Chapter 27 Independence?

Chapter 27: Independence?

But Shen Qingci hadn't expected that since that day, Lu Lin would vanish from the villa without a trace.

On the first day, Shen Qingci didn't think much of it.

On the second day, Uncle Fu cautiously asked, "Sir, will Mr. Lu... be back for dinner?"

Shen Qingci didn't even look up. "Suit himself."

The third day, the fourth day, the fifth day...

A week passed.

Not only did Lu Lin not return, but he didn't even make a single phone call.

Only Zhou Jin sent a message at a fixed time each day, reporting on Lu Lin's schedule.

Polite, distant, as if reporting work.

Every time Shen Qingci saw these messages, he would just glance at them, never replying.

He knew Lu Lin was avoiding him.

Until one day, a week later, after Shen Qingci got out of the shower, he was about to call for someone to blow-dry his hair. Looking at the empty room, he let his open mouth slowly close.

Frowning, Shen Qingci casually towel-dried his hair, pushing down the strange feeling that rose in his chest.

---

On the day Qingye Company was officially established, a small opening reception was held.

Lin Wei had arranged everything meticulously.

Shen Qingci, dressed in a tailored dark gray suit and standing with his cane, stood at the center of the venue, accepting congratulations from all sides.

His features were exquisite, his demeanor cool and aloof, his words were appropriate, and every gesture exuded good breeding and exceptional capability.

In just half an hour, three investors expressed their willingness to collaborate, and five industry veterans praised him profusely.

Lin Wei watched from the side, feeling both proud and emotional.

Ten years had passed, but President Shen was still President Shen.

As long as he stood there, he was the focus, the center.

Halfway through the reception, Zhou Jin arrived.

He was wearing a suit, holding an exquisitely wrapped gift box, and made his way through the crowd to stand before Shen Qingci.

"Mr. Shen," Zhou Jin gave a slight bow. "President Lu asked me to deliver an opening gift, wishing Qingye Company prosperity and a bright future ahead."

Shen Qingci looked at him, his expression calm, but a hint of a question was hidden deep in his eyes.

Why hadn't Lu Lin come?

But Zhou Jin offered no explanation.

He handed the gift box to Lin Wei beside him, then nodded to Shen Qingci. "Mr. Shen, I'll take my leave now."

With that, he turned and left.

Shen Qingci's brow furrowed.

He clasped his hands over his cane, and the air pressure around him instantly dropped several degrees.

"Zhou Jin."

A cool voice rang out, and Zhou Jin's steps abruptly halted.

Zhou Jin turned back, meeting Shen Qingci's beautiful, cool eyes.

"Mr. Shen, is there something else?" Zhou Jin asked, steeling himself.

Shen Qingci looked at him, remained silent for a few seconds, then spoke. "Nothing."

Zhou Jin felt as if granted a reprieve and hurriedly left the venue.

Shen Qingci stood in place, watching Zhou Jin's back disappear through the doorway. His expression didn't change much, but the knuckles of his fingers gripping the cane turned slightly white.

Lin Wei noticed something was off and walked over to ask, "President Shen, what's wrong?"

Shen Qingci didn't answer.

He just looked in the direction of the door, his cool face covered with a thin layer of frost.

The kid's wings have hardened.

He no longer needs his protection.

Can't be controlled anymore, is that it?

Seeing him like this, and recalling that she hadn't seen that clingy little tail by President Shen's side for a long time, Lin Wei suddenly understood the reason for Shen Qingci's sudden shift in mood.

She cautiously asked, "President Shen, did you and President Lu... have a fight?"

Shen Qingci glanced at her but said nothing.

"What on earth could make Lu Lin give up clinging to President Shen?" Lin Wei wondered to herself. "Has the sun risen from the west? It can't be that Lu Lin has fallen for someone else, could it?"

As soon as this thought surfaced, even Lin Wei found it absurd.

After all, everyone knew that Lu Lin's gaze toward President Shen had been off since his teens. After all, what decent person would look at their own brother with that kind of sticky, possessive gaze?

Ten years had passed, and Lu Lin's obsession with President Shen had only grown stronger. How could he suddenly fall for someone else?

Could it be... that after President Shen suddenly returned, Lu Lin actually grew tired of him?

Lin Wei's thoughts grew increasingly far-fetched, and her mind began to conjure up a melodramatic soap opera.

Could it be that Lu Lin finally obtained the person he had dreamed of, only to find it wasn't all that, and so he left nonchalantly?

Or perhaps Lu Lin met someone who truly made his heart flutter, and he suddenly realized his feelings for Shen Qingci were merely dependency, not love?

Or maybe Lu Lin contracted a terminal illness and, not wanting to burden Shen Qingci, intentionally distanced himself...

Lin Wei shook her head, dispelling these chaotic thoughts.

She glanced at Shen Qingci; his expression remained as calm as ever.

But having worked with him for so many years, Lin Wei understood him all too well.

Mr. Shen is angry.

---

After the reception, Shen Qingci returned to the villa.

Uncle Fu greeted him, took his coat, and said in a low voice, "Sir, Mr. Lu, he—"

"Don't mention him." Shen Qingci cut him off, his voice icy.

Uncle Fu immediately fell silent.

Shen Qingci used his cane and went upstairs, and entered the study.

As usual, he sat behind the desk, opened his laptop, and got ready to work, but his eyes involuntarily drifted to the empty sofa.

Lu Lin always used to sit there, either pretending to study English or quietly watching him.

Now the sofa was empty.

Shen Qingci averted his eyes, forcing himself to focus on the screen.

Ten minutes passed, and he hadn't absorbed a single word.

Frustrated, he closed the laptop, stood up, and walked to the window.

Outside, the night was deepening.

The garden lights glowed, and irises bloomed quietly in the darkness.

Those flowers were cared for by Lu Lin, who watered and pruned them every day, caring for them more attentively than he cared for himself.

Looking at the flowers, Shen Qingci suddenly remembered something.

Lu Lin's milk.

Those two glasses of milk that had made him sleep exceptionally soundly.

Shen Qingci turned around, leaned on his cane, went downstairs, and walked into the kitchen.

Uncle Fu was preparing dinner and looked surprised to see him enter. "Sir, do you need something?"

"The milk Lu Lin used to prepare," Shen Qingci asked, "what brand was it?"

Uncle Fu paused for a moment, then took a carton of milk from the refrigerator and handed it to him. "This one, organic. Mr. Lu said you liked this one."

Shen Qingci took the milk and examined the packaging.

It was ordinary, nothing special.

"Did he add anything to it?" Shen Qingci asked.

Uncle Fu quickly shook his head. "No, no. Mr. Lu always just heated it and brought it to you. I watched him do it."

Shen Qingci frowned.

Then why... did he sleep so deeply those two nights?

"Sir," Uncle Fu hesitated but still spoke up, "Mr. Lu actually cares about you very much. Even though he hasn't come back these past few days, he calls every day to ask about you—how you're eating, how you're sleeping, whether you're having meals on time..."

Shen Qingci interrupted him. "I know."

He took the carton of milk and left the kitchen.

Back in the study, Shen Qingci placed the milk on the desk and sat back down behind it.

He took out his phone and opened the chat interface with Zhou Jin.

The last message was sent yesterday afternoon.

Zhou Jin: Mr. Shen, President Lu went to see a psychologist this afternoon. The doctor said he's made great progress and can now face his trauma head-on.

Shen Qingci stared at this message for a long time.

Then he typed.

Shen Qingci: Where is he now?

The message was sent, but it went unanswered.

Ten minutes, twenty minutes, half an hour...

Zhou Jin didn't reply.

Shen Qingci's expression grew colder and colder.

He put down his phone, stood up, and paced back and forth in the study.

The sound of his cane tapping the floor was particularly clear in the quiet room.

Shen Qingci suddenly realized he was waiting for Lu Lin to come back.

And he had been waiting for an entire week.

But Lu Lin hadn't returned.

Shen Qingci stopped pacing and stood by the window, looking out at the dark night sky.

He wondered:

Had he... made a mistake?

Had his lecture that day been too harsh?

Should he not have pushed Lu Lin to become independent so urgently?

Shen Qingci closed his eyes.

His mind flashed with the image of Lu Lin's reddened eyes and the choked-up words, "Brother, have you come to pick me up?"

Then he remembered his own words:

"You need to learn to handle your emotions independently."

"You can't wait for others to solve every problem you encounter."

"And you can't let my affairs affect your judgment."

Shen Qingci opened his eyes and picked up his phone again.

This time, he didn't message Zhou Jin but directly dialed Lu Lin's number.

"Riiing—riiing—riiing—"

The phone rang for a long time, but no one answered, until it cut off.

Shen Qingci pressed his lips into a thin line and redialed.

Still no one answered.

On the third attempt, the call finally went through.

But it wasn't Lu Lin who answered.

It was an unfamiliar, gentle female voice: "Hello, who is this?"

Shen Qingci was stunned.

He glanced at the phone screen—it was indeed Lu Lin's number.

"I need to speak with Lu Lin," Shen Qingci said, his voice sounding colder than usual.

"Mr. Lu is currently unavailable to take the call," the woman's voice replied. "May I ask what this is about? I can relay the message for you."

Shen Qingci was silent for a moment.

Then he said, "Put him on the phone."

His tone carried an air of command that brooked no argument.

There was a brief silence on the other end of the line, followed by some shuffling sounds.

Then, Lu Lin's voice came through:

"...Brother?"

His voice was slightly hoarse, tinged with exhaustion.

Shen Qingci tightened his grip on the phone and asked in a low voice, "Where are you?"

Lu Lin hesitated for a few seconds before replying, "Out."

"Who with?"

"...Friends."

"What friends?"

Lu Lin fell silent again.

Shen Qingci could faintly hear music and the buzz of conversation in the background.

And the woman's voice from earlier.

Shen Qingci's frown deepened, his voice icy and commanding: "Lu Lin, come back right now."

On the other end of the line, Lu Lin let out a soft, low laugh.

The laughter was light, but it made Shen Qingci's heart sink.

"Brother," Lu Lin said, "didn't you tell me to be independent?"

Before Shen Qingci could respond, he continued, "I'm learning."

Then, the call ended.

The dial tone buzzed in Shen Qingci's ear.

He stood there, phone in hand, motionless.