Chapter 5: The Dining Table

"Slurp, slurp."

The sound of gnawing on a chicken leg echoed at the dining table.

Undercurrents swirled beneath the surface, but Big Yellow, being an innocent food enthusiast, was oblivious to it all. It was just a simple dog focused on its meal.

If the owner allowed it, then it would eat.

The puppy ate with great relish, even causing the plate to rattle with the movement of its snout.

The rest of the people at the table fell silent.

This was because Lu Ran's actions were so swift and bold that they were astonishing. As a result, by the time Big Yellow had reached the halfway point of its chicken leg, everyone else at the table was still in disbelief.

Madam Shen's chopsticks, poised to grab the drumstick, froze in mid-air.

Shen Xingran's outstretched hand also froze.

Until Lu Ran dislodged the bone from Big Yellow's mouth: "Hey, cooked bones aren't safe for dogs to eat."

"Ahh!"

Madam Shen let out a sharp cry.

She had even forgotten her most-prized etiquette, pointing her chopsticks alternately at Lu Ran, who was eating, and the dog eating beside him, "Y-You dared to let a dog on the table! And it stole Ranran's chicken leg?"

While she spoke, Lu Ran took the other drumstick and placed it in Big Yellow's bowl.

Shen Xingran was also confused by Lu Ran's actions.

But he reacted quickly, immediately pretending to be afraid of Big Yellow as he pulled back his chair forcefully.

After being slapped twice by Lu Ran, he was both shocked and secretly pleased.

With Lu Ran taking such actions, there was no way the Shen couple would accept him.

This meant he didn't have to worry about his position in the Shen family being jeopardized.

Yet, despite his joy, Shen Xingran still had concerns beyond his control.

After all... a slap on the face truly did hurt.

As he retreated, the chair scraped against the ground, producing an earsplitting sound.

These voices should have caught the attention of Madam Shen and Shen Hongyuan at the table, but after waiting for a while, Shen Xingran didn't receive any concerned inquiries.

Perplexed, he lifted his head, only to notice that Madam Shen was covering her chest, almost fainting from anger.

Shen Hongyuan's chopsticks, held between his fingers, were trembling, while his eyes fixated intensely on Lu Ran.

Despite their anger, both of them were inexplicably focused on Lu Ran.

Shen Xingran felt somewhat annoyed.

He turned to look at Shen Xingzhuo again.

Shen Xingzhuo, however, didn't glance at Lu Ran. Instead, he gazed at the yellow dog next to Lu Ran, who was licking its plate, seemingly lost in thought about something.

Shen Xingran had to intervene, "Mom, Dad, don't ruin your health over this!"

As he spoke, he lifted his head to look at Lu Ran, as if he wanted to say something, but then timidly lowered it, covering his face with his hand, "The puppy... is actually quite cute..."

While verbally acknowledging the dog's cuteness, he gently stroked the 'bitten' wound on his arm.

"Lu Ran! What are you doing! Get rid of that dog for me!"

Shen Hongyuan slammed the table in anger.

"Hurry and take it away, see how frightened Ranran is. Don't be scared, Ranran, it's just a dog..."

Madam Shen comforted Shen Xingran.

"Brother... Maybe he just loves this dog too much," Shen Xingran suggested while brewing tea.

"Slurp, slurp."

Lu Ran and Big Yellow were indulging in their meal.

Lu Ran seemed oblivious to the chaotic scene around the dining table.

The chef hired by the Shen family was highly skilled, offering flavors not found in school canteens. Moreover, due to Shen Xingran's "serious injury," Mrs. Shen had specifically instructed the kitchen to prepare low-salt, low-oil dishes.

Many of these dishes happened to be suitable for Big Yellow's diet.

"Eat! You still dare to eat?"

"Lu Ran, have you lost your mind? First, your dog bit my son, then slapped him twice. Now, you even bring it to the dining table. Do you still respect me as the head of the Shen family?"

Shen Hongyuan was dissatisfied with Lu Ran's attitude.

In his middle age, he enjoyed venting his anger most during meals.

Each of his three sons reacted differently, but they all showed some response. However, Lu Ran gave him the infuriating feeling of being completely ignored.

Lu Ran picked up an entire piece of salmon.

His action demonstrated that he didn't place any importance on the so-called family head of the Shen family.

"Do you think you can do whatever you want just because you're back in the Shen family?"

"Look at your younger brother and then at yourself. What are you? Apart from causing trouble for the family, what else can you do?"

"You studied veterinary medicine that's not even good enough for public recognition. Do you expect me to tell others that my son, Shen Hongyuan's son, is a veterinarian?"

Lu Ran continued eating without looking up.

Big Yellow seemed to sense that the human across from them was insulting its owner. It stopped eating the meat on its plate and lifted its head, looking at Lu Ran with its concerned, black button eyes.

Every word Shen Hongyuan spoke came straight from the heart.

The pain of losing his youngest son had long faded away. Upon hearing that Lu Ran had been found, his first reaction was annoyance.

If Lu Ran had turned out well, it would have been fine. But if not, it would bring disgrace to the Shen family's reputation.

Now, all that pent-up anger erupted:

"How dare you ask for a billion? Do you think it was anyone's fault but your own when you went missing? You've been causing trouble for the family ever since birth!"

"Is that how the director of that orphanage named Lu taught you? No wonder he died of illness last year – karma!"

At this, Lu Ran paused in his actions.

He casually pushed Big Yellow's head down and whispered, "Hurry up and eat."

Initially, everyone at the table listened to Shen Hongyuan scolding Lu Ran.

Only Lu Ran was eating.

Yet, Lu Ran's dining manner was too appetizing.

The duo, man and dog, somehow managed to create the ambiance of a food broadcast.

As they watched, a stomach grumbled, though it was unclear whose.

Mrs. Shen couldn't help but tug at Shen Hongyuan, hinting for him to let it go.

Dinner should come first, after all.

As Shen Hongyuan continued scolding, his own hunger grew.

Just as he reached for his chopsticks, Lu Ran belched and grabbed a tissue to wipe his mouth.

He looked at the few family members who had yet to touch their food, offering a serene smile:

"Since you're not in the mood to eat, then don't force it."

The Shen family members, who were about to dig in, froze.

Observing this, Lu Ran turned to Big Yellow and said, "Big Yellow, don't hold it in. Go ahead and do your business."

The last two words left everyone at the table questioning their hearing.

Even Big Yellow was momentarily taken aback.

Feeling a bit awkward, it glanced at Lu Ran and barked questioningly.

"Go," Lu Ran instructed succinctly.

Big Yellow anxiously circled its chair.

In the end, it jumped down and relieved itself with a healthy pile of dog poop on the floor.

An enchanting aroma wafted through the air.

The Shen family, who had been ready to start eating with their chopsticks, began to turn green with disgust.

Even Shen Xingran lost control of her expression, her features contorting.

"You, you!" Shen Hongyuan's lips trembled after his tirade.

In the next second, Lu Ran stood up with a stern expression.

He reached into his pocket and took out a dog waste collection bag. Without hesitation, he picked up the pile of feces on the floor.

But he didn't leave.

Amidst the horrified gazes of the entire Shen family, he stepped on a chair and climbed onto the dining table with the feces in hand.

Lu Ran kicked over the food and swung the garbage bag wildly like a madman.

In an instant, it was a indiscriminate attack.

Shen Xingran instinctively wanted to scream but quickly clamped her mouth shut when she felt an unknown object fly past her face.

Amidst the chaos, Lu Ran approached Madam Shen first.

With the swinging bag, he pointed at Shen Xingran and asked, "Do you think he's being wronged?"

Madam Shen was utterly stunned.

Her eyes were fixated on what Lu Ran held in his hand, her body recoiling and leaning back against the chair, both hands raised high, as if every strand of her hair was crying out to keep its distance.

Lu Ran was displeased with her attitude. Squatting on the table, he moved closer and said, "Why should I care if he feels wronged? If you want to be a bootlicker to your adopted son, don't drag me into it?"

"Or do you think I'm not wronged? Huh?"

Madam Shen dared not say a word, her mouth tightly shut, both hands waving frantically. "Uh uh uh, no... Yes! Yes!"

After scolding Madam Shen, Lu Ran's dark eyes turned to Shen Hongyuan, who had been yelling for quite some time.

Shen Hongyuan seemed more resolute, pointing at Lu Ran as if he still had more to say.

Lu Ran extended his hand!

Shen Hongyuan rolled his eyes, nearly fainting.

But Lu Ran didn't let him lose consciousness. Holding the garbage bag in one hand and gripping Shen Hongyuan's shoulder with the other, he began to interrogate him.

"You mentioned karma just now. Who were you talking about? And who gave you the right to speak of Director Lu? Do you think you're worthy?"

Staring at the mess in his hand, Shen Hongyuan first nodded, then shook his head wildly upon realization.

"Still so talkative? Weren't you quite the chatterbox?" Lu Ran's tone was not harsh but rather gentle.

However, combined with his dark, menacing gaze, there was no doubt that he would smear the mess on someone's face if provoked.

The head of the Shen family, Shen Hongyuan, faced a life-threatening crisis for the first time in his life. He could only press his lips together and force himself to say, "N-no! I'm not worthy!"

Lu Ran continued, "Did you also belittle my profession? Is being a veterinarian not good enough? Say it again?"

Lu Ran's face was almost touching Shen Hongyuan's nose.

In a semi-dazed state, Shen Hongyuan retreated while trying to smooth things over with his words, "G-good! V-very promising!"

Only then did Lu Ran let him off.

He turned to look at Shen Xingran.

Shen Xingran had already risen to flee but was yanked back by his hair. "Run? Aren't you a good son? Your parents are being threatened with dog feces, and you should share their hardship instead of running away?"

Shen Xingran didn't dare to move an inch.

Lu Ran held up the garbage bag and pointed at Big Yellow. "I'll ask you one more time—whose bite is that on your hand?"

Shen Xingran still tried to hold his ground.

Lu Ran showed him the torn garbage bag in his hand.

This time, Shen Xingran wasn't pretending; he really was about to cry.

For the first time in his life, he spoke honestly and loudly, "It was me, I did it myself."

While Lu Ran interrogated Shen Xingran, Shen Xingzhuo had already moved away from the table.

As an overprotective older brother, he probably wanted to rescue his younger sibling.

But seeing what Lu Ran had in his hand, he hesitated for a few unprecedented seconds.

In those few seconds, Lu Ran turned around and threw the garbage bag at Shen Xingzhuo. The flimsy garbage bag slapped against Shen Xingzhuo's expensive leather jacket with a soft thud. The leather jacket was made of stiff material. The living room fell silent. The other three Shens stood frozen, witnessing in slow motion how the thin plastic bag deformed and squeezed under the pressure. Then... it could no longer bear the weight. A soft splat echoed in the end. The contents inside scattered everywhere, splashing particularly far and high. Shen Xingran, who was standing the closest, felt warm spots on his face. He instinctively looked away. He was still oblivious to what had landed on his face.

The semi-solid splatter had already begun its descent along a parabolic trajectory, pelting down like rain with a series of "pitter-patter" sounds.

The Shen family members sat frozen in their spots, dazed and bewildered.

In that instant, they all thought they were dreaming. They were so stunned that they didn't even remember to scream, let alone dodge.

When the "rain" finally subsided, Lu Ran, who had swiftly scooped up Big Yellow and taken cover, approached.

He walked over to Shen Xingzhuo's side.

The second young master of the Shen family was petrified on the spot, his eyes empty and blank.

"You thought you could escape?" Lu Ran kicked him, "And you even dared to try to kill my dog? Go eat shit!"

He relentlessly kicked Shen Xingzhuo several times.

Under the horrified gazes of the others, he then peeled off the garbage bag that had landed on Shen Xingzhuo and slammed it onto the dining table with a forceful thud.

The entire Shen family trembled in unison.

With one foot on a stool and one arm cradling Big Yellow, Lu Ran declared loudly,

"From this day forth, no one in the Shen family shall dare raise their voice at me or my dog!"