Lu Chensi always arrived at the appointed meeting place ahead of time, a habit cultivated over many years. Especially in business, when he arranged to discuss matters, he disliked being delayed or encountering unforeseen circumstances. He preferred to arrive ten minutes earlier than the agreed time, rather than keeping others waiting.
"Uncle Lu!" Rong Yin walked in with a smile.
He didn't actually know how to broach the subject. These successive truths might crush this business magnate. Yet, not speaking about it felt like an unsolvable knot.
"Yes! Sit down. You called me in such a rush. What's the matter? Do you have any new leads?" Lu Chensi had been in distress these past few days. Seeing his wife weep every day, his daughter of over twenty years old being wicked, and his biological daughter unable to be brought home, had completely shattered his wife's resilience. He dreamt of resolving the matter quickly, wanting his wife to stop crying.
Rong Yin's smile faltered. He picked up the water on the table and took a sip, a heavy weight pressing on his heart, unsure of how to begin.
"Speak up, son. I left my tearful wife specifically to hear some useful information from you so we can resolve this sooner. My wife has been crying every day these past few days, and it's breaking my heart."
Rong Yin looked at him with envy and said, "Uncle, everyone calls you a wife-spoiling maniac, and it's true."
"Of course! It's my wife, who else would I spoil?" Lu Chensi said with immense pride. He felt fortunate to have met a woman in the vast sea of people whom he could dote on until old age, and who loved him just as much.
"Uncle is right. After I marry Nuannuan, I will also cherish her dearly." Rong Yin said with a smile, as if he had already married her. His solitary happiness made Lu Chensi reluctant to interrupt.
"Do you like Nuannuan that much?" His daughter was truly beautiful, as lovely as her mother in her youth. But why was this young man always thinking of her?
"Of course, Uncle. Isn't it a stroke of luck to meet someone you like in the vast sea of people?" Rong Yin's playful expression turned serious. He truly liked Jiang Nuan. Her cool demeanor gave him a sense of challenge, and her medical skills commanded his respect.
Lu Chensi didn't know what else to say. Mu Jiuchen was also involved in this matter. It was a clash between two formidable figures, and it remained to be seen who would prevail. He decided to stay out of it; he supported whoever his daughter loved. Besides, feelings were not business, and he couldn't help Rong Yin.
"It is indeed fortunate. If the feelings are mutual, it's even more fortunate!" Lu Chensi admitted.
"Uncle, what I'm about to say might upset you?" Rong Yin was still considering how to phrase it delicately.
Lu Chensi smiled indifferently. "It's fine. Speak your mind. I've weathered storms and faced great challenges. There's nothing I can't handle."
With the conversation reaching this point, Rong Yin quickly blurted out, "Uncle, do you know? This world is quite mystical. Nuannuan was found by her paternal grandfather, your father. He found her. Nuannuan has been living with your biological mother all these years..."
Rong Yin relayed the information he had received from Jiang Nuan to Lu Chensi, word for word.
Lu Chensi was speechless.
After Rong Yin had spoken for a while, Lu Chensi didn't quite grasp it. He forced a smile, his face clouded with displeasure. "Son, what are you talking about? You've got me all confused. My father died years ago, and my biological mother is still at home lying down..."
As Lu Chensi spoke, his voice trailed off. Rong Yin's words implied a fact: he was not his mother's biological son. His fists clenched involuntarily. He recalled Rong Yin's words carefully, but found them to be perfectly flawless. He was not his mother's biological son! This was something he had suspected but never dared to confirm. Now, suddenly, someone stepped forward to tell him that he truly wasn't his mother's biological son.
Lu Chensi suddenly remembered something. Nuannuan's grandmother would visit his mother for a period each year. He had met this lady. She was beautiful in her youth, and in her old age, she was gentle and detached. Her eyes were pure. On several occasions when she saw him, a warm smile played on her lips, and she would nod slightly in greeting. He called her "Auntie," and she would always pause for a moment before regaining her composure, her demeanor as serene as ever. So, his biological mother had been coming to see him every year, and he hadn't even known when she died.
"Uncle, are you alright?" Rong Yin looked at him with concern. Lu Chensi's face was ashen, and his whole body trembled.
"Uncle, Nuannuan said she must find her father to fulfill her grandfather's dying wish so that he could rest in peace. Her grandparents divorced because they lost their son. After the divorce, neither remarried and they lived out their days together until old age."
"Therefore, Uncle, Grandpa is old and doesn't want to leave any more regrets. I thought it best to tell you about this early. You missed your mother; don't miss your father this time." Rong Yin had considered this very point when he came to find him.
Lu Chensi slowly stood up and looked at Rong Yin, forcing a difficult smile. He wasn't feeling well at the moment; it had all happened too suddenly, and he felt bewildered. "Rong Yin, thank you for telling me this. However, I would like to be alone for a while. You can leave now. But I implore you to keep this matter confidential. My mother is elderly, and she has no will to live. Please do not let her know about this." Even in his state, he still showed consideration for his current mother. His mother had treated him very well, doting on him since childhood.
These few sentences had crushed a strong man. Lu Chensi walked forward with difficulty, reaching the door and leaning against the frame to steady himself. Rong Yin stood up worriedly, watching the frail figure, but ultimately did not approach. At this moment, Lu Chensi did not wish to be disturbed by anyone.
Lu Chensi stepped out of the club and looked at the bustling city traffic at night. His deep eyes were filled with emptiness. Everything around him seemed to be shielded from him, as if he were alone. Indeed, at this moment, he felt the world was a bit surreal. He wasn't his mother's biological son. Thinking of that frail, delicate smile, his heart bled. To visit her son once a year but be unable to acknowledge him – what kind of feeling was that? It was like his current situation, having his daughter before his eyes but not daring to acknowledge her. The pain felt like being slowly carved by a blunt knife, an agonizing torment.
Lu Chensi lost himself in thought, oblivious to the approaching traffic. He took a step forward, and from not far away, there was a shrill honk. Before he could react, someone forcefully pulled him backward.