Shu Lingchen whispered to Shu Shu, half in disbelief:
“Can this really work?”
Shu Shu raised an eyebrow:
“And besides this, do you have a better explanation?”
Shu Lingchen froze.
Nope. Nothing else to say.
He had no choice but to go along with it.
Then he noticed Liu Tong standing nearby.
Suddenly, a thought struck him, and his face turned pale.
He pulled Shu Shu aside, whispering in horror:
“Oh no! I think I just called you ‘Mom’ in front of Uncle Liu Tong!”
His mother’s rebirth could be exposed!
Shu Shu, however, remained calm:
“Relax. He’s a professional. Otherwise, do you think he would just show up here like that?”
“You mean… he knows?!!”
Shu Shu didn’t deny it.
Shu Lingchen glanced at Liu Tong in disbelief:
“Then why is he so calm?!”
Shu Shu:
“I told you, he’s a professional.”
In fact, 1701 was not under Shu Shu’s personal name either.
It was listed under a sub-account she controlled.
The authority for Shu Lingchen’s minor inheritance measures was granted through that sub-account.
These professional managers earned annual bonuses from employers in amounts with countless zeros they probably never counted.
All they did was recognize cards and service codes.
That’s why they had to be “professional.”
On the street opposite Yu Jing Yuan, Chu Lian and her mother waited anxiously for Shu Lingchen.
As soon as they saw someone approaching, Chu Lian’s mother rushed to her feet:
“Xiao Chen, how did it go? Can we go back? My legs are numb from standing!”
She felt confident, secretly fuming at the gatekeeper—she would make sure he paid for this later.
But the next second, Shu Lingchen dropped news that made the Chu family feel like the sky had fallen:
“Mrs. Chu, Chu Chu, that man wasn’t a scammer. The property certificate is real. The house is his.”
Chu Lian’s mother froze.
“What did you say?! Xiao Chen, the house isn’t yours?!”
Shu Lingchen lowered his head, avoiding their gaze, carefully repeating the phrasing Shu Shu had taught him:
“…When my mother was alive, she borrowed a large sum and mortgaged the house to this Liu Tong person. Years passed without repayment, so he came to reclaim the property. I only just found out myself.”
Chu Lian’s mother went pale, nearly collapsing backward.
“Mrs. Chu!”
Shu Lingchen hurriedly supported her:
“Are you alright?”
She clutched her thighs, heartbroken.
Her luxurious home… gone!
Shu Lingchen frowned:
“Mrs. Chu, shouldn’t I be the one upset that the house is gone? Why are you more agitated than me?”
Chu Lian quickly added:
“Xiao Chen, Mom’s upset for your sake.”
Then she hesitated, voice trembling slightly:
“Is there really no chance to get the house back?”
Shu Lingchen rubbed his nose and said:
“Yes. There’s a legal document. Even if we go to the police or the court, I wouldn’t have a case.”
Chu Lian stepped back, stunned as if struck by lightning.
“Mrs. Chu, Chu Chu, don’t worry about having nowhere to stay. I rented a place outside.”
He patted his chest confidently:
“Although it only has two rooms, it’s fine for the three of us. The big room for you, the small one for me.”
“…”
Chu Lian forced a smile.
She knew the place Shu Lingchen had rented.
A run-down apartment building, no elevator, tiny rooms—she couldn’t stretch her legs.
After living in Yu Jing Yuan’s mansion, how could she adjust?!
Still, she said with a faint smile:
“No need, Xiao Chen. Mom and I will return to our old home.”
Shu Lingchen immediately worried:
“How can that work? What if the debt collectors come?”
Over the years, the Chu family occasionally mentioned debt collectors still searching for them in front of Shu Lingchen.
He had never had the heart to kick them out.
Hearing this, Chu Lian looked a little awkward and shook her head:
“It’s fine, Xiao Chen. I checked with the neighbors—those people haven’t been around for a long time. I guess they gave up.”
She added considerately:
“Xiao Chen, Mom and I have troubled you enough. This time, just listen to me. If anything happens, I can always find you, right?”
“…Alright.”
“Then I’ll take you there.”
Shu Lingchen helped carry their luggage to a cab.
The Chu family’s previous apartment was also a simple building but larger than Shu Lingchen’s rental, with much more space.
The apartment had been empty for a long time, thick with dust.
Shu Lingchen took it upon himself to clean everything thoroughly.
After they finished ordering takeout and eating, he took out the trash before leaving.
The next day, during morning reading:
Shu Lingchen felt Shu Shu’s piercing gaze and fidgeted under the scrutiny.
Using his textbook as a shield, he asked:
“Why are you staring at me like that?”
Shu Shu:
“How did you explain it to them yesterday?”
Shu Lingchen:
“Just like you taught me. I said the house was mortgaged and taken away, so Mrs. Chu and Chu Chu went back to their old home.”
So smoothly?
Shu Shu squinted, studying her son’s calm expression.
He hadn’t even been coldly treated by Chu Lian after the incident.
The house was back under her control.
Chu Lian shouldn’t have any reason left to dangle this little idiot Shu Lingchen around.
But something didn’t feel right.
Before Shu Shu could think it through, Shu Lingchen let out a quiet gasp.
He instinctively clutched his arm, as if in pain.
“What’s wrong?”
Shu Lingchen paused nervously, touching his nose:
“Ah, nothing… what do you mean?”
Lying.
Shu Shu grabbed his wrist and rolled up his sleeve.
On his pale arm were large bruises, the centers darkened.
Her eyes widened in alarm.
She frowned:
“How did this happen?”
Shu Lingchen, caught off guard, panicked:
“Nothing, I bumped into a wall…”
He tried to pull his hand away.
It didn’t move.
Shu Shu’s strength was immense.
She immediately knew he was lying.
These bruises were clearly caused by a hard metal object.
Without expression, she pressed down on the bruises.
“Ow! Ow! Ow!” Shu Lingchen yelped.
Shu Shu:
“You call this nothing? If nothing’s wrong, then why is this black?”
Shu Lingchen:
“…”
Shu Shu guessed:
“Did the Chu family hit you?”
“No way!”
Remembering her son was a school bully, Shu Shu slammed the desk:
“Shu Lingchen! Did you get into a fight?!”
The classroom fell silent.
Everyone turned in shock.
Shu Lingchen immediately denied:
“I didn’t!”
No touching his nose this time—no lie.
Shu Shu raised her hand:
“Sorry, carry on, everyone.”
The classmates were stunned.
Bolozi from the neighboring group whispered in disbelief to his friends:
“My goodness, first time seeing Brother Chen being scolded like a kid and not daring to talk back!”
Shu Shu pressed further:
“Then how did this happen?”