LHKE Ch22

“You’re too soft-hearted,” Lu Changting said, looking at him with a hint of disapproval, though he didn’t press further.

Shen Li leaned back on the sofa, his voice tired. “My mom divorced him when I was in the first year of middle school.”

“My younger brother is twelve this year,” Shen Li said softly. “The day he started elementary school, I secretly went to see him.”

“He looks a lot like me back then.”

That’s why he didn’t want Shen An to grow up the same way—forced to mature too early.

He once lived carefree, not knowing what real sorrow was. Then suddenly, everything changed. His father kept a mistress, and when drunk, he’d hit his mother… One day, Cheng Zhao picked him up after school, but instead of taking him home, brought him to a newly rented apartment and rolled up his sleeves to show him the bruises on his arms.

At that moment, Shen Li felt like the world had collapsed.

Cheng Zhao asked him who he wanted to stay with.

All he could do was hug his mom and cry, blaming himself for being too young, for being powerless.

Now, he was older, more capable, and thought more carefully about things. If Shen Zhengqing’s company went bankrupt, what could Shen An, at his age, possibly do?

Shen Li didn’t want to continue discussing Shen Zhengqing’s troubles. Rubbing his temples, he said, “Thank you for helping me out.”

But another question lingered in his mind. “What was that about at Wangjang Tower, the day he mentioned? Did you meet him?”

Otherwise, why would his first words be, “We meet again”?

And why did Shen Zhengqing claim he and Lu Changting were dating?

“I met him once at the end of last month,” Lu Changting replied. “It was at Wangjang Tower. Auntie and he had an argument, and I happened to come across it, so I stepped in to mediate.”

“No wonder my mom invited you to dinner at our place…” Shen Li murmured, pressing his lips together. “Can you keep what happened today a secret for me?”

He could hide the three million from Cheng Zhao, but if it were more, he wouldn’t be able to.

The last time he gave Shen Zhengqing one million, Cheng Zhao was so furious he didn’t come home for a month and wouldn’t answer his calls. If Cheng Zhao found out he’d given Shen Zhengqing three million this time, he’d definitely be even angrier…

Lu Changting let out a soft sigh, sounding somewhat conflicted. “Auntie will be really mad.”

Shen Li, surprised by his answer, looked up at him in a daze. “You kept the Wangjang Tower incident a secret for her.”

His voice carried a hint of grievance.

Holding back a smile, Lu Changting said, “Auntie treated me to a meal. When someone feeds you, it’s hard to speak against them.”

Shen Li remained silent, finishing his cigarette and then grinding the butt into the ashtray. What Lu Changting said made sense, but it left Shen Li feeling uneasy.

He thought they were friends. Helping each other out seemed normal between friends, but here was Lu Changting, hinting that he needed a “hush fee.”

“I was joking,” Lu Changting said when he noticed Shen Li’s mood darken, realizing he’d taken it seriously. For a moment, he didn’t know how to backtrack.

How could he be so easily teased?

Shen Li released his hold, no longer taking his frustration out on the poor cigarette butt.

“Everything you say, I take seriously.”

Shen Li added in his mind, so please don’t joke, don’t let me misunderstand, don’t give me false hope…

Lu Changting reached out to pat his head, sighing internally. “But I really do want some kind of reward.”

Shen Li’s heart raced uncontrollably at the sudden touch. His instinct was to pull away, but he held himself back, reminding himself that it was nothing. Maybe Lu Changting was just casually patting his head. Straight guys tend to be careless about these things. If he overreacted, he’d seem like the one with something to hide.

His Adam’s apple bobbed nervously. In a low voice, he asked, “What kind of reward?”

“A box of chocolates or maybe a meal?” Lu Changting’s tone was genuinely conflicted, as if he wanted both.

“But it’s okay if I don’t get anything,” he continued, his voice dropping and sounding a bit forlorn. “I won’t tell Auntie. I wouldn’t want to make things difficult for you.”

Shen Li suddenly felt a bit dramatic.

It was probably because the whole situation with Lu Changting’s blind date had been weighing on him, making him lose his sense of balance when interacting with him.

“I’ll treat you to a meal,” he said. “When are you free? Would you rather eat out or at home?”

He really was soft-hearted.

Lu Changting looked at him, a faint smile forming on his lips. “I heard from Changxu that you went to the same high school as me, even in the same grade—Class 16, right?”

Shen Li pinched his palm, trying hard to keep his emotions in check, and responded with a soft “yeah.”

“What a coincidence,” Lu Changting remarked, sighing. “How about we go to ‘Grandma’s Home-Cooked Dishes’?”

He paused, then added, “It’s been years since I last visited the school. I’m not even sure if that little restaurant near the school is still there.”

Shen Li’s heartbeat quickened again. Avoiding eye contact with Lu Changting, he quietly replied, “It’s still there.”

“Then let’s go this weekend,” Lu Changting said.

“Grandma’s Home-Cooked Dishes” was hidden in a small alley near the school. The little restaurant was run by an elderly couple—the grandma worked in the kitchen, while the grandpa handled the guests and the money. Even after all these years, Shen Li still vividly remembered the taste of the cold sweet soup they served in the summer, with softened seaweed and mung beans, the brown sugar dissolving into the water. The blue and white porcelain bowls were filled to the brim, and the students, all dressed in white uniforms, would queue up outside. When the restaurant was full, they’d stand under the eaves, sipping the sweet soup and chatting with their friends.

Occasionally, vendors pushing fruit carts would wander the alleys, selling fresh black plums. The sunlight made their skins glisten, like beautiful black gemstones. One bite filled your mouth with a sweet and sour flavor, refreshing and thirst-quenching.

But Lu Changting didn’t like sour foods; he never bought any. When his friends asked if he wanted some, he’d just shake his head with a smile and go buy a bowl of sweet soup instead.

Pulling himself out of his memories, Shen Li responded with a complex tone, “Okay.”

Worried that Lu Changting might ask about high school, Shen Li deliberately changed the subject. “By the way, is your cold getting better?”

As soon as he asked, he remembered that “Last Kiss” cocktail he made that night—he had no idea how much lemon juice he’d added to it. He felt both guilty and regretful.

Lu Changting also recalled that “Last Kiss,” but he didn’t bring it up. Instead, he simply said, “Much better, thanks for the medicine.”

Shen Li touched the faint red mark on his palm, left from the scab of the scratch he got while climbing a wall. The scab had fallen off, leaving only a light scar that would take a few more days to fully heal.

“That woman that night—was she your blind date?” Shen Li asked. “She was really pretty.”

“She’s not anymore,” Lu Changting explained calmly. “It didn’t feel right, so we didn’t keep in touch.”

Shen Li felt a bit happy about that, but he knew he shouldn’t feel that way, and he certainly didn’t dare show it. Instead, he softly said, “…You’ll meet someone suitable in the future.”

“Yeah.” Lu Changting added in his heart, I already have.

The waiter cleared Shen Zhengqing’s glass and wiped the table before bringing fresh drinks.

Casually, Lu Changting asked, “Changxu told me that Le Yi confessed to you?”

In reality, Changxu hadn’t said anything like that. He just sent a photo that caused some misunderstandings, leaving Lu Changting anxious, unsure how to ask Shen Li about his relationship with Le Yi.

“Huh?” Shen Li thought for a moment, recalling the day Le Yi gave him something while Changxu and the others were present. Le Yi’s feelings for him were obvious to everyone, so it was likely Changxu had misunderstood. But Shen Li didn’t want Lu Changting to misunderstand.

“That’s not true,” Shen Li explained nervously. “He’s still young; I only see him as a little brother…”

Lu Changting’s eyebrows raised slightly, and a faint smile spread across his face. “You’re not that much older.”

Shen Li, relieved that Lu Changting didn’t seem to misunderstand, finally relaxed. He glanced up at Lu Changting, who smiled so gently that Shen Li couldn’t help but smile back. “He’s just a little younger than you.”

…

When it was time to leave, Shen Li still insisted on walking Lu Changting out.

The night breeze lifted the tips of Shen Li’s hair as he stood by the roadside. His dark, bright eyes shimmered like spring water, rippling in the wind.

Lu Changting couldn’t shake the sense of familiarity he felt towards Shen Li, a feeling that was growing stronger. He was certain they had met somewhere before.

They must have crossed paths during those three years of high school, being on the same floor.

But he just couldn’t remember.

He sighed, thinking that he should focus on the present—he hadn’t even caught Shen Li’s heart yet, so there was no point in reminiscing about their school days.

…

By the time he got home, it was nearly midnight.

After arriving home, Lu Changting sent Shen Li a WeChat message. After his shower, he lay down and reopened the chat window, searching for a topic but finding none. In the end, he could only send a “Good night.”

Thanks to the upcoming “date” with Shen Li that weekend, Lu Changting’s mood had been excellent the past few days.

Even when his uncles, aunts, brothers, and sisters called to ask about his blind date with the Xiang family’s daughter, he patiently listened to their half-true words of comfort and concern. He was also much kinder to his colleagues at work.

When Lu Changxu came to the office to see him, he happened to catch him in the middle of a meeting. Since Wan Qing wasn’t around, he casually chatted with two assistants from the president’s office. They mentioned that Lu Changting had been in a good mood lately, which made Lu Changxu think they were joking.

But when the meeting ended, and he saw Lu Changting laughing and chatting with Lu Shiyang as they returned to the office, he couldn’t help but wonder if something strange had taken over his usually serious cousin.

The Lu family was large and powerful. There were some like Lu Changxu, who cared little for fame and fortune, and others like Lu Shiyang, who always schemed behind the scenes to cause trouble for Lu Changting in his bid for the family’s wealth.

Seeing the two of them happily chatting felt incredibly odd.

Although Lu Changxu didn’t like Lu Shiyang, he still rose respectfully, calling out, “Uncle.”

Lu Shiyang was the late-born son of the Lu family’s fourth uncle, only thirty-five years old, just a few years older than Lu Changxu and Lu Changting. He was ambitious and driven, so it was no surprise. Despite his schemes, he hadn’t done anything truly harmful, so Lu Changxu couldn’t be too hostile toward him.

“Changxu,” Lu Shiyang greeted him with an even bigger smile. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen you. What brings you to headquarters today?”

“Just here to see Changting,” Lu Changxu replied indifferently.

“Well, I’ll leave you two to it.” Lu Shiyang knew his direct personality well and didn’t mind his cold attitude. In fact, he preferred dealing with people like Lu Changxu. Their emotions were written plainly on their faces—if they liked you, it was genuine, and if they didn’t, it was equally genuine. Unlike Lu Changting, who could chat with you cheerfully while every word was full of hidden agendas.

People often dislike those similar to themselves.

“Think about that project I mentioned,” Lu Shiyang said to Lu Changting. “We’ll talk again when you have time.”

Once the office door closed, Lu Changxu frowned instantly. “What does he want from you this time?”

“There’s a plot of land in City B he wants to develop into a comprehensive amusement park. He doesn’t have enough funding, so he wants the group to invest,” Lu Changting explained, handing him a cup of water. “But it’s not that simple. The connections in City B are intricate. Whether we can even acquire the land is still uncertain.”

Lu Changxu took a sip of water, his displeasure clear. “I knew it wasn’t anything good.”

“We’re still family,” Lu Changting replied diplomatically. He couldn’t criticize Lu Shiyang openly, but since he was close to Lu Changxu, he did offer a word of caution. “You should learn to control that temper of yours.”

“Control what?” Lu Changxu chuckled indifferently. “I just can’t stand his two-faced, backstabbing ways. Luckily, I don’t have to deal with all the hypocrites in the business world like you do.”

With a smile, Lu Changting raised an eyebrow. “I’m a hypocritical businessman too, you know.”

“You’re different,” Lu Changxu said. “You know I don’t mean it like that.”

Leaning back against his desk, Lu Changting took a slow sip of water. “So, tell me, what brings you here today?”