Chapter 72

Chapter 72

Lu Huainan paused, then his familiar smile returned, pulling Shen Muyun tightly into his embrace and kissing his forehead repeatedly as if he had found a precious treasure.

Shen Muyun leaned into his arms, feeling his tenderness. It was as if Lu Huainan was the only one who had consistently stood by his side since he transmigrated.

"Thank you, Huainan."

"Why thank me, Brother Yun?"

"Because of you, my life doesn't seem quite so hard anymore."

"Ahem... Mr. Lu, the tonic soup you prepared—"

The housekeeper pushed a small dining cart to the doorway, just in time to witness the embrace, and immediately averted his gaze.

Lu Huainan quickly released Shen Muyun, cleared his throat lightly, a faint blush coloring his cheeks—a sight Shen Muyun had never seen before, making him chuckle softly.

The housekeeper dared not say more and hurried away, the air thick with romance.

Lu Huainan pushed the cart over and picked up the soup bowl. "Well, Brother Yun, your injuries haven’t fully healed yet. Let me feed you."

Shen Muyun knew Lu Huainan was teasing him, but he willingly played along.

As he lay in bed, Lu Huainan’s gaze swept over his reddened back but quickly looked away, worried he might take things further.

Lu Huainan picked up the spoon. "Brother Yun, this is goji berry and yam porridge. I heard it’s very nourishing. You’ve been injured a lot lately and seem thinner than before. It pains me to see."

Shen Muyun’s face flushed bright red instantly. What was this? Goji berries and yam—was he hinting at something? For a moment, he thought of that shameless system. Ugh... how ridiculous.

Lu Huainan thoughtfully blew on the soup to cool it, tested the temperature, and then fed it to Shen Muyun.

The sweet yam mixed with goji berries—well, it tasted pretty good, just the kind he liked.

"Did you make this yourself?"

Lu Huainan’s hand, holding the spoon, paused mid-air. "Yes, I tried a few times. The first few attempts weren’t successful. Luo Zhi said it tasted awful, but the last time worked. I followed that method, and this is the result."

Shen Muyun’s eyes reddened at the corners. "Mm, I see. After we finish eating, what do you say we go out for a walk?"

Lu Huainan frowned, glancing at Shen Muyun’s wounds. "Brother Yun, are you sure you should go out? Your injuries..."

Shen Muyun turned, and what greeted his eyes was Lu Huainan’s worried expression.

"Huainan, rest assured. It’s not that serious. I’m fine. The wounds just look bad. After all, it’s normal for the Shen family to have trouble accepting this. I also saw a document..."

Lu Huainan set down the soup bowl, picked up a peeler, and carefully began peeling an apple. "What is it, Brother Yun? Your brows are furrowed."

"Actually, this matter might only be known by my father, mother, and me. I saw Shen Liuyun’s adoption agreement."

Lu Huainan’s hand using the peeler tightened slightly, and the continuous apple peel broke off.

He looked up at Shen Muyun. "Brother Yun, what’s this about?"

Seeing this, Shen Muyun felt he had nothing to hide from Lu Huainan and told him everything he'd discovered.

Lu Huainan pursed his lips as if considering something.

Only when Shen Muyun had finished speaking did silence fall again.

Wealthy families certainly had their share of secrets, but this was the first time something like this had happened—an adopted son being favored more than the biological one. There must be more to the story.

"Tongxin Orphanage?"

Lu Huainan looked at the apple in his hand, then slowly cut it open, removed the core, and discarded it into the trash bin nearby.

He meticulously diced the apple and placed it on the bedside table.

"This orphanage has always been supported by the Lu family, but we’re not involved in its operations. Very few people probably know about this. It seems my sister’s arranged marriage might have some hidden motives. Originally, Liu Yun was outstanding, but..."

Shen Muyun’s expression darkened. In the end, in their eyes, he really wasn’t outstanding.

Lu Huainan noticed Shen Muyun’s mood and immediately drew him into an embrace.

"Whether you’re outstanding or not, the person I like is you. It’s a natural attraction. Don’t worry."

Shen Muyun nodded, but a weight seemed to press on his heart, leaving him uneasy.

"Brother Yun, how about we visit Tongxin Orphanage together once you’re feeling better? After all, it happened thirty years ago. We might still find related records."

Shen Muyun nodded in agreement.

—

Tongxin Orphanage was located in the southern part of the city, an area in the Fu family’s territory. The two had intended to visit someone surnamed Fu, but since he wasn’t there, they gave up.

As the saying goes, each autumn rain brings more chill. The ground was covered with fallen leaves, and the sycamore trees had lost their summer vibrancy, with only a few lonely leaves clinging to the branches.

The leaves underfoot crunched with each step. After walking a short distance, they saw the orphanage’s gate, its lock slightly rusted. An elderly gatekeeper nearby was leisurely humming a little tune.

"Excuse me, sir, could you open the gate?"

The old man inside remained motionless, possibly listening to music, completely unaware of the people outside.

Shen Muyun and Lu Huainan stood in the wind, shivering a little in the autumn breeze.

"I’ll contact the director."

Lu Huainan called the director’s number directly. Coincidentally, the director wasn’t available, so he had to call the gatekeeper.

After waiting at the gate for a while, they saw the old man slowly stand up, walk to the gate, and look outside.

"Are you here to visit the orphanage?"

Shen Muyun and Lu Huainan nodded.

The old man unlocked the gate. "Not many people come here. It’s mostly orphans. In recent years, with tighter policies, fewer people come to adopt children."

The two followed behind the old man, listening to him ramble about the orphanage’s history. There wasn’t anything particularly special—the orphanage had been operating for about fifty years, with many children coming and going through the years. Some even became employees here and never left.

"Sir, where is the archives room?"

He pointed. "The building at the back. Right now, it’s naptime, so you won’t see any children. They usually wake up around three. If you like children, come back around then, and you’ll definitely see plenty."

The two thanked the gatekeeper and headed straight to the archives room.

There was still someone guarding the entrance, but likely on the director’s orders, they were allowed in without any issues.

"These are the archives since the orphanage was established. Some might be missing—mostly records of children who died young, some without even names. Feel free to look. If you have questions, you can ask me."

They both replied.

"Brother Yun, these records seem to be sorted chronologically. Should we look for the one from when Liu Yun was born?"

There were many records—after all, nearly fifty years' worth were stored here—but even accounting for those of children who had passed away early, there probably aren't too many.

Shen Muyun gave a silent nod to Lu Huainan’s suggestion.

As he approached the file shelves, a random memory suddenly flashed through his mind.

It seemed like a scene from their childhood.

"Brother Liu Yun, look! There’s someone here with the same name as you!"

Shen Liuyun immediately walked over, saw the file, and clamped a hand over Shen Muyun’s mouth. "It’s nothing serious, just a name match. Mu Yun, you mustn’t tell anyone about this, not even your friends."

Shen Muyun nodded. "Understood, Brother Liu Yun."

"Brother Yun, are you okay?"

Lu Huainan gently patted his shoulder, and Shen Muyun jerked back to the present.

What did that mean—not to tell anyone? Could it be that he had known since childhood that Shen Liuyun was adopted?

Following his childhood memory, Shen Muyun walked to the file shelf. Sure enough, it was exactly right where he thought, not a bit off.

Lu Huainan, puzzled, followed Shen Muyun. "Brother Yun, how did you know it was here? Do you have some kind of sixth sense?"

Shen Muyun shook his head. "I guess I’ve been here before, back when I was around 6 or 7 years old. But how could I have forgotten something so important?"

As soon as Shen Muyun’s fingertips touched the file shelf, he felt a sudden dizziness—a weird and uncomfortable feeling, as if something else had surfaced in his memory.

It was a memory of him and Shen Liuyun playing hide-and-seek here.

"Mu Yun, no peeking!"

Little Shen Muyun tightly covered his eyes while counting down but cheated slightly, sneaking a peek through his fingers.

He saw Shen Liuyun head straight for that same shelf, pulled out his own file, took something out of it, and then put it back.

"Brother Yun, Brother Yun, are you feeling unwell? We should really get you a full check-up."

Hearing Lu Huainan’s voice, Shen Muyun waved it off awkwardly. "No, Huainan, I’m fine. I just remembered something from my childhood. It totally slipped my mind—maybe it’s been too long, and being here brought it back."

"What was it?"

"Actually, it seems I knew back then that he was adopted. And that document in his office—it was taken from here. I remember a game we played as kids, but I didn’t stop him from taking the file. That’s why it never resurfaced after that."

The orphanage director hurried over and, seeing the two chatting, approached them.

"So it’s Young Master Shen and CEO Lu. I was out running errands and didn’t expect you to come. This is the archives—are you here to adopt a child?"

The two chuckled, understanding that their news had likely gone viral. Yeah, probably.

"Well, we’re here about someone."

The orphanage director looked at them curiously. "Who?"

"Director, you must remember, right? The circumstances related to the eldest son of the Shen family, Shen Liuyun."

The director’s gaze became evasive, as if there was indeed something hidden beneath the surface.