Chapter 29

Chapter 29

As the end of the second year of high school approached, Lu Nian found life increasingly difficult.

Since the beginning of the year, Lu Zhihong's health had been deteriorating. Due to years of irregular lifestyle and social engagements, he suffered from chronic gastritis and weak cardiopulmonary function. In March, even before the spring began, he had a myocarditis flare-up, once again being admitted to the private room in the central hospital sponsored by the Lu family, due to an event he attended.

Despite his condition, he arranged for home tutoring for Lu Nian, focusing on English and Mathematics, with Lu Yang keeping an even closer eye on her.

Apart from school and tutoring sessions, Lu Nian visited Lu Zhihong at the hospital daily.

Lu Zhihong didn't allow other relatives from the Lu family to visit, and He Tian rarely came by. Now, aside from Lu corporation's staff and business partners, only Lu Nian visited him daily.

His personal secretary, Zhang Hua, stationed himself at the hospital daily, helping to convey and manage various matters, ranging from work to personal affairs. Lu Yang also appeared very frequently, essentially working full-time at the Lu Corporation now as he had no classes.

After updating Lu Zhihong about her recent life, Lu Nian watched as he fell asleep.

In a low voice, Lu Yang said, "He might need to undergo surgery next year. Currently, outsiders are managing things in the company."

The management of the company had been entrusted to Lu Zhihong's close aides. However, they were not family, not bearing the Lu surname, which led to an inherent resistance from Lu Yang. He hoped fervently for Lu Zhihong to recover quickly, even to become healthier than before.

After all, his foundation was not yet stable. His standing in the Lu family was not universally respected, and even considered as having a distant blood relation; all he essentially had was the Lu surname.

Lu Nian was still young and somewhat naïve, yet to graduate from high school. Even if she waits until she reaches college and marries into the Zhao family when she is of age to share the burden, it still seemed a long way off from now.

Secretary Zhang Hua also stepped out, noticing the siblings engaged in conversation, he cleared his throat to announce his presence.

Lu Yang said nothing more.

"Miss," Zhang Hua said, "The master has been unwell recently. He specifically instructed that if you need assistance with anything, be it matters concerning daily life or studies, you can inform me, and I will take care of it."

Lu Nian thanked him. She hadn't had dinner, having come straight from school, and now felt a faint hunger in her stomach, although she didn't have the appetite to eat anything.

Over the past few years, she had maintained a good physique. However, recently she had lost weight again, making her face appear increasingly sharp and delicate.

In March, the weather still held a remnant of chill, but the warmth of spring was gradually beginning to seep through. The school hosted a grand mobilization assembly for the college entrance examinations.

That afternoon, Lu Nian was attending her physical education class. She was experiencing her menstrual period and felt quite uncomfortable, prompting her to request a leave of absence for health reasons from her physical education teacher.

She hadn't been feeling well for some time now.

Soon, the physical education session concluded, giving way to a period of free activity.

Lu Nian was taking a rest under a tree.

Tian Yue approached and asked, "Nian Nian, are you feeling better?"

Lu Nian covered her abdomen with her hand and managed a smile, saying, "I'm fine. I just had some hot water and feel much better now."

"That's good to hear," Tian Yue replied, sitting down beside her. "The auditorium is hosting the oath-taking ceremony for our senior class. Shall we go and enjoy the spectacle?"

From the side, Fang Xiyan inquired, "Can we even enter?"

Lu Nian wasn't particularly interested in the event and opted to engage in casual chatter to alleviate her boredom.

"Sure, they aren't being strict about entry," another girl chimed in. "People are even live blogging the event on the forum. It's been quite a bustling day."

"Apparently, the student ranked first in our grade will be speaking. I heard he's quite the handsome fellow."

The girls suddenly perked up with interest.

Lu Nian, who had had her eyes closed, opened them upon hearing this. She paid no heed to the "handsome fellow" part, but the phrase "first in the grade" caught her attention.

She recalled that, based on the combined average scores of the previous exams, the top position should have been held by Qin Si.

Would he be giving a speech?

It had been a long time since she last saw Qin Si.

"Nian Nian, are you planning to go too?" Tian Yue asked, somewhat surprised.

Lu Nian nodded, "Mhm."

To catch a glimpse of that annoying ghost.

The auditorium was bustling with excitement. A large number of senior students had already gathered, but the school did not prohibit the junior students from joining in to enhance the festive atmosphere.

When the trio sneakily entered, the host was just announcing the student representative's turn to speak.

Lu Nian's eyes widened in anticipation.

The person who stepped onto the stage wasn't Qin Si... It was an unfamiliar boy with glasses and closely cropped hair, the epitome of a top student.

As he began, he greeted, "On this bright and beautiful spring day..."

Fang Xiyan expressed disappointment, "So this is the much-acclaimed handsome top student?"

To her, he looked quite ordinary, just like any regular high school boy.

Lu Nian remained silent.

In reality, she should have foreseen this... How would Qin Si ever agree to deliver such a speech?

However, had he also come to this event? Might he be seated somewhere in the auditorium?

Tian Yue, who was engrossed in her phone, suddenly remarked, "Someone is live-streaming the event on our school's forum... It seems the top student declined the invitation to speak, so the opportunity went to the next in line."

The current hot topic on their school forum was a live-stream of the assembly hosted by a student who had smuggled a phone into the event.

"So they switched to the second rank?" Fang Xiyan questioned, "Did he request a leave for some reason? This doesn't seem right."

Tian Yue shook her head, "Apparently not, he simply didn't want to. He rejected the offer outright without giving any reason."

"It seems he didn't even appear on stage."

The forum thread was buzzing with fervent discussions regarding this matter.

The first comment read: "Isn't this a bit too arrogant?"

The second chimed in: "This just confirms that he is indeed haughty. As a classmate, I can attest that he generally keeps to himself and rarely interacts with others."

A third defended: "But he's handsome and intelligent with excellent grades. He has the right to be arrogant, doesn't he?"

A fourth countered: "...Are you a lovesick girl, commenter above? He's not the only one who is both smart and good-looking. Does that justify his attitude?"

The conversation spiraled into numerous heated debates revolving around this topic.

Until one commenter intervened: "What does he have to be arrogant about? You all are unaware of his family circumstances, he's an orphan, living off someone else's financial aid. What gives him the right to act high and mighty?"

The comment section erupted in chaos immediately following this revelation.

A user named Black-Blue commented: "Here's some more gossip for you. Not only is he receiving financial aid, but he's also seducing the daughter of the family providing the aid (I won't reveal the victim's name to protect her privacy), aiming to climb up the social ladder. He lacks a sense of morality."

Someone replied: "Why do you have to phrase it so harshly? Are orphans destined to be inherently inferior? Aren't they allowed to fall in love freely? Your antiquated mentality died out long ago."

Black-Blue retorted: "You have no idea about his true character. It's not a simple love affair; he's deliberately manipulating the situation. Moreover, he's been involved with numerous girls outside. He's much more savvy in these matters than any of you, do you think growing up in a harsh environment is that simple? He's a textbook case of a scumbag."

Lu Nian scanned the dense crowd seated below, all dressed in formal school uniforms. Her eyes grew tired from the search, but there was no sign of Qin Si.

As she turned her head back, she noticed Tian Yue's eyes widening in disbelief, her head huddled close with Fang Xiyan, both engrossed in something on the phone screen. Curious, she couldn't help asking, "What interesting thing are you both engrossed in?"

Tian Yue beckoned, "Nian Nian, this is explosive gossip! Look at this about the handsome and brilliant senior from Shen 8 High School..."

Qin Si?

It took Lu Nian a considerable moment to connect the dots.

Because they seldom intersected in school, they wouldn't greet each other even if they crossed paths outside.

Qin Si has long since left the Lu family's vicinity, and not many people even know they are acquainted.

Her gaze swiftly skimmed through the plethora of words, her complexion deteriorating with each line.

"Nian Nian, do you know him?" Tian Yue, who had seen Qin Si visiting Lu Nian in the art studio before, had some recollection, "Is he really like what they described?"

Lu Nian promptly retrieved her phone, "Which user is the forum administrator?"

Her hands trembled as she navigated to the thread, furiously replying, "This is slander and defamation, do you realize that this is against the law?"

Her rebuttal was rapidly drowned amidst a deluge of scornful comments.

Lu Nian was infuriated, her petite face flushing a deep red. She stuffed her phone into her pocket and turned to leave.

"Nian Nian, Nian Nian!" Tian Yue and the others were still in the dark about the unfolding events.

Lu Nian said, "I don't feel well, I want to go to the health office. Xiaoyue, could you please excuse me from the session?"

Leaving behind two individuals, still clueless about the situation.

Finding a secluded spot, Lu Nian pulled out her phone and promptly dialed Zhang Hua's number.

The Lu family had previously sponsored the high school, and Lu Zhihong was even one of the school board members at one point, fostering a good relationship with the school principal.

She forwarded the thread link to Zhang Hua, "Uncle Zhang, please find someone to remove this post immediately."

It was the first time Lu Nian had sought help from Zhang Hua. Given her tone, Zhang Hua naturally took it seriously, although he calmly suggested, "Can we wait for a few minutes? I need to verify the situation first."

Lu Nian stayed on the line, awaiting Zhang Hua's response.

Soon after, Lu Yang's voice unexpectedly came from the other end, "Nian Nian, I've seen the post. It may indeed be a bit harsh, and it's difficult for you to accept right now, but what they mentioned is indeed..."

Lu Nian felt her anger flaring up internally, "Put Zhang Hua on the line, I didn't call to speak with you."

Normally, Lu Nian was gentle and easy-going, her voice never raised, always soft and easy to appease.

Lu Yang was caught off guard by her reaction, his face alternating between shades of pale and flushed.

Upon reflection, it seemed that every time Lu Nian exhibited this attitude towards him, it was somehow related to that illegitimate child, causing Lu Yang to clench his fists tightly.

Meanwhile, Zhang Hua had rapidly skimmed through the thread.

Being a senior personal secretary to Lu Zhihong, he was naturally well-informed about Qin Si's situation.

This was the first time Lu Nian had sought his assistance, and the contents of the thread were indeed unsightly. Allowing this to circulate further would detrimentally affect the reputation of both the Lu family and Lu Nian.

Consequently, Zhang Hua immediately contacted the school principal, urgently locating the forum administrator to delete the thread and impose a gag order on the associated accounts.

Zhan Hua immediately called Lu Nian to inform her, "All the posts have been deleted completely. If anyone spreads these false rumors again, the Lu family's lawyers will seriously hold the rumor mongers legally accountable. We have already conveyed this message to the concerned parties."

Lu Nian breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," said Zhan Hua.

After hanging up, Lu Nian realized she had been crouching in this secluded corner for quite a while, her legs were beginning to numb.

A hint of the sunset glow appeared on the horizon.

But now, she suddenly really wanted to see Qin Si.

Qin Si didn't attend the oath-taking ceremony.

He has been too tired lately.

There’s too much going on, he's human, not a deity. Naturally, he would feel tired. At this point, besides daily studies and exams, he quit his part-time job after the spring started. But Ming, who was preparing to open a new branch, lacked organization and planning. Despite insisting that Qin Si should focus on his studies and not worry about the business, Ming ended up fracturing a bone in a drunken stupor and had to be hospitalized.

Therefore, all the responsibilities fell onto Qin Si's shoulders, managing even the hospitalization as Ming had no relatives to look after him.

Lu Nian found him on the rooftop.

The wind was somewhat strong. The young man was leaning against the railing, seemingly asleep. Hearing the door open, he quickly opened his eyes, not expecting to see her.

He had taken off the blazer of his school uniform, wearing only the inner shirt and trousers. His legs were long and straight, the top button of his shirt undone, revealing a segment of his delicate, slender collarbone. Basking in the sunset, it emanated an unusual warmth.

Lu Nian asked, "What are you doing here?"

He replied, "Catching the breeze."

In truth, he was trying to steal a short nap.

The young man had cold, aloof features, pale yet handsome, looking almost as he usually did. But Lu Nian could tell, he seemed somewhat weary.

It was likely. Living alone without anyone to take care of him, working while studying, it was natural to be exhausted during this period.

In fact, since childhood, he never really had easy-going days. He was just too stubborn and proud, with an unyielding backbone, never showing any signs of weakness.

Lu Nian pursed her lips, thinking about the nasty words those people said, her eyes started welling up with tears.

Qin Si probably wasn't aware of those matters.

Saying he was trying to woo her to climb up the social ladder, when he has been so cold towards her... he has always been like this since childhood. Trying to woo her, she wished those rumormongers would present evidence to prove where he had tried to woo her.

"What's wrong?" the young man furrowed his brows, looking at Lu Nian's tear-rimmed eyes.

It couldn't possibly be made of water... why was she so prone to crying? He recalled the sight of her shedding tears the other day; he couldn't bear to see her cry.

A single tear from her in front of him was enough to make him do anything.

Lu Nian sniffled, "My period came, and I have a stomachache."

He didn't anticipate her saying that, taking a moment to realize what "period" meant... His ear tips suddenly turned red.

After a brief pause, he asked stiffly, "How do you usually alleviate the pain? Take medicine?"

Lu Nian muttered, "... At home, Miao Miao and the others usually give me a rub."

The girl's voice was soft and gentle. She had lost weight, with a more pronounced face and large eyes that still held a hint of moisture, exuding a captivating charm. When she spoke these words, she seemed delicate and innocent, without any hint of artifice, conveying no ulterior motives whatsoever.

Qin Si, of course, couldn't possibly assist her in this manner. In fact, he had always maintained a respectful distance from her. The closest contact they might have had was when he helped to move her while she was drunk one day.

But now, the usually aloof and haughty young man, whose remarks could infuriate others, found himself at a loss for words, unable to respond to her comment.

He thought to himself that perhaps his mind was wandering to inappropriate places, harboring thoughts about her that he shouldn't have.

Hence, under a circumstance where Lu Nian was merely expressing a casual complaint, his regular fantasies led him to misinterpret her words greatly.

Seeing him in such a state brought an inexplicable joy to her.

Lu Nian laughed heartily, without holding back, her eyes curving mischievously, resembling a cunning little fox.

Qin Si had actually been shrewd since childhood, never lacking in schemes, it was just that he often lost his judgement when in front of her.

However, seeing her like this now, he finally understood... that earlier, she was purely teasing him.

The warmth faded away, the young man pressed his lips together tightly, grabbed the coat hanging on the nearby railing, took long strides, and turned to leave.

Lu Nian hurried to catch up, saying, "Don't go, Qin Si. In the past few days, did you receive a package?"

She grasped his sleeve, preventing him from leaving. He withdrew his sleeve but halted his steps.

He responded coldly, "What package?"

The package had no name on it, and the gifts inside were also nameless.

Could it have been lost in the mail? Or did he throw it away?

Lu Nian's eyes widened, tears now genuinely threatened to fall. That gift was something she had spent a long time preparing.

Seeing that something was amiss, he had no choice but to close the door, return to the rooftop, and say to her in a low voice, "I received it, it's not lost."

Lu Nian said, "I made the cake inside it myself."

She knew that Qin Si had never liked sweets since he was young, but she couldn't make anything else, and she couldn't exactly send a whole table of dishes by mail, could she?

Surprisingly, Qin Si didn't seem very shocked, he just said, "Mmm."

Lu Nian asked, "How did you know?"

"... A purchased one wouldn't be that ugly."

In truth, when he found out that she had made it herself, he was genuinely surprised. After all, unlike him, Lu Nian had never stepped into the kitchen since she was a child, embodying the quintessential pampered young lady who hadn't lifted a finger.

Lu Nian uttered, "Uhm..."

Her eyes turned slightly red, as tears threatened to roll down once more.

Actually, she didn't want to cry anymore, but she noticed that Qin Si seemed to be somewhat helpless when faced with a crying girl, so she playfully decided to take advantage of this weakness.

As expected, he was at a loss. The young man slightly bent down, bringing him a bit closer to her. In the glow of the setting sun, his long eyelashes cast a gentle golden hue as he whispered, "It's delicious."

Lu Nian covered her face, her big eyes peeping at him through the gaps between her fingers. She sniffled, looking utterly pitiful.

"So it really is ugly, isn't it?"

Qin Si hesitated, "...Not ugly."

Only then did Lu Nian finally lower her hand, proclaiming proudly, "Of course, I made it after all."

Qin Si remained silent, "..."

Today, he had been quite tormented by her antics. Lu Nian felt the same, a bit apprehensive inside, worried she might have angered him to a point where even tears couldn't salvage the situation.

However, he asked, "Have you eaten yet?"

Lu Nian blinked her large eyes, "No."

The young man's ear tips turned somewhat red, and he averted his gaze, "I haven't eaten either."

Lu Nian was puzzled, "?"

Qin Si muttered, "... Returning your gift."

Seeing Lu Nian still confused, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and ask with apparent difficulty, "Would you like to have dinner with me or not?"

Could this be considered an invitation?

For the first time since they were children, Qin Si took the initiative to invite her!

Lu Nian's eyes widened in disbelief.

It had been a long time since she had seen him, and she genuinely wanted to share a meal and a conversation with him.

In truth, there wasn't much to discuss, but she found immense joy in just being with him.

The agreement was almost slipping from her lips.

However, she recalled the matters at home... and the wild rumors swirling in that online post.

It felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her.

Qin Si was on the verge of taking his college entrance exams, an endeavor of great significance for him. Lu Nian didn't want to be the cause of any unexpected disturbances in his exams.

If she continues to be with him so recklessly, and if the Lu family discovers them or rumors begin to circulate online, exposing him to those unsightly speculations...

Her face pale, she said, "Tonight... I don't have time."

Author's Note:

Si Si (Four-Four) Zaizi: I must be too despicable.

Nian Nian: QvQ

However, time would later prove that perhaps Si Si Zaizi was the true innocent one who was being ( ) in this scenario. In front of Nian Nian, Si Si was genuinely pure to the point of being endearing, cherishing her immensely, though he absolutely wouldn't admit it now. Knowing his true feelings just made teasing him all the more entertaining, didn't it? (Erroneously)