Chapter 113#

In the private room, the man who had once participated in the rescue of the Yan family fire recalled, “In my memory, the sofa was the place that burned the most severely. It was a fabric sofa. Judging from the burnt remains, there were flammable items like sofa covers and throw pillows, and there was a floor socket underneath.”

The assistant was very good at finding people. The Yan family fire was this firefighter’s first mission, and since two people had burned to death, he had a particularly deep memory of this fire.

“A burnt lighter and residue resembling incense ash were also found under the sofa.”

“Based on my experience, it is highly likely that flammable items like the tassels of the sofa cover were ignited. This kind of burning is slow and silent. The owners were asleep and couldn’t discover it in time. By the time it spread to the floor socket, the socket caught fire and smoked very quickly. It was also high summer and they were asleep, so the chance of escape was too small. Most fire victims die from smoke inhalation and suffocation instantly, and then are burned…”

“It was also a miracle. The hostess of the family actually saved her children before she died… It was two boys, right? Sigh…” The man lamented, “I remember one child holding onto the hostess’s body and refusing to let go. Even our captain couldn’t separate him. The other one was either overly frightened or too young to understand; he didn’t cry, just kept trembling.”

Lu Lin had the answer in his heart.

If it were a normal cause of fire, Yan Heqing wouldn’t have been in that state yesterday.

Abnormal cause of fire—

Lin Fengzhi.

Lu Lin pinched his fingertips. This answer was too tragic for Yan Heqing. He desperately hoped he was overthinking it.

The assistant was at the door. Lu Lin came out and gave him a few instructions, then asked the assistant, “Did you pass on my message?”

The assistant nodded. “Rest assured, I have arranged everything for the people sent by Old Master Lu. They won’t disturb Student Yan.”

Lu Lin then left.

After he left, the assistant knocked on the door and entered the private room, politely putting down a red envelope so thick it bulged. “Thank you for taking the time to come today. This is a small token of appreciation from my boss.”

The man immediately refused. “I can’t take it, I can’t take it. You’re too polite. I didn’t do anything.”

The assistant smiled. “My boss said you did it 13 years ago. This is what you deserve.”

It was still raining heavily outside. Lu Lin stopped in front of the door, watched the rain for a good while, then got into the car and instructed the driver, “Go to the vegetable market.”

The driver thought he heard wrong.

Lu Lin repeated it again. The driver quickly set the navigation and drove to the nearest vegetable market.

…

After Yan Heqing finished reviewing cell biology, a notification popped up on his phone. It was a WeChat message from Lin Fengzhi.

Yan Heqing didn’t look at it and deleted it directly.

Not long after putting down the phone, Lu Lin came back.

Lu Lin bought beef bones, beef marrow, hand-beaten beef balls, beef slices from different parts, a bag of hot pot ingredients, and a bag of fruit.

Yan Heqing closed his book to help. Lu Lin didn’t stop him. When Yan Heqing entered the kitchen and opened the ingredient bags, there were all kinds of melons, fruits, and green leafy vegetables, but none of them had been processed. He guessed the reason with a little thought.

Lu Lin went to the vegetable market.

Yan Heqing had been to the supermarket downstairs a few times. It was all processed clean vegetables that could be cooked directly.

Lu Lin specially went to the vegetable market to buy groceries, hoping that he would have something to do and no time to think about sad things.

Yan Heqing put the bag in the sink, took out a white radish, and peeled it. He cut off a piece. After a while, he turned around, holding a lifelike rose carving, and handed it to Lu Lin. “Eat it.”

Lu Lin observed his expression and took the radish flower. “It’s so beautiful, it’s a pity to eat it.”

Yan Heqing smiled. His smile was very light, but no longer empty. “Eat as much as you want. I’ll carve as much as you eat.”

He was smiling, but Lu Lin’s heart ached even more. He really wanted to tell Yan Heqing that he didn’t need to be so strong in front of him. But when the words came to his mouth, he felt they were flimsy.

This world was full of malice towards Yan Heqing. To protect himself, the first thing he had to learn was to be strong.

Lu Lin gave up. He took a bite of the radish carving. The taste was clear and sweet, yet inexplicably bitter.

The heavy rain was still pouring, but the kitchen was steaming hot. Lu Lin made a sweet and sour vegetable salad, and Yan Heqing made a fragrant clear beef soup pot.

In the rising steam and smoke, Yan Heqing unexpectedly talked more.

He talked about some good people he met while working part-time, and also some not-so-friendly people. Lu Lin listened patiently. The ingredients on the plate became fewer and fewer. Yan Heqing ate two bowls of rice this time.

Finally, the remaining ingredients in the soup were also fished out and finished by Yan Heqing.

He was reassuring Lu Lin in this way that he was fine.

After eating, Yan Heqing started reviewing again, and Lu Lin processed documents beside him. The rain outside the window became heavier and heavier. Inside the room, there were only occasional rustling sounds of writing and turning pages. Both of them quietly did their own things, creating a unique kind of warmth.

The rain stopped in the evening. A phone call broke the tranquility in the room.

The caller ID flashed 3.3.

Yan Heqing’s expression was calm. He took the phone. “I’ll take a call.” He went to the terrace.

Through the floor-to-ceiling window, Lu Lin watched Yan Heqing’s back as he answered the phone. He also took his phone and dialed Lu Muchi’s number.

“Hello, the number you have dialed is currently on another call—”

Lu Lin hung up the phone.

At the same time, Lu Muchi coughed several times on the phone. “My company has had too many things going on these past few days, I didn’t have time to contact you.”

Yan Heqing didn’t believe it.

In the original text, Lu Muchi could leave his employees halfway through a meeting to run to find Lin Fengzhi. The possibility that he disappeared for a few days for work was close to zero.

But it shouldn’t be an injury either. Lu Muchi’s injury should have healed long ago, unless he was beaten again.

“Why aren’t you talking?” Lu Muchi really wanted to hear Yan Heqing’s voice. He had just had his gauze removed and it hurt like hell. His grandfather had beaten him badly this time.

“Nothing to say.” Confirming that Lin Fengzhi didn’t go to find Lu Muchi last night, Yan Heqing was about to hang up.

Lu Muchi choked, then couldn’t help laughing. “Then I’ll talk about a topic you will definitely have something to say about. Cheng Jian sued me and lost.”

He paused for a moment, seeing that Yan Heqing still didn’t react, he continued, “Meng Yao… that little star sued Cheng Jian, and the first instance verdict is out too. Cheng Jian was sentenced to 12 years. Now the Cheng family is dissatisfied and applying for an appeal, and has bailed Cheng Jian out pending trial.”

There was no news on the internet yet, so Yan Heqing didn’t know. Learning that Cheng Jian was sentenced to 12 years, Yan Heqing turned around. In the living room, Lu Lin was still processing documents. He could only see his clearly defined profile. In the receiver, Lu Muchi continued, “I thought it would only be a few years, didn’t expect 12 years. My uncle’s legal team is indeed quite capable…”

At this moment, Lu Lin suddenly turned his face to look at the terrace. Through the floor-to-ceiling window, their gazes met just like that.

The corners of Yan Heqing’s lips rose. Lu Lin also smiled and said something, pointed in the direction of the kitchen, pulled out a chair, and went to the kitchen.

“A few days ago—” Lu Muchi’s breathing became heavy, “Did you see my grandfather?”

Yan Heqing sensed something wrong. His eyes shifted. “Which day are you asking about?”

Lu Muchi immediately said, “He also looked for you many times?” He was a little anxious. “Where are you now? Home, school? I’ll come over immediately to explain.”

Yan Heqing was almost certain. The reason Lu Lin waited for him in the family room that night after the experiment was not Lu Muchi, but Lu Changcheng had come.

Lu Changcheng came personally. It seemed Lu Muchi had mentioned him.

Yan Heqing calculated in his heart. He said calmly, “No need.”

Lu Muchi got stuck. “What?”

“I’ve broken off relations with Lin Fengzhi.” Yan Heqing’s tone was bland. “If he goes to find you again, your grandfather won’t make things difficult for me.”

Lu Muchi was silent for a few seconds, his voice sinking. “You still don’t trust me?”

Yan Heqing asked back, “Trust you with what? You wanting me to be Lin Fengzhi’s substitute was just last year’s matter.”

Now the word “substitute” was almost like a knife, accurately stabbing Lu Muchi until he felt suffocated. He couldn’t refute. After breathing heavily for a few seconds, he softened his tone. “I won’t see Lin Fengzhi, and you’re overthinking it. Lin Fengzhi…” He sneered, still very unhappy. “He likes my uncle.”

After speaking, he realized it was ambiguous and immediately explained, “Don’t misunderstand. I gave up on him not because he doesn’t like me, it’s because—” I’ve long fallen for you.

The rest of the words were interrupted by Yan Heqing. “Hanging up.”

Lu Muchi experienced what it was like to be unable to explain clearly even with a mouth. However, he vaguely felt that Yan Heqing was in a bad mood today. He guessed that his grandfather had said something unpleasant. Lu Muchi felt a bit more heartache. He was almost coaxing Yan Heqing, “I’ll say one last sentence. Don’t forget the wine tasting on Saturday.”

Just after finishing, Lu Muchi heard the busy tone.

His face immediately turned bad, and he ordered the driver, “Return to the old residence immediately!”

Returning to the Lu family’s old residence, Lu Muchi ran directly to find Lu Changcheng.

At this time, Lu Changcheng was usually teasing birds in the garden.

He arrived and asked in annoyance, “Grandpa, what did you say to him?”

Lu Changcheng played with a gold-inlaid jade bird-teasing stick, leisurely teasing the bird. “Who is he?”

Lu Muchi stepped forward and snatched the bird-teasing stick. “You know!”

Lu Changcheng did know. He snorted coldly. “The first thing you say when you see me is to ask about Yan Heqing.”

“Grandpa.” Lu Muchi immediately massaged his shoulders. “Qingqing is different from others. I promise that after marrying him, I will work hard and build a career even bigger than my uncle’s!”

Lu Changcheng knew Lu Muchi couldn’t do it.

Just this project with a guaranteed profit of tens of billions eventually fell into Lu Lin’s hands again. Lu Lin’s methods and vision were beyond Lu Muchi’s reach for a long time. But Lu Changcheng still enjoyed it. He enjoyed Lu Muchi’s massage. “If you have this determination, I’m satisfied.”

Lu Muchi immediately said, “You agree?”

Lu Changcheng smiled without speaking.

Of course he wouldn’t agree.

Yan Heqing was an orphan with no family or background, and a man who couldn’t bear children. He couldn’t bring benefits and descendants to the Lu family.

If Xu Qiaoyin hadn’t been pregnant with Lu Muchi back then, he would never have agreed to let a country woman enter the family.

Compared to Xu Qiaoyin, Yan Heqing was much easier to handle.

A top student at Beijing University, wanting to join a research team for an internship.

Every one of these was his weakness.

Now Lu Muchi wouldn’t turn back until he hit the wall, so he would go along with them. Anyway, they couldn’t produce a child.

When the time was right, he would deal with Yan Heqing in one fell swoop.

It was just…

Lu Changcheng was somewhat puzzled. The people he sent to track Yan Heqing reported every day that he was at school. Was Yan Heqing living in the school? Lu Changcheng occasionally felt an uneasy anxiety. He always felt that he had overlooked something.

Lu Muchi didn’t believe Lu Changcheng would relent so quickly either. But his primary goal now was to bring Yan Heqing home quickly. Anyway, once they got the certificate, his grandfather would have to acknowledge it even if he didn’t want to!

The two chatted for a while with their own thoughts, mainly about Cheng Jian’s two lawsuits.

Lu Changcheng reminded Lu Muchi, “Bring more bodyguards when you go out. Even a rabbit will bite when anxious, and the Cheng family isn’t a rabbit yet.”

Lu Muchi didn’t take it to heart. He didn’t put Cheng Jian in his eyes at all. He only cared about one thing now.

Lu Muchi ran back to his room. There was a safe in the cloakroom. He squatted down, entered the password, and opened it. Inside were a few photos of Xu Qiaoyin, a small sweater Xu Qiaoyin knitted for him, and a wooden ring box.

Lu Muchi took out the ring box and opened the lid. A platinum ring with two crossed bands was still dazzling. One band was inlaid with 13 diamonds, and the other with 14 diamonds.

Symbolizing a lifetime.

This ring was the wedding ring Lu Han gave to Xu Qiaoyin. When the two divorced, Xu Qiaoyin left the ring and departed. Lu Han threw it into the trash can right after.

Lu Muchi secretly picked it back up.

He lowered his head and kissed the ring, his heart beating like a war drum.

After the wine tasting, he would take Yan Heqing to the mountaintop overlooking the whole city and propose with this ring.

Just imagining that scene, Lu Muchi revealed a smile and dialed his secretary’s number.

“Contact the best planning company. Saturday night, I want the most romantic mountaintop proposal scene.”

…

In the study, Lu Lin received a report. Lu Muchi was discharged from the hospital and returned to the Lu family’s old residence.

He turned off his phone and continued looking at the screen.

There were only two items on the document.

20XX, March 3rd.

Lu Muchi.

Lu Lin analyzed for a long time but still couldn’t find the connection between the two.

While he was pondering, Yan Heqing knocked on the door outside. “Lu Lin.”

Lu Lin turned off the screen. “Come in.”

Yan Heqing brought in a cup of coffee. It was a very familiar aroma. Lu Lin got up and walked over to take the coffee. “Why did you think of making coffee?”

“To relax.”

Lu Lin switched hands to hold the coffee, and with his free hand, he stroked his hair, raising his lips to say, “I gave myself annual leave. Adding up all these years, it’s about three months.”

He wouldn’t take a vacation for no reason. Yan Heqing was inevitably puzzled. “Are you going fishing?”

Lu Lin’s hand slid down, and taking advantage of the position, he pulled the person into his arms. Even though there were only the two of them in the room, he lowered his voice and said slowly with his bewitching voice, “I will fish, but I have to wait for you. Starting now, I’m going to properly fulfill my duties as a boyfriend.”

The warm breath tickled behind Yan Heqing’s ear. His translucent, cool skin gradually turned a small patch of red. He asked, “What duties?”

Lu Lin chuckled with a breathy sound, his chest thumping along with it. “To follow you like a shadow.”