Meanwhile, over at the Lu family’s side.

Lu Zhe came downstairs, and Wen Ya had already been waiting for him in the living room.

“You’re awake? Did you sleep well last night?” Wen Ya asked her son.

She hadn’t slept much at all the previous night. She kept feeling as if she were dreaming, terrified that if she closed her eyes and woke up again, her son might disappear. In the middle of the night, she had even gotten up several times and walked to the door of his room, wanting to wait for him to wake up so she could be the first to see him.

If Lu Chen hadn’t pulled her back to their room, she really would have waited outside her son’s door for the entire night.

Later she closed her eyes for two hours, then got up, and at dawn she began making breakfast for Lu Zhe.

Wen Ya was a pampered young lady, she had practically never entered a kitchen. The steamed buns she made were ones she learned on the spot by following the family chef. She even accidentally burned her hand while cooking porridge, but Wen Ya didn’t mind at all.

Right now, she wished she could bring out the very best things and place them all before her son, making up for the motherly love he had lacked in the past eighteen years.

“Very well.” Lu Zhe nodded.

The room Lu Zhe slept in was the one Wen Ya had always kept for her son. Its décor had changed from child, to boy, to youth, and even the furnishings had been adjusted according to each stage of Lu Zhe’s age.

Wen Ya had been waiting for her son’s return every single day.

Even though she had barely slept, Wen Ya’s bright and beautiful face still looked good. She smiled and said, “That’s good. If you don’t like the arrangement of the room, just tell Mom and I’ll have someone change it right away.”

“No need, it’s all very good.” Lu Zhe had never had any particular requirements for where he lived.

At the orphanage he stayed in a twelve-person room, sleeping on a wooden bunk. After being adopted by the Zhao family, he lived in a storage room and slept on a small bed. Later, in his rental apartment, he had even slept on a folding cot for a while.

A wave of heartache swept through Wen Ya. Her son was far too sensible.

“Mom prepared breakfast for you. Come eat a little. Your dad has already asked someone to contact the best specialists in treating ALS. They’ll arrive this afternoon, and I’ll go with you for the examination.” When Wen Ya thought of her son having a terminal illness, her nose stung again, and her eyes turned red.

“It’s already been checked.” Lu Zhe told Wen Ya about how the Su family had invited experts to examine him a few days ago. The results were the same anyway.

“The Su family?” Wen Ya was stunned.

The Lu family and the Su family were at most in a state of hostility — though not quite hostility. It was simply that her husband and Su Shengguo of the Su family had disliked each other since childhood. Every time the two met, they would mock each other, to the point that outsiders all knew the Lu and Su families did not get along.

Lu Zhe: “Mm, I saved Uncle Su and Aunt Su.”

Wen Ya knew the two of them had once been caught in a fire and were rescued in the end. She hadn’t expected that the person who saved them was actually her son.

“Zai zai, you weren’t hurt, were you?” Wen Ya grew anxious, even calling out her son’s childhood nickname.

Lu Zhe’s expression turned slightly unnatural. He shook his head. “No.”

Wen Ya let out a sigh of relief, then worriedly said, “If you don’t want to go for another examination, that’s okay. We can show the results to the doctors too. Mom will have them think of a way.”

After learning he had ALS, she hadn’t slept the entire night, constantly searching for information on it. The more she read, the more her heart hurt.

No matter what, she had to find a way to treat her son.

At this moment, Elder Lu walked in from outside. He had the habit of getting up early every day to exercise.

“Xiao Zhe is awake.” Now that they had found their grandson, he was both happy and heartbroken.

Grandson found, yet afflicted with a terminal illness — Elder Lu had also barely slept the entire night, needing time to digest such news.

Lu Zhe: “Grandpa, morning.”

No matter what, Elder Lu was very fond of this grandson with such an outstanding appearance and calm, unyielding bearing. “In a while, I want to hold a banquet to celebrate your return. What do you think?”

Wen Ya had the same thought. Now that her son had been found, it should be celebrated grandly.

However, Lu Zhe refused directly.

He looked at Elder Lu and Wen Ya with a serious expression. “There’s no need to host a banquet for me. I don’t have much time left.”

If possible, he preferred to quietly return to the Lu family, and when the illness worsened, to quietly die as well.

“Zai zai!” Wen Ya’s heart ached sharply.

Of course she understood what her son meant. If the Lu family announced his return with a high-profile banquet, everyone would know about his terminal illness. A grandson who had just been found, yet was about to die soon — many people would laugh at the Lu family.

“What nonsense is this? Even if the Lu family has to fight with everything we’ve got, we’ll find someone to treat you.”

The old man was getting on in years, and he couldn’t bear to hear his grandson speak like this. “If you don’t like so many people, then we’ll hold a family banquet instead, just inviting some familiar relatives and friends. You’ve finally returned, we can’t possibly hide you away so no one knows.”

Lu Zhe knew this was his family’s goodwill, so he nodded and agreed.

– – – ˗ˋˏ♡ˎˊ˗ – – –

Su Ci knew that with Lu Zhe just returning to the Lu family, there would be many things keeping him busy. In this sweltering heat, she was idly keeping Little Su Ning and Little Tiancai company as they watched cartoons.

Just then, she received a call from her agent, Xu Duo.

If he hadn’t suddenly called, Su Ci felt she might have already forgotten this person existed.

“Su Ci, do you remember the variety show I talked to you about before — the one you were going to record? The day after tomorrow it’s your turn to be the guest. Prepare properly.” For the past month, Xu Duo had been extremely busy. His friends were either getting into car accidents or falling down stairs.

While running around helping his friends, he felt even more fortunate that, because of Su Ci, he hadn’t gone out drinking — saving half his own life.

Now that the staff had called to notify him that Su Ci would be recording the day after tomorrow, he hurriedly phoned her.

At the moment, his position in the company was awkward, and he urgently needed a strong trump card.

Hearing Xu Duo’s words, Su Ci blinked and said honestly, “I forgot.”

Her mind had been entirely on Lu Zhe recently, so she truly had forgotten. Besides, now that she was in the Su family, she didn’t need to earn money.

Xu Duo was shocked. “Miss Su, how could you forget something this important? I worked hard, using my connection with the director to get you this recording opportunity. Did you already accept another job?”

“No.”

Xu Duo let out a breath of relief. He thought someone else had stolen her from under him.

“That’s good. Do you need me to arrange a car for you in advance?” Xu Duo’s sincerity was overflowing. He remembered Su Ci seemed to be quite short on money.

“Wait a moment. I’ll call you back.” With that, Su Ci hung up.

Su Ci put on her shoes, walked to the dining area, and found Su Mother arranging flowers. “Mom, someone asked me to go record a variety show. What do you think?”

She often lied without blinking, but she was still someone who kept her word. Back when she was short on money, she had indeed agreed to Xu Duo’s request to record a variety show. She had no reason to suddenly stand him up, that would be too lacking in integrity.

However, she needed to ask her family’s opinion first.

“Cici, do you want to enter the entertainment industry?” Su Mother was a little surprised.

“Back when I was poor and short of money, that person asked me to film a commercial, and later I also agreed to help record a program.” Su Ci asked Su Mother, “Mom, do you not like the idea of me entering the entertainment industry?”

“No. Whatever you like doing, Mom will support you.” Su Mother put down the flower branch in her hand. She stroked her daughter’s smooth long hair and smiled. “Besides, Cici is so beautiful. You’ll definitely look great on camera.”

Su Mother didn’t have much opinion about whether her daughter entered the entertainment industry or not. Although the entertainment world was chaotic, with the Su family’s strength, was it not enough to protect her daughter?

“Our family also owns a media company. If you want to have some fun in the entertainment industry, tell your brother and he’ll arrange personnel for you. An agent, an assistant, and a bodyguard — not a single one can be missing.” Su Mother said.

“Our family also has a film and television company?” Su Ci was curious. “Which one?”

“I think it’s called Chuangshen Company.” Su Mother didn’t pay much attention to the group’s businesses.

Su Ci blinked. Wasn’t that the company Xu Duo had mentioned to her before? So it actually belonged to her family?

“There’s no need to trouble Big Brother to arrange people for now. I’m only going to record a small variety show.” As for whether she would enter the entertainment industry, she hadn’t decided yet.

Su Ci didn’t have much ambition to fight for a career in the entertainment circle. What satisfied her before was that the industry paid well, and that she received daily compliments and rainbow farts from fans.

Someone with her level of ethereal beauty ought to be praised every day.

After confirming that Su Mother had no objections, Su Ci called Xu Duo back to ask about the time and location.

That night, Su Ci told Lu Zhe she was going to record a variety show. “It’s an online livestreamed show. Will you watch it?”

Xu Duo had told her it was a livestreamed food program. Compared to competition or mission-type shows, Su Ci felt a food program was simply too easy and relaxing.

After asking, she immediately corrected herself the next second. “You must watch. If you miss it, then watch the replay.”

Lu Zhe curled his lips slightly. “Mm.”

Su Ci lay on her stomach on the bed. Through the video, she saw that Lu Zhe was wearing a dark blue collared silk pajama top, with two buttons undone, revealing his cold-white neck and prominent Adam’s apple.

No matter how she looked, she liked what she saw.

Her eyes lifted slightly at the corners, a hint of mischief hidden in them. “Lu Zhe, undo a few more buttons.”

Lu Zhe looked at her, confused.

The girl had turned into a little rogue mango spirit. If she still had rabbit ears, she would definitely be a little hooligan rabbit.

Her eyes sparkled as she stared at Lu Zhe. “Let me see your abs.”

Lu Zhe gave Su Ci a faint look. It seemed she had already forgotten yesterday’s rabbit-ear-pinching incident — typical of someone whose wound healed and who forgot the pain. “Go to sleep.”

Su Ci was smart. Of course she knew Lu Zhe wouldn’t show her. She brought it up just to get him mentally prepared. After she asked repeatedly and probed step by step, his bottom line would eventually loosen.

He would show her in the end.

The girl plotting away was like a sly, mischievous little fox, always wanting to coax Lu Zhe into doing something bad.

– – – ˗ˋˏ♡ˎˊ˗ – – –

On the day of the recording, Su Ci put on a beautiful dress and took a car to the filming location.

This food program had already aired three episodes, with mediocre results and average reception. The five guests were either third-tier celebrities or internet personalities, with almost no traffic.

Recently, the program team had secured a major sponsor, so the director temporarily hired a currently popular rising starlet. And because a previous internet celebrity had thrown a tantrum and quit, Su Ci filled that guest slot.

Xu Duo was free today and had been waiting at the filming site early. Having not seen Su Ci for a while, he noticed that her fair little face was so tender it looked like it could be pinched to release water. She had become even more exquisite and beautiful. Even if she did nothing but sit still during the show, she would make it impossible for people to look away.

Xu Duo was, as always, dressed entirely in green. The difference from before was that this time his greens had more “layers” to them — a mint-colored blazer on top, light green trousers on the bottom. Aside from his white shoes, even his socks were fluorescent green.

Su Ci felt that he must be aware of his own plain, unremarkable appearance, so he often dressed in full green to use color to steal people’s attention.