Another twenty minutes passed before Mo Hanzhou finally returned.
Fortunately, advancements in insulation materials had come a long way, so the flavor remained unaffected even after twenty minutes. Mo Hanzhou wheeled himself through the door, followed by Fang Zhongbai.
Mo Hanzhou had already known Lu Qiao was coming, so he wasn’t surprised. Instead, he sniffed the aroma from Lu Qiao’s cup and asked, “What kind of tea is this? I don’t recognize the scent.”
Lu Qiao answered honestly, “Milk tea. One of the assistants outside gave it to me.”
Mo Hanzhou chuckled softly. “How did you end up taking someone’s personal belongings?”
Lu Qiao remained earnest, replying matter-of-factly, “Coffee is too bitter.”
Not a hint of complaint in his tone!
Mo Hanzhou shook his head slightly and walked over to the table to attend to his main task drinking the medicinal soup.
As Mo Hanzhou drank, Lu Qiao watched intently from the side, looking every bit like a strict supervisor. Seeing Lu Qiao’s serious expression, Mo Hanzhou couldn’t help but feel mischievous. He turned to him and coaxed, “Want to try some?”
Lu Qiao was exceptionally straightforward. “No, it looks really hard to drink.”
Mo Hanzhou: Well, I can’t argue with that.
One drank while the other watched, creating a warm and tender atmosphere.
Mo Hanzhou was used to the taste and drank it down with his eyes closed. He set the bowl and utensils aside for the housekeeper to clean up, then turned to Lu Qiao.
“Are you settling in well at home?”
“Yes, everyone is very kind. Uncle Zhuang treats me well too. Lunch was delicious I had braised beef with tomatoes, a small portion of pasta, and a plate of pastries. The pudding was especially good.”
It all sounded like the kind of food a child would enjoy. Mo Hanzhou smiled. “I’m glad you liked it.”
“I did.” Lu Qiao nodded, then added, “But I should head back now. I’ll go home after delivering the medicinal soup.”
Mo Hanzhou’s smile remained unchanged, his gaze still gentle as he agreed, “You should go home. They must have been worried since you didn’t return yesterday.”
“Mm.”
Lu Qiao didn’t linger on the topic. Instead, he glanced around and finally pointed to a photo in the glass display cabinet. “Is this you from your university days?”
“Yes.” A nostalgic look appeared in Mo Hanzhou’s eyes. “This was taken when I was studying at Princeton. My team and I participated in a debate on the relationship between humanities and social progress. This is a photo of us after we won the award.”
“That’s amazing. I remember you have dual doctorates in finance and sociology, right?”
“Yes, but for people like us, going abroad to ‘gild’ ourselves and earn a few degrees is just a path arranged by our families. Almost everyone has a few nothing worth boasting about.”
He spoke with great humility, but Lu Qiao didn’t quite agree. “It’s still impressive. Not like me I only have a bachelor’s degree.”
Mo Hanzhou laughed. “That’s because you’re still young.”
“I’m 21.”
“Isn’t 21 still young?”
At 21, he had been full of ambition. He hadn’t yet lost the use of his legs or been surrounded by pitying gazes. Back then, he was a prodigy with limitless potential, as if the world lay at his feet.
Thinking of the past, a faint pang of sorrow stirred in Mo Hanzhou’s heart, though none of it showed on his face. He simply smiled as he looked at the young man before him.
Lu Qiao slowly paced in front of the glass display cabinet, admiring the photo back and forth. Suddenly, he turned and said, “Sir, you look just the same now as you did back in university.”
He thought for a moment, then added, “You’ve become even more handsome.”
“How is that possible?” Mo Hanzhou chuckled, his tone tinged with emotion. “That was five years ago.”
“No, it’s true.”
Lu Qiao wasn’t fooled by his “modesty.” With a serious expression, he said, “The current you is more handsome, more mature, and more charming. If I had to describe it.”
“It’s like an apple gradually ripening, slowly turning from a fresh green to a plump red, filled with an enticingly sweet fragrance!”
Fang Zhongbai clenched his fist tightly, barely managing to suppress the laughter that threatened to burst out. What a strange analogy!
“…”
Mo Hanzhou looked at the boy’s earnest expression, unsure whether he was being genuine or not. For once, he took the initiative to change the subject.
“Let’s talk about your university instead. What’s your major? Do you have plans for further studies?”
“No, I don’t want to, I don’t need to, and I have no plans.”
Lu Qiao stayed in the office for about half an hour. Seeing that Mo Hanzhou was about to get busy again, he took his leave. Mo Hanzhou arranged for someone to drive him back. Before leaving, Lu Qiao couldn’t help but ask:
“Sir, will you ask me out again?”
Mo Hanzhou looked at him deeply. “Yes.”
Only then did the boy reveal a sweet smile.
On the other side, Yu Muqing called Yu Jiadong and scolded him over the phone. When she turned around and found her card had been frozen, she angrily took back all the allowance she had given Yu Jiadong. Only then did Yu Jiadong panic all the lessons were meaningless, only money was real.
He recalled Lu Qiao’s words and couldn’t help but feel a lingering fear. He had always thought that Lu Qiao was only valued because of the “Lu” family name, and without it, he would have no status in the Lu family. Even after Lu Qiao suddenly changed his attitude and beat him up several times, he still believed Lu Qiao was nothing more than a violent person with no brains.
But the events of yesterday and today made him realize that Lu Qiao’s surname was his greatest asset. Even if he had neither violence nor brains, as long as he carried the blood of the Lu family, he would always have a place in this household.
Yu Jiadong was forced by Yu Muqing to return home. Once there, he felt uneasy and stayed in his room for a long time, only coming downstairs for dinner. As soon as he descended, he was met with Lu Qiao’s face.
His expression instantly paled, but Lu Qiao seemed completely unaware and smiled at him, acting as if nothing had happened.
“Sit down and eat.”
Yu Jiadong reluctantly sat opposite Lu Qiao. After Mo Hanzhou’s phone call, Lu Guon was now nothing but gentle toward Lu Qiao, showing him every consideration at the dinner table. In contrast, he was cold and distant toward Yu Jiadong and even Yu Muqing.
The mother and son were submissive, not daring to breathe too loudly.
Lu Qiao watched the two of them with amusement. After dinner, as Yu Jiadong tried to slip back to his room quickly, Lu Qiao called out to him:
“Brother Jiadong, don’t leave yet. Come with me to the gym to work out.”
Yu Jiadong’s expression changed, and he was about to refuse when Yu Muqing, having been lectured by Lu Guoan and eager for the two to reconcile, quickly said:
“Jiadong, your brother wants you to accompany him to exercise. Hurry up and go!”
Yu Muqing had no idea what kind of monster her stepson had become, practically pushing her son into the lion’s den. Yu Jiadong had no choice but to follow Lu Qiao into the gym with a bitter expression. Once inside, Lu Qiao closed the door, and Yu Jiadong shuddered, crouching down and covering his head.
“I know I was wrong, I really know I was wrong. I shouldn’t have had people trouble you, and I shouldn’t have bullied others all the time. I was wrong, I’ll never dare to do it again!”
Lu Qiao: “What are you apologizing for? Don’t admit your mistakes so quickly. You don’t even know what you did wrong yet.”
“Get up. Keep me company while I practice boxing.”
There was a boxing ring in the gym. Yu Jiadong swallowed hard, changed into his gear, and protected himself with gloves and a helmet. But he still underestimated Lu Qiao’s determination to tame his “pet.” The moment Yu Jiadong turned around, a lightning-fast fist came straight at him. The rock-like punch slammed heavily into his jaw, sending saliva flying. In that instant, Yu Jiadong felt as if his face would be crooked for the rest of his life.
“Know you were wrong? What exactly did you do wrong, huh?”
“Isn’t it normal to bully the weak and fear the strong?”
Lu Qiao had no regard for the dignity of a boxer. He kicked Yu Jiadong in a sensitive spot, pressed down with his knee, and then buried another solid punch deep into his abdomen.
The soft abdomen wrapped around the fist, and his organs cried out in agony:
“Your mistake was provoking me. You messed with the wrong person, and now you have to face the consequences.”
Bullying the weak and fearing the strong, betrayal and exploitation these were all commonplace. But Lu Qiao had always upheld one truth: those who dared to provoke him had to be prepared to be hunted down to the ends of the earth. This principle applied everywhere, and now he was determined to teach it to his nominal older brother.
That night, Lu Qiao used his fists and pain to teach Yu Jiadong this lesson. He didn’t hit Yu Jiadong’s face much after all, the face was an important facade, and he still hoped to live a peaceful and happy life at home.
Yu Jiadong had long since curled up on the ground, clutching his stomach, unable to even let out a groan. Lu Qiao looked down at him coldly and asked:
“Do you understand your place now?”
Yu Jiadong was so tormented that his consciousness was fading, but he had learned the hard way what happened when he didn’t listen to Lu Qiao. He could only manage a weak nod.
“Good.” Lu Qiao smiled slightly:
“From now on, you are my slave.”
A slave? Was he really a slave now? Yu Jiadong didn’t find anything wrong with the word “slave.” His mind was consumed by only one thought: today was finally coming to an end.
Lu Qiao nudged his arm with the tip of his foot and asked, “Repeat it. What are you to me?”
“I am… your slave.”
“Good.”
After all, Lu Qiao wasn’t a complete devil. How could he bear to leave Yu Jiadong alone in the cold gym overnight? He helped Yu Jiadong back to his room. On the way, they ran into Yu Muqing and Lu Guoan. Yu Muqing looked at Yu Jiadong leaning on Lu Qiao in surprise and asked with an apologetic smile:
“What happened to Jiadong?”
“It’s nothing. He hasn’t exercised in a while and pulled a muscle, right, Brother Jiadong?”
Cold sweat dripped down Yu Jiadong’s back and neck as he struggled to nod.
“Your mother is asking you a question. Answer her.”
Lu Qiao patted his stomach.
Yu Jiadong felt as if his stomach were being twisted into knots, but he forced himself to squeeze out the words one by one: “I’m fine. I just haven’t exercised in a long time.”
“That’s good, that’s good. You two brothers should spend more time together. Outsiders can’t compare to family.” Yu Muqing said “comfortingly.”
Lu Guoan snorted but said nothing.
Yu Muqing then affectionately took Lu Guoan’s arm and walked toward their room, while Lu Qiao “affectionately” helped Yu Jiadong to his room.
As soon as he entered the room, he threw the person onto the floor.
“Rest well. We’ll continue our conversation tomorrow.”
With a faint smile lingering on his lips, Lu Qiao slowly closed the gates of hell.