When Su Ci returned to the Su family, Ji Chi had already come back from the hospital after having his wounds bandaged, and Father Su and Mother Su happened to be there as well.

Obviously, the bodyguards had told them about what happened tonight.

When Mother Su saw that Ji Chi was injured like this, and the ones who hit him were so unreasonable, she became furious. She directly said to her husband, “We can’t just let this matter go. If the Lu family steps in, then our family has to step in too. There’s no reason for Xiao Chi to save someone and still be beaten.”

Father Su nodded. “I’ll mention this to that Playboy Fox later. If he wants to interfere, I’ll block him on my side.”

But based on Father Su’s understanding of Lu Chen, that Playboy Fox had no benefit in this matter, and would never step forward for a troublesome junior from the Lu family’s collateral branch.

Mother Su was still upset. “Fortunately, Cici brought bodyguards with her. Otherwise, would Xiao Chi have been beaten to death by them? These rich young masters are far too arrogant.”

Thinking that her friend’s child had almost lost his life, she couldn’t help but feel terrified.

“Xiao Ci, why did you go to a bar?” What Father Su was more concerned about was his daughter going to a bar.

There were many people and chaos in bars. Even if it belonged to an acquaintance, he still couldn’t feel at ease—let alone the fact that this particular bar’s security clearly wasn’t good. Otherwise, those rich young masters wouldn’t have dared to cause trouble there.

“I went to see what it was like. Daddy, don’t worry, I didn’t drink, and I brought people with me.” Su Ci sat close to Mother Su and turned her head to act spoiled. “Mommy, I would never put myself in danger. I was just a little curious about what a bar is like.”

She knew her father always listened to her mother.

Across from her, Ji Chi’s gaze lightly swept over Su Ci’s face, not daring to look at the girl’s overly red, water-tinted lips.

Mother Su glared at her husband. “Our daughter just went to see something new. What are you making a fuss about? If she hadn’t brought people with her tonight, Xiao Chi would have lost his life.”

Father Su was reprimanded by his wife, but he didn’t get angry. “I’m just worried about our daughter’s safety. Xiao Ci, if you want to go to such complicated places in the future, you must bring more people.”

The Su family’s precious girl could not be bullied.

Su Ci nodded obediently.

Seeing the injuries on Ji Chi’s face, Mother Su couldn’t bear it. “Xiao Chi, go upstairs and rest well first. We’ll handle the rest.”

Su Ci lifted her gaze. She saw that Ji Chi had a piece of white gauze on his temple, and there were bandages on the corner of his mouth and the side of his face as well. His originally hard and handsome appearance looked a bit comical, and he had also lost some of his coldness.

Ji Chi answered softly. When he lifted his head, he met Su Ci’s observing gaze. His heart tightened. He gave her a small nod, then stood up and went upstairs.

Back in his room, Ji Chi received a call from Fang Qin.

“I heard from Tong Xin that you were beaten?” On the phone, Fang Qin’s voice was extremely anxious. “Xiao Chi, how badly are you hurt? Is it serious? Do you need Mom to come see you?”

“Mom, I’m fine.” Ji Chi sat down by the bed. He felt the bandage on his face starting to come loose, so he pressed it lightly. A wave of pain shot through him.

Ji Chi told his mother, “I just got back from the hospital. The wounds have been bandaged. It’s not serious.”

Fang Qin let out a breath. “What exactly happened? I heard from Tong Xin that you got into a conflict with some rich young masters at the bar? Xiao Chi, will they retaliate against you later?”

Those families had big businesses and powerful backgrounds, while she and her son were just ordinary people. If the other side held a grudge and refused to let her son go, then her son would definitely suffer.

The more Fang Qin thought about it, the more worried she became.

“Mom, don’t worry. They won’t do anything to me. Uncle Su and Auntie Su will help settle it.” Ji Chi’s voice was unhurried, steadying Fang Qin on the other end.

Hearing her son’s words, Fang Qin finally relaxed. “We’re troubling Tong Xin’s family again.”

Fang Qin was very worried about troubling others. After all, with their family’s circumstances, it would be hard for them to repay the Su family’s favor.

Ji Chi tightened his grip on the phone.

Fang Qin continued asking, “Xiao Chi, how did you end up fighting with those rich young masters?”

She knew her son’s personality. He would absolutely never start trouble on his own.

“At that time, a colleague encountered difficulties.” Ji Chi’s tone was light.

Fang Qin sighed. “Xiao Chi, if something like this happens again, you must never act on impulse. Our family’s situation is not the same as theirs.”

All these years, carrying so much debt on her shoulders, Fang Qin had long developed a personality that panicked at the slightest sign of trouble. She only wanted to cautiously protect her home and protect her son.

Ji Chi lowered his eyes. His voice sounded especially dull in the quiet room. “I know.”

Fang Qin reminded him again, telling him that school would start soon, and he should rest well these days and stop doing part-time jobs.

After Ji Chi agreed to everything, she finally hung up.

The room was lit only by the warm yellow lamp at the bedside. Ji Chi’s tall frame cast a lonely shadow against the wall.

– – – ˗ˋˏ♡ˎˊ˗ – – –

With the Su family stepping in, Lu Wudi and the others were still being held at the police station.

Lu Wudi’s grandfather and the Lu family’s old master were paternal cousins. By Lu Wudi’s generation, he and Lu Zhe were also considered paternal cousins.

“Big Brother, Sister-in-law, Wudi has been locked up by the police for an entire night. He has never suffered such hardship since he was young. You two are elders who have always doted on him and watched him grow up. You certainly wouldn’t want to see him suffer.” The woman crying miserably was Lu Wudi’s mother, He Yun.

Last night, when she learned that her son had been detained by the police, she immediately sent a lawyer to get him out, but she hadn’t expected to be rejected.

She made some inquiries and learned that the one who called the police was actually the Su family’s little princess.

Normally, relying on the Lu family, she was always the center of attention, but only among small wealthy families. When facing the Su family, only Lu Chen stepping in could allow them to resist.

He Yun cried, “Big Brother, hurry and send someone to get Wudi out. That child must’ve suffered a lot in there.”

Lu Chen leaned lazily against the sofa, one arm draped over Wen Ya’s shoulder.

Hearing He Yun’s words, Lu Chen let out a laugh. “Su Shengguo called me last night. He said that if I step in for this matter, he’ll fight me for the project over in S City.”

He Yun froze. Then she heard Lu Chen continue, “The project in S City, once it launches, will be worth at least one billion. Is Lu Wudi worth that much?”

Lu Chen’s personality was like this. Other than Wen Ya, he didn’t show mercy to anyone. Sometimes, when he became sharp-tongued, he could anger people to death.

Even though she knew Lu Chen’s temperament was hateful, He Yun still grew red in the neck from anger.

She took a deep breath and held it in, then turned to plead with Wen Ya. “Sister-in-law, your good nephew has been detained for an entire night. He’s been pampered since he was little. How could he endure the conditions in a police station?”

At this moment, Lu Zhe came downstairs.

Perhaps because he had an honest conversation with Su Ci last night, all the inferiority and darkness pressing on him had completely dispersed.

His expression was still stiff and cold, but his refined brows had relaxed, and he looked even more handsome and outstanding overall.

He wore a white shirt, his posture tall and straight as he walked down the stairs unhurriedly. Growing up in a wealthy environment indeed shaped people—compared to the past, Lu Zhe carried a clearer, noble air.

“Zai Zai, are you going out?” Seeing her son, Wen Ya immediately lost any interest in listening to He Yun’s complaints.

“Mm, there’s something at the company. I’ll head over.” After speaking, Lu Zhe politely nodded to the guest, He Yun.

Wen Ya asked with concern, “Are you coming back for dinner tonight? I’ll have them prepare your favorite dishes.”

A faint smile appeared at Lu Zhe’s lips. “Thank you, Mom. I’ll come back for dinner tonight.”

“Today is the weekend, and Little Nephew is still going to the company?” He Yun’s voice rose slightly.

Wen Ya’s son had been lost early on, and after so many years, no one expected he could be found again.

When Lu Zhe was first found, the Lu family had held a private family banquet to introduce his identity.

At that time, she noticed that Lu Zhe’s brows looked very similar to Lu Chen’s, but Lu Zhe had seemed cold, with a kind of wildness from being raised outside, not like a typical rich young master.

Now seeing Lu Zhe again, He Yun discovered that in such a short time, this nephew raised outside had completely changed in temperament.

A trace of displeasure appeared in He Yun’s eyes.

She curled her lips with disdain.

He Yun had heard that Lu Chen and Wen Ya’s son suffered from ALS. She had even looked into it—ALS was one of the seven major terminal illnesses in the world, incurable even with money.

Originally, she was afraid that this suddenly-returned Lu Zhe would fight with her son for the family inheritance. But after learning he only had a few years to live, she finally relaxed.

However, seeing Lu Zhe now—tall, healthy-looking—there was no sign of someone with a terminal illness.

If she hadn’t had people investigate and confirm that Wen Ya and Lu Chen were desperately searching everywhere for specialists who treated ALS, confirming that Lu Zhe indeed had ALS and was nearing the end of his lifespan, how could she feel this relieved?

A bright smile rested on Wen Ya’s stunning face. “My Zai Zai works very diligently. Even when I tell him to rest, he refuses and stays focused on his work.”

How could He Yun not hear the meaning behind Wen Ya’s words? She was mocking her son Wudi for only knowing how to eat, drink, and play.

So what if Wen Ya was proud now? In the future, wouldn’t her son still die?

Wouldn’t the massive Lu family estate still need a new heir afterward?

And among the Lu family, only her son had the closest blood relation to the old master. How could the other collateral juniors compare to her son?

In the end, Wen Ya and Lu Chen would have to rely on her son.

Thinking this, He Yun felt emboldened. “Sister-in-law, you still haven’t agreed to help with Wudi’s matter. Last night, it was obviously that little waiter who didn’t know his place and dared to hit Wudi. Wudi only taught him a lesson. Why should that waiter walk away unharmed while my Wudi has to be detained?”

What happened yesterday—Su Ci had already told Lu Zhe.

Hearing He Yun’s words, Lu Zhe spoke. “That waiter was a guest invited by Aunt Su. Last night, Lu Wudi dragged his colleague into a private room to harass her and restricted her freedom. Aunt Su’s guest stepped in to help, which angered Lu Wudi. Lu Wudi then had people gang up on him.”

Lu Zhe recounted everything Su Ci had told him, not allowing He Yun to twist the truth.

He Yun was stunned. She hadn’t expected Lu Zhe to know the situation so clearly.

She grew annoyed. “Little Nephew, you and Wudi are both from the Lu family—you’re two brothers. You should be helping the Lu family. How can you take the side of outsiders?”

“When someone does something wrong, they should be punished.” Lu Zhe recalled Su Ci’s puffed-up snowy cheeks when she mentioned the incident. His lips pressed slightly. “The Lu family cannot cover the sky with one hand. I hope Lu Wudi will stop using the Lu family’s name to do illegal things outside in the future.”

He turned his head and said to his parents, “I’ll go get to work.”

Wen Ya smiled and nodded. “Go ahead.”

He Yun glared, furious that this nephew—found halfway through life—actually dared to criticize her son so bluntly?

“Heh, Little Nephew must not have been back in the Lu family for long. He doesn’t have much sense of family affection yet and doesn’t understand what brotherhood means.” He Yun couldn’t help but add a sarcastic remark.

Wen Ya treasured her son above all else. Ever since he returned, even Lu Chen ranked far behind him. How could she allow anyone to say even half a bad word about him?

“Lu Chen and I have only one child. It’s perfectly normal if he doesn’t understand brotherly affection.” There was a trace of pride on Wen Ya’s beautiful face. She wasn’t stupid—how could she not know what He Yun had been plotting all these years?

Wasn’t it nothing more than dreaming that her useless son would inherit the Lu family?

She could keep dreaming.

He Yun’s expression darkened. Wen Ya was clearly saying that Lu Zhe and Lu Wudi weren’t brothers.

Wen Ya didn’t care how ugly He Yun’s face looked. She deliberately yawned. “We can’t help you with Wudi’s matter. Why don’t you go to the Su family and plead? After all, it was Wudi who did something wrong.”

“Big Brother, Sister-in-law, how can you just listen to Little Nephew? He wasn’t at the scene last night, he only heard someone else’s retelling. His words may not be accurate!” He Yun was extremely displeased.

Wen Ya lifted her red lips. “Whatever Zai Zai says, we as his parents will believe. He is my son. What’s wrong with that?”

Seeing his wife yawn, Lu Chen had even less interest in caring about He Yun’s feelings. A collateral branch dared come into his home and point fingers? If not for giving the old master face, he wouldn’t waste another minute listening to this nonsense.

Lu Chen directly called the butler over. “Madam wants to rest. See the guest out.”

“Yes, sir.” The butler walked to He Yun. “This way, please.”

He Yun was still afraid of Lu Chen. Within the Lu family, the most frightening person wasn’t the old master but Lu Chen—unpredictable, moody, and ruthless. If he wanted to, he could destroy someone any time.

He Yun could only leave resentfully.

Lu Chen raised an eyebrow. “What a joke. A piece of trash, and I actually wasted time on him?” He had never once looked his cousin Lu Wudi in the eye.

After speaking, he turned to look at his wife.

Just a second ago, his face was full of disdain, but now, his expression shifted instantly. He lifted his peach blossom eyes and said in a fawning tone, “Yaya, you’re tired, right? Let me help you upstairs to rest.”

Wen Ya lifted her chin and allowed her husband to place a hand at her waist and support her up the stairs.

– – – ˗ˋˏ♡ˎˊ˗ – – –

It was September, and the weather was still scorching. There wasn’t a trace of wind, and pedestrians broke into heavy sweat after walking just a short distance.

Su Ci stepped out of the car and immediately opened her umbrella.

She loved beauty dearly and would never allow her snowy white skin to be exposed to the harsh sun.

Today was the first day of school.

A banner welcoming new students hung above the university entrance. Many freshmen pulling suitcases wandered around, and not far away were volunteer booths where upperclassmen were helping newcomers.

Su Ci came to handle enrollment procedures, collect items for military training, and attend her class meeting.

She wore a delicate white floral dress. Her complexion was fair, and with the umbrella shading her, she was beautiful enough to make people unable to look away.

Su Ci walked at an unhurried pace, moving lightly through the pathway, completely different from the sweating, flustered, luggage-carrying students around her.

New students passing by couldn’t help sneaking glances at her.

“Su Ci!”

She hadn’t walked far when someone called out to her.

She turned her head and saw a girl pulling a white suitcase, drenched in sweat, hurrying toward her.

Oh, it was the tool-person Shen Xue.

Ever since Lu Zhe came to B City, Su Ci had no need for Shen Xue anymore—she had almost forgotten the girl existed.

“I’m exhausted.” Shen Xue panted as she reached Su Ci. “I didn’t expect we’d end up at the same university. We’re really fated.”

Su Ci nodded. “It is a bit.”

“But it’s not just me. A few others from our school also came to B University.” Shen Xue gradually steadied her breathing.

Su Ci wasn’t from No. 1 High School, so she wasn’t interested in others.

Shen Xue curled her lips and said, “Zhao Youyou and Fu Baili also came to B University.”

She had once liked Fu Baili, and Zhao Youyou was her love rival. Of course Shen Xue paid attention to which university they enrolled in.

Hearing this, Su Ci frowned.

She hadn’t expected those two main characters—Fu Baili and Zhao Youyou—to come here as well.

She didn’t like Zhao Youyou. The girl’s character wasn’t great, but more importantly, every time she remembered that in the previous lifetime Lu Zhe died because of Zhao Youyou, she disliked the girl from the bottom of her heart.