Chapter 19

Half an hour later, the three of them entered the changing room to put on their equestrian gear.

While changing, Shu Shiyun’s mind was filled with what He Musheng had just said. After sensing that He Musheng was in a poor mood, He had taken the initiative to apologize, explaining that he had no malicious intent and detailing the specific reasons why. Upon hearing it, Shu Shiyun found it somewhat amusing, yet also felt quite helpless.

Distractedly dressed, he stepped out of the changing room to find Shang Cheng waiting for him. Seeing him emerge, Shang Cheng reached out to adjust his helmet.

"It's getting late, let's not stay out too long."

Shu Shiyun looked up at him obediently: "Alright."

In truth, he was a bit tired today. Having not exercised in a long time, even a brief stroll on horseback left him feeling weary.

On the grassy slope under the setting sun, he sat on his horse, gazing at the scenery in the distance. A sense of unprecedented tranquility settled in his heart. After a slight sigh of relief, he turned to look at Shang Cheng nearby.

The riding outfit outlined Shang Cheng’s physical proportions perfectly, making him look imposing and authoritative. Shu Shiyun found it hard to look away, though a flicker of melancholy surfaced in his heart.

"Shang Cheng."

"Hmm?"

"Have you ever heard any rumors about me?" Shu Shiyun carefully chose his words. "Negative news about me."

Shang Cheng never lied to him about such matters, so he replied quickly: "I have."

"Then, after seeing them, didn't you doubt whether I was really that kind of person? After all, they described it so realistically."

Shang Cheng answered without hesitation: "I only believe what I see with my own eyes."

His decisive reply made Shu Shiyun feel ashamed. It was precisely because he had listened to rumors about Shang Cheng from others that he had formed such a poor impression of him in the past.

Shang Cheng did not press for details, merely comforting him: "I trust you because I knew you before those rumors even surfaced, so I wouldn't let others' words affect my impression of you."

Shu Shiyun sighed: "I want to ask you a question."

Before Shang Cheng could respond, he spoke with a sudden impulse: "If one day you suddenly discovered that someone you trusted and cared for deeply was actually deceiving you the whole time, and was even plotting to take everything you have, what would you do?"

"Cut off all ties."

His heart sank upon hearing this, only for Shang Cheng to chuckle. "That would be letting them off too easily. I would prefer to see their own plans turn back on them."

Shu Shiyun was amused by his words: "You really are the type to hold a grudge, but... that's actually quite an interesting way to think about it."

A smile flickered in Shang Cheng's eyes as he asked, "Who is bullying you?"

"No one dares to bully me." Startled by the question, Shu Shiyun felt a sudden sense of panic and lowered his eyes to avoid his gaze.

After wandering for a while, they returned to the lounge area. Shang Cheng went to greet some friends, while Shu Shiyun, feeling tired, sat in the lounge to wait.

It was late, and many guests had returned to freshen up; the lobby was quite lively. He sat on a corner sofa, scrolling through his private messages, but he hadn't read more than a few when he heard intense arguing nearby.

"What did you say before? Didn't you say you had a membership? Look how awkward this is now!"

"We can't even get through the door and have to wait in the lounge. What if they come over later? We can't afford this place."

"Exactly, Lan Xuan, you need to think of something. You were the one who said we could come here."

Shu Shiyun, who hadn't paid much attention initially, couldn't help but frown upon hearing a familiar name. He turned his head to look behind him and saw Lan Xuan, wearing sportswear, sitting in a wheelchair looking thoroughly displeased. One of his legs was in a cast, and he was sporting a prominent brand logo on his chest—it looked like the newest collection.

Running out before his leg had even healed, he was clearly trying to show off in front of his fair-weather friends again.

Lan Xuan’s affairs had nothing to do with him, so Shu Shiyun didn't intend to get involved and looked back down at his phone. However, the voices from behind continued to drift over.

Not long after, the club receptionist approached to inquire about Lan Xuan’s membership.

"Are you sure Shu Shiyun’s name isn't here?" Lan Xuan asked, his voice suppressing anger. "Check again. He spends his days living it up; how could he not have a membership here?"

The staff member remained polite: "I apologize, sir, but we truly cannot find that name. This is a lounge specifically for our VIP members. If you do not have a need for our services or a member to host you, please leave, as you are disturbing our guests."

"How much is it to open a membership here?" a friend of Lan Xuan’s asked.

"Our initiation fee is 200,000, and the basic platinum annual membership is 500,000. This is a leisure club designed for high-end clientele. If you wish to join, you must undergo financial verification and follow the formal procedures."

As soon as the person finished speaking, the group around Lan Xuan erupted into chatter.

"Only 500,000?"

"For Lan Xuan, that’s just a piece of cake, isn't it?"

"Exactly!"

Hearing the commotion, Shu Shiyun couldn't help but look in that direction. Many people in the lounge had been drawn by the noise and looked visibly annoyed.

Lan Xuan, egged on by his friends like a pig on a spit, felt a mix of embarrassment and fury. "Didn't you hear? They require financial verification. How could I have that much money on hand right now? Plus, the application process takes time."

"Sir, if you do not currently hold membership status, please leave."

Being kicked out by the staff was clearly too humiliating for Lan Xuan. Facing his friends' skepticism, he could only force himself to say, "It’s all because Shu Shiyun borrowed so much money from our family that I don’t have any spare cash for this right now."

"He asked your dad for money again?"

"Of course. Every time he comes home, my dad cuts my allowance. Even when I broke my leg this time, he didn't show the slightest bit of concern."

As Lan Xuan talked with his friends, the staff member urged them to leave again.

Seeing that the staff was about to call security, Lan Xuan reluctantly pushed his wheelchair toward the exit.

"Can we really not eat here? I heard the chef at this club was specially invited from France and has even won awards."

The speaker was a girl. Lan Xuan was already feeling impatient and was about to snap at her, but upon seeing something, his face instantly turned pale, and he hid his wheelchair behind his friends.

His movement was so abrupt that the wheelchair collided with someone’s leg, prompting a scream that drew the attention of those who had just entered the lobby.

Shu Shiyun glanced in that direction and was stunned to see his uncle at the entrance.

Shu Yanshen hadn't noticed Lan Xuan when he walked in, but upon hearing the scream, his gaze swept over and caught sight of the person in the wheelchair. His eyes passed over the pained, contorted face of the man who had hit his leg, and his expression grew visibly colder.

"My god, is that Shu Yanshen? From RTM?"

Hearing his friend's awestruck exclamation, Lan Xuan broke into a cold sweat: "Shut up!"

"Lan Xuan, why don't you go say hello? Isn't he your stepbrother's uncle?"

"Yeah, didn't you say he was nice to you? He seems to have recognized you!"

Lan Xuan hurriedly told them to stop talking. Previously, he had relied on the fact that the Shu family was mostly abroad to use their reputation to bolster his own status, but who could have guessed that Shu Yanshen would return to the country!

He had no idea about this, and while cursing Shu Shiyun in his heart, he began to feel uneasy.

Could it be that Shu Shiyun was the one who brought his uncle back? Could it be because of what he had done before? Hadn't he already apologized to Shu Shiyun? Why was he still holding a grudge!

His heart was filled with resentment, but he dared not show a trace of it. When the man reached them, he raised his head tremblingly.

The man in front of him was wearing simple, casual clothes, yet the arrogance and pressure of someone in a position of power enveloped him.

"Uncle... Uncle Shu..."

Even in front of his friends, though he wanted to use the more intimate title he usually claimed, the sight of Shu Yanshen’s emotionless eyes made him swallow the word "uncle" back down.

"What are you doing here?" Shu Yanshen glanced at his leg.

Lan Xuan felt his body stiffen and dared not say much: "I wanted to come play, but I don't have a membership."

His friends, who had been so talkative earlier, fell silent once Shu Yanshen approached.

Noticing Shu Yanshen’s gaze, he added, "I broke my leg in a fall a few days ago, so I have to use a wheelchair now."

As an elder, even though Shu Yanshen was quite dissatisfied with the Lan family, he was not prepared to blame everything on the younger generation, so he only said coldly: "If your leg is injured, stay home and rest."

Lan Xuan didn't expect him to show concern, and his face immediately revealed surprise. He nodded hurriedly: "Yes, Uncle Shu, I'll go home now."

The friends behind him nudged his shoulder with their elbows, clearly urging him to ask Shu Yanshen to let them stay. Since Shu Yanshen was here, letting them stay would just be a matter of a single word.

If Shu Yanshen weren't still there, Lan Xuan would have cursed out loud. Did the man look like he would play with them? He didn't want to bring trouble upon himself!

He pushed his wheelchair to leave, exhaling in relief as he passed Shu Yanshen. His friends, though reluctant, followed him out.

However, as he passed Shu Yanshen, Lan Xuan suddenly felt a sense of unease.

His premonition proved correct; a moment later, a familiar voice came from behind him.

"Uncle."

Lan Xuan’s back stiffened. Before he could turn around, he heard his friends whispering among themselves.

"Is that Shu Shiyun? Why is he here?"

"He actually dares to show his face! Lan Xuan, hurry and tell your uncle about what he did!"

Are they crazy? Shu Yanshen is Shu Shiyun’s real uncle; why would he side with an outsider like him!

Lan Xuan just hoped they would shut up and stop causing him trouble. He pushed his wheelchair toward the door, holding onto a final sliver of hope, but was stopped anyway.

"Lan Xuan, why are you here?"

His movement halted abruptly. Lan Xuan turned with difficulty and met the eyes of the smiling Shu Shiyun.

"I..."

Before he could speak, he saw Shu Shiyun curl his lips into a smile and say softly: "Why are you out playing with friends? If your father finds out, he might get angry enough to break your other leg too."

The moment these words were spoken, the entire area fell silent.

Shu Yanshen looked at Lan Xuan’s plaster-cast right leg and raised an eyebrow with interest.

Lan Xuan’s face turned from green to white, especially when he felt the shocked gazes of his friends; he wanted to crawl into a hole in the ground.

But Shu Shiyun wasn't finished with him. Standing with his arms crossed nearby, he said with a half-smile: "Oh, right, I just remembered your father saying he was going to ground you. How did you manage to sneak out? If he finds out again that you're using family money to treat friends, it won't just be another broken leg that solves it."

Lan Xuan had no idea how he eventually left the club. It was the first time he had felt so utterly humiliated. Seeing everyone around him—people wearing simple casual clothes who couldn't hide their wealth—staring at him, he felt nothing but shame.

After hearing Shu Shiyun’s words, his friends were all shocked, repeatedly asking him if it were true. It drove him into such a rage that the moment he got outside, he threw a massive tantrum, got into a taxi alone, and left them behind.

He had sneaked out, so naturally, he had no driver. Sitting in the back of the taxi, he caught a stifling, unpleasant scent that made his already agitated stomach churn.

Shu Shiyun, Shu Shiyun!

The mere thought of that name made him grit his teeth; he wished he could see him dead!

Ever since Tang Yitong and Lan Suzhi got married, he had detested Shu Shiyun.

They were both children of divorced parents, so why did everyone love everything Shu Shiyun did? Living in a villa, wearing designer brands, and throwing a banquet for every birthday, inviting all the wealthy and influential guests.

Even now, he remembered their first meeting. When Tang Yitong brought him into the Lan household, looking at Lan Suzhi’s perfunctory expression, he felt like an outsider. But when Shu Shiyun walked in, followed by bodyguards, a driver, and a nanny, he looked like a pampered little prince. His mere appearance commanded everyone’s attention, and even his own mother treated Shu Shiyun with great tenderness.

It had been like that all these years. Shu Shiyun always acted as if he were giving him charity, taking him everywhere on the surface, but did he not know his true intentions? It was nothing more than seeking a sense of superiority in front of him, as those were things he could only dream of. How could he not hate him?

What did Shu Shiyun really have? Wasn't it just good luck? He only hated that he himself wasn't born into such a life!

He wanted to see what would happen once Shu Shiyun provoked someone he shouldn't!

Punching the back of the front seat hard, Lan Xuan’s eyes were bloodshot with rage.