Lu Shaoyan let out a soft chuckle, which immediately drew a glare from Lu Keran. “What are you laughing at?”
Lu Yunhai ignored this ill-mannered “sister” and instead looked at Lu Shaoyan with a gentle expression. “Shaoyan, you just got back, and yet… you laid hands on Keran?”
He sighed lightly, “If you’re angry, take it out on me. Keran is still young. Even if she did something wrong, as her elder brother, how could you hit her?”
Liu Yun immediately cut in, “What brother? He’s just a bastard. Who let you come back? What’s going on with Qingshan? Not only is he not cured, he’s gotten worse. He should be locked up for a while longer.”
“Zhou Ting, have someone send him back to the hospital!”
“Without my permission, no one is allowed to let him out!”
As she spoke, her eyes turned toward Zhou Ting, her gaze dark and cold. She was making it clear—this time, she wanted Lu Shaoyan to die in there.
Zhou Ting gave a faint nod. In truth, he had always wanted Lu Shaoyan dead in the hospital. It just couldn’t happen too quickly. There was no need to rush.
No one noticed, but Lu Shaoyan, who had been watching Zhou Ting, caught that subtle exchange. He merely curled his lips slightly.
Just as Zhou Ting was about to call someone over, Lu Qingyan spoke, “Dad, Shaoyan has already been locked up for so long. There’s been enough gossip outside. He already knows he was wrong.”
“Haven’t we been laughed at enough as the Lu family?”
Liu Yun snapped angrily, “Knows he was wrong? If he knew, he wouldn’t have come back and hit Keran! People are talking because of him!”
“Qingyan, I’m saying this as his mother—you weren’t even here, yet you rushed to bring him back without knowing what happened? Ask Keran and Xiyue what this little bastard has done while you were abroad!”
“Our Lu family has done more than enough for him. We raised him for over ten years. I’m not asking for gratitude, but first he had improper thoughts toward Xiyue, then he tried to kill Yunhai, and now he’s even hitting Keran!”
“This kind of ungrateful wretch—why would you bring him back?”
Lu Qingyan’s expression darkened at Liu Yun’s words. Her relationship with this stepmother had never been good.
Back then, her decision not to join the Lu Group had been partly because of Liu Yun.
But even she hadn’t expected Liu Yun’s attitude toward this “son” to change so drastically. She had once doted on him, yet the moment she learned he wasn’t her biological child, her words turned venomous.
“Mom, that incident might really have been an accident.”
Lu Yunhai interjected at the right moment.
Then he looked at the silent, frowning Lu Linyuan and said softly, “Dad, since big sister has brought Shaoyan back, let’s just let it go. Shaoyan already knows he was wrong. In the future… he probably won’t do something like that again.”
“Probably?” Liu Yun snapped, “How can you judge a white-eyed wolf based on your own kindness? You’re just too soft-hearted.”
“Linyuan, the children may be young and ignorant, but we can’t just let this go. Zhou Ting finally found Yunhai. I won’t let anything happen to our son.”
“Sending him to the psychiatric hospital was already letting Yunhai down. That was attempted murder! He tried to kill your only son!”
“This ungrateful wretch!”
Her voice was sharp and fierce, yet tears streamed down her face.
Lu Linyuan frowned deeply and coughed a few times.
Lu Yunhai immediately said, “Mom, please stop. Dad just came back from the hospital after a check-up. Don’t upset him right now.”
Just as Liu Yun was about to continue, Lu Linyuan raised his hand and looked at Lu Shaoyan. “Do you know what you did wrong?”
Liu Yun’s face darkened, and even Lu Yunhai frowned slightly.
After all, they had raised him for over ten years. Even a dog would have developed some attachment.
Especially after Lu Linyuan fell ill, everyone in the Lu family could sense that his mindset had changed.
All eyes turned to Lu Shaoyan, who remained calm and expressionless.
Lu Linyuan’s question seemed to be giving him a chance.
But seeing his composed demeanor, Lu Qingyan suddenly felt a trace of unease. From the moment she saw him, something had felt off.
He was too relaxed. Too casual.
But her worry eased almost immediately.
Because Lu Shaoyan spoke.
“I know.”
He truly knew.
The one who had been wrong… was the “him” from before.
When someone else already had a blade at your throat, yet you still acted like a fool—that was the mistake.
Lu Linyuan also sensed the change in this son of his. But his body was already uncomfortable, and he didn’t want to dwell on such matters.
Liu Yun, however, could not accept Lu Shaoyan returning at all. Beneath her anger was something else—unease.
Before Lu Linyuan could speak again, she shouted like a shrew, “You know? So you admit those things were intentional? Linyuan, if you let this ungrateful wretch stay in the Lu family, I’ll take Yunhai and move out!”
“I will never allow him another chance to harm my son!”
Seeing Lu Linyuan’s darkened expression, Liu Yun didn’t hold back. She turned to Lu Shaoyan and continued scolding, “Our Lu family raised you for so many years, and instead of repaying kindness, you repay it with betrayal. The moment Yunhai came back, you should’ve been thrown out!”
“And you still have the nerve to return!”
“If it were a dog, it would’ve become loyal after all these years!”
“If you had even a shred of conscience, you would leave on your own!”
“Yunhai, let’s go. Mom won’t let you be harmed. We’ll go to your grandmother’s house…”
Lu Yunhai grabbed her arm, “Mom, please calm down. I… I’ve only just reunited with you all. Dad isn’t well—how could I leave at a time like this?”
“I still need to take care of him.”
“If that little beast had even half your conscience, he wouldn’t have done something like that. My poor child…”
Faced with Liu Yun’s curses, Lu Shaoyan suddenly smiled. “I came back to repay kindness.”
“Repay kindness?”
“That’s right. You said the Lu family raised me for so many years. I should do something in return.”
After watching enough melodrama, Lu Shaoyan was already bored.
He had no intention of playing along in this ridiculous wealthy-family drama with Lu Yunhai.
After all, that man’s acting skills were far superior to his.
Those words just now had been full of sincerity—like a perfect filial son.
Lu Shaoyan had no intention of competing with him in pretending to be a son.
He couldn’t win anyway.
Having lived another life, he intended to be the one in control.
As he spoke, he walked straight toward Lu Yunhai.
Lu Yunhai froze briefly, then smiled gently, “Shaoyan, I believe you didn’t do it on purpose. But with Mom like this, you should understand. After all, I’ve only just reunited with her, and I had to stay in the hospital for so long… because of you, I almost died.”
“Mom raised you for so many years. Even if you’re not her biological son, she still has feelings for you. She’s shown you kindness.”
“Our Lu family hasn’t wronged you.”
Though those words were directed at Lu Shaoyan, Lu Linyuan let out a soft sigh.
He disliked Liu Yun’s hysterical behavior, her attempts to pressure him.
But raising a son for over ten years only to find out he wasn’t biological… his feelings were just as complicated.
And regardless of whether it had been intentional, a mother’s concern for her biological son—whom she had been separated from for years—was understandable.
Even the most upright official couldn’t resolve family disputes easily.