"Brother, is Shaoqing any better?" Li Yanheng's voice was filled with worry.
He had been very worried about Jiang Shaoqing since they returned and only dared to call Mu Jiuchen in the afternoon to inquire.
Mu Jiuchen stood by the window, his back exuding nobility and pride. "He's fine now."
"That's good! Brother, are you taking Kuo Bao and the others out to play? Hong Tian is especially fun at night," Li Yanheng asked with a smile, wondering what was up with the three children.
They had only left for a few hours, and yet...
Mu Jiuchen refused him, "No, I have something to do."
With that, he hung up the phone.
Li Yanheng looked at the disconnected phone, feeling a bit unhappy.
He was drinking with Rong Yin at the Hong Tian bar. The lights flickered, casting a dim glow on his handsome face, which was etched with displeasure. "They're not coming."
Rong Yin actually didn't want to see the three little brats again. She had been so embarrassed that day.
"If they don't come, so be it. Let's drink," Rong Yin said glumly, raising her glass and downing the wine in one gulp.
It was just a roller coaster ride, but it had made her lose all face!
Li Yanheng, known for his volatile temper, was in one of his sullen moods. He couldn't be bothered to do anything and lay lazily on the table.
He looked at Rong Yin and said, "Do you think my elder brother might be in Jinshi? I heard the accents of Jiang Ge and Mu Jiuchen, and I feel my mother's accent is quite similar to theirs."
This time, he wouldn't go back until he found his elder brother.
He would find him even if it meant searching for a needle in a haystack.
Rong Yin thought his idea was impractical.
"I think you're dreaming! Jinshi is a big city. Where are you going to find him?"
In the dim light, Li Yanheng's face was reflected in the wine glass, and a rare sadness could be seen on his handsome features.
Nothing had ever made him feel this way. He truly wished he had an elder brother.
"Rong Yin," he turned to Rong Yin and asked with a smile, "Are you very happy now that your elder brother is back?"
Rong Yin's eyes, like peach blossoms, were full of smiles. She said smugly, "Does that even need to be asked? Ever since my elder brother came home, our family has been harmonious. My elder brother handles many things. He can cook and do housework. On weekends, our family gathers together, laughing and chatting. My elder brother speaks gently and is very filial to Mom and Dad. Besides work, he's willing to accompany Mom to play mahjong, and his patience is exceptional. You wouldn't believe it, but I haven't been scolded by my dad for several days, and I'm actually quite unaccustomed to it." Rong Yin's face was beaming with happiness.
Li Yanheng looked on with envy. He also wished he had such a good elder brother.
Seeing his sadness, Rong Yin thought he was being rather dense. "Li Yanheng, why don't you ask your parents? While your brother is still young, it's not too late to find him after you locate him."
Li Yanheng recalled his mother's heartbroken cries and quickly shook his head. "Forget it. That's my mother's lifelong pain. How dare I ask? My dad would break my legs."
Rong Yin looked at his stubbornness and felt helpless.
At the Lu family residence, Jiang Yukuo and Jiang Siyun were also folding their clothes in Mu Jiuchen's room.
Jiang Yukuo was unaccustomed to not having his younger brother with him.
"Dad, can we go back to Jinshi?" Since he wouldn't see his younger brother for another three months, staying here was boring. It was better to go back and train at the martial arts school.
Mu Jiuchen put down his work and looked at his son. "You want to go back?"
Jiang Yukuo nodded.
Jiang Siyun added, "Dad, Aunt Xia is home alone. We're worried about her."
Mu Jiuchen looked at his daughter, asking with some confusion, "What's there to worry about an adult like her?"
Jiang Siyun, thinking of Aunt Meng being there too, felt a pang of worry. However, her mother had told her not to tell anyone about Aunt Xia's pregnancy.
When Aunt Xia was ready to tell them herself, everyone would know.
"Aunt Xia will be lonely by herself?" His younger brother couldn't hear their voices anymore.
A flicker of doubt crossed Mu Jiuchen's handsome face, but he didn't probe further.
"You still have two months of vacation. We'll stay here for another half a month. Your maternal grandmother is not in a good mood right now, and she'll be even more upset if you both leave. We'll leave after another half a month." Mu Jiuchen was also considering Jin Yan's feelings, which was why he decided to stay a bit longer.
"Oh!"
Jiang Yukuo and Jiang Siyun nodded obediently.
Grandmother was their mother's mother. They never wanted to see their mother cry, and their mother wouldn't want her own mother to cry. So, they would stay and take care of their grandmother for a few days.
The next day, Lu Chengfeng arrived early to urge Lu Chengsi's family to move.
Seeing his elder brother like this, Lu Chengsi felt extremely disheartened.
Lu Chengfeng was in a good mood seeing them packing to leave. He would sell the house soon anyway; he couldn't afford to maintain it. After selling it to pay off debts, he would still have plenty left for his retirement.
The old madam had finished packing. As she came downstairs, she saw her elder son. She was filled with sadness and said to Lu Chengfeng, "Chengfeng, Mom has nothing to leave you. I'll give you one piece of advice: do your best!"
Lu Chengfeng looked at his aged and frail mother with a hint of reluctance. "Mom, your life will be better with Chengsi. Jin Yan takes good care of you. You know my wife's temper; how can she serve you well?"
This was the truth. Regardless, she was his mother, and he didn't want to not support her. However, with a tigress at home, he felt helpless.
The old madam looked at him quietly for a moment before saying, "This is the last time our mother and son will meet. I fear we will have no more connection in the future. If I pass away one day, neither you nor your brother need to come to see me off. I prefer to leave peacefully."
"Mom." Lu Chengfeng looked at his mother helplessly. "Aren't you making us unfilial?"
The old madam patted his arm, her smile tinged with desolation. "You are unfilial even when I am alive. What filial piety do I need when I'm dead? Don't dwell on it. When fate is broken, it's broken. I'm leaving."
A servant carried the old madam's belongings outside, and Lu Chengsi was already waiting by the door.
Lu Chengfeng followed them out and asked Lu Chengsi, "Where are you moving? I'll visit Mom every month."
The old madam said, "No need. I don't want to see you anymore from now on."
After speaking, the old madam got into the car. Lu Chengsi drove his mother to the small courtyard.
Lu Chengfeng frowned subtly, a wave of sadness washing over him, but it quickly faded.
He turned and saw the three Lu brothers coming out. One by one, they left the Lu residence. The last to come out was Jiang Siyun. She looked at Lu Chengfeng, who was standing at the door, and said with a look of regret, "Grandpa, your calculations are really not good. If you hadn't broken ties with your maternal grandfather's family, you wouldn't have gotten less than this house. It's a real shame."
The little girl shook her head and left.
Lu Chengfeng was stunned and frowned slightly as he watched the little girl's retreating figure.
He understood this logic. As long as his mother was alive, things were clear. After she was gone, these matters would be difficult to settle.
It was good to clarify things while his mother was still here. Lu Chengfeng had no regrets. That money was enough for him to live on for the rest of his life. He wouldn't be able to manage the next chapter.
Now, all that was left was to sell the property and split the money with his brother.
Jin Yan got into the car, looking at the house she had lived in for over a decade, and reluctantly departed.