sometimes I feel that I don’t need to take medicine. I can’t bear to drag you down for so many years.”

Shen Kuo handed the snow pear to Shen Jianxun and said quietly, “Don’t say such things. It will get better.”

“I have asked the doctor, but the pneumoconiosis can’t be cured .”

“It will be cured.” Shen Kuo said stubbornly, “Not now, but later.”

Shen Kuo had always been like this, since he was a child. So many years of hard growth made him more stubborn, but also more patient, just like a taut string that could break anytime.

“By the way, the neighbor’s Aunt Chen came by today.”

Shen Kuo’s eyes were cold, “What did she come again for?”

” She cleaned the house and brought some vegetables.” Shen Jianxun said cautiously, “She’s a good person.”

A good person?

Shen Kuo didn’t think so. It’s too early to be trusting of her. No one in this world will treat you nicely for no reason.

All this time, the neighbor’s widow Chen Yueqin came to the house to be extremely diligent. She probably felt Shen Jianxun’s time was running out so she must be eyeing his life-saving compensation for work-related injuries.

Shen Kuo locked the gate of the courtyard and said stiffly, “Next time she comes over, sendher away.”

“What did I say previously?” Shen Jianxun whispered, “Don’t hit a smiling face.” (T/N: the father advises him not to refuse a helping hand when in need and not to be ungrateful.)

“If you don’t send her away and I see her in the house, I’ll sweep her off her feet.”

Shen Jianxun sighed deeply, turned his head, and was surprised to see a pink bicycle by the door, so he asked, “Whose bike is that?”

“I bought it. “Shen Kuo casually explained.

“This is… a girl’s bike?”

“Hmm.”

Shen Kuo didn’t explain too much, and Shen Jianxun didn’t pursue the matter.

He knows his son very well, Shen Kuo rarely does anything willful, especially when it comes to spending money, he is extra cautious.

Shen Jianxun guessed that this beautiful bicycle might be a gift. After all, his son was a youth in full bloom.

“Is that the female classmate who came by last time?”

Shen Kuo didn’t answer, and his father took his silence as a.

“Next time, invite her in.”

Shen Kuo lowered his eyes, washed the long slender knife, dried it with a paper towel, then put it away—

“She won’t come again.”

His family was poor, so he would not let her into the house, after all, this was the least bit of dignity he must keep.

“I do not interfere with your business, and you should not interfere with my affairs with Aunt Chen, okay?” Shen Jianxun asked Shen Kuo in a negotiating tone.

Shen Kuo grinned.

His business…

He and Lu Yan didn’t have anything to do with each other.

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