Chapter 4

004.

As one of the country's top private clubs, the Lingjing Club sat along the Chun River, occupying a prime spot on the riverfront. From the dozen-plus-story building, one could see not only the vast river but also catch a distant view of Songlan Mountain across the way.

"I heard the youngest son of the Lu family was found—is that for real?"

"You'd have to ask Brother Qi about that—he's close with Third Brother Lu. Though I remember Third Brother Lu is still in Haishi. I saw a sighting photo of him in Haishi in my sister's group chat tonight."

Qi Shuyang yawned lazily and pointed at Songlan Mountain across the floor-to-ceiling window. "He's been found. He's staying at Songlan Manor over there."

"Whoa, a 500 million yuan villa, and he just moved right in like that?"

"What's so weird about that? You know how long the Lu family has been searching for their youngest son." Qi Shuyang shot him a look, finding the question ridiculous. "Now that they've finally found him, of course they're going to shower him with the best things. I had a car on order for three months and Brother Zhuo snatched it right out from under me."

The others in the private room exchanged glances and drew in sharp breaths.

Everyone knew that the Qi family's young master was obsessed with cars. He'd been going on about that Lamborghini he ordered three months ago since day one. They'd figured the time was almost up and they'd finally get a glimpse of it—and now it was being taken by Second Brother Lu?

Someone said, "You're really doing him a solid, Brother Qi."

Qi Shuyang: "…I grew up right behind them. If my Brother Zhuo wants a car, am I really going to say no? Do you think I'm some cheap, ungrateful jerk?"

The man gave a sheepish laugh. "Of course you'd give it! Definitely!"

Qi Shuyang gave him a disdainful look, feeling that drinking with this crowd was boring. He waved his hand and wrapped up the night on the spot.

He looked down and opened the WeChat group chat.

My Car Ran Away: A Cheng's been found. Brother Yu, what kind of welcome gift should we get him? [fly rubbing hands together.jpg] @Bai Yu

Hahaha My Little Brother's Back: It's already 11 PM. With Brother Yu's old-man sleep schedule, he's long asleep.

Hahaha My Little Brother's Back: Also, didn't your dad cut off your cards? I heard you're living in a place owned by Brother Yu now. And you're buying my brother a welcome gift? My brother's richer than you now /picking nose

My Car Ran Away: Who are you looking down on? Brother Zhuo just transferred me a few tens of millions.

Hahaha My Little Brother's Back: Loaded, huh? Alright then, I'm planning to give A Cheng the island in Tingzhou. How about you get him a yacht to match?

Lu Yan had asked offhandedly, but Qi Shuyang took it seriously.

He stroked his chin, looked at the balance on his newly issued bank card, and thought it wasn't a bad idea.

A large yacht would cost at least a hundred million yuan, which he couldn't afford with his current balance. But a mid-sized luxury yacht should be well within reach—a few tens of millions. It would come with all the standard amenities: guest cabins, a flybridge, a bar, a kitchen. Short trips would be a breeze, and at minimum, getting from Tingzhou Pier to the private island Lu Yan mentioned would be absolutely doable.

It had enough class too—wouldn't be beneath his status as Young Master Qi.

My Car Ran Away: When are you guys bringing A Cheng out to meet people? I heard from Brother Zhuo that A Cheng is crazy good-looking [hamster rubbing paws in excitement.jpg]

Lu Yan replied dismissively: We'll figure it out later. Depends on how he feels.

Qi Shuyang tsked.

These older brothers had no authority at all.

*

Lu Yuan slept in until ten the next morning.

The curtains slid open automatically, and Songlan Manor, blanketed in white from the snow that had fallen all night, stretched out before him—a clean, quiet expanse of white.

A boat drifted slowly across the river, kicking up a wide spray in its wake.

Lu Yuan clutched his blanket and stared for a while, marveling at the beautiful view, then flopped back down, fished out his phone, and opened WeChat.

Lu Ke had sent him a message around eight in the morning to say hello and ask if he could add him to the family group chat. Lu Yuan replied to each message, and before long, a new chat appeared on his WeChat page: "Moonlight Support Association."

Lu Yuan: "?"

He tapped into the group chat.

Designated Aid Target No. 1: Welcome A Yuan!! A Yuan, hello! I'm your third brother, Lu Yan. My flight lands in Jing City at 10 PM tonight. I'll come find you tomorrow!

Moonlight Support Association President: Welcome A Yuan /handshake

Relief Fund Distribution Director: Welcome A Yuan

Allowance Approval Specialist: Welcome A Yuan ^^

Lu Yuan blinked, his eyes first scanning everyone's group chat IDs, then quickly deducing the identities behind them based on their conversational habits.

The Moonlight Support Association President was most likely Lu Jingshan, the Relief Fund Distribution Director was Lu Ke, and the Allowance Approval Specialist was Lu Zhuo.

He marveled inwardly at how amusing the Lu family was, then obediently typed: Good morning, everyone.

But when he looked closer, he noticed his own nickname in the group had changed from Sesame Tangyuan to: Designated Aid Target No. 2.

Lu Yuan: "…"

That was a bit much, wasn't it? He was a young master holding an unlimited black card now.

Relief Fund Distribution Director: How did you sleep last night?

Designated Aid Target No. 2: Slept very well. The bed is comfortable, and the room is nice and warm /cute

Relief Fund Distribution Director: That's good.

Relief Fund Distribution Director: The chef, housekeeper, and nanny are all in place. Let them know if you need anything.

Allowance Approval Specialist: It's already ten, but don't forget to eat breakfast ^^

Designated Aid Target No. 1: What young person eats breakfast these days (*￣ro￣)

Allowance Approval Specialist: Don't want your allowance this month? /smile

Designated Aid Target No. 1 recalled a message.

Designated Aid Target No. 1: I think Second Brother is right. Second Brother is a doctor, so we should listen to him.

Lu Yuan patted his stomach. He'd eaten a lot the night before, but it was mostly seafood and beef—things that digested quickly. Twelve hours had passed, and his stomach was long empty.

He was a bit hungry, but he could tough it out.

Still, for the sake of his health, he slowly pushed back the covers, went to the wardrobe, and changed into the little shark pajamas.

After washing up, he went down to the first floor of the villa. The young housekeeper, who had been waiting in the living room, wore a black suit and stood ramrod straight. He smiled and greeted him: "Good morning, Young Master Yuan. The chef has prepared breakfast. Would you like to have some?"

Lu Yuan nodded.

Breakfast was the Chinese-style morning meal Lu Yuan liked—clearly something Lu Ke and the others had looked into and specially arranged with the chef.

Lu Yuan ate his fill. After finishing, he'd meant to stroll around the villa to help digestion, but the meal made him sleepy. And the moment he opened the door, the cold wind blasted him right in the face and body.

After being pampered by the heating all night and morning, Lu Yuan wasn't about to put up with that. He shivered for a second, then decisively shut the door and headed back to the second floor.

Pushing open the bedroom door, he stripped off his pajamas and dove into the covers—

Mmm, so comfy.

*

At the Yunhe Group building,

just outside the CEO's office door.

Assistant Yu watched the middle-aged man shuffling over, clutching files and sporting a belly like he was six months pregnant, and greeted him with a polite smile: "Vice President Zhang."

"Just heading out, Assistant Yu?" Vice President Zhang raised an eyebrow, pointed at the CEO's office door, and asked, "Is President Lu in there?"

Assistant Yu glanced at his watch with an apologetic look: "President Lu left via the private elevator three minutes ago. Yeah, he's clocked out for the day."

Gone?

Vice President Zhang was a bit stunned and raised his own hand too. He was a heavyset man, and his suit sleeves were cinched tight around his wrists. He stuffed the documents into Assistant Yu's arms, hiked up his sleeve with his other hand, glanced at his brand-new watch worth a fortune, and said in shock:

"It's only three, and he's already gone?"

Vice President Zhang thought Assistant Yu had to be telling the joke of the year. Across Yunhe, everyone knew that President Lu was young but extremely "dedicated" to work—never late, never early, showing up through rain or shine—

Though wind, rain, and thunderstorms weren't exactly hurdles for a boss with a private car and driver.

So that made it even weirder!

"Your boss..." Vice President Zhang met Assistant Yu's smiling expression, paused for a moment, and chose to swallow back the words "what's gotten into him today," then asked again, "What's going on?"

Assistant Yu had a pretty good idea why.

Although Lu Yuan's background check had been handled by Chairman Lu Jingshan's personal assistant and had nothing to do with him, he was the one who'd delivered clothes and essentials to Songlan Mansion last night.

Plus, this morning, his boss had been acting like a guy with a crush—checking his WeChat every few minutes, even placing his phone in front of him during meetings so he wouldn't miss a notification.

That distracted mode changed around ten a.m.

President Lu's phone screen finally lit up. He picked it up, and a smile spread across his face.

Assistant Yu figured his boss was finally back to normal.

But within two hours, it happened all over again.

When the wall clock hit three, his boss finally pushed back his chair, grabbed his coat from the rack, and tossed out a "Got something to handle, heading back," without a hint of attachment to the company, the office, or him, and walked off without a backward glance.

Thinking of this, Assistant Yu met Vice President Zhang's curious expression, which was practically screaming "spill it," and said: "He's missing his little brother."

Vice President Zhang: "?"

He hesitated, glancing around cautiously at the empty hallway, but still dropped his voice to a whisper: "Like, a real little brother?"

Assistant Yu: "...?"