MY - 21

Regarding Xia Xinyan’s question about whether she would consider getting back together with Chen Lin.

Jiang Xi rejected it without hesitation; she and Chen Lin were not suited for each other.

The next day, Jiang Xi had a work schedule and flew back to the set in the afternoon.

Filming for the drama was already in its late stages, and she didn’t have many scenes left, so the next few days of shooting would be relatively relaxed.

Jiang Xi hadn’t seen Lu Nandu again.

He seemed to obey her words and hadn’t sought her out.

Jiangcheng had been raining for several consecutive days, and the whole world felt damp and foggy.

After indoor filming ended, Jiang Xi went to the restroom.

When she entered, two girls in evening gowns were touching up their makeup in front of the sink. The stalls and the sink area were separated by a tiled wall, so the two girls didn’t see Jiang Xi come in and continued gossiping.

They seemed to be discussing some male, talking about his appearance, family background, physique, and temperament.

The restroom echoed badly, and every word was clearly audible. Jiang Xi had always been uninterested in such things and paid no mind, walking straight into the stall area.

One of them said, “How many people can truly get involved with someone like that?”

The girl in the black gown, applying lipstick, revealed a section of her fair, swan-like neck: “People eager to form connections flock to him, but he won’t even glance their way.”

Just at the banquet earlier, a bunch of people were already leaking information with their phones.

Another girl laughed, “The Lu family is so powerful; why would they ever look at small celebrities like us?”

Jiang Xi hadn’t listened carefully to what they said before, until this sentence, she seemed to have suddenly become aware.

But in the next second, she merely lowered her gaze, not even pausing her steps for a moment.

She closed the stall door, and the two girls outside were still chatting.

“Who knew he would be interested in such small affections?” The girl smiled, capping her lipstick. “After all, in the eyes of powerful family scions, there’s only profit and family business. Even if they have emotional lives in the future, it’s all about strategic marriages. Who would want to spend time on a relationship with no tangible benefits?”

In a society where interests are paramount, no one desires petty affections; all relationships are based on benefit.

“Even in our circle, we know to seek wealthy patrons. How much more so for those upper-class families? Their practices are beyond our comprehension.”

The other girl, thinking of something, laughed, “I have heard some things about that. Hey, have you heard the rumors about those two young masters of the Lu family?”

The girl touching up her makeup looked up, and a second later, they exchanged smiles: “How could I not?”

Perhaps because they were close, the two girls spoke freely about gossip.

“Power and wealth are indeed the greatest temptations for people,” the girl smiled meaningfully. “That young master of the Lu family who has already passed away was just a stepping stone for his brother’s ascent.”

The other girl lowered her voice, “Mr. Lu really has a ruthless hand. Even if they are half-brothers, they are still brothers.”

The Lu family’s business was not the only subject of discussion; their dark family affairs were also a frequent topic of hushed delight.

The current head of Lu’s Huahong Group had once murdered his brother to gain control of the family business.

This was an open secret in their circle. Everyone knew it, yet no one spoke of it or discussed it openly.

At this moment, Jiang Xi pushed open the door and walked out of the restroom.

The two girls finally realized someone else was in the restroom, exchanged glances, and one of them clasped her handbag, “Let’s go.”

They quickly left the restroom.

Jiang Xi didn’t bother to see who they were and walked to the sink to wash her hands.

She was alone in the restroom, the sound of water gushing.

The water rushed over her pale, slender fingers, and Jiang Xi remained motionless for a long time.

Lu Endi.

It had been a long time since she had heard that name.

Jiang Xi didn’t know the rumors the two girls had just discussed. The Lu family’s official announcement for the young master’s death was that he died of illness.

So many years had passed; that little boy had gone to another world when he was in his teens.

It was precisely because of him, many years ago, that Jiang Xi and Lu Nandu had their subsequent entanglement, relationship, and breakup.

She and Lu Endi were nothing but pawns, designed and manipulated by Lu Nandu.

Jiang Xi turned off the faucet. She looked up, seeing herself in the mirror, then stood up after a moment and left the restroom.

________________________________________

More than ten years ago, the Lu family had only one young master.

Lu Endi, the child of Lu Kaidong and Liang Sirong.

Everyone in the Lu family thought this child would grow up to be like his father or grandfather, but he turned out to be frail and sickly, with a gentle and reserved personality.

His temperament was completely unlike his grandfather and father, instead resembling his mother, Liang Sirong, more.

Despite this, all the elders in the Lu family doted on Lu Endi immensely.

Due to Lu Endi’s personality, he had few friends since childhood. Because of his poor health, and his grandparents’ longing for their grandson, the family would send him to his maternal grandmother’s place in the countryside for a period during every holiday.

Liang Sirong’s parents were from the north and had retired to the south, settling down in the countryside of Yucheng.

So, Lu Endi would go to Yucheng for a while every summer or winter vacation.

It was precisely how Jiang Xi and Lu Endi met.

At that time, Lu Endi was still in elementary school, and Jiang Xi was already in her first year of high school.

Jiang Xi had been learning to paint since she was a child, and during the summer holidays, she would go to a studio to paint and help the teacher as an assistant to earn some living expenses.

The institution offered summer classes, and many parents flocked to it, sending their children there.

It was midsummer, the sun was scorching, and cicadas chirped incessantly.

The air conditioning was on indoors, and the sound of pencil tips scratching on sketching paper filled the classroom.

This was a beginner’s class, and Jiang Xi, as an assistant, pulled up a chair and sat at the back of the classroom. It was quite boring, and under the quiet, monotonous sound, she leaned against the wall, feeling a bit drowsy.

Later, a student had a question, and Jiang Xi got up to help her solve it before returning to the back of the classroom.

No longer sleepy, she scanned the classroom and found a small boy in the back row by the window whose sketching paper was blank, but he sat there obediently, looking out the window.

Doesn’t like to paint, forced to come by his parents?

The boy sat not far from Jiang Xi’s front right. She sat on her chair and asked, “Don’t want to paint?”

The boy initially didn’t realize she was talking to him. After a slow moment, he reacted and turned around to ask, “Are you talking to me?”

The little boy was fair and had delicate features.

Jiang Xi smiled and said, “I wasn’t calling your name; I was asking you a question.”

“Oh,” he seemed to think for a moment about what Jiang Xi had just said, and then replied, “My grandma registered me for the wrong class.”

“Wrong class?”

The little boy nodded, then slowly said, “I took this a few years ago.”

He’s someone who has been painting since childhood.

It was already nearing dismissal time. Jiang Xi glanced out the window and then looked back, “Why didn’t you tell us earlier? We can change your class.”

He said, “I didn’t know I could change classes.”

As soon as he finished speaking, class was dismissed. Jiang Xi smiled and stood up, “I’ll go tell the teacher. You can go to the new class tomorrow.”

Jiang Xi didn’t return immediately after speaking with the teacher; she helped the teacher grade some student assignments.

When she returned to the classroom to get her things to go home, she found the little boy still hadn’t left.

Jiang Xi picked up her backpack and asked him, “Why aren’t you leaving yet?”

The little boy already had his backpack on and sat obediently on the chair. Then, he looked at her and very earnestly said thank you.

Jiang Xi smiled, “No need to thank me; I’m getting paid.”

She then asked him, “What’s your name?”

“Lu Endi.”

Later, they became familiar with each other, and Lu Endi had a talent for painting, making him especially favored by the teacher in class.

It was just a pity that this student only came during summer and winter vacations.

Lu Endi was five years younger than Jiang Xi, but because they both loved painting, they had many common topics.

Lu Endi had few friends, and in previous years when he came to Yucheng, he only had his grandparents to talk to. In the following years, he gained Jiang Xi as a friend.

________________________________________

Lu Nandu’s mother, Chu Xingru, was an alcoholic with a chaotic life, coming home early in the morning and late at night, bringing strange men home, and committing domestic violence.

But Chu Xingru wasn’t like this before.

She had once doted on Lu Nandu.

Chu Xingru was eighteen when she started following Lu Kaidong, who already had a family, though his legal wife had not yet had any children.

Chu Xingru, however, was prone to pregnancy and had already aborted two children before Lu Nandu was born.

In her youth, during her first love, romantic affection was the most important thing in her life. At that time, Chu Xingru was just a university student, but her entire focus was on Lu Nandu’s father.

Lu Kaidong had nothing but a handsome appearance and a charming personality, yet Chu Xingru was willing to be with him without any official status.

Chu Xingru was kept by Lu Kaidong in a villa, living a life like a canary in a cage.

Every day, besides going to class, she would tend to her flowers and plants. Lu Kaidong treated her well and often visited.

Later, Chu Xingru unexpectedly became pregnant with Lu Nandu. Lu Kaidong had always disagreed with her having a child. Chu Xingru selfishly wanted a child with him, so she secretly went to another city to hide from Lu Kaidong for a while and eventually gave birth to Lu Nandu.

At that time, she mistook ignorance for romance, and many years later, that romance became a burden.

Shortly after Lu Nandu was born, Chu Xingru returned and excitedly told Lu Kaidong the news.

She thought Lu Kaidong would be very happy to see the child.

But to her surprise, Lu Kaidong was displeased when he saw his son. He was mild-mannered and didn’t fly into a rage, merely telling Chu Xingru she was “不懂事” (ignorant/senseless).

This was the last sentence he ever spoke to Chu Xingru in their lives.

From then on, he cut off all contact with Chu Xingru. No matter how much Chu Xingru pleaded with him or went to his company to find him, he never looked at her again.

Later, Chu Xingru’s temper became increasingly volatile, starting with alcoholism, then gradually mixing with many men.

When severely drunk, Chu Xingru would even hit and curse Lu Nandu, who was then just a four or five-year-old child.

Later, the beatings and verbal abuse became more severe and frequent. As long as little Nandu annoyed her even slightly, or simply seeing him upset her, she would hit and curse him at the drop of a hat.

While other children had various toys accompanying their childhoods, Lu Nandu’s childhood only consisted of brooms, feather dusters, and even wine bottles.

Beatings were as frequent as other children playing with toys.

Until he grew up, his temper also hardened, and he began to learn to resist. But these things came too many years too late; those shadows from childhood had long been rooted in his flesh and blood, indelible for a lifetime.

________________________________________

One day in high school, Lu Nandu didn’t go to class. He got up in the morning and happened to encounter Chu Xingru returning home drunk.

Although Chu Xingru usually ignored him, she was extremely particular about his studies. Seeing him skip class, she flew into a rage.

She called him useless, a good-for-nothing.

She asked him if he knew why his father didn’t want him, saying that their lives were not worthy of the Lu family, and that Lu Nandu was born of a lowly fate and never brought any honor to that man.

Lu Nandu was already used to such insults and showed no reaction, not even bothering to give her a glance.

He held a piece of bread in his mouth, sat down at his computer desk, and leaned lazily back in the chair, starting to play a game.

Chu Xingru was drunk and continued talking, saying why she had given birth to him in the first place, and that having him with that man was the biggest regret of her life.

Lu Nandu casually said, “Why didn’t you just not give birth back then?”

This sentence completely enraged Chu Xingru. On the coffee table in the living room, there were still wine bottles from her drinking yesterday.

That day, Lu Nandu’s forehead was cut open by Chu Xingru with a wine bottle.

If he hadn’t dodged in time, the wound would have been even deeper.

Lu Nandu was thrown out of the house by Chu Xingru.

Lu Nandu only had a pack of cigarettes and a phone on him. He slowly wandered to an internet cafe.

It was already nearing summer vacation, and the weather was hot like a steam oven.

Lu Nandu passed by an art institution and saw a car appearing not far away, slowly coming to a stop.

With his hands in his pockets, he stared intently at the car and the two people beside it.

Lu Nandu had never met Lu Kaidong.

But he had seen many photos of Lu Kaidong since childhood. Chu Xingru had never thrown them away; even today, there were still photos of Lu Kaidong at home.

When Lu Nandu was little and didn’t know better, he often hugged those photos and called the man in the pictures “Dad.”

But after he grew up, he refused to call him even once, even after he was later taken back to the Lu family.

Lu Nandu didn’t leave; he leaned against a tree on the opposite side of the road, watching.

He pulled a cigarette from his pack, put it in his mouth, and lowered his head slightly to light it.

After lighting it, he put the cigarette pack and lighter back into his pocket and lazily watched the opposite side.

Lu Kaidong got out of the car. Beside him stood a boy who was probably in junior high, not very tall, with skin dazzlingly white in the sunlight. This much was similar to Lu Nandu; Lu Nandu wasn’t dark-skinned either.

The boy was carrying a backpack. Lu Kaidong was saying something to him.

But seeing his gentle expression, he was probably telling him to eat more and rest more.

He’s indeed the beloved son, pampered in the palm of his hand.

Lu Nandu scoffed.

Soon, the boy went inside. Lu Kaidong didn’t turn around to get back into the car until his son was out of sight.

As soon as he turned around, he saw the boy leaning against the tree on the opposite side.

Lu Nandu didn’t avoid his gaze and met his eyes.

Lu Kaidong didn’t recognize him, only feeling that although the person’s eyes were calm, he seemed a bit unsettling.

Definitely not someone to mess with, and he has a cut on his forehead, bleeding slightly.

Lu Kaidong’s gaze lingered on Lu Nandu for only a second or two, then he paid no more attention. After he got into the car, the driver started the engine and quickly drove away.

It wasn’t until the car had driven some distance that Lu Nandu withdrew his gaze. He smiled, took the cigarette from his lips, threw it into a nearby trash can, and got up to leave.

That day, as luck would have it, in the evening, Lu Nandu, bored with playing games, left the internet cafe and on the way encountered the boy from that morning.

He was being surrounded by a group of hooligans.

Coincidentally, those few people were Lu Nandu’s group of rogue friends.

Lu Nandu didn’t go over; he leaned not far away, watching.

Someone in the alley saw him and ran out.

Speaking of which, Lu Nandu was a year younger than this group, but they all called him “Brother.”

Someone asked him why he didn’t go to class today, and then asked what was wrong with his forehead.

Lu Nandu just took the cigarette offered to him and didn’t answer those boring questions.

He looked at the alley opposite, raised his chin slightly, and asked, “What’s going on?”

The guy with yellow hair turned to look.

“Ah, you mean that kid,” the yellow-haired guy said, “He deserved a beating.”

Usually, Lu Nandu wouldn’t bother asking about such things, but today he was unusually inquisitive. He looked at the boy in front of him, a little impatient: “I asked what’s going on.”

The yellow-haired guy was startled by him.

Noticing Lu Nandu’s impatience, he quickly explained, “This kid came looking for trouble himself. Li Dong has been chasing a senior high school girl recently, and he went to the art studio this afternoon to find her. This kid rushed over and told him to stay away from her.”

Lu Nandu didn’t speak.

The yellow-haired guy continued, “Li Dong hasn’t even gotten her yet, and this kid already came to cause trouble.”

Lu Endi, in the alley opposite, was pushed.

Lu Nandu, hands in his pockets, crossed the street and walked over.

Seeing him approach, the few guys became even more aggressive, verbally and physically attacking Lu Endi.

Lu Endi was a head shorter than this group, and he lowered his head, stubbornly not making a sound.

One of them was about to throw a punch but was stopped by Lu Nandu, who was behind him.

“Forget it.”

The few of them were all stunned by his words.

“Brother Du, why forget it?” The one whose arm Lu Nandu was holding said, “This kid just fucking deserves a beating.”

Lu Nandu, however, smiled, and casually said, “Can you afford to compensate if you touch this person?”

Everyone was bewildered: “Compensate for what?”

Lu Nandu looked at Lu Endi.

Lu Endi had already looked up at him.

Lu Nandu’s gaze was not exactly friendly, and his tone was ambiguous.

“His family owns the Lu Group. Do you think you can afford to compensate?”

In that era, communication wasn’t as developed as it is now, but the name Lu’s Huahong had always been a household name.

Someone mentioned the two words “Huahong.”

Lu Nandu looked at that person, grinned, and said in a relaxed yet playful tone, “Yeah, Huahong’s precious young master.”

Everyone’s expression changed.

Only Lu Endi looked at Lu Nandu in confusion. He didn’t know Lu Nandu, and he didn’t know why Lu Nandu would recognize him.

Lu Endi had minor scratches on him. The group warned him not to speak ill before leaving.

Later, someone asked Lu Nandu how he knew that was the young master of the Huahong Group.

Lu Nandu said, “Do you believe I have clairvoyance?”

But no one knew that this young master had lived in his life every day since birth.

Two years after Lu Nandu was born, Lu Kaidong’s wife gave birth to Lu Endi.

It was from that day on that Chu Xingru’s temperament began to change drastically, and every day she would instill all the darkness into Lu Nandu.

________________________________________

Later, Lu Nandu saw Lu Endi again.

That day after school, Lu Nandu was idly leaning by the classroom window, smoking, while a few of his bad friends were spouting nonsense.

Lu Nandu, hearing something amusing, would chime in with a few witty remarks.

His back was slightly bent, his arm resting on the windowsill, casually smoking.

The window faced the school gate, where the after-school crowd was dense and noisy.

At one point, he saw two people downstairs, and Lu Nandu stared at them for a few seconds.

Then, he lightly nudged the person next to him with his arm, and raised his chin, asking, “Who’s that?”

The boy next to him leaned over to look outside, “Which one?”

“By the bulletin board.”

The boy focused his eyes: “Damn, isn’t that the pretty boy we cornered in the alley last time?!”

Lu Nandu was impatient: “I meant the one next to him.”

“Oh, that one,” the boy said, “that’s the senior Li Dong is chasing. The pretty boy probably came to school to wait for her to finish.”

“Are they together?” Lu Nandu asked indifferently.

“How could that be? That senior is notoriously hard to chase, no one has ever succeeded. Li Dong hasn’t caught her yet. You know what people call her? The goddess as hard to reach as ascending to heaven.”

Not far away, Lu Nandu kept staring at the people downstairs.

An oval face, long hair, very fair, and very beautiful.

Slightly taller than the pretty boy, with a good figure.

Lu Nandu’s long fingers, holding the cigarette, drooped lazily. At some point, he chuckled and said thoughtfully, “Interesting.”

The reason for their breakup, the first half of the flashback.